College football became more of a staple on television, broken up occassionally by Brady Bunch and Partridge Family episodes….and that silly NCAA rule on your fave school’s TV appearances (remember….3 TV games in a season, and 5 total in 2 seasons…yeeech). The Notre Dame fans at least got to see their Domers every week…though mostly through tape-delay broadcasts on Sundays.

Does anyone remember Bill Fleming and the College Football Highlights show every Sunday? Arguably the best 30 mintes of college football, pre-ESPN.

Although technology brought some more games and more schools to the viewing and listening public, the game itself slightly went back to old-school…..the running game became re-energized as many programs went to the Wishbone, and the high-flying passing offenses were a little less prevalent (though returning to prominence later in the decade).

It was also the era of the dominant running back. A number of programs banked their fortunes on one star running back, and those backs put up huge numbers. There were enough big-producers in the backfields across the land that any fantasy team in the 1970s could have two star backs to crush the opposition.

Also, in compiling the top fantasy team of the decade, I was somewhat surprised by who made the team. The 1970s was the first decade that I truly remember seeing many of these stars on TV and listening to games on the radio. Although there are a few big-names of the 1970s here, there are a few that truly caught me by surprise – after I did the research, of course!

So, fix up your big hair, paint your pet rock in your school’s colors, and come on, get happy, and groove along with us as we look back at fantasy college football in the 1970s.

QUARTERBACKS

Although many QBs put up decent stats during the decade, the most prolific fantasy signal-caller was Brigham Young’s Marc Wilson. One of the many QBs developed in LaVell Edwards wide-open Cougar offense, Wilson was the most stat-friendly of the early Edwards disciples. In 1977, after replacing injured starter Gifford Nielsen almost mid-way through the season, Wilson threw for over 2400 yards and 24 TDs. After being hurt himself for part of the 1978 season, Wilson returned in 1979 on fire, throwing for over 3700 yards and 29 TDs. BYU was loaded with talent at QB during Wilson’s time in Provo, as both Nielsen and Jim McMahon (Wilson’s backup) played a number of years in the NFL.

Auburn’s Pat Sullivan was the most consistent signal-caller of the early 1970s, and with WR Terry Beasley, formed one of the most dangerous combos in college football. Sullivan threw for nearly 2600 yards and 17 TDs in 1970, finishing 6th in the Heisman voting that season. The next season, Sullivan did not have as many yards (2012), but, did toss 21 TDs and walked away with the 1971 Heisman. After a short NFL career, Sullivan has spent many years in the college coaching ranks,

The first of LaVell Edwards’ outstanding QBs at BYU was Gary Sheide. Although his name does not readily come up when mentioning great Cougar QBs, Sheide put together two good seasons running the high-powered passing game. In 1973 Sheide threw for 2350 yards and 22 TDs, and added 2174 yards-23 TDs in 1974. In the 1974 season, BYU won their first of many Western Athletic Conference titles….few remember that BYU was the perennial weakling in the Rockies before the arrival of Edwards (and his first star Coog QB, Sheide)

RUNNING BACKS

Billy Sims – Oklahoma
Tony Dorsett – Pittsburgh

No running back in the decade put together two outstanding seasons like Oklahoma RB Billy Sims (right, USA Today). In his Heisman- winning season of 1978, Sims led the nation in rushing and scoring, with 1702 yards and 20 TDs, respectively. Although he lost out to USC RB Charles White for the 1979 Heisman and rushing title, Sims again led the nation in scoring with 22 TDs, while rushing for 1506 yards. As sweet as he was for fantasy players, his Sooner teammates obviously felt the same way, as OU put together identical 11-1 seasons and Big 8 titles in 1978 and 1979. Sims was on his way to a great pro career with the Detroit Lions until a severe knee injury in 1984 ended his career.

Arguably college football’s top RB of all time, Pittsburgh’s Tony Dorsett was the single player who turned around the Panthers fortunes in the 1970s. One of the first players to rush for over 1000 yards in all four eligible seasons (frosh became eligible again in 1972), Dorsett had his best season in 1976, rushing for a NCAA-best 1948 yards and scoring 22 TDs. That 1976 season also saw Dorsett run away with the Heisman, and his Panthers winning the national championship. In 1973 and 1975, Dorsett rushed for over 1500 yards each season and was double-digit in TDs.

Southern Cal has had their share of great RBs, and Charles White was another member of that exclusive group. White rushed for 1760 yards and 12 TDs in 1978, and his Trojans shared the national title with Alabama that year. The next season, White topped his previous season’s numbers with 1803 yards rushing and 18 TDs, snagging the 1979 Heisman Trophy in the process.

LSU also has had a number of great RBs over the years, but no one back produced like Charles Alexander. Although he was in the shadow of other great backs in the decade, Alexander was a better fantasy player than most, rushing for nearly 1700 yards and 17 TDs in 1977. In 1978, Alexander saw his rushing yards dip a little (just over 1100 yards), but scored 16 TDs. Few RBs in the 1970s put together two good back-to-back seasons like Alexander did.

Utah State RB Louie Giammona may not be a household name, but the Aggie RB was a top producer in the mid-1970s, leading the nation in total offense in 1974 and 1975. Giammona added the national rushing crown in 1974 with 1534 yards rushing, and added 1454 yards in 1975. Although Giammona was not a prolific scorer (8 TDs in 1974, 11 in 1975), only a few players put up more total TDs in those seasons he starred.

