1908 LSU Tigers football
Co-national champion (NCF)
SIAA champion
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record10–0 (2–0 SIAA)
Head coach
CaptainMarshall H. "Cap" Gandy
Home stadiumState Field
1908 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
LSU + 2 –0 –010 –0 –0
Auburn + 4 –1 –06 –1 –0
Vanderbilt 3 –0 –17 –2 –1
Tennessee 3 –2 –07 –2 –0
Georgia Tech 4 –3 –06 –3 –0
Georgia 2 –2 –15 –2 –1
Alabama 1 –1 –16 –1 –1
Sewanee 1 –1 –14 –1 –3
Mississippi A&M 1 –3 –03 –4 –0
Ole Miss 0 –2 –03 –5 –0
Mercer 0 –3 –03 –4 –0
Clemson 0 –4 –01 –6 –0
Nashville   –    –  
  • + – Conference co-champions

The 1908 LSU Tigers football team represented the LSU Tigers of Louisiana State University during the 1908 college football season. The Tigers were coached by Edgar Wingard and posted a perfect 10–0 record, outscoring opponents 442 to 11. The team played its home games at State Field and competed as members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA).

Triple threat quarterback Doc Fenton led the nation in points scored. The Tigers were retro-picked as co-national champion by the National Championship Foundation, and the NCAA recognizes LSU as national champion for that season along with Penn.[1] However, LSU does not officially recognize this season as a national championship season.[2]

The season was clouded by accusations of professionalism by Grantland Rice and rival school Tulane.[3] The SIAA conducted an investigation that cleared LSU of any wrongdoing, but since many publications voted for the SIAA champion prior to the conclusion of the investigation, they did not recognize LSU's title.[3]

Before the season

In 1908, football used a one-platoon system, with players featuring on offense, defense, and special teams. Also, the field was 110 yards in length, touchdowns were worth 5 points, and field goals earned 4 points.[4] The team that scored a touchdown had the option to kickoff or receive.[4] The ball was also much fatter.[4]

The Tigers lost few players from the 1907 team and prospects were bright.[4] Several members of the team came from Pennsylvania, including Doc Fenton, Mike Lally, John Seip, and coach Edgar Wingard.[5][6] End Rowson "Little" Stovall and center Robert L. "Big" Stovall were brothers.

Lally and Fenton had both previously played for Mansfield Normal School,[3] and Lally was one of the best blockers for Fenton.[4][7] One of Fenton's favorite plays was the "tackle over tackle" play. In this play, Fenton faked a handoff to a back, then gave the ball to a tackle and led the blocking behind the other tackle.[8] "Doc was the hub," recalled captain and tackle Marshall 'Cap' Gandy, "and we were the spokes."[8] Fenton earned the reputation of doing everything well with a football.[7]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendance
October 3Young Men's Gymnastic Club-New Orleans*
W 41–0
October 11Jackson Barracks-New Orleans*
  • State Field
  • Baton Rouge, LA
W 81–51,000
October 17vs. Texas A&M*
W 26–01,800
October 26Southwestern Presbyterian*
  • State Field
  • Baton Rouge, LA
W 55–01,500
October 313:45 p.m.at Auburn
W 10–2
November 7Mississippi A&M
  • State Field
  • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry)
W 50–01,500
November 10Baylor*
  • State Field
  • Baton Rouge, LA
W 89–0
November 163:30 p.m.vs. Haskell*
  • Pelican Park
  • New Orleans, LA
W 32–03,000
November 23at Louisiana Industrial*Ruston, LAW 22–0
November 26at Arkansas*
W 36–45,000
  • *Non-conference game

[9][10]

Game summaries

LSU opened the season with two warm-up games, one against the Young Men's Gymnastic Club and the other Jackson Barracks-New Orleans.[4]

Y. M. G. C.

1 2Total
YMGC 0 0 0
• LSU 12 29 41
  • Location: State Field
    Baton Rouge, LA

LSU beat Tad Gormley's Young Men's Gymnastic Club, winning 41–0.[4]

The starting lineup was: Seip (left end), Gandy (left tackle), Pollock (left guard), R. L. Stovall (center), Hillman (right guard), Noblett (right tackle), Fenton (right end), Gill (quarterback), Stovall (left halfback), C. Smith (right halfback), and Lally (fullback).[4]

Jackson Barracks-New Orleans

1 2Total
Soldiers 0 5 5
• LSU 31 50 81
  • Location: State Field
    Baton Rouge, LA
  • Game attendance: 1,000

