Chattanooga Football: No.3 National Ranking- 1968 and 2016

  • Thursday, September 22, 2016
  • B.B. Branton

It was Halloween Week 1968 and the Chattanooga football team received a great treat with the school’s highest national ranking ever at No.3 in the small college Associated Press (writers) and United Press International (coaches) polls.

Fast forward to 2016 and the current UTC Mocs are back in the No.3 spot in the FCS poll (were also No.3 in 2015) and host high-scoring Samford Saturday at Finley Stadium at 2 p.m.

Defending FCS champion North Dakota State is No.1 again this week in the FCS Coaches poll, with Sam Houston State at No.2, followed by Chattanooga (No.3), Jacksonville (Ala.) at No.4 and Eastern Washington No.5

The two teams from nearly a half century apart are similar with veteran players (several fifth year seniors and fourth year juniors), talented quarterbacks in Roger Catarino (1968) and Alejandro Bennifield leading the current Mocs at 3-0, a strong offensive line and solid defense.

This year’s squad has only allowed the 14 points to Furman on the road in last Saturday’s 21-14 triumph, while the 1968 squad – save the 38-16 loss to Ole Miss – allowed no more than 15 points to any of the other nine opponents.

Chattanooga at No.3 - Oct. 30, 1968

1968 AP                                              1968 UPI

1 San Diego State 6-0                         1 San Diego State 6-0

2 North Dakota State 7-0                   2 North Dakota State 7-0

3 Chattanooga 7-0                              3 Chattanooga 7-0

4 New Mexico Highlands 8-0             4 Tampa 5-1

5 Weber State 6-0                               5 New Mexico Highlands 7-0

6 Tampa 5-1                                        6 Weber State 6-0

7 Eastern Kentucky 5-1                                  7 Morgan State 5-0

8 Indiana (Pa.) 7-0                              8 Eastern Kentucky 5-1

9 Morgan State 5-0                             9 Texas A&I 5-1

10 Western Kentucky 6-1                   10 Troy State 6-0

“I believe Roger could play in today’s game as he was smart, agile, could run the option well, had a great touch on his passes, called many of his own plays and kept the defenses off balance,” said 1968 Al-American tight end Angelo “Nubby” Napolitano.

“I also like Bennifield as he passes well, is capable of making the big plays and I am impressed with his leadership style.”

Keys to 1968 Success: “We were a close knit bunch of guys who lived together in the dorm under old Chamberlain Field on campus, ate all our meals together at the “C” Club across the street, and did most everything together on and off the field,” said Catarino who gives credit to his offensive line for helping open the holes to make those third and short runs for first downs – Yogi Wolfe (center and would later play in the East West All-Star Game), tackles (when John Tyszkiewicz was not playing) were Don Bishop and David Atkins (would become a green Beret)and guards were Allen Dye and Dennis McQuillin and Nubby Napolitano at end..

“We had a lot of leadership on that ’68 team, had good talent, had great coaches, came together as a team that season and I think we were a little ahead of our time as far as what offense we ran (lots of motion).”

The coaching staff was comprised of head coach Harold Wilkes, Joe Geri, Don Shaver, Ron Derby, Ron Stinnett and the trainer was Sandy Sandlin.

Two Newspaper Town: While the players ate at the “C” Club, the sports writers ate at several places downtown, including buying a sack of hamburgers at George’s or Krystals, an occasional meal at the Homeplate restaurant or at S&W Cafeteria on Broad Street which served the best hamburger steak and strawberry shortcake in town.

The UC football beat writers were Jay Searcy of the Chattanooga Times (morning paper) and Allan Morris of the Chattanooga News Free Press (afternoon paper) as they battled for good human interest stories, high school player commitments and interesting game stories and sidebars each weekend.

Three Guys From New Jersey: - Nubby, Roger and John  T

* Angelo “Nubby” Napolitano – 1968 All-American (End) “I had gone to the U. of Delaware to play for a year after graduating from Asbury Park HS and then drove a truck for awhile before coming to Chattanooga for a visit.

“I had $20 in my pocket, one suitcase and got on a bus to Chattanooga to see if I could get a scholarship to attend college again and play football. The coaches did offer me a full scholarship or I could not attend school here. I was very fortunate and it was a great five years as I dated a girl who is now my wife and made many lifelong friends.”

