1968 New Mexico Highlands Cowboys football team explained

Year:1968
Team:New Mexico Highlands Cowboys
Sport:football
Conference:Independent
Record:9–0
Head Coach:John Levra
Hc Year:2nd

The 1968 New Mexico Highlands Cowboys football team was an American football team that represented New Mexico Highlands University as an independent during the 1968 NAIA football season. In their second year under head coach John Levra, the Cowboys compiled a perfect 9–0 record and outscored opponents by a total of 533 to 53.

The Cowboys set new school records with 533 points scored and 4,685 yards of total offense. They gained an average of 520.6 yards of total offense per game, consisting of 331.0 rushing yards and 189.6 passing yards. On defense, the Cowboys held opponents to an average of 191.2 yards per game, 84.2 yards rushing and 107.0 yards passing.[1]

Halfback Carl Garrett was selected as a first-team player on the 1968 Little All-America college football team. He tallied 1,373 rushing yards (8.3 yards per carry, 171.6 yards per game) in 1968 and scored 132 points. He received Little All-American honors each year from 1966 to 1968 and totaled 3,364 rushing yards.[2] Other key players included quarterback Grady Herold (broke school records with 22 touchdown passes and .642 completion percentage), fullback Benny Cortez (646 yards, 4.1 yards per carry), and George Taplin (broke school record with nine touchdown receptions and 540 receiving yards).[1]

At the end of the season, the NAIA placed New Mexico Highlands on probation until June 30, 1969. The NAIA took the action as a result of Highlands' cancelling four basketball games without giving sufficient notice. As a result, the football team was disqualified from competing in the NAIA playoffs despite being ranked No. 1.[3]

Personnel

The following 36 players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1968 New Mexico Highlands football team:[4]

  1. Carl Browning, sophomore, defensive end-center, Midland, TX
  2. Permon Chavious, senior, tackle, Columbia, SC
  3. Ben Cortez, senior, fullback, Kingsville, TX
  4. Andrew Crawford, junior, defensive end, Corpus Christi, TX
  5. Roy Culberson, junior, linebacker, El Paso, TX
  6. Jim Elam, senior, defensive back, Kingsville, TX
  7. McKinney Evans, sophomore, defensive back, Denton, TX
  8. Jim Fortner, junior, defensive back, Lovington, NM
  9. Carl Garrett, senior, halfback, Denton, TX
  10. Leonard Garrett, sophomore, tight end, Silsbee, TX
  11. Ron Gentry, senior, guard, Corpus Christi, TX
  12. Tom Gillespie, senior, flanker, Centerline, MI
  13. George Gomez, sophomore, defensive tackle, El Paso, TX
  14. David Graham, jnior, defensive tackle, Abilene, TX
  15. Fred Hernandez, senior, center, Corpus Christi, TX
  16. Grady Herold, senior, quarterback, Cercedes, TX
  17. Larry Herold, junior, fullback, Mercedes, TX
  18. John Keith, junior, linebacker-end, Rantoul, IL
  19. Larry Kell, junior, split end, Corpus Christi, TX
  20. Gary Killion, sophomore, linebacker, Weatherford, TX
  21. Pat Lindelow, sophomore, tackle, Kansas City, KS
  22. Harry Long, senior, guard, Richmond, KY
  23. George Parr, freshman, safety, El Paso, TX
  24. Steve Pruitt, sophomore, quarterback, Borger, TX
  25. Buddy Roberts, junior, punter, Harlingen, TX
  26. David Robledo, senior, defensive safety, Harlingen, TX
  27. Greg Roero, junior, defensive tackle, Opa Locka, FL
  28. Al Sheldon, junior, tackle, Corpus Christi, TX
  29. John Smith, junior, linebacker, Santa Fe, NM
  30. Ralph Szydlik, junior, halfback, Centerline, MI
  31. George Taplin, sophomore, flanker, Fort Worth, TX
  32. Al Tolentino, junior, safety, El Paso, TX
  33. Hayden White, sophomore, center, Port Neches, TX
  34. Floyd Worlow, freshman, tackle, Springtown, TX
  35. Ron L. Young, sophomore, guard-linebacker, Lubbock, TX
  36. Ron S. Young, senior, guard, Miami, FL

Notes and References

  1. News: Highlands Cowboys Broke 23 Records. The New Mexican. December 15, 1968. A15. Newspapers.com.
  2. News: Highlands' Carl Garrett Selected All-Aerican. Albuquerque Journal. December 3, 1968. B2. Newspapers.com.
  3. News: Probation eliminates Highlands from gridiron bowl. Las Vegas Optic. November 19, 1968. 1. Newspapers.com.
  4. News: 36 HU Footballers Awarded Football Letters for 1968. The New Mexican. December 15, 1968. A15. Newspapers.com.

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