1921 Georgia Bulldogs football team

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1921 Georgia Bulldogs football
SIAA co-champion
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record7–2–1 (6–0–1 SIAA)
Head coach
CaptainOwen Reynolds
Home stadiumSanford Field
Uniform
Seasons
← 1920
1922 →
1921 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Centre + 5 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
Georgia + 6 – 0 – 1 7 – 2 – 1
Georgia Tech + 5 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
Vanderbilt + 5 – 0 – 1 7 – 0 – 1
Tennessee 4 – 1 – 1 6 – 2 – 1
Florida 4 – 1 – 2 6 – 3 – 2
Mississippi College 3 – 1 – 1 7 – 2 – 1
Sewanee 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Transylvania 2 – 1 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
LSU 2 – 1 – 1 6 – 1 – 1
South Carolina 2 – 1 – 1 5 – 1 – 2
Furman 4 – 2 – 1 7 – 2 – 1
Auburn 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Mississippi A&M 2 – 3 – 1 4 – 4 – 1
Tulane 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Alabama 2 – 4 – 2 5 – 4 – 2
Oglethorpe 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Chattanooga 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
The Citadel 1 – 2 – 1 3 – 3 – 2
Kentucky 1 – 3 – 1 4 – 3 – 1
Ole Miss 1 – 4 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Howard (AL) 1 – 4 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Mercer 1 – 5 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Louisville 0 – 1 – 0 2 – 2 – 1
Wofford 0 – 2 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Georgetown (KY) 0 – 3 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Millsaps 0 – 3 – 0 1 – 5 – 1
Clemson 0 – 5 – 2 1 – 6 – 2
  • + – Conference co-champions

The 1921 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia during the 1921 college football season. This was the team's second season under the guidance of head coach Herman Stegeman. The Bulldogs had a 7–2–1 record,[1] and were also co-champion of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association[citation needed]: co-champions Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt were also undefeated. Vanderbilt tied Georgia with an onside kick in their game which decided conference title.[2] The Bulldogs' only two losses came against two of the football powerhouses of the day, Eastern schools Harvard and Dartmouth.

All season, not a single team scored through its

line, which was the greatest in the South,[3] and featured four All-Southern players.[4] Guard Hugh Whelchel was selected a third-team All-American by Walter Camp
.

Before the season

On the line with Whelchel were

center Bum Day. According to Patrick Garbin, "Prior to the 1960s, Bennett is likely Georgia's most outstanding tackle."[5]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendance
October 1Mercer
W 28–0
October 8Furman
  • Sanford Field
  • Athens, GA
W 27–7
October 15at Harvard*
L 7–1025,000
October 22Oglethorpe
  • Sanford Field
  • Athens, GA
W 14–0
October 29vs. Auburn
W 7–0
November 5Virginia*
  • Sanford Field
  • Athens, GA
W 21–0
November 12at
Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN (rivalry
    • )    		T 7–7
    November 19vs. Alabama
    		W 22–0
    November 24Clemson
    		W 28–0
    November 26vs. Dartmouth*
    		L 0–7
    • *Non-conference game

    Game summaries

    Mercer

    The season opened with a 28–0 defeat of Josh Cody's Mercer Baptists. The starting lineup was O. Reynolds (left end), Bennett (left tackle), Whelchel (left guard), Day (center), Anthony (right guard), Pew (right tackle), Murray (right end), Pierce (quarterback), Reynolds (left halfback), Spicer (right halfback), and Collings (fullback)[6]

    Furman

    In the second week of play, Georgia beat Furman 27–7. Jim Tom Reynolds provided the feature play when he returned an interception 40 yards to set up a touchdown.[7]

    The starting lineup was Reynolds (left end), Bennett (left tackle), Whelchel (left guard), Day (center), Anthony (right guard), Pew (right tackle), Murray (right end), Randall (quarterback), Fletcher (left halfback), Spicer (right halfback), Tanner (fullback).[7]

    At Harvard

    Georgia at Harvard
    1 234Total
    Georgia 0 007 7
    • Harvard 7 300 10

    The Bulldogs traveled north and were defeated by the eastern power Harvard Crimson 10–7. They were the first team all season to score on the Crimson. Harvard won by a blocked punt recovery and a drop kicked field goal.[8] A triple pass from Collings to Jim Reynolds to Dick Hartley in the final period got Georgia's touchdown.[8][9]

    The starting lineup was O. Reynolds (left end), Bennett (left tackle), Whelchel (left guard), Day (center), Anthony (right guard), Pew (right tackle), Murray (right end), Randall (quarterback), Fletcher (left halfback), Hartley (right halfback), and Spicer (fullback).[8]

    Oglethorpe

    Georgia easily defeated the in-state Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels 14–0.[10] The starting lineup was Bennett (left end), Colley (left tackle), Whelchel (left guard), Boney (center), Vandiver (right guard), Williams (right tackle), Richardson (right end), Pearce (quarterback), Clark (left halfback), Thompson (right halfback), Tanner (fullback).[11]

