Washington & Jefferson Presidents football
Encyclopedia
The Washington & Jefferson Presidents football team represents Washington & Jefferson College
in collegiate level
football
. The team competes in NCAA Division III and is affiliated with the Presidents' Athletic Conference
(PAC). Since its founding in 1890, the team has played their home games at College Field, which was remodeled and renamed Cameron Stadium
in 2001.
A number of players were named to the College Football All-America Team
, and two players, Pete Henry
and Edgar Garbisch
, have been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
. Several other former players have gone on to play professionally, including "Deacon" Dan Towler
, Russ Stein
, and Pete Henry
, who was also elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
and the National Football League (NFL) 1920s All-Decade Team. The team has been coached by some of the best-known coaches in football history, including John Heisman
, Greasy Neale, and Andy Kerr
.
Founded in 1890, the team quickly became well known for drawing large crowds and defeating a number of prominent football teams. The faculty and administration expressed concern over the strength of the team and made efforts to reduce the influence of professionalism on the players. During the 1910s, some sportswriters suggested that the Presidents were one of the top teams in the nation. The greatest achievement in the team's history was in 1921, when the Presidents appeared in the 1922 Rose Bowl
, playing the heavily favored California Golden Bears
to a scoreless tie. As college football evolved in the 1930s and 1940s, the Presidents fell far behind their larger competitors, who were able to offer scholarships for their players. Controversy over the poor play of the football team, and a lack of play against larger teams, contributed to the resignation of a college president. In the 1950s the team joined NCAA Division III and the Presidents' Athletic Conference. By the 1980s, the team had learned to thrive in that environment, winning a number of conference championships and regularly qualifying for the NCAA Division III playoffs
.
. The Red and Black's third game of the inaugural season, against College of Wooster, remains disputed to this day, with both schools claiming a victory. Controversy erupted over the referees' clock management when W&J's team, under the impression that the game was over, left the field with a 4-0 lead; Wooster continued to play and scored a touchdown
and extra point
to give them a disputed 6-4 victory. By 1894, the college community's interest in the sport had grown considerably, with stronger opponents and the team's first paid coach, E. Gard Edwards. A special train from Washington
to Pittsburgh was chartered to carry fans and students to a watch a 6-0 victory against the semi-pro Pittsburgh Athletic Club
.
As the team developed, the college community, especially certain members of the faculty, began to express concerns regarding the influence of professionalism in college sports, especially the use of itinerant and semi-professional students. John Brallier
, who was the first openly professional football player, played football for Washington & Jefferson College in 1895 before returning to the Greensburg Athletic Association
. This incident, and others, caused the faculty to adopt the college's first eligibility requirements for student athletes.
At the same time its activities was becoming more scrutinized, the football team became more successful. The season finale in 1896 at Exposition Park
in Pittsburgh was one of the largest crowds in western Pennsylvania history, when an overflow crowd of 12,000 watched W&J defeat Duquesne Country and Athletic Club
4-0. But was the September 29, 1897, game against the University of Pennsylvania
Quakers
that marked the "birth of big-time football" at W&J. The Red and Black lost 18-4 to the eventual national champions
, but W&J counted it a moral victory, since they were missing 4 of their 11 starters due to new eligibility requirements. In a game against Denison University
on Sept. 19, 1908, W&J became the first college football team in history to wear numbered uniforms.
In 1910, the football program was in danger of being dissolved due to crushing debt. The Student Athletic Committee proposed a $1 per term student fee to fund the team, a proposal that was met with initial resistance from the student body. However, team manager and beloved student solicitor Robert M. Murphy
, was able to convince the students to accept the fee. The Student Athletic Committee agreed to retract the residency rule, as it was blamed for contributing to losses, but instituted other student athlete requirements, including a ban on the use of preparatory students at Washington & Jefferson Academy, an increase in entrance requirements, and a stringent system of recording absences. However, the Faculty Athletic Committee balked, vetoing the new rules.
The firings of Dr. G.H. Winchester and Dr. H.E. Wells highlighted the growing tension between athletics and academics. As orchestrated by a group of alumni football supporters, the two professors were brought before a faculty committee for not having the requisite support for the athletic programs. At the time, Dr. Winchester was serving in France during World War I
and Wells maintained during the hearing that he did not object to athletics per se, but rather the way it was run at Washington & Jefferson. The event, known nationally as the Winchester-Wells case, was investigated by the American Association of University Professors
and was the profiled in Upton Sinclair's
book The Goose-Step
, a muckraking investigation into the state of American colleges.
was recruited away from Lafayette College by the team manager Robert M. Murphy
. An early high point came in 1912 when Folwell's team held Jim Thorpe
and the Carlisle Indians to a scoreless tie. The 1913 team posted a 10-0-1 record and were the highest scoring team in the nation. That season featured a scoreless tie with Yale
, a 100-0 defeat of Grove City College
, and a 17-0 victory over Penn State that broke the Nittany Lions'
19 game winning streak, earning the entire school a day off to celebrate. 1913 was the first season that the team was able to hire trained athletic coaches. Three players were named All-American
s. Sportswriter Walter S. Trumbull
of The New York Sun suggested that the Michigan Aggies
, Washington & Jefferson, Chicago University
, and Notre Dame
were the new "Big 4 of College Football" instead of the traditional grouping of Princeton
, Yale
, Harvard
, and Penn
.
The 1914 squad lost at Harvard University
in front of 15,000 fans by a score of 10-9. If not for an errant kick that hit the crossbar, W&J would have won the game and at least a share of the mythical national championship
. That squad saved face by becoming only the seventh team to ever defeat Yale University
, with a decisive 13-7 victory. The game received national press coverage, and the team received a personal note of congratulations by Theodore Roosevelt
.
Folwell left to coach at Penn
, his alma mater, following the 1915 season. He was succeeded by Sol Metzger
, who led the team to a 15-5 record during the 1916
and 1917
seasons. Ralph Hutchinson
took over the team for the 1918 season
, which ended with a 2-2 record in a World War I
-shortened season. David C. Morrow, who had coached the team a decade earlier, returned for his second stint during 1919
and 1920
.
, University of Detroit
, and Syracuse
. The 7-0 victory over rival Pitt was celebrated with a day of canceled classes and a bonfire with inspirational speeches in front of the Washington County Courthouse
. As the best team from the east, W&J was invited to the 1922 Rose Bowl
to play the best team from the west: the undefeated and heavily favored California Golden Bears
. Some had even begun to call Cal the best team in college football history. The Red and Black could only afford to send 11 men on the cross-country trip and Robert M. Murphy
had to mortgage his home to pay his way. Thus, W&J would be the last Rose Bowl team to play the same 11 men the entire game. During the train ride to Pasadena
, in which Greasy Neale continued to prepare his men, Lee Spillers caught pneumonia and could not finish the journey. Luckily, Ross "Bucky" Buchannan, a reserve player who had stowed away on the train and was fed smuggled sandwiches during the trip, was available to fill Buchannan's roster spot.
