1931 Tulane Green Wave football team
The 1931 Tulane Green Wave football team represented the Tulane Green Wave of Tulane University during the 1931 Southern Conference football season. The team posted an undefeated regular season, but lost in the Rose Bowl to national champion USC. It is one of the best teams in school history.[1][2]
| 1931 Tulane Green Wave football | |
|---|---|
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SoCon champion | |
| Conference | Southern Conference |
| 1931 record | 11–1 (8–0 SoCon) |
| Head coach | Bernie Bierman (5th season) |
| Offensive scheme | Single wing |
| Captain | Jerry Dalrymple |
| Home stadium | Tulane Stadium (Capacity: 35,000) |
| 1931 Southern Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tulane $ | 8 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 11 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee | 6 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 9 | – | 0 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alabama | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maryland | 4 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 8 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky | 4 | – | 2 | – | 2 | 5 | – | 2 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LSU | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 3 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duke | 3 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Auburn | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sewanee | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanderbilt | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Carolina | 2 | – | 3 | – | 3 | 4 | – | 3 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington and Lee | 2 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Florida | 2 | – | 4 | – | 2 | 2 | – | 6 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia Tech | 2 | – | 4 | – | 1 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VMI | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NC State | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VPI | 1 | – | 4 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 4 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clemson | 1 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 6 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ole Miss | 1 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Virginia | 0 | – | 5 | – | 1 | 2 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi A&M | 0 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Before the season
Jerry Dalrymple was elected captain.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 26 | Ole Miss | W 31–0 | |
| October 3 | Texas A&M* |
| W 7–0 |
| October 10 | at Spring Hill* |
| W 40–0 |
| October 17 | at Vanderbilt |
| W 19–0 |
| October 24 | Georgia Tech |
| W 33–0 |
| October 31 | Mississippi A&M |
| W 59–7 |
| November 7 | vs. Auburn | W 27–0 | |
| November 14 | at Georgia | W 20–7 | |
| November 21 | Sewanee |
| W 40–0 |
| November 28 | LSU |
| W 34–7 |
| December 5 | Washington State* |
| W 28–14 |
| January 1, 1932 | vs. USC* | L 12–21 | |
| |||
Season summary
Ole Miss
Tulane opened the season with a 31–0 victory over Ole Miss. The starting lineup was DeColigny (left end), Cunningham (left tackle), Calhoun (left guard), Lodrigues (center), Scafide (right guard), Upton (right tackle), Dalrymple (right end), Dawson (quarterback), Glover (left halfback), Zimmerman (right halfback), Felts (fullback).[4]
Texas A&M
In the second week of play, Tulane defeated Texas A&M 7–0. The starting lineup was DeColigny (left end), Cunningham (left tackle), Calhoun (left guard), Lodrigues (center), Scafide (right guard), Upton (right tackle), Dalrymple (right end), Dawson (quarterback), Glover (left halfback), Zimmerman (right halfback), Felts (fullback).[5]
Spring Hill
The Spring Hill College Badgers lost to Tulane 40–0 .
Vanderbilt
Against Vanderbilt, Tulane won 19–0.
Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech was beaten 33–0.
Mississippi A&M
Mississippi A&M was beaten 59–7. The starting lineup was Haynes (left end), Bankston (left tackle), Scafide (left guard), Lodrigues (center), Calhoun (right guard), Upton (right tackle), Dalrymple (right end), Richardson (quarterback), Roberts (left halfback), Hodgins (right halfback), Lemmon (fullback).[6]
Auburn
Don Zimmerman eclipsed 100 yards rushing in the 27–0 defeat of Auburn. Felts scored three touchdowns.[7]
Georgia
|
Tulane defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 20–7. Tulane scored first on a 33-yard pass from Zimmerman to Vernon Haynes.[8] Nollie Felts plunged in from the 1-yard line for the next touchdown.[8] A pass from Georgia's Homey Key to Buster Mott netted 60 yards and a touchdown.[8] After a botched punt, a double pass play led to Payne sprinting around left end for Tulane's final score.[8]
Sewanee
Tulane shut out the Sewanee Tigers 40–0 .
LSU
Tulane defeated rival LSU 34–7. The starting lineup was Haynes (left end), DeColigny (left tackle), Scafide (left guard), Lodrigues (center), McCormick (right guard), Upton (right tackle), Dalrymple (right end), Dawson (quarterback), Zimmerman (left halfback), Glover (right halfback), Felts (fullback).[9]
Washington State
Tulane had an intersectional victory to close the regular season, over Washington State 28–14 .
