1901 Michigan Wolverines football team
Encyclopedia
The 1901 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan
in the 1901 college football season
. In their first year under new head coach Fielding H. Yost, Michigan finished the season undefeated with an 11–0 record, outscored their opponents by the unprecedented total of 550 to 0, and became known as the first of Yost's famed "Point-a-Minute" teams. With a conference record of 4–0, Michigan shared the Big Ten
title with Wisconsin
, a team they did not face in 1901. The Wolverines concluded their season on January 1, 1902 by defeating Stanford
, 49–0, in the 1902 Rose Bowl
, the first college football bowl game
ever played. The 1901 Michigan Wolverines have been recognized as national champions
by the Helms Athletic Foundation
, the Houlgate System, and the National Championship Foundation.
The 1901 Michigan team featured two future College Football Hall of Fame
inductees, Neil Snow
and Willie Heston
. Snow was selected as an All-American
by Caspar Whitney
for Outing
magazine, and four Wolverines were selected for the All-Western team: Snow (fullback/end), Heston (halfback), Boss Weeks (quarterback), and Bruce Shorts
(right tackle). The team's captain was left tackle, Hugh White.
. The team finished the season undefeated, untied, and unscored upon, having prevailed in all eleven of their games by a combined score of 550 to 0. The 1901 squad was the first of five consecutive high-scoring teams that came to be known as Coach Yost's "Point-a-Minute" teams. From 1901 to 1905, Yost's teams compiled a record of 55–1–1 and outscored their opponents by a combined score of 2,821 to 42.
At the end of the 1901 season, team captain Hugh White wrote: "The fall of 1901 will go down in the history of Michigan athletics, not only as the most successful football season the University has ever had, but also as establishing the most wonderful and unique record in the history of the game." A summary of the accomplishments of the 1901 Michigan team was published in the 1902 University of Michigan yearbook under the title "Yost's Soliloquy." The accomplishments of the 1901 team included the following:
in the spring to evaluate the talent pool with which he would be working. After sizing up the players, Yost asked for early practice in the fall. On September 9, 1901, Yost and 1901 team captain Hugh White gathered a small squad of men at Whitmore Lake
; the squad grew over the next two weeks to nearly 20 players. Training continued for nearly two weeks, and "cold baths in the lake soon toughened the men." Yost worked with the players on the rudiments of the game and later recalled that, by the time they returned to Ann Arbor, "we had worked the men down into fairly good training for football work."
In addition to training, Yost spent time at Whitmore Lake evaluating his talent to fit particular positions. He soon shifted players around. He moved the team's only All-American
, Neil Snow
, from end to fullback
on offense, keeping him at right end
on defense. Yost moved Arthur Redner
from center to right guard
and George W. Gregory
to center. He also brought Willie Heston
with him from California
at the halfback
position. In a 1952 letter, Heston later recalled: "He brought to Michigan an entirely new brand of football, not known in the Big Ten nor to the Middle West. Particularly, that was true of his offense. Speed and more speed was continually emphasized. Boss Weeks was instructed to call his signal for the next play while the team was getting up from the last play."
Team captain White recalled the time at Whitmore Lake as follows:
A new freshman, David Banks, wrote a letter to his mother about his experience in trying out for the football team in the fall of 1901:
. The game was played in 20-minute halves at Regents Field
in Ann Arbor on September 28. Willie Heston appeared in his first game for the Wolverines as a substitute for Shaw at left halfback. In its account of the game, the Michigan Alumnus described Heston as a "stocky Californian" who "proved a whirlwind in bucking the line." Heston's first touchdown as a Wolverine came on a defensive take-away described as follows: "Once when Albion had the ball on her 25-yard line, Heston broke through between guard and center, got possession of the ball before it left the quarter back's hands, and made a touchdown."
from Cleveland, Ohio
. In a short game of 20-minute halves, Michigan won by a score of 57–0. Heston scored four touchdowns in the game, and he and Sweeley were singled out for praise in the account of the game published in the Michigan Alumnus:
In its coverage of the game, the Alumnus also noted that Michigan's new coach Yost "refuses to have a man on the field who [is] 'yellow' or who is not willing to work and to take his fair share of knocks." The Alumnus concluded: "If Michigan has a winning team, it will be because some of the enthusiasm of her coach has been transferred to the men."
, 33–0, at Regents Field
. The game was played in a light rain on a "wet, heavy" playing field. Michigan scored its points "by straight line bucking." A newspaper account reported that, "From the first there was no doubt of the result, as Michigan scored a touchdown within four minutes." Indiana managed to gain five yards for a first down only once in the game, and Michigan turned to a kicking game in the second half. The longest gain of the game was a 70-yard kickoff return by Boss Weeks.
Following the win over Indiana, the student newspaper, The Wolverine noted: "The 'Varsity showing was most satisfactory. Against a heavier team, on a slippery field which was all in favor of the visitors and directly opposed to our style of play, the 'Varsity was not found wanting and turned victory into a fight for big scores. Even the most optimistic did not look for such a large score, with the elements against us. The smiling, yet earnest face of Coach Yost has become a favorite feature at the games. His success as a coach has already been demonstrated, and every Michigan man is proud of him as an athlete, as a coach and as a man."
by a score of 29–0 at Regents Field. In a game of two 25-minute halves, Heston scored three touchdowns and had runs of 55 and 45 yards. Northwestern's longest gain was six yards. The only threat to Michigan's goal came in the second half when Heston threw and incomplete pass to Sweeley. Northwestern took over at the ten-yard line and moved it by the "tandem play" to the two-yard line. Yost later recalled the impressive play of his team in preventing Northwestern to score: "The defense at this point was as good as I have ever seen. Northwestern could not advance a foot. When the ball was held for downs and Michigan had again obtained possession, our goal line had passed its only danger of the season." The Pittsburgh Press described the game as follows: "Just to show her superiority during the last few minutes of play, Michigan put in an all substitute line. The Michigan defence was impregnable and her offensive work grand."
Michigan's starters in the game were Curtis Redden (left end), Hugh White (left tackle), Dan McGugin
(left guard), George Gregory (center), Ebin Wilson
(right guard), Bruce Shorts
(right tackle), Albert Herrnstein
(right end), Boss Weeks (quarterback), Willie Heston (left halfback), Everett Sweeley (right halfback), and Neil Snow (fullback).
by a score of 128–0 at Ann Arbor. Albert Herrnstein led the scoring with six touchdowns, and additional touchdowns were added by Neil Snow (4 touchdowns), Willie Heston (3), Arthur Redner (3), Curtis Redden (2) and Bruce Shorts (1). Shorts was also successful on 18 of 22 extra point kicks in the game. A newspaper account reported that "the most spectacular" play of the game came on a 90-yard touchdown run by Herrnstein. The victory was so dominant that the Buffalo team quit fifteen minutes before the game should have ended. The New York Times
reported that the Wolverines' margin of victory was the third largest in the history of the sport:
After the game, Buffalo's Coach Brown said Michigan was "one of the most wonderful teams he ever saw," and added, "Michigan can defeat any team in the East." Buffalo had defeated the team from Columbia University
, one of the stronger teams in the east, by a score of 5–0 earlier in the season. The 1901 Columbia team defeated Eastern "Big Four" power Penn
, 11–0, and narrowly lost a game to Yale
, 10–5. Several newspapers used the Buffalo game as a point of reference in assessing the strength of Michigan's 1901 team. The Pittsburgh Press reported that Michigan's big victory over a "fairly strong" Buffalo team "shows that Michigan has a remarkable team." The Daily Review from Decatur, Illinois
observed: "Considering the fact that Buffalo trimmed Columbia rather easily, making a larger score against the college than did Harvard or Yale, there seems some justice in" Coach Brown's comments that Michigan could defeat Harvard, Yale or Princeton. The Adrian Daily Telegram opined: "Michigan defeated Buffalo 128 to 0, which clearly demonstrates that she can bump the big eastern four without much fear of disaster."
