1923 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football team explained

Year:1923
Team:Georgia Tech Golden Tornado
Sport:football
Conference:Southern Conference
Short Conf:SoCon
Record:3–2–4
Conf Record:0–0–4
Head Coach:William Alexander
Hc Year:4th
Off Scheme:Jump shift
Captain:John McIntyre
Stadium:Grant Field
Uniform:20sgatechuniform.png

The 1923 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football team 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, and had its worst season in years.[1]

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

[2]

Game summaries

Week 1: Oglethorpe

Oglethorpe led at the half on Tech, but Tech came back to win 28 - 13.

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).

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).

Week 3: Florida

The game with the Florida Gators brought considerable interest.[3] 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).

Week 4: Georgetown

Georgetown led 10 - 0 at the half, but Tech won 20 - 10. 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).

Week 5: at Notre Dame

Rockne's Notre Dame Fighting Irish subs ran up a 35–7 score.[4] Over 20,000 fans were in attendance.[5] 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).[6]

Week 6: Alabama

In a driving rain, Tech and Alabama under first year coach Wallace Wade played to a scoreless tie.[7]

Week 7: at Penn State

Penn State beat Georgia Tech 7 - 0.[8] The Atlanta Constitutions Paul Warwick protested "these eastern and western invasions."[9]

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).[10]

Week 8: Kentucky

Tech used every backfield man in a 3 - 3 tie to Kentucky.

Week 9: Auburn

In awfully muddy conditions, Auburn and Tech fought to a scoreless tie.[11]

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 parentheses. The chart mimics the offense after the jump shift has taken place.

References

Notes and References

  1. News: Georgia Tech Suffers Worst Season In Years. The Ogden Standard-Examiner. 7. December 3, 1923. January 2, 2017. Newspapers.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20170103094213/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8134929/the_ogden_standardexaminer/. January 3, 2017. live.
  2. Web site: 1923 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Schedule and Results. 2019-10-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20181211035525/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/georgia-tech/1923-schedule.html. 2018-12-11. live.
  3. News: Game's For The Sake. Lawrence Perry. Harrisburg Telegraph. 19. October 12, 1934. September 8, 2015. Newspapers.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20160819040339/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3148482/harrisburg_telegraph/. August 19, 2016. live.
  4. Web site: Archived copy . 2016-05-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151018165321/http://www.archives.nd.edu/Alumnus/VOL_0002/VOL_0002_ISSUE_0002.pdf . 2015-10-18 . live .
  5. Book: Heisler, Karen Croake. Fighting Irish: Legends, Lists, and Lore. registration. 66. 1 January 2006. Sports Publishing LLC. Internet Archive.
  6. News: How the Irish Whipped the South. 10. The Fort Wayne Sentinel. October 29, 1923. January 2, 2017. Newspapers.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20170103170735/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8134802/the_fort_wayne_sentinel/. January 3, 2017. live.
  7. Web site: Archived copy . 2016-05-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170222065203/http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/alab/graphics/docs/23-m-footbl-recaps.pdf . 2017-02-22 . live .
  8. Web site: 1923-11-10 – Georgia Tech at Penn State - Georgia Tech Ticket Stubs. 2017-01-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20170103165337/http://georgiatechticketstubs.com/collection/1920s/1923-season/1923-11-10-georgia-tech-at-penn-state/. 2017-01-03. live.
  9. Book: Oriard, Michael. King Football: Sport and Spectacle in the Golden Age of Radio and Newsreels, Movies and Magazines, the Weekly and the Daily Press. 15 December 2005. Univ of North Carolina Press. 9780807864036. Google Books.
  10. News: Penn State Grid Teams Wins Over Georgia, 7 to 0. 44. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. November 11, 1923. January 2, 2017. Newspapers.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20170103094252/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8135021/the_brooklyn_daily_eagle/. January 3, 2017. live.
  11. Web site: 1923-11-29 – Georgia Tech vs. Auburn - Georgia Tech Ticket Stubs. 2016-05-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20160609170319/http://georgiatechticketstubs.com/collection/1920s/1923-season/1923-11-29-georgia-tech-vs-auburn-season/. 2016-06-09. live.