Cal had outscored their opponents that season by a margin of 312–33; nevertheless, the W&J defense held the Golden Bears' potent offense, led by Brick Muller, to no points, 2 first downs, no completed passes, and only 49 yards rushing. In one of the most disputed plays in Rose Bowl history, a rushing touchdown for W&J was overturned for an offside penalty called on Wayne Brenkert
. On another play, W&J's Hal Erickson
slipped and fell on his way to scoring a sure touchdown. The contest ended in a scoreless draw. The game was notable as the last time a "small school" would be represented in the Rose Bowl. W&J's team featured two Rose Bowl firsts: Herb Kopf was the first freshman to play and Charlie "Pruner" West
was the first African American to play quarterback
. W&J's team captain, Russ Stein
, was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1991. The Red and Black finished the season with a share of the "mythical national championship
," as determined by the Boand System
.
One of the best games in W&J football history came on November 4, 1922 against the Lafayette Maroons
in front of 50,000 spectators at the Polo Grounds
in New York
. The Red and Black were down 13-0 at halftime before a Pruner West-sparked comeback won the game 14-13 on a final play to Herb Kopf. In 1923, W&J defeated the powerful Brown University
at College Park
, the first time home victory against an Ivy League
team. Neale left to coach at University of Virginia
and was replaced by legendary coach John Heisman
, who stayed for only one season before moving to coach at Rice University
. Andy Kerr's
teams from 1926–1928 continued to play and defeat the best teams in the country. In 1930, W&J defeated Lafayette College 7-0 in the first ever college indoor night game, held in front of 20,000 spectators in Atlantic City
.
. During the tenure of college president Simon Strousse Baker
, the Student and Faculty Athletic Committees were heavily in debt and approaching insolvency. The gate receipts for football games, the Committees' main source of income, had fallen as the team began to lag behind the larger schools it traditionally played. A report in 1929 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching showed that the W&J athletics program, like many programs at other colleges, held a large "slush fund" with donations from alumni and businessmen totaling $25,000 to $50,000 per year. This "extreme case of subsidizing" funded all college expenses for football players, plus "paychecks" to top performers. To alleviate this problem, President Baker proposed to wholly separate athletic funds from general College funds by creating an "Athletic Council" to take control of the athletic program. In spite of the defeat of the proposal, a 1931 followup to the original Carnegie Foundation report commended W&J for creating some institutional controls, including limiting subsidization to tuition, room, and board. In 1932, Baker was hounded from office amid a student strike
, partially fueled by frustration with the declining sports programs.
Baker's successor, Ralph Cooper Hutchison, himself more personally popular than Baker, was able to bring even more control to the athletic program by reducing the number of scholarships from 18 to eight and by limiting the practice of playing against powerhouse football teams. In 1935, W&J played its last games against their former rivals Pitt and West Virginia. Later, the athletic program was reorganized under an Athletic Director and the practice of awarding athletic scholarships was abolished. In 1937, Hutchison created a whole new governing structure for athletics, the Athletic Council, which was not unlike the plan proposed by Baker a decade earlier. The new Athletic Council, composed of four faculty members and six students, had responsibility for dispensing student appropriations and income from ticket sales. The Board of Trustees' own Athletic Committee would govern the hiring and payment of coaches. The new system was intended to unite the intramural and intercollegiate athletics programs, reinstate faculty into athletic governance, give more responsibility to students, and to create a freshman football program. David C. Morrow
, former football coach and member of the Athletic Committee dissented, advocating for a return to the scholarship model, blaming the waning alumni interest in the college on the team's poor performance. However, the College's indebtedness at that time was $133,000, most of which was the result of player subsidization. At that time, athletics took up half of the student activity fee. In an attempt to stabilize the fiscal picture, the athletic budget was cut significantly, with freshman football and boxing discontinued. The plan worked, and by the 1940s, athletic finances were stabilized. This signaled the end of the football team's games against larger schools.
The football team was disbanded for the most of World War II, and Pete Henry
, the athletic director took over football coaching duties for 1942 and 1945. Things began to look up by the late 1940s, when Donora
-native "Deacon" Dan Towler
chose W&J over offers from larger football programs. The backfield in 1948 was nicknamed the "Four Gazelles." While still dominant, with the third highest scoring total in the country, that group would have been one of the most best backfields in the nation if not for a plague of injuries. The fifties and sixties were generally poor for W&J football, as President Boyd Crumrine Patterson
, faced with budget deficits, limited athletic scholarships to "on-need" and spread the remaining scholarships among more sports.
From 1956 to 1972 Washington & Jefferson competed in the NCAA College Division. In 1958, the Presidents, who had previously been independent and not members of any conference, joined the Presidents' Athletic Conference
. The teams of the seventies were similarly poor, save for a PAC championship in 1970 and a second place finish in 1971. When the NCAA re-aligned its football conference structure in 1973, W&J joined Division III.
took over the team and began a resurgence. Led by freshman
running back A.J. Pagano, the Presidents qualified for the 1984 NCAA Division III playoffs, the team's first post-season appearance since the 1922 Rose Bowl. The 1985 team was nationally ranked and barely missed taking the PAC championship. In 1986, they won the PAC and secured another bid the NCAA Division III playoffs, only to lose a heart-breaker to Susquehanna University
. The undefeated and united 1987 team won the PAC and advanced to the Division III playoffs, where they defeated Allegheny College
in ten inches of snow in a game called "one of the greatest NCAA Division III playoffs ever played." The teams of 1988 and 1989 were also successful, with both teams securing a share of the PAC Championship and the 1989 team making the Division III playoffs. In 1992, the Presidents, led by running back Chris Babirad
, advanced to the NCAA Division III National Football Championship
Game, only to lose to University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. The team returned to the Division III Championship game in 1994, losing to Albion College
.
The Presidents under John Banaszak and Mike Sirianni
have won 18 out of the last 21 PAC Championships and advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs
17 times. Since 2000, the team has a 79-14 record, which is the fourth-most victories during that time period in D-III.
The modern presidents team is speareheaded by future All-American LG Jon Delorenzo. Delorenzo has accounted for the presidents recent success in the PAC. Delorenzo has been both the heart and soul of the presidents O-line. Delorenzo is expected to be a preseason All-American for the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons.
