The Long Beach State 49ers football team represented California State University, Long Beach from the 1955 through 1991 seasons. The 49ers originally competed as an Independent before joining the California Collegiate Athletic Association in 1958. By the 1969 season, the 49ers would join the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (now the Big West) where they remained through the 1990 season. The 49ers would compete in their final year as a I-A Independent prior to the program being disbanded following the 1991 season. Long Beach played its home games at multiple stadiums throughout their history with the most recent being Veterans Memorial Stadium, in Long Beach, California. During their 37 years of competition, the 49ers complied an all-time record of 199 wins, 183 losses and 4 ties.
History
The Long Beach State football team traces its roots to 1955 when looking to capitalize on the boosters for both USC and UCLA who resided in Long Beach, the 49ers program was established.[1] The program would see modest success, culminating with conference titles following both the 1970 and 1971 seasons, including the 49ers lone bowl, the 1970 Pasadena Bowl. Between the 1977 and 1982 seasons, Long Beach played the majority of their home games at Anaheim Stadium prior to moving back to Veterans Memorial Stadium for the 1983 season.[2] The 49ers would again win the Big West championship following the 1980 season.
Following the only undefeated home schedule in the history of the program under George Allen for the 1990 season, Allen would pass on December 31, 1990, leaving the future of the program in doubt.[3] On December 10, 1992, University President Curtis McCray announced the 49ers football program would be disbanded immediately.[4] Disbanding the football team was carried out due to financial shortfalls resulting from California's budget crisis, coupled with increased costs of operating the program and declining fan support.[4]
Although the 49ers have not played a game since 1991, Long Beach is still the NCAA record holder in several categories. These records include: the most passes caught by a running back for both a single game and season with 18 and 99 respectively by Mark Templeton during the 1986 season,[5] and leading the nation in total offense with an average of 326.8 yards per game for the 1982 season.[6]
Head Coaches
| Tenure |
Coach |
Years |
Record |
Pct. |
| 1955-57 |
Mike DeLotto |
3 |
13-10-0 |
.565 |
| 1958-68 |
Don Reed |
11 |
57-47-2 |
.547 |
| 1969-73 |
Jim Strangeland |
5 |
31-24-2 |
.561 |
| 1974-76 |
Wayne Howard |
3 |
23-10-0 |
.697 |
| 1977-83 |
Dave Currey |
7 |
40-36-0 |
.526 |
| 1984-86 |
Mike Sheppard |
3 |
16-18-0 |
.471 |
| 1987-89 |
Larry Reisbig |
3 |
11-24-0 |
.314 |
| 1990 |
George Allen |
1 |
6-5-0 |
.545 |
| 1991 |
Willie Brown |
1 |
2-9-0 |
.182 |
| Totals |
9 coaches |
37 |
199-183-4 |
.520 |
Seasons
| Conference Champions * |
Bowl game berth ^ |
| Season |
Head coach |
Conference |
Season results |
Bowl result |
| Conference finish |
Wins |
Losses |
Ties |
| Long Beach State 49ers |
| 1955 |
Mike DeLotto |
Independent |
— |
5 |
2 |
0 |
— |
| 1956 |
Independent |
— |
5 |
3 |
0 |
— |
| 1957 |
Independent |
— |
3 |
5 |
0 |
— |
| 1958 |
Don Reed |
California Collegiate Athletic Association |
— |
2 |
6 |
1 |
— |
| 1959 |
California Collegiate Athletic Association |
— |
4 |
5 |
0 |
— |
| 1960 |
California Collegiate Athletic Association |
— |
5 |
3 |
1 |
— |
| 1961 |
California Collegiate Athletic Association |
— |
5 |
5 |
0 |
— |
| 1962 |
California Collegiate Athletic Association |
— |
5 |
5 |
0 |
— |
| 1963 |
California Collegiate Athletic Association |
— |
5 |
5 |
0 |
— |
| 1964 |
California Collegiate Athletic Association |
— |
8 |
2 |
0 |
— |
| 1965 |
California Collegiate Athletic Association |
— |
9 |
1 |
0 |
— |
| 1966 |
California Collegiate Athletic Association |
— |
6 |
3 |
0 |
— |
| 1967 |
California Collegiate Athletic Association |
— |
5 |
5 |
0 |
— |
| 1968 |
California Collegiate Athletic Association |
— |
3 |
7 |
0 |
— |
| 1969 |
Jim Strangeland |
Big West Conference |
— |
8 |
3 |
0 |
— |
| 1970 * |
Big West Conference |
— |
9 |
2 |
1 |
Tie 1970 Pasadena Bowl against Louisville Cardinals, 24–24 ^ |
| 1971 * |
Big West Conference |
— |
8 |
4 |
0 |
— |
| 1972 |
Big West Conference |
— |
5 |
6 |
0 |
— |
| 1973 |
Big West Conference |
— |
1 |
9 |
1 |
— |
| 1974 |
Wayne Howard |
Big West Conference |
— |
6 |
5 |
0 |
— |
| 1975 |
Big West Conference |
— |
9 |
2 |
0 |
— |
| 1976 |
Big West Conference |
— |
8 |
3 |
0 |
— |
| 1977 |
Dave Currey |
Big West Conference |
— |
4 |
6 |
0 |
— |
| 1978 |
Big West Conference |
— |
5 |
6 |
0 |
— |
| 1979 |
Big West Conference |
— |
7 |
4 |
0 |
— |
| 1980 * |
Big West Conference |
— |
8 |
3 |
0 |
— |
| 1981 |
Big West Conference |
— |
2 |
8 |
0 |
— |
| 1982 |
Big West Conference |
— |
6 |
5 |
0 |
— |
| 1983 |
Big West Conference |
— |
8 |
4 |
0 |
— |
| 1984 |
Mike Sheppard |
Big West Conference |
— |
4 |
7 |
0 |
— |
| 1985 |
Big West Conference |
— |
6 |
6 |
0 |
— |
| 1986 |
Big West Conference |
— |
6 |
5 |
0 |
— |
| 1987 |
Larry Reisbig |
Big West Conference |
— |
4 |
7 |
0 |
— |
| 1988 |
Big West Conference |
— |
3 |
9 |
0 |
— |
| 1989 |
Big West Conference |
— |
4 |
8 |
0 |
— |
| 1990 |
George Allen |
Big West Conference |
— |
6 |
5 |
0 |
— |
| 1991 |
Willie Brown |
Independent |
— |
2 |
9 |
0 |
— |
| Total |
198 |
183 |
4 |
(only includes regular season games) |
| 1 |
0 |
0 |
(only includes bowl games) |
| 199 |
183 |
4 |
(all games) |
| References:[7] |
References
- ^ Keisser, Bob (January 20, 2002). "Program struggled all along to survive". The Long Beach Press-Telegram.
- ^ Staff Reports (December 11, 1991). "Looking back at 49er football". The Long Beach Press-Telegram.
- ^ Staff Reports (January 10, 1991). "Major challenge faces L.B. State in post-Allen era". The Long Beach Press-Telegram.
- ^ a b Woolard, John (December 11, 1991). "Football gets sacked at CSULB". The Long Beach Press-Telegram.
- ^ Receiving "Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Records," NCAA, July 2008. p. 17. Accessed 2008-12-28
- ^ Annual Offense Champions "Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Records," NCAA, July 2008. p. 63. Accessed 2008-12-28
- ^ Cal St.-Long Beach Yearly Totals College Football Data Warehouse, cfbdatawarehouse.com. Accessed December 28, 2008.
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Long Beach State 49ers bowl games |
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Long Beach State 49ers head football coaches |
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