Wikipedia

1929 Florida Gators football team

The 1929 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1929 college football season. The season was Charlie Bachman's second as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Bachman's 1929 Florida Gators finished with an overall record of 8–2,[1] and a conference record of 6–1, placing fourth of twenty-three conference teams.[2]

1929 Florida Gators football
ConferenceSouthern Conference
Record8–2 (6–1 SoCon)
Head coach
Offensive schemeNotre Dame Box
CaptainRainey Cawthon
Home stadiumFleming Field
Uniform
Seasons
← 1928
1930 →
1929 Southern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 10 Tulane $ 6 – 0 – 0 9 – 0 – 0
Tennessee 6 – 0 – 1 9 – 0 – 1
North Carolina 7 – 1 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
Florida 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Vanderbilt 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Kentucky 3 – 1 – 1 6 – 1 – 1
Georgia 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
VMI 4 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Duke 2 – 1 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
LSU 3 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Alabama 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Clemson 3 – 3 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
VPI 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Georgia Tech 3 – 5 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
South Carolina 2 – 5 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Virginia 1 – 3 – 2 4 – 3 – 2
Maryland 1 – 3 – 1 4 – 4 – 2
Washington and Lee 1 – 4 – 1 3 – 5 – 1
Ole Miss 0 – 4 – 2 1 – 6 – 2
Mississippi A&M 0 – 3 – 1 1 – 5 – 2
Sewanee 0 – 4 – 1 2 – 5 – 2
NC State 0 – 5 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
Auburn 0 – 7 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from Dickinson System

The highlights of the year included Southern Conference victories over the Virginia Military Institute Keydets, Auburn Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, Clemson Tigers, South Carolina Gamecocks and Washington & Lee Generals, and a 20–6 intersectional upset over coach John McEwan's Oregon Webfoots in a neutral site game played at the old Madison Square Garden stadium in Miami, Florida.

Before the season

edit

Former player Edgar Jones became athletic director and Joe Bedenk left. James Van Fleet returned to help assist Bachman.[3]

Coach Bachman began the season's intensive practices on the beach at Anastasia Island, some ten miles from Saint Augustine.[4] A fierce battle amongst the eleven running backs featured.[5] A good backfield was expected.[6]

Bachman later said the 1929 team "was as good as the 1928 team and would have been better had we not lost Carl Brumbaugh from the year before. He was our passer, and he was our thinker. He could get the ball to Van Sickel. In those days the halfbacks passed more than the quarterback. And boy did we pass. In the flats a lot, like they do now."[3]

Schedule

edit
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 28Florida Southern*
W 54–0[7]
October 5vs. VMI
W 12–710,000[8]
October 11at Auburn
W 19–0[9]
October 19at Georgia Tech
L 6–197,000[10]
October 26vs. Georgia
W 18–620,000[11]
November 2at Harvard*
L 0–1435,000[12]
November 16Clemson 
  • Fleming Field
  • Gainesville, FL
W 13–710,000[13]
November 23at South Carolina
W 20–7[14]
November 28vs. Washington and Lee
  • Fairfield Stadium
  • Jacksonville, FL
W 25–712,000[15]
December 7vs. Oregon*
W 20–617,000[16]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming

[1]

Game summaries

edit

Week 1: Florida Southern

edit

The Gators opened the season with a 54–0 romp of Florida Southern. The Gators made 19 first downs and 8 touchdowns; Florida Southern made no first downs.[17]

Week 2: VMI

edit
Week 2: VMI at Florida
1 234Total
VMI 0 070 7
• Florida 0 660 12

Prior to the game, Royce Goodbread and Ed Sauls stood out in preparations.[18] Florida won a close game in Tampa over the V. M. I. Keydets 12 to 7.[19] VMI frequently used the forward pass; and the Gators used a new huddle system.

The first score came from Royce Goodbread after many exchanges of punts. Rainey Cawthon made a 25-yard pass into another touchdown. The Keydets touchdown was scored on a 2-yard run by Dunn.[19]

 
Captain Cawthon on the beach.

Week 3: at Auburn

edit
Week 3: Florida at Auburn
1 234Total
• Florida 7 660 19
Auburn 0 000 0

In Florida's first night game, the Gators defeated the Auburn Tigers 19 to 0.

Florida's first touchdown came on a 30-yard run from Clyde Crabtree through tackle. A 10-yard pass from Red Bethea to Dale Van Sickel brought the second touchdown. The last score was a 15-yard pass from Red McEwen to Jimmy Nolan.[20] After the game, acting under orders of Governor Graves, law enforcement officers seized and destroyed some 75 pints of liquor which had been brought to the contest.[21]

The starting lineup for the Gators against Harvard: Green (left end), Waters (left tackle), McRae (left guard), Haines (center), Houser (right guard), Dedge (right tackle), Hall (right end), Crabtree (quarterback), Bethea (left halfback), Goodbread (right halfback), Cawthon (fullback).

