1947 Maryland Terrapins football team
Encyclopedia
The 1947 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland
in National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) college football
in its 27th season
as a member of the Southern Conference
.
Jim Tatum
served as the first-year head coach and replaced Clark Shaughnessy
who had been asked to resign. Tatum replaced Shaughnessy's pass-oriented version of the T formation
with the option-heavy
split-T
offense. During his nine-year tenure
at College Park
, Tatum would become the winningest
coach in school history. In 1947, he got off to a good start and significantly improved from Shaughnessy's 3–6 record of the season prior.
The highlight of the season was a berth in the 1948 Gator Bowl
, the first postseason game in school history. NCAA-scoring leader Lu Gambino
ran for 165 yards and scored all three touchdowns for Maryland. The game ultimately ended in a stalemate.
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
in its 27th season
1947 college football season
The 1947 college football season finished with Notre Dame, Michigan and Penn State all unbeaten and untied, but the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame were the first place choice for 107 of the 142 voters in the AP writers poll, and repeated as national champions...
as a member of the Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
.
Jim Tatum
Jim Tatum
James M. "Big Jim" Tatum was an American football and baseball player and coach. Tatum served as the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , the University of Oklahoma , and the University of Maryland, College Park , compiling a career college football record of...
served as the first-year head coach and replaced Clark Shaughnessy
Clark Shaughnessy
Clark Daniel Shaughnessy was an American football coach and innovator. He is sometimes called the "father of the T formation", although that system had previously been used as early as the 1880s. Shaughnessy did, however, modernize the obsolescent T formation to make it once again relevant in the...
who had been asked to resign. Tatum replaced Shaughnessy's pass-oriented version of the T formation
T formation
In American football, a T formation is a formation used by the offensive team in which three running backs line up in a row about five yards behind the quarterback, forming the shape of a "T"....
with the option-heavy
Option offense
The option offense is a generic term that is used to describe a wide variety of offensive systems in American football. Option offenses are characterized as such due to the predominance of option running plays employed in these schemes. Option offenses have traditionally relied heavily upon running...
split-T
Split-T
The split-T is an offensive formation in American football that was popular in the 1940s and 50s. Developed by Missouri Tigers head coach Don Faurot as a variation on the T formation, the split-T was first used in the 1941 season and allowed the Tigers to win all but their season-opening match...
offense. During his nine-year tenure
Maryland Terrapins football under Jim Tatum (1947–1955)
From 1947 to 1955, Jim Tatum served as the head coach of the Maryland Terrapins football team, which represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football. Maryland hired Tatum to replace Clark Shaughnessy after the 1946 season...
at College Park
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
, Tatum would become the winningest
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
coach in school history. In 1947, he got off to a good start and significantly improved from Shaughnessy's 3–6 record of the season prior.
The highlight of the season was a berth in the 1948 Gator Bowl
1948 Gator Bowl
The 1948 Gator Bowl was the third edition of the Gator Bowl and featured the Georgia Bulldogs representing the University of Georgia and the Maryland Terrapins representing the University of Maryland. It was the first-ever meeting of the two teams....
, the first postseason game in school history. NCAA-scoring leader Lu Gambino
Lu Gambino
Lucien Anthony "Lu" Gambino was an American football running back. He played college football for Indiana University, and after military service in the Second World War, the University of Maryland...
ran for 165 yards and scored all three touchdowns for Maryland. The game ultimately ended in a stalemate.
Roster
The Maryland roster for the 1947 season consisted of the following players:- Pete Augsburger
- John Baroni
- Sam Behr
- Harry BonkHarry BonkHarry Bonk is an American former football player. He played college football as a fullback for the University of Maryland from 1945 to 1948, and for Dartmouth College and Bucknell University in 1944...
- James Brasher
- Paul Broglio
- Fred Davis
- Joseph Drach
- Francis Evans
- William Everson
- Lu GambinoLu GambinoLucien Anthony "Lu" Gambino was an American football running back. He played college football for Indiana University, and after military service in the Second World War, the University of Maryland...
- Rudolph Gayzur
- Chester GierulaChester GierulaChester Gierula was an American football player. He was selected in the tenth round of the 1951 NFL Draft.Gierula was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and attended William Allen High School....
- Jim Goodman
- John IdzikJohn IdzikJohn J. Idzik is an American former football coach. He was the head coach of the University of Detroit football team until the school discontinued its program in 1964...
- Eugene Kinney
- Ray KrouseRay KrouseRaymond Francis Krouse was an American football defensive lineman in the National Football League for the New York Giants , the Detroit Lions , Baltimore Colts and Washington Redskins .He attended Western High School before going on to the University of Maryland .He...
- Joe Kuchta
- Jim LaRueJim LaRue-External links:...
- Stanford Lavine
- Thomas McHugh
- Thomas McQuade
- James Molster
- Al Phillips
- Ed Pobiak
- Wilbur Rock
- Earl Roth
- Jake Rowden
- Edward Schwarz
- Vernon Seibert
- George Simler
- Bernie Sniscak
- Jack Targanrona
- John Troha
- Robert Troll
- Joe Tucker
- Vic Turyn
- Hubert Werner
- Elmer WingateElmer WingateElmer Horsey Wingate is a former American football player. Wingate was drafted by the New York Yanks in the fourth round of the 1951 NFL Draft and played for one season with the Baltimore Colts.-Early life and college career:...
Coaching staff
- Jim TatumJim TatumJames M. "Big Jim" Tatum was an American football and baseball player and coach. Tatum served as the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , the University of Oklahoma , and the University of Maryland, College Park , compiling a career college football record of...
, head coach - George Barclay, assistant coach
- Flucie StewartFlucie StewartBasketball-References:...
, assistant coach - Jim MeadeJim MeadeJames Gordon Meade, Jr. was an American football halfback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football and lacrosse at the University of Maryland. He was inducted into the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982.-References:...
, assistant coach - Houston Elder, assistant coach
- Albert Woods, assistant coach
- Bill MeekBill MeekWilliam M. Meek was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Kansas State University , the University of Houston , Southern Methodist University , and the University of Utah , compiling a career college football record of 78–88–7.-Early life:Meek was born in...
, assistant coach - Duke WyreDuke WyreAlfred J. "Duke" Wyre was an American athletic trainer and coach. He invented the Duke Wyre Shoulder Vest, a protective device for football players against shoulder dislocations and separations. Wyre was an athletic trainer at the College of the Holy Cross for one year and at Yale University for...
, trainer