* Roger Catarino – “I was from South Plainfield N.J., was all-state in baseball, quarterback on the football team and as the point guard on our state championship basketball team

“I feel very blessed to have attended UC as I earned a quality education had terrific teachers and great football coaches who always had us prepared for each game. Those five years at UC have been some of the greatest days of my life.”

* John Tyszkiewicz – 1967 All-American (tackle) “I was home sick once I arrived in Chattanooga as I had never been away from home, but the coaches were great to help me through the first couple of weeks and meeting Nubby and Roger helped a lot.

“Those five years at UC were life-changing for me,” said Tyszkiewicz who was all-state in football in high school and won several state weight lifting titles.

“Attending college here was a tremendous opportunity. I was a pre-season All-American in 1968 but had two injuries and was able to play only half the season.”

*And a Running Back From Alabama … Bucky Wolford … 94 yard kickoff return for a touchdown vs. Ole Miss in 1968 …

“I was one of five kids from north of Birmingham and we were quite poor so I had to get a full scholarship to be able to attend college,” said Wolford who was president of the Honor Society in high school, is a successful developer in Chattanooga and is the current chairman of the UC Foundation.

“My dad was a coal miner and my mom did a great job raising five kids as all the siblings stayed in one bed room.

“We did not have indoor plumbing so I made sure I played football (all-county), basketball and baseball so I could use the school’s locker room and shower facilities throughout the school year.”

Wofford and Samford QB Connection:  Samford QB Devlin Hodges is a sophomore with 595 passing yards and eight touchdowns in just two games this season and attended Wolford’s alma mater – Mortimer-Jordan HS in Kimberly, Ala.

Wofford on the 1968 team: “I believe we exemplified the true meaning of a team. You are only as good as the other 10 guys and everyone on each side of the ball knew his role.”

And an 8-year-old Notre Dame fan in Cincinnati … While Chattanooga was climbing the small college polls there was an 8-year-old die hard Notre Dame fan in Cincinnati who would later go to Moeller High School.  It is doubtful he paid too much attention to the small college polls in the fall of 1968, but maybe he should have. A decade later Russ Huesman would be a student-athlete for the Mocs and today is the coach of the No.3 Mocs.

“I loved Notre Dame football growing up,” said Huesman. “One of our local tv stations would show the Notre Dame highlights each Sunday morning of the game from the day before and more times than not the Huesman family was late to church as it took a lot for my parents to pull me away from in front of the tv and get to church each Sunday morning,” said Huesman with a laugh.

1968 UC Season  9-1

Sept. 21 @ Austin Peay … W 21-0 … (1-0)

Sept 28 (No.16) @ Jacksonville State … W 32-14 (2-0)

Oct. 5 (No.9) MTSU … W 28-15 ( 3-0)

Oct. 12(No.7) @ Wofford … W 35-14 (4-0)

Oct. 19 (No.6) East Tenn. State … W 16-6 (5-0)

Oct 26 The Citadel … W 31-9 (6-0)

Nov. 2 (Nov.3) @ Tenn. Tech … W 20-6 (7-0)

Nov. 9 (No.3) at Ole Miss … L 38-16 (7-1)

Nov. 16 (No.5) Furman … W 31-14 (8-1)

Nov. 23 (No.4) Samford …. W 40-7 (9-1)

UC was ranked No. 3 in finals polls; UPI (coaches) and AP (writers)

Mocs set a record for most road wins (4) in one season

San Diego State finished No.1 in the UPI poll and North Dakota State was No1 in the final AP poll.

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net

Sports
UTC Sofbtall Hosts ETSU In Friday Doubleheader
  • 3/28/2024

The Chattanooga softball team returns to Frost Stadium for a seven-game home stand that begins Friday afternoon against East Tennessee State in Southern Conference action. The Mocs are 21-8 ... more

Covenant Men's Tennis Loses 6-3
  • 3/28/2024

The Covenant Scots looked to boost their nonconference tennis resume with a win on the road at Oglethorpe. Covenant was unable to get the job done, as it fell 3-6. Final: Covenant 3, Oglethorpe ... more

7 Football Mocs Participate In Annual Pro Day
  • 3/28/2024

The Chattanooga Mocs had a 7-man contingent go through their paces in front of NFL scouts at the annual Pro Day. It started in the Wolford Family Strength & Conditioning Center before shifting ... more