| 1915Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conference | Independent |
| Record | 7–0–1 |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive scheme | Jump shift |
| Captain | Froggie Morrison |
| Home stadium | Grant Field |
Seasons | |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia Tech | – | 7 | – | 0 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ouachita Baptist | – | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dallas | – | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spring Hill | – | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Texas State Normal | – | 5 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sam Houston Normal | – | 5 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Virginia | – | 5 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jonesboro Aggies | – | 4 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Johns Hopkins | – | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VMI | – | 6 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southwestern Louisiana Industrial | – | 5 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Delaware | – | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maryland | – | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Louisiana Normal College | – | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southwest Texas State | – | 5 | – | 3 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Davidson | – | 4 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi Normal | – | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Tennessee State Normal | – | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Guilford | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Middle Tennessee State Normal | – | 3 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birmingham | – | 2 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Presbyterian | – | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Henderson-Brown | – | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TCU | – | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wake Forest | – | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Navy | – | 3 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Kentucky State Normal | – | 1 | – | 4 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Louisville | – | 1 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Marshall | – | 1 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The1915 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented theGeorgia Tech Golden Tornado of theGeorgia Institute of Technology during the1915 college football season. The Tornado was coached byJohn Heisman in his 12th year as head coach, compiling a record of 7–0–1 and outscoring opponents 233 to 24. Georgia Tech played its home games atGrant Field. The Tech team claims a Southern championship,[1] and had what was then the greatest season in its history.
CoachJohn Heisman's backfield used the pre-snap movement of his "jump shift" offense. The team's captain wasFroggie Morrison,[note 1] Tech's first greatquarterback.[3] FullbackTommy Spence was a futureWorld War I casualty, and halfbackWooch Fielder was later a prominent figure inWorld War II.
New halfbackEverett Strupper was partially deaf;[4] because of his deafness, he called the signals when he played, instead of the team's quarterback.[5] When "Strupe" tried out for the team, he noticed that the quarterback shouted the signals every time he was to carry the ball. Realizing that the loud signals would be a tip-off to the opposition, Strupper told Heisman: "Coach, those loud signals are absolutely unnecessary. You see when sickness in my kid days brought on this deafness my folks gave me the best instructors obtainable to teach me lip-reading."[6] Heisman recalled how Strupper overcame his deafness: "He couldn't hear anything but a regular shout. But he could read your lips like a flash. No lad that ever stepped on a football field had keener eyes than Everett had. The enemy found this out the minute he began looking for openings through which to run the ball."[6]
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2 | Mercer | W 52–0 | |||
| October 9 | Davidson |
| W 21–7 | ||
| October 16 | 3:05 p.m. | Transylvania |
| W 57–0 | |
| October 22 | atLSU | W 36–7 | 3,000 | ||
| October 30 | North Carolina |
| W 23–3 | ||
| November 6 | Alabama |
| W 21–7 | 5,000 | |
| November 13 | Georgia |
| T 0–0 | 9,000 | |
| November 25 | Auburn |
| W 7–0 | 10,000 |
Tech opened the season with a 52–0 defeat of theMercer Baptists. The Tech backs plunged through the Baptists line almost at will.[8]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davidson | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| •Ga. Tech | 0 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 21 |
In the second week of play,Davidson had the upper hand for three quarters, but Tech managed to pull ahead in the third quarter, and won 21–7. In the first quarter, Davidson scored on a punt fumbled byEverett Strupper.[9]Froggie Morrison hit Jim Senter with a 35-yard pass for a touchdown in the third quarter.[10] Tech managed to score again, and the third quarter ended with the Yellow Jackets at the 1-yard line.[10]Tommy Spence carried over on the first play of the fourth quarter.[10]
The starting lineup for Tech against Davidson: Goree (left end), Alexander (left tackle), Reynolds (left guard), Phillips (center), Lang (right guard), Carpenter (right tackle), Senter (right end), Morrison (quarter), Johnston (left halfback), Fielder (right halfback), Spence (fullback).[10]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| •Ga. Tech | 10 | 7 | 14 | 26 | 57 |
Sources:[11]
