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1979 San Diego Chargers
Franchise Index: Previous Season / Next Season
Record: 12-4-0, Finished 1st in AFC West Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 411 points (25.7/g), 2nd of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 246 points (15.4/g), 2nd.
Differential of 165 points (10.3/g), 1st.
Expected W-L: 12.3-3.7.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +11 (0.7/g), 5th.
Simple Rating System: Total 11.8, Offense: 6.0, Defense: 5.7, SoS: 1.5, versus averages of 0.0.
Coached by
Don Coryell
Offensive Coordinator: Joe Gibbs
Training Camp: UC San Diego (San Diego, California)
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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 | Dan Fouts*+ | 28 | 6 | 16 | 332 for 530, 4,082 yards, 24 td, 24 int, & 26 rushes for 49 yards and 2 td | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 64th pick / 1973 |
| RB | Mike Thomas | 26 | 4 | 9 | 91 rushes for 353 yards, 1 td, & 32 catches for 388 yards and 0 td | Washington Redskins / 5th / 108th pick / 1975 |
| FB | Clarence Williams | 24 | 2 | 16 | 200 rushes for 752 yards, 12 td, & 51 catches for 352 yards and 0 td | San Diego Chargers / 5th / 124th pick / 1977 |
| WR | John Jefferson*+ | 23 | 1 | 15 | 61 catches for 1,090 yards, 10 td | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 14th pick / 1978 |
| WR | Charlie Joiner* | 32 | 10 | 16 | 72 catches for 1,008 yards, 4 td, & 1 rush for -12 yards and 0 td | Houston Oilers / 4th / 93rd pick / 1969 |
| TE | Bob Klein | 32 | 10 | 14 | 37 catches for 424 yards, 5 td | Los Angeles Rams / 1st / 21st pick / 1969 |
| LT | Billy Shields | 26 | 4 | 16 | 1 fumble recovered | San Diego Chargers / 6th / 136th pick / 1975 |
| LG | Doug Wilkerson | 32 | 9 | 12 | 1 fumble recovered | Houston Oilers / 1st / 14th pick / 1970 |
| C | Bob Rush | 24 | 2 | 10 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 24th pick / 1977 | |
| RG | Ed White* | 32 | 10 | 16 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 39th pick / 1969 | |
| RT | Russ Washington* | 33 | 11 | 16 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 4th pick / 1968 | |
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Leroy Jones | 29 | 3 | 15 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Los Angeles Rams / 2nd / 48th pick / 1975 |
| LDT | Wilbur Young | 30 | 8 | 16 | 0 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | Kansas City Chiefs / 2nd / 39th pick / 1971 |
| RDT | Gary Johnson* | 27 | 4 | 15 | 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 8th pick / 1975 |
| RDE | Fred Dean* | 27 | 4 | 12 | 0 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | San Diego Chargers / 2nd / 33rd pick / 1975 |
| LLB | Ray Preston | 25 | 3 | 16 | 5 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | San Diego Chargers / 11th / 295th pick / 1976 |
| MLB | Bob Horn | 25 | 3 | 16 | 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 94th pick / 1976 |
| RLB | Woodrow Lowe | 25 | 3 | 14 | 5 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | San Diego Chargers / 5th / 131st pick / 1976 |
| LCB | Willie Buchanon | 29 | 7 | 16 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Green Bay Packers / 1st / 7th pick / 1972 |
| RCB | Mike H. Williams | 26 | 4 | 16 | 4 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 22nd pick / 1975 |
| PR | Mike Fuller | 26 | 4 | 0 | 46 punt returns for a 9.7 average and 0 td | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 73rd pick / 1975 |
| FS | Glen Edwards | 32 | 8 | 13 | 4 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Mike Wood | 25 | 1 | 0 | 11 of 14 field goals & 28 of 31 extra points | Minnesota Vikings / 8th / 204th pick / 1978 |