Often overshadowed by double-Heisman winning backfield mate Archie Griffin, Ohio State RB Pete Johnson was the better fantasy back….by far (we get further into it in Freaky Stat further down). Johnson, playing fullback in coach Woody Hayes’ offense, was the main man in short-yardage situations, scoring 25 TDs in 1975 and 18 in 1976. Johnson’s pro career was marred by weight problems (played at 250 lbs while at Ohio State) and substance-abuse problems (causing one former pro teammate to comment about Johnson: “I hope it was Diet Coke”)

RECEIVERS

Everyone has seen his famous punt return vs Oklahoma in the 1971 Thanksgiving thriller (probably the most replayed highlight in college football history), and there were many more highlights in the career of Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers. Rodgers was a threat to score anytime, whether he was catching passes, taking handoffs, or returning kicks. Still Nebraska’s all-time leading receiver, Rodgers scored 17 TD in both 1971 and 1972 (his Heisman-winning year). In terms of fantasy college football in the 1970s, no one player was ahead of his position counterparts as Rodgers was, and a big reason why the Huskers won national titles in 1970 and 1971.

Better known for his stellar NFL career with the Seattle Seahawks, and as a former Congressman from Oklahoma, Tulsa WR Steve Largent (right, Tulsa SID) was a pretty good college football player, too. In his last two seasons (1974, 1975), Largent had nearly 2000 yards receiving and 28 TDs (14 in each 1974 and 1975). In 1975 he averaged nearly 20 yards per catch, but his 51 receptions and 1007 yards did not make the national top ten as receiving stats were based on receptions per game. Fantasy-wise, no one was close to Largent that season.

SMUs Emmanuel Tolbert was one of most consistent WRs in the late 1970′s. After putting up 946 yards receiving and 6 TDs in 1977, Tolbert bettered that with 1040 yards and 11 TDs in 1978. Tolbert would have rated higher on this list, but, his senior season stats were hurt by the arrival of the Pony Express (Eric Dickerson, Craig James) in 1979, as the Mustangs switched to a running game.

Pat Sullivan’s favorite target at Auburn was Terry Beasley. In 1970 the Tiger WR had just over 1000 yards receiving, and added 846 yards with 12 TDs in 1971. By far the top QB-WR combo in the South at the time, Beasley would join his teammate Sullivan as consensus All-American in 1971.

DEFENSE

No program fielded so consistent a defense during the decade than Michigan. Four times in the 1970s Michigan led the nation in scoring defense, and finished second twice. Although other schools produced more consensus All-Americans, Michigan did have a few (including DB Dave Brown and LBs Ron Simpkins and John Anderson). Only if Bo Schembechler’s Michigan squads could have beat Woody Hayes’ Ohio State teams a little bit more in the decade….

The MACs most dominating program of the early 1970s was Toledo. In 1970 and 1971, the Rockets led the nation in total defense, enroute to undefeated and top-20 ranked seasons in each of those years.

Another consistent defense was Alabama, especially towards the end of the decade when they won national titles in 1978 and 1979. The 1979 squad led the nation in total defense and scoring defense (giving up only 5.3 points per game)

No kicker had two consecutive productive seasons like Nebraska’s Rich Sanger. Not a prolific FG kicker (only 11 FGs combined in 1971-1972), Sanger hit 60 XPs in 1971 and 58 XPs in 1972. The Huskers scored over 5 TDs per game in each of those years, and Sanger got many opportunities to score PATs (and obviously fewer FGs).

From a family that has produced a few good place-kickers, Maryland’s Steve Mike-Mayer led all kickers nationally in scoring in 1974, putting up 79 points that season. Mike-Mayer scored 69 points the previous season.

Long-distance field goals were the norm in the Southwest Conference in the 1970s, and no one symbolized that more than Texas A&M kicker Tony Franklin. Kicking barefoot, Franklin hit 17 FGs in 1976, and 16 in 1977…..a number of those beyond 50 yards out. Along with Texas PK Russell Erxleben and Arkansas PK Steve Little, the old SWC made FG kicking somewhat exciting to watch.

Although Ohio State RB Archie Griffin was a great running back, and the only two-time Heisman winner, he wasn’t even the best fantasy RB on the 1975 Buckeye squad. That honor goes to his teammate, Pete Johnson. And, it is not even close.

In 1975, his second Heisman-winning season, Griffin rushed for 1357 yards and 4 TDs. Meanwhile, Johnson rambled for 1049 yards and 25 TDs. Converting the numbers in standard fantasy scoring (6 pts for a TD, 1 pt for every 20 yards rushing)….here are the totals: Griffin: 91 points, Johnson: 202 points

With such numbers, you can see why Johnson made Honorable Mention on the All-Decade Fantasy team, while Griffin did not. In fact, fantasy freaks that season would have taken Griffin’s Heisman and handed it to Johnson.

FANTASY PLAYER OF THE DECADE (F-POD)

It was close between Oklahoma’s Billy Sims and Nebraska’s Johnny Rodgers, but, the nod goes to Rodgers. Sims did produce more fantasy numbers overall than The Jet, but the seperation between Rodgers and the other receivers (especially those of the early 1970s) was huge. No other receiver was in the end zone more, or, got the ball so many other ways than Rodgers did. Basically, there were more running backs that were closer fantasy-wise to Billy Simms than there were receivers closer fantasy-wise to Johnny Rodgers.