    Auburn

    Auburn at Georgia
    1 234Total
    Auburn 0 000 0
    • Georgia 0 007 7

    Georgia beat the heavily favored Auburn team 7–0 when Teany Randall scored in the final period.[13]

    The starting lineup was Reynolds (left end), Bennett (left tackle), Whelchel (left guard), Day (center), Anthony (right guard), Pew (right tackle), P. Bennett (right end), Randall (quarterback), Hartley (left halfback), Spicer (right halfback), Fletcher (fullback).[12]

    Virginia

    The Bulldogs shutout the Virginia Orange and Blue 21–0. UVA presented Georgia with a memorial tablet to Richard Von Albade Gammon.[14]

    The starting lineup was Reynolds (left end), Bennett (left tackle), Whelchel (left guard), Day (center), Anthony (right guard), Pew (right tackle), Murray (right end), Collings (quarterback), Hartley (left halfback), J. Reynolds (right halfback), Tanner (fullback).[14]

    At Vanderbilt

    Georgia at Vanderbilt
    1 234Total
    Georgia 0 700 7
    Vanderbilt 0 007 7

    In the seventh week of play, the Bulldogs faced the

    Birmingham News sports editor "Zipp" Newman wrote weeks before the game, "Stegeman has a powerful team and with all the regulars in the game, the team has a chance of going through the season undefeated unless it be Vanderbilt that stops her".[19]

    Vanderbilt's record against Georgia was 6–1; Georgia's only win was 4–0, in 1898, and the all-time score was 184–4 in favor of the Commodores.[20] The Bulldogs were favored to win their first meeting since 1912.[21] In the first quarter, both teams were evenly matched. The Commodores had their best chance to score when Thomas Ryan beat the defense, but he dropped Jess Neely's pass.[16] Vanderbilt had another chance to score when a Georgia field goal was blocked by Lynn Bomar and picked up by Tot McCullough, who was caught from behind before he could score.[16]

    Vanderbilt tying the score

    In the second quarter, Georgia outplayed Vanderbilt. The Commodores had two first downs in the first half, both because of Bulldog penalties.[15] A Commodore punt was returned 15 yards by Georgia to the Vanderbilt 30-yard line,[22] and the Bulldogs completed an 18-yard pass from Dick Hartley to halfback Jim Tom Reynolds[16][23] on Vanderbilt's 12-yard line. After three short gains, Hartley advanced five yards and Vanderbilt was penalized for being offside. Jim Reynolds, gaining a yard or so, went over for the touchdown with a counter on the following series; the close call was disputed.[22] At the end of the half, Georgia had gained 113 yards to Vanderbilt's nine.[3]

    The teams were as evenly matched in the third quarter as they had been in the first, with Vanderbilt gaining only two first downs.[24] Soon after the start of the fourth quarter[25] Neely intercepted a pass, weaving for a 25-yard return to Georgia's 40-yard line.[26] Two long pass attempts failed, and Thomas Ryan lined up to punt. Rupert Smith sneaked in behind Ryan, rushing to recover the 25-yard onside kick from scrimmage. Smith jumped up to get the ball from a horde of Bulldogs after they let it bounce, and raced for a 15-yard touchdown.[24][27] After he added an extra point, the game ended in a 7–7 tie.[n 1]

    Lynn Bomar's play as a

    Nashville Tennessean sportswriter Blinkey Horn, "Georgia would have trampled Vanderbilt to atoms but for Lynn Bomar ... [who] was the stellar performer of the game. In the first-half he made two-thirds of the tackles";[27] Bomar stopped five Georgia touchdowns that day. Tom Ryan's punting was also key to keeping the game close, despite the Bulldogs' 18 first downs.[24] The starting lineup was O. Reynolds (left end), Bennett (left tackle), Whelchel (left guard), Day (center), Vandiver (right guard), Pew (right tackle), Murray (right end), J. Reynolds (quarterback), Randall (left halfback), Thompson (right halfback), and Collings (fullback).[15][29][30]

    Alabama

    Alabama at Georgia
    1 234Total
    Alabama 0 000 0
    • Georgia 7 0015 22

    On a muddy Ponce de Leon Park, Georgia handily defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 22–0. Jim Reynolds scored first for Georgia. After Whelchel blocked a Charles Bartlett punt, Bartlett fell on it for a safety. After another punt block, Day recovered the ball deep in Alabama territory, and eventually Spicer ran in a touchdown. In the fourt quarter, the Bulldogs had an 80-yard touchdown drive. Randall and Spicer made 20 yards on end runs, and pass from Hartley to Randall netted 30 yards, down to the 3-yard line, from where Randall scored.[32]

    The starting lineup was O. Reynolds (left end), Bennett (left tackle), Whelchel (left guard), Day (center), Anthony (right guard), Pew (right tackle), P. Bennett (right end), Fitts (quarterback), Thompson (left halfback), Spicer (right halfback), and Collings (fullback).[31][33]

    Clemson

    Clemson was beaten 28–0. The starting lineup was O. Reynolds (left end), Bennett (left tackle), Whelchel (left guard), Day (center), Anthony (right guard), Pew (right tackle), P. Bennett (right end), Randall (quarterback), Hartley (left halfback), Spicer (right halfback), and Tanner (fullback).[34]

    Dartmouth

    Dartmouth at Georgia
    1 234Total
    • Dartmouth 0 700 7
    Georgia 0 000 0
    • Date: November 26
    • Location:
      Grant Field
      Atlanta

    Georgia was beaten by eastern power Dartmouth 7–0. Dartmouth scored on a 64-yard forward pass that went 44 in the air, from Jim Robertson to Lynch.[35] Dick Hartley fumbled twice.[36]

    Postseason

    Whelchel was elected captain for next year.

