1915 Florida Gators football team

1915 Florida Gators football
Florida Gators c. 1915
Conference	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	4–3 (3–3 SIAA)
Head coach	C. J. McCoy (2nd season)
Captain	A. A. "Daddy" Lotspeich
Home stadium	University Athletic Field
Seasons ←  1914 1916  →

1915 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Vanderbilt $	5	–	0	–	0			9	–	1	–	0
Alabama	5	–	0	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
LSU	4	–	0	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Transylvania	3	–	0	–	1			7	–	1	–	1
Auburn	5	–	1	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Georgia	3	–	1	–	1			5	–	2	–	2
Chattanooga	3	–	1	–	2			5	–	2	–	2
Mississippi A&M	4	–	2	–	1			5	–	2	–	1
Kentucky	2	–	1	–	1			6	–	1	–	1
Florida	3	–	3	–	0			4	–	3	–	0
Clemson	2	–	2	–	1			2	–	4	–	2
South Carolina	1	–	1	–	1			5	–	3	–	1
Furman	1	–	1	–	0			5	–	3	–	0
Mercer	2	–	3	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
Mississippi College	2	–	3	–	0			4	–	4	–	1
The Citadel	1	–	2	–	0			5	–	3	–	0
Sewanee	1	–	2	–	2			4	–	3	–	2
Tennessee	1	–	4	–	0			4	–	4	–	0
Tulane	1	–	4	–	0			4	–	4	–	0
Centre	0	–	3	–	1			3	–	5	–	1
Louisville	0	–	3	–	1			1	–	5	–	1
Howard (AL)	0	–	3	–	0			3	–	4	–	1
Wofford	0	–	3	–	0			3	–	5	–	0
Ole Miss	0	–	5	–	0			2	–	6	–	0
$ – Conference champion

The 1915 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1915 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. The season was C. J. McCoy's second as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. McCoy's 1915 Florida Gators completed their tenth varsity football season with an overall record of 4–3 ^[1] and their sixth year in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) with a conference record of 3–3. ^[2]

Before the season

Last year, first-year head coach Charles J. McCoy had churned out a Florida team in the top half of the SIAA. ^[3] McCoy this year was also the school's first basketball coach.

The team's captain was tackle A. A. "Daddy" Lotspeich. At the guards were Ham Dowling, future Georgia Tech transfer, and Everett Yon, future Gator athletic director. Leading the backfield was Rammy Ramsdell, "the Gators' first quarterback of note," ^[4] and first scholarship athlete at the University of Florida. ^[4]

Assisting the team was Z. J. Stanley, the head coach of the Maryville Scots the previous year. ^[5]

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
October 9		at Auburn	Drake Field Auburn, AL (rivalry)	L 0–7
October 16	3:25 p.m.	vs. Sewanee	Barrs Field Jacksonville, FL	L 0–7	[6]
October 30		Florida Southern *	Fleming Field Gainesville, FL	W 45–0
November 6		vs. Georgia	Barrs Field Jacksonville, FL (rivalry)	L 0–37
November 13		The Citadel	Fleming Field Gainesville, FL	W 6–0
November 18		Tulane	Fleming Field Gainesville, FL	W 14–7
November 25		at Mercer	Macon, GA	W 34–7
*Non-conference game

^[1]

Game summaries

Auburn

Florida at Auburn

1 2 3 4 Total Florida 0 0 0 0 0 •Auburn 0 0 0 7 7 Date: October 9 Location: Drake Field Auburn, AL Referee: John Counselman Sources: [7]

The season opened with a 7–0 loss to Auburn. Florida played hard for three quarters, until Wren scored the winning touchdown in the final period. ^[7]

Ham Dowling

The starting lineup was Henderson (left end), Lotspiech (left tackle), Callen (left guard), Farrin (center), Yon (right guard), Goldsby (right tackle), Roble (right end), Ramsdell (quarterback), Thompson (left halfback), Fuller (right halfback), Sparkman (fullback). ^[7]

