In 1975 a 3-3 Northwestern team went to Ann Arbor to play an undefeated top 10 Michigan team.
The 'Cats lost 69-0.
Let's hope history doesn't repeat itself.
The 'Cats lost 69-0.
Let's hope history doesn't repeat itself.
1975
- Thread starter Alvious
- Start date
Careful!!! You’re going to trigger certain posters with the Truth. They will call you names and accuse you of sabotaging the program.
(I predict that the Cats won’t lose 69-0.)
For those of you around in those days, can you explain a little more as to what happened? Most of us know about Strotz gutting the program, the facilities not keeping up with the times, etc. But heading into that Michigan game, things on the outside looked OK. 3-2 on the season, vIrtually .500 in the 70s in B10 play. Last game was a 30-0 shutout of Indiana.
And then … 3-71-1 through a few games into the ‘82 season. It’s hard to comprehend such an extreme fall given what had come before.
And then … 3-71-1 through a few games into the ‘82 season. It’s hard to comprehend such an extreme fall given what had come before.
Two major contributing factors in the launch of the Dark Ages in 1975...
1. Hiring John "Punt" Pont as HC to replace former NU's legendary 1972 NCAA Football HC of the Year Alex Agassi who left NU & a "lying sack o' s#it" University President Strotz who reneged on his frequently promised, long-overdue upgrades to the NU football program (like an up-to-1970s new weight room, new locker room & new practice facilities; critically needed trainer & athlete health facilities; a "real" nutritionally sound training table - just to name a few). The hire of Pont & his coaching staff basically set NU football back at least 2 dozen years if only because those punch-drunk (most north suburb taverns & bars refused to serve the abusive alcoholic Pont at the time), clueless knuckleheads... A) couldn't conceive a proper competitive game plan for any 1973-1977 NU football opponent at the time whatsoever and B) a refusal (or at least the acute inability) to recruit B1G-level non-white football athletes to the program (2 very true circumstances which formed the foundational base to the Dark Ages). To make matters worse, Alex left NU to become HC at Purdue (NU's protected B1G rival opponent) in the summer of 1973 if only to remove himself from Strotz & his "strategic plan" to downgrade all athletic teams (not just the football program) at NU to Ivy League-like club-team status (a strategy meant to mimic what occurred at the University of Chicago and its athletic programs).
2. Promoting the inept, drunken-lout John "Punt" Pont to the position of NU's Athletic Director in 1977 - which "sealed-the-deal" for the rise of the Dark Ages. This move by President Strotz essentially made Pont both his boss & his employee at that point in time. What ineptitude and lack of competitive progress that was characteristic to the NU football program from this point going forward could be traced specifically to this "strategic move" by Strotz. Many knowledgeable parties within the NU athletic community thought that this "move" was meant to pave the way towards the ultimate goal of downgrading all athletic programs at NU to "club status."
1. Hiring John "Punt" Pont as HC to replace former NU's legendary 1972 NCAA Football HC of the Year Alex Agassi who left NU & a "lying sack o' s#it" University President Strotz who reneged on his frequently promised, long-overdue upgrades to the NU football program (like an up-to-1970s new weight room, new locker room & new practice facilities; critically needed trainer & athlete health facilities; a "real" nutritionally sound training table - just to name a few). The hire of Pont & his coaching staff basically set NU football back at least 2 dozen years if only because those punch-drunk (most north suburb taverns & bars refused to serve the abusive alcoholic Pont at the time), clueless knuckleheads... A) couldn't conceive a proper competitive game plan for any 1973-1977 NU football opponent at the time whatsoever and B) a refusal (or at least the acute inability) to recruit B1G-level non-white football athletes to the program (2 very true circumstances which formed the foundational base to the Dark Ages). To make matters worse, Alex left NU to become HC at Purdue (NU's protected B1G rival opponent) in the summer of 1973 if only to remove himself from Strotz & his "strategic plan" to downgrade all athletic teams (not just the football program) at NU to Ivy League-like club-team status (a strategy meant to mimic what occurred at the University of Chicago and its athletic programs).
