Wikipedia

1961 UCLA Bruins football team

The 1961 UCLA Bruins football team was an American football team that represented the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a member of the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU), commonly known at the time as the Big 5 Conference, during the 1961 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach Bill Barnes, the Bruins compiled a 7–4 record (3–1 in conference games), won the AAWU championship, outscored opponents by a total of 182 to 121, and were ranked No. 16 in the final Associated Press writers poll. They closed the season with a 21–3 loss to Minnesota in the 1962 Rose Bowl.[1]

1961 UCLA Bruins football
Mike Haffner, Bill Barnes, Bobby Smith, 1961
AAWU champion
Rose Bowl, L 3–21 vs. Minnesota
ConferenceAthletic Association of Western Universities
Ranking
APNo. 16
Record7–4 (3–1 AAWU)
Head coach
CaptainRon Hull
Home stadiumLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Athletic Association of Western Universities football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 16 UCLA $ 3 – 1 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
USC 2 – 1 – 1 4 – 5 – 1
Washington 2 – 1 – 1 5 – 4 – 1
Stanford 1 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
California 1 – 3 – 0 1 – 8 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Ron Hull, who played at center on offense and linebacker on defense, was the team captain and a first-team All-American. The team's offensive leaders were Bobby Smith with 305 passing yards and 60 points scored; Mike Haffner with 696 rushing yards; and Kermit Alexander with 271 receiving yards.[2]

The team played its home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.

Schedule

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DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 23at Air Force*
W 19–627,500[3]
September 30at Michigan*No. 9
L 6–2973,019[4]
October 7at No. 8 Ohio State*
L 3–1382,992
October 14Vanderbilt*
W 28–2123,704[5]
October 21Pittsburgh*
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA
W 20–627,688[6]
October 28at Stanford
W 20–035,000[7]
November 4California
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA (rivalry)
W 35–1533,792[8]
November 10TCU*
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA
W 28–729,236
November 18Washington
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA
L 13–1733,969[9]
November 25at USC
W 10–757,580[10]
January 1vs. No. 6 Minnesota*
L 3–2198,214
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[11]

Awards

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Ron Hull was on the field for 350 of 600 minutes during the 1961 regular season, playing at center on offense and at linebacker on defense.[12] He was selected by the Football Writers Association of America (for Look magazine) as the first-team center on the 1961 All-America team.[13] Hull also received second-team All-America honors from the Associated Press (AP).

At the end of the season, the AP released a 1961 All-Pacific Coast football team, and the AAWU released its own all-conference list limited to AAWU teams. Nine UCLA players received honors one or both: Hull (AP-1, AAWU-1); halfback Bobby Smith (AP-1, AAWU-1); quarterback/halfback Mike Haffner (AP-2, AAWU-2); tackle Foster Andersen (AP-2, AAWU-2); end Kermit Alexander (AAWU-2); end Don Vena (AAWU-2); guard Frank Macri (AAWU-2); guard Tom Paton (AAWU-2); and tackle Marshall Shirk (AAWU-2).[14][15]

Statistics

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The Bruins gained an average of 218.5 rushing yards and 68 passing yards per game and scored an average of 16.5 points a game. On defense, the team held opponents to 144.2 rushing yards and 78.9 passing yards and 11.0 points per game.[16]

The team's individual statistical leaders were:

  • Rushing - Mike Haffner (696 yards, 107 carries), Bobby Smith (631 yards, 166 carries), Almose Thompson (370 yards, 93 carries), and Kermit Alexander (165 yards, 30 carries).[16]
  • Passing - Bobby Smith (16 of 33, 305 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions) and Mike Haffner (14 of 34, 231 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions).[16]
  • Receiving - Kermit Alexander (11 receptions, 271 yards) and Don Vena (nine receptions, 103 yards).[16]
  • Scoring - Bobby Smith (60 points) and Mike Haffner (48 points).[16]

