Xavier Musketeers football
Encyclopedia
The Xavier Musketeers football program was a college football
team representing Xavier University
in Cincinnati, Ohio
. Xavier discontinued football in 1973, citing cost concerns.
, then named St. Mary's Institute.
The team name became the Musketeers in 1929, the same year St. Xavier became Xavier University and built Corcoran Stadium
. The high point came under coach Edward Kluska, who posted a 35-12-2 record between 1947 and 1951. The 1949 team went 10-1 and received an invitation to the 1950 Salad Bowl
, in which they defeated Arizona State University
33-21. Seven players from the 1950 and 1951 teams would later play in the National Football League
. Xavier declined an invitation to the 1952 Salad Bowl.
Xavier's Board of Trustees ended the football program in 1973 following a determination that it lost $200,000 every year.
Xavier now has a Club team which plays in the Midwestern Club Football Conference.
| valign="top" |
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" width="80%"
!bgcolor="#003082"| Tenure
!bgcolor="#003082"| Coach
!bgcolor="#003082"| Record
!bgcolor="#003082"| Pct.
|- align="center"
| 1900–1917
| None / staff
| 26–6–5
| .770
|- align="center"
| 1918–1919
| Albert B. Lambert
| 10–3–1
| .750
|- align="center"
| 1920–1935
| Joe Meyer
| 85–44–6
| .652
|- align="center"
| 1935–1943
| Clem Crowe
| 46–32–2
| .588
|- align="center"
| 1946
| Philip H. Bucklew
| 3–7
| .300
|- align="center"
| 1947–1954
| Edward L. Kluska
| 42–33–4
| .563
|- align="center"
| 1955–1958
| Harry W. Connelly
| 24–15
| .615
|- align="center"
| 1959–1961
| Ed Doherty
| 15–15
| .500
|- align="center"
| 1962–1968
| Ed Biles
| 40–27–3
| .593
|- align="center"
| 1969
| Irvin A. Etlar
| 1–9
| .100
|- align="center"
| 1970–1971
| Richard J. Selcer
| 2–18
| .100
|- align="center"
| 1972–1973
| Thomas A. Cecchini
| 8–13–1
| .386
|-
!bgcolor="#003082"| Totals
!bgcolor="#003082"| 11 coaches
!bgcolor="#003082"| 302–222–22
!bgcolor="#003082"| .573
|-
|}
, which opened in 1929 after a $300,000 fundraising drive led by future Governor of Ohio Myers Y. Cooper
. The stadium could seat 15,000 spectators. Xavier demolished the stadium in 1988.
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...
team representing Xavier University
Xavier University (Cincinnati)
Xavier University is a co-educational Jesuit university in the United States located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation and has an undergraduate enrollment of about 4,000 students and graduate enrollment of 2,600 students. Xavier is primarily...
in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. Xavier discontinued football in 1973, citing cost concerns.
History
The program began in 1901. The school then called itself St. Xavier College; the team the Saints. In their first season they played a mix of colleges and high schools, but gradually improved their schedule. In 1907 they began a rivalry against the University of DaytonUniversity of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
, then named St. Mary's Institute.
The team name became the Musketeers in 1929, the same year St. Xavier became Xavier University and built Corcoran Stadium
Corcoran Stadium
Corcoran Stadium was a stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. It hosted the Xavier University Musketeers football team until the school dropped football due to financial reasons in 1973. The stadium held 15,000 people when it opened in 1929...
. The high point came under coach Edward Kluska, who posted a 35-12-2 record between 1947 and 1951. The 1949 team went 10-1 and received an invitation to the 1950 Salad Bowl
1950 Salad Bowl
The 1950 Salad Bowl was a college football bowl game played between Xavier University and Arizona State College at Montgomery Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona. Xavier entered the game with a 9–1 record, best in the state of Ohio, and favored over 7–2 Arizona, which had the best record in...
, in which they defeated Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
33-21. Seven players from the 1950 and 1951 teams would later play in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Xavier declined an invitation to the 1952 Salad Bowl.
Xavier's Board of Trustees ended the football program in 1973 following a determination that it lost $200,000 every year.
Xavier now has a Club team which plays in the Midwestern Club Football Conference.
Head coaches
{| border=0 width="100%"| valign="top" |
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" width="80%"
!bgcolor="#003082"| Tenure
!bgcolor="#003082"| Coach
!bgcolor="#003082"| Record
!bgcolor="#003082"| Pct.
|- align="center"
| 1900–1917
| None / staff
| 26–6–5
| .770
|- align="center"
| 1918–1919
| Albert B. Lambert
| 10–3–1
| .750
|- align="center"
| 1920–1935
| Joe Meyer
| 85–44–6
| .652
|- align="center"
| 1935–1943
| Clem Crowe
Clem Crowe
Clem F. Crowe was an American football and basketball player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Saint Vincent College , Xavier University , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 71–66–5...
| 46–32–2
| .588
|- align="center"
| 1946
| Philip H. Bucklew
| 3–7
| .300
|- align="center"
| 1947–1954
| Edward L. Kluska
| 42–33–4
| .563
|- align="center"
| 1955–1958
| Harry W. Connelly
| 24–15
| .615
|- align="center"
| 1959–1961
| Ed Doherty
| 15–15
| .500
|- align="center"
| 1962–1968
| Ed Biles
Ed Biles
Ed Biles is a former American football coach whose most prominent position was as head coach of the National Football League's Houston Oilers from 1981 to 1983....
| 40–27–3
| .593
|- align="center"
| 1969
| Irvin A. Etlar
| 1–9
| .100
|- align="center"
| 1970–1971
| Richard J. Selcer
| 2–18
| .100
|- align="center"
| 1972–1973
| Thomas A. Cecchini
| 8–13–1
| .386
|-
!bgcolor="#003082"| Totals
!bgcolor="#003082"| 11 coaches
!bgcolor="#003082"| 302–222–22
!bgcolor="#003082"| .573
|-
|}
Stadium
The Musketeers played their games in Corcoran StadiumCorcoran Stadium
Corcoran Stadium was a stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. It hosted the Xavier University Musketeers football team until the school dropped football due to financial reasons in 1973. The stadium held 15,000 people when it opened in 1929...
, which opened in 1929 after a $300,000 fundraising drive led by future Governor of Ohio Myers Y. Cooper
Myers Y. Cooper
Myers Young Cooper was a Republican politician from Ohio. Cooper was the 51st Governor of Ohio.Born In St. Louisville, Ohio, the youngest of eleven children, Cooper had a public school education, and attended the National Normal University in Lebanon, Ohio for three years...
. The stadium could seat 15,000 spectators. Xavier demolished the stadium in 1988.