1919 Centre Praying Colonels football team

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1919 Centre Praying Colonels football
1919CentreafterWVU.jpg
Centre players after the defeat of West Virginia
National champion (Sagarin)
Southern champion
Conference Independent
1919 record 9–0
Head coach Charley Moran
Offensive scheme Single wing
Captain Bo McMillin
Home stadium Cheek Field
Uniform
20scentreuniform.png
Seasons
← 1918
1920 →
1919 NCAA independents football records
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
Centre   –       9 – 0 – 0
Notre Dame   –       9 – 0 – 0
Harvard   –       9 – 0 – 1
Navy   –       7 – 1 – 0
Penn State   –       7 – 1 – 0
Dartmouth   –       6 – 1 – 1
West Virginia   –       8 – 2 – 0
Wash. & Jeff.   –       6 – 2 – 0
Syracuse   –       8 – 3 – 0
Penn   –       6 – 2 – 1
Pittsburgh   –       6 – 2 – 1
Army   –       6 – 3 – 0
USC   –       4 – 1 – 0
Yale   –       5 – 3 – 0
Villanova   –       5 – 3 – 1
Montana   –       2 – 3 – 2
Idaho   –       2 – 3 – 0
SBUC   –       2 – 6 – 0

The 1919 Centre Praying Colonels football team represented Centre College in the 1919 college football season. The Praying Colonels scored 485 points, leading the nation, while allowing 23 points and finishing their season with a perfect record of 9–0.[1][2] The team was retroactively selected by Jeff Sagarin as co-national champion for the 1919 season.[3]

Quarterback Bo McMillin and center James "Red" Weaver were named to Walter Camp's first-team 1919 College Football All-America Team. Just the year before Bum Day was the first Southern player ever selected to Camp's first team – and Centre became the first school with two. Fullback and end James "Red" Roberts was named to Camp's third team.

The highlight of the season was the win over West Virginia. McMillin had the team pray before it, forever giving the Centre College Colonels its alternate moniker of "Praying Colonels."[4]

Before the season[edit]

Five Centre regulars were natives of Fort Worth, Texas, namely quarterback Bo McMillin, Bill James, Sully Montgomery, Matty Bell, and Red Weaver.[5] They were accused of being professionals, but the charges were rebuked by season's end.[6] "Without Bo it would not be a Centre team."[7]

Former Centre player and North Side High School head coach Robert L. Myers was to bring McMillin, Weaver, and the above teammates to Centre. However, McMillin and Weaver did not have sufficient credits to enter college, and thus entered Somerset High School for the 1916-17 year, playing with Red Roberts.[8]

Centre's linemen were known as the "Seven Mustangs".[9]

Schedule[edit]

Date Opponent Site Result
September 27 Hanover* Cheek Field • Danville, KY W 95–0  
October 4 at Indiana* Bloomington, IN W 12–3  
October 18 Xavier* Cheek Field • Danville, KY W 57–0  
October 25 at Transylvania Lexington, KY W 69–0  
November 1 at Virginia Lambeth Field • Charlottesville, VA W 49–7  
November 8 at West Virginia Charleston, WV W 14–6  
November 15 Kentucky Cheek Field • Danville, KY W 56–0  
November 22 vs. DePauw Louisville, KY W 56–0  
November 27 at Georgetown Georgetown, KY W 77–7  
*Non-conference game.

[10]

A game with Maryville College was scheduled but never played due to Maryville injuries.

Season summary[edit]

Week 1: Hanover[edit]

Hanover at Centre
1 234Total
Hanover 0 000 0
• Centre 26 202128 95
  • Date: September 27
  • Location: Cheek Field
    Danville, KY
  • Referee: Dexheimer (Chattanooga)

On opening day, Centre swamped Hanover 95–0. Eight different players scored. Roberts was shifted from fullback to tackle, and played well.[12]

Red Roberts

The starting lineup was King (left end), Roberts (left tackle), Montgomery (left guard), Bell (center), Van Antwerp (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Whitnell (right end), McMillin (quarterback), Murphy (left halfback), Davis (right halfback), Diddle (fullback).[12]