Postseason
Rose Bowl
|
Tulane lost in the Rose Bowl to Southern California by a 21–12 score. The Trojans had six All-Americans in their lineup: tackle Ernie Smith, guards Johnny Baker and Aaron "Rosy" Rosenberg, halfback Erny Pinckert and quarterbacks Orville Mohler and Gaius Shaver.[10]
Down 21 to 0 in the third quarter, Zimmerman led a running attack which ended with a 6-yard pass to Haynes for the score. Tulane's other score was a run by "Wop" Glover set up by 11 and 15 yard passes from Zimmerman to Jerry Dalrymple.[11] Tulane still managed a Rose Bowl record for yardage gained.[12]
Awards and honors
One article which attempts to retroactively name Heisman Trophy winners before 1936 named Dalrymple as the recipient for 1931.[13] He was the season's only unanimous All-American; and is still the only unanimous All-American in school history.
Felts was elected next year's captain. [14]
Players
Line
| Light jersey number |
Dark jersey number |
Player | Position | Games started |
Hometown | Prep school | Height | Weight | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 73 | Thomas Cunningham | tackle | Pine Bluff, Arkansas | 220 | ||||
| 33 | 55 | Jerry Dalrymple | end | Arkadelphia, Arkansas | Ouachita Junior College | 5'10" | 178 | ||
| 35 | 57 | Calvert DeColigny | end | New Orleans | 185 | ||||
| 24 | 40 | William Drawe | end | New Orleans | 170 | ||||
| 38 | 70 | William Featherngill | tackle | Independence, Kansas | 200 | ||||
| 19 | 62 | Vernon Haynes | end | Arkansas City, Arkansas | 170 | ||||
| 39 | 74 | Doyless Hill | center | Sand Springs, Oklahoma | 200 | ||||
| 30 | 54 | Winnie Lodrigues | center | Patterson | 180 | ||||
| 20 | 46 | Doyle Magee | end | Franklinton | 175 | ||||
| 34 | 53 | John McCormick | guard | Monroe | 171 | ||||
| 23 | 47 | William Penney | guard | Guatemala City, C. A. | 180 | ||||
| 36 | 59 | John Read | center | Picayune, Mississippi | 195 | ||||
| 42 | 72 | John Scafide | guard | Bay St. Louis, Mississippi | St. Stanislaus College | 6'0" | 210 | ||
| 43 | 66 | Claggert Upton | tackle | New Orleans | 206 | ||||
| 31 | 64 | Sam Zemurray | tackle | New Orleans | 195 | ||||
Backfield
| Light jersey number |
Dark jersey number |
Player | Position | Games started |
Hometown | Prep school | Height | Weight | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | 43 | Red Dawson | quarterback | River Falls, Wisconsin | 165 | ||||
| 37 | 63 | Nollie Felts | fullback | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | Southern Miss | 185 | |||
| 10 | 38 | Wop Glover | halfback | Bay St. Louis, Mississippi | St. Stanislaus College | 165 | |||
| 12 | 39 | George Haik | halfback | Bogalusa | 165 | ||||
| 27 | 41 | James Hodgins | halfback | Shreveport | 165 | ||||
| 17 | 60 | Harold Lemmon | fullback | Patterson | 186 | ||||
| 29 | 52 | Francis Payne | fullback | Winterville, Mississippi | 175 | ||||
| 14 | 49 | Will Pat Richardson | quarterback | Ponchatoula | 165 | ||||
| 25 | 42 | Edward Tschirn | halfback | New Orleans | 165 | ||||
| 18 | 44 | Don Zimmerman | halfback | Lake Charles | 5'11" | 176 |
References
- "Year-By-Year Summaries (1930s) – TulaneGreenWave.com – Tulane Athletics".
- "Rose Bowl-Bound - Louisiana Life - September-October 2011 - New Orleans, LA".
- "1931 Tulane Green Wave Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com".
- "Tulane University Football Program-The Greenie; Tulane vs. Ole Miss :: Tulane University Football Programs". Archived from the original on 2017-01-09. Retrieved 2017-01-08.
- "Tulane University Football Program-The Greenie; Tulane vs. Texas A.&M. :: Tulane University Football Programs". Archived from the original on 2017-01-09. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-01-09. Retrieved 2017-01-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "The Scourge of Dixie" (PDF). College Football Historical Society. 9 (1). November 1995. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
- http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/CFHSN/CFHSNv03/CFHSNv03n3c.pdf
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-01-09. Retrieved 2017-01-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Rose Bowl Game Timeline Archived 2008-05-20 at the Wayback Machine, Pasadena Tournament of Roses
- "The Scourge of Dixie" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04.
- Dixon, Dave. The Saints, Superdome, and the Scandal. Pelican Publishing. p. 172. ISBN 1455611565.
- Mike Beacom. "Who would have won the Heisman from 1900-1934".
- "Tulane Conducts Probe of Felts". The Evening Independent. October 4, 1932. p. 6.