1976 Purdue Boilermakers football team


The 1976 Purdue Boilermakers football team was an American football team that represented Purdue University in the 1976 Big Ten Conference football season. In their fourth season under head coach Alex Agase, the Boilermakers compiled a 5–6 record and finished in a four-way tie for third place in the Big Ten standings.
Running back Scott Dierking led the team with 1,000 rushing yards and 66 points scored. He was selected by his teammates as the team's most valuable player and finished second to Rob Lytle in the voting for the Chicago Tribune Silver Football, awarded to the Big Ten's most valuable player. Dierking was also named by the Associated Press as a second-team All-American and by the AP and United Press International as a first-team running back on the 1976 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
Other statistical leaders included quarterback Mark Vitali with 1,184 passing yards. In addition to Dierking, three other Purdue players received honors on the 1976 All-Big Ten team: offensive guard Connie Zelencik ; defensive end Blane Smith ; and defensive back Paul Beery.

Schedule

Roster

Starters

Offense

Defense

Coaching staff

Head Coach: Alex Agase
Assistants: George Catavolos, Fred Conti, Jack Ellis, Bob Geiger, Jerry Hartman, Pat Naughton, Tom Roggeman, Rick Venturi, Mike Wynn

Game summaries

Wisconsin

Paul Beery's fourth interception and Rock Supan's 20-yard field goal with a little over two minutes remaining lifted Purdue to victory.

Michigan






Statistics

Passing

PlayerCompAttYardsTDINT
Mark Vitali731721,184016
Scott Dierking92

Rushing

PlayerAttYardsTD
Scott Dierking2011,00011
John Skibinski173871
Mark Vitali100317

Receiving

PlayerRecYardsTD
Reggie Arnold16287
Raymond Smith11233
John Skibinski13118

Awards

Red Mackey Award: Mark Vitali