The 1974 Wichita State Shockers football team was an American football team that represented Wichita State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1974 NCAA Division I football season. In their first year under head coach Jim Wright, the team compiled an overall record of 1âÂÂ9âÂÂ1 with a mark of 1âÂÂ4âÂÂ1 in conference play, finishing in seventh place in the MVC. Prior to hiring Wright, Wichita State offered the head coaching job to John Merritt of Tennessee State, who would have become the first black head coach of a major college football. Merritt, however, chose to remain at Tennessee State out of loyalty to his players and assistants.