1896 LSU Tigers football team

The 1896 LSU Tigers football team represented the LSU Tigers of Louisiana State University during the 1896 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. This was LSU's first season playing as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA).[1] The Tigers, led by coach Allen Jeardeau, went undefeated and were the SIAA co-champions. It was LSU's second undefeated season in football. The 1896 team was also the first LSU team to use the nickname "Tigers".

1896 LSU Tigers football
SIAA co-champion
State champion
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1896 record6–0 (3–0 SIAA)
Head coachAllen Jeardeau (1st season)
CaptainEdwin A. Scott
Home stadiumState Field
1896 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L T  W L T
LSU + 3 0 0  6 0 0
Georgia + 2 0 0  4 0 0
Vanderbilt 2 0 2  3 2 2
Auburn 3 1 0  3 1 0
Georgia Tech 1 1 1  1 1 1
Texas 1 1 0  4 2 1
Alabama 1 1 0  2 1 0
Kentucky State College 1 1 0  3 6 0
Sewanee 3 3 0  3 3 0
Tulane 1 2 0  3 2 0
SW Presbyterian 0 1 0  0 1 0
Nashville 0 1 1  0 1 1
Mercer 0 2 1  0 2 1
Central (KY) 0 2 1  0 3 1
Mississippi A&M 0 2 0  0 4 0
Cumberland (TN)         
  • + Conference co-champions

Before the season

Allen Jeardeau was hired as head coach.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendance
October 104:00 p.m.Centenary*W 46–0
October 24at TulaneNew Orleans, LA (Battle for the Rag)W 6–0
November 133:25 p.m.vs. Ole Miss*Vicksburg, MS (rivalry)W 12–4
November 163:30 p.m.Texas
  • State Field
  • Baton Rouge, LA
W 14–0
November 20Mississippi A&M
  • State Field
  • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry)
W 52–0
November 283:00 p.m.at Southern Athletic Club*New Orleans, LAW 6–0500
  • *Non-conference game

Roster

Player Position Height Weight Hometown High School
J. H. "Hughes" ArrighiTackle--Natchez, MS-
James S. AtkinsonCenter-150Ruston, LA-
Aristead

T. Barbin

-5-10165Marksville, LA-
Edmund Auguste M. ChavanneCenter--Lake Charles, LA-
Armand P. DaspitHalfback-145Houma, LA-
Justin C. DaspitHalfback-150Houma, LA-
Samuel A. GourrierQuarterback, Halfback-150Baton Rouge, LA-
James F. Harp---Bonita, LA-
Phillip P. HuyckGuard-180Baton Rouge, LA-
Sam LambertFullback-150Baton Rouge, LA-
Wiltz M. LedbetterGuard--Summerfield, LA-
Gordon B. NicholsonFullback-160Baton Rouge, LA-
Archie Ed RobertsonFullback-165Plaquemine, LA-
John R. SalassiGuard--French Settlement, LA-
Frederick H. SchneiderGuard--Lake Providence, LA-
George C. SchoenbergerEnd--Buras, LA-
Edwin A. Scott†Guard-170Wilson, LA-
William S. SlaughterEnd-150Port Hudson, LA-
John T. WestbrookEnd-145Baton Rouge, LA-

† -Team Captain
Roster from Fanbase.com[2] and LSU: The Louisiana Tigers[3]

Game summaries

Centenary

1 2Total
Centenary 0 0 0
LSU 24 22 46

LSU easily defeated Centenary 460. Robertson went around right end for the first touchdown.[4] The starting lineup was Westbrook (left end), Nicholson (left tackle), Huyck (left guard), Atkinson (center), Scott (right guard), Robertson (right tackle), Slaughter (right end), Gourrier (quarterback), J. Daspit (left halfback), A. Daspit (right halfback), Lambert (fullback).[4]

Tulane

Tulane tried to use George H. Brooke (pictured).

