I found an old photo (from my stash) that I promised to send to Paul Warth (#82 in photo), but apparently I forgot. I’ll send it to him this weekend.
I assume its the Senior class from the 1978 team. That year, we opened up with two MAC losses and a tie to Dayton (Seriously) in three of our first four games.
But we rebounded nicely to win our last seven games, including a win at North Carolina and a home win vs. UC. 8-2-1 was a nice way to end their careers under Tom Reed.
Larry Fortner was the QB and we had a strong running game. Don Treadwell (not pictured) THREW the winning TD in the NC game.
I also judiciously have a bagel every morning. I’m defrosting a sesame seed bagel tonight. I was in a picture-taking mood.
Fortner was a 12th round pick of the Dolphins but I don’t think he ever played in an NFL game, at least I haven’t seen any stats to indicate such. He may have been on the practice squad a year but I don’t know.
P.S. also know Paul Warth during my Miami years as he was in my frat…fun-loving guy!
Hey, Doug! Here’s the definitive answer to that. Looks like because of injuries the Falcons signed him in 1980 to back up Steve Bartkowski and their #2 QB. He apparently spent that whole season with them - maybe some time on their active roster - and then retired.
It means we can count him as a Miami QB who played or at least spent time in the NFL. That list includes Ben, Zac, Josh Betts and Ernie Kellerman (who didn’t play as a QB in the NFL) - and maybe one more from the 40s or 50s I can’t place.
We had that great comeback season in 1977 when Fortner led Miami to a 10-1 record with OOC wins against Indiana and Ivy league champ Yale. No bowl game as that was in between the MAC berth in the Tangerine Bowl and the formation of the California Bowl in Fresno.
As I recall, Fortner had a high QB efficiency rating that year …
I thought the same thing. Back when football stadiums were meant to play the game in and to watch the teams on the field. Nothing else fancy was needed. And how Miami Field was just built around as the campus grew.
I was a freshman in fall of '77 - fond memories of watching the Redskins up close at Miami Field, in my four years on campus. Loved the old goal posts and the scoreboard clock! Seeing Uncle Phil in his short sleeve white shirt and tie, cheering on our team.
I was at that UNC game. Needless to say, the Tarheel fans weren’t happy with Dick Crum. A lot of “you’re letting them win since you used to coach there” accusations. Fortunately, Crum silenced those critics the next year, but it was ugly for that game! I was sitting amongst the Tarheel faithful, so I had to keep my cheering to a minimum, but it was a fun game to watch.
HawkLBacker–wasn’t on that team. Was what I jokingly call a “semi preferred walk on” on the unbeliveable '74 team. I’d talked to coaches when i registered for classes in the summer. Got a call after 1st week of sumer practice to come on up. It was Coach Crum’s 1st year and I remember being told the 1st week of summer practice was brutal. Guess enough walk ons quit that they needed fresh meat so I got the call. As scout team O lineman going against what was the 3rd or 4th ranked total defense in all of football that year it was eye opening. “Retired” at end of spring ball for couple bad reasons. Used to think if I’d have stuck around I’d have had a chance. Upon further review truth was I just wasn’t tough enough. Ultimately track and field was my calling. Wound up doing ok throwing the discus during my last two years at school.
EDDIE…loved your pic '78 seniors. Do you have any sort of roster that might put names to their numbers? Couple of freshman football buddies I remember, played against two of them in highschool but don’t recognize them.
Sadly, I don’t have a numerical roster of the 78 team. The SI office, however, might be able to provide that. This morning I reached out to several players that were on that team, so I may have an answer back.