A number of W&J players have achieved notoriety in both collegiate and professional football. Halfback
Johnny Spiegel
, who was the leading scorer in college football in 1914
, was named an All American
in 1913
and 1914
. Center Burleigh Cruikshank
joined Spiegel as an All American in 1914
. Fred Heyman was named to the 1915
All American team. "Scrubby" McCreight was on the 1917
and 1918
All American teams. College Football Hall of Fame
and Pro Football Hall of Fame
member Pete Henry
was a member of the 1917
, a consensus All American in 1918
, and a consensus All American in 1919
. Rose Bowl MVP Russ Stein
, a member of the 1921
All-American team, was a member of the Pottsville Maroons
when they won the controversial 1925 NFL Championship
. Edgar Garbisch
, who played at W&J from 1921 to 1924, was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
. In 1922
, Lee Spillers, Herb Kopf, and Al Crook
were named All Americans. Chet Widerquist
was named to the 1923
All American Team. Bill Amos
, who would later coach the W&J football team, was a member of the 1926
and 1927
All American Teams. Future Pittsburgh Steelers
head coach Jap Douds was a member of the 1927
, 1928
, and 1929
All American Teams. "Deacon" Dan Towler
was a "Little All American" and Cum Laude graduate of W&J. had a seven year professional career with the Los Angeles Rams in the early 1950s, and was named an All-Pro
three times. Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl
is still the all-time leading placekicker in the college's history.
: John Luckhardt
, John Banaszak, and Mike Sirianni
. Those three coaches, plus Chuck Ream, coached teams that won the Presidents' Athletic Conference
Championship. Greasy Neale's 1921 team played in the 1922 Rose Bowl
, where they tied the heavily favored California Golden Bears
. John Luckhardt
is the all-time leader in seasons coached (17), games coached (176), and wins (137). Current coach Mike Sirianni
has the highest winning percentage (.854) of any coach since the 1890s. During his two years as head coach, Charles Nelson has the worst winning percentage (.031). Four coaches—Greasy Neale, John Heisman
, Andrew Kerr
and Pete Henry
—have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
. Two of those coaches, Greasy Neale and Pete Henry
have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
. The current coach is Mike Sirianni
, whose first season was in 2003.
in 1893.
, West Virginia University
, and the University of Pittsburgh
. The rivalry with West Virginia University was heightened by the fact that Morgantown
was located in a dry county
, making the trip to nearby Washington for a game against W&J a raucous event for students. The first verse of Hail, West Virginia
, the WVU fight song, refers to W&J with the line, "Others may be black or crimson, but for us it’s Gold and Blue." However, it is the W&J rivalry with nearby Bethany College is the oldest and most prolific, with the Presidents holding an all-time record of 64-20 in the rivalry that dates to 1896.
served as head coach three times for a total of eight seasons across three different decades. The team went on hiatus for two seasons during World War II
. In 1970, the Presidents won their first Presidents' Athletic Conference
championship. John Luckhardt
coached for 17 seasons. Under his leadership, the team began a 26 year streak of winning seasons, running from 1984 to 2009.
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
in collegiate level
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. The team competes in NCAA Division III and is affiliated with the Presidents' Athletic Conference
Presidents' Athletic Conference
The Presidents' Athletic Conference is an athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member teams are private, liberal arts institutions of higher learning located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky....
(PAC). Since its founding in 1890, the team has played their home games at College Field, which was remodeled and renamed Cameron Stadium
Cameron Stadium
Cameron Stadium is an outdoor football stadium adjacent to the campus of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania.-Facilities and amenities:Located one mile from campus...
in 2001.
A number of players were named to the College Football All-America Team
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
, and two players, Pete Henry
Pete Henry
Wilbur Francis "Pete" Henry was a professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. He later worked for more than 20 years as athletic director and occasional football coach at Washington & Jefferson College, his alma mater.Henry attended college at Washington &...
and Edgar Garbisch
Edgar Garbisch
Edgar William Garbisch was an American football player. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954. He married Bernice Chrysler, daughter of Walter P. Chrysler, on January 4, 1930. He and his wife collected American art, much of which they donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art...
, have been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
. Several other former players have gone on to play professionally, including "Deacon" Dan Towler
Dan Towler
"Deacon" Dan Towler was a National Football League running back for the Los Angeles Rams from 1950 through 1955. He was the NFL leading rusher in 1952...
, Russ Stein
Russ Stein
Russell Frederick Stein was born in Warren, Ohio. After high school Stein attended Washington & Jefferson College. While in College he was the captain on W&J’s 1921 undefeated football team, which played to the only scoreless tie in the history of the 1922 Rose Bowl against the University of...
, and Pete Henry
Pete Henry
Wilbur Francis "Pete" Henry was a professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. He later worked for more than 20 years as athletic director and occasional football coach at Washington & Jefferson College, his alma mater.Henry attended college at Washington &...
, who was also elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
and the National Football League (NFL) 1920s All-Decade Team. The team has been coached by some of the best-known coaches in football history, including John Heisman
John Heisman
John William Heisman was an American player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He served as the head football coach at Oberlin College , Buchtel College, now known as the University of Akron , Auburn University , Clemson University , Georgia Tech , the...
, Greasy Neale, and Andy Kerr
Andrew Kerr
Andrew "Andy" Kerr IV was an American football, basketball, and track and field coach. He served as the head football coach at Stanford University , Washington & Jefferson College , Colgate University , and Lebanon Valley College , compiling a career college football record...
.
Founded in 1890, the team quickly became well known for drawing large crowds and defeating a number of prominent football teams. The faculty and administration expressed concern over the strength of the team and made efforts to reduce the influence of professionalism on the players. During the 1910s, some sportswriters suggested that the Presidents were one of the top teams in the nation. The greatest achievement in the team's history was in 1921, when the Presidents appeared in the 1922 Rose Bowl
1922 Rose Bowl
The 1922 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 2, 1922, between Washington & Jefferson College and the University of California, Berkeley...
, playing the heavily favored California Golden Bears
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
to a scoreless tie. As college football evolved in the 1930s and 1940s, the Presidents fell far behind their larger competitors, who were able to offer scholarships for their players. Controversy over the poor play of the football team, and a lack of play against larger teams, contributed to the resignation of a college president. In the 1950s the team joined NCAA Division III and the Presidents' Athletic Conference. By the 1980s, the team had learned to thrive in that environment, winning a number of conference championships and regularly qualifying for the NCAA Division III playoffs
NCAA Division III national football championship
The NCAA Division III National Football Championship began in 1973. Before 1973, most of the schools now in Division III competed in the NCAA's former "College Division"....
.
Early history (1890–1899)
The development of intercollegiate athletics at Washington & Jefferson College began in 1890, when students formed the Athletic Association, charging the 75 members a $1 membership fee that went to fund athletics. The football team played its first game on November 1, 1890, a 34-0 win against the Western University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
. The Red and Black's third game of the inaugural season, against College of Wooster, remains disputed to this day, with both schools claiming a victory. Controversy erupted over the referees' clock management when W&J's team, under the impression that the game was over, left the field with a 4-0 lead; Wooster continued to play and scored a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
and extra point
Extra Point
Extra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
to give them a disputed 6-4 victory. By 1894, the college community's interest in the sport had grown considerably, with stronger opponents and the team's first paid coach, E. Gard Edwards. A special train from Washington
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
to Pittsburgh was chartered to carry fans and students to a watch a 6-0 victory against the semi-pro Pittsburgh Athletic Club
Pittsburgh Athletic Club (football)
The Pittsburgh Athletic Club football team, established in 1891, was based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1892 the intense competition between two Pittsburgh-area clubs, the Allegheny Athletic Association and the Pittsburgh Athletic Club, led to William Heffelfinger becoming the first known...
