1917 Florida Gators football team
The 1917 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1917 college football season. The season was Alfred L. Buser's first of three as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. The 1917 season was a disappointment. Buser's 1917 Florida Gators completed their football season with an SIAA conference record of 1–3[1] and an overall record of 2–4.[2]
| 1917 Florida Gators football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association |
| 1917 record | 2–4 (1–3 SIAA) |
| Head coach |
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| Captain | Artie Fuller, Rowdy Bill Wilkinson |
| Home stadium | University Athletic Field |
| 1917 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Citadel | 0 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Howard (AL) | 0 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi College | 0 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Before the season
Coach Buser was a former All-American lineman for the Wisconsin Badgers, and promised to bring a Midwestern power football style of play to revive the Gators after the winless 1916 season.[3] Captain "Rowdy Bill" Wilkinson was the team's only returning letterman.[4]
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 13 | South Carolina | W 21–13 | |
| October 20 | Tulane |
| L 0–52 |
| October 27 | Florida Southern* |
| W 19–7 |
| November 3 | at Auburn | L 0–68 | |
| November 17 | vs. Clemson | Jacksonville, FL | L 7–55 |
| November 29 | at Kentucky* | L 0–52 | |
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Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[2]
Season summary
South Carolina
|
On opening day, Florida came from behind with three touchdowns in the third quarter to beat South Carolina 21–13.[3]
The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wurtrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Wells (center), Swink (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).[3]
Tulane
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Tulane overwhelmed the Gators 52–0,[5] several times skirting the ends for long gains.[6] The Gators were frequently penalized for offsides and hurdling.[6]
The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wurtrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Wells (center), Otto (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).[5]
Florida Southern
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The Gators extended their winning streak over the Florida Southern Moccasins to four games, winning 19–7.[7] After the first ten minutes, Florida replaced its backfield with second-string men.[7]
The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wutrich (left tackle), Swink (left guard), Dye (center), Cornell (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Marshall (left halfback), Leifeste (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).[7]
Auburn
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Florida endured its sixth-straight loss to coach Mike Donahue's Auburn team. The Plainsmen had their biggest win on the season over Florida, 68–0.[8]
The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wutrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Dye (center), Otto (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Fernald (fullback).[8]
Clemson
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Clemson defeated the Gators 55–7.[9] Florida's only score came on a forward pass, Loomis to Thomas.[9]
The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wutrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Dye (center), Otto (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Loomis (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).[9]
Kentucky
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On Thanksgiving, in the school's first-ever game against the Kentucky Wildcats, Florida lost 52–0.[10] Kentucky used its substitutes by the second half.[11]
The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wuthrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Dye (center), Gunn (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Loomis (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Fernald (fullback).[10]
Personnel
Line
| Player | Position | Games started |
Hometown | Prep school | Height | Weight | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutie Brannon | Tackle | 6 | Gainesville | 5'7" | 170 | 21 | |
| Gordon Clemmons | End | 6 | Plant City | 5'10" | 140 | 19 | |
| Harvey Connell | Guard | 6 | Orlando | 6'0" | 180 | 19 | |
| Colonel Dye | Center | 4 | Bradentown | 5'11" | 170 | 19 | |
| Rat Paul Hayman | End | Punta Gorda | 5'7" | 150 | 21 | ||
| P. C. Swink | Guard, tackle | 2 | Spartanburg, SC | 5'10" | 155 | 20 | |
| Clarence Thomas | End | 6 | Gainesville | 5'11" | 160 | 18 | |
| Fats Wuthrich | Tackle | 6 | Brewster | 5'8" | 170 | 20 |
Backfield
| Player | Position | Games started |
Hometown | Prep school | Height | Weight | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heinie Ball | Halfback | 5 | Sanford | 5'5" | 155 | 20 | |
| Billy Canova | Quarterback | Lake City | 5'6" | 150 | 19 | ||
| Fernie Fernald | Fullback | 2 | Tarpon Springs | 5'9" | 155 | 18 | |
| Horace Loomis | Quarterback | 2 | Plant City | 5'9" | 135 | 19 | |
| Alf Marshall | Halfback | 1 | Clearwater | 5'7" | 145 | 21 | |
| Rowdy Bill Wilkinson | Halfback | 5 | Gainesville | 5'8" | 145 | 25 |
References
- Roger Saylor, "Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Archived 2011-05-26 at WebCite," College Football Historical Society, The LA84 Foundation (1993). Retrieved September 11, 2010.
- 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 107 (2015). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- "Gators Smash Carolina Defense And Win Brilliant 21-13 Victory". The Florida Alligator. October 17, 1917.
- University of Florida 1918, p. 73
- "Tulane Swamps The Alligators". The Florida Alligator. October 24, 1917.
- "Tulane 52, Florida 0". The Atlanta Constitution. October 21, 1917. p. 4. Retrieved July 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Southern Puts Up A Stiff Fight But Gators Prove Too Strong". The Florida Alligator. October 31, 1917.
- "Auburn Had Little Trouble Defeating The Light Gator Eleven". The Florida Alligator. November 7, 1917.
- Roy L. Bishop (November 21, 1917). "Superior Weight of Clemson Eleven Enabled Them To Defeat Florida Team". The Florida Alligator.
- "Florida Loses To Kentucky 52-0". The Florida Alligator. December 5, 1917.
- "State Wins Final Game". The Courier Journal. November 30, 1917. p. 7. Retrieved July 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- University of Florida 1918, pp. 72–77
Bibliography
- University of Florida (1918). The Seminole. 9.