Personnel

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Roster

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  • Kermit Alexander, right halfback, 187 pounds, No. 33
  • Dick Allen, guard
  • Foster Andersen, tackle, 235 pounds, No. 74
  • Joe Bauwens, guard/tackle
  • Steve Bauwens, tackle
  • Jim Bergman, quarterback
  • Walt Dathe, guard
  • Mitch Dimkich, fullback
  • Carmen DiPoalo, halfback
  • Tony Fiorentino, tackle
  • Al Geverink, end
  • Mel Gibbs, end
  • Tom Gutman, right end, No. 80
  • Mike Haffner, left halfback, sophomore, No. 11[17]
  • Bill Hauck, right halfback
  • Gale Hickman, end
  • Chuck Hicks, right end, 191 pounds, No. 88
  • Ron Hull, center and captain, 205 pounds, No. 50
  • Keith Jensen, halfback
  • Bob Jones, tackle
  • John LoCurto, quarterback
  • Frank Macari, guard, 235 pounds, No. 43
  • Phil Oram, tackle, 221 pounds, No. 77
  • Tom Paton, guard, 215 pounds, No. 68
  • Mel Profit, defensive end, No. 84[18]
  • Herb Quincy, guard
  • Joe Rosenkrans, halfback
  • Gary Scrivens, center
  • Marshall Shirk, tackle
  • Ezell Singleton, halfback, No. 20
  • Bob Smith, right halfback
  • Bobby Smith, left halfback, 193 pounds, No. 19
  • Bob Stevens, quarterback, 194 pounds, No. 41
  • Dave Stout, guard
  • Almose Thompson, fullback, 198 pounds, No. 24
  • Steve Truesdell, center
  • Don Vena, left end, 205 pounds, No. 82
  • Andy Von Sonn, center
  • John Walker, quarterback
  • Bob Weeden, tackle/edn
  • Joe Zeno, fullback, No. 28

[19]

Coaching staff

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  • Bill Barnes, head coach, fourth year
  • Deke Brackett, senior assistant coach
  • Bob Bergdahl, assistant coach
  • Sam Boghosian, assistant coach (line)
  • Jim Dawson, assistant coach[20]
  • Johnny Johnson, assistant coach
  • Dan Peterson, assistant coach

References

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  1. ^ "1961 UCLA Bruins Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  2. ^ "1961 UCLA Bruins Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  3. ^ Curran, J. (September 24, 1961). "Bruins' bobby smith (3 TDs) ruins air force, 19-6". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 167989404.
  4. ^ Lyall Smith (October 1, 1961). "U-M, MSU Open with Bang: UCLA Ripped, 29 to 6". Detroit Free Press. pp. D1, D3 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Fighting Uclans edge still Vanderbilt 11". The Idaho Statesman. October 15, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Jamie Curran (October 22, 1961). "Bruins' Defense Rescues Offense, Beats Pitt, 20-6". The Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 2 (section H) – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Jamie Curran (October 29, 1961). "'Sleeping' Bruins Strike Late, Fast for 20-0 Win". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 4 (sports) – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Jamie Curran (November 5, 1961). "Smith Stars as Bruins 'Fight' to Win". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 4 (section H) – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Paul Zimmerman (November 19, 1961). "Bruins Lose in 'Give-Away' Duel, 17-13: Mitchell Ignites Huskies". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 4 (section H) – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Paul Zimmerman (November 26, 1961). "UCLA Sloshes To Bowl Over USC, 10-7: Rain Pelts 57,580 at Big Battle". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 5 (sports) – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "2015 UCLA Bruins Football Media Guide Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  12. ^ "Hull Key Figure As Bruin Center". Progress-Bulletin. December 19, 1961. p. 2 (section 3) – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "UCLA's Hull Named on Look All-America". Los Angeles Times. December 4, 1961. p. IV-2 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "3 Repeat on AP All-Coast". Long Beach Independent. December 7, 1961. p. E3 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Smith, Beathard Top All-Big Five". Evening Vanguard. December 7, 1961. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ a b c d e "UCLA Bruins Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  17. ^ Jamie Curran. "Stardom Comes as Surprise to UCLA Soph". Los Angeles Times. p. H5 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Jerome Hall (December 29, 1951). "Injured Profit Most Important Bruin". Long Beach Independent. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Trojans, Bruins Lineups". Los Angeles Evening Citizen. November 24, 1961. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Bruin Assistant In Line For Head Coach's Job". Valley Times. December 25, 1961. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
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