1969 Doane Tigers football team

The 1969 Doane Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Doane University as a member of the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NIAC) during the 1969 NAIA football season. In their 15th year under head coach Al Papik, the team compiled an 8–0 record (5–0 against NIAC opponents), won the NIAC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 272 to 95. Doane was ranked No. 11 in the final NAIA rankings in late November.[1]

1969 Doane Tigers football
NIAC champion
ConferenceNebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record8–0 (5–0 NIAC)
Head coach
CaptainDick Held, Larry Green, Paul Schelstraete
Home stadiumSimon Field
Seasons
← 1968
1970 →
1969 Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 11 Doane $ 5 0 0 8 0 0
Nebraska Wesleyan 4 1 0 5 4 0
Concordia (NE) 1 2 1 4 5 1
Midland 1 3 0 1 7 0
Dana 0 3 1 2 6 1
Hastings 0 2 0 2 6 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA poll

The 1969 season was the fourth of four consecutive undefeated seasons and part of a 38-game undefeated streak that began with the last two games of the 1965 season and continued until September 19, 1970.[2][3] In October 1969, Sports Illustrated published a feature story on the rise of Doane football, noting,

That Doane, with an enrollment of 738 (492 boys), should become a football power is as surprising as if Ohio State gave up the game. The school itself was founded 97 years ago and, though it started playing football in 1895, never, never before has there been anything like this.[2]

Doane tailback Mike Sallier rushed for 1,054 yards on 229 carries, averaged 131.77 rushing yards per game, and scored 96 points in eight games.[4][1] Doane quarterback Larry Green ranked among the NAIA leaders with 1,054 passing yards, an average of 195.7 yards per game.[4] Larry Green, Dick Held, and Paul Schelstraete were the team captains. Held, a senior linebacker, wrote a weekly column in the school newspaper chronicling the season.[5][6][7]

At the end of the regular season, the team was under consideration to participate in the first annual Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl and the Mineral Water Bowl,[8] but the players voted to refuse any postseason bowl offers.[9][10]

The team played its home games at Simon Field in Crete, Nebraska.

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 13at DanaBlair, NEW 41–0[11][12]
September 20Concordia (NE)
W 47–14[13][14]
September 27Tarkio*
  • Simon Field
  • Crete, NE
W 35–27[15][16]
October 4at MidlandFremont, NEW 40–16[17][18]
October 11Southwest Minnesota*
  • Simon Field
  • Crete, NE
W 3–0[19]
October 18at HastingsHastings, NEW 42–7[20][21]
October 25at Dakota Wesleyan*Mitchell, SDW 35–7[22][23]
November 1Nebraska Wesleyan 
  • Simon Field
  • Crete, NE
W 28–24[24][25]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming

Players

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  • Louis Cooper, defensive guard, junior, 6'5", 256 pounds
  • Larry Green, quarterback, senior, 5'10", 200 pounds
  • Kevin Hunt, defensive tackle, junior, 6'5", 256 pounds
  • Jim Katzmann, defensive back, junior, 5'10", 170 pounds
  • Mike Sallier, tailback, junior, 5'6", 155 pounds

References

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  1. ^ a b "Sallier Ranked 4th In Scoring". The Lincoln Star. November 22, 1969. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b "A Small School, but You Can Learn To Hate It". Sports Illustrated. October 13, 1969.
  3. ^ Jacob Knabel (June 8, 2016). "A win for the ages: ending the nation's longest unbeaten streak". Concordia University Nebraska (reprinted from Football).
  4. ^ a b "Doane Star Loses Lead". Omaha World-Herald. November 15, 1969. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Looking Back". The Doane Owl. September 16, 1969. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Looking Back". The Doane Owl. September 23, 1969. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Looking Back". The Doane Owl. October 21, 1969. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Abe Goteiner (November 11, 1969). "NCAA, NAIA and Mineral Bowl Are All Interested". The Doane Owl. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Tigers Vote Down Bowl; Enthusiasm Way Down". The Doane Owl. November 18, 1969. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Doane Gridders Reject Trip To Bowl". The Lincoln Star. November 13, 1969. p. 35 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Doane Blasts Dana". Lincoln Sunday Journal and Star. September 14, 1969. p. 3D – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Tigers Waltz To Number One; Shipwreck Vikings, 41-0". The Doane Owl. September 16, 1969. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Doane Runs Unbeaten Streak To 31 Games With 47-14 Win". Scottsbluff Daily Star-Herald. September 21, 1969. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Smith Shines In Backup Role; Tigers Down Dogs, 48-14; Sallier Scores 3 Tallies, Day Chips in Two". The Doane Owl. September 23, 1969. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Sallier Scores 4 In Doane Victory". Lincoln Sunday Journal and Star. September 28, 1969. p. 2C – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Ken Hambleton (September 30, 1969). "Tigers Win Cliffhanger, 35-27 Sallier Runs and Runs and Runs". The Doane Owl. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Doane's Triumph Not Easy". Lincoln Sunday Journal and Star. October 5, 1969. p. 2D – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Fourth Quarter Burst Sparks Tigers, 40-16". The Doane Owl. October 7, 1969. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Field Goal by Hunt Saves Doane Unbeaten String, 3-0". Omaha World-Herald. October 12, 1969. p. 2C – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Doane Trounces Hastings". Lincoln Sunday Journal and Star. October 19, 1969. p. 2D – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Tigers Let Loose On Broncos 42-7 -- 35 in Row!". The Doane Owl. October 21, 1969. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Doane Hikes String to 36 on 35-7 Win". Omaha World-Herald. October 26, 1969. p. 4C – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Balanced Attack Fells D.W.U, 35-7". The Doane Owl. October 28, 1969. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ John Hines (November 2, 1969). "Doane Remains Unscathed as NWU Upset Bid Fails, 28-24". Lincoln Sunday Journal and Star. p. 2C – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Ken Hambleton (November 4, 1969). "Tigers Nip Plainsmen, 28-24 To Finish 8-0 For The Year". The Doane Owl. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.