Week 4: at Georgia Tech

edit
Week 4: Florida at Georgia Tech
1 234Total
Florida 0 060 6
• Ga. Tech 7 660 19

Florida lost to coach Bill Alexander's Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Grant Field 19–6. Fumbles cost Florida dearly. Georgia Tech's ability to stop the Gator backfield was surprising.[22]

A 30-yard pass, Earl Dunlap to Warner Mizell, and 7 yards after the catch from Mizell, got the first touchdown for the Yellow Jackets. A 25-yard pass from Dunlap to Vance Maree got the second. The final score for Tech came on a pass from Mizell to Stumpy Thomason. A pitch to Rainey Cawthon got the lone Gator score.

Week 5: Georgia

edit
Week 5: Georgia at Florida
1 234Total
Georgia 0 006 6
• Florida 0 666 18

The Gators upset the Georgia Bulldogs for the second year in a row, by a score of 18 to 6,[23] just two days after the Stock Market Crash.[24] Georgia had already defeated Yale.

A long pass from Red Bethea to Green started things going in the second quarter, down to Georgia's 14-yard line. After driving down to the 3, Bethea scored on a wide end run. Dale Van Sickel recovered a blocked punt in the third quarter inside the 30-yard line. Rainey Cawthon and company drove the ball inside the 10-yard line. A pass from Clyde Crabtree to Van Sickel got a touchdown. Crabtree later returned an interception for a touchdown. In the final minutes, Ed Sauls ran 60 yards through the Georgia defense, the highlight of the contest.[23]

Georgia quarterback Austin Downes broke his arm during the game. Florida running back Royce Goodbread also suffered an injury.[25]

Week 6: at Harvard

edit
Week 6: Florida at Harvard
1 234Total
Florida 0 000 0
• Harvard 0 707 14

Coach Arnold Horween's Harvard Crimson defeated the Florida Gators 14 to 0 in front of a crowd of 35,000.[26][27][28] Michigan coach Fielding Yost watched the game from the stands.[29]

The starting lineup for the Gators against Harvard: Nolan (left end), Proctor (left tackle), Reeves (left guard), Clemons (center), Steele (right guard), Waters (right tackle), Van Sickel (right end), Crabtree (quarterback), Bethea (left halfback), Dorsett (right halfback), Cawthon (fullback).[26]

Week 7: Clemson

edit
Week 7: Clemson at Florida
1 234Total
Clemson 0 070 7
• Florida 0 607 13

The Gators beat Josh Cody's Clemson Tigers 13–7 at homecoming. The first Florida score came on a 9-yard pass from Red Bethea to Dale Van Sickel. The second came on a short run by Rainey Cawthon after a 28-yard run by Bethea.

Week 8: at South Carolina

edit
Week 8: Florida at South Carolina
1 234Total
• Florida 7 076 20
S. Carolina 0 700 7

The Gators defeated coach Billy Laval's South Carolina Gamecocks 20 to 7. Florida substitutes started the game, coming in some 5 minutes in after a blocked punt on the 18-yard line. Six runs at the line later, Rainey Cawthon scored.[30] A pass from Clyde Crabtree to Dale Van Sickel got the extra point. Early in the second quarter, South Carolina blocked another punt. This time they capitalized with a 15-yard touchdown pass, Rhame to Stoddard. Boineau added the extra point from placement.[31]

The same Boineau later fumbled a punt, recovered by Florida. A pass from Crabtree to Red Bethea gained 12 and a run around right end from Bethea got a touchdown. Crabtree passed to Van Sickel for the conversion. A Van Sickel interception ended South Carolina's fiercest threat, which eventually turned into another Cawthon touchdown. The final touchdown drive caused injuries to both Van Sickel and Bethea.[31] The try was missed.

The starting lineup for the Gators against South Carolina: L. Greene (left end), Phiel (left tackle), McRae (left guard), Clark (center), James (right guard), Dedge (right tackle), Vickery (right end), McEwen (quarterback), Dorsett (left halfback), Goodbread (right halfback), Silsby (fullback).[31]

Week 9: Washington & Lee

edit
Week 9: Washington & Lee at Florida
1 234Total
W&L 0 007 7
• Florida 7 6120 25

The Gators defeated coach Gene Oberst's Washington & Lee Generals 25–7 in their annual Thanksgiving matchup. Sophomore halfback Monk Dorsett was the star of the game, scoring two touchdowns.

