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1978 Minnesota Vikings
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Record: 8-7-1, Finished 1st in NFC Central Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 294 points (18.4/g), 12th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 306 points (19.1/g), 20th.
Differential of -12 points (-0.8/g), 13th.
Expected W-L: 7.6-8.4.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential -8 (-0.5/g), 24th.
Simple Rating System: Total -0.2, Offense: 1.0, Defense: -1.1, SoS: 0.6, versus averages of 0.0.
Coached by
Bud Grant
Offensive Coordinator: Jerry Burns
Defensive Coordinator: Bob Hollway
Training Camp: Minnesota State University, Mankato (Mankato, Minnesota)
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Starters
ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),Hide Non-primary Starters
| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | ||||||
| QB | Fran Tarkenton | 38 | 17 | 16 | 345 for 572, 3,468 yards, 25 td, 32 int, & 24 rushes for -6 yards and 1 td | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 29th pick / 1961 Boston Patriots / 5th / 34th pick / 1961 |
| RB | Rickey Young | 25 | 3 | 16 | 134 rushes for 417 yards, 1 td, & 88 catches for 704 yards and 5 td | San Diego Chargers / 7th / 164th pick / 1975 |
| FB | Chuck Foreman | 28 | 5 | 14 | 237 rushes for 749 yards, 5 td, & 61 catches for 396 yards and 2 td | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 12th pick / 1973 |
| WR | Ahmad Rashad* | 29 | 6 | 16 | 66 catches for 769 yards, 8 td | St. Louis Cardinals / 1st / 4th pick / 1972 |
| WR | Sammy White | 24 | 2 | 16 | 53 catches for 741 yards, 9 td, & 5 rushes for 30 yards and 0 td | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 54th pick / 1976 |
| TE | Bob Tucker | 33 | 8 | 16 | 47 catches for 540 yards, 0 td | |
| LT | Frank Myers | 22 | Rook | 11 | Baltimore Colts / 5th / 117th pick / 1978 | |
| LG | Charles Goodrum | 28 | 5 | 16 | 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 9th / 232nd pick / 1972 |
| C | Mick Tingelhoff | 38 | 16 | 16 | ||
| RG | Wes Hamilton | 25 | 2 | 15 | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 85th pick / 1976 | |
| RT | Ron Yary | 32 | 10 | 16 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 1st pick / 1968 | |
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Mark Mullaney | 25 | 3 | 9 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 25th pick / 1975 |
| LDT | Doug Sutherland | 30 | 8 | 16 | New Orleans Saints / 14th / 348th pick / 1970 | |
| RDT | James White | 25 | 2 | 10 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 25th pick / 1976 |
| RDE | Jim Marshall | 41 | 18 | 16 | 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Cleveland Browns / 4th / 44th pick / 1960 |
| LLB | Matt Blair* | 28 | 4 | 16 | 3 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 51st pick / 1974 |
| MLB | Jeff Siemon | 28 | 6 | 16 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 10th pick / 1972 | |
| RLB | Fred McNeill | 26 | 4 | 15 | 2 interceptions, 6 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 17th pick / 1974 |
| LCB | Nate Wright | 32 | 9 | 16 | 5 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | |
| RCB | Bobby Bryant | 34 | 10 | 16 | 7 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 7th / 167th pick / 1967 |
| SS | Phil Wise | 29 | 7 | 16 | 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | New York Jets / 6th / 136th pick / 1971 |
| FS | Tom Hannon | 23 | 1 | 14 | 2 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 83rd pick / 1977 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Rick Danmeier | 26 | 1 | 0 | 12 of 19 field goals & 36 of 37 extra points | |