.
As the team developed, the college community, especially certain members of the faculty, began to express concerns regarding the influence of professionalism in college sports, especially the use of itinerant and semi-professional students. John Brallier
John Brallier
John Kinport "Sal" Brallier was one of the first professional American football players. He was nationally acknowledged as the first openly paid professional football player when he was given $10 to play for the Latrobe Athletic Association for a game against the Jeanette Athletic Association in...
, who was the first openly professional football player, played football for Washington & Jefferson College in 1895 before returning to the Greensburg Athletic Association
Greensburg Athletic Association
The Greensburg Athletic Association was an early organized football team, based in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, that played from 1890 until 1900. The team began as an amateur football club in 1890 and was composed primarily of locals before several professional players were added for the 1895 season...
. This incident, and others, caused the faculty to adopt the college's first eligibility requirements for student athletes.
At the same time its activities was becoming more scrutinized, the football team became more successful. The season finale in 1896 at Exposition Park
Exposition Park (Pittsburgh)
Exposition Park was a baseball park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1890 to circa 1915. It was located on the north side of the Allegheny River across from Pittsburgh's downtown area. Prior to the construction of this version of Exposition Park, two previous ballparks of the same name were...
in Pittsburgh was one of the largest crowds in western Pennsylvania history, when an overflow crowd of 12,000 watched W&J defeat Duquesne Country and Athletic Club
Duquesne Country and Athletic Club
The Duquesne Country and Athletic Club was a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1895 until 1900. The team was considered one of the best, if not the best, professional football teams in the country from 1898 until 1900...
4-0. But was the September 29, 1897, game against the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
Quakers
Penn Quakers
The Penn Quakers are the athletic teams of the University of Pennsylvania. The school sponsors 27 varsity sports. The school has won three NCAA national championships in men's fencing and one in women's fencing.-Men's crew:-Football:...
that marked the "birth of big-time football" at W&J. The Red and Black lost 18-4 to the eventual national champions
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
, but W&J counted it a moral victory, since they were missing 4 of their 11 starters due to new eligibility requirements. In a game against Denison University
Denison University
Denison University is private, coeducational, and residential college of liberal arts and sciences founded in 1831. It is located in Granville, Ohio, United States, approximately 30 miles east of Columbus, the state capital...
on Sept. 19, 1908, W&J became the first college football team in history to wear numbered uniforms.
New residency requirements and near-dissolution (1900–1911)
By the early 1900s, "football fever" had swept through the student body, leading the College administration to take steps to further integrate the sport into the educational framework, including the development of a new governance structure. The new Student Athletic Committee and Faculty Athletic Committees instituted a minimum one year residency requirement to combat transient students and created an alumni coach system, so the coaches would be more sympathetic to the educational objectives of the college.In 1910, the football program was in danger of being dissolved due to crushing debt. The Student Athletic Committee proposed a $1 per term student fee to fund the team, a proposal that was met with initial resistance from the student body. However, team manager and beloved student solicitor Robert M. Murphy
Robert M. Murphy
Robert Martin "Mother" Murphy was an administrator at Washington & Jefferson College; his efforts to improve theWashington & Jefferson Presidents football team directly led to its development as a national powerhouse during the early 20th century....
, was able to convince the students to accept the fee. The Student Athletic Committee agreed to retract the residency rule, as it was blamed for contributing to losses, but instituted other student athlete requirements, including a ban on the use of preparatory students at Washington & Jefferson Academy, an increase in entrance requirements, and a stringent system of recording absences. However, the Faculty Athletic Committee balked, vetoing the new rules.
The firings of Dr. G.H. Winchester and Dr. H.E. Wells highlighted the growing tension between athletics and academics. As orchestrated by a group of alumni football supporters, the two professors were brought before a faculty committee for not having the requisite support for the athletic programs. At the time, Dr. Winchester was serving in France during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and Wells maintained during the hearing that he did not object to athletics per se, but rather the way it was run at Washington & Jefferson. The event, known nationally as the Winchester-Wells case, was investigated by the American Association of University Professors
American Association of University Professors
The American Association of University Professors is an organization of professors and other academics in the United States. AAUP membership is about 47,000, with over 500 local campus chapters and 39 state organizations...
and was the profiled in Upton Sinclair's
Upton Sinclair
Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. , was an American author who wrote close to one hundred books in many genres. He achieved popularity in the first half of the twentieth century, acquiring particular fame for his classic muckraking novel, The Jungle . It exposed conditions in the U.S...
book The Goose-Step
The Goose-Step (book)
The Goose-step: A Study of American Education is a book, published in 1923, by the American novelist and muckraking journalist Upton Sinclair. It is an investigation into the consequences of plutocratic capitalist control of American colleges and universities...
, a muckraking investigation into the state of American colleges.
The Bob Folwell era (1912–1920)
A new chapter in W&J football history began in 1912, when head coach Bob FolwellBob Folwell
Robert Cook "Bob" Folwell, Jr. was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Lafayette College , Washington & Jefferson College , the University of Pennsylvania , and the United States Naval Academy , compiling a career college football record of...
was recruited away from Lafayette College by the team manager Robert M. Murphy
Robert M. Murphy
Robert Martin "Mother" Murphy was an administrator at Washington & Jefferson College; his efforts to improve theWashington & Jefferson Presidents football team directly led to its development as a national powerhouse during the early 20th century....
. An early high point came in 1912 when Folwell's team held Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe
Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...
and the Carlisle Indians to a scoreless tie. The 1913 team posted a 10-0-1 record and were the highest scoring team in the nation. That season featured a scoreless tie with Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
, a 100-0 defeat of Grove City College
Grove City College
Grove City College is a Christian liberal arts college in Grove City, Pennsylvania, about north of Pittsburgh. According to the College Bulletin, its stated three-fold mission is to provide an excellent education at an affordable price in a thoroughly Christian environment...
, and a 17-0 victory over Penn State that broke the Nittany Lions'
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
19 game winning streak, earning the entire school a day off to celebrate. 1913 was the first season that the team was able to hire trained athletic coaches. Three players were named All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
s. Sportswriter Walter S. Trumbull
Walter S. Trumbull
Walter S. Trumbull was an American sportswriter in the 20th century.He resided in Newtown, Connecticut. He attended Trinity College, where he excelled as a member of the football team, playing nearly every position at one time or another....
of The New York Sun suggested that the Michigan Aggies
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
, Washington & Jefferson, Chicago University
Chicago Maroons football
The Chicago Maroons are the college football team representing the University of Chicago. The Maroons play in NCAA Division III as a member of the University Athletic Association. From 1892 to 1939, the Maroons were a major college football power...
