Long Beach State Football: A Legacy Forged on the Gridiron

The Long Beach State 49ers football team proudly represented California State University, Long Beach, for 36 seasons, from 1955 to 1991. Though the program was ultimately suspended, its history is rich with memorable moments, talented players, and dedicated coaches. The 49ers left an indelible mark on the landscape of college football.

Early Years and Conference Affiliation

Initially competing as an Independent, the 49ers joined the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) in 1958, marking a significant step in the program's development. Throughout their existence, the team played home games at various stadiums, with Veterans Memorial Stadium in Long Beach, California, serving as their most recent venue.

The 1965 Season: A Year of Notable Achievements

The 1965 season stands out as a year of considerable accomplishment for the Long Beach State 49ers. Under the leadership of eighth-year head coach Don Reed, the team achieved an impressive overall record of 9-1. Within the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), their record was 4-1, which earned them second place in the conference.

A significant moment of the season occurred when Long Beach State entered the AP small college poll rankings following an upset victory over No. 3 San Diego State on October 9. The 49ers climbed as high as No. 5 in the rankings. However, a loss to Cal State Los Angeles on November 13 caused them to drop to No. 9, and despite a season-ending win against the Pacific Tigers, they were ultimately excluded from the final rankings.

The George Allen Era: A Glimmer of Hope

Before the 1990 season, the legendary George Allen emerged from retirement to take the reins as head coach of the 49ers. Allen's arrival injected new life into the program, and he quickly made an impact by leading the team to an undefeated home schedule. The overall record for the season was 6-5. Allen also recruited Terrell Davis, a running back from San Diego Lincoln High who would later be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Tragically, George Allen passed away on December 31, 1990, casting uncertainty over the program's future.

Terrell Davis's Fond Memories of Long Beach State

Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis has a career peppered with accomplishments. Davis spent two years on the Long Beach State football team in 1990 and 1991. He sat out his first year and played five games his second season, rushing for 262 yards. Before the 1990 season, legendary coach George Allen came out of retirement to take over the Long Beach State program and recruited Davis, a running back from San Diego Lincoln High. Allen passed away Dec.

Davis redshirted as a freshman under Allen to gain an extra year of eligibility, but Allen passed away before Davis played a down. "He called me Secretariat," Davis said, recalling a comparison Allen made between Davis and the famous racehorse. "So, if I’m getting the stamp of approval from this coach, I have to be pretty good. I’m special. Something is going on here.

“The first time I was connected to the NFL was through George Allen,” Davis said. Davis' experience at Long Beach State also gave him the necessary tools he needed to handle adversity. First, Davis severely injured his ankles during his redshirt freshman year, which limited him to the five games. He said it taught him about the mental fortitude one needed to play through pain.

To continue his football career, Davis had no choice except to find another school. He eventually landed at University of Georgia. ”I had so much fun at Long Beach. Man, I did,” he said. “That was my first college. Davis went largely unrecruited out of high school and decided to follow his brother, Reggie Webb, to Long Beach State. He said playing with Webb was one of the experiences that he cherishes most.

Long Beach State was so important to Davis that he made sure to include it in his Pro Football Hall of Fame speech last year.

The Final Season and Program Suspension

The program continued for one more season under the leadership of rookie head coach Willie Brown, a former NFL star and fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer. Unfortunately, the team struggled, finishing with a 2-9 record in its final season.

In 1991, Curtis McCray, the university president at the time, made the difficult decision to end the program, citing low funding and attendance as contributing factors.

Notable Players and Achievements

Despite its relatively short history, the Long Beach State football program produced several notable players who went on to achieve success at the professional level.

Jeff Severson: A safety for the 49ers, Severson was selected as the 12th overall draft pick by the Washington Football Team (formerly known as the Redskins).
Mark Templeton: An offensive lineman for the 49ers in the mid 1970's.
Terrell Davis: The Hall of Fame running back.
Craig Burns: Burns became one of the most notable athletes in Beach history earning national fame for scoring 47 touchdowns during his time with the 49ers. He held the title for Southern California Player of the Year in 1969 and 1970 and holds the only jersey number to be retired in the school’s history.
Jack Reilly: Reilly set multiple passing records during the 1966 season.

The team recorded a record of 199-183-4 and won three conference titles. By 1969, the team had an all-star lineup, seeing players being drafted and had players go off to the NFL.

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NCAA Records and Preserving the Legacy

Even though the 49ers have not played a game since 1991, Long Beach State still holds several NCAA records. Efforts have been made to preserve the program's history, with as many as 150 Long Beach State football games of full and partial game film located and stored in Los Angeles. The majority of these games are on 16mm film, while some of the later games are on U-matic and Betamax format tapes.

Student-Led Revival Efforts

In April 2008, students initiated efforts to revive a Division I-AA level football program (now known as NCAA Division I-FCS). These efforts culminated in a referendum in March 2011, where current CSULB students were able to cast their votes online. However, the referendum ultimately failed. ASI members continue to lobby for a football at CSULB.

Long Beach State Football in the NFL Today

Several players with ties to Long Beach and Southern California high schools are making their mark in the NFL. Juju Smith-Schuster, Jack Jones, Alex Austin, Joel Bitonio, Ryan Pellum and Deuce Weston are among those who have made it to the highest level of professional football.

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