| P | Greg Coleman | 24 | 1 | 0 | 51 punts for a 39.0 average, 1 blocked | Cincinnati Bengals / 14th / 398th pick / 1976 |
| KR | Kevin Miller | 23 | Rook | 0 | 40 kick returns for a 21.4 average and 0 td | |
| KR | Kevin Miller | 23 | Rook | 0 | 40 kick returns for a 21.4 average and 0 td |
| No. | Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | AV | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Nate Allen | 30 | 16 | 0 | 170 | 5-10 | Texas Southern | 5/13/1948 | 7 | 1 | Kansas City Chiefs / 11th / 276th pick / 1971 | |
| 59 | Matt Blair* | 28 | LLB | 16 | 16 | 232 | 6-5 | Iowa St. | 9/20/1950 | 4 | 11 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 51st pick / 1974 |
| 20 | Bobby Bryant | 34 | RCB | 16 | 16 | 170 | 6-1 | South Carolina | 1/24/1944 | 10 | 8 | Minnesota Vikings / 7th / 167th pick / 1967 |
| 8 | Greg Coleman | 24 | P | 9 | 0 | 185 | 6-0 | Florida A&M | 9/9/1954 | 1 | 0 | Cincinnati Bengals / 14th / 398th pick / 1976 |
| 84 | Steve Craig | 27 | 16 | 0 | 231 | 6-3 | Northwestern | 3/13/1951 | 4 | 1 | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 64th pick / 1974 | |
| 7 | Rick Danmeier | 26 | K | 16 | 0 | 194 | 6-0 | Sioux Falls | 4/8/1952 | 1 | 0 | |
| 81 | Carl Eller | 36 | lde | 14 | 7 | 247 | 6-6 | Minnesota | 2/25/1942 | 14 | 5 | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 5th pick / 1964 Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 6th pick / 1964 |
| 44 | Chuck Foreman | 28 | FB | 14 | 14 | 210 | 6-2 | Miami (FL) | 10/26/1950 | 5 | 8 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 12th pick / 1973 |
| 68 | Charles Goodrum | 28 | LG | 16 | 16 | 256 | 6-3 | Florida A&M | 1/11/1950 | 5 | 7 | Minnesota Vikings / 9th / 232nd pick / 1972 |
| 61 | Wes Hamilton | 25 | RG | 16 | 15 | 261 | 6-3 | Tulsa | 4/24/1953 | 2 | 6 | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 85th pick / 1976 |
| 45 | Tom Hannon | 23 | FS | 16 | 14 | 193 | 5-11 | Michigan St. | 3/5/1955 | 1 | 7 | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 83rd pick / 1977 |
| 57 | Paul Harris | 24 | 1 | 0 | 220 | 6-3 | Alabama | 12/19/1954 | 1 | 0 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 159th pick / 1977 | |
| 58 | Wally Hilgenberg | 36 | lb | 15 | 1 | 229 | 6-3 | Iowa | 9/19/1942 | 14 | 2 | Detroit Lions / 4th / 48th pick / 1964 Denver Broncos / 8th / 57th pick / 1964 |
| 75 | Randy Holloway | 23 | 16 | 0 | 250 | 6-5 | Pittsburgh | 8/26/1955 | Rook | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 21st pick / 1978 | |
| 51 | Jim Hough | 22 | g | 15 | 1 | 267 | 6-2 | Utah St. | 8/4/1956 | Rook | 1 | Minnesota Vikings / 4th / 100th pick / 1978 |
| 48 | Sammy Johnson | 26 | 3 | 0 | 223 | 6-0 | North Carolina | 9/22/1952 | 4 | 0 | San Francisco 49ers / 4th / 90th pick / 1974 | |
| 39 | Mark Kellar | 26 | 16 | 0 | 225 | 6-0 | Northern Illinois | 7/17/1952 | 2 | 0 | Minnesota Vikings / 6th / 155th pick / 1974 | |
| 9 | Tommy Kramer | 23 | 4 | 0 | 200 | 6-2 | Rice | 3/7/1955 | 1 | 0 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 27th pick / 1977 | |
| 22 | Paul Krause | 36 | db | 16 | 2 | 200 | 6-3 | Iowa | 2/19/1942 | 14 | 2 | Washington Redskins / 2nd / 18th pick / 1964 Denver Broncos / 12th / 89th pick / 1964 |
| 19 | Bob Lee | 33 | 3 | 0 | 195 | 6-2 | Arizona St.,Pacific | 8/7/1945 | 9 | 0 | Minnesota Vikings / 17th / 441st pick / 1968 | |
| 76 | Bob Lingenfelter | 24 | 5 | 0 | 277 | 6-7 | Nebraska | 9/1/1954 | 1 | 0 | Cleveland Browns / 7th / 188th pick / 1977 | |
| 70 | Jim Marshall | 41 | RDE | 16 | 16 | 248 | 6-4 | Ohio St. | 12/30/1937 | 18 | 8 | Cleveland Browns / 4th / 44th pick / 1960 |
| 33 | Brent McClanahan | 27 | 13 | 0 | 202 | 5-10 | Arizona St. | 9/21/1951 | 5 | 0 | Minnesota Vikings / 5th / 118th pick / 1973 | |