In 1916, Coach Yost shared his recollections of the Buffalo game with Big Bill Edwards
: "Buffalo University came to Michigan with a much-heralded team. They were coached by a Dartmouth man and had not been scored upon. Buffalo papers referred to Michigan as the Woolly Westerners, and the Buffalo enthusiasts placed bets that Michigan would not score." The score at the end of the first half was 65 to 0. About fifteen minutes after the second half had started, Yost discovered a Buffalo player, Simpson, "on Michigan's side of the field, covered up in a blanket." Yost was curious and asked, "Simpson, what are you doing over here? You are on the wrong side." To which, Simpson replied, "Don't say anything. I know where I am at. The coach has put me in three times already and I'm not going in there again. Enough is enough for any one. I've had mine."
, 22–0, in a game played at Bennett Park in Detroit on November 2. The game was watched by a crowd of 8,000 spectators that included China's Minister to the United States, Wu Ting-Fan, occupying a box with former United States Secretary of War
, Russell A. Alger
. Michigan's 22 points came on three touchdowns (worth five points each), a field goal from Bruce Shorts (worth five points) and two extra points kicked by Shorts. At the end of the game, former Secretary of War Alger addressed the crowd and congratulated the Wolverines on their victory.
The New York Times pointed to the Carlisle game as evidence that Michigan's remarkable season was not limited to small institutions. Harvard and Cornell
beat Carlisle in 1901 by scores of 29–0 and 17–0, and Penn narrowly beat Carlisle by a score of 16–14. Coach Yost later wrote that he believed Michigan would have won by an even larger score if Curtis Redden had not been injured. Michigan's convincing win over Carlisle, and its wins over Buffalo and Chicago, led the Times to conclude that a game between Michigan and one of the "Big Four" teams of the East "would be a conflict well worth seeing and productive of interesting and possibly startling results."
Michigan's starters in the game were Curtis Redden (left end), Hugh White (left tackle), Dan McGugin (left guard), George Gregory (center), Ebin Wilson (right guard), Bruce Shorts (right tackle), Albert Herrnstein (right end), Boss Weeks (quarterback), Willie Heston (left halfback), Everett Seeley (right halfback), and Neil Snow (fullback).
, 21–0, in Columbus, Ohio
on November 9. Ohio State held the Wolverines scoreless for 20 minutes and limited them to their lowest point total of the 1901 season. Fullback Neil Snow and left halfback Willie Heston scored two touchdowns each for Michigan (worth five points each), and Bruce Shorts added one extra point kick. At the end of the season, Coach Yost wrote of the Ohio State game: "The Ohio State game proved to be a hard one. We could score but 21 points against them, although there was no doubt in the minds of all who saw the game that Michigan's team was vastly superior in all departments of the game. Costly fumbles and short halves combined to make this score the lowest of the season."
Michigan's starters in the game were Curtis Redden (left end), Hugh White (left tackle), Dan McGugin (left guard), George Gregory (center), Ebin Wilson (right guard), Bruce Shorts (right tackle), Albert Herrnstein (right end), Boss Weeks (quarterback), Willie Heston (left halfback), Everett Seeley (right halfback), and Neil Snow (fullback).
's University of Chicago
Maroons football
team. Coach Yost noted, "I knew long before I came to Michigan of the great rivalry existing between this University and the University of Chicago. It was my desire to win this game above all others." The game was played at Regents Field
in front of one of the largest crowds that ever attended a game up to that time in Ann Arbor
. Michigan won the game 22–0 on two touchdowns by left tackle Hugh White and one touchdown each by fullback Neil Snow and right tackle Bruce Shorts. Michigan's defense held the Chicago offense to two first downs, and Chicago only once had possession of the ball in Michigan territory. Despite the win, Coach Yost was disappointed with the low point total accumulated by his team and publicly stated that "we would have scored many more points on Chicago if the field had been dry." Yost described the impact of the weather on his team as follows: "Much to our disappointment the game was played on a muddy field in a snowstorm, and the work of our backs was seriously handicapped. The Chicago team was not to the same extent handicapped by reason of the fact that it did not rely upon speed to advance the ball. ... End-running was impossible, and we were compelled to make our gains by line-bucking which is a slow process ..."
Michigan's starters in the game were Curtis Redden (left end), Hugh White (left tackle), Dan McGugin (left guard), George Gregory (center), Ebin Wilson (right guard), Bruce Shorts (right tackle), Albert Herrnstein (right end), Boss Weeks (quarterback), Willie Heston (left halfback), Everett Seeley (right halfback), and Neil Snow (fullback).
. The game was played on a wet field that was "practically a pond in the centre, filled in with sawdust before the game started." Because of the field conditions, Michigan was not able to execute its end runs and relied principally on "line bucking." Right end Albert Herrnstein scored six touchdowns for 30 points, including two kickoff returns for touchdowns in the second half. Coach Yost later recalled the scene on the field after one of Herrnstein's runs: "Once when Herrnstein made a long run for a touchdown I remember of seeing four Beloit players stretched on the ground in a line where they had made useless efforts to stop him." Right tackle Bruce Shorts scored a touchdown and kicked 14 extra points for 19 points. Fullback Neil Snow added three touchdowns for 15 points, and single touchdowns were scored by Heston, White, Graver, Sweeley and Redden. The Beloit team managed to gain the five yards required for a first down on only one drive late in the game. Beloit's one first down came on a fake kick followed by a run of 15 yards—the largest gain made by any team against Michigan in 1901. The New York Times reported: "The strong team from Beloit was unable to do anything against the Ann Arbor men."
Michigan's starters in the game were Curtis Redden (left end), Hugh White (left tackle), Dan McGugin (left guard), George Gregory (center), Ebin Wilson (right guard), Bruce Shorts (right tackle), Albert Herrnstein (right end), Boss Weeks (quarterback), Willie Heston (left halfback), Everett Seeley (right halfback), and Neil Snow (fullback).
at the National League Baseball Park in Chicago
. The New York Times reported that "Michigan scored almost at will" and "outclassed" a "sturdy, plucky" Iowa team. Willie Heston and Bruce Shorts scored four touchdowns each for Michigan and "played a spectacular part for the Wolverines." Shorts added five successful extra point kicks giving him 25 points in the game.
Michigan's starters in the game were Curtis Redden (left end), Hugh White (left tackle), Dan McGugin (left guard), George Gregory (center), Ebin Wilson (right guard), Bruce Shorts (right tackle), Albert Herrnstein (right end), Boss Weeks (quarterback), Willie Heston (left halfback), Everett Seeley (right halfback), and Neil Snow (fullback).
After the conclusion of the 1901 football season, Michigan was invited to play against Stanford
in the first Rose Bowl Game
in Pasadena, California
. Michigan won the game on New Year's Day 1902 by the score of 49–0.
The players that traveled to California were starters, Hugh White, Curtis Redden, Dan McGugin, George Gregory, Bruce Shorts, Albert Herrnstein, Boss Weeks, Everett Sweeley, Willie Heston, and Neil Snow, and substitutes Arthur Redner (back), Benjamin Harrison Southworth (guard), James E. Forrest (tackle), and Paul J. Jones
(back).
substantial credit for the performance of the 1901 team. He credited the coach with "inoculating into the men some of Mr. Yost's own spirit, impulsiveness and optimism," and with having the "faculty of adapting his plays to the material at hand so that he got the best there was out of every one of the eleven men." With respect to the trainer, White noted:
For its impressive average of 50 points per game on offense and eleven games of scoreless defense, the 1901 team has been recognized as one of the greatest college football teams of all time.
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in the 1901 college football season
1901 college football season
The 1901 college football season had no clear-cut champion, with the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book listing Harvard, Michigan, and Yale as national champions....
. In their first year under new head coach Fielding H. Yost, Michigan finished the season undefeated with an 11–0 record, outscored their opponents by the unprecedented total of 550 to 0, and became known as the first of Yost's famed "Point-a-Minute" teams. With a conference record of 4–0, Michigan shared the Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
title with Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
, a team they did not face in 1901. The Wolverines concluded their season on January 1, 1902 by defeating Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
, 49–0, in the 1902 Rose Bowl
1902 Rose Bowl
Originally titled the "Tournament East-West football game," what is now known as the Rose Bowl Game was first played on January 1, 1902 in Pasadena, California, starting the tradition of New Year's Day bowl games.The inaugural game featured Fielding H...