The Tulane game of this year was forfeited during the game due to Tulane having fielded an ineligible player. At the time that the game was declared forfeit, Tulane was leading with a score of 2 to nothing. About 10 minutes into the second half, LSU was moving the ball toward the goal line when a Tulane player named Depleche was injured. The injured player was replaced by George H. Brooke. LSU ran another play and gained 5 yards before realizing the identity of this substitute Tulane player. LSU's team captain, Edwin A. Scott protested to the game's referee, Lieutenant Wall. Scott cited the rules of the SIAA and the mutual pre-game agreement between the schools as reasons that Brooke should be declared ineligible to play. Tulane's team captain, Louis J. Genella, refused to take Brooke out of the game and stated that Tulane refused to play without him. After a lengthy debate, the referee ruled that Brooke could not play, and that Tulane forfeited the game by refusing to play without him.[5]

During the debate, Tulane argued that Brooke, who was previously a two time All-American at Pennsylvania, planned to enroll as a graduate student at Tulane. Brooke refused to sign an affidavit of his intention to enroll at Tulane. Due to the forfeiture, the official score was set at LSU 6, Tulane 0. Dr. William Dudley, President of the SIAA, later ruled that the game referee was right to declare the game forfeited and that men planning to enter a school were not eligible to play. Dudley ruled that prospective players should be enrolled for two weeks before being allowed to play in a game.[6]

Ole Miss

1 2Total
LSU 6 6 12
Ole Miss 0 6 6
  • Location: Vicksburg, MS
  • Game start: 3:25 p. m.

LSU defeated Ole Miss 126. The game was "close and hard" for the first ten minutes, then LSU made a touchdown.[7] LSU scored again in the second half after continuous gains.[7] Then Ole Miss scored late, "by the hardest sort of playing".[7] The extra point attempt hit the crossbar.[7]

The starting lineup was A. Daspit (left end), Arrighi (left tackle), Huyck (left guard), Chavanne (center), Schneider (right guard), Scott (right tackle), Slaughter (right end), J. Daspit (quarterback), Schoenberger (left halfback), Gourrier (right halfback), Nicholson (fullback).[7]

Texas

1 2Total
Texas 0 0 0
LSU 10 4 14

The Cadets defeated the Texas team 140. Sam Gourrier made the first touchdown around Texas' left end.[8] The Times Picayune reported "The cadets are wild tonight over the victory".[8]

Mississippi A&M

1 2Total
Miss. A&M 0 0 0
LSU 14 38 52

The Cadets slaughtered the Mississippi Aggies 520.[9]

Southern A. C.

1 2Total
LSU 6 0 6
Southern 0 0 0
  • Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Game start: 3:00 p. m.
  • Game attendance: 500

On a cold, dreary day, LSU defeated the Southern Athletic Club 60 to secure the state championship.[10] LSU's Robertson got the deciding touchdown.[10] Rain started to pour as soon as the game ended.[10]

Postseason

LSU and Pop Warner's Georgia team tied for the SIAA title. Harper's Weekly reported that, aside from the Tulane game, the season was a very clean one. LSU played no ineligible players, was never penalized for slugging, and never complained about the officiating.[11]

References

  1. Saylor, Roger. "Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association". pg. 15.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-07-21. Retrieved 2015-07-16.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. Hardesty, Dan. "LSU: The Louisiana Tigers". The Strode Publishers. Huntsville, Alabama. 1975. P. 334-345.
  4. "Louisiana State University Cadets Defeat The Centenary College Team". The Times-Democrat. October 11, 1896. p. 12. Retrieved February 21, 2016 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Baton Rouge Wins Without Winning". The Daily Picayune. October 25, 1896. pg. 8.
  6. Hardesty, Dan. "LSU:The Louisiana Tigers". The Strode Publishers.Huntsville, Alabama. 1975. pg 24-25.
  7. "Victory For Louisiana State University". The Times-Picayune. November 14, 1896. p. 8. Retrieved February 21, 2016 via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Football". Times-Picayune. November 17, 1896. p. 8. Retrieved May 12, 2016 via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Cadets Slaughter The Mississippians". The Times-Picayune. November 21, 1896. p. 8. Retrieved February 21, 2016 via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Baton Rouge Boys State Champions". The Times-Picayune. November 29, 1896. p. 8. Retrieved February 21, 2016 via Newspapers.com.
  11. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000020241117;view=1up;seq=30;size=125
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