1988 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
Encyclopedia
The 1988 West Virginia Mountaineers
football team completed the regular season with a 11–0 and traveled to the Fiesta Bowl
to decide the National Championship, where they lost to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
34–21.
as the starting quarterback for West Virginia. Only a redshirt-freshman, Harris led the Mountaineers to a Sun Bowl
berth, after a 1–3 start.
The '88 season opened with coach Don Nehlen
's alma mater, . The win marked the beginning of the run, winning 62–14. West Virginia beat their next opponent, , 45–10. West Virginia's first challenge was against the Maryland Terrapins. West Virginia got behind the Terps 14–0, but pulled away at halftime, winning 55–24.
West Virginia's next game was at the Pittsburgh Panthers
. The game was a defensive struggle, until runningback A.B. Brown, a Pitt transfer, ran a draw for 64-yards and the score. Scoring 14-points in the fourth quarter, the Mountaineers broke away. In the 1988 Backyard Brawl
, West Virginia was installed as a one-point underdog by the odds makers. The Mountaineers rolled to a 31–10 victory over Pitt on the way to their first undefeated, untied regular season in school history. West Virginia then traveled to rival , and won 22–10, even though they produced four fumbles in the game. The next two games, a win at East Carolina, and a 59-point win at , gave West Virginia a 7–0 record.
Next, the late October matchup vs Penn State at Mountaineer Field is widely regarded as one of the greatest games in Mountaineer football history. Before a nationwide CBS audience, the Mountaineers were up 34–8 before the half. On a draw play, runningback Undra Johnson
ran 55 yards for the touchdown to end the half. The game also included a touchdown run by Major Harris, which is forever remembered in West Virginia lore as "The Run".
The next game was at the , where the Mountaineers started slow in the first half. Receiver Reggie Rembert
scored three times, and the Mountaineers won by scoring 24 points in the third quarter. The Mountaineers traveled to Giants Stadium
to play , who had beat Penn St., Boston College, and Michigan State
. The Mountaineers played poor, but came out with the win.
The final regular season game of the season was at home, against the . The Orangemen were 8–2, while the Mountaineers were 10–0. The highlight of the game was a 49-yard interception by Willie Edwards
that was taken for a touchdown. The Mountaineers won 31–9, and took a famous lap around the stadium to entertain the 65,000 fans in Morgantown.
to play the only other undefeated team in the NCAA, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Free-safety Darrell Whitmore
was out for the Mountaineers, but Nehlen moved star Bo Orlando
from strong safety to free to fill the hole. Nehlen recalled the move as "our first mistake...". "Another mistake I made is that I let the media overrun us."
West Virginia's offense was doomed from the third play of the game. Major Harris separated his shoulder on the third play when he was slammed to the ground by Irish Linebacker Michael Stonebreaker. He couldn't throw well for the rest of the game. Linemen John Stroia and Bob Kovach were injured for the Mountaineers in that game as well. Notre Dame completely dominated the game. West Virginia only made one serious threat. Willie Edwards (Now coaching at Morgantown High School * class of 1984) picked off a Tony Rice pass in the 3rd quarter. ND led by 13 points at the time. A Harris incompletion and two ND sacks took WVU out of field goal range, and the threat was over. ND opened up a 27 point lead before two late WVU touchdowns made the score respectable. WVU lost 34–21, it was their first loss of the season for the national championship.
, Eugene Napoleon, and Craig Taylor
at fullback highlighted the run game. The runners were led by Rick Phillips and Brian Smider on the offensive line, along with Stroia and Kovach, while Kevin Koken led the line at center. Early in the season, Keith Winn was moved from receiver to tight end, providing help to the run game, but was more famous as a deep-pass threat. The receivers catching the balls from Harris were led by Reggie Rembert
, who was accompanied by Calvin Phillips and Grantis Bell.
Coach Don Nehlen credited West Virginia's '88 team's defense as being the main factor to their success. The linebacking core included Renaldo Turnbull
, Chris Haering, Steve Grant
, Dale Jackson, Theron Ellis, and Bobby Pickett. Mike Fox and Chris Parker
headed the defensive line, along with Chris Haering. The secondary was one of the best in West Virginia history, led by Bo Orlando
and Darrell Whitmore
. Orlando had a good pro career with the Houston Oilers and Pittsburgh Steelers
, while Darrell went pro in baseball. Willie Edwards played corner along with Alvoid Mays
, who went pro as well, and Lawrence Drumgoole and David Lockwood played solid backup corner.
Don Nehlen
was the head coach
while being assisted by assistant head coach, wide receivers coach, and recruiting coordinator Doc Holliday.
