Glenn Scobey Warner
Encyclopedia
Glenn Scobey Warner most commonly known as Pop Warner, was an American football
player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Georgia
(1895–1896), Cornell University
(1897–1898, 1904–1906), the Carlisle Indian Industrial School
(1899–1903, 1907–1914), the University of Pittsburgh
(1915–1923), Stanford University
(1924–1932), and Temple University
(1933–1938), compiling a career college football
record of 319–106–32. Warner coached four teams to national championships
: in 1915, 1916, and 1918 with Pittsburgh and in 1926 with Stanford. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
as a coach in 1951. Warner also helped start the popular youth American football organization, Pop Warner Little Scholars
.
Warner was born in Springville, New York
. He attended and played football for Cornell University
. As captain of the Cornell football team
, Warner obtained the nickname "Pop" because he was older than most of his teammates. After graduating from Cornell, he had a brief legal career in New York. In 1902, Warner played pro football for the Syracuse Athletic Club during the first World Series of Football
, held at Madison Square Garden
. It was during this event, that Warner played in the very first professional indoor football game as his Syracuse squad upset the heavily favored "New York
" team. During the Series, Warner was cut badly on the side of his head. While he laughed it off at the time, he was replaced for the rest of the Series, by Blondy Wallace
.
as its new head football coach in 1895
at a salary of $34 per week. For the 1895-1896 academic year, Georgia's entire student body consisted of 126 students. This was Georgia's first year in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
, a conference that it founded along with Alabama
, Auburn
, Georgia Tech
, North Carolina
and Vanderbilt
. Warner's first Georgia team had three wins against four losses.
The following year, Georgia rehired Warner and the team had an undefeated season. While at Georgia, Warner also served as a co-coach at Iowa State
. He coached teams from two schools simultaneously on three occasions: Iowa State and Georgia during the 1895 and 1896 seasons, Iowa State and Cornell in 1897 and 1898, and Iowa State and Carlisle in 1899. Warner's Iowa State record was 18–8, bringing Warner's total lifetime record to 337–114–32.
After his stint in Georgia, Warner returned to Cornell to coach football for two seasons. He then coached at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School
in Pennsylvania
from 1899–1903, returned to Cornell for three seasons, and returned again to Carlisle in 1907. During his second tenure at Carlisle, Warner coached one of the most famous American athletes, Jim Thorpe
.
In 1914, Warner was hired by the University of Pittsburgh
, where he coached his teams to 33 straight major wins and has been credited with three national championships, in 1915, 1916 and 1918. He coached Pittsburgh from 1915 to 1923, compiling a record of 60–12–4. One of Warner's players, Jock Sutherland
, would succeed him as the head coach at Pitt.
The next team Warner coached was at Stanford University
from 1924 to 1932, where his teams played in three Rose Bowl
games, including the classic 1925 Rose Bowl
game against Knute Rockne
and the Four Horsemen
of Notre Dame
. Warner added a fourth national championship in 1926.
Warner's final head coaching job was at Temple University
where he coached for five years until retiring in 1938. Following his retirement, he served as advisory football coach for the Spartans
of San Jose State College
.
Warner brought many innovative playing mechanics to college football:
Warner died of throat cancer
in Palo Alto, California
at the age of 83.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
(1895–1896), Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
(1897–1898, 1904–1906), the Carlisle Indian Industrial School
Carlisle Indian Industrial School
Carlisle Indian Industrial School was an Indian boarding school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1879 at Carlisle, Pennsylvania by Captain Richard Henry Pratt, the school was the first off-reservation boarding school, and it became a model for Indian boarding schools in other locations...
(1899–1903, 1907–1914), the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
(1915–1923), Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
(1924–1932), and Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
(1933–1938), compiling a career 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...
record of 319–106–32. Warner coached four teams to national championships
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...
: in 1915, 1916, and 1918 with Pittsburgh and in 1926 with Stanford. He was inducted into the 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...
as a coach in 1951. Warner also helped start the popular youth American football organization, Pop Warner Little Scholars
Pop Warner Little Scholars
Pop Warner Little Scholars is a non-profit organization that provides youth football, cheerleading, and dance programs for participants in 43 U.S. states and several countries around the world. It is headquartered in Langhorne, Pennsylvania...
.
Early life and playing career
Springville, New York
Springville is a village in the southeast part of the town of Concord in Erie County, New York, United States. Springville is the principal community in the town and a major business location in south Erie County. The population was 4,252 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara...
. He attended and played football for Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. As captain of the Cornell football team
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...
, Warner obtained the nickname "Pop" because he was older than most of his teammates. After graduating from Cornell, he had a brief legal career in New York. In 1902, Warner played pro football for the Syracuse Athletic Club during the first World Series of Football
World Series of Football (1902)
The World Series of Football was a series of football games played indoors at New York's Madison Square Garden in 1902 and 1903. It originally comprised five teams, four from New York state and one from New Jersey...
, held at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden (1890)
Madison Square Garden was an indoor arena in New York City, the second by that name, and the second to be located at 26th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan...
. It was during this event, that Warner played in the very first professional indoor football game as his Syracuse squad upset the heavily favored "New York
New York (World Series of Football)
"New York" was a term given to a professional football team formed by promoter Tom O'Rouke for the World Series of Football in 1902. The event was held in New York City at Madison Square Garden...
" team. During the Series, Warner was cut badly on the side of his head. While he laughed it off at the time, he was replaced for the rest of the Series, by Blondy Wallace
Blondy Wallace
Charles Edgar "Blondy" Wallace was an early professional football player. He was a 240-pound, former Walter Camp second-team All-American tackle from the University of Pennsylvania. He also played two years at Peddie Institute, in New Jersey, winning state championships in 1896 and 1897...
