Monroe’s Greatest Quarterbacks: Rod Drivstuen

Published on October 20, 2023

For the next thirty years, the importance of the quarterback position remained relatively unchanged in Monroe. Quarterbacks were still an integral part of a team but run-centered schemes were the center of every offense. Though this remained the case for years to come, a shift in offensive philosophy was fast approaching. By 1975, the Monroe football program appeared to be as strong as ever. Despite only capturing one shared conference title, the team had been consistently competitive since 1960. Few Bearcat fans could have predicted that 1975 marked the start of a gradual decline. However, the efforts of Rod Drivstuen and other key Bearcats helped maintain Monroe’s success through the 1970s. 

Tested in the Fire

Rod Drivstuen’s first year on the varsity team was a difficult start to his football career. Though he was given some playing time at quarterback, he was just an inexperienced sophomore on a struggling team. The first game of his career was a road game against the rival Sultan Turks. Drivstuen threw his first touchdown pass but could not overcome the Turks. Sultan held on to win 13-6, securing their first victory over Monroe since 1960.[1] The Turks were difficult opponent for Drivstuen during his time at Monroe as Sultan football experienced a resurgence during the 1970s. Rod continued to play quarterback for the Bearcats during the season but his role was limited. He was occasionally referenced during various games but only recorded a few passes and completions. The 1975 season ended with a 1-9 record, a far cry from the 8-2 mark set just a year prior. 

Leading the Charge

Though 1976 proved to be another forgettable season for Monroe football, Rod Drivstuen showed considerable improvement during his Junior season. Drivstuen still shared the position with another player but was the Monroe’s main quarterback throughout the campaign. In the first game of the season, Rod threw for over 100 yards for the first time in his career but once again could not overcome Sultan.[2] The Bearcats quickly surpassed their win total from the previous season but Drivstuen struggled with consistency, leading to a difficult 2-4 start. Despite a blowout loss to Bainbridge in their seventh game, Rod began to hit his stride during the contest. He finished the game with 144 passing yards, setting a new career high for himself.[3] The next week against Stanwood, Drivstuen helped secure a 12-0 victory with his running ability as he rushed for 21 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns.[4] The following game against Wapato, Rod threw for 67 yards and added another rushing touchdown in a losing effort.[5]

The final game of the season against Sedro-Woolley was Drivstuen’s most complete game. The game was an offensive showdown with Rod helping the Bearcats keep pace by tallying one touchdown pass and two rushing touchdowns. Drivstuen only threw seven times and completed four passes, but still racked up an astonishing 164 passing yards for the game thanks in large part to a 51-yard pass and a 58-yard touchdown pass. The Bearcats lost the game in the final minutes to end the season with a 3-7 mark but the team displayed a great deal of potential.[6] Drivstuen was far from the only promising Bearcat as fullback Smiley Creswell and running back Joe Dickinson emerged as key players going into their Senior year. Together, these three players paved the way for a strong 1977 season.

Leaving his mark

Excitement abounded for Rod’s Senior season but the opening game was anything but promising. Drivstuen had the worst game of his career as he threw 4 interceptions against Lake Stevens, culminating in a 36-0 defeat.[7] Rod quickly rebounded the next week against Anacortes as he had one of his most efficient games, completing six of eight passes for 123 yards.[8] After a blowout loss to Burlington-Edison in game three, Monroe traveled to Sultan for another rivalry matchup. Drivstuen had been on the losing side of the last two games against the Turks but was now more than capable of meeting the challenge. 

The game was a close-fought battle as the Bearcats held a narrow 7-0 lead thanks to a Drivstuen touchdown pass. In the third quarter, Sultan scored a touchdown and converted on a two-point attempt to go ahead 8-7. Monroe failed to muster any offense until the final minute of play. With little more than a minute left, Drivstuen delivered a pass to his favorite target, Joe Dickinson, who raced 40 yards to the endzone. After securing a two-point conversion on a QB sneak by Drivstuen, Monroe held on and secured a 15-8 victory over Sultan.[9]

The long-awaited victory over the Turks spurred a Bearcat winning streak as Drivstuen continued to power the offense. Monroe won the next three contests as Rod threw touchdown passes in two games against Stanwood and Sedro-Woolley. Drivstuen paid back Sedro-Woolley with his best game of the season, throwing for 127 yards and a touchdown pass, with 10 completions on 14 attempts.[10] Unfortunately for Monroe, the winning streak was snapped as the Bearcats suffered consecutive losses to Bellingham and Mount Vernon to close out the season. Despite ending his time at Monroe on a sour note, Rod Drivstuen’s football career continued for a few more memorable seasons.

