1978 Florida Gators football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1978 Florida Gators football Southeastern Conference SEC 4–7 3–3 Doug Dickey 9th Pro-style Doug Knotts 9th Mike DuPree Don Swafford Florida Field The 1978 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. The season was Doug Dickey's ninth and last year as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. The 1978 Florida Gators finished with a 4–7 overall record and a 3–3 Southeastern Conference (SEC) record, tying for fourth among ten SEC teams. After a disappointing 1977 season, Dickey had been under pressure to shake up his coaching staff, and he decided to abandon the run-oriented wishbone offense his teams had used for several seasons in favor of a more pro-style system.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=V-AzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lDIHAAAAIBAJ&pg=3896%2C3330308 No Title so Florida Gives Ax to Dickey The Evening Independent 20 November 1978 23 January 2016 UPI Former Florida quarterback Steve Spurrier, who had lived in Gainesville since wrapping up his NFL career in 1976, was tapped by Dickey to be the Gators' quarterback coach, his first coaching job.http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2001-11-29/sports/0111281177_1_spurrier-florida-field-dickey-s-attorney UF Fans can thank Vol's AD for Spurrier Orlando Sentinel 29 November 2001 23 January 2016 29 January 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160129141651/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2001-11-29/sports/0111281177_1_spurrier-florida-field-dickey-s-attorney dead However, without the proper talent to run the new scheme, Florida's 1978 scoring output was almost identical to 1977's output – about 22 points per game.Golenbock, Go Gators!, p. 438 Florida struggled with consistency, never winning consecutive games, losing to traditional rivals Georgia and Florida State, and enduring their first losing season since 1971. Days before the final game, Dickey (along with Spurrier and the rest of the coaching staff) were told by University of Florida president Robert Q. Marston that they would be let go after the season. Days after the season finale, Florida announced that Clemson coach Charley Pell had been hired to coach the Gators.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sEdNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2foDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2928%2C2249318 UF Unveils Pell as New Head Football Coach Lakeland Ledger 6 December 1978 23 January 2016 Cobb, Mike Schedule 1978 AP September 16 l y y SMU Orlando Stadium Orlando, FL 25–35 34,101 https://www.newspapers.com/article/el-paso-times-smu-drops-florida/134290363/ The El Paso Times SMU drops Florida September 17, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com September 30 w Mississippi State Florida Field Gainesville, FL 34–0 48,597 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk-gators-stun-state/134289628/ Alexandria Daily Town Talk Gators stun State October 1, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com October 7 l LSU 11 Florida Field Gainesville, FL rivalry 21–34 55,457 https://www.newspapers.com/article/tallahassee-democrat-alexander-tigers-r/134290486/ Tallahassee Democrat Alexander, Tigers run over Gators October 8, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com October 14 l y Alabama 7 Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL rivalry 12–23 60,210 https://www.newspapers.com/article/pensacola-news-journal-bryant-unhappy-af/134290633/ The Pensacola News-Journal Bryant unhappy after beating Florida October 15, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com October 21 w y y Army Florida Field Gainesville, FL 31–7 57,625 https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-lucie-news-tribune-florida-blasts-ca/134290727/ St. Lucie News Tribune Florida blasts Cadets by 31–7 October 22, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com October 28 l y y Georgia Tech Grant Field Atlanta, GA ABC 13–17 44,866 https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-press-ivery-shines-as-ga-tech-sack/134290830/ Fort Myers News-Press Ivery shines as Ga. Tech sacks Florida October 29, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com November 4 w Auburn Florida Field Gainesville, FL rivalry 31–7 59,343 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-limping-gators-run/134290917/ The Orlando Sentinel Star Limping Gators run over Auburn November 5, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com November 11 l y Georgia 11 Gator Bowl Stadium Jacksonville, FL rivalry 22–24 68,232 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bradenton-herald-gators-late-rally/134291093/ The Bradenton Herald Gators' late rally commes up two points short November 12, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com November 18 w y Kentucky rivalry Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, KY 18–16 56,500 History haunts as field goal sinks Wildcats The Lexington Herald John A. McGill November 19, 1978 C1, C7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86544314/history-haunts-as-field-goal-sinks/ Newspapers.com November 25 l y y Florida State Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL rivalry 21–38 48,432 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-fsu-throttles-florida/134291232/ The Miami Herald FSU throttles Florida, 38–21 November 26, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com December 2 l y Miami (FL) Florida Field Gainesville, FL rivalry 21–22 47,815 https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-gators-muff-dickeys-sen/134291347/ St. Petersburg Times Gators muff Dickey's sendoff December 3, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide https://web.archive.org/web/20151208143532/http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2015/media_guide.pdf 2015-12-08 , University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 107 (2015). Retrieved August 16, 2015.Sports Publicity Department Florida Football '79 https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/gatorzone.com/documents/2016/8/19/1978_fb_media_guide.pdf floridagators.com University Athletic Association, Inc. 15 March 2018 Postseason After leaving Florida, Dickey went into private business for several years before becoming the athletic director of the University of Tennessee's Volunteers sports program in 1985. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2003.2136 Doug Dickey September 17, 2010 After a dozen years spent as an offensive assistant and head coach in college football and the USFL, Spurrier would return to become Florida's head coach in 1990. References Additional sources Golenbock Peter Go Gators! An Oral History of Florida's Pursuit of Gridiron Glory Legends Publishing, LLC St. Petersburg, Florida 2002 0-9650782-1-3 Florida Category:Florida Gators football seasons Florida Gators football