Half a century has passed since the fall of 1976, yet the foundation laid by the University of Southern Colorado (now Colorado State University Pueblo) football team remains a towering milestone in the institution’s athletic history. As CSU Pueblo honors the 50th anniversary of that iconic squad, it is time to look back at the team that changed the program’s trajectory under head coach Mike Friedman.

A Historic Turnaround in the Mountains

The 1976 season marked a watershed moment for the USC program. Highlighted by a gritty, five-game unbeaten streak to close out the fall, the team posted a 6-4-1 overall record and a stellar 5-2 mark in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), securing a third-place conference finish. More importantly, it delivered the first winning season of the Mike Friedman era, proving that the Tribe was a force to be reckoned with in the region.

Playing a grueling 11-game schedule—the most ever played in a single season in the realigned RMAC at the time—Friedman’s squad relied on a punishing ground game and stout defense to wear down opponents.

Record-Breaking Grit

The 1976 team left its permanent mark in the USC record books through sheer physical dominance and tactical efficiency:

• Explosive Offense: The Tribe exploded for 498 total offensive yards in a single game against Fort Hays State, setting a new standard for the program.

• Ground and Pound: USC smashed the single-season rushing record by churning out 2,309 yards on the ground.

• Old-School Identity: Reflecting the era’s run-first mentality, the team completed just 37 passes for 692 yards all season, relying instead on ball control and defensive execution.

Individual Brilliance and All-Conference Honors

Success was driven by standout performances across every phase of the game, earning several players well-deserved conference and district recognition:

• Ray Brown (Senior, RB): Earned all-conference honors after finishing fifth in the RMAC with 734 rushing yards on 159 carries.

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  Charles Rumsey (Sophomore, P): Dominated the special teams battle to earn all-conference honors, leading the league with a 41.2-yard average on 50 punts.

• Mitch Johnson (Junior, K): A dual threat of accuracy and clutch scoring, Johnson earned all-conference and NAIA District 7 first-team honors. He finished the year with 51 points, converting 24 of 27 extra points and nine of 19 field goals.

• Archie Neil (Defensive End): Anchored a fierce defensive front to capture all-conference accolades, racking up 66 tackles, three fumble recoveries, and two blocked punts.

• Steven O’Dell (Defensive Lineman): Earned second-team all-conference recognition for his relentless pressure in the trenches.

Saluting the Senior Class

The success of the 1976 team was powered by a resilient group of seniors who provided veteran leadership through the highs and lows of an 11-game grind. The graduating senior class featured Greg Boysen, Ray Brown, Vic Fuhs, Tom Guinane, Mark Hill, Clyde Kenebrew, and Doug Mason, who stood proudly as the lone defensive player on the senior list.

Brown finished his three-season career (1974-1976) with 2,053 yards rushing (currently ninth-best all time) on 433 carries for a 4.7 average per attempt with 17 touchdowns.

Among them, Kenebrew cemented his legacy as one of the program’s greatest wide receivers. Spanning his career from 1972 to 1976, Kenebrew concluded his storied tenure with 70 receptions (currently 14th all-time), 1,332 receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns.

The lone senior on defense was Mason, who was a four-season starter for the Tribe and a two-time Great Plains Athletic Conference performer as a cornerback.

A Legacy That Endures

Though the campus transitioned to CSU Pueblo in 2003, the DNA of the 1976 University of Southern Colorado team lives on. Fifty years later, the grit, teamwork, and championship character of the Tribe continue to inspire the current generation of ThunderWolves as they honor the pioneers who first proved winning football belonged in Pueblo.

September 11 – In the first game of the newly aligned Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, three-time defending champion Western Colorado posted a 49-34 win over the University of Southern Colorado in a night game at Pueblo Public School Stadium (now Dutch Clark Stadium).  Outgaining Southern Colorado 564 yards to 219, the Mountaineers broke a 7-7 first-quarter tie to lead 28-7 at halftime.  The opener featured a combined 20 fumbles, with 10 lost. USC scored 20 points in the final quarter as quarterback Mick McCall passed for two touchdowns and Larry Conner scored twice.

September 18 – Ray Brown rushed for 153 yards and Clyde Kenebrew became the school’s all-time touchdown pass receiving leader in Southern Colorado’s 21-18 win at Colorado School of Mines on a rain-soaked Golden Brooks Field at night.  Brown rushed 32 times, highlighted by a 14-yard scoring run in the second quarter.  Kenebrew secured his 14th career TD pass reception on a six-yard scoring toss from Mick McCall in the third quarter to give the Indians a 21-10 lead. McCall connected on a two-yard TD pass to Tom Guinane for the Tribe’s first score of the game as USC had 281 total yards to Mines’ 283.