, and Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
were the new "Big 4 of College Football" instead of the traditional grouping of Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, Yale
Yale Bulldogs football
The Yale Bulldogs football program represents Yale University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . Yale's football program is one of the oldest in the world, having begun competing in the sport in 1872...
, Harvard
Harvard Crimson
The Harvard Crimson are the athletic teams of Harvard University. The school's teams compete in NCAA Division I. As of 2006, there were 41 Division I intercollegiate varsity sports teams for women and men at Harvard, more than at any other NCAA Division I college in the country...
, and Penn
Penn Quakers
The Penn Quakers are the athletic teams of the University of Pennsylvania. The school sponsors 27 varsity sports. The school has won three NCAA national championships in men's fencing and one in women's fencing.-Men's crew:-Football:...
.
The 1914 squad lost at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in front of 15,000 fans by a score of 10-9. If not for an errant kick that hit the crossbar, W&J would have won the game and at least a share of the mythical national championship
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
. That squad saved face by becoming only the seventh team to ever defeat Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, with a decisive 13-7 victory. The game received national press coverage, and the team received a personal note of congratulations by Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
.
Folwell left to coach at Penn
Penn Quakers football
The Penn Quakers football team is the college football team at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. The Penn Quakers have competed in the Ivy League since its inaugural season of 1956, and are currently a Division I Football Championship Subdivision member of the National...
, his alma mater, following the 1915 season. He was succeeded by Sol Metzger
Sol Metzger
Sol S. Metzger was an American football player, coach of football and basketball, college athletics administrator, and sports journalist...
, who led the team to a 15-5 record during the 1916
1916 college football season
The 1916 college football season had a very clear cut champion, with the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book listing Army and Pittsburgh as national champions. Only Pittsburgh claims a national championship for the 1916 season....
and 1917
1917 college football season
The 1917 college football season had a clear-cut champion, with the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book listing Georgia Tech as national champions.-Conference standings:The following is an incomplete list of conference standings:...
seasons. Ralph Hutchinson
Ralph Hutchinson
Ralph Fielding "Hutch" Hutchinson was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach in the United States...
took over the team for the 1918 season
1918 college football season
The 1918 college football season had no clear-cut champion, with the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book listing Michigan and Pittsburgh as national champions.-Conference standings:The following is an incomplete list of conference standings:...
, which ended with a 2-2 record in a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
-shortened season. David C. Morrow, who had coached the team a decade earlier, returned for his second stint during 1919
1919 college football season
The 1919 college football season had no clear-cut champion, with the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book listing the Centre, Harvard, Illinois, Notre Dame, and Texas A&M as national champions.. Only Harvard and Illinois claim national championships for the 1919 season.-Conference...
and 1920
1920 college football season
The 1920 college football season had no clear-cut champion, with the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book listing the California, Notre Dame, and Princeton as national champions. Only California and Princeton claim national championships for the 1920 season.-Conference standings:The...
.
The Neale, Heisman, and Kerr Years (1921–1928)
The 1921 team, coached by Greasy Neale, went 10-0 in the regular season, defeating powerhouses PittPittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
, University of Detroit
Detroit Titans
The Detroit Titans are the NCAA Division I team of the University of Detroit Mercy . The school competes in the Horizon League.-Basketball :On April 12, 2008, UDM announced the hiring of Ray McCallum as Men's Basketball Coach...
, and Syracuse
Syracuse Orange football
The Syracuse Orange football program is a college football team that represents Syracuse University. The team is a member of the Big East Conference, which is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I conference that is part of the Football Bowl Subdivision...
. The 7-0 victory over rival Pitt was celebrated with a day of canceled classes and a bonfire with inspirational speeches in front of the Washington County Courthouse
Washington County Courthouse (Pennsylvania)
The Washington County Courthouse is located in on Main Street in downtown Washington, Pennsylvania and is currently still in operation.It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 30, 1974....
. As the best team from the east, W&J was invited to the 1922 Rose Bowl
1922 Rose Bowl
The 1922 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 2, 1922, between Washington & Jefferson College and the University of California, Berkeley...
to play the best team from the west: the undefeated and heavily favored California Golden Bears
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
. Some had even begun to call Cal the best team in college football history. The Red and Black could only afford to send 11 men on the cross-country trip and Robert M. Murphy
Robert M. Murphy
Robert Martin "Mother" Murphy was an administrator at Washington & Jefferson College; his efforts to improve theWashington & Jefferson Presidents football team directly led to its development as a national powerhouse during the early 20th century....
had to mortgage his home to pay his way. Thus, W&J would be the last Rose Bowl team to play the same 11 men the entire game. During the train ride to Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, in which Greasy Neale continued to prepare his men, Lee Spillers caught pneumonia and could not finish the journey. Luckily, Ross "Bucky" Buchannan, a reserve player who had stowed away on the train and was fed smuggled sandwiches during the trip, was available to fill Buchannan's roster spot.
Cal had outscored their opponents that season by a margin of 312–33; nevertheless, the W&J defense held the Golden Bears' potent offense, led by Brick Muller, to no points, 2 first downs, no completed passes, and only 49 yards rushing. In one of the most disputed plays in Rose Bowl history, a rushing touchdown for W&J was overturned for an offside penalty called on Wayne Brenkert
Wayne Brenkert
Wayne Dewey Brenkert was a professional American football player for the Akron Pros. He attended Washington & Jefferson College.-Notes:...
. On another play, W&J's Hal Erickson
Hal Erickson (American football)
Harold Ingvald Alexander Erickson was an American football back who played for three teams over eight seasons in the National Football League, four with the Chicago Cardinals, including the 1925 NFL Champion team....
slipped and fell on his way to scoring a sure touchdown. The contest ended in a scoreless draw. The game was notable as the last time a "small school" would be represented in the Rose Bowl. W&J's team featured two Rose Bowl firsts: Herb Kopf was the first freshman to play and Charlie "Pruner" West
Charles Fremont West
Charlies Fremont "Pruner" West was an American track star, football player, and respected medical doctor. He was the first African American to play quarterback in the Rose Bowl.- Personal :...
was the first African American to play quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. W&J's team captain, Russ Stein
Russ Stein
Russell Frederick Stein was born in Warren, Ohio. After high school Stein attended Washington & Jefferson College. While in College he was the captain on W&J’s 1921 undefeated football team, which played to the only scoreless tie in the history of the 1922 Rose Bowl against the University of...
, was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1991. The Red and Black finished the season with a share of the "mythical national championship
Mythical National Championship
A mythical national championship is a colloquial term used to question the validity of national championship recognition that is not explicitly competitive...
," as determined by the Boand System
Boand System
The Boand System was a system for determining the college football national championship. It was also known as the Azzi Ratem system. The system was developed by developed by William Boand. The rankings were based on mathematical formula...
.
