The 1997 Toledo Rockets football team was an American football team that represented the University of Toledo in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their seventh season under head coach Gary Pinkel, the Rockets compiled a 9–3 record (7–1 against MAC opponents), finished in first place in the MAC's West Division, lost to Marshall in the MAC Football Championship Game (14–34), and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 356 to 268.
The team's statistical leaders included Chris Wallace with 2,955 passing yards, Dwayne Harris with 1,278 rushing yards, and Brock Kreitzburg with 626 receiving yards.[1]
Schedule
[2]
Rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked | Week |
|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Final |
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| AP | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | 22 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
|---|
| Coaches | — | | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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Roster
| 1997 Toledo Rockets football team roster
|
| Players
|
Coaches
|
Offense
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| TE
|
82
|
Mike Amrozowicz
|
Fr
|
| C
|
53
|
James Bates
|
Sr
|
| QB
|
17
|
Dan Cole
|
Fr
|
| C
|
79
|
Andy Comer
|
So
|
| HB
|
6
|
Ray Curry
|
Jr
|
| WR
|
12
|
Romain Davis
|
Sr
|
| LB
|
44
|
Romules Durant
|
Jr
|
| WR
|
4
|
Christopher Hall
|
Sr
|
| RB
|
32
|
Kevin Kidd
|
Sr
|
|
Defense
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| LB
|
15
|
Derrick Beckwith
|
Jr
|
| CB
|
31
|
Jason Bennett
|
Fr
|
| CB
|
22
|
Fabian Burke
|
Fr
|
| CB
|
11
|
Kelly Herndon
|
Jr
|
| CB
|
4
|
Chris Holifield
|
Sr
|
| CB
|
42
|
Maurice Jefferson
|
Jr
|
| DT
|
91
|
Joey Jones
|
Sr
|
|
Special teams
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Dave Christensen – Offensive coordinator & offensive line
- David Yost – Quarterbacks and recruiting coordinator
- Brian Jones – Running backs
- Cornell Ford – Wide receivers
- Bruce Walker – Tight end
- Tom Amstutz – Defensive coordinator
- Craig Kuligowski – Defensive line
- Matt Eberflus – outside linebackers
- Phil Parker – Defensive backs
- Grant Elmquist – Graduate assistant
- Dan Murphy – Graduate assistant
- Jim Carmon – Graduate assistant
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
Roster Last update: December 5, 2023
|
After the season
NFL draft
The following Rocket was selected in the 1998 NFL draft following the season.[3]
References
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| Bowls & rivalries | |
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| People | |
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