1904 Vanderbilt Commodores football team

Last updated

1904 Vanderbilt Commodores football
1904Vandy.jpg
SIAA champion
Conference Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record9–0 (5–0 SIAA)
Head coach
Offensive scheme Short punt
Captain Irish Graham
Home stadium Dudley Field
Seasons
  1903
1905  
1904 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Vanderbilt + 5 0 09 0 0
Auburn + 5 0 05 0 0
Sewanee 4 1 07 1 0
Georgia Tech 3 1 18 1 1
Alabama 5 3 07 3 0
Clemson 3 2 13 3 1
Tulane 3 2 05 2 0
Kentucky State 0 0 09 1 0
Ole Miss 2 3 04 3 0
LSU 1 2 03 4 0
Tennessee 1 4 13 5 1
Cumberland (TN) 0 1 02 1 0
Nashville 0 4 12 5 1
Georgia 0 4 01 5 0
Mississippi A&M 0 4 02 4 0
  • + Conference co-champions

The 1904 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 1904 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. The team's head coach was Dan McGugin, who served his first season in that capacity. Members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the Commodores played six home games in Nashville, Tennessee and finished the season with a record of 9–0.

Contents

The 1904 Vanderbilt team scored an average of 52.7 points per game, the most in college football that season, and allowed just four points, all surrendered in their game against Missouri-Rolla. The team had a strong claim to the Southern championship, as the elevens of Georgetown and Virginia played few southern schools. [1]

Before the season

The Commodores hired former Michigan guard Dan McGugin, a protege and son-in-law of Michigan coach Fielding H. Yost. Like Yost, McGugin utilized a short punt formation. Sportswriter Fuzzy Woodruff once wrote "The plain facts of the business are that McGugin stood out in the South like Gulliver among the native sons of Lilliput... There was no foeman worthy of the McGugin steel." [2]

Vanderbilt alumnus Myles P. O'Connor wrote of Dan Blake, who "played left half for Vanderbilt, '04, being taken from left end, which position he played in '03. End is his position; he is heavy, weighing about 170, is fast, a good tackler, advances the ball well, and is a fair punter." [3]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 1vs. Mississippi A&M
W 61–0 [4]
October 8 Georgetown (KY) *W 66–0 [5]
October 15 Ole Miss
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN (rivalry)
W 69–0 [6]
October 22 Missouri Mines *
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
W 29–4 [7]
October 29 Central University *
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
W 97–0 [8]
November 5 Tennessee
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN (rivalry)
W 22–0 [9]
November 12 Nashville
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
W 81–02,500 [10]
November 19at Central (KY) * Richmond, KY W 22–0
November 24 Sewanee
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN (rivalry)
W 27–06,500 [11]
  • *Non-conference game

[12]

Game summaries

The team in action. Vanderbilt football 1904.jpg
The team in action.

Mississippi A&M

In his first career game, McGugin's team defeated Mississippi A&M, 61–0.

Georgetown

In the second week of play, Georgetown of Kentucky was defeated 66–0.

Ole Miss

Vanderbilt defeated Ole Miss, 69–0. Both sides had players removed for roughness. "The whole South read that 69–0 score and gasped." [13] McGugin remains the only coach in NCAA history to win his first three games by 60 points. [14]

The starting lineup was D. Blake (left end), Taylor (left tackle), Sibley (left guard), Stone (center), Brown (right guard), Graham (right tackle), I. Brown (right end), Kyle (quarterback), Costen (left halfback), Craig (right halfback), Hamilton (fullback). [15]

Missouri Mines

Missouri Mines at Vanderbilt
12Total
Missouri404
Vanderbilt29029
  • Date: October 22
  • Location: Curry Field • Nashville, Tennessee
  • Referee: Bradley Walker

Sources: [16]

The Commodores beat the Missouri Mines 29–4. All scoring was done in the first half. The Missouri school once got the ball on Vanderbilt's 8-yard line. Unable to go any further, Wilson dropped back and made an 18-yard drop kick, the only points scored on the Commodores all season. [16]

The starting lineup was I. Brown (left end), Taylor (left tackle), Pritchard (left guard), Stone (center), Sibley (right guard), Graham (right tackle), Costen (right end), Kyle (quarterback), Blake (left halfback), Craig (right halfback), Hamilton (fullback). [16]

Centre

Vanderbilt easily beat Centre 97–0. The first score came on Vanderbilt's kickoff to Centre. Dan Blake recovered the ball for a touchdown. [17]

The starting lineup was I. Brown (left end), Taylor (left tackle), Pritchard (left guard), Patterson (center), B. Brown (right guard), Graham (right tackle), Hamilton (right end), Haygood (quarterback), Blake (left halfback), Craig (right halfback), Manier (fullback).

Tennessee

The Commodores defeated the rival Vols 22–0. Ed Hamilton and Manier alternated against Jones Beene, easily taking care of him. [18]

The starting lineup was I. Brown (left end), Taylor (left tackle), Pritchard (left guard), Patterson (center), B. Brown (right guard), Graham (right tackle), Hamilton (right end), Haygood (quarterback), Blake (left halfback), Craig (right halfback), Manier (fullback). [18]

Nashville

Nashville vs. Vanderbilt
12Total
Nashville000
Vanderbilt404181
  • Date: November 12
  • Location: Curry Field • Nashville, Tennessee
  • Game attendance: 2,500
  • Referee: Z. N. Estes

Sources: [19]

Vanderbilt defeated the Nashville Garnet and Blue 81–0. Capt Biddle of the Nashville team said "We were outclassed too far in weight, besides were not as aggressive as Vanderbilt. Their line bucking was not to be denied, and after they had thrown their weight on our line, it weakened and went to pieces." [19]

The starting lineup was I. Brown (left end), Taylor (left tackle), Stone (left guard), Patterson (center), B. Brown (right guard), Graham (right tackle), Hamilton (right end), Haygood (quarterback), Blake (left halfback), Craig (right halfback), Manier (fullback). [19]

Central

Vanderbilt then beat Central 22–0.

