1955 Shepherd Rams football
WVIAC champion
ConferenceWest Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record8–0 (4–0 WVIAC)
Head coach
CaptainJohn Shearer, George Hott, Dick Widdows[1]
1955 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Shepherd $ 4 –0 –08 –0 –0
Concord 5 –2 –05 –4 –0
West Virginia Tech 3 –2 –05 –3 –1
Fairmont State 6 –3 –06 –3 –0
West Liberty State 3 –3 –03 –4 –1
Potomac State 4 –4 –04 –4 –0
West Virginia Wesleyan 3 –4 –03 –5 –0
Salem 3 –4 –04 –4 –0
Glenville State 1 –7 –01 –7 –0
Davis & Elkins 0 –7 –00 –7 –0
Morris Harvey * 2 –0 –04 –5 –0
Bethany (WV) * 2 –0 –06 –1 –0
Bluefield State * 1 –0 –07 –2 –1
West Virginia State * 0 –1 –01 –7 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • * – Did not qualify for conference standings
    Conference standings based on power ratings

The 1955 Shepherd Rams football team represented Shepherd University as a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) during the 1955 college football season. In their third and final season under head coach Donald E. Fuoss, the Rams compiled a perfect 8–0 record, shut out four of eight opponents, and outscored opponents by a total of 299 to 31.[2] Shepherd has a record of 4–0 in conference play, winning the WVIAC title.[3]

It was the first WVIAC championship in the history of athletics at Shepherd.[1] It was also the first perfect season in 30 years of Shepherd football history.[4] The Rams out-gained opponents by an average of 397.8 yards per game to 160.1 yards per game.[2] Only one other team in the country scored more points than Shepherd,[5] and that team played one more game than Shepherd.[6] Its average of 33.9 points per game was the highest in the country.[4] The team was inducted into the Shepherd University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016.[7]

The team's key players included quarterback John Shearer, halfbacks George Hott and Barry Hall, and ends Bill Gaskins and Dick Widdows.[8][9][1] Shearer led the WVIAC in total offense (1,278 yards) and passing (1,002 yards).[10] Hott led the conference in scoring.[11]

In the fall of 1955, Shepherd was a small college with an enrollment of 1,600 students. There were no athletic scholarships, no grants-in-aid, and no booster club.[2] The Rams played their home games in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 17at Fairmont StateFairmont, WVW 26–6
September 24at Glenville StateGlenville, WVW 26–6
October 8at Bridgewater*Bridgewater, VAW 24–0[12][13]
October 15Potomac StatedaggerShepherdstown, WVW 33–0[14][15]
October 22vs. Davis & ElkinsWinchester, VAW 47–6[16]
October 29Gallaudet*Shepherdstown, WVW 41–13[17][18]
November 5District of Columbia Teachers*Shepherdstown, WVW 56–0[9][19]
November 12Apprentice*Shepherdstown, WVW 46–0[20][8]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming

Players

  • Claude Flagg[1]
  • Bill Gaskins, end[1]
  • Barry Hall, halfback[1]
  • George "Red" Hott, halfback and co-captain, 6'3", 195 pounds[1][2]
  • Dick Hughes[1]
  • John Pratico[1]
  • John Shearer, quarterback and co-captain, 6'3", 200 pounds[1][2]
  • Cinders Snyder[1]
  • Barney Tucker[1]
  • Dick Widdows, end and co-captain[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Spotlight on Sports". The Daily Mail. Hagerstown, Maryland. November 8, 1955. p. 12.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Tom Stimmel (November 20, 1955). "Shepherd Quiet After Big Year". Post Herald and Register. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "2005 WVIAC Football Media Guide". West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. July 15, 2005. p. 36. Retrieved June 26, 2023 – via Internet Archive.
  4. 1 2 "'Get Coach,' Not Stars, Says Unbeaten Shepherd". Atlantic City Press. November 17, 1955. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Completes Its Best Season". The News. Frederick, Maryland. November 22, 1955. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Shepherd's Big Year Marred by No Flukes". The Evening Star. November 25, 1955. p. A15 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Shepherd Adds Three, 1955 Team to Athletic Hall of Fame". Shepherd University. June 30, 2016.
  8. 1 2 "Shepherd Chalks Unbeaten Season". Post and Herald Register. Beckley, West Virginia. November 13, 1955. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 "Shearer Stars as Shepherd Beats District Teachers, 56-0". The Sunday Star. Washington, D.C. November 6, 1955. p. C4 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Shepherd, Shearer Top WVC Statistics". Charleston Daily Mail. November 26, 1955. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "WVIAC Statistics". Post Herald and Register. November 27, 1955. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Eagles Bow To Shepherd By 24 to 0". Richmond Times-Dispatch. October 9, 1955. p. B4 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Eagles Drop 24-0 Contest To Shepherd". The Roanoke Times. October 9, 1955. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Shepherd Turns Back Potomac State, 33-0". Post Herald and Register. Beckley, West Virginia. October 16, 1955. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Shepherd Plans For Homecoming". The Daily Mail. Hagerstown, Maryland. October 6, 1955. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Shepherd Grabs WVIAC Crown; Bisons Unbeaten". Raleigh Register. October 24, 1955. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Shepherd Routs Gallaudet, Hott Tallies On Long Run". Sunday Times. Cumberland Times. October 30, 1955. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Shepherd Scores 6th". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. October 30, 1955. p. III-6 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ "Shepherd Wins 7th, Sets Record". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. November 6, 1955. p. III-3 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ "Builders Routed, 46-0, In Finale By Shepherd". Daily Press. Newport News-Hampden-Warwick. November 13, 1955. p. 5C – via Newspapers.com.
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