Sewanee

Sewanee at Florida

1 2 3 4 Total •Sewanee 0 7 0 0 7 Florida 0 0 0 0 0 Date: October 16 Location: Barrs Field Jacksonville, FL Game start: 3:25 p. m. Game weather: Hot Sources: [8]

Florida lost to coach Harris Cope's Sewanee Tigers 7–0, continuing the losing streak against the Tigers. The Sewanee game was then the largest crowd to see a game in Jacksonville. ^[9]

"After scoring one touchdown Sewanee was content to allow Florida to exhaust herself in vain attempts to find the weak spot in the Purple defense." ^[8] Sewanee's Ellerbe scored the game's only touchdown. ^[8]

The starting lineup was Henderson (left end), Lotspeich (left tackle), Dowling (left guard), Farrior (center), Yon (right guard), Goldsby (right tackle), Robles (right end), Ramsdell (quarterback), Sparkman (left halfback), Thompson (right halfback), Fuller (fullback). ^[8]

Florida Southern

The Gators lengthened their winning streak against Florida Southern with an easy 45–0 victory. ^[10]

Georgia

Georgia at Florida

1 2 3 4 Total •Georgia 0 13 17 7 37 Florida 0 0 0 0 0 Date: November 6 Location: Barrs Field Jacksonville, FL Referee: Rip Major Sources: [11]

The Gators lost their first-ever game against coach Alex Cunningham's Georgia Bulldogs 0–37 in Jacksonville, at a larger crowder than at the Sewanee game. ^[11] The Gators carried the ball to Georgia's 15-yard line in the first period, but never threatened afterwards. ^[12] Georgia put across two touchdowns in the second quarter, and had a strong second half. ^[11]

Rammy Ramsdell

The starting lineup was Henderson (left end), Lotspeich (left tackle), Dowling (left guard), Farrior (center), Robles (right guard), Goldsby (right tackle), Lovell (right end), Ramsdell (quarterback), Sparkman (left halfback), Thompson (right halfback), Fuller (fullback). ^[11]

The Citadel

The Citadel at Florida

1 2 3 4 Total The Citadel 0 0 0 0 0 •Florida 0 0 6 0 6 Date: November 13 Location: Gainesville, FL Sources: [13]

Florida beat The Citadel 6–0 in a game "marked by frequent fumbling." ^[13] Florida scored when, in the third quarter, Sparkman rushed for an 8-yard touchdown. ^[13]

Tulane

In a torrential rain, ^[5] Florida met Tulane for the first time and upset the Olive and Blue 14–7, the highlight of the season. ^[14] Rammy Ramsdell scored the game-winning touchdown, "crashing through center" and zig-zagging 60 yards to the endzone. ^[15]

The starting lineup was Henderson (left end), Lotspeich (left tackle), Yon (left guard), Farrior (center), Robles (right guard), Goldsby (right tackle), Wilkinson (right end), Ramsdell (quarterback), Sparkman (left halfback), Thompson (right halfback), Fuller (fullback). ^[15]

Mercer

Florida at Mercer

1 2 3 4 Total •Florida 13 7 7 7 34 Mercer 0 0 7 0 7 Date: November 25 Location: Macon, Georgia Referee: Smith (Cornell) Sources: [16]

The Gators defeated the Mercer Baptists 34–7. Rammy Ramsdell had a then-school record of four touchdowns. ^{[17] [18] [19] [20] [21]}

According to one account, Ramsdell in fact scored three touchdowns but set up all five. The first was a Sparkman touchdown set up by a 25-yard end run from Ramsdell, the second was a 5-yard run by Fuller set up by a 40-yard pass from Ramsdell to Henderson. ^[16]

The starting lineup was Henderson (left end), Lotspeich (left tackle), Robles (left guard), Farrior (center), Yon (right guard), Goldsby (right tackle), Wilkinson (right end), Ramsdell (quarterback), Thomson (left halfback), Sparkman (right halfback), Fuller (fullback). ^[16]

