1904 Vanderbilt Commodores football team

1904 Vanderbilt Commodores football
SIAA co-champion
Conference Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1904 record 90 (40 SIAA)
Head coach Dan McGugin (1st year)
Offensive scheme Short-punt
Captain Irish Graham
Home stadium Dudley Field
1904 SIAA football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
Vanderbilt + 5 0 0     9 0 0
Auburn + 5 0 0     5 0 0
Kentucky State 2 0 0     9 1 0
Texas 1 0 0     6 2 0
Sewanee 4 1 0     7 1 0
Alabama 5 3 0     7 3 0
Georgia Tech 2 1 1     8 1 1
Tulane 3 2 0     5 2 0
Clemson 3 3 1     3 3 1
Mississippi 2 3 0     4 3 0
LSU 1 2 0     3 4 0
Tennessee 1 4 1     3 5 1
Nashville 1 5 1     1 7 1
Cumberland 0 1 0     2 1 0
Texas A&M 0 2 0     4 2 0
Mississippi A&M 0 4 0     2 5 0
Georgia 0 4 0     1 5 0
Central 0 4 0     1 7 0
Davidson 0 0 0     6 1 1
  • + Conference co-champions

The 1904 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 1904 college 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 90.

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.”

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."[2]

Schedule

Date Opponent Site Result Attendance
October 1 vs. Mississippi A&M Columbus Fairgrounds • Columbus, MS W 61–0  
October 8 Georgetown (KY)* Dudley FieldNashville, TN W 66–0  
October 15 Ole Miss Dudley Field • Nashville, TN (Rivalry) W 69–0  
October 22 Missouri Mines* Dudley Field • Nashville, TN W 29–4  
October 29 Centre* Dudley Field • Nashville, TN W 97–0  
November 5 Tennessee Dudley Field • Nashville, TN (Rivalry) W 22–0  
November 12 Nashville* Dudley Field • Nashville, TN W 81–0   2,500
November 19 at Central* Richmond, KY W 22–0  
November 24 Sewanee Dudley Field • Nashville, TN (Rivalry) W 27–0   6,500
*Non-conference game.

[3]

Season summary

In his first career game, McGugin's team defeated Mississippi A&M, 61–0. He went on to win his next two games by 60 points as well. He remains the only coach in NCAA history to win his first three games by 60 points.

Missouri Mines

Missouri Mines at Vanderbilt
1 2Total
Missouri 4 0 4
Vanderbilt 29 0 29
  • Date: October 22
  • Location: Curry Field • Nashville, TN
  • Referee: Bradley Walker

Sources:[4]

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.[4]

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).[4]

Centre

Vanderbilt easily beat Centre 970. The first score came on Vanderbilt's kickoff to Centre. Dan Blake recovered the ball for a touchdown.[5]

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 220. Ed Hamilton and Manier alternated against Jones Beene, easily taking care of him.[6]

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).[6]

Nashville

Nashville vs. Vanderbilt
1 2Total
Nashville 0 0 0
Vanderbilt 40 41 81
  • Date: November 12
  • Location: Curry Field • Nashville, TN
  • Game attendance: 2,500
  • Referee: Estes (Virginia)

Sources:[7]

Vanderbilt defeated the Nashville Garnet and Blue 810. 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."[7]

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).[7]

Central

Vanderbilt then beat Central 220.

Sewanee

Vanderbilt beat the rival, previously undefeated Sewanee Tigers 27–0. Vanderbilt's backfield starred. Dan Blake had many gains, and Honus Craig twice had his jersey torn from his body.[8] The 6,500 attendants made the crowd a sea of colors.[8]

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). [8]

Personnel

The team in action.

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 parenthesis. The chart mimics a short punt formation while on offense, with the quarterback under center.

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

-

Line

Player Position Games
started
Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
Innis BrownEnd8 Franklin, TennesseeMooney School 5'10" 166 20
J. Hamilton "Bull" BrownGuard 7
Irish GrahamTackle8 Nashville, Tennessee 6'1"172 21
Owsley ManierEnd8 Nashville, TennesseeWallace University School 6'2" 170 17
Emma PattersonCenter4 5'11" 177
Joe PritchardTackle, guard5 Franklin, TennesseeMooney School 6'2" 19618
Jesse SibleyGuard5 Shelbyville, Kentucky
Stein StoneCenter, guard6Nashville, Tennessee Mooney School 6'3" 175 20
Hillsman TaylorTackle8 Trenton, Tennessee 6'1" 18220

Backfield

Player Position Games
started
Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
Sam CostenHalfback7 McKenzie, Tennessee 15022
Honus CraigHalfback8 Culleoka, TennesseeBranham & Hughes School 5'9" 16820
Jimmy R. HaygoodQuarterback3
Ed HamiltonFullback8Franklin, TennesseeMooney School5'11"164
Frank KyleQuarterback5 Mooney School 5'11"16222

References

  1. "On Gridiron In South". Washington Post. December 25, 1904. p. 7. Retrieved July 1, 2015 via Newspapers.com.
  2. Myles P. O'Connor. "An All-K.S. Football Team". Caduceus of Kappa Sigma. 19: 211.
  3. "Coaching Records Game by Game: Dan McGugin 1904". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  4. 1 2 3 "Missouri Saved By Drop Kick". The Atlanta Constitution. October 23, 1904. p. 5. Retrieved May 27, 2016 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Easy For Vanderbilt". The Tennessean. October 30, 1904. p. 7. Retrieved June 23, 2016 via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 "Tennessee Easy For Vanderbilt". The Atlanta Constitution. November 6, 1904. p. 4. Retrieved June 23, 2016 via Newspapers.com.
  7. 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.
  8. 1 2 3 "Vanderbilt Is The Champion". The Courier-Journal. November 25, 1904. p. 6. Retrieved May 27, 2016 via Newspapers.com.

Bibliography

Vanderbilt University. Vanderbilt University Quarterly. 5. 

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