1917 Florida Gators football team

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1917 Florida Gators football
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record2–4 (1–3 SIAA)
Head coach
CaptainArtie Fuller, Rowdy Bill Wilkinson
Home stadiumUniversity Athletic Field
Seasons
← 1916
1918 →
1917 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Georgia Tech $ 4 – 0 – 0 9 – 0 – 0
Auburn 5 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 1
Clemson 5 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Centre 1 – 0 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
Mississippi A&M 3 – 1 – 0 6 – 1 – 0
Alabama 3 – 1 – 1 5 – 2 – 1
Sewanee 4 – 2 – 1 5 – 2 – 1
Tulane 2 – 1 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Vanderbilt 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
LSU 2 – 3 – 0 3 – 5 – 0
South Carolina 2 – 3 – 0 3 – 5 – 0
Wofford 1 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Furman 1 – 3 – 0 3 – 5 – 0
Florida 1 – 3 – 0 2 – 4 – 0
Ole Miss 1 – 4 – 0 1 – 4 – 1
Howard (AL) 0 – 2 – 1 3 – 3 – 1
The Citadel 0 – 2 – 0 3 – 3 – 0
Mississippi College 0 – 4 – 0 0 – 5 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • There were several SIAA schools that did not field a team due to World War I.

The 1917 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1917 college football season. The season was Alfred L. Buser's first of three as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. The 1917 season was a disappointment; the team completed their football season with an SIAA conference record of 1–3[1] and an overall record of 2–4.[2]

Before the season

Coach Buser was a former

All-American lineman for the Wisconsin Badgers, and promised to bring a Midwestern power football style of play to revive the Gators after the winless 1916 season.[3] Captain "Rowdy Bill" Wilkinson was the team's only returning letterman.[4]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResult
October 13South Carolina
W 21–13
October 20
Tulane
  • Fleming Field
  • Gainesville, FL
L 0–52
October 27
Florida Southern
*
  • Fleming Field
  • Gainesville, FL
W 19–7
November 3at Auburn
L 0–68
November 17vs. Clemson
L 7–55
November 29at Kentucky*
L 0–52
  • *Non-conference game

[2]

Game summaries

South Carolina

South Carolina at Florida
1 234Total
South Carolina 0 706 13
• Florida 0 0210 21
  • Date: October 13
  • Location:
    Gainesville, FL
  • Referee: Street (W&L)

On opening day, Florida came from behind with three touchdowns in the third quarter to beat South Carolina 21–13.[3]

The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wurtrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Wells (center), Swink (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).[3]

Tulane

Tulane at Florida
1 234Total
• Tulane 7 20186 51
Florida 0 000 0

Tulane overwhelmed the Gators 52–0,[5] several times skirting the ends for long gains.[6] The Gators were frequently penalized for offsides and hurdling.[6]

The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wurtrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Wells (center), Otto (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).[5]

Florida Southern

Florida Southern at Florida
1 234Total
Southern 0 070 7
• Florida 6 067 19
  • Date: October 27
  • Location:
    Gainesville, FL
  • Referee: Ted Arnold

The Gators extended their winning streak over the

Florida Southern to four games, winning 19–7.[7] After the first ten minutes, Florida replaced its backfield with second-string men.[7]

The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wutrich (left tackle), Swink (left guard), Dye (center), Cornell (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Marshall (left halfback), Leifeste (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).[7]

Auburn

Florida at Auburn
1 234Total
Florida 0 000 0
• Auburn 14 192114 68
  • Date: November 6
  • Location:
    Auburn, AL
  • Referee: Tom Dutton

Florida endured its sixth-straight loss to coach Mike Donahue's Auburn team. The Plainsmen had their biggest win on the season over Florida, 68–0.[8]

The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wutrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Dye (center), Otto (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Fernald (fullback).[8]

Clemson

Clemson at Florida
1 234Total
• Clemson 21 7207 55
Florida 0 007 7

Clemson defeated the Gators 55–7.[9] Florida's only score came on a forward pass, Loomis to Thomas.[9]

The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wutrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Dye (center), Otto (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Loomis (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).[9]

Kentucky

Florida at Kentucky
1 234Total
Florida 0 000 0
• Kentucky 13 13206 52
  • Date: November 29
  • Location:
    Lexington, KY
  • Referee: Swain (Dickerson)

On Thanksgiving, in the school's first-ever game against the Kentucky Wildcats, Florida lost 52–0.[11] Kentucky used its substitutes by the second half.[12]

The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wuthrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Dye (center), Gunn (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Loomis (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Fernald (fullback).[11]

Personnel

Line

Player Position Games
started 		Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
Cutie Brannon Tackle 6
Gainesville
 5'7" 170 21
Gordon Clemmons End 6
Plant City
 5'10" 140 19
Harvey Connell Guard 6
Orlando
 6'0" 180 19
Colonel Dye Center 4
Bradentown
 5'11" 170 19
Rat Paul Hayman End
Punta Gorda
 5'7" 150 21
P. C. Swink Guard, tackle 2
Spartanburg, SC
 5'10" 155 20
Clarence Thomas End 6 Gainesville 5'11" 160 18
Fats Wuthrich Tackle 6
Brewster
 5'8" 170 20

Backfield

Player Position Games
started 		Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
Heinie Ball Halfback 5
Sanford
 5'5" 155 20
Billy Canova Quarterback
Lake City
 5'6" 150 19
Fernie Fernald Fullback 2
Tarpon Springs
 5'9" 155 18
Horace Loomis Quarterback 2 Plant City 5'9" 135 19
Alf Marshall Halfback 1
Clearwater
 5'7" 145 21
Rowdy Bill Wilkinson Halfback 5 Gainesville 5'8" 145 25

Coaching staff

  • Head coach: Al Buser
  • Manager: W. E. Stone
  • Assistant managers: E. B. Casler, J. W. Dalton[13]

References

  1. ^ Roger Saylor, "Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Archived 2011-05-23 at the Wayback Machine," College Football Historical Society, The LA84 Foundation (1993). Retrieved September 11, 2010.
  2. ^ a b 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 107 (2015). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d "Gators Smash Carolina Defense And Win Brilliant 21-13 Victory". The Florida Alligator. October 17, 1917.
  4. ^ University of Florida 1918, p. 73
  5. ^ a b c "Tulane Swamps The Alligators". The Florida Alligator. October 24, 1917.
  6. ^
    Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ a b c d "Southern Puts Up A Stiff Fight But Gators Prove Too Strong". The Florida Alligator. October 31, 1917.
  8. ^ a b c "Auburn Had Little Trouble Defeating The Light Gator Eleven". The Florida Alligator. November 7, 1917.
  9. ^ a b c d Roy L. Bishop (November 21, 1917). "Superior Weight of Clemson Eleven Enabled Them To Defeat Florida Team". The Florida Alligator.
  10. Newspapers.com Open access icon
    .
  11. ^ a b c "Florida Loses To Kentucky 52-0". The Florida Alligator. December 5, 1917.
  12. Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  13. ^ University of Florida 1918, pp. 72–77

Bibliography

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