September 25 – A pair of touchdown runs over 70 yards in the third quarter domed Southern Colorado as the Indians dropped a 17-9 decision to host Fort Lewis on a rain-soaked field in Durango.  Ron Trujillo and Bruce Joshu scored on 74- and 70-yard runs, respectively, to give the Skyhawks a 17-3 lead after three periods.  USC scored a 48-yard first-quarter field goal by Mitch Johnson and a three-yard fourth-quarter run by Ray Brown, who rushed for 110 yards on 26 carries in the game.

October 2 – In directing Southern Colorado to its best offensive showing of the season, Mick McCall passed for two scores and rushed for one in leading the Indians to a 31-21 victory over Fort Hays State at Pueblo Public School Stadium.  McCall’s 15-yard scoring pass to Tom Guinane at the start of the fourth quarter proved to be the winning score as USC had 498 total offensive yards (311 rushing and 187 passing). Ray Brown had 125 yards rushing on 16 carries, highlighted by a 39-yard scoring run late in the fourth quarter.  McCall had an 80-yard scoring pass to Clyde Kenebrew and a one-yard TD run in the second period to give the Tribe a 17-14 lead at halftime.

October 9 – In a game dominated by the Northern Colorado defense, Southern Colorado used a fourth-quarter touchdown by Mick McCall to avoid being shut out in the 38-7 RMAC game in Greeley.  USC had 128 total yards of offense in the game as McCall scored on a four-yard run with 2:16 left in the game.  Fifty-five of the Indians’ 67 yards passing came on a 55-yard pass from McCall to Gary Atkinson to collect their first first down of the second half.

October 16 – Freshman backup Lee Hebeisen rushed for 125 yards on 18 carries to help lead Southern Colorado to a 16-10 win over Adams State on homecoming at Pueblo Public School Stadium.  Hebeisen’s nine-yard run in the first quarter gave the Tribe a 6-0 lead.  A 10-point third quarter secured the win for USC, as Mitch Johnson scored a 42-yard field goal with 10:46 left in the third quarter and a one-yard run by freshman Dave Henry with 4:30 remaining.  The Tribe sacked Adams State quarterbacks five times for 38 yards as USC outgained the visitors 296 to 198.

October 23 – Mike Watson returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown, and Dave Henry scored on a one-yard run on the next Southern Colorado series to help lift the Indians to a 32-9 RMAC win at Southern Utah in Cedar City.  Henry also scored a 1-yard run in the third quarter as Mitch Johnson followed with a 40-yard field goal and Charlie Thompson completed a 57-yard scoring pass to Clyde Kenebrew in the final 71 seconds of the game.

October 30 – USC scored 13 unanswered points in the second half on two Mitch Johnson’s field goals for 55 and 47 yards, and a one-yard run by Ray Brown to secure a 33-27 win over Western New Mexico at Pueblo Public School Stadium.  The first field goal set a school and stadium record.  It was Brown second TD run as he scored a 54-yard burst for the Indians’ first score of the game.  Lee Hebeisen scored on a 2-yard run, and Mick McCall added a 69-yard scoring toss to Clyde Kennebrew during the 20-point second quarter for USC to tie the game 20-20 at intermission.

November 6 – Mitch Johnson kicked a 37-yard field goal with 69 seconds left in the game to give Southern Colorado a 17-17 tie with Eastern New Mexico in a night game at Pueblo School Stadium.  After scoring the game’s first TD on a 3-yard run by Mick McCall, USC trailed 17-7 entering the fourth quarter.  Reserve running back Ernie Martinez, who rushed for 113 yards on 18 carries, scored on an 8-yard run with 10:47 left in the contest.  The drive was set up by a blocked punt by Archie Neil that started the drive at the ENMU 32.  For the game, the Indians had 318 rushing yards with no passing yards on two completions.

November 13 – Mitch Johnson kicked two field goals (40 and 35 yards), Mick McCall scored on a three-yard run, and Ray Brown dove in from the one to lead Southern Colorado to a 20-6 night game win over Colorado Mesa at Pueblo Public School Stadium.  In improving their unbeaten string to five games, the Indians’ clock-killing ground game compiled 292 yards by eight rushers led by Mike Watson (54 yards, nine carries) and Brown (52, 17).

November 20 – Southern Colorado’s five-game unbeaten streak ended under the lights in Lawton, Okla., as Cameron posted a 31-7 win over visiting Southern Colorado.  The Aggies had 415 yards of total offense versus USC’s 200 in the season finale.  The Indians’ only score came with 44 seconds left in the game on a flea-flicker as backup quarterback Charlie Thompson passed to Ernie Martinez, who handed off to Mike Watson for the final four yards on the play. In his final game at USC, Ray Brown had 76 yards on 15 carries.  At the time, Brown’s 2,053 rushing yards, 433 carries, and 17 touchdowns were No. 2 totals on the school’s career record list behind Frank Hester (1964-196, 2,528, 513, 27).

1976 USC Media Guide profiles