West Virginia Mountaineers
The West Virginia Mountaineers are the athletic teams of West Virginia University. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference. On July 1, 2012 the Mountaineers will switch conferences, moving from the Big East to the Big 12, becoming...
football team completed the regular season with a 11–0 and traveled to the Fiesta Bowl
1989 Fiesta Bowl
The 1989 Sunkist Fiesta Bowl, played on January 2, 1989, was the 18th edition of the Fiesta Bowl. The game featured the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and the West Virginia Mountaineers....
to decide the National Championship, where they lost to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1988 college football season. The Irish, coached by Lou Holtz, ended the season with 12 wins and no losses, winning the national championship...
34–21.
1988 Schedule
1988 season
The 1987 season was the beginning of Major HarrisMajor Harris
Major Harris is a former college football quarterback for West Virginia University during the 1980s. Harris was a 1989 All American and finished third and fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1988 and 1989, respectively. He was also the ECAC Player of the Year in 1988 and 1989...
as the starting quarterback for West Virginia. Only a redshirt-freshman, Harris led the Mountaineers to a Sun Bowl
1987 Sun Bowl
The 1987 John Hancock Sun Bowl featured the and the Oklahoma State Cowboys.In the spring of 1987, West Virginia was the scene of an historic battle for the starting quarterback position...
berth, after a 1–3 start.
The '88 season opened with coach Don Nehlen
Don Nehlen
Don Nehlen is a former American football player and coach. He was head football coach at Bowling Green State University and at West Virginia University . Nehlen retired from coaching college football in 2001 with a career record of 202–128–8 and as the 17th winningest coach in...
's alma mater, . The win marked the beginning of the run, winning 62–14. West Virginia beat their next opponent, , 45–10. West Virginia's first challenge was against the Maryland Terrapins. West Virginia got behind the Terps 14–0, but pulled away at halftime, winning 55–24.
West Virginia's next game was at the Pittsburgh Panthers
1988 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
The 1988 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1988 college football season.-Schedule:-Team Players drafted into in the NFL:...
. The game was a defensive struggle, until runningback A.B. Brown, a Pitt transfer, ran a draw for 64-yards and the score. Scoring 14-points in the fourth quarter, the Mountaineers broke away. In the 1988 Backyard Brawl
Backyard Brawl
The Backyard Brawl is an annual football game between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played annually or semi-iannually and may also be used to refer to other...
, West Virginia was installed as a one-point underdog by the odds makers. The Mountaineers rolled to a 31–10 victory over Pitt on the way to their first undefeated, untied regular season in school history. West Virginia then traveled to rival , and won 22–10, even though they produced four fumbles in the game. The next two games, a win at East Carolina, and a 59-point win at , gave West Virginia a 7–0 record.
Next, the late October matchup vs Penn State at Mountaineer Field is widely regarded as one of the greatest games in Mountaineer football history. Before a nationwide CBS audience, the Mountaineers were up 34–8 before the half. On a draw play, runningback Undra Johnson
Undra Johnson
Undra Jerome Johnson is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, and the Dallas Cowboys.-High school career:...
ran 55 yards for the touchdown to end the half. The game also included a touchdown run by Major Harris, which is forever remembered in West Virginia lore as "The Run".
The next game was at the , where the Mountaineers started slow in the first half. Receiver Reggie Rembert
Reggie Rembert
Reginald Bernard "Reggie" Rembert is a retired American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted in the second round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He played college football at West Virginia.Rembert played only three of four seasons in the NFL...
scored three times, and the Mountaineers won by scoring 24 points in the third quarter. The Mountaineers traveled to Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
to play , who had beat Penn St., Boston College, and Michigan State
1988 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 1988 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Spartans played their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan and were coached by George Perles. The team finished second in the Big Ten...
. The Mountaineers played poor, but came out with the win.
The final regular season game of the season was at home, against the . The Orangemen were 8–2, while the Mountaineers were 10–0. The highlight of the game was a 49-yard interception by Willie Edwards
Willie Edwards
Willie Edwards, Jr. was a 24-year-old African American, husband and father, murdered by members of the Alabama Ku Klux Klan. He is buried at New Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Letohatchee, Alabama. - Murder :...
that was taken for a touchdown. The Mountaineers won 31–9, and took a famous lap around the stadium to entertain the 65,000 fans in Morgantown.
National Championship
West Virginia traveled to the Fiesta Bowl1989 Fiesta Bowl
The 1989 Sunkist Fiesta Bowl, played on January 2, 1989, was the 18th edition of the Fiesta Bowl. The game featured the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and the West Virginia Mountaineers....
to play the only other undefeated team in the NCAA, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Free-safety Darrell Whitmore
Darrell Whitmore
Darrell Lamont Whitmore is a former American Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians and Florida Marlins and was a college football and baseball player for the West Virginia Mountaineers....
was out for the Mountaineers, but Nehlen moved star Bo Orlando
Bo Orlando
Joseph John "Bo" Orlando is a retired American football safety player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Oilers, San Diego Chargers, and Cincinnati Bengals.-High school career:...
from strong safety to free to fill the hole. Nehlen recalled the move as "our first mistake...". "Another mistake I made is that I let the media overrun us."
