UTA FB Vol. 5 Gm. 1 - Consistent Mediocrity

As I ramp up another year of This Day in UTA Football History, I am very much looking forward to this year's offerings. We'll have a championship, a solid season, and two seasons which really emphasized what UT Arlington was all about in the 1970's, with all the challenges that entailed.

Today (September 2) marks the opener to the 1978 season. It was the start of Harold "Bud" Elliott's fifth year at UTA. By all accounts, he had the football program moving in the right direction. He started his Mav career 1-10 in 1974 (this series covered his first game here, first win here). He finished second to last in the Southland Conference. Everyone knew it was a rebuilding year.

In 1975, the team saw an improvement to 4-7 (I covered a win over TCU here, loss to Southern Mississippi here and a win over Lamar here). There was no improvement in conference though, as UTA again was second to last (1-4). In some ways, this was ironic. Most years, he was known for winning more conference games then he did in non-conference.

He again increased the win column in 1976, this time to 5-6. There was great improvement in the conference standings, as UTA moved up from fifth to third and had a winning conference mark of 3-2. That was considered important now, as the Southland Conference's regular season champions would get an Independence Bowl berth. In a twist, UTA was in contention for it near the end of the season.



However, 1977 brought about the same results, a 5-6 overall record, 3-2 Southland mark, and a third-place finish (season opener here, North Texas here and Louisiana Tech here). Two losses were by a combined five points. Two more were by ten or less. Only Southern Mississippi and La Tech weren't close. To have a chance in nine games made the 1977 team different than most teams the UTA fielded in the 1970's.

So there were higher expectations based on that for 1978. Many Mav contributors were back, but missing was All-American Derrick Jensen, taken by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the NFL draft. There was a lot of talent returning. Seven offensive starters were back, led by eventual first-team all-conference QB Roy Dewalt. Defense saw only four returners, but they were strategic in two linebackers, one of the best ever at UTA in Willie Thomas and Cliff Odom, the latter a long-time NFL player, well after UTA's program was ceased. I will get to many other stars later in the series.

At any rate, on this day in UTA football history, the 1978 squad opens on the road against the Drake Bulldogs.






Taken from the Fort Worth Star Telegram, 9-3-78.