| P | Jeff West | 26 | 4 | 0 | 75 punts for a 36.5 average, 0 blocked | Cincinnati Bengals / 5th / 122nd pick / 1975 |
| PR | Mike Fuller | 26 | 4 | 0 | 46 punt returns for a 9.7 average and 0 td | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 73rd pick / 1975 |
| KR | Artie Owens | 26 | 3 | 2 | 35 kick returns for a 22.6 average and 0 td | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 115th pick / 1976 |
| No. | Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | AV | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | Dan Audick | 25 | t | 16 | 4 | 252 | 6-3 | Hawaii | 11/15/1954 | 2 | 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 4th / 106th pick / 1977 |
| 37 | Hank Bauer | 25 | 16 | 0 | 200 | 5-10 | California Lutheran | 7/15/1954 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 6 | Rolf Benirschke | 24 | 4 | 0 | 171 | 6-0 | California-Davis | 2/7/1955 | 2 | 0 | Oakland Raiders / 12th / 334th pick / 1977 | |
| 28 | Willie Buchanon | 29 | LCB | 16 | 16 | 190 | 6-0 | San Diego St. | 11/4/1950 | 7 | 8 | Green Bay Packers / 1st / 7th pick / 1972 |
| 87 | Larry Burton | 28 | 12 | 0 | 192 | 6-1 | Purdue | 12/15/1951 | 4 | 1 | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 7th pick / 1975 | |
| 71 | Fred Dean* | 27 | RDE | 13 | 12 | 230 | 6-3 | Louisiana Tech | 2/24/1952 | 4 | 10 | San Diego Chargers / 2nd / 33rd pick / 1975 |
| 73 | Charles DeJurnett | 27 | nt | 12 | 4 | 263 | 6-4 | San Jose St. | 6/17/1952 | 3 | 3 | San Diego Chargers / 17th / 418th pick / 1974 |
| 48 | Jerome Dove | 26 | 16 | 0 | 190 | 6-0 | Colorado St. | 10/3/1953 | 2 | 2 | Oakland Raiders / 8th / 220th pick / 1976 | |
| 47 | Frank Duncan | 23 | 4 | 0 | 190 | 6-1 | San Francisco St. | 11/16/1956 | Rook | 0 | San Diego Chargers / 12th / 321st pick / 1979 | |
| 27 | Glen Edwards | 32 | FS | 15 | 13 | 185 | 6-0 | Florida A&M | 7/31/1947 | 8 | 8 | |
| 86 | John Floyd | 23 | wr | 8 | 2 | 195 | 6-1 | La-Monroe | 9/10/1956 | Rook | 2 | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 104th pick / 1979 |
| 14 | Dan Fouts*+ | 28 | QB | 16 | 16 | 204 | 6-3 | Oregon | 6/10/1951 | 6 | 16 | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 64th pick / 1973 |
| 42 | Mike Fuller | 26 | PR | 16 | 0 | 188 | 5-10 | Auburn | 4/7/1953 | 4 | 8 | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 73rd pick / 1975 |
| 7 | Roy Gerela | 31 | 3 | 0 | 185 | 5-10 | New Mexico St. | 4/2/1948 | 10 | 0 | Houston Oilers / 4th / 96th pick / 1969 | |
| 50 | Don Goode | 28 | lb | 12 | 1 | 234 | 6-2 | Kansas | 6/21/1951 | 5 | 2 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 15th pick / 1974 |
| 12 | James Harris | 32 | 8 | 0 | 210 | 6-4 | Grambling St. | 7/20/1947 | 10 | 0 | Buffalo Bills / 8th / 192nd pick / 1969 | |
| 55 | Bob Horn | 25 | MLB | 16 | 16 | 235 | 6-3 | Oregon St. | 2/6/1954 | 3 | 9 | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 94th pick / 1976 |
| 83 | John Jefferson*+ | 23 | WR | 15 | 15 | 198 | 6-1 | Arizona St. | 2/3/1956 | 1 | 12 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 14th pick / 1978 |
| 79 | Gary Johnson* | 27 | RDT | 16 | 15 | 257 | 6-2 | Grambling St. | 8/31/1952 | 4 | 11 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 8th pick / 1975 |
| 18 | Charlie Joiner* | 32 | WR | 16 | 16 | 188 | 5-11 | Grambling St. | 10/14/1947 | 10 | 11 | Houston Oilers / 4th / 93rd pick / 1969 |
| 68 | Leroy Jones | 29 | LDE | 16 | 15 | 263 | 6-8 | Norfolk St. | 9/29/1950 | 3 | 8 | Los Angeles Rams / 2nd / 48th pick / 1975 |
| 74 | Louie Kelcher | 26 | 1 | 0 | 291 | 6-5 | SMU | 8/23/1953 | 4 | 0 | San Diego Chargers / 2nd / 30th pick / 1975 | |
| 57 | Linden King | 24 | lb | 16 | 1 | 241 | 6-4 | Colorado St. | 6/28/1955 | 1 | 3 | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 77th pick / 1977 |
