In his fourth and final year, head coach Al Kircher led the team to a 1–7–2 record, 1–5–1 in the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC).

[1] They played their three home games on campus at Rogers Field in Pullman.

The Cougars' sole victory was in the Battle of the Palouse over neighbor Idaho in Moscow; the Vandals had won the previous year in Pullman,[2] which was their first win in the series in 29 years.

[4][5][6] He opted to stay in Pullman and acquired a motel-restaurant, the Hilltop Lodge, in early 1956.

[7][8][9] His successor was Jim Sutherland,[10][11] the Cougars' head coach for eight seasons, through 1963.