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
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
Cumberland (TN) 1 –1 –03 –1 –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
Nashville 0 –4 –12 –5 –1
Georgia 0 –4 –01 –5 –0
Mississippi A&M 0 –5 –02 –5 –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.

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
October 8Georgetown (KY)*
W 66–0
October 15Ole Miss
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN (rivalry)
W 69–0
October 22Missouri Mines*
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
W 29–4
October 29Central University*
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
W 97–0
November 5Tennessee
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN (rivalry)
W 22–0[4]
November 12Nashville
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
W 81–02,500
November 19at Central (KY)*Richmond, KYW 22–0
November 24Sewanee
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN (rivalry)
W 27–06,500
  • *Non-conference game

[5]

Game summaries

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."[6] McGugin remains the only coach in NCAA history to win his first three games by 60 points.[7]

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).[8]

Missouri Mines

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:[9]

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.[9]

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).[9]

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.[10]

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.[11]

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).[11]

Nashville

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:[12]

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."[12]

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).[12]

Central

Vanderbilt then beat Central 22–0.

Sewanee

Vanderbilt faced rival and previously undefeated Sewanee Tigers for the championship of the south.[13] Vanderbilt won 27–0. Vanderbilt's backfield starred. Dan Blake had many gains, and Honus Craig twice had his jersey torn from his body.[14] The 6,500 attendants made the crowd a sea of colors.[14]

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). [14]

Postseason

A postseason match between Vanderbilt and Auburn to decide a Southern championship was forbidden by the SIAA.[15]

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)
 
 
LTLGCRGRT
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)
LHBRHB
Dan Blake (5)Honus Craig (8)
Sam Costen (1)
FB
Ed Hamilton (8)
Owsley Manier (1)

-

Line

Player Position Games
started		 Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
Innis BrownEnd8Franklin, TennesseeMooney School5'10"16620
J. Hamilton "Bull" BrownGuard7
Irish GrahamTackle8Nashville, Tennessee6'1"17221
Owsley ManierEnd8Nashville, TennesseeWallace University School6'2"17017
Emma PattersonCenter45'11"177
Joe PritchardTackle, guard5Franklin, TennesseeMooney School6'2"19618
Jesse SibleyGuard5Shelbyville, Kentucky
Stein StoneCenter, guard6Nashville, TennesseeMooney School6'3"17520
Hillsman TaylorTackle8Trenton, Tennessee6'1"18220

Backfield

Player Position Games
started		 Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
Sam CostenHalfback7McKenzie, Tennessee15022
Honus CraigHalfback8Culleoka, TennesseeBranham & Hughes School5'9"16820
Jimmy R. HaygoodQuarterback3
Ed HamiltonFullback8Franklin, TennesseeMooney School5'11"164
Frank KyleQuarterback5Mooney School5'11"16222

References

  1. ↑ "On Gridiron In South". Washington Post. December 25, 1904. p. 7. Retrieved July 1, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  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. ↑ "Tennessee easy for Vanderbilt". The Atlanta Constitution. November 6, 1904. Retrieved August 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Coaching Records Game by Game: Dan McGugin 1904". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
  6. ↑ Woodruff 1928, p. 163
  7. ↑ Scott 2008, p. 24
  8. ↑ Woodruff 1928, p. 164
  9. 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 icon
  10. ↑ "Easy For Vanderbilt". The Tennessean. October 30, 1904. p. 7. Retrieved June 23, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  11. 1 2 "Tennessee Easy For Vanderbilt". The Atlanta Constitution. November 6, 1904. p. 4. Retrieved June 23, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  12. 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 icon
  13. ↑ "The Great Game in the South". The Courier-Journal. November 20, 1904. p. 18. Retrieved January 6, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  14. 1 2 3 "Vanderbilt Is The Champion". The Courier-Journal. November 25, 1904. p. 6. Retrieved May 27, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  15. ↑ Woodruff 1928, p. 172

Bibliography

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