, the first college football bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
ever played. The 1901 Michigan Wolverines have been recognized as national champions
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
by the Helms Athletic Foundation
Helms Athletic Foundation
The Helms Athletic Foundation was an athletic foundation based in Los Angeles, founded in 1936 by Bill Schroeder and Paul Helms. It put together a panel of experts to select National Champion teams and make All-America team selections in a number of college sports including football and basketball...
, the Houlgate System, and the National Championship Foundation.
The 1901 Michigan team featured two future College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
inductees, Neil Snow
Neil Snow
Neil Worthington Snow gained renown as an all-around athlete at the University of Michigan from 1898–1902, where he competed in American football, baseball, track and field, and tennis. He was an All-American player in 1901, and was the Most Valuable player in the 1902 Rose Bowl, where he...
and Willie Heston
Willie Heston
William Martin "Willie" Heston was an American football player and coach. He played halfback at San Jose State University and the University of Michigan. Heston was the head football coach for Drake University in 1905 and North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now North...
. Snow was selected as an All-American
1901 College Football All-America Team
The 1901 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that chose College Football All-America Teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams included Collier's Weekly selected by Walter Camp.-Key:...
by Caspar Whitney
Caspar Whitney
Caspar William Whitney was an American author, editor, explorer, and war correspondent. He originated the concept of the All-American team in college football in 1889 when he worked for Harper's Magazine....
for Outing
Outing (magazine)
Outing was a late-nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American magazine covering a variety of sporting activities. It began publication in 1882 as the Wheelman and had four title changes before ceasing publication in 1923....
magazine, and four Wolverines were selected for the All-Western team: Snow (fullback/end), Heston (halfback), Boss Weeks (quarterback), and Bruce Shorts
Bruce Shorts
Bruce Carman Shorts was an American football player and coach. He played as a tackle for the University of Michigan from 1900 to 1901. He later served as the head football coach at the University of Nevada, Reno in 1904 and at the University of Oregon in 1905.-Athlete:Shorts attended high school...
(right tackle). The team's captain was left tackle, Hugh White.
Schedule
Overview
The 1901 season was the first in which the Michigan football team won a national championshipNCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
. The team finished the season undefeated, untied, and unscored upon, having prevailed in all eleven of their games by a combined score of 550 to 0. The 1901 squad was the first of five consecutive high-scoring teams that came to be known as Coach Yost's "Point-a-Minute" teams. From 1901 to 1905, Yost's teams compiled a record of 55–1–1 and outscored their opponents by a combined score of 2,821 to 42.
At the end of the 1901 season, team captain Hugh White wrote: "The fall of 1901 will go down in the history of Michigan athletics, not only as the most successful football season the University has ever had, but also as establishing the most wonderful and unique record in the history of the game." A summary of the accomplishments of the 1901 Michigan team was published in the 1902 University of Michigan yearbook under the title "Yost's Soliloquy." The accomplishments of the 1901 team included the following:
- Highest number of points ever scored in a single season by a recognized team.
- Ten men, all but the centerCenter (American football)Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
, carried the ball in turns. - Speed of play. Michigan ran 219 plays in the IowaIowa Hawkeyes footballThe Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
game, compared to 149 run by HarvardHarvard Crimson footballThe Harvard Crimson football program represents Harvard University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . Harvard's football program is one of the oldest in the world, having begun competing in the sport in 1873...
in the Harvard–Yale game of 1901. The fast pace of Michigan's play on offense earned Yost the nickname "Hurry Up." Yost described the 1901 team as a speedy group "composed of muscular, wiry men who had no superfluous weight." - Punting. The punting of Everett SweeleyEverett SweeleyEverett Marlin Sweeley was an American football player and coach. He played fullback, halfback and end for the University of Michigan from 1899 to 1902 and was a member of Fielding H. Yost's 1901 and 1902 "Point-a-Minute" teams...
was an important element in Michigan's success in 1901. Sweeley was regarded as "the best punter in the country." - The strength of Michigan's line on defense. Michigan's fullback was called upon to make a tackle only once in the entire season. In the final three games of the season, Michigan's defense allowed only seven first downs. Four of Michigan's opponents (AlbionAlbion CollegeAlbion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
, CaseCase Western Reserve UniversityCase Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
, Beloit, and IndianaIndiana Hoosiers footballThe Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
) never had possession of the ball in Michigan's territory. Only NorthwesternNorthwestern Wildcats footballThe Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
and BuffaloBuffalo Bulls footballThe Buffalo Bulls football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University at Buffalo located in the U.S. state of New York. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Mid-American Conference. Buffalo's first...
moved the ball inside Michigan's 30-yard line, and those two instances came on penalties against Michigan for forward passes. - Lack of injuries. Only one player was taken out of a game for injury, and he returned to practice the Monday after the Saturday game. The injury was to Curtis ReddenCurtis ReddenCurtis Gerald "Cap" Redden was an American football player. He was the starting left end for the University of Michigan's football team from 1901–1904. He played for Michigan's "Point-a-Minute" teams and was unanimously selected as an All-Western player in 1903. Redden died of pneumonia...
during the CarlisleCarlisle Indians footballThe Carlisle Indians football team represented the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in intercollegiate football competition. The program was active from 1893 until 1917, when it was discontinued. During the program's 25 years, the Indians compiled a 167–88–13 record and 0.647 winning percentage,...
game, and, according to Yost, Redden "was ready and anxious to play ten minutes after the injury."
Whitmore Lake
Fielding Yost was hired as the new coach at Michigan in the spring of 1901. He traveled to Ann ArborAnn Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
in the spring to evaluate the talent pool with which he would be working. After sizing up the players, Yost asked for early practice in the fall. On September 9, 1901, Yost and 1901 team captain Hugh White gathered a small squad of men at Whitmore Lake
Whitmore Lake, Michigan
Whitmore Lake is an unincorporated community in the U.S. state of Michigan. The community spans the boundary between Green Oak Township in Livingston County and Northfield Township in Washtenaw County. The United States Census Bureau has defined a census-designated place with this name for...
; the squad grew over the next two weeks to nearly 20 players. Training continued for nearly two weeks, and "cold baths in the lake soon toughened the men." Yost worked with the players on the rudiments of the game and later recalled that, by the time they returned to Ann Arbor, "we had worked the men down into fairly good training for football work."
In addition to training, Yost spent time at Whitmore Lake evaluating his talent to fit particular positions. He soon shifted players around. He moved the team's only All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
, Neil Snow
Neil Snow
Neil Worthington Snow gained renown as an all-around athlete at the University of Michigan from 1898–1902, where he competed in American football, baseball, track and field, and tennis. He was an All-American player in 1901, and was the Most Valuable player in the 1902 Rose Bowl, where he...
, from end to fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
on offense, keeping him at right end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
on defense. Yost moved Arthur Redner
Arthur Redner
Arthur E. Redner was an American football player and coach. He played halfback for the University of Michigan in 1900 and 1901 and was the last surviving member of Fielding H. Yost's renowned 1901 "Point-a-Minute" football team.-Early years:Redner was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in...
from center to right guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
and George W. Gregory
George W. Gregory
George W. "Dad" Gregory was an American football player, coach and lawyer. He was the starting center for the University of Michigan's "Point-a-Minute" football teams of 1901, 1902 and 1903. He was the only player to start all 22 games for the 1901 and 1902 teams that compiled a record of 22-0...
to center. He also brought Willie Heston
Willie Heston
William Martin "Willie" Heston was an American football player and coach. He played halfback at San Jose State University and the University of Michigan. Heston was the head football coach for Drake University in 1905 and North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now North...
with him from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
at the halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
position. In a 1952 letter, Heston later recalled: "He brought to Michigan an entirely new brand of football, not known in the Big Ten nor to the Middle West. Particularly, that was true of his offense. Speed and more speed was continually emphasized. Boss Weeks was instructed to call his signal for the next play while the team was getting up from the last play."
Team captain White recalled the time at Whitmore Lake as follows:
"The work at the Lake was a review in the first principles of the game, a thorough study and quiz upon the rules – something which had been sadly neglected in former years. It was also the first step in the conditioning of the team.