One of the best games in W&J football history came on November 4, 1922 against the Lafayette Maroons
Lafayette Leopards football
The Lafayette Leopards football program represents Lafayette College in college football. One of the oldest college football programs in the United States, Lafayette currently plays in the Patriot League at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level...
in front of 50,000 spectators at the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The Red and Black were down 13-0 at halftime before a Pruner West-sparked comeback won the game 14-13 on a final play to Herb Kopf. In 1923, W&J defeated the powerful Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
at College Park
Cameron Stadium
Cameron Stadium is an outdoor football stadium adjacent to the campus of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania.-Facilities and amenities:Located one mile from campus...
, the first time home victory against an Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
team. Neale left to coach at University of Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers
The Virginia Cavaliers, also known as Wahoos or Hoos, are the athletic teams officially representing the University of Virginia in college sports. The Cavaliers compete in 25 NCAA Division I varsity sports and are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
and was replaced by legendary coach John Heisman
John Heisman
John William Heisman was an American player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He served as the head football coach at Oberlin College , Buchtel College, now known as the University of Akron , Auburn University , Clemson University , Georgia Tech , the...
, who stayed for only one season before moving to coach at Rice University
Rice Owls football
The Rice Owls football team represents Rice University in NCAA Division I college football. The Owls have competed in Conference USA's Western Division since 2005. Rice Stadium, built in 1950, hosts the Owls' home football games.-Venue:...
. Andy Kerr's
Andrew Kerr
Andrew "Andy" Kerr IV was an American football, basketball, and track and field coach. He served as the head football coach at Stanford University , Washington & Jefferson College , Colgate University , and Lebanon Valley College , compiling a career college football record...
teams from 1926–1928 continued to play and defeat the best teams in the country. In 1930, W&J defeated Lafayette College 7-0 in the first ever college indoor night game, held in front of 20,000 spectators in Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
.
The Great Depression and decline of the football program (1929–1981)
Like the rest of the college, the football program struggled as a result of decreased enrollment and funding during the DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. During the tenure of college president Simon Strousse Baker
Simon Strousse Baker
Simon Strousse Baker was the 6th president of Washington & Jefferson College.Baker, the great-great-grandson of Dr. Thaddeus Dod, the founder of Washington Academy, was born in Amwell Township, Pennsylvania on July 11, 1866. In 1892, he graduated from Washington & Jefferson College, where he played...
, the Student and Faculty Athletic Committees were heavily in debt and approaching insolvency. The gate receipts for football games, the Committees' main source of income, had fallen as the team began to lag behind the larger schools it traditionally played. A report in 1929 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching showed that the W&J athletics program, like many programs at other colleges, held a large "slush fund" with donations from alumni and businessmen totaling $25,000 to $50,000 per year. This "extreme case of subsidizing" funded all college expenses for football players, plus "paychecks" to top performers. To alleviate this problem, President Baker proposed to wholly separate athletic funds from general College funds by creating an "Athletic Council" to take control of the athletic program. In spite of the defeat of the proposal, a 1931 followup to the original Carnegie Foundation report commended W&J for creating some institutional controls, including limiting subsidization to tuition, room, and board. In 1932, Baker was hounded from office amid a student strike
Student strike
A student strike occurs when students enrolled at a teaching institution such as a school, college or university refuse to go to class. This form of strike action is often used as a negotiating tactic in order to put pressure on the governing body of the university, particularly in countries where...
, partially fueled by frustration with the declining sports programs.
Baker's successor, Ralph Cooper Hutchison, himself more personally popular than Baker, was able to bring even more control to the athletic program by reducing the number of scholarships from 18 to eight and by limiting the practice of playing against powerhouse football teams. In 1935, W&J played its last games against their former rivals Pitt and West Virginia. Later, the athletic program was reorganized under an Athletic Director and the practice of awarding athletic scholarships was abolished. In 1937, Hutchison created a whole new governing structure for athletics, the Athletic Council, which was not unlike the plan proposed by Baker a decade earlier. The new Athletic Council, composed of four faculty members and six students, had responsibility for dispensing student appropriations and income from ticket sales. The Board of Trustees' own Athletic Committee would govern the hiring and payment of coaches. The new system was intended to unite the intramural and intercollegiate athletics programs, reinstate faculty into athletic governance, give more responsibility to students, and to create a freshman football program. David C. Morrow
David C. Morrow
David C. Morrow is an author, mainly of local history and specialized articles. He is a graduate of Del Mar College and the University of Texas at Austin and served two years in United States Army....
, former football coach and member of the Athletic Committee dissented, advocating for a return to the scholarship model, blaming the waning alumni interest in the college on the team's poor performance. However, the College's indebtedness at that time was $133,000, most of which was the result of player subsidization. At that time, athletics took up half of the student activity fee. In an attempt to stabilize the fiscal picture, the athletic budget was cut significantly, with freshman football and boxing discontinued. The plan worked, and by the 1940s, athletic finances were stabilized. This signaled the end of the football team's games against larger schools.
The football team was disbanded for the most of World War II, and Pete Henry
Pete Henry
Wilbur Francis "Pete" Henry was a professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. He later worked for more than 20 years as athletic director and occasional football coach at Washington & Jefferson College, his alma mater.Henry attended college at Washington &...
, the athletic director took over football coaching duties for 1942 and 1945. Things began to look up by the late 1940s, when Donora
Donora, Pennsylvania
Donora is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh on the Monongahela river. Donora was incorporated in 1901. Donora got its name from a combination of William Donner and Nora Mellon, banker Andrew W. Mellon's wife. Agriculture, coal-mining, steel-making, wire-making, and...
-native "Deacon" Dan Towler
Dan Towler
"Deacon" Dan Towler was a National Football League running back for the Los Angeles Rams from 1950 through 1955. He was the NFL leading rusher in 1952...
chose W&J over offers from larger football programs. The backfield in 1948 was nicknamed the "Four Gazelles." While still dominant, with the third highest scoring total in the country, that group would have been one of the most best backfields in the nation if not for a plague of injuries. The fifties and sixties were generally poor for W&J football, as President Boyd Crumrine Patterson
Boyd Crumrine Patterson
Boyd Crumrine Patterson was the 9th president of Washington & Jefferson College.Patterson was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania on April 23, 1902 and graduated from Washington and Jefferson College in 1923, completing his studies in three years. He was a member of the well-known Crumrine family of...
, faced with budget deficits, limited athletic scholarships to "on-need" and spread the remaining scholarships among more sports.
From 1956 to 1972 Washington & Jefferson competed in the NCAA College Division. In 1958, the Presidents, who had previously been independent and not members of any conference, joined the Presidents' Athletic Conference
Presidents' Athletic Conference
The Presidents' Athletic Conference is an athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member teams are private, liberal arts institutions of higher learning located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky....
. The teams of the seventies were similarly poor, save for a PAC championship in 1970 and a second place finish in 1971. When the NCAA re-aligned its football conference structure in 1973, W&J joined Division III.
