1966 & 1986 Teams Join Cradle Celebration
10/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 7, 2011
OXFORD, Ohio -- Miami University's Mid-American Conference Championship teams of 1966 and 1986 join the celebration at the Cradle of Coaches Plaza for Saturday's RedHawk game against Army. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.
Altogether, nearly 60 players from those two title teams will return to their alma mater this weekend.
1966
Returning to campus to honor their former coach, Bo Schembechler, is the all-star laden '66 squad.
Seven members of Bo's champs earned first-team All-MAC honors, while eight others were part of the conference's second-team and honorable mention units.
The team featured three future Miami Hall of Famers--Bob Babich, John Erisman and Joe Novak. Six players were selected in the NFL Draft: Ed Philpott, Bruce Matte and Erisman in 1967; Bob Smith in 1968; and Babich and Errol Kahoun in 1969.
The '66 team also holds a spot in the NCAA record books; its eight turnovers are the fewest in a season by a team in NCAA history.
While Miami was a proficient offensive unit, the biggest strength of the squad was its defense. In 10 games the Red and White held its opponents to a paltry 78 points, and it also posted two consecutive shutouts against Kent State and Marshall.
Miami started the '66 campaign on the road at Indiana and Xavier, winning both games by scores of 20-10 and 27-3, respectively. Its next game was a home victory against Western Michigan. A home-field shutout against Kent State, a white-washing of Marshall on the road, and an away win at Ohio boosted Miami's record to 6-0. The Bobcats' first score of the game snapped an 11-quarter scoreless streak for Miami opponents.
Miami's first loss of the season came the following weekend at home against Bowling Green, 17-14. Miami outgained Bowling Green in total yards, 328-249, but three turnovers proved too much to overcome.
Fortunately, the loss against BG didn't derail Miami for the rest of the season, as they rolled off three straight victories against Toledo, Dayton, and Cincinnati by a combined score of 90-26.
Miami finished the season 9-1 and on top of the MAC for the second straight year.
1966 Team Members Returning: Bob Young, Tom Reed, Bob VanLancker, Jim Bengala, Ken Root, Marty Torgler, Joe Novak, Bob Rieber, Dave Pataky, Errol Kahoun, Dave Hutchins, Jim Teufel, John Tuggle, Coach Wayne Gibson, Bob Smith, Steve Safford, Al Moore, George Muckle, Dan Gerhardt, Jim Grywalski, Mike Connerton, Wayne Warden, Jerry Staten, Kent Thompson, Bobby Glover, Albert Maghes, Tom Cornell, Richard Boron, Dave Tsaloff, Bob Smith, and Bob Garretson.
1986
Coach Tim Rose's '86 Redskins finished the year as MAC Champions with an overall record of 8-4. Quarterback Terry Morris, running back George Swarn and wide receiver Andy Schillinger led the Redskins' record-breaking offense that year.
"No matter what play you called, you had a chance for it to be a great play," said Rose.
Miami's most-thrilling moment of the season was a 21-12 victory over eighth-ranked LSU. The Redskins took down the Tigers in front of 77,777 fans, in what Sports Illustrated would later deem the "upset of the season."
"Winning is winning," said Rose. "From the standpoint of the stage and the allure of college football, the LSU game certainly stands out as the best win that I have ever been a part of."
Coming off a one-point loss to Kent State in the next-to-last game, Miami faced off against Eastern Michigan in the finale, winning by a score of 34-20 in the final game of the season. However, the celebration didn't ensue until about an hour after the game when Western Michigan beat Kent, giving Miami the MAC Championship and a berth in the California Bowl. Miami lost to San Jose State, 37 to 7, in the bowl game.
Led by Terry Morris at quarterback, the team rewrote Miami's football record books, setting new team season highs in points (329), total offensive yards (4,013), touchdown passes (19), passes completed (195), and pass completion percentage (.609).
Morris, thanks in great part to 955 receiving yards by Andy Schilliger, became the first Redskin to ever throw for more than 2,000 yards in a season, Running back George Swarn became the first Miamian to gain more than 1,500 yards in a season.
1986 Team Members Returning: Jack Arthur, Coach Dave Hatgas, Mike Kreeger, Andy Billman, Coach Rich Spisak, Coach Mel Edwards, Mark Matthews, Coach Jay Fry, Mike Marhofer, Matt Niekamp, Mike Hyzdu, Rick Mileham, Mark Fenik, Brian Stout, Bryon Moore, Jay Kirkpatrick, Mo Nelson, Paul Gugino, Lee Engleman, Jim Jutras, Jeff Anderson, Terry Morris, and Al Clark.
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