A new freshman, David Banks, wrote a letter to his mother about his experience in trying out for the football team in the fall of 1901:
"I am not sure whether I ought to play football or not. ... I put on Tom's suit one night and went down to the field to meet Yost and a few other men. They made me run around the track a couple times to try my wind. Then they rolled me around the ground and sat on me a while. I did not understand the necessity of all they did to me, but the boys say every great player must begin that way."
Michigan 55, Albion 0
Michigan opened the 1901 season with a 55–0 win against Albion CollegeAlbion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
. The game was played in 20-minute halves at Regents Field
Regents Field
Regents Field was the home field for the University of Michigan football team from 1893 to 1905. It was located along South State Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Schembechler Hall stands today....
in Ann Arbor on September 28. Willie Heston appeared in his first game for the Wolverines as a substitute for Shaw at left halfback. In its account of the game, the Michigan Alumnus described Heston as a "stocky Californian" who "proved a whirlwind in bucking the line." Heston's first touchdown as a Wolverine came on a defensive take-away described as follows: "Once when Albion had the ball on her 25-yard line, Heston broke through between guard and center, got possession of the ball before it left the quarter back's hands, and made a touchdown."
| Player | Position | Starter | Touchdowns | Extra points | Field goals | Points |
| Shaw | Left halfback | Yes | 2 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| Sweeley | Right halfback | Yes | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Snow | Fullback | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| White | Left tackle | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Heston | Left halfback | No | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Shorts | Right tackle | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | |5 |
| Graver | Quarteback | No | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | -- | |||||
| 7 | 5 | 0 | 38 | |||
Michigan 57, Case 0
On October 5, Michigan played its second game of the season against Case Scientific SchoolCase Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
from Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. In a short game of 20-minute halves, Michigan won by a score of 57–0. Heston scored four touchdowns in the game, and he and Sweeley were singled out for praise in the account of the game published in the Michigan Alumnus:
"Two men, Sweeley and Heston, constantly won the plaudits of the rooters by their long gains around the ends. Sweeley is fleet, and he kept his feet in a way that reminded the wise ones of McLean's remarkable performances. Heston proved himself the ground gainer that he has given evidence of being during the daily practices."
In its coverage of the game, the Alumnus also noted that Michigan's new coach Yost "refuses to have a man on the field who [is] 'yellow' or who is not willing to work and to take his fair share of knocks." The Alumnus concluded: "If Michigan has a winning team, it will be because some of the enthusiasm of her coach has been transferred to the men."
| Player | Position | Starter | Touchdowns | Extra points | Field goals | Points |
| Heston | Right halfback | No | 4 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Sweeley | Left halfback | Yes | 2 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| Snow | Fullback | Yes | 2 | 0 | 0 | |10 |
| White | Left tackle | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Woodward | Right tackle | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Shaw | Right halfback | Yes | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Graver | Quarterback | No | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | -- | |||||
| 10 | 7 | 0 | 57 | |||
Michigan 33, Indiana 0
On October 12, Michigan defeated IndianaIndiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
, 33–0, at Regents Field
Regents Field
Regents Field was the home field for the University of Michigan football team from 1893 to 1905. It was located along South State Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Schembechler Hall stands today....
. The game was played in a light rain on a "wet, heavy" playing field. Michigan scored its points "by straight line bucking." A newspaper account reported that, "From the first there was no doubt of the result, as Michigan scored a touchdown within four minutes." Indiana managed to gain five yards for a first down only once in the game, and Michigan turned to a kicking game in the second half. The longest gain of the game was a 70-yard kickoff return by Boss Weeks.
Following the win over Indiana, the student newspaper, The Wolverine noted: "The 'Varsity showing was most satisfactory. Against a heavier team, on a slippery field which was all in favor of the visitors and directly opposed to our style of play, the 'Varsity was not found wanting and turned victory into a fight for big scores. Even the most optimistic did not look for such a large score, with the elements against us. The smiling, yet earnest face of Coach Yost has become a favorite feature at the games. His success as a coach has already been demonstrated, and every Michigan man is proud of him as an athlete, as a coach and as a man."
| Player | Position | Starter | Touchdowns | Extra points | Field goals | Points |
| Shorts | Right tackle | Yes | 2 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| Heston | Left halfback | Yes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Snow | Fullback | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | |5 |
| Shaw | Left halfback | No | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Total | -- | |||||
| 6 | 3 | 0 | 33 | |||
Michigan 29, Northwestern 0
On October 19, Michigan defeated NorthwesternNorthwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
by a score of 29–0 at Regents Field. In a game of two 25-minute halves, Heston scored three touchdowns and had runs of 55 and 45 yards. Northwestern's longest gain was six yards. The only threat to Michigan's goal came in the second half when Heston threw and incomplete pass to Sweeley. Northwestern took over at the ten-yard line and moved it by the "tandem play" to the two-yard line. Yost later recalled the impressive play of his team in preventing Northwestern to score: "The defense at this point was as good as I have ever seen. Northwestern could not advance a foot. When the ball was held for downs and Michigan had again obtained possession, our goal line had passed its only danger of the season." The Pittsburgh Press described the game as follows: "Just to show her superiority during the last few minutes of play, Michigan put in an all substitute line. The Michigan defence was impregnable and her offensive work grand."
Michigan's starters in the game were Curtis Redden (left end), Hugh White (left tackle), Dan McGugin
Dan McGugin
Daniel Earle McGugin was an American football player, coach, and lawyer. He served as the head football coach at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee from 1904 to 1917 and again from 1919 to 1934, compiling a record of 197–55–19. He played college football at the University...
(left guard), George Gregory (center), Ebin Wilson
Ebin Wilson
Ebin "Tug" Wilson was an American football player and coach. He was a starter on the 1901 Michigan Wolverines football team that outscored its opponents 550–0 and later coached football at Wabash College and Alma College.-Early life and playing career:Wilson was born in August 1869...
(right guard), Bruce Shorts
Bruce Shorts
Bruce Carman Shorts was an American football player and coach. He played as a tackle for the University of Michigan from 1900 to 1901. He later served as the head football coach at the University of Nevada, Reno in 1904 and at the University of Oregon in 1905.-Athlete:Shorts attended high school...
(right tackle), Albert Herrnstein
Albert E. Herrnstein
Albert Ernest Herrnstein was an American football player and coach. He played at the University of Michigan as a halfback and end from 1899–1902 and was the head football coach at the Haskell Indian School , Purdue University , and Ohio State University .-University of Michigan:A native of...
(right end), Boss Weeks (quarterback), Willie Heston (left halfback), Everett Sweeley (right halfback), and Neil Snow (fullback).
| Player | Position | Starter | Touchdowns | Extra points | Field goals | Points |
| Heston | Left halfback | Yes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Shaw | Left halfback | No | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Snow | Fullback | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | |5 |
| Shorts | Right tackle | Yes | 0 | 4 | 0 | |4 |
| Total | -- | |||||
| 5 | 4 | 0 | 29 | |||
Michigan 128, Buffalo 0
On October 26, Michigan defeated the University of BuffaloBuffalo Bulls football
The Buffalo Bulls football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University at Buffalo located in the U.S. state of New York. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Mid-American Conference. Buffalo's first...
by a score of 128–0 at Ann Arbor. Albert Herrnstein led the scoring with six touchdowns, and additional touchdowns were added by Neil Snow (4 touchdowns), Willie Heston (3), Arthur Redner (3), Curtis Redden (2) and Bruce Shorts (1). Shorts was also successful on 18 of 22 extra point kicks in the game. A newspaper account reported that "the most spectacular" play of the game came on a 90-yard touchdown run by Herrnstein. The victory was so dominant that the Buffalo team quit fifteen minutes before the game should have ended. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reported that the Wolverines' margin of victory was the third largest in the history of the sport:
"[T]he score of to-day's game was one of the most remarkable ever made in the history of football in the important colleges. Only two scores are recorded in American where a victory was won in more decided style. These occasions were when Stevens Institute beat the College of the City of New York by 162 to 0 at Hoboken, N.J., in 1885, and when Harvard beat Exeter by 158 to 0 at Exeter, Mass., in 1886."