| 54 | Fred McNeill | 26 | RLB | 16 | 15 | 229 | 6-2 | UCLA | 5/6/1952 | 4 | 9 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 17th pick / 1974 |
| 87 | Kevin Miller | 23 | KR | 16 | 0 | 180 | 5-10 | Louisville | 3/21/1955 | Rook | 0 | |
| 35 | Robert Miller | 25 | rb | 15 | 2 | 204 | 5-11 | Kansas | 1/9/1953 | 3 | 4 | Minnesota Vikings / 5th / 129th pick / 1975 |
| 77 | Mark Mullaney | 25 | LDE | 15 | 9 | 242 | 6-6 | Colorado St. | 4/30/1953 | 3 | 5 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 25th pick / 1975 |
| 74 | Frank Myers | 22 | LT | 12 | 11 | 255 | 6-5 | Texas A&M | 1/4/1956 | Rook | 6 | Baltimore Colts / 5th / 117th pick / 1978 |
| 88 | Alan Page | 33 | rdt | 6 | 6 | 245 | 6-4 | Notre Dame | 8/7/1945 | 11 | 3 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 15th pick / 1967 |
| 28 | Ahmad Rashad* | 29 | WR | 16 | 16 | 205 | 6-2 | Oregon | 11/19/1949 | 6 | 7 | St. Louis Cardinals / 1st / 4th pick / 1972 |
| 78 | Steve Riley | 26 | lt | 5 | 5 | 258 | 6-5 | USC | 11/23/1952 | 4 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 25th pick / 1974 |
| 50 | Jeff Siemon | 28 | MLB | 16 | 16 | 235 | 6-2 | Stanford | 6/2/1950 | 6 | 7 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 10th pick / 1972 |
| 79 | Lyman Smith | 22 | 11 | 0 | 250 | 6-5 | Duke | 9/24/1956 | Rook | 1 | Miami Dolphins / 3rd / 64th pick / 1978 | |
| 55 | Scott Studwell | 24 | 13 | 0 | 228 | 6-2 | Illinois | 8/27/1954 | 1 | 1 | Minnesota Vikings / 9th / 250th pick / 1977 | |
| 69 | Doug Sutherland | 30 | LDT | 16 | 16 | 250 | 6-3 | Wisc-Superior | 8/1/1948 | 8 | 7 | New Orleans Saints / 14th / 348th pick / 1970 |
| 67 | Dennis Swilley | 23 | 14 | 0 | 253 | 6-3 | Texas A&M,North Texas | 6/28/1955 | 1 | 1 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 55th pick / 1977 | |
| 10 | Fran Tarkenton | 38 | QB | 16 | 16 | 190 | 6-0 | Georgia | 2/3/1940 | 17 | 11 | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 29th pick / 1961 Boston Patriots / 5th / 34th pick / 1961 |
| 53 | Mick Tingelhoff | 38 | C | 16 | 16 | 237 | 6-2 | Nebraska | 5/22/1940 | 16 | 7 | |
| 38 | Bob Tucker | 33 | TE | 16 | 16 | 230 | 6-3 | Bloomsburg | 6/8/1945 | 8 | 7 | |
| 27 | John Turner | 22 | 14 | 0 | 197 | 6-0 | Miami (FL) | 2/22/1956 | Rook | 1 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 48th pick / 1978 | |
| 83 | Stu Voigt | 30 | 15 | 0 | 223 | 6-1 | Wisconsin | 8/12/1948 | 8 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 10th / 260th pick / 1970 | |
| 80 | Harry Washington | 22 | 10 | 0 | 180 | 6-0 | Colorado St. | 7/30/1956 | Rook | 0 | ||
| 72 | James White | 25 | RDT | 16 | 10 | 265 | 6-3 | Oklahoma St. | 10/26/1953 | 2 | 5 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 25th pick / 1976 |
| 85 | Sammy White | 24 | WR | 16 | 16 | 190 | 5-11 | Grambling St. | 3/16/1954 | 2 | 7 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 54th pick / 1976 |
| 29 | Phil Wise | 29 | SS | 16 | 16 | 190 | 6-0 | South Dakota,Nebraska-Omaha | 4/25/1949 | 7 | 7 | New York Jets / 6th / 136th pick / 1971 |
| 5 | Mike Wood | 24 | 7 | 0 | 199 | 5-11 | SE Missouri St. | 9/3/1954 | Rook | 0 | Minnesota Vikings / 8th / 204th pick / 1978 | |
| 43 | Nate Wright | 32 | LCB | 16 | 16 | 180 | 5-11 | San Diego St. | 12/21/1946 | 9 | 8 | |
| 73 | Ron Yary | 32 | RT | 16 | 16 | 255 | 6-5 | USC | 8/16/1946 | 10 | 8 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 1st pick / 1968 |
| 34 | Rickey Young | 25 | RB | 16 | 16 | 196 | 6-2 | Jackson St. | 12/7/1953 | 3 | 10 | San Diego Chargers / 7th / 164th pick / 1975 |
| Team Total | 27.8 | 16 | 221.4 | 6-2.0 | 5.1 |
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