Week 10: Oregon

edit
Week 10: Oregon at Florida
1 234Total
Oregon 0 006 6
• Florida 0 1460 20
  • Date: December 7
  • Location: Madison Square Garden Stadium
    Miami
  • Game attendance: 25,000+
  • Referee: Birch (Earlham)

At the old Madison Square Garden Stadium in Miami on December 7, in front of more than 25,000,[32] the Gators had a major inter-sectional victory over coach John McEwan's Oregon Webfoots 20 to 6. The Gators had a light drill on Fleming Field on the afternoon of the 5th. At 9:30 they embarked on a special train, which transferred to the train bearing the Oregon players at Palatka.[33]

The heat forced many Oregon players to take off their jerseys. Clyde Crabtree, in his final game, had a touchdown on a punt return of 80 yards,[34] Ed Sauls had one on a run through the line of 38 yards.[35] The other score came on 10-yard run by Red McEwen.

The starting lineup for the Gators against Oregon: Parnell (left end), Waters (left tackle), Steele (left guard), Clemons (center), Reeves (right guard), Proctor (right tackle), Nolan (right end), Crabtree (quarterback), Dorsett (left halfback), Goodbread (right halfback), Cawthon (fullback).[35]

Postseason

edit

Red Bethea was elected captain of next year's team.[36]

Personnel

edit

Depth chart

edit

The following chart provides a visual depiction of Florida's lineup during the 1929 season with games started at the position reflected in parentheses. The chart mimics a Notre Dame Box on offense.

LE
Harry Green (2)
Jimmy Nolan (1)
Ed Parnell (1)
 
LT LG C RG RT
Muddy Waters (2) Bill McRae (2) Ben Clemons (2) Mike Houser (1) Al Dedge (2)
Scabby Phiel (1) Rip Reeves (1) Frank Clark (1) Wilbur James (1) Carlos Proctor (1)
Carlos Proctor (1) Jimmy Steele (1) Weber Haines (1) Rip Reeves (1) Muddy Waters (1)
Jimmy Steele (1)
RE
Joe Hall (1)
Jimmy Nolan (1)
Dale Van Sickel (1)
Charlie Vickery (1)
QB
Clyde Crabtree (3)
Red McEwen (1)
RHB
Royce Goodbread (3)
Monk Dorsett (1)
Homer Seay (0)
LHB
Red Bethea (2)
Monk Dorsett (2)
Loyd Baldwin (0)
FB
Rainey Cawthon (3)
Link Silsby (1)
Ed Sauls (0)

Line

edit

Starters

edit
Player Position Games
started 		High school Height Weight Age
Frank Clark center Culver 6'1" 170 20
Ben Clemons center Leon 6'2" 185 23
Harry Green end Gainesville 6'2" 182 24
Bill McRae guard West Palm Beach 6'1" 172 20
Jimmy Nolan end Duval 5'10" 170 21
Scabby Phiel tackle St. Petersburg
Carlos Proctor tackle Hillsborough 22
Alex "Rip" Reeves tackle Alabama 5'8" 184 23
Jimmy Steele guard Hillsborough 6'0" 185 20
Dale Van Sickel end Gainesville 5'11" 170 20
Dale Waters tackle Gainesville 5'11" 170 20

Subs

edit
Player Position High school Height Weight Age
Al Dedge tackle
Weber Haines center
Joe Hall end
Mike Houser guard Duval 5'7" 170 23
Wilbur James guard Orlando 5'11" 186 20
Charlie Vickery end Panama City

Backfield

edit

Starters

edit
Player Position Games
started 		High school Height Weight Age
Red Bethea halfback Riverside 5'9" 172 22
Clyde Crabtree quarterback J. Sterling Morton 5'8" 147 22
Rainey Cawthon fullback Leon 5'11" 180 21
Monk Dorsett halfback Duval
Royce Goodbread halfback St. Petersburg 6'0" 190 21
Ed Sauls fullback Leon 5'11" 185 21

Subs

edit
Player Position High school Height Weight Age
Lloyd Baldwin back Miami 5'11" 180 21
J. Milton "Red" McEwen quarterback Wauchula 5'8" 155 20
Homer Seay halfback
Lincoln "Link" Silsby fullback

[37]