LSU swamped the Jackson Barracks-New Orleans 81–5. Fenton was switched to quarterback, swapping places at end with Reuben Gill.[4] One account reads: "In Lally and Fenton the University has a pair that can hardly be equaled. In the game Fenton showed that he has lost none of his ability to dodge, his swiftness as a runner, his power as a punter and kicker, and his cool hard work. ... The two work splendidly together."[4] The soldiers at Jackson Barracks made the only touchdown scored all season on the Tigers, when their halfback Culligan picked up a fumble and ran it back 105 yards.[4] Captain Gandy once had a 40-yard touchdown, and Lally had one score of 60 yards.[4]

Texas A&M

1 2Total
Texas A&M 0 0 0
• LSU 15 11 26
  • Location: Pelican Park
    New Orleans, LA
  • Game attendance: 1,800
  • Game weather: Rain
  • Referee: James Halligan

The Tigers beat the Texas A&M Aggies 26–0 at Pelican Park in New Orleans in the rain.[11] The Aggies once ran the wrong way.[7]

Rooters at the Texas A&M game

The first scoring drive was highlighted by a 14-yard pass from Fenton to Little Stovall, and ended with a Stovall touchdown run around left end.[11] On LSU's second scoring drive, Lally had a 25-yard run, and Fenton eventually went around left end for the score.[11] Before the half ended, Fenton kicked a 25-yard field goal from placement.[11]

LSU's next touchdown came on a fumble recovery by Willie Hillman.[11] The final touchdown was the most exciting, as Mike Lally had a 40-yard touchdown run around right end.[11]

The starting lineup was: Gill (left end), Gandy (left tackle), Pollock (left guard), Hillman (center), Thomas (right guard), Noblett (right tackle), Stovall (right end), Fenton (quarterback), C. Smith (left halfback), Lally (right halfback), and B. Smith (fullback).[11]

Southwestern Presbyterian

1 2Total
SWPU 0 0 0
• LSU 18 37 55
  • Location: State Field
    Baton Rouge, LA
  • Game attendance: 1,500
  • Referee: James Halligan

Southwestern Presbyterian (today known as Rhodes College) fell to LSU 55–0. SWPU did not make ten yards all day.[12]

The starting lineup was: Stovall (left end), Gandy (left tackle), Pollock (left guard), Hillman (center), Thomas (right guard), Noblett (right tackle), Gill (right end), Fenton (quarterback), C. Smith (left halfback), Lally (right halfback), and B. Smith (fullback).[12]

Auburn

1 2Total
• LSU 5 5 10
Auburn 2 0 2
  • Location: Drill Field
    Auburn, Alabama
  • Game start: 3:45 pm
  • Game weather: 70°, Fair
  • Referee: James Halligan

Undefeated LSU met undefeated Auburn for the top spot in the SIAA at the Auburn athletic field.[7] LSU won 10–2, the only game it did not win by more than 20 points.[8]

Seip

The first touchdown came on a run from John Seip.[13] Later in the half, Auburn's T. C. Locke blocked an LSU punt which was recovered by Fenton behind his own goal for a safety.[13] According to one source, Fenton was knocked unconscious by a spectator's cane as he tried to get out of the end zone.[8] LSU made the second score using conventional football.[13]

"We won every game that fall except LSU," Auburn star Walker Reynolds told Clyde Bolton in 1973. "But LSU had a pro team."[14]

The starting lineup was: Stovall (left end), Gandy (left tackle), Hillman (left guard), R. L. Stovall (center), Thomas (right guard), Noblett (right tackle), Seip (right end), Fenton (quarterback), Tally (left halfback), C. Smith (right halfback), and B. Smith (fullback).[13]

Mississippi A&M

1 2Total
Miss. A&M 0 0 0
• LSU 34 16 50
  • Location: State Field
    Baton Rouge, LA
  • Game attendance: 1,500
  • Referee: Joe Pritchard

LSU won easily over the Mississippi Aggies 50–0, using substitutes by the end of the game.[15]

The first score occurred after five and-a-half minutes had passed, Clarence Smith going through right tackle.[15] LSU then scored a safety by tackling the Aggies punter.[15] Seip then went around end for another touchdown.[15] On the next drive, Seip went 20 yards on a cross play, Fenton hit Seip with a forward pass for 8 yards, and Bob Smith then scored on a trick play.[15] Clarence Smith then got another touchdown, of 25 yards.[15] The highlight of the game followed as Fenton had a 95-yard kick return for a touchdown.[15]

In the second half, Fenton went 30 yards for another touchdown on a return.[15] Gill went around left end for another touchdown. Fenton went 40 yards for the next touchdown.[15] The last touchdown came from Clarence Smith.[15]

Mike Lally

The starting lineup was: Seip (left end), Gandy (left tackle), Hillman (left guard), R. L. Stovall (center), Pollock (right guard), Noblett (right tackle), Stovall (right end), Fenton (quarterback), C. Smith (left halfback), Lally (right halfback), and B. Smith (fullback).[15]

