Colorado State University Athletics
This Week in CSU Football History -- Coach Sark Arslanian’s first Home Victory
9/23/2017 8:26:00 AM | Football
by John Hirn
ColoradoAggies.com
September 22, 1973 – The Rams football team had come a long way since the 1972 season that ended with a 1-10 record. Star running back Lawrence McCutcheon had graduated and moved on to the NFL while Coach Jerry Wampfler resigned in February, leaving new head coach Sark Arslanian little time to recruit and prepare for the 1973 season.
Despite a dismal opener against Arizona, the Rams showed signs of life after an upset victory over BYU in Provo. They came home to Hughes Stadium to face New Mexico State in a non-conference game. Senior quarterback Jan Stube paced the offense while junior linebacker Wes Cerveny led the Rams' defense.
The defense struggled early in the game against the Aggies' option offense and allowed a first quarter touchdown on New Mexico State's second drive of the game. By the second quarter though the Rams offense took control scoring 24 unanswered points to finish the first half at 24-7. Thanks to a 47-yard field goal by Herman Morales, and touchdowns by flanker Willie Miller, running back Kim Jones and fullback Tom Wallace, the Rams looked in control.
Miller, the junior from Birmingham, Alabama, who had served two tours of duty in Vietnam and received the Silver Star as a Green Beret in the Army before coming to CSU, already held the all-time receiving record for the Rams early in the season. His 18-yard touchdown in the second quarter was set up by a 59-yard punt return by sophomore Johnny Square. Miller's touchdown in the second quarter looked like nothing compared to what he accomplished after the half.
In the early moments of the third quarter, Stube hit Miller on a 73-yard touchdown pass that ignited the 25,124 fans at Hughes Stadium; the second largest crowd in CSU history to that date. With a 31-7 lead early in the third quarter, it looked like the Rams would prevail over the Aggies easily, but New Mexico State mounted a comeback.
The Aggies took advantage of a second-string CSU defensive backfield and passed for 185 yards in the second half scoring three touchdowns and missing an extra point. Linebacker Wes Cerveny dug in and recorded 17 tackles on the day as the defense held on to prevent a late comeback by the Aggies.
Coach Sark Arslanian would record his first win at home as a Rams head coach and went on to a 5-6 record in 1973; the first five win season since 1966. Arslanian, who passed away December 11, 2016 at the age of 92, went on to rebuild CSU football throughout the 1970s and brought some of the finest talent the Rams had seen in many years to Fort Collins.
ColoradoAggies.com
September 22, 1973 – The Rams football team had come a long way since the 1972 season that ended with a 1-10 record. Star running back Lawrence McCutcheon had graduated and moved on to the NFL while Coach Jerry Wampfler resigned in February, leaving new head coach Sark Arslanian little time to recruit and prepare for the 1973 season.
Despite a dismal opener against Arizona, the Rams showed signs of life after an upset victory over BYU in Provo. They came home to Hughes Stadium to face New Mexico State in a non-conference game. Senior quarterback Jan Stube paced the offense while junior linebacker Wes Cerveny led the Rams' defense.
The defense struggled early in the game against the Aggies' option offense and allowed a first quarter touchdown on New Mexico State's second drive of the game. By the second quarter though the Rams offense took control scoring 24 unanswered points to finish the first half at 24-7. Thanks to a 47-yard field goal by Herman Morales, and touchdowns by flanker Willie Miller, running back Kim Jones and fullback Tom Wallace, the Rams looked in control.
Miller, the junior from Birmingham, Alabama, who had served two tours of duty in Vietnam and received the Silver Star as a Green Beret in the Army before coming to CSU, already held the all-time receiving record for the Rams early in the season. His 18-yard touchdown in the second quarter was set up by a 59-yard punt return by sophomore Johnny Square. Miller's touchdown in the second quarter looked like nothing compared to what he accomplished after the half.
In the early moments of the third quarter, Stube hit Miller on a 73-yard touchdown pass that ignited the 25,124 fans at Hughes Stadium; the second largest crowd in CSU history to that date. With a 31-7 lead early in the third quarter, it looked like the Rams would prevail over the Aggies easily, but New Mexico State mounted a comeback.
The Aggies took advantage of a second-string CSU defensive backfield and passed for 185 yards in the second half scoring three touchdowns and missing an extra point. Linebacker Wes Cerveny dug in and recorded 17 tackles on the day as the defense held on to prevent a late comeback by the Aggies.
Coach Sark Arslanian would record his first win at home as a Rams head coach and went on to a 5-6 record in 1973; the first five win season since 1966. Arslanian, who passed away December 11, 2016 at the age of 92, went on to rebuild CSU football throughout the 1970s and brought some of the finest talent the Rams had seen in many years to Fort Collins.
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