1917 Centre football team

The 1917 Centre football team represented Centre College in the 1917 college football season and began a string of unparalleled success for the school.[1] The first two games were coached by Robert L. Myers, and the rest by Charley Moran. According to Centre publications, "Myers realized he was dealing with a group of exceptional athletes, who were far beyond his ability to coach. He needed someone who could the team justice, and found that person in Charles Moran."[2][3]

1917 Centre football
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record7–1 (1–0 SIAA)
Head coach
Offensive schemeSingle-wing
Home stadiumCheek Field
Seasons
← 1916
1918 →
1917 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Georgia Tech $ 4 0 0 9 0 0
Auburn 5 1 0 6 2 1
Clemson 5 1 0 6 2 0
Centre 1 0 0 7 1 0
Mississippi A&M 3 1 0 6 1 0
Alabama 3 1 1 5 2 1
Sewanee 4 2 1 5 2 1
Tulane 2 1 0 5 3 0
Vanderbilt 3 2 0 5 3 0
LSU 2 3 0 3 5 0
South Carolina 2 3 0 3 5 0
Wofford 1 2 0 5 4 0
Furman 1 3 0 3 5 0
Florida 1 3 0 2 4 0
Ole Miss 1 4 0 1 4 1
Howard (AL) 0 2 1 3 3 1
The Citadel 0 2 0 3 3 0
Mississippi College 0 4 0 0 5 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • There were several SIAA schools that did not field a team due to World War I.

In 1916, Myers became coach at his alma mater Centre after coaching at North Side High School in Fort Worth, Texas. His team there included future Centre stars Bo McMillin and Red Weaver, who were recruited by boosters to Somerset High School in Kentucky where they joined up with Red Roberts. Also at North Side were Sully Montgomery, Matty Bell, Bill James, and Bob Mathias.[2] McMillin kicked and made his only ever field goal attempt to defeat Kentucky 3 to 0.

Edgar Diddle was a halfback on the team.[4]

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentSiteResultSource
October 6Kentucky Military Institute*
W 104–0[5]
October 20at DePauw*Greencastle, INL 0–6[6]
October 27at Maryville (TN)*Maryville, TNW 34–0[7]
November 3Kentucky*
W 3–0[8][9]
November 9at Kentucky Wesleyan*Winchester, KYW 37–0[10]
November 172:30 p.m.vs. SewaneeW 28–0[11][12]
November 24at Transylvania*
W 28–0[13]
November 29Georgetown (KY)*
  • Cheek Field
  • Danville, KY
W 13–0[14]

[15]

References

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  1. ^ Robert W. Robertson (2008). The Wonder Team:The Centre College Praying Colonels and Their Rise to the Top of the Football World, 1917-1924. ISBN 978-1884532993.
  2. ^ a b "Football". Archived from the original on October 9, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  3. ^ "2011 Robert L. "Chief" Myers 1907".
  4. ^ Frank G. Weaver (1919). "Come On, You Praying Kentucians". Association Men. 45: 416.
  5. ^ "Central College piles up immense score". The Courier-Journal. October 7, 1917. Retrieved June 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "DePauw beats Centre, 6 to 0". The Indianapolis Star. October 21, 1917. Retrieved June 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "34 to 0; Centre wallops Tennesseans Saturday, not allowing them to make a single score". The Kentucky Advocate. October 29, 1917. Retrieved June 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Centre Defeats University of Kentucky 3--0---Wins Foot Ball Championship Of The State". Lexington Leader. Lexington, Kentucky. November 4, 1917. p. 6. Retrieved May 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com  .
  9. ^ "Centre Beats State Eleven". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. November 4, 1917. p. 11, section 5. Retrieved May 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com  .
  10. ^ "Wesleyan boys injured in football game". The Winchester Sun. November 10, 1917. Retrieved June 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Final Local College Tilt". Chattanooga Daily Times. Chattanooga, Tennessee. November 17, 1917. p. 8. Retrieved April 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com  .
  12. ^ "Tiger Claw Extracted". The Chattanooga Sunday Times. Chattanooga, Tennessee. November 18, 1917. p. 16. Retrieved April 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com  .
  13. ^ "Center College rushes on to championship by defeating Transylvania". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 25, 1917. Retrieved June 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Colonels slide into championship". The Lexington Herald. November 30, 1917. Retrieved June 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Centre College Football Records (1910-1919)". Archived from the original on April 2, 2015.