    Players

    Varsity letterwinners

    Line

    Player Position Games
    started     		Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
    Thurston Anthony tackle
    Joe Bennett tackle Statesboro, Georgia 180 20
    Sam Boney center
    Bum Day center Nashville, Georgia Porter Military Academy 5'10" 190 23
    Ike Joselove center
    Artie Pew tackle Damascus, Georgia 195 23
    Owen Reynolds end Douglasville, Georgia 6'3" 180
    Jim Taylor tackle Hazlehurst, Georgia
    Nemo Vandiver guard
    Hugh Whelchel guard Dahlonega, Georgia 200 21

    Backfield

    Player Position Games
    started     		Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
    Dave Collings halfback
    John H. Fletcher
    		 fullback Tifton, Georgia 200
    Dick Hartley halfback Fort Valley, Georgia
    Dick Mulvehill quarterback
    Teany Randall halfback
    Jim Tom Reynolds halfback

    Unlisted

    Player Position Games
    started     		Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
    Paul Anderson
    Jacob Butler
    Hervey Cleckley
    Dan Post
    Sam Richardson
    James D. Thomason

    Notes

    1. ^ One source credits Vanderbilt with the first successful onside kick in the history of football,[28] despite the fact the onside kick was legalized in 1906, and the first one in the South was executed by Auburn against Georgia in 1896.

    References

    1. ^ "1921 Georgia Bulldogs Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
    2. Newspapers.com. Open access icon
    3. ^ a b Fred Russell and Maxwell Edward Benson. Fifty Years of Vanderbilt Football. "1921-Wallace Wade Hired As Assistant". Nashville, Tennessee, 1938, p. 39
    4. ^ Camp, Walter, ed. National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Rules: Official Intercollegiate Football Guide. 45 Rose St, New York: American Sports, 1922. Print. Spalding's Athletic Library.
    5. ISBN 9780810860407
      .
    6. Newspapers.com. Open access icon
    7. ^ a b Woodruff 1928, pp. 147–148
    8. ^
      Newspapers.com. Open access icon
    9. ^ "Harvard Trims Georgia". Reading Eagle. October 16, 1921.
    10. Newspapers.com
      .
    11. ^ Woodruff 1928, pp. 154–155
    12. ^
      Newspapers.com. Open access icon
    13. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 158
    14. ^ a b Woodruff 1928, pp. 160–161
    15. ^ a b c Closed access icon "Commodores Tied In Last". The Columbus Ledger. November 13, 1921.
    16. ^ a b c d Closed access icon "Bulldog Eleven Is Held To Tie By The Commodores". The Macon Daily Telegraph. November 13, 1921.
    17. ^ "Many Good Games On Schedule Today" (PDF). New York Times. November 12, 1921.
    18. ^ Closed access icon C.E. Baker (November 1, 1921). "Vanderbilt To Play Bama Eleven Saturday". Macon Telegraph.
    19. ^ Closed access icon Zipp Newman (October 31, 1921). "Georgia Heeds Opportunity's Knock While Auburn Turns Deaf Ear Says Zipp Newman". The Columbus Enquirer Sun.
    20. ^ Closed access icon "Georgia Beat Vandy in '98". Columbus Ledger. November 10, 1921.
    21. ^ Closed access icon "Gridiron Gossip". Montgomery Advertiser. November 11, 1921.
    22. ^ a b Closed access icon "Vanderbilt Holds Georgia To A Tie". Dallas Morning News. November 13, 1921.
    23. ^ Closed access icon Vanderbilt Holds Georgia To 7-7 Tie Fort Worth Star Telegram November 13, 1921
    24. ^ a b c "Game With Vandy Is Tied As Novel Play Is Pulled Successful". The Red And Black. November 18, 1921. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
    25. ^ Closed access icon "Vanderbilt Ties With Bulldogs". The State (Columbia, South Carolina). November 13, 1921.
    26. ^ "Commodores Tie In Last Period". The Palm Beach Post. November 13, 1921.[permanent dead link]
    27. ^ a b Closed access icon "Georgia and Vandy Battle to a Draw". The Columbus Enquirer. November 13, 1921.
    28. ^ Bratton, Michael Wayne (January 12, 2016). "The history and evolution of the onside kick". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on February 23, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
    29. Newspapers.com. Open access icon
    30. ^ Woodruff 1928, pp. 168
    31. ^
      Newspapers.com. Open access icon
    32. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 8, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
    33. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 171
    34. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 178
    35. ^
      Newspapers.com. Open access icon
    36. ISBN 9781617490446
      .

    Additional sources

    • Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. Vol. 2.
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