After the game, Buffalo's Coach Brown said Michigan was "one of the most wonderful teams he ever saw," and added, "Michigan can defeat any team in the East." Buffalo had defeated the team from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, one of the stronger teams in the east, by a score of 5–0 earlier in the season. The 1901 Columbia team defeated Eastern "Big Four" power Penn
Penn Quakers football
The Penn Quakers football team is the college football team at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. The Penn Quakers have competed in the Ivy League since its inaugural season of 1956, and are currently a Division I Football Championship Subdivision member of the National...
, 11–0, and narrowly lost a game to Yale
Yale Bulldogs football
The Yale Bulldogs football program represents Yale University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . Yale's football program is one of the oldest in the world, having begun competing in the sport in 1872...
, 10–5. Several newspapers used the Buffalo game as a point of reference in assessing the strength of Michigan's 1901 team. The Pittsburgh Press reported that Michigan's big victory over a "fairly strong" Buffalo team "shows that Michigan has a remarkable team." The Daily Review from Decatur, Illinois
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
observed: "Considering the fact that Buffalo trimmed Columbia rather easily, making a larger score against the college than did Harvard or Yale, there seems some justice in" Coach Brown's comments that Michigan could defeat Harvard, Yale or Princeton. The Adrian Daily Telegram opined: "Michigan defeated Buffalo 128 to 0, which clearly demonstrates that she can bump the big eastern four without much fear of disaster."
In 1916, Coach Yost shared his recollections of the Buffalo game with Big Bill Edwards
Big Bill Edwards
William Hanford "Big Bill" Edwards was an American football player who played guard at the Princeton University from 1896 to 1899...
: "Buffalo University came to Michigan with a much-heralded team. They were coached by a Dartmouth man and had not been scored upon. Buffalo papers referred to Michigan as the Woolly Westerners, and the Buffalo enthusiasts placed bets that Michigan would not score." The score at the end of the first half was 65 to 0. About fifteen minutes after the second half had started, Yost discovered a Buffalo player, Simpson, "on Michigan's side of the field, covered up in a blanket." Yost was curious and asked, "Simpson, what are you doing over here? You are on the wrong side." To which, Simpson replied, "Don't say anything. I know where I am at. The coach has put me in three times already and I'm not going in there again. Enough is enough for any one. I've had mine."
| Player | Position | Starter | Touchdowns | Extra points | Field goals | Points |
| Herrnstein | Right end | Yes | 5 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Shorts | Right tackle | Yes | 1 | 18 | 0 | |23 |
| Snow | Fullback | Yes | 4 | 0 | 0 | |20 |
| Redner | Left halfback | No | 4 | 0 | 0 | |20 |
| Heston | Left halfback | Yes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Redden | Left end | Yes | 2 | 0 | 0 | |10 |
| Sweeley | Right halfback | Yes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Total | -- | |||||
| 22 | 18 | 0 | 128 | |||
Michigan 22, Carlisle 0
The Wolverines defeated the Carlisle Indian SchoolCarlisle Indians football
The Carlisle Indians football team represented the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in intercollegiate football competition. The program was active from 1893 until 1917, when it was discontinued. During the program's 25 years, the Indians compiled a 167–88–13 record and 0.647 winning percentage,...
, 22–0, in a game played at Bennett Park in Detroit on November 2. The game was watched by a crowd of 8,000 spectators that included China's Minister to the United States, Wu Ting-Fan, occupying a box with former United States Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
, Russell A. Alger
Russell A. Alger
Russell Alexander Alger was the 20th Governor and U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan and also U.S. Secretary of War during the Presidential administration of William McKinley...
. Michigan's 22 points came on three touchdowns (worth five points each), a field goal from Bruce Shorts (worth five points) and two extra points kicked by Shorts. At the end of the game, former Secretary of War Alger addressed the crowd and congratulated the Wolverines on their victory.
The New York Times pointed to the Carlisle game as evidence that Michigan's remarkable season was not limited to small institutions. Harvard and Cornell
Cornell Big Red football
The Cornell Big Red football team represents Cornell University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Ivy League. It is one of the oldest and most storied football programs in the nation...
beat Carlisle in 1901 by scores of 29–0 and 17–0, and Penn narrowly beat Carlisle by a score of 16–14. Coach Yost later wrote that he believed Michigan would have won by an even larger score if Curtis Redden had not been injured. Michigan's convincing win over Carlisle, and its wins over Buffalo and Chicago, led the Times to conclude that a game between Michigan and one of the "Big Four" teams of the East "would be a conflict well worth seeing and productive of interesting and possibly startling results."
Michigan's starters in the game were Curtis Redden (left end), Hugh White (left tackle), Dan McGugin (left guard), George Gregory (center), Ebin Wilson (right guard), Bruce Shorts (right tackle), Albert Herrnstein (right end), Boss Weeks (quarterback), Willie Heston (left halfback), Everett Seeley (right halfback), and Neil Snow (fullback).
| Player | Position | Starter | Touchdowns | Extra points | Field goals | Points |
| Shorts | Right tackle | Yes | 1 | 2 | 1 | |12 |
| Wilson | Right guard | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Heston | Left halfback | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Total | -- | |||||
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 22 | |||
Michigan 21, Ohio State 0
Michigan defeated Ohio StateOhio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
, 21–0, in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
on November 9. Ohio State held the Wolverines scoreless for 20 minutes and limited them to their lowest point total of the 1901 season. Fullback Neil Snow and left halfback Willie Heston scored two touchdowns each for Michigan (worth five points each), and Bruce Shorts added one extra point kick. At the end of the season, Coach Yost wrote of the Ohio State game: "The Ohio State game proved to be a hard one. We could score but 21 points against them, although there was no doubt in the minds of all who saw the game that Michigan's team was vastly superior in all departments of the game. Costly fumbles and short halves combined to make this score the lowest of the season."
Michigan's starters in the game were Curtis Redden (left end), Hugh White (left tackle), Dan McGugin (left guard), George Gregory (center), Ebin Wilson (right guard), Bruce Shorts (right tackle), Albert Herrnstein (right end), Boss Weeks (quarterback), Willie Heston (left halfback), Everett Seeley (right halfback), and Neil Snow (fullback).
| Player | Position | Starter | Touchdowns | Extra points | Field goals | Points |
| Snow | Fullback | Yes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| White | Left tackle | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | |5 |
| Heston | Right halfback | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Shorts | Right tackle | Yes | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | -- | |||||
| 4 | 1 | 0 | 21 | |||
Michigan 22, Chicago 0
On November 16, Michigan faced its traditional rival in Amos Alonzo StaggAmos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg was an American athlete and pioneering college coach in multiple sports, primarily American football...
's University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
Maroons football
Chicago Maroons football
The Chicago Maroons are the college football team representing the University of Chicago. The Maroons play in NCAA Division III as a member of the University Athletic Association. From 1892 to 1939, the Maroons were a major college football power...
team. Coach Yost noted, "I knew long before I came to Michigan of the great rivalry existing between this University and the University of Chicago. It was my desire to win this game above all others." The game was played at Regents Field
Regents Field
Regents Field was the home field for the University of Michigan football team from 1893 to 1905. It was located along South State Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Schembechler Hall stands today....
in front of one of the largest crowds that ever attended a game up to that time in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
. Michigan won the game 22–0 on two touchdowns by left tackle Hugh White and one touchdown each by fullback Neil Snow and right tackle Bruce Shorts. Michigan's defense held the Chicago offense to two first downs, and Chicago only once had possession of the ball in Michigan territory. Despite the win, Coach Yost was disappointed with the low point total accumulated by his team and publicly stated that "we would have scored many more points on Chicago if the field had been dry." Yost described the impact of the weather on his team as follows: "Much to our disappointment the game was played on a muddy field in a snowstorm, and the work of our backs was seriously handicapped. The Chicago team was not to the same extent handicapped by reason of the fact that it did not rely upon speed to advance the ball. ... End-running was impossible, and we were compelled to make our gains by line-bucking which is a slow process ..."