Coaching staff

edit

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 108 & 115 (2015). Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  2. ^ 2009 Southern Conference Football Media Guide, Year-by-Year Standings, Southern Conference, Spartanburg, South Carolina, p. 74 (2009). Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Tom McEwen, The Gators: A Story of Florida Football, The Strode Publishers, Huntsville, Alabama, p. 102 (1974).
  4. ^ "Florida 'Gators Train On Beach". Anniston Star. September 23, 1929. p. 8. Retrieved September 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ Joe Holsinger (September 4, 1929). "Eleven Halves Seeking Berths On Gator Team". The Evening Independent.
  6. ^ "Wealth of Backfield Talent Awaits Gator Grid Coach This Fall". The Evening Independent. August 20, 1929.
  7. ^ "Florida Alligators beat Southern 54 to 0". Miami Daily News. September 29, 1929. Retrieved December 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Florida Gators repulse closing threat of V.M.I. to win 12–7 victory here". Tampa Sunday Tribune. October 6, 1929. Retrieved December 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "'Gators flash power to beat Auburn, 19–0". The Atlanta Constitution. October 12, 1929. Retrieved December 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Georgia Tech blasts Florida's championship hopes with 19 to 7 victory". The Knoxville Journal. October 20, 1929. Retrieved December 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Bulldogs swept off their feet by Alligators". The Tennessean. October 27, 1929. Retrieved December 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Southern foe falls before Harvard, 14–0". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. November 3, 1929. Retrieved December 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Florida Gators brush aside Clemson by 13 to 7". The Orlando Sentinel. November 17, 1929. Retrieved December 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Gators battle way to victory over Carolina". The Anniston Star. November 24, 1929. p. 12. Retrieved December 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Florida Gators easily defeat Washington and Lee". Tampa Bay Times. November 29, 1929. Retrieved December 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Webfoots are defeated 20–6". The Oregon Statesman. December 8, 1929. Retrieved December 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "'Gators Down Southern". The Bee. September 30, 1929. p. 5. Retrieved September 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  18. ^ "Bachman Looks For Hard Title Against Cadets". St. Petersburg Times. October 4, 1929.
  19. ^ a b "'Gators Barely Win Over V. M. I., 12 To 7". Anniston Star. October 6, 1929. p. 12. Retrieved September 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  20. ^ "'Gators Defeat Auburn 19 to 0 In Night Game". Anniston Star. October 12, 1929. p. 6. Retrieved September 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  21. ^ "Dry Search At Football Game Reveals 75 Pints". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. October 14, 1929. p. 6. Retrieved September 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  22. ^ Jeff Moshier (October 21, 1929). "Playing Square". Evening Independent.
  23. ^ a b "Gators Upset Dope And Win From Bulldogs". Anniston Star. October 27, 1929. p. 10. Retrieved September 3, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  24. ^ Carlson 2007, p. 38
  25. ^ Frank S. Wright (November 8, 1929). "Link Silsby Is Good Fullback". St. Petersburg Times.
  26. ^ a b "Southern Foe Falls Before Harbard, 14-0". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. November 3, 1929. p. 41. Retrieved August 20, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  27. ^ "Harvard Beats Florida, 14-0 In Close Fight". The Anniston Star. November 3, 1929. p. 10. Retrieved August 20, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  28. ^ "Florida Gators Will Snap At Harvard Line". Altoona Tribune. November 2, 1929. p. 12. Retrieved September 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  29. ^ William R. King (November 3, 1929). "Yost Watching As Harvard Smashes Through Florida". The Escanaba Daily Press. p. 15. Retrieved August 20, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  30. ^ "Gamecocks Fail To Show Power". The Index-Journal. November 24, 1929. p. 6. Retrieved September 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  31. ^ a b c "Gators Battle Way To Victory Over Carolina". Anniston Star. November 24, 1929. p. 12. Retrieved September 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  32. ^ "Oregon Plays Florida Gators In Hot Sun Today". The Brainerd Daily Dispatch. December 7, 1929. p. 5. Retrieved September 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  33. ^ "Gators End Training". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. December 6, 1929.
  34. ^ "Florida Wins Over Oregon". The Pittsburgh Press. December 8, 1929.
  35. ^ a b Rex Saffer (December 8, 1929). "Webfoots Are Defeated 20-6". Oregon Statesman. p. 18. Retrieved August 19, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  36. ^ "Halfback Elected Captain". The Evening Independent. December 17, 1929.
  37. ^ Frank Wright (December 6, 1929). "Here's Intro To the Gator First String and Subs". Miami Daily News and Metropolis. p. 15.

Additional sources

edit
  • Carlson, Norm (2007). University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators. Atlanta, Georgia: Whitman Publishing, LLC. ISBN 0-7948-2298-3.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1929_Florida_Gators_football_team&oldid=1188689502"