Resurgence in Division III (1982–present)
In 1982, John "Lucky" LuckhardtJohn Luckhardt
John Luckhardt is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at California University of Pennsylvania in California, Pennsylvania, a position he has held since 2002. Luckhardt coached at Washington & Jefferson College from 1982 to 1998, where he compiled a record...
took over the team and began a resurgence. Led by freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
running back A.J. Pagano, the Presidents qualified for the 1984 NCAA Division III playoffs, the team's first post-season appearance since the 1922 Rose Bowl. The 1985 team was nationally ranked and barely missed taking the PAC championship. In 1986, they won the PAC and secured another bid the NCAA Division III playoffs, only to lose a heart-breaker to Susquehanna University
Susquehanna University
Susquehanna University is a liberal arts college in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, United States, north of the state capital, Harrisburg.-Academics:...
. The undefeated and united 1987 team won the PAC and advanced to the Division III playoffs, where they defeated Allegheny College
Allegheny College
Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...
in ten inches of snow in a game called "one of the greatest NCAA Division III playoffs ever played." The teams of 1988 and 1989 were also successful, with both teams securing a share of the PAC Championship and the 1989 team making the Division III playoffs. In 1992, the Presidents, led by running back Chris Babirad
Chris Babirad
Chris Babirad is a former college football player for Washington & Jefferson College. During his playing career, he was one of the most prominent NCAA Division III football players, gaining national attention and honors....
, advanced to the NCAA Division III National Football Championship
NCAA Division III national football championship
The NCAA Division III National Football Championship began in 1973. Before 1973, most of the schools now in Division III competed in the NCAA's former "College Division"....
Game, only to lose to University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. The team returned to the Division III Championship game in 1994, losing to Albion College
Albion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
.
The Presidents under John Banaszak and Mike Sirianni
Mike Sirianni
-External links:*...
have won 18 out of the last 21 PAC Championships and advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs
NCAA Division III national football championship
The NCAA Division III National Football Championship began in 1973. Before 1973, most of the schools now in Division III competed in the NCAA's former "College Division"....
17 times. Since 2000, the team has a 79-14 record, which is the fourth-most victories during that time period in D-III.
The modern presidents team is speareheaded by future All-American LG Jon Delorenzo. Delorenzo has accounted for the presidents recent success in the PAC. Delorenzo has been both the heart and soul of the presidents O-line. Delorenzo is expected to be a preseason All-American for the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons.
Alumni and notable players
Members of the football team has received individual honors, including 12 conference MVP awards and more than 120 First Team All-Conference selections. Six football players have been named to the Associated Press All-American Team and four players received an NCAA post-graduate scholarship. Additionally, W&J's football team has produced more than 50 All-Americans and 30 Academic All-Americans in the past 40 years.A number of W&J players have achieved notoriety in both collegiate and professional football. Halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
Johnny Spiegel
Johnny Spiegel
-External links:...
, who was the leading scorer in college football in 1914
1914 college football season
The 1914 college football season had no clear-cut champion, with the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book listing Army, Illinois, and Texas as national champions. Only Illinois claims a national championship for the 1914 season....
, was named an All American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
in 1913
1913 College Football All-America Team
The 1913 College Football All-America team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-America Teams selected by various organizations in 1913...
and 1914
1914 College Football All-America Team
The 1914 College Football All-America team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-America Teams selected by various organizations in 1914. The organizations that chose the teams included Collier's Weekly selected by Walter Camp...
. Center Burleigh Cruikshank
Burleigh Cruikshank
Burleigh Cruikshank was an American football player and Presbyterian minister. In 1914, he was a first-team All-American playing at the center position for Washington & Jefferson College...
joined Spiegel as an All American in 1914
1914 College Football All-America Team
The 1914 College Football All-America team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-America Teams selected by various organizations in 1914. The organizations that chose the teams included Collier's Weekly selected by Walter Camp...
. Fred Heyman was named to the 1915
1915 College Football All-America Team
The 1915 College Football All-America team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-America Teams selected by various organizations in 1915. The organizations that chose the teams included Collier's Weekly selected by Walter Camp.-Key:*WC = Collier's Weekly as...
All American team. "Scrubby" McCreight was on the 1917
1917 College Football All-America Team
The 1917 College Football All-America team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-America Teams selected by various organizations in 1917...
and 1918
1918 College Football All-America Team
The 1918 College Football All-America team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-America Teams selected by various organizations for the 1918 college football season.-Key:* WC = Walter Camp...
All American teams. College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
and Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
member Pete Henry
Pete Henry
Wilbur Francis "Pete" Henry was a professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. He later worked for more than 20 years as athletic director and occasional football coach at Washington & Jefferson College, his alma mater.Henry attended college at Washington &...
was a member of the 1917
1917 College Football All-America Team
The 1917 College Football All-America team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-America Teams selected by various organizations in 1917...
, a consensus All American in 1918
1918 College Football All-America Team
The 1918 College Football All-America team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-America Teams selected by various organizations for the 1918 college football season.-Key:* WC = Walter Camp...
, and a consensus All American in 1919
1919 College Football All-America Team
The 1919 College Football All-America team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-America Teams selected by various organizations for the 1919 college football season.-Key:* WC = Walter Camp...
. Rose Bowl MVP Russ Stein
Russ Stein
Russell Frederick Stein was born in Warren, Ohio. After high school Stein attended Washington & Jefferson College. While in College he was the captain on W&J’s 1921 undefeated football team, which played to the only scoreless tie in the history of the 1922 Rose Bowl against the University of...
, a member of the 1921
1921 College Football All-America Team
The 1921 College Football All-America team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-America Teams selected by various organizations in 1921...
All-American team, was a member of the Pottsville Maroons
Pottsville Maroons
The Pottsville Maroons were an American football team based in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1920, they went on to play in the National Football League for four seasons, from 1925–1928...
when they won the controversial 1925 NFL Championship
1925 NFL Championship controversy
The 1925 National Football League Championship, officially held by the Chicago Cardinals, has been the subject of controversy since it was awarded. The controversy centers around the suspension of the Pottsville Maroons by NFL commissioner Joseph Carr, which prevented them from taking the title.The...
. Edgar Garbisch
Edgar Garbisch
Edgar William Garbisch was an American football player. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954. He married Bernice Chrysler, daughter of Walter P. Chrysler, on January 4, 1930. He and his wife collected American art, much of which they donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art...
, who played at W&J from 1921 to 1924, was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
. In 1922
1922 College Football All-America Team
The 1922 College Football All-America team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-America Teams selected by various organizations in 1922.-All-American selectors:...
, Lee Spillers, Herb Kopf, and Al Crook
Al Crook
Alfred John Crook was a professional American football player for the Detroit Panthers. He attended Washington & Jefferson College.-Reference:*-External links:...
were named All Americans. Chet Widerquist
Chet Widerquist
Chester C. Widerquist was a professional American football player for the Milwaukee Badgers, Rock Island Independents, Chicago Cardinals, Detroit Wolverines and Minneapolis Red Jackets. He attended Washington & Jefferson College and Northwestern University....
was named to the 1923
1923 College Football All-America Team
The 1923 College Football All-America team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-America Teams selected by various organizations in 1923.-Key:*FW = Football World magazine...