Personnel

Line

Player	Position	Games started	High school	Height	Weight	Age
Ham Dowling	Guard		Duval	5'9"	185	20
Rex Farrior	Center		Hillsborough	5'8"	170	19
Jack Goldsby	Tackle			5'9"	185	20
B. Henderson	End			5'8"	150	20
Daddy Lotspeich	Tackle			5'10"	175	23
Liza Robles	Tackle			5'11"	180	21
Bill Wilkinson	End			5'8"	145	22
Everett Yon	Guard			5'11"	175	20

Backfield

Player	Position	Games started	High school	Height	Weight	Age
Bush Bushnell	Halfback			5'8"	150	21
Ed Embry	Halfback			5'11"	170	22
Artie Fuller	Fullback			5'11"	158	20
Rammy Ramsdell	Quarterback		Hillsborough	5'10"	150	21
Jim Sparkman	Halfback			5'8"	167	19
Harry K. Thompson	Halfback			5'7"	150	24

Subs

Player	Position	Games started	High school	Height	Weight	Age
Paul Collins	Line			5'10"	175	22
Fat DeVane	Guard			6'0"	205	20
Stock Stockton				5'9"	160	21

^[22]

Coaching staff

• Head coach: Charles J. McCoy
• Assistant coach: Z. J. Stanley
• Manager: T. J. Swanson

References

1. 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine , University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 107 (2015). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
2. Roger Saylor, "Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Archived 2011-05-23 at the Wayback Machine ," College Football Historical Society, The LA84 Foundation (1993). Retrieved September 11, 2010.
3. University of Florida 1916 , p. 87
4. Joey Johnston, "Tampa Bay's All-Century Team: No. 98 Rammy Ramsdell Archived 2012-03-07 at the Wayback Machine ," The Tampa Tribune (September 22, 1999). Retrieved October 2, 2011.
5. University of Florida 1916 , p. 95
6. "U. of Florida beaten 7 to 0 by Sewanee". The Morning Sentinel. October 17, 1915. Retrieved December 17, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
7. "Auburn Makes Single Touchdown On Fla". The Tennessean. October 10, 1915. p. 44. Retrieved July 11, 2016– via Newspapers.com.
8. "Sewanee Defeats Florida". Sewanee Purple. October 21, 1915. hdl:11005/1052.
9. "The Game owes it all to Sewanee". November 2, 1997.
10. University of Florida 1916 , p. 94
11. "Georgia Victorious Over Aligators---Score: 37-0". The Red and Black. Vol. 22, no. 6. November 19, 1915.
12. "Georgia Easily Beat Florida". Greensboro Daily News. November 7, 1915. p. 6. Retrieved July 11, 2016– via Newspapers.com.
13. "Florida 6, Citadel 0". The Atlanta Constitution. November 14, 1915. p. 2. Retrieved July 11, 2016– via Newspapers.com.
14. McEwen 1974 , p. 59
15. "Florida Wallops Tulane Warriors". The Tampa Tribune. November 19, 1915. p. 7. Retrieved November 7, 2017– via Newspapers.com.
16. "Former Terriers Show The Way To Comrades". The Tampa Tribune. November 26, 1915. p. 10. Retrieved November 8, 2017– via Newspapers.com.
17. Rachel George (September 26, 2010). "Where Florida freshman Trey Burton's six-touchdown game ranks".
18. Mark Stewart (July 30, 2010). The Florida Gators. p. 36. ISBN   9781599533339.
19. "Tebow Leads Football to Victory at South Carolina, 51-31". November 11, 2007. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
20. "Making His Mark".
21. "Sports: Spurrier ire directed at fourth-down conversions".
22. University of Florida 1916 , pp. 88–95

Bibliography

• McEwen, Tom (1974). The Gators: A Story of Florida Football. Huntsville, Alabama: The Strode Publishers. ISBN   0-87397-025-X.
• University of Florida (1916). The Seminole. Vol. 7.