UNLV Athletics Hall Of Fame
The 1984 UNLV football team was the first of two in school history to win a conference championship and its 11-2 overall record represents the most wins for UNLV since moving to Division I in 1980. The squad went undefeated in the Pacific Coast Athletic Association with its only losses coming by four points at Hawaii and by 17 points vs. 10th-ranked SMU. Still the only UNLV team to defeat a ranked opponent at Sam Boyd Stadium, the Rebels downed arch-rival and 20th-ranked Cal State Fullerton 26-20 on November 10 in one of the most exciting games in stadium history. The talent-rich squad featured the conference Offensive Player of the Year in All-America punter/quarterback Randall Cunningham; the Defensive Player of the Year in lineman Aaron Moog; and the Coach of the Year in Harvey Hyde. In fact, Cunningham had his UNLV jersey No. 12 retired at the final home game after becoming the third NCAA quarterback in history behind Doug Flutie and John Elway to pass for more than 2,500 yards in three straight seasons. The 1984 team earned the school its first bowl trip and the Rebels defeated Toledo 30-13 in the California Bowl in Fresno, Calif. These Rebels set school records with five First Team All-Conference honorees: QB Cunningham, OL Doug Eisher, RB Kirk Jones, TE Reggie LaFrance and DL Moog; and seven more Second Team honorees: DB Anthony Blue, K Joey DiGiovanna, OL Paul Godbey, DL Richard Grant, LB Daryl Knox, LB Tom Polley and DB Dalton Reed. Five players on the team eventually were drafted by the NFL (all of whom played in the pros for a combined 38 seasons): QB Cunningham, DL Polley, RB Ickey Woods, DB Charles Dimry and WR George Thomas.