.
Coaching career
Warner was hired by the University of GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
as its new head football coach in 1895
Georgia Bulldogs football under Pop Warner
Coaching legend Glenn “Pop” Warner coached the Georgia Bulldogs for two seasons: 1895 and 1896. Warner was hired at a salary of $34 per week. Over the course of those two seasons, he led the Bulldogs to a combined 7-4 record and the team's first undefeated season and first conference championship...
at a salary of $34 per week. For the 1895-1896 academic year, Georgia's entire student body consisted of 126 students. This was Georgia's first year in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association was one of the first collegiate athletic conferences in the United States. Twenty-seven of the current Division I FBS football programs were members of this conference at some point, as were at least 19 other schools...
, a conference that it founded along with Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
, Auburn
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
, Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels
The North Carolina Tar Heels are the athletic teams for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to individuals from the state of North Carolina, the Tar Heel State...
and Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt Commodores football
The Vanderbilt Commodores football program is a college football team that represents Vanderbilt University. The team currently competes in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Southeastern Conference...
. Warner's first Georgia team had three wins against four losses.
The following year, Georgia rehired Warner and the team had an undefeated season. While at Georgia, Warner also served as a co-coach at Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones football
The Iowa State Cyclones football team represents Iowa State University in college football. The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. ISU started playing football in 1892, however, it did not become an official sport until 1894...
. He coached teams from two schools simultaneously on three occasions: Iowa State and Georgia during the 1895 and 1896 seasons, Iowa State and Cornell in 1897 and 1898, and Iowa State and Carlisle in 1899. Warner's Iowa State record was 18–8, bringing Warner's total lifetime record to 337–114–32.
After his stint in Georgia, Warner returned to Cornell to coach football for two seasons. He then coached at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School
Carlisle Indian Industrial School
Carlisle Indian Industrial School was an Indian boarding school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1879 at Carlisle, Pennsylvania by Captain Richard Henry Pratt, the school was the first off-reservation boarding school, and it became a model for Indian boarding schools in other locations...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
from 1899–1903, returned to Cornell for three seasons, and returned again to Carlisle in 1907. During his second tenure at Carlisle, Warner coached one of the most famous American athletes, Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe
Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...
.
In 1914, Warner was hired by the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, where he coached his teams to 33 straight major wins and has been credited with three national championships, in 1915, 1916 and 1918. He coached Pittsburgh from 1915 to 1923, compiling a record of 60–12–4. One of Warner's players, Jock Sutherland
Jock Sutherland
Dr. John Bain "Jock" Sutherland, D.D.S., was an American football coach. He coached college football at Lafayette College and the University of Pittsburgh and professional football for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Steelers...
, would succeed him as the head coach at Pitt.
The next team Warner coached was at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
from 1924 to 1932, where his teams played in three Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
games, including the classic 1925 Rose Bowl
1925 Rose Bowl
The 1925 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game. It was the 11th Rose Bowl Game. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated Stanford University, 27-10. The game featured two legendary coaches, Knute Rockne of Notre Dame, and Glenn "Pop" Warner in his first year at Stanford. The game also featured...
game against Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
and the Four Horsemen
Four Horsemen (football)
The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame comprised a winning group of American football players at the University of Notre Dame under coach Knute Rockne. They were the backfield of Notre Dame's 1924 football team...
of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. Warner added a fourth national championship in 1926.
Warner's final head coaching job was at Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
where he coached for five years until retiring in 1938. Following his retirement, he served as advisory football coach for the Spartans
San José State Spartans Football
The San Jose State Spartans represent San Jose State University and the Silicon Valley in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The Spartans play all home games in Spartan Stadium, which offers a seating capacity of over 30,000...
of San Jose State College
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
.
Warner brought many innovative playing mechanics to college football:
- the screen passScreen passA screen pass is a type of play in American football. During a screen pass, a number of things happen concurrently in order to fool the defense into thinking a long pass is being thrown, when in fact the pass is merely a short one, just beyond the defensive linemen. Screens are usually deployed...
- spiral puntPunt (football)In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
- single- and double-wingDouble wing formationThe double-wing is an offensive formation which should not be confused with the Double Wing offense. The double-wing formation is used in many offenses from the youth level through college. The formation was first introduced by Glenn "Pop" Warner around 1912. Just a few offenses that use the...
formations - the use of shoulderShoulder padsShoulder pads are a piece of protective equipment used in many contact sports such as American football, Canadian football, lacrosse and hockey. Most modern shoulder pads consist of a shock absorbing foam material with a hard plastic outer covering. The pieces are usually secured by rivets or...
and thigh pads. - designed helmets red for backs and white for ends
Warner died of throat cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
in Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
at the age of 83.
Football
See also
- Georgia Bulldogs football under Pop WarnerGeorgia Bulldogs football under Pop WarnerCoaching legend Glenn “Pop” Warner coached the Georgia Bulldogs for two seasons: 1895 and 1896. Warner was hired at a salary of $34 per week. Over the course of those two seasons, he led the Bulldogs to a combined 7-4 record and the team's first undefeated season and first conference championship...
- Pittsburgh Panthers football under Pop Warner
- List of college football coaches with 200 wins
Further reading
- Danzig, Allison (1956). The History of American Football: Its Great Teams, Players, and Coaches. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
External links
- Reed, Thomas Walter (1949). Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press. History of the University of Georgia; Chapter XVII: Athletics at the University from the Beginning Through 1947 imprint pages 3441-3445