Sewanee

Vanderbilt faced rival and previously undefeated Sewanee Tigers for the championship of the south. [20] Vanderbilt won 27–0. Vanderbilt's backfield starred. Dan Blake had many gains, and Honus Craig twice had his jersey torn from his body. [21] The 6,500 attendants made the crowd a sea of colors. [21]

The starting lineup was I. Brown (left end), Taylor (left tackle), Stone (left guard), Patterson (center), T. Brown (right guard), Graham (right tackle), Hamilton (right end), Kyle (quarterback), Blake (left halfback), Craig (right halfback), Manier (fullback). [21]

Postseason

A postseason match between Vanderbilt and Auburn to decide a Southern championship was forbidden by the SIAA. [22]

Personnel

Depth chart

The following chart provides a visual depiction of Vanderbilt's lineup during the 1904 season with games started at the position reflected in parentheses. The chart mimics a short punt formation while on offense, with the quarterback under center.

LE
Innis Brown (8)
Dan Blake (1)
 
 
LT LG C RG RT
Hillsman Taylor (8) Joe Pritchard (3)Stein Stone (5)J. Hamilton Brown (7) Irish Graham (8)
Stein Stone (2) Emma Patterson (4) Jesse Sibley (1)
Jesse Sibley (1)
 
RE
Owsley Manier (6)
Innis Brown (1)
Sam Costen (1)
Ed Hamilton (1)
QB
Frank Kyle (3)
Jimmy R. Haygood (3)
LHB RHB
Dan Blake (5) Honus Craig (8)
Sam Costen (1)
FB
Ed Hamilton (8)
Owsley Manier (1)

-

Line

PlayerPositionGames
started
HometownPrep schoolHeightWeightAge
Innis Brown End8 Franklin, Tennessee Mooney School5'10"16620
J. Hamilton "Bull" BrownGuard7
Irish Graham Tackle8 Nashville, Tennessee 6'1"17221
Owsley Manier End8Nashville, TennesseeWallace University School6'2"17017
Emma Patterson Center45'11"177
Joe Pritchard Tackle, guard5Franklin, TennesseeMooney School6'2"19618
Jesse Sibley Guard5 Shelbyville, Kentucky
Stein Stone Center, guard6Nashville, TennesseeMooney School6'3"17520
Hillsman Taylor Tackle8 Trenton, Tennessee 6'1"18220

Backfield

PlayerPositionGames
started
HometownPrep schoolHeightWeightAge
Sam Costen Halfback7 McKenzie, Tennessee 15022
Honus Craig Halfback8 Culleoka, Tennessee Branham & Hughes School5'9"16820
Jimmy R. Haygood Quarterback3
Ed Hamilton Fullback8Franklin, TennesseeMooney School5'11"164
Frank Kyle Quarterback5Mooney School5'11"16222

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References

  1. "On Gridiron In South". Washington Post. December 25, 1904. p. 7. Retrieved July 1, 2015 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  2. Woodruff 1928 , pp. 159–160
  3. Myles P. O'Connor (1904). "An All-K.S. Football Team". Caduceus of Kappa Sigma. 19: 211.
  4. "Vanderbilt easy winner". The Atlanta Constitution. October 2, 1904. Retrieved May 4, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Georgetown beaten by Vandy". The Atlanta Journal. October 9, 1904. Retrieved May 4, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Scrappy game captured by Vanderbilt". The Atlanta Journal. October 16, 1904. Retrieved May 4, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Vanderbilt finds easy game in Rolla". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. October 23, 1904. Retrieved May 4, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Central loses by big score". The Atlanta Constitution. October 30, 1904. Retrieved May 4, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Tennessee easy for Vanderbilt". The Atlanta Constitution. November 6, 1904. Retrieved August 1, 2021 via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Vanderbilt Crushes Nashville Score Stands 81 to 0". The Tennessean. November 13, 1904. Retrieved May 4, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Vanderbilt is the champion". The Courier-Journal. November 25, 1904. p. 6. Retrieved May 4, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Coaching Records Game by Game: Dan McGugin 1904". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
  13. Woodruff 1928 , p. 163
  14. Scott 2008 , p. 24
  15. Woodruff 1928 , p. 164
  16. 1 2 3 "Missouri Saved By Drop Kick". The Atlanta Constitution. October 23, 1904. p. 5. Retrieved May 27, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  17. "Easy For Vanderbilt". The Tennessean. October 30, 1904. p. 7. Retrieved June 23, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  18. 1 2 "Tennessee Easy For Vanderbilt". The Atlanta Constitution. November 6, 1904. p. 4. Retrieved June 23, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  19. 1 2 3 "Vanderbilt Crushes Nashville Score Stands 81 to 0". The Tennessean. November 13, 1904. p. 7. Retrieved June 23, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  20. "The Great Game in the South". The Courier-Journal. November 20, 1904. p. 18. Retrieved January 6, 2017 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  21. 1 2 3 "Vanderbilt Is The Champion". The Courier-Journal. November 25, 1904. p. 6. Retrieved May 27, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  22. Woodruff 1928 , p. 172

Bibliography