Michigan's starters in the game were Curtis Redden (left end), Hugh White (left tackle), Dan McGugin (left guard), George Gregory (center), Ebin Wilson (right guard), Bruce Shorts (right tackle), Albert Herrnstein (right end), Boss Weeks (quarterback), Willie Heston (left halfback), Everett Seeley (right halfback), and Neil Snow (fullback).
| Player | Position | Starter | Touchdowns | Extra points | Field goals | Points |
| White | Left tackle | Yes | 2 | 0 | 0 | |10 |
| Shorts | Right tackle | Yes | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| Snow | Fullback | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Total | -- | |||||
| 4 | 2 | 0 | 22 | |||
Michigan 89, Beloit 0
Michigan played its final home game on November 23 and won, 89–0, over Beloit CollegeBeloit College
Beloit College is a liberal arts college in Beloit, Wisconsin, USA. It is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest, and has an enrollment of roughly 1,300 undergraduate students. Beloit is the oldest continuously operated college in Wisconsin, and has the oldest building of any college...
. The game was played on a wet field that was "practically a pond in the centre, filled in with sawdust before the game started." Because of the field conditions, Michigan was not able to execute its end runs and relied principally on "line bucking." Right end Albert Herrnstein scored six touchdowns for 30 points, including two kickoff returns for touchdowns in the second half. Coach Yost later recalled the scene on the field after one of Herrnstein's runs: "Once when Herrnstein made a long run for a touchdown I remember of seeing four Beloit players stretched on the ground in a line where they had made useless efforts to stop him." Right tackle Bruce Shorts scored a touchdown and kicked 14 extra points for 19 points. Fullback Neil Snow added three touchdowns for 15 points, and single touchdowns were scored by Heston, White, Graver, Sweeley and Redden. The Beloit team managed to gain the five yards required for a first down on only one drive late in the game. Beloit's one first down came on a fake kick followed by a run of 15 yards—the largest gain made by any team against Michigan in 1901. The New York Times reported: "The strong team from Beloit was unable to do anything against the Ann Arbor men."
Michigan's starters in the game were Curtis Redden (left end), Hugh White (left tackle), Dan McGugin (left guard), George Gregory (center), Ebin Wilson (right guard), Bruce Shorts (right tackle), Albert Herrnstein (right end), Boss Weeks (quarterback), Willie Heston (left halfback), Everett Seeley (right halfback), and Neil Snow (fullback).
| Player | Position | Starter | Touchdowns | Extra points | Field goals | Points |
| Herrnstein | Right halfback | Yes | 6 | 0 | 0 | |30 |
| Shorts | Right tackle | Yes | 3 | 14 | 0 | 29 |
| Snow | Fullback | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Heston | Left halfback | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| White | Left tackle | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Graver | Quarterback | No | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Sweeley | Right end | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Redner | Left halfback | No | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Total | -- | |||||
| 15 | 14 | 0 | 89 | |||
Michigan 50, Iowa 0
Michigan closed its regular season schedule on November 28 with a 50–0 win over the University of IowaIowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
at the National League Baseball Park in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The New York Times reported that "Michigan scored almost at will" and "outclassed" a "sturdy, plucky" Iowa team. Willie Heston and Bruce Shorts scored four touchdowns each for Michigan and "played a spectacular part for the Wolverines." Shorts added five successful extra point kicks giving him 25 points in the game.
Michigan's starters in the game were Curtis Redden (left end), Hugh White (left tackle), Dan McGugin (left guard), George Gregory (center), Ebin Wilson (right guard), Bruce Shorts (right tackle), Albert Herrnstein (right end), Boss Weeks (quarterback), Willie Heston (left halfback), Everett Seeley (right halfback), and Neil Snow (fullback).
| Player | Position | Starter | Touchdowns | Extra points | Field goals | Points |
| Shorts | Right tackle | Yes | 4 | 5 | 0 | 25 |
| Heston | Left halfback | Yes | 4 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Snow | Fullback | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Total | -- | |||||
| 9 | 5 | 0 | 50 | |||
Rose Bowl: Michigan 49, Stanford 0
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
in the first Rose Bowl Game
1902 Rose Bowl
Originally titled the "Tournament East-West football game," what is now known as the Rose Bowl Game was first played on January 1, 1902 in Pasadena, California, starting the tradition of New Year's Day bowl games.The inaugural game featured Fielding H...
in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. Michigan won the game on New Year's Day 1902 by the score of 49–0.
The players that traveled to California were starters, Hugh White, Curtis Redden, Dan McGugin, George Gregory, Bruce Shorts, Albert Herrnstein, Boss Weeks, Everett Sweeley, Willie Heston, and Neil Snow, and substitutes Arthur Redner (back), Benjamin Harrison Southworth (guard), James E. Forrest (tackle), and Paul J. Jones
Paul J. Jones
-External links:...
(back).
| Player | Position | Starter | Touchdowns | Extra points | Field goals | Points |
| Snow | Fullback | Yes | 5 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Redden | Left end | Yes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Sweeley | Right end | Yes | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Herrnstein | Right halfback | Yes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Shorts | Right guard | Yes | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Total | -- | |||||
| 8 | 4 | 1 | 49 | |||
Accolades
At the conclusion of the 1901 season, team captain Hugh White gave head coach Fielding Yost and trainer Keene FitzpatrickKeene Fitzpatrick
Keene Fitzpatrick was a track coach, athletic trainer, professor of physical training and gymnasium director for 42 years at Yale University , the University of Michigan , and Princeton University...
substantial credit for the performance of the 1901 team. He credited the coach with "inoculating into the men some of Mr. Yost's own spirit, impulsiveness and optimism," and with having the "faculty of adapting his plays to the material at hand so that he got the best there was out of every one of the eleven men." With respect to the trainer, White noted:
"An equally strong element, and one many are apt to overlook, was the work of Keene Fitzpatrick. Consider a team training nearly four months, without a man going stale, and but one injured so that he had to be taken out of the game! Then in addition a trip of nearly 3000 miles, from a climate where the thermometer registered 10 degrees below zero, into one of summer weather, and eleven men playing through an entire game and finishing it with faster and stronger play than at the beginning! Such were the results achieved by our trainer. ... Too much praise cannot be given him."
For its impressive average of 50 points per game on offense and eleven games of scoreless defense, the 1901 team has been recognized as one of the greatest college football teams of all time.