The Yellow Jackets romped overTransylvania 57–0. Tech made 333 yards onend runs to 7 for Transy, and 31 first downs to 5.[12] Heisman used most of his subs.Everett Strupper was the star of the game, scoring four touchdowns. Duncan also played well.[12]
The starting lineup for Tech: Goree (left end), Bell (left tackle), Preas (left guard), Phillips (center), Lang (right guard), Carpenter (right tackle), Senter (right end), Morrison (quarterback), Johnston (left halfback), Fielder (right halfback), Spence (fullback).[12]
The season's lone road game was inNew Orleans. Georgia Tech handily defeated theLSU Tigers 36–7 using conventional football, at the expense of Heisman being ejected from the game for arguing with an official.[13] Tech repeatedly hammered LSU's left end.[14] "Except for a brief period in the second quarter, when Louisiana executed three consecutive passes for average gains of 25 yards, the Tigers practically were helpless".[15] Just before the game ended,Tommy Spence returned aninterception 85 yards.[16]Everett Strupper was injured, blamingPhillip Cooper.[14]
The starting lineup was Goree (left end), Bell (left tackle), Reynolds (left guard), Phillips (center), Lang (right guard), Carpenter (right tacle), Senter (right end), Morrison (quarterback), Johnston (left halfback), Fielder (right halfback), Spence (fullback).[14]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNC | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| •Ga. Tech | 13 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 23 |
Sources:[11]
Tech beat theNorth Carolina Tar Heels 23–3.[11] Early in the first quarter,Wooch Fielder circled end for 40 yards and a touchdown.[11] Next, two forward passes set up aTommy Spence run for a touchdown.[11] Conventional football got the last touchdown, a score by Mathias. The last score was a 40-yard drop kickfield goal by Spence.[11]
OnlyYank Tandy andRoy Homewood played well for the Tar Heels.[11] Tandy's field goal was Carolina's only score. He was injured in the third quarter.[11]
The starting lineup was Bell (left end), Duncan (left tackle), Reynolds (left guard), Phillips (center), Lang (right guard), Carpenter (right tackle), Senter (right end), Morrison (quarterback), Johnston (left halfback), Fielder (right halfback), Spence (fullback).[11]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| •Ga. Tech | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
Sources:[17]
Tech beat Alabama 21–7.Wooch Fielder scored first. In the second period,Everett Strupper had a 7-yard touchdown run.Tommy Spence scored on a 5-yard run in the third. Alabama's lone score came on the first play of the fourth quarter on an elaborate trick play, a 30-yardforward pass fromBully Van de Graaff, Alabama's first All-American, to Stevenson.[17]
The starting lineup against Alabama: Goree (left end), Bell (left tackle), Reynolds (left guard), Phillips (center), Lang (right guard), Carpenter (right tackle), Senter (right end), Morrison (quarter), Mathias (left halfback), Fielder (right halfback), Spence (fullback).[17]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ga. Tech | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The year's only blemish was a scoreless tie against the rivalGeorgia Bulldogs in inches of mud.[18]John G. Henderson headed a group of three men, one behind the other with his hands upon the shoulders of the one in front, to counter Heisman'sjump shift offense.[19] Georgia outplayed Tech throughout.[18] Georgia was once on Tech's 8-yard line, in the first quarter, butWalter Neville fumbled andTommy Spence recovered.[18]
The starting lineup against Georgia: Goree (left end), Mauck (left tackle), Reynolds (left guard), Phillips (center), Lang (right guard), Barnwell (right tackle), Senter (right end), Johnston (quarter), Mathias (left halfback), Fielder (right halfback), Spence (fullback).[18]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| •Ga. Tech | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Tech closed what was then the greatest season in its history with a 7–0 defeat of theAuburn Plainsmen.[20] To begin the second quarter,Everett Strupper had two key plays, the last of which was the game-deciding touchdown.[1][20] First he made 20 yards around with a pass from Morrison[21] before being forced out of bounds. Next was the 19-yard touchdown. Strupper started around left end, then cut back into the center of the field, away from his blockers.[20] Hejuked and eluded "every man on the Auburn team." On the last move Strupper faked right and then dove left underneath the outstretched arms ofBaby Taylor into the endzone.[22]
The starting lineup against Auburn: Goree (left end), Mauck (left tackle), Reynolds (left guard), Phillips (center), Lang (right guard), Barnwell (right tackle), Senter (right end), Morrison (quarter), Johnston (left halfback), Fielder (right halfback), Spence (fullback).[20]
Tech claimed the right to dispute theSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) title withVanderbilt, despite no longer being a member.[1] TheAtlanta Constitutiondeclared it a tie between Vanderbilt and Tech.[23] The Tech team was awarded a 17 x 45 footpennant as Southern champion.[24]
Wooch Fielder andBob Lang made compositeAll-Southern.Jim Senter,Froggie Morrison andEverett Strupper also made some All-Southern teams.[25]
The following chart provides a visual depiction of Tech's lineup during the 1915 season with games started at the position reflected in parentheses. The chart mimics the offense after thejump shift has taken place.
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"Froggy Morrison Slated To Return Tech; Bulldogs Driven".Atlanta Journal-Constitution. September 10, 1933. Archived fromthe original on May 24, 2011. RetrievedJune 8, 2008.