2. Promoting the inept, drunken-lout John "Punt" Pont to the position of NU's Athletic Director in 1977 - which "sealed-the-deal" for the rise of the Dark Ages. This move by President Strotz essentially made Pont both his boss & his employee at that point in time. What ineptitude and lack of competitive progress that was characteristic to the NU football program from this point going forward could be traced specifically to this "strategic move" by Strotz. Many knowledgeable parties within the NU athletic community thought that this "move" was meant to pave the way towards the ultimate goal of downgrading all athletic programs at NU to "club status."
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Thank you, Waterboy, for taking the time to explain this. I remember this topic was discussed on this board quite a long time ago (15 years??), and maybe since (I was gone for about 10 years till a few months ago). So frustrating. Can't imagine what it was like for players like you to have to endure just flat out not having any shot at being competitive.... and having to play for a complete clown like Pont. How pathetic that Strotz (and Ken Kraft?) allowed him to be head coach (not to mention AD).
I have a tangential follow up question... just out of curiosity, for anybody who was in school during the 60s and 70s. Did Rocky Miller have the same philosophy toward the football program as Strotz did? Rocky Miller came before Strotz. My dad, a professor at NU, had a friendly relationship with Rocky Miller and always spoke very highly of him (he never spoke about Strotz). I know Parseghian left in 63 ish (??) during Miller's watch, for similar reasons as Agase.
Such a shame. We had one of the greatest coaches in CFB in Evanston, he made us a winner... and the damn University couldn't/wouldn't see what we had or the value of it. The Dark Ages should have never happened. Coulda shoulda woulda....
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Hey Waterboy, were you on the team at that time? Just curious because I thought you were younger.
I was at the 69-0 Ann Arbor beat down with the marching band. It was incredibly cold and depressing, and was one of the reasons I eventually dropped out of the band.
The weird thing was I’d grown up a fan of NU football when Adamle, Daigneu (sp?) et al were there and the team was competitive. So, despite the dark ages, I went to a couple home games every year - it’s what made 1995 so sweet!
I was at the 69-0 Ann Arbor beat down with the marching band. It was incredibly cold and depressing, and was one of the reasons I eventually dropped out of the band.
The weird thing was I’d grown up a fan of NU football when Adamle, Daigneu (sp?) et al were there and the team was competitive. So, despite the dark ages, I went to a couple home games every year - it’s what made 1995 so sweet!
I went to NU '68-'72 and we endured our share of 50-0 or thereabouts prior to the breakout year in '71 (I think. Memory fading.). One of the issues was that NU was every major power's favorite tuneup matchup. Don't believe teams scheduled lower league teams at the time. Students used to joke about Chico Kurawski's (spl?) 3rd down quick kick as being NU's best offensive play in the years before I got to NU. So everything wasn't champagne and roses even when Agassi was there.
Unfortunately, I was a member of the 'Cats from '71 thru '74. I had a whole plethora of issues with the football program (could never gain weight - poor nutrition; and constant knee problems - poor athletic health/training facilities, among several other issues). Try as I could, I never reached potential. Went to Pont on several occasions to discuss my issues and got criticized for "not getting with the program" - even when the head trainer went with me to advocate directly w/ Pont on my behalf. Pont revealed himself as nothing less than an opportunistic cretin & self promoter who did little to nothing towards improving facilities & solicitating NU administration support for the football program. In contrast, Barnett, Randy Walker & Fitz truly exercised determined due diligence towards reversing the existing myriad football program problems & shortcomings - from proper nutrition & nutritional support, to vastly improved health training and immense medical support upgrades, to building state-of-art 2020-relevant weight rooms, practice facilities, true interpersonal support that provides credible academic and student life assistance. The proof of that monumentally huge effort can be seen in vastly improved overall competitive athletic and academic success profiles for every schollie & walk-on athlete at NU across all athletic programs - not merely the football program.
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That quick kick was instrumental in beating Miami (Fla) who I believe was ranked in the top five. I was at that game.
It's damn criminal how the administration treated athletics and athletes.
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