Baylor

1 2Total
Baylor 0 0 0
• LSU 33 56 89
  • Location: State Field
    Baton Rouge, LA
  • Referee: James Halligan

The Tigers romped 89–0 over Baylor, the second highest score in school history.[16] The highlight of the contest was Mike Lally's 105-yard return for a touchdown.[17] Pat Ryan also had a 75-yard touchdown run.[17]

After the game, Baylor's coach Enoch J. Mills said: "You have, without any doubt, the strongest team in the South by far. The playing of your team here was something wonderful. We were simply badly beaten. You could run up as large a score on Tulane as you did against us without any trouble."[17]

The starting lineup was: Stovall (left end), Gandy (left tackle), Pollock (left guard), R. L. Stovall (center), Hillman (right guard), Neblett (right tackle), Seip (right end), Fenton (quarterback), I. Smith (left halfback), Lally (right halfback), and C. Smith (fullback).[17]

Haskell

1 2Total
Haskell 0 0 0
• LSU 10 22 32
  • Location: Pelican Park
    New Orleans, LA
  • Game start: 3:30 p. m.
  • Game attendance: 3,000
  • Referee: James Halligan

LSU defeated the Haskell Indians, 32–0, outweighing the Indians and needing little strategy.[18]

Clarence Smith bucked the line for 15 yards and the first touchdown. Fenton later added a 30-yard field goal.[19]

In the second half, Gandy made a touchdown on the "tackle over tackle" play;[19] Bob Smith made another. Clarence Smith made his second touchdown of the day around right end. The final score was a 32-yard end run by Mike Lally.[19]

The starting lineup was: Stovall (left end), Gandy (left tackle), Pollock (left guard), R. L. Stovall (center), Hillman (right guard), Neblett (right tackle), Seip (right end), Fenton (quarterback), C. Smith (left halfback), Lally (right halfback), and B. Smith (fullback).[19]

Louisiana Industrial

1 2Total
• LSU 11 11 22
LII 0 0 0

The Tigers beat Louisiana Industrial of Ruston, 22–0. Fenton was the star of the game, with two interceptions for touchdowns.[20]

The starting lineup was: Stovall (left end), Gandy (left tackle), Thomas (left guard), Hillman (center), Pollock (right guard), Noblett (right tackle), Seip (right end), Fenton (quarterback), C. Smith (left halfback), Lally (right halfback), and B. Smith (fullback).[20]

Arkansas

1 2Total
• LSU 31 5 36
Arkansas 4 0 4

LSU defeated Arkansas 36–4, with Fenton's runs and kicks featuring throughout.[21] The crowd was the largest ever to see a football game in Arkansas.[21]

LSU made three touchdowns in the game's first four minutes. On the Tigers' first possession, Fenton went 22 yards around right end and Lally then went 40 yards for a touchdown.[21] On the ensuing Arkansas possession, Fenton intercepted a pass and returned it 45 yards for the score.[21] Big Stovall made the third touchdown on an onside kick from scrimmage.[21] LSU also had touchdowns using a triple pass and a double pass.[21]

Arkansas got its points after a 35-yard pass from a fake field goal led to a field goal from the 30-yard line.[21] Fenton had the lone score of the second half, on a 55-yard run and fake pass.[21]

The starting lineup was: Stovall (left end), Gandy (left tackle), Thomas (left guard), R. L. Stovall (center), Hillman (right guard), Noblett (right tackle), Seip (right end), Fenton (quarterback), C. Smith (left halfback), Lally (right halfback), and B. Smith (fullback).[21]

Postseason

Doc Fenton.

Disputed title

The season was clouded by accusations of professionalism by Grantland Rice and rival school Tulane.[3] Rice claimed V. Smith, C. Smith, Seip, Fenton, Lally, and Gandy were all paid salaries to play football, and that Clarke was a former All-Western player.[22] Amidst fears of many players being ineligible under SIAA rules, most sportswriters instead gave the Southern title to Auburn,[23] and left LSU players off their All-Southern team.[24] A subsequent SIAA investigation cleared LSU of any wrongdoing, but since many publications voted for the SIAA champion prior to the conclusion of the investigation, they did not recognize LSU's title.[3]

Awards and honors

Fans presented coach Wingard and referee James Halligan with gold-handled umbrellas.[25]

Fenton's 125 points (132 by modern rules) led the nation in scoring.[7] He had a school record 36 extra points and 6 field goals.[26][n 1] Fenton, Lally, and Willie Hillman were selected All-Southern by Nash Buckingham in the Memphis Commercial Appeal.[27]

Legacy

The 1908 team is said to be LSU's first great team,[6] and was considered the greatest until 1958.[28]

Fenton and Seip were nominated, though not selected, for an Associated Press All-Time Southeast 1869–1919 era team.[29] Fenton, Lally, Seip, and Noblett made the first-team of an all-time LSU team selected in 1935.[n 2] According to Tony Barnhart, Fenton is considered the first great football player in LSU history.[31] The National Football Foundation selected Fenton as the retroactive Heisman Trophy winner of 1908.[32]

Personnel

Roster

Roster from LSU: The Louisiana Tigers[33]

Scoring leaders

The following is an incomplete list of statistics and scores, largely dependent on newspaper summaries.

