▁which ▁the ▁team ▁went ▁ 6 5 – 5 1 – 1 2 ▁between ▁ 1 9 2 8 – 1 9 4 2 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁the ▁C oug ars ▁posted ▁an ▁ 8 – 1 ▁record ▁and ▁out sc ored ▁their ▁oppon ents ▁ 1 8 8 – 5 0 , ▁which ▁remains ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁school ' s ▁fin est ▁seasons ▁on ▁record . ▁The ▁university ▁did ▁not ▁field ▁a ▁team ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 3 – 1 9 4 5 ▁due ▁to ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁suffered ▁its ▁only ▁win less ▁season , ▁going ▁ 0 – 1 1 . ▁ ▁The ▁team ▁began ▁to ▁re build ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 5 0 s , ▁rec ruit ing ▁University ▁of ▁Rh ode ▁Island ▁head ▁coach ▁Hal ▁Ko pp ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁C oug ars , ▁who ▁achieved ▁back - to - back ▁winning ▁seasons ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁led ▁by ▁south p aw ▁quarter back ▁J ared ▁Steph ens ▁and ▁nose ▁tack le ▁G av in ▁An ae . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁E ld on ▁" The ▁Ph antom " ▁Fort ie ▁became ▁the ▁school ' s ▁first ▁All - American , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁BY U ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁Western ▁Athlet ic ▁Conference . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁C oug ar ▁Stadium