1977 Linden Lions Football Team

The 1977 Linden High School football under head coach Mark Miller won the Trans
Valley League Championship with a league record of 5-1. The Lions featured a high
powered veer-T option offense and a swarming, opportunistic defense. Going into the
regular season finale, the Lions needed a victory on the road in Riverbank to secure their
first league championship in 22 years. The Lions were more than up for the task,
amassing over 460 yards in offense and earning a 41-14 victory.

The Lions took a 7-2 overall record into Linden’s first C.I.F. playoff game in school
history where they met Orestimba High of Newman. In this encounter, it was the defense
that led the way with 4 interceptions and a hard fought 21-6 victory. The Lions were on
their way to their first ever C.I.F. Nor-Cal Section Championship game against the
powerful Delta High team from Clarksburg. Delta High was 10-0 and led by quarterback
Tony Eason. Eight years later, Eason would be the starting quarterback for the New
England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. Delta proved just a little too much for the Lions as
they lost a high scoring game, 38-28.

In Coach Miller’s second year as head coach, the 1977 football team helped set a
standard of excellence in the football program that led to 6 league championships and 7
playoff appearances during the next 12 years. “Character was the hallmark of this team”,
said Coach Miller. “There have been a lot of teams at Linden that may have been as
talented but they didn’t come close to accomplishing what this team did because of the
chemistry of this team and the unselfish manner in which they played. They showed
respect to their teammates, coaches, opponents and the game itself.”

The Linden Athletic Hall of Fame is proud and honored to induct the 1977 T.V.L.
Championship Football Team into it’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

1977 Season Results
Linden – 19 0 – Amador
Linden – 0 24 – Vanden
Linden – 21* 7 – Escalon
Linden – 29 6 – Calaveras
Linden – 53* 0 – Livingston
Linden – 53* 18 – Patterson
Linden – 21* 34 – Los Banos
Linden – 27* 14 – Hughson
Linden – 41* 14 – Riverbank
Linden – 21# 6 – Orestimba
Linden – 28@ 38 – Delta
* - T.V.L. League game
# - C.I.F. Nor-Cal Section Semi-Final
@ - C.I.F. Nor-Cal Section Final