All American Team. Bill Amos
Bill Amos
William E. "Bill" Amos was a highly decorated college football player and coach. He is considered to be one of the best college football players in Washington & Jefferson College history....
, who would later coach the W&J football team, was a member of the 1926
1926 College Football All-America Team
The 1926 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1926...
and 1927
1927 College Football All-America Team
The 1927 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1927...
All American Teams. Future Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
head coach Jap Douds was a member of the 1927
1927 College Football All-America Team
The 1927 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1927...
, 1928
1928 College Football All-America Team
The 1928 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1928...
, and 1929
1929 College Football All-America Team
The 1929 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams for the 1929 college football season...
All American Teams. "Deacon" Dan Towler
Dan Towler
"Deacon" Dan Towler was a National Football League running back for the Los Angeles Rams from 1950 through 1955. He was the NFL leading rusher in 1952...
was a "Little All American" and Cum Laude graduate of W&J. had a seven year professional career with the Los Angeles Rams in the early 1950s, and was named an All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
three times. Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl
Luke Ravenstahl
Luke Robert Ravenstahl is the current Mayor of Pittsburgh. In September 2006, he became the youngest mayor in Pittsburgh's history at the age of 26. He is among the youngest mayors of a major city in American history....
is still the all-time leading placekicker in the college's history.
Coaches
The team has had 30 head coaches coach since it started playing organized football in 1890. They played their first season without a head coach. Three coaches have led Washington & Jefferson College to NCAA Division III playoffsNCAA Division III national football championship
The NCAA Division III National Football Championship began in 1973. Before 1973, most of the schools now in Division III competed in the NCAA's former "College Division"....
: John Luckhardt
John Luckhardt
John Luckhardt is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at California University of Pennsylvania in California, Pennsylvania, a position he has held since 2002. Luckhardt coached at Washington & Jefferson College from 1982 to 1998, where he compiled a record...
, John Banaszak, and Mike Sirianni
Mike Sirianni
-External links:*...
. Those three coaches, plus Chuck Ream, coached teams that won the Presidents' Athletic Conference
Presidents' Athletic Conference
The Presidents' Athletic Conference is an athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member teams are private, liberal arts institutions of higher learning located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky....
Championship. Greasy Neale's 1921 team played in the 1922 Rose Bowl
1922 Rose Bowl
The 1922 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 2, 1922, between Washington & Jefferson College and the University of California, Berkeley...
, where they tied the heavily favored California Golden Bears
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
. John Luckhardt
John Luckhardt
John Luckhardt is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at California University of Pennsylvania in California, Pennsylvania, a position he has held since 2002. Luckhardt coached at Washington & Jefferson College from 1982 to 1998, where he compiled a record...
is the all-time leader in seasons coached (17), games coached (176), and wins (137). Current coach Mike Sirianni
Mike Sirianni
-External links:*...
has the highest winning percentage (.854) of any coach since the 1890s. During his two years as head coach, Charles Nelson has the worst winning percentage (.031). Four coaches—Greasy Neale, John Heisman
John Heisman
John William Heisman was an American player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He served as the head football coach at Oberlin College , Buchtel College, now known as the University of Akron , Auburn University , Clemson University , Georgia Tech , the...
, Andrew Kerr
Andrew Kerr
Andrew "Andy" Kerr IV was an American football, basketball, and track and field coach. He served as the head football coach at Stanford University , Washington & Jefferson College , Colgate University , and Lebanon Valley College , compiling a career college football record...
and Pete Henry
Pete Henry
Wilbur Francis "Pete" Henry was a professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. He later worked for more than 20 years as athletic director and occasional football coach at Washington & Jefferson College, his alma mater.Henry attended college at Washington &...
—have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
. Two of those coaches, Greasy Neale and Pete Henry
Pete Henry
Wilbur Francis "Pete" Henry was a professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. He later worked for more than 20 years as athletic director and occasional football coach at Washington & Jefferson College, his alma mater.Henry attended college at Washington &...
have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
. The current coach is Mike Sirianni
Mike Sirianni
-External links:*...
, whose first season was in 2003.
Doc Donehoo
Dr. James Franklin "Doc" Donehoo never missed a game as the team's physician from 1912 until 1950, a total of 314 straight games, which was a record at the time. At a halftime ceremony on October 23, 1948 to commemorate his 300th straight game, he was called the #1 football fan. Donehoo graduated from W&J in 1890 and University of Pennsylvania School of MedicineUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
The Perelman School of Medicine , formerly the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, was founded in 1765, making it the oldest American medical school. As part of the University of Pennsylvania, it is located in the University City section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is widely...
in 1893.
Rivalries
During its history, W&J's football team has had rivalries with several schools, including Lafayette CollegeLafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
, West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
, and the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
. The rivalry with West Virginia University was heightened by the fact that Morgantown
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
was located in a dry county
Dry county
A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...
, making the trip to nearby Washington for a game against W&J a raucous event for students. The first verse of Hail, West Virginia
Hail, West Virginia
"Hail, West Virginia" is the fight song for West Virginia University. It was composed by WVU alumni Earl Miller and Ed McWhorther in 1915. The lyrics were written by Fred B. Deem, who later became a lawyer in Clarksburg, West Virginia. The "Pride of West Virginia" performs the second verse of...
, the WVU fight song, refers to W&J with the line, "Others may be black or crimson, but for us it’s Gold and Blue." However, it is the W&J rivalry with nearby Bethany College is the oldest and most prolific, with the Presidents holding an all-time record of 64-20 in the rivalry that dates to 1896.
Season-by-season records
The team was quite successful in its early years, ending each of its first 20 seasons with winning records. David C. MorrowDavid C. Morrow
David C. Morrow is an author, mainly of local history and specialized articles. He is a graduate of Del Mar College and the University of Texas at Austin and served two years in United States Army....
served as head coach three times for a total of eight seasons across three different decades. The team went on hiatus for two seasons during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1970, the Presidents won their first Presidents' Athletic Conference
Presidents' Athletic Conference
The Presidents' Athletic Conference is an athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member teams are private, liberal arts institutions of higher learning located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky....
championship. John Luckhardt
John Luckhardt
John Luckhardt is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at California University of Pennsylvania in California, Pennsylvania, a position he has held since 2002. Luckhardt coached at Washington & Jefferson College from 1982 to 1998, where he compiled a record...
coached for 17 seasons. Under his leadership, the team began a 26 year streak of winning seasons, running from 1984 to 2009.
See also
- Washington & Jefferson CollegeWashington & Jefferson CollegeWashington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
- Cameron StadiumCameron StadiumCameron Stadium is an outdoor football stadium adjacent to the campus of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania.-Facilities and amenities:Located one mile from campus...
- List of undefeated Division I football teams