West Virginia's offense was doomed from the third play of the game. Major Harris separated his shoulder on the third play when he was slammed to the ground by Irish Linebacker Michael Stonebreaker. He couldn't throw well for the rest of the game. Linemen John Stroia and Bob Kovach were injured for the Mountaineers in that game as well. Notre Dame completely dominated the game. West Virginia only made one serious threat. Willie Edwards (Now coaching at Morgantown High School * class of 1984) picked off a Tony Rice pass in the 3rd quarter. ND led by 13 points at the time. A Harris incompletion and two ND sacks took WVU out of field goal range, and the threat was over. ND opened up a 27 point lead before two late WVU touchdowns made the score respectable. WVU lost 34–21, it was their first loss of the season for the national championship.
Roster
West Virginia's '88 team was highlighted with an explosive offense, led by Major Harris. Harris, only a sophomore, threw an exceptional deep ball in addition to his remarkable scrambling ability. Running backs A.B. Brown, Undra JohnsonUndra Johnson
Undra Jerome Johnson is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, and the Dallas Cowboys.-High school career:...
, Eugene Napoleon, and Craig Taylor
Craig Taylor (football player)
Craig Garrett Taylor is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League. He played three seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals ....
at fullback highlighted the run game. The runners were led by Rick Phillips and Brian Smider on the offensive line, along with Stroia and Kovach, while Kevin Koken led the line at center. Early in the season, Keith Winn was moved from receiver to tight end, providing help to the run game, but was more famous as a deep-pass threat. The receivers catching the balls from Harris were led by Reggie Rembert
Reggie Rembert
Reginald Bernard "Reggie" Rembert is a retired American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted in the second round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He played college football at West Virginia.Rembert played only three of four seasons in the NFL...
, who was accompanied by Calvin Phillips and Grantis Bell.
Coach Don Nehlen credited West Virginia's '88 team's defense as being the main factor to their success. The linebacking core included Renaldo Turnbull
Renaldo Turnbull
Renaldo Antonio Turnbull is a former professional American football player who played for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League Was the Saints 1st round in the 1990 NFL Draft. Turnbull, a 6'4",...
, Chris Haering, Steve Grant
Steve Grant
Stephen Mitchell "Steve" Grant is a former American football linebacker for the West Virginia Mountaineers and Indianapolis Colts in the National Football League. Grant is currently the chaplin for the Texas Tech University football program in Lubbock , Texas.-Freshman season:Steve Grant enrolled...
, Dale Jackson, Theron Ellis, and Bobby Pickett. Mike Fox and Chris Parker
Chris Parker
Christopher Parker may refer to:*Christopher Parker , British Member of Parliament for Clitheroe, Lancashire, 1708-1713*Christopher Parker , English actor and television presenter...
headed the defensive line, along with Chris Haering. The secondary was one of the best in West Virginia history, led by Bo Orlando
Bo Orlando
Joseph John "Bo" Orlando is a retired American football safety player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Oilers, San Diego Chargers, and Cincinnati Bengals.-High school career:...
and Darrell Whitmore
Darrell Whitmore
Darrell Lamont Whitmore is a former American Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians and Florida Marlins and was a college football and baseball player for the West Virginia Mountaineers....
. Orlando had a good pro career with the Houston Oilers and Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, while Darrell went pro in baseball. Willie Edwards played corner along with Alvoid Mays
Alvoid Mays
Alvoid Wilson Mays is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and the Pittsburgh Steelers...
, who went pro as well, and Lawrence Drumgoole and David Lockwood played solid backup corner.
Don Nehlen
Don Nehlen
Don Nehlen is a former American football player and coach. He was head football coach at Bowling Green State University and at West Virginia University . Nehlen retired from coaching college football in 2001 with a career record of 202–128–8 and as the 17th winningest coach in...
was the head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
while being assisted by assistant head coach, wide receivers coach, and recruiting coordinator Doc Holliday.
Honors
| Player | Honors |
|---|---|
| Major Harris Major Harris Major Harris is a former college football quarterback for West Virginia University during the 1980s. Harris was a 1989 All American and finished third and fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1988 and 1989, respectively. He was also the ECAC Player of the Year in 1988 and 1989... |
ECAC Eastern College Athletic Conference The Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports . It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois... Player of the Year Finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial... Race All-American all-ECAC Eastern College Athletic Conference The Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports . It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois... |
| Renaldo Turnbull Renaldo Turnbull Renaldo Antonio Turnbull is a former professional American football player who played for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League Was the Saints 1st round in the 1990 NFL Draft. Turnbull, a 6'4",... |
all-Big East all-ECAC Eastern College Athletic Conference The Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports . It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois... |