1975 Purdue Boilermakers football team

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1975 Purdue Boilermakers football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record4–7 (4–4 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPMike Pruitt
CaptainKen Long, Ken Novak, Mike Pruitt
Home stadiumRoss–Ade Stadium
Seasons
← 1974
1976 →
1975 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 Ohio State $ 8 – 0 – 0 11 – 1 – 0
No. 8 Michigan 7 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 2
Michigan State 4 – 4 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Illinois 4 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Purdue 4 – 4 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Wisconsin 3 – 4 – 1 4 – 6 – 1
Minnesota 3 – 5 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Iowa 3 – 5 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Northwestern 2 – 6 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Indiana 1 – 6 – 1 2 – 8 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1975 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 1975 Big Ten Conference football season. Led by third-year head coach Alex Agase, the Boilermakers compiled an overall record of 4–7 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for third in the Big Ten. Purdue played home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 13at Northwestern
L 25–3122,000
September 20No. 9 Notre Dame*
L 0–1769,795
September 27at No. 3 USC*
L 6–1956,170
October 4Miami (OH)*
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
L 3–1452,309
October 11Wisconsindagger
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
L 14–1762,406
October 18at Illinois
W 26–2461,204
October 25No. 1 Ohio State
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
L 6–3569,405
November 1Michigan State
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
W 20–1057,104
November 8at No. 6 Michigan
L 0–28102,415[1][2]
November 15Iowa
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
W 19–1845,549
November 22at Indiana
W 9–743,455
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[3]

Roster

1975 Purdue Boilermakers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR Reggie Arnold
WR Paul Beery
RB Tim Boykin
RB Mike Brown
RB 25 Scott Dierking (C) Jr
TE 88 Tim Eubank So
G 55 Tom Gibson Jr
OT 63 Dave LaFary Jr
RB 22 Bennie Leverett Fr
TE Ron Likar
G 77 Ken Long Sr
QB Craig Nagel
WR Jappy Oliver
OL Jim Polak
FB 38 Mike Pruitt Sr
FB 31 John Skibinski So
OL Jeff Stapleton
WR 42 Jesse Townsend So
C 65 Jay Venzin Jr
QB 18 Mark Vitali Jr
C 51 Rich Wetendorf Jr
TE 80 Nigel Wirgowski Jr
G 50 Connie Zelencik Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB 48 Fred Arrington
LB Mike Burgamy
DL Kim Cripe
DL Mark Gorgal
DB Pat Harris
DB Jerome King
DT 71 Jim LeFeber So
LB Bob Mannella
DB Mike Northington
DT 74 Ken Novak Sr
DB John Riester
DL Roger Ruwe
DE 91 Blane Smith Jr
LB Joe Sullivan
DB Mark Travline
DL Jon Zwitt
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
P Manuel Gentry
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

[4]

Starters

Offense: se Arnold, ot[clarification needed] Stapleton, og Gibson, c Polak, sg Zelencik, st Long, te Wirgowski, qb Vitali, fl Beery, fb Pruitt, tb Dierking, k Schmidt

Defense: le Smith, lt Novak, mg Gorgal/Ruwe, rt Parker, re Hardy, lb Sullivan, lb Mannella, cb DiMarzio/Harris, cb Cooper, s Wood/Lewis, s Andres/Thompson, p Vitali

Coaching staff

HC: Alex Agase

Ast: George Catavolos, Fred Conti, Jack Ellis, Bob Geiger, Jerry Hartman, Pat Naughton, Tom Roggeman, Rick Venturi, Mike Wynn

Game summaries

Northwestern

Notre Dame

USC

  • Paul Beery 6 receptions, 101 yards

Miami (OH)

Wisconsin

Illinois

Ohio State

See also: 1975 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

Michigan State

Michigan

Iowa

1 234Total
Iowa 0 1503 18
• Purdue 7 0012 19
Scoring summary
Q1PURDierking 1 yard run (Schmidt kick)PUR 7–0
Q2IOWASchick 6 yard run (Schick run)IOWA 8–7
Q2IOWAFetter 19 yard run (Quartaro kick)IOWA 15–7
Q4IOWAQuartaro 25 yard field goalIOWA 18–7
Q4PURDierking 4 yard run (run failed)IOWA 18–13
Q4:05PURDierking 1 yard run (pass failed)PUR 19–18

[5]

Indiana

References

  1. ^ Curt Sylvester (November 9, 1975). "U-M Powders Purdue, 28-0: Leach Hurls 83-Yd TD Pass". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1E, 4E – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Calvin tops again". The Michigan Daily. November 11, 1975. p. 9 – via Bentley Historical Library.
  3. ^ "2022 Purdue Football Record Book" (PDF). Purdue University Athletics. p. 89. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  4. ^ "1975 Purdue Boilermakers Roster". Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  5. ^ Palm Beach Post. 1975 Nov 16.