From Bearcat to Logger

After graduating from Monroe High School in 1978, Drivstuen spent one year at Wenatchee Community College before transferring to a larger institution. He landed at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington in 1980 and found a spot on the Loggers football team.[11] Rod played sparingly during his first season as a sophomore but became the Logger’s primary quarterback the following year.[12]

Injuries plaguing Rod’s campaign but he still played well and helped lead the Loggers to a 10-1 regular season, a mark that still remains the most wins in a single season by a Logger football team.[13] Despite only throwing for 626 yards, Drivstuen had 5 touchdown passes and played in ten of the Logger’s games.[14] The Loggers advanced to the Division II playoffs where they matched up against the North Dakota State Bison in the First Round. The game was tightly contested, but the Loggers suffered a major setback after Drivstuen hyperextended his knee. Rod managed to make it back into the game but his injury left him unable to mount a comeback. The Loggers fell 24-10, ending their magical season with a 10-2 record.[15] 

During Drivstuen’s final season in 1982, the Loggers finished with a respectable 7-3 campaign but missed the playoffs. Nevertheless, Rod had his most successful season at UPS, throwing for 1,763 yards and 10 touchdown passes. His final game was also his best as he powered the Loggers to a 32-14 victory over Carroll College.[16] Rod’s performance during the game was masterful, as he broke three of UPS’s single game records. He threw for 415 yards, completed 5 touchdown passes, and recorded 390 yards of total offense. These records stood for well over a decade and would only be surpassed when passing-centered offenses took hold at UPS.[17] Despite being statistically overshadowed by future quarterbacks, Rod Drivstuen’s talent and leadership at quarterback cannot be understated. As both a Bearcat and a Logger, his achievements stand the test of time. 

Sources

[1] “Turks Trim Cats After 15 Year Span,” Monroe Monitor, September 11, 1975

[2] “Young Bearcats Make Several Costly Errors As Sultan’s Turks Dance to 20-8 Score,” Monroe Monitor, September 16, 1976

[3] “Second Half Comeback Not Enough for Monroe,” Monroe Monitor, October 28, 1976

[4] “Bearcats Taste First League Victory in Two Seasons,” Monroe Monitor, November 4, 1976

[5] “Wolves Chew Away Monroe Lead; Miscues, Whistles Cost Game,” Monroe Monitor, November 11, 1976

[6] “Disaster Strikes at 1:18 To Go; Cubs Shock Win-bound Bearcats,” Monroe Monitor, November 18, 1976

[7] “Lake Stevens Blanks Monroe,” Monroe Monitor, September 15, 1977

[8] “Bearcats Pummel Anacortes,” Monroe Monitor, September 22, 1977

[9] “‘Cats Tell Turks Who’s King of the Valley,” Monroe Monitor, October 6, 1977

[10] “Bearcats Edge Sedro-Woolley Cubs In High Scoring Swap Meet, 41-33,” Monroe Monitor, October 27, 1977.

[11] 1980 Puget Sound Football, University of Puget Sound, 1980

[12] 1980 Season Totals, University of Puget Sound, 1980

[13] Puget Sound Football Records, University of Puget Sound, July 2023

[14] 1981 UPS Football Results, University of Puget Sound, 1981

[15] “Bison veer, Logger mistakes add up: 24–10, NDS,” Tacoma News Tribune, November 29, 1981

[16] 1982 University of Puget Sound Statistics, University of Puget Sound, 1982

[17] Homecoming 1992 Program, University of Puget Sound, September 26, 1992