1923 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football team
The 1923 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football team[note 1] represented the Georgia Tech Golden Tornado of the Georgia Institute of Technology during the 1923 college football season. Tech had ties in every one of its conference games.
| 1923 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Southern Conference |
| 1923 record | 3–2–4 (0–0–4 SoCon) |
| Head coach | William Alexander (4th season) |
| Offensive scheme | Jump shift |
| Home stadium | Grant Field |
Uniform | |
 | |
| 1923 Southern Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington & Lee + | 4 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanderbilt * + | 3 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VPI | 4 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alabama | 4 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maryland | 2 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Florida | 1 | – | 0 | – | 2 | 6 | – | 1 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Carolina | 2 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi A&M | 2 | – | 1 | – | 2 | 5 | – | 2 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tulane | 2 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clemson | 1 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia Tech | 0 | – | 0 | – | 4 | 3 | – | 2 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NC State | 1 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Auburn | 0 | – | 1 | – | 3 | 3 | – | 3 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky | 0 | – | 2 | – | 2 | 4 | – | 3 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Virginia | 0 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LSU | 0 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ole Miss | 0 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 0 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Before the season
Tech used a starting backfield, including sophomore Doug Wycoff, and a "pony backfield" full of smaller, fast substitutes such as Jerry Albright and Frank Harris.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 29 | Oglethorpe* | W 28–13 | |||
| October 6 | VMI* |
| W 10–7 | ||
| October 13 | Florida |
| T 7–7 | 12,000 | |
| October 20 | Georgetown* |
| W 20–10 | ||
| October 27 | at Notre Dame* | L 7–35 | 20,000+ | ||
| November 3 | Alabama |
| T 0–0 | 10,000 | |
| November 10 | 2:30 p. m. | at Penn State* | L 0–7 | ||
| November 17 | Kentucky |
| T 3–3 | ||
| November 29 | Auburn |
| T 0–0 | ||
| |||||
Season summary
Week 1: Oglethorpe
|
Oglethorpe led at the half on Tech, but Tech came back to win 28–13.[4]
The starting lineup was: Staton (left end), Carpenter (left tackle), McIntyre (left guard), Frye (center), McConnell (right guard), Usry (right tackle), Gardner (right end), Carter (quarterback), Hunt (left halfback), Reeves (right halfback), Wycoff (fullback).[5]
Week 2: VMI
Tech beat VMI 10–7. Both teams touchdowns came on interceptions. The starting lineup was: Staton (left end), Merkle (left tackle), McConnell (left guard), Frye (center), McIntyre (right guard), Usry (right tackle), Gardner (right end), I. Williams (quarterback), Hunt (left halfback), Reeves (right halfback), Wycoff (fullback).[6]
Week 3: Florida
|
The game with the Florida Gators brought considerable interest.[7] In front of 12,000 at Grant Field, the Gators were up 7 to 0 until a rush of substitutes in the fourth quarter got the Yellow Jackets the tying score.
The starting lineup was: Staton (left end), Merkle (left tackle), McIntyre (left guard), Frye (center), McConnell (right guard), Usry (right tackle), Gardner (right end), Carter (quarterback), Hunt (left halfback), Farnsworth (right halfback), Wycoff (fullback).[8]
Week 4: Georgetown
|
Georgetown led 10–0 at the half, but Tech won 20–10.[9] The starting lineup was: Staton (left end), Merkle (left tackle), McIntyre (left guard), Frye (center), McConnell (right guard), Huffines (right tackle), Gardner (right end), Hunt (quarterback), Williams (left halfback), Reeves (right halfback), Wycoff (fullback).[9]
Week 5: at Notre Dame
|
Rockne's Notre Dame Fighting Irish subs ran up a 35–7 score.[10] Over 20,000 fans were in attendance.[11] The starting lineup was: Staton (left end), Merrin (left tackle), McIntyre (left guard), Frye (center), McConnell (right guard), Huffines (right tackle), Gardner (right end), Hunt (quarterback), Albright (left halfback), Reeves (right halfback), Wycoff (fullback)[12]
Week 6: Alabama
|
In a driving rain, Tech and Alabama under first year coach Wallace Wade played to a scoreless tie.[13]
Week 7: at Penn State
|
Penn State beat Georgia Tech 7–0.[14] The Atlanta Constitution's Paul Warwick protested "these eastern and western invasions."[15]
The starting lineup was: Staton (left end), Usry (left tackle), McIntyre (left guard), Frye (center), McConnell (right guard), Huffines (right tackle), Gardner (right end), Davis (quarterback), Williams (left halfback), Reeves (right halfback), Wycoff (fullback).[16]
Week 8: Kentucky
Tech used every backfield man in a 3–3 tie to Kentucky.[17]
Postseason
Tech had its worst season in years.[19]
Personnel
Depth chart
The following chart provides a visual depiction of Tech's lineup during the 1923 season with games started at the position reflected in parenthesis. The chart mimics the offense after the jump shift has taken place.
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Notes
- Although Georgia Tech's teams are officially known as the "Yellow Jackets", northern writers called the team the "Golden Tornado" in 1917; the name was commonly used until 1928 and for many years afterwards as an alternate nickname.[1] It may have been coined by Morgan Blake.[2]
Endnotes
- Van Brimmer & Rice 2011, p. 147
- "Golden Tornadoes". Archived from the original on April 30, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
- "1923 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Schedule and Results". Archived from the original on 2018-12-11. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
- Woodruff 1928, pp. 232–233
- Woodruff 1928, p. 234
- Woodruff 1928, p. 238
- Lawrence Perry (October 12, 1934). "Game's For The Sake". Harrisburg Telegraph. p. 19. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- Woodruff 1928, p. 243
- Woodruff 1928, pp. 246–247
- "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-10-18. Retrieved 2016-05-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Heisler, Karen Croake (1 January 2006). Fighting Irish: Legends, Lists, and Lore. Sports Publishing LLC. p. 66 – via Internet Archive.
- "How the Irish Whipped the South". The Fort Wayne Sentinel. October 29, 1923. p. 10. Archived from the original on January 3, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-02-22. Retrieved 2016-05-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "1923-11-10 – Georgia Tech at Penn State - Georgia Tech Ticket Stubs". Archived from the original on 2017-01-03. Retrieved 2017-01-02.
- Oriard, Michael (15 December 2005). "King Football: Sport and Spectacle in the Golden Age of Radio and Newsreels, Movies and Magazines, the Weekly and the Daily Press". Univ of North Carolina Press – via Google Books.
- "Penn State Grid Teams Wins Over Georgia, 7 to 0". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. November 11, 1923. p. 44. Archived from the original on January 3, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- Woodruff 1928, pp. 266–267
- "1923-11-29 – Georgia Tech vs. Auburn - Georgia Tech Ticket Stubs". Archived from the original on 2016-06-09. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
- "Georgia Tech Suffers Worst Season In Years". The Ogden Standard-Examiner. December 3, 1923. p. 7. Archived from the original on January 3, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
References
- Van Brimmer, Adam; Rice, Homer (2011). 100 Things Yellow Jackets Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN 978-1-61749-703-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. 2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)