Wikipedia

1904 Vanderbilt Commodores football team

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.

1904 Vanderbilt Commodores football
SIAA champion
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record9–0 (5–0 SIAA)
Head coach
Offensive schemeShort punt
CaptainIrish Graham
Home stadiumDudley Field
Seasons
← 1903
1905 →
1904 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association 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
Sewanee 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
Georgia Tech 3 – 1 – 1 8 – 1 – 1
Alabama 5 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Clemson 3 – 2 – 1 3 – 3 – 1
Tulane 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 2 – 0
Kentucky State 0 – 0 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
Ole Miss 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 3 – 0
LSU 1 – 2 – 0 3 – 4 – 0
Tennessee 1 – 4 – 1 3 – 5 – 1
Cumberland (TN) 0 – 1 – 0 2 – 1 – 0
Nashville 0 – 4 – 1 2 – 5 – 1
Georgia 0 – 4 – 0 1 – 5 – 0
Mississippi A&M 0 – 4 – 0 2 – 4 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions

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

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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

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

[12]

Game summaries

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The team in action.

Mississippi A&M

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

Georgetown

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

Ole Miss

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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

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Missouri Mines at Vanderbilt
1 2Total
Missouri 4 0 4
• Vanderbilt 29 0 29
  • 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

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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

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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

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Nashville vs. Vanderbilt
1 2Total
Nashville 0 0 0
• Vanderbilt 40 41 81
  • 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

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Vanderbilt then beat Central 22–0.

Sewanee

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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

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

Personnel

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Depth chart

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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

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Player Position Games
started 		Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
Innis Brown End 8 Franklin, Tennessee Mooney School 5'10" 166 20
J. Hamilton "Bull" Brown Guard 7
Irish Graham Tackle 8 Nashville, Tennessee 6'1" 172 21
Owsley Manier End 8 Nashville, Tennessee Wallace University School 6'2" 170 17
Emma Patterson Center 4 5'11" 177
Joe Pritchard Tackle, guard 5 Franklin, Tennessee Mooney School 6'2" 196 18
Jesse Sibley Guard 5 Shelbyville, Kentucky
Stein Stone Center, guard 6 Nashville, Tennessee Mooney School 6'3" 175 20
Hillsman Taylor Tackle 8 Trenton, Tennessee 6'1" 182 20

Backfield

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Player Position Games
started 		Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
Sam Costen Halfback 7 McKenzie, Tennessee 150 22
Honus Craig Halfback 8 Culleoka, Tennessee Branham & Hughes School 5'9" 168 20
Jimmy R. Haygood Quarterback 3
Ed Hamilton Fullback 8 Franklin, Tennessee Mooney School 5'11" 164
Frank Kyle Quarterback 5 Mooney School 5'11" 162 22

References

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  1. ^ "On Gridiron In South". Washington Post. December 25, 1904. p. 7. Retrieved July 1, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  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. ^ a b c "Missouri Saved By Drop Kick". The Atlanta Constitution. October 23, 1904. p. 5. Retrieved May 27, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  17. ^ "Easy For Vanderbilt". The Tennessean. October 30, 1904. p. 7. Retrieved June 23, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  18. ^ a b "Tennessee Easy For Vanderbilt". The Atlanta Constitution. November 6, 1904. p. 4. Retrieved June 23, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  19. ^ a b c "Vanderbilt Crushes Nashville Score Stands 81 to 0". The Tennessean. November 13, 1904. p. 7. Retrieved June 23, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  20. ^ "The Great Game in the South". The Courier-Journal. November 20, 1904. p. 18. Retrieved January 6, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.  
  21. ^ a b c "Vanderbilt Is The Champion". The Courier-Journal. November 25, 1904. p. 6. Retrieved May 27, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  22. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 172

Bibliography

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