1949 Idaho Vandals football team

1949 Idaho Vandals football
Conference	Pacific Coast Conference
Record	3–5 (1–4 PCC)
Head coach	Dixie Howell (3rd season)
Home stadium	Neale Stadium

1949 Pacific Coast Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 3 California $	7	–	0	–	0			10	–	1	–	0
UCLA	5	–	2	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Stanford	4	–	2	–	0			7	–	3	–	1
USC	4	–	2	–	0			5	–	3	–	1
Oregon State	5	–	3	–	0			7	–	3	–	0
Oregon	2	–	5	–	0			4	–	6	–	0
Washington	2	–	5	–	0			3	–	7	–	0
Washington State	2	–	6	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Idaho	1	–	4	–	0			3	–	5	–	0
Montana	0	–	3	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The 1949 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1949 college football season. The Vandals were led by third-year head coach Dixie Howell and were members of the Pacific Coast Conference. Home games were played on campus at Neale Stadium in Moscow, with one game in Boise, a final time at Public School Field.

Idaho was 3–5 overall and won one of their five PCC games.

The Vandals' losing streak in the Battle of the Palouse with neighbor Washington State reached 21 games, with a 13–35 homecoming loss in Moscow. Idaho tied the Cougars the next year, but the winless streak continued until five years later.[1]

In the rivalry game with Montana in Missoula the following week, Idaho won 47–19 to retain the Little Brown Stein in the Grizzlies' last year in the PCC. Montana returned the favor in Moscow the next year with a one-point upset, then the Vandals won eight straight, through 1959.

Babe Curfman was hired as the ends coach in February 1949;[2][3] he became head coach in April 1951.[4][5]

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 17	12:45 pm	Willamette*	Neale Stadium Moscow, ID	W 79–0	5,000
September 24	2:00 pm	at Oregon	Hayward Field Eugene, OR	L 0–41
October 1	12:00 pm	at Texas*	Memorial Stadium Austin, TX	L 7–56		[6]
October 15	2:00 pm	Washington State	Neale Stadium Moscow, ID (Battle of the Palouse)	L 13–35	21,500
October 22	1:00 pm	at Montana	Dornblaser Field Missoula, MT (Little Brown Stein)	W 47–19	8,500
October 29	1:00 pm	vs. Portland*	Public School Field Boise, ID	W 49–21		[7]
November 5	2:00 pm	Oregon State	Neale Stadium Moscow, ID	L 25–35	9,000
November 12	2:00 pm	at Stanford	Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA	L 0–63	12,000
*Non-conference game Homecoming All times are in Pacific time

Coaching staff

• Bill Godwin, tackles
• Gene Harlow, guards
• Raymond A. Curfman, ends
• Steve Belko, freshmen

All-conference

Tackle Carl Kiilsgaard was named to the All-Coast team; honorable mention were tackle Will Overgaard,[8] guard Roy Colquitt, quarterback John Brogan, and halfback Jerry Diehl.[9][10]

NFL draft

Two seniors from the 1949 Vandals were selected in the 1950 NFL draft:[11]

Player	Position	Round	Pick	Franchise
Carl Kiilsgaard	T	5th	61	Chicago Cardinals
Jerry Diehl	HB	28th	360	Pittsburgh Steelers

Three juniors were selected in the 1951 NFL draft:[12]

Player	Position	Round	Pick	Franchise
Bill Fray	T	16th	191	New York Yanks
King Block	FB	21st	250	Detroit Lions
Jim Chadband	HB	28th	335	New York Yanks

One sophomore was selected in the 1952 NFL draft:[13]

Player	Position	Round	Pick	Franchise
Glen Christian	HB	9th	105	San Francisco 49ers

References

1. Boni, Bill (October 24, 1954). "Idaho thumps WSC, 10-0". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 1, sports.
2. "Curfman named new Idaho assistant grid coach". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). February 2, 1949. p. 10.
3. "New Vandal grid coach signs on dotted line". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). February 2, 1949. p. 1, sports.
4. "Curfman promoted to head coach at U. of Idaho". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). April 16, 1951. p. 15.
5. "Idaho selects Curfman as coach". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). April 17, 1951. p. 14.
6. "Idaho holds Texas to first half tie but falls in final periods, 56–7". The Spokesman-Review. October 2, 1949. Retrieved April 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Idaho Romps: Vandals Roll Through Pilots". The Spokesman-Review. October 30, 1949. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Wilford Overgaard (1925-2015)". Idaho Statesmen. (Boise). (Legacy.com). June 7, 2015. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
9. "Carl Kiilsgaard of Idaho eleven named All-Coast". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. November 25, 1949. p. 11.
10. "Idaho tackle on All-Coast squad". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 25, 1949. p. 8.
11. "1950 NFL Draft". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
12. "1951 NFL Draft". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on December 10, 2010. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
13. "1952 NFL Draft". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on November 21, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2017.

External links

• Gem of the Mountains: 1950 University of Idaho yearbook – 1949 football season
• Go Mighty Vandals – 1949 football season
• Idaho Argonaut – student newspaper – 1949 editions