Letter winners
| Player | Position | Games started |
Hometown | Height | Weight | Class | Prior experience |
| Herbert S. Graver Herb Graver Herbert Spencer Graver, Sr. was an American football player and coach and businessman. He played at the end, halfback, fullback, and quarterback positions for Fielding H. Yost's renowned 1901, 1902 and 1903 "Point-a-Minute" football teams... |
Left end | 1 | Chicago, Illinois | 5' 9" | 157 | Eng '04 | Englewood H.S. |
| George W. Gregory George W. Gregory George W. "Dad" Gregory was an American football player, coach and lawyer. He was the starting center for the University of Michigan's "Point-a-Minute" football teams of 1901, 1902 and 1903. He was the only player to start all 22 games for the 1901 and 1902 teams that compiled a record of 22-0... |
Center | 11 | Redding, California Redding, California Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census... |
6' 1/2" | 188 | Law '04 | Shasta H.S. |
| Albert E. Herrnstein Albert E. Herrnstein Albert Ernest Herrnstein was an American football player and coach. He played at the University of Michigan as a halfback and end from 1899–1902 and was the head football coach at the Haskell Indian School , Purdue University , and Ohio State University .-University of Michigan:A native of... |
Right end Right halfback |
7 2 |
Chillicothe, Ohio Chillicothe, Ohio Chillicothe is a city in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States.Chillicothe was the first and third capital of Ohio and is located in southern Ohio along the Scioto River. The name comes from the Shawnee name Chalahgawtha, meaning "principal town", as it was a major settlement of... |
5' 11" | 168 | Lit. '03 | Sub |
| Willie Heston Willie Heston William Martin "Willie" Heston was an American football player and coach. He played halfback at San Jose State University and the University of Michigan. Heston was the head football coach for Drake University in 1905 and North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now North... |
Left halfback Right halfback |
6 1 |
Grants Pass, Oregon Grants Pass, Oregon -Rogue River:The Rogue River runs through Grants Pass.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,003 people, 9,376 households, and 5,925 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,885 housing units at an average density of 1,303.3 per square mile . By 2008,... |
5' 10" | 175 | Law '04 | San Jose Normal |
| Dan McGugin Dan McGugin Daniel Earle McGugin was an American football player, coach, and lawyer. He served as the head football coach at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee from 1904 to 1917 and again from 1919 to 1934, compiling a record of 197–55–19. He played college football at the University... |
Left guard | 10 | Tingley, Iowa Tingley, Iowa Tingley is a city in Ringgold County, Iowa, United States, which was founded in 1883. The population was 171 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Tingley is located at .... |
5' 11" | 175 | Law '04 | Drake University Drake University Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country.... |
| Curtis Redden Curtis Redden Curtis Gerald "Cap" Redden was an American football player. He was the starting left end for the University of Michigan's football team from 1901–1904. He played for Michigan's "Point-a-Minute" teams and was unanimously selected as an All-Western player in 1903. Redden died of pneumonia... |
Left end | 10 | Rossville, Illinois Rossville, Illinois Rossville is a village in Ross Township, Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the 'Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 1,217 at the 2000 census, and 1,147 in 2009.-History:... |
6' 3/4" | 166 | Law '03 | Varsity (1 yr) |
| Arthur Redner Arthur Redner Arthur E. Redner was an American football player and coach. He played halfback for the University of Michigan in 1900 and 1901 and was the last surviving member of Fielding H. Yost's renowned 1901 "Point-a-Minute" football team.-Early years:Redner was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in... |
Halfback | 0 | Bessemer, Michigan Bessemer, Michigan Bessemer is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,914. It is the county seat of Gogebic County.... |
5' 9" | 156 | Eng. '04 | Varsity (1 yr) |
| Bruce Shorts Bruce Shorts Bruce Carman Shorts was an American football player and coach. He played as a tackle for the University of Michigan from 1900 to 1901. He later served as the head football coach at the University of Nevada, Reno in 1904 and at the University of Oregon in 1905.-Athlete:Shorts attended high school... |
Right tackle | 11 | Mt. Pleasant, Michigan | 6' 1" | 190 | Law '01 (P.G.) |
Varsity (1 yr) |
| Neil Snow Neil Snow Neil Worthington Snow gained renown as an all-around athlete at the University of Michigan from 1898–1902, where he competed in American football, baseball, track and field, and tennis. He was an All-American player in 1901, and was the Most Valuable player in the 1902 Rose Bowl, where he... |
Fullback | 11 | Detroit, Michigan Detroit, Michigan Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River... |
6' 2" | 185 | Lit. '02 | Varsity (3 yrs) |
| Everett Sweeley Everett Sweeley Everett Marlin Sweeley was an American football player and coach. He played fullback, halfback and end for the University of Michigan from 1899 to 1902 and was a member of Fielding H. Yost's 1901 and 1902 "Point-a-Minute" teams... |
Right halfback Left halfback Right end |
7 3 1 |
Sioux City, Iowa Sioux City, Iowa Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state.... |
6' 1/4" | 167 | Lit. '03 | Varsity (2 yrs) |
| Boss Weeks | Quarterback | 11 | Allegan, Michigan Allegan, Michigan Allegan is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 4,838. It is the county seat of Allegan County. The city lies within Allegan Township, but is administratively autonomous.... |
5' 7" | 150 | Law '02 | Varsity (1 yr) |
| Hugh White | Left tackle | 11 | Lapeer, Michigan Lapeer, Michigan Lapeer is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Lapeer County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,841. Most of the city was incorporated from land that was formerly in Lapeer Township, though portions were also annexed from Mayfield Township and Elba... |
5' 11" | 180 | Law '02 | Varsity (3 yrs) |
| Ebin Wilson Ebin Wilson Ebin "Tug" Wilson was an American football player and coach. He was a starter on the 1901 Michigan Wolverines football team that outscored its opponents 550–0 and later coached football at Wabash College and Alma College.-Early life and playing career:Wilson was born in August 1869... |
Right guard | 11 | Merrill, Michigan Merrill, Michigan Merrill is a village located in Jonesfield Township in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 782 at the 2000 census... |
5' 6" | 185 | Law '02 | Sub |
Varsity substitutes
- Edward W. "John" Dickey, Weiser, IdahoWeiser, IdahoWeiser is a city in the rural western part of the U.S. state of Idaho and the county seat of Washington County. With its mild climate, the city supports farm, orchard, and livestock endeavors in the vicinity. The city sits at the confluence of the Weiser River with the great Snake River, which...
, Law '02. "He has been a candidate for the center position. His work has been consistent. He is a hard fighter and a valuable man." - James E. Forest, 6 feet, 4 inches, 200 pounds, Ann Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
(started 1 game at left guard): "He is very heavy and has displayed good form at tackle." - Benjamin H. SouthworthBenjamin H. SouthworthBenjamin Harrison Southworth was an American football player, physician and surgeon. He was a member of the University of Michigan's 1901 "Point-a-Minute" football team that finished the season 11-0, outscored opponents 550 to 0, and won the first college football bowl game, the 1902 Rose Bowl...
, 5 feet, 9 inches, 187 pounds, Reading, MichiganReading, MichiganReading is a city in Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,134 at the 2000 census.The city is situated within Reading Township on M-49, but is politically independent.-Geography:...
, Med '03. He appeared as a substitute in three games—at center in the Albion game, left tackle in the Buffalo game, and left guard in the Beloit game. "Southworth, the big guard, is a junior medic. He has the weight, and with an increase of speed will develop into a 'Varsity player." - Walter W. ShawWalter W. ShawWalter White Shaw was an American football player and coach, attorney and businessman. He played at the halfback position for Fielding H. Yost's renowned 1901 "Point-a-Minute" football team. He later worked as an attorney, judge and businessman in Oklahoma and Louisiana.Shaw was born in Owego,...
, 5 feet, 9 inches, 156 pounds, Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Law '02. Shaw was a starting halfback in the first two games of the 1901 season, with Willie Heston as his backup. In the third and fourth games of the season against Indiana and Northwestern, Heston got the start at left halfback, and Shaw substituted for Heston late in the games. Shaw did not appear in any games for Michigan after the Northwestern game. According to a newspaper account at the end of the 1901 season, he was "kept out of the game most of the year by an injured knee." - Paul J. JonesPaul J. Jones-External links:...
, Youngstown, OhioYoungstown, OhioYoungstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
: "His work at fullback has been exceptionally good, and he is regarded as the most available man for that position next year." - James Chester Knight - Norway, MichiganNorway, MichiganNorway is a city in Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,959 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Iron Mountain, MI–WI Micropolitan Statistical Area....
, 5 feet 11, inches, 165 pounds, Law '03. Knight played for Princeton as an undergraduate and subsequently appeared in five games for the 1901 Michigan team while studying law there. He was Michigan's starting right end in the first two games of 1901 season. He was a substitute in the Indiana game, but returned to the starting lineup against Northwestern. He appeared as a substitute in the Carlisle game, but did not appear in any further games during the 1901 season. - Norman SterryNorman SterryNorman Sedgwick Sterry was an American lawyer and football player. He represented movie stars and prominent persons as a lawyer in Los Angeles and successfully represented Major League Baseball in the case that resulted in the United States Supreme Court's exemption of baseball from the antitrust...
- Daniel Wallace Woodward - Clinton, WisconsinClinton, WisconsinClinton is a village in Rock County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 2,162 at the 2000 census . The village is located within the town of Clinton...