| 84 | Bob Klein | 32 | TE | 15 | 14 | 235 | 6-5 | USC | 7/27/1947 | 10 | 7 | Los Angeles Rams / 1st / 21st pick / 1969 |
| 69 | John Lee | 26 | de | 10 | 2 | 255 | 6-2 | Nebraska | 2/17/1953 | 3 | 2 | San Diego Chargers / 13th / 351st pick / 1976 |
| 51 | Woodrow Lowe | 25 | RLB | 16 | 14 | 227 | 6-0 | Alabama | 6/9/1954 | 3 | 10 | San Diego Chargers / 5th / 131st pick / 1976 |
| 62 | Don Macek | 25 | c | 10 | 6 | 261 | 6-3 | Boston Col. | 7/21/1954 | 3 | 3 | San Diego Chargers / 2nd / 31st pick / 1976 |
| 41 | Bo Matthews | 28 | 16 | 0 | 230 | 6-4 | Colorado | 11/15/1951 | 5 | 1 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 2nd pick / 1974 | |
| 88 | Greg McCrary | 27 | 14 | 0 | 233 | 6-1 | Clark (GA) | 3/24/1952 | 4 | 1 | Atlanta Falcons / 5th / 123rd pick / 1975 | |
| 26 | Lydell Mitchell | 30 | rb | 12 | 5 | 204 | 5-11 | Penn St. | 5/30/1949 | 7 | 3 | Baltimore Colts / 2nd / 48th pick / 1972 |
| 10 | Cliff Olander | 24 | 4 | 0 | 191 | 6-5 | New Mexico St. | 5/15/1955 | 2 | 0 | San Diego Chargers / 5th / 128th pick / 1977 | |
| 24 | Artie Owens | 26 | KR | 16 | 2 | 176 | 5-10 | West Virginia | 1/14/1953 | 3 | 3 | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 115th pick / 1976 |
| 53 | Ralph Perretta | 26 | 16 | 0 | 252 | 6-2 | Purdue | 1/30/1953 | 4 | 1 | San Diego Chargers / 8th / 206th pick / 1975 | |
| 52 | Ray Preston | 25 | LLB | 16 | 16 | 218 | 6-0 | Syracuse | 1/25/1954 | 3 | 10 | San Diego Chargers / 11th / 295th pick / 1976 |
| 56 | Bob Rush | 24 | C | 16 | 10 | 265 | 6-5 | Memphis | 2/27/1955 | 2 | 5 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 24th pick / 1977 |
| 44 | Pete Shaw | 25 | db | 16 | 3 | 183 | 5-10 | Northwestern | 8/25/1954 | 2 | 3 | San Diego Chargers / 6th / 152nd pick / 1977 |
| 66 | Billy Shields | 26 | LT | 16 | 16 | 272 | 6-8 | Georgia Tech | 8/23/1953 | 4 | 8 | San Diego Chargers / 6th / 136th pick / 1975 |
| 45 | Hal Stringert | 27 | db | 15 | 1 | 185 | 5-11 | Hawaii,Willamette | 1/2/1952 | 4 | 2 | |
| 22 | Mike Thomas | 26 | RB | 14 | 9 | 190 | 5-11 | Oklahoma,UNLV | 7/17/1953 | 4 | 7 | Washington Redskins / 5th / 108th pick / 1975 |
| 59 | Cliff Thrift | 23 | 16 | 0 | 232 | 6-1 | East Central (OK) | 5/3/1956 | Rook | 2 | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 73rd pick / 1979 | |
| 70 | Russ Washington* | 33 | RT | 16 | 16 | 289 | 6-6 | Missouri | 12/17/1946 | 11 | 13 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 4th pick / 1968 |
| 8 | Jeff West | 26 | P | 16 | 0 | 212 | 6-3 | Cincinnati | 4/6/1953 | 4 | 0 | Cincinnati Bengals / 5th / 122nd pick / 1975 |
| 67 | Ed White* | 32 | RG | 16 | 16 | 269 | 6-1 | California | 4/4/1947 | 10 | 11 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 39th pick / 1969 |
| 63 | Doug Wilkerson | 32 | LG | 12 | 12 | 253 | 6-3 | North Carolina Central | 3/27/1947 | 9 | 5 | Houston Oilers / 1st / 14th pick / 1970 |
| 40 | Clarence Williams | 24 | FB | 16 | 16 | 194 | 5-9 | South Carolina | 1/25/1955 | 2 | 10 | San Diego Chargers / 5th / 124th pick / 1977 |
| 29 | Mike H. Williams | 26 | RCB | 16 | 16 | 181 | 5-10 | LSU | 11/22/1953 | 4 | 9 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 22nd pick / 1975 |
| 80 | Kellen Winslow | 22 | te | 7 | 1 | 251 | 6-5 | Missouri | 11/5/1957 | Rook | 3 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 13th pick / 1979 |
| 16 | Mike Wood | 25 | K | 9 | 0 | 199 | 5-11 | SE Missouri St. | 9/3/1954 | 1 | 0 | Minnesota Vikings / 8th / 204th pick / 1978 |
| 33 | Don Woods | 28 | 15 | 0 | 210 | 6-1 | New Mex. Highlands,New Mexico | 2/17/1951 | 5 | 0 | Green Bay Packers / 6th / 134th pick / 1974 | |
| 99 | Wilbur Young | 30 | LDT | 16 | 16 | 285 | 6-6 | William Penn | 4/20/1949 | 8 | 10 | Kansas City Chiefs / 2nd / 39th pick / 1971 |
| Team Total | 26.9 | 16 | 222.1 | 6-1.7 | 4.2 |
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