Player Touchdowns Extra points Field goals Safeties Points
Doc Fenton133660125
Mike Lally1471081
Clarence Smith800040
Bob Smith700035
Cap Gandy600030
Reuben Gill400020
Little Stovall400020
Willie Hillman310016
Pat Ryan310016
Oren Noblett300015
John Seip300015
Big Stovall300015
Unaccounted for v. SWPU200010
N/A00024
TOTAL734572442

Staff

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The six field goals were surpassed in 1965 by Doug Moreau.[8]
  2. ↑ Hillman and Gandy made the second team.[30]

References

  1. ↑ National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2015). "National Poll Rankings" (PDF). NCAA Division I Football Records. NCAA. p. 108. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  2. ↑ "2017 LSU Football Media Guide" (PDF). LSU Athletic Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 19, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "From 'The LSU Football Vault': The 1908 Season". Archived from the original on July 14, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "A Season in Time: LSU Tigers 1908".
  5. ↑ Frank J. Price (March 1, 1999). Troy H. Middleton: A Biography. LSU Press. p. 32. ISBN 9780807124673.
  6. 1 2 "The 1908 LSU football team the first great one in school history". NOLA.com. Archived from the original on November 12, 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Bob Royce (May 1996). "The Blond Terror" (PDF). College Football Historical Society. 9 (3). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 11, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "George Doc Fenton".
  9. ↑ "1908 LSU Football Schedule". Saturday Down South.
  10. ↑ "1908 Louisiana State Fighting Tigers". College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Yellow and Purple Win; Texas A. & M. Defeated". The Times-Democrat. October 18, 1908. p. 15. Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  12. 1 2 "Big Score". The Tennessean. October 27, 1908. p. 6. Retrieved May 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Auburn Loses To L. S. U. Team". The Atlanta Constitution. November 1, 1908. p. 3. Retrieved May 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  14. ↑ Jeremy Henderson. "Auburn's 1908 team went undefeated despite losing to professional LSU team". The War Eagle Reader.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "L. S. U. Takes Another". The Times-Democrat. November 8, 1908. p. 16. Retrieved May 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  16. ↑ "2015 LSU Football Media Guide". Issuu.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "L.S.U. Football Team Defeats Baylor 89 To 0". The Times-Democrat. November 11, 1908. p. 11. Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Haskell Lost Second Game of Their Trip". Lawrence Daily World. November 17, 1908. p. 1. Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  19. 1 2 3 4 "Tigers Trounce Redmen Thirty-Two To Nothing". The Times-Democrat. November 17, 1908. p. 12. Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  20. 1 2 "Victory". The Times-Democrat. November 24, 1908. p. 10. Retrieved May 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Louisiana Beats Arkansas 36-4". Daily Arkansas Gazette. November 27, 1908. p. 8. Retrieved May 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  22. ↑ Woodruff 1928, p. 221
  23. ↑ Woodruff 1928, p. 223
  24. ↑ Spalding's Football Guide. 1909. p. 75.
  25. ↑ "Tiger Tintype". The Monroe News-Star. September 12, 1947. p. 15. Retrieved May 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  26. ↑ "Fenton and Flournoy in La. Hall of Fame". Lake Charles American Press. January 18, 1967. p. 31. Retrieved April 15, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  27. ↑ "All SIAA Teams of Past Six Years". Atlanta Georgian. November 27, 1909.
  28. ↑ "National Champions" (PDF). lsusports.net. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  29. ↑ "U-T Greats On All-Time Southeast Team". Kingsport Post. July 31, 1969.
  30. ↑ George Trevor (November 30, 1935). "All-Time All-Star Team Louisiana State University". Tulane University Football Program-The Greenie; L.S.U. Vs. Tulane. Archived from the original on December 23, 2014.
  31. ↑ Tony Barnhart (August 2008). Southern Fried Football. p. 177. ISBN 9781623684884.
  32. ↑ "Before There Was A Heisman" (PDF). The Footballetter. Vol. 51, no. 3. National Football Foundation. Summer 2009. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 26, 2013.
  33. ↑ Hardesty, Dan. "LSU: The Louisiana Tigers". The Strode Publishers. Huntsville, Alabama. 1975. P. 334-345.

Additional sources

  • Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. Vol. 1.
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