(started 1 game at right tackle)
Scoring leaders
| Player | Touchdowns (5 points) |
Extra points 1 point |
Field goals (5 points) |
Total Points |
| Bruce Shorts Bruce Shorts Bruce Carman Shorts was an American football player and coach. He played as a tackle for the University of Michigan from 1900 to 1901. He later served as the head football coach at the University of Nevada, Reno in 1904 and at the University of Oregon in 1905.-Athlete:Shorts attended high school... |
13 | 53 | 1 | |123 |
| Willie Heston Willie Heston William Martin "Willie" Heston was an American football player and coach. He played halfback at San Jose State University and the University of Michigan. Heston was the head football coach for Drake University in 1905 and North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now North... |
20 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
| Neil Snow Neil Snow Neil Worthington Snow gained renown as an all-around athlete at the University of Michigan from 1898–1902, where he competed in American football, baseball, track and field, and tennis. He was an All-American player in 1901, and was the Most Valuable player in the 1902 Rose Bowl, where he... |
19 | 0 | 0 | 95 |
| Albert Herrnstein Albert E. Herrnstein Albert Ernest Herrnstein was an American football player and coach. He played at the University of Michigan as a halfback and end from 1899–1902 and was the head football coach at the Haskell Indian School , Purdue University , and Ohio State University .-University of Michigan:A native of... |
12 | 0 | 0 | 60 |
| Everett Sweeley Everett Sweeley Everett Marlin Sweeley was an American football player and coach. He played fullback, halfback and end for the University of Michigan from 1899 to 1902 and was a member of Fielding H. Yost's 1901 and 1902 "Point-a-Minute" teams... |
7 | 2 | 1 | 42 |
| Hugh White | 6 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| Walter Shaw Walter W. Shaw Walter White Shaw was an American football player and coach, attorney and businessman. He played at the halfback position for Fielding H. Yost's renowned 1901 "Point-a-Minute" football team. He later worked as an attorney, judge and businessman in Oklahoma and Louisiana.Shaw was born in Owego,... |
4 | 7 | 0 | 27 |
| Arthur Redner Arthur Redner Arthur E. Redner was an American football player and coach. He played halfback for the University of Michigan in 1900 and 1901 and was the last surviving member of Fielding H. Yost's renowned 1901 "Point-a-Minute" football team.-Early years:Redner was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Curtis Redden Curtis Redden Curtis Gerald "Cap" Redden was an American football player. He was the starting left end for the University of Michigan's football team from 1901–1904. He played for Michigan's "Point-a-Minute" teams and was unanimously selected as an All-Western player in 1903. Redden died of pneumonia... |
4 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Herb Graver Herb Graver Herbert Spencer Graver, Sr. was an American football player and coach and businessman. He played at the end, halfback, fullback, and quarterback positions for Fielding H. Yost's renowned 1901, 1902 and 1903 "Point-a-Minute" football teams... |
1 | 3 | 0 | 8 |
Reserves
- Albert Preussman, 158 pounds, Chicago, IL: "Preussman, the quarterback, has been the whole life of the reserve team. He runs the plays off fast and handles the ball well."
- Arthur G. Urquhart, 167 pounds, Ironwood, MichiganIronwood, MichiganIronwood is a city in Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan, about south of Lake Superior. The population was 6,293 at the 2000 census. The city is on US 2 and is situated opposite the Montreal River from Hurley, Wisconsin. It is the westernmost city in Michigan, situated on the same line...
: "His work at halfback has shown great improvement this year. He is aggressive and fearless and has been a faithful worker." - John F. Hincks, 167 pounds, Manistee, MichiganManistee, MichiganManistee is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,586. It is the county seat of Manistee County. The name "Manistee" is from an Ojibwe word first applied to the principal river of the county. The derivation is not certain, but it may be from...
: "Hincks has been on the reserves two years. He is a halfback and has done some good end running this year. He is also a fine punter." - Arthur Graham Reid, 158 pounds, Indianola, IowaIndianola, IowaAs of the census of 2000, there were 12,998 people, 4,748 households, and 3,261 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,414.7 people per square mile . There were 4,981 housing units at an average density of 542.1 per square mile...
(Simpson College): "Reid is a first year student in the law department. He has developed rapidly in the fullback position." - David Dunlap, Hopkinton, IowaHopkinton, IowaHopkinton is a city in Delaware County, Iowa, United States. The population was 681 at the 2000 census.-History:The city is the former home of Lenox College, a small school that closed in 1944. The old campus is still maintained as a museum.-Geography:...
: "Dunlap, '05 medic, has played a good game at end. He is fast and with more experience will develop into a valuable man." - Norman S. Sterry, Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
: "Sterry, '03 law, is a good man in any of the line positions. He knows the game thoroughly and is a hard, earnest player." - Cecil Gooding, 192 pounds, Ann Arbor, Michigan: "Gooding, '05 engineer, played on the Ann Arbor High School team last year. He played center on the all-fresh team this year and has shown up well on the reserves."
- David E. Beardsley, Kalamazoo, MichiganKalamazoo, MichiganThe area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
: "Beardsley, '02 lit, formerly played tackle on his class team. He has been used at the end on the reserves where he played a good, consistent game." - William Edward Snushall, Traverse City, MichiganTraverse City, MichiganTraverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
: "Snushall, the guard, is a sophomore engineer. He is a hard worker and has shown good form." - George Mark Davidson, Wichita, KansasWichita, KansasWichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
: "Davidson, '03 engineer, has shown up well at halfback. He runs well and fights hard on the defensive." - Joseph C. Horgan, 175 pounds, Victor, ColoradoVictor, ColoradoVictor is a Statutory City in Teller County, Colorado, United States. The population was 445 at the 2000 census.Victor is in the heart of Colorado's gold country, home to two of the major gold mines in the Cripple Creek mining district...
: "Horgan, '03 law, has been used at tackle and guard. He plays a good defensive game and has been a reliable reserve." - Moses Johnson, Wichita, Kansas: "Johnson, '05 lit, has shown fine form at tackle. He is well built for a line position and is undoubtedly good 'varsity material."
- Samuel J. Sackett, Ann Arbor, MI: "Sackett, '03 law, has played halfback on the reserves. He played quarterback last year on the reserves, and the same position on the '03 lit team in 1899."
- Harold Baker, Rochester, New YorkRochester, New YorkRochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, 185 pounds (N.Y. Military Academy): "Baker, '05 homeop., formerly played on the University of Rochester team. He is heavy and active and should make a good guard or center." - Claude C. Frazer, Flint, MichiganFlint, MichiganFlint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
: "Frazier, '02 law, although light, has done good work at end."
Coaching staff
- Head coach: Fielding H. Yost
- Assistant coach: Bennie OwenBennie OwenBenjamin Gilbert Owen was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball...
- Trainer: Keene FitzpatrickKeene FitzpatrickKeene Fitzpatrick was a track coach, athletic trainer, professor of physical training and gymnasium director for 42 years at Yale University , the University of Michigan , and Princeton University...
- Manager: Harry K. Crafts, Class of 1902 (Law)
- Manager elect: Joseph H. Ferguson, Class of 1903 (Lit.)
Awards and honors
- Captain: Hugh White
- All-Americans: Neil SnowNeil SnowNeil Worthington Snow gained renown as an all-around athlete at the University of Michigan from 1898–1902, where he competed in American football, baseball, track and field, and tennis. He was an All-American player in 1901, and was the Most Valuable player in the 1902 Rose Bowl, where he...
- All-Western: Willie HestonWillie HestonWilliam Martin "Willie" Heston was an American football player and coach. He played halfback at San Jose State University and the University of Michigan. Heston was the head football coach for Drake University in 1905 and North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now North...
(OutingOuting (magazine)Outing was a late-nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American magazine covering a variety of sporting activities. It began publication in 1882 as the Wheelman and had four title changes before ceasing publication in 1923....
, Collier'sCollier's WeeklyCollier's Weekly was an American magazine founded by Peter Fenelon Collier and published from 1888 to 1957. With the passage of decades, the title was shortened to Collier's....
), Boss Weeks (Outing, Collier's), Bruce ShortsBruce ShortsBruce Carman Shorts was an American football player and coach. He played as a tackle for the University of Michigan from 1900 to 1901. He later served as the head football coach at the University of Nevada, Reno in 1904 and at the University of Oregon in 1905.-Athlete:Shorts attended high school...
(Outing, Collier's), Neil SnowNeil SnowNeil Worthington Snow gained renown as an all-around athlete at the University of Michigan from 1898–1902, where he competed in American football, baseball, track and field, and tennis. He was an All-American player in 1901, and was the Most Valuable player in the 1902 Rose Bowl, where he...
(Outing, Collier's)
External links
- 1901 Football Team – Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Athletics History
- Michigan Alumnus, 1901-1902 - includes accounts of each game
- The Inlander, 1901-1902 - student newspaper with football coverage of the 1901 season
- 1902 Michiganensian - University of Michigan yearbook for the 1901-1902 academic year
- The Michigan Daily Football yearbook