American Football Database
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Long Beach State 49ers football
File:Long Beach State 49ers football logo.png
First season 1955
Last season 1991
Head coach Willie Brown (final 49ers head coach)
Home stadium Veterans Memorial Stadium (Long Beach)
Stadium capacity 11,600
Stadium surface Grass
Location Long Beach, California
Conference Big West
All-time record 199–183–4
Postseason bowl record 0–0–1


Colors Gold and Black            

The Long Beach State 49ers football team represented California State University, Long Beach from the 1955 through 1991 seasons. The 49ers originally competed as an Independent before joining the California Collegiate Athletic Association in 1958. By the 1969 season, the 49ers would join the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (now the Big West) as a founding member, where they remained until the program was suspended following the 1991 season. Long Beach played its home games at multiple stadiums throughout their history with the most recent being Veterans Memorial Stadium, in Long Beach, California. During their 37 years of competition, the 49ers compiled an all-time record of 199 wins, 183 losses and 4 ties.

History[]

The Long Beach State football team traces its roots to 1955 when looking to capitalize on the boosters for both USC and UCLA who resided in Long Beach, the 49ers program was established.[1] The program would see modest success, culminating with conference titles following both the 1970 and 1971 seasons, including the 49ers lone bowl, the 1970 Pasadena Bowl. Between the 1977 and 1982 seasons, Long Beach played the majority of their home games at Anaheim Stadium prior to moving back to Veterans Memorial Stadium for the 1983 season.[2] The 49ers would again win the Big West championship following the 1980 season.

Following the only undefeated home schedule in the history of the program under George Allen for the 1990 season, Allen would pass away on December 31, 1990, leaving the future of the program in doubt.[3] On December 10, 1991, University President Curtis McCray announced the 49ers football program would be disbanded immediately.[4] Disbanding the football team was carried out due to financial shortfalls resulting from California's budget crisis, coupled with increased costs of operating the program and declining fan support.[4]

Although the 49ers have not played a game since 1991, Long Beach is still the NCAA record holder in several categories. These records include: the most passes caught by a running back for both a single game and season with 18 and 99 respectively by Mark Templeton. During the 1986 season,[5] and leading the nation in total offense with an average of 326.8 yards per game for the 1982 season.[6]

Bring Back 49er Football[]

Student Efforts to revive a Division 1AA Football program began in April 2008 at CSULB. Jason Aula (a regular annoyance at CSULB), Courtney Day, and Chris O'Brien were the student leaders that lead the campaign until the referendum that took place in March 2011. Bring Back 49er Football gathered 2,200 signatures well over the 5% needed to legally warrant a campus wide vote according to the ASI constitution. The signatures were submitted to the CSULB Dean of Students in December 2010. Thereafter the Dean of Students notified the ASI Executive Director that in fact a referendum would have to take place. The Referendum took place March 21-March 24 online, only current CSULB students were able to cast a vote on this matter. 3084 people voted total with 52% of the student body voting "no" and 48% voting "yes".

Head coaches[]

Tenure Coach Years Record Pct.
1955-57 Mike DeLotto 3 13-10-0 .565
1958-68 Don Reed 11 57-47-2 .547
1969-73 Jim Stangeland 5 31-24-2 .561
1974-76 Wayne Howard 3 23-10-0 .697
1977-83 Dave Currey 7 40-36-0 .526
1984-86 Mike Sheppard 3 16-18-0 .471
1987-89 Larry Reisbig 3 11-24-0 .314
1990 George Allen 1 6-5-0 .545
1991 Willie Brown 1 2-9-0 .182
Totals 9 coaches 37 199-183-4 .520

Seasons[]

Conference Champions * Bowl game berth ^
Season Head coach Conference Season results Bowl result
Conference finish Wins Losses Ties
Long Beach State 49ers
1955 Mike DeLotto Independent 5 2 0
1956 Independent 5 3 0
1957 Independent 3 5 0
1958 Don Reed California Collegiate Athletic Association 2 6 1
1959 California Collegiate Athletic Association 4 5 0
1960 California Collegiate Athletic Association 5 3 1
1961 California Collegiate Athletic Association 5 5 0
1962 California Collegiate Athletic Association 5 5 0
1963 California Collegiate Athletic Association 5 5 0
1964 California Collegiate Athletic Association 8 2 0
1965 California Collegiate Athletic Association 9 1 0
1966 California Collegiate Athletic Association 6 3 0
1967 California Collegiate Athletic Association 5 5 0
1968 California Collegiate Athletic Association 3 7 0
1969 Jim Stangeland Big West Conference 8 3 0
1970 * Big West Conference 9 2 1 Tie 1970 Pasadena Bowl against Louisville Cardinals, 24–24 ^
1971 * Big West Conference 8 4 0
1972 Big West Conference 5 6 0
1973 Big West Conference 1 9 1
1974 Wayne Howard Big West Conference 6 5 0
1975 Big West Conference 9 2 0
1976 Big West Conference 8 3 0
1977 Dave Currey Big West Conference 4 6 0
1978 Big West Conference 5 6 0
1979 Big West Conference 7 4 0
1980 * Big West Conference 8 3 0
1981 Big West Conference 2 8 0
1982 Big West Conference 6 5 0
1983 Big West Conference 8 4 0
1984 Mike Sheppard Big West Conference 4 7 0
1985 Big West Conference 6 6 0
1986 Big West Conference 6 5 0
1987 Larry Reisbig Big West Conference 4 7 0
1988 Big West Conference 3 9 0
1989 Big West Conference 4 8 0
1990 George Allen Big West Conference 6 5 0
1991 Willie Brown Big West Conference 2 9 0
Total 198 183 4 (only includes regular season games)
0 0 1 (only includes bowl games)
199 183 4 (all games)
References:[7]

References[]

  1. Keisser, Bob (January 20, 2002). "Program struggled all along to survive". The Long Beach Press-Telegram.
  2. Staff Reports (December 11, 1991). "Looking back at 49er football". The Long Beach Press-Telegram.
  3. Staff Reports (January 10, 1991). "Major challenge faces L.B. State in post-Allen era". The Long Beach Press-Telegram.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Woolard, John (December 11, 1991). "Football gets sacked at CSULB". The Long Beach Press-Telegram.
  5. Receiving "Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Records," NCAA, July 2008. p. 17. Accessed 2008-12-28
  6. Annual Offense Champions "Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Records," NCAA, July 2008. p. 63. Accessed 2008-12-28
  7. Cal St.-Long Beach Yearly Totals College Football Data Warehouse, cfbdatawarehouse.com. Accessed December 28, 2008.
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