Week 2: at Indiana[edit]

Centre at Indiana
1 234Total
• Centre 0 0012 12
Indiana 3 000 3

Centre beat Indiana 12–3. Indiana was up 3–0 with 2:20 left in the game, when Centre started its comeback victory.[11] McMillin and Roberts worked it towards the goal, Roberts going over. Indiana was then desperate to even the score, and McMillin intercepted a pass, and returned it for a touchdown, dodging and straight arming the entire Indiana eleven.[11] Indiana's three points came early in the first period, when its quarterback, Mathys, made a 35-yard drop kick.[11]

The starting lineup was Whitnell (left end), Montgomery (left tackle), Van Antwerp (left guard), Garrett (center), Coleman (right guard), James (right tackle), McCullom (right end), McMillin (quarterback), Bittle (left halfback), Davis (right halfback), Roberts (fullback).[11]

Week 3: St. Xavier[edit]

The Colonels beat St. Xavier 57–0.

Week 4: Transylvania[edit]

In the fourth week of play, the Colonels beat the Transylvania Pioneers 69–0. Transylvania's Milton broken several bones in his foot the week previous.[13]

Week 5: at Virginia[edit]

Centre at Virginia
1 234Total
• Centre 14 14147 49
Virginia 0 700 7

Centre's backfield starred and smashed the Virginia Cavaliers 49–7 in the mud. Joe Murphy had a 75-yard touchdown run.[14] Soon after, McMillin went 70 yards for a touchdown.[14] Kuyk scored Virginia's points.[14]

The starting lineup was Bell (left end), Montgomery (left tackle), Van Antwerp (left guard), Weaver (center), Cregor (right guard), James (right tackle), Snoddy (right end), McMillin (quarterback), Armstrong (left halfback), Davis (right halfback), Roberts (fullback).[14]

Week 6: at West Virginia[edit]

Centre at West Virginia
1 234Total
• Centre 0 077 14
West Virginia 6 000 6

The sixth week of play brought the highlight of the season — a 14–6 comeback win over West Virginia and the nation's leading scorer Ira Rodgers. McMillin had the team pray before the game, forever giving the Centre College Colonels its alternate moniker of "Praying Colonels."[4][16][17]

Rodgers came out passing and West Virginia scores first early when he bucked it over. Later, a 25-yard pass from McMillin to Terry Snoddy brought the ball near the goal. Roberts eventually scored. Centre had another touchdown drive in the last quarter, ending in McMillin sidestepping for a touchdown.[15] Murphy was in a flimsy track suit and track shoes.[18]

Bo McMillin

The starting lineup was Bell (left end), Montgomery (left tackle), Van Antwerp (left guard), Weaver (center), Cregor (right guard), Jones (right tackle), Snoddy (right end), McMillin (quarterback), Davis (left halfback), Armstrong (right halfback), Roberts (fullback).[15]

Week 7: Kentucky State[edit]

With a large crowd at home on Cheek Field, the Colonels beat rival Kentucky State 56–0, giving the Wildcats their worst loss on the season. Roberts had three touchdowns.[19]

The starting lineup was Bell (left end), Montgomery (left tackle), Van Antwerp (left guard), Weaver (center), Cregor (right guard), James (right tackle), Snoddy (right end), McMillin (quarterback), Davis (left halfback), Armstrong (right halfback), Roberts (fullback).[19]

Week 8: vs. DePauw[edit]

DePauw vs. Centre
1 234Total
DePauw 0 000 0
• Centre 7 142114 56

The Colonels defeated the DePauw Tigers in Louisville 56–0. McMillin's passes "aroused the wonderment of the crowd."[20] The first touchdown came on an 18-yard pass to Army Armstrong.[20]

The starting lineup was Bell (left end), Montgomery (left tackle), Van Antwerp (left guard), Weaver (center), Cregor (right guard), James (right tackle), Snoddy (right end), McMillin (quarterback), Armstrong (left halfback), Davis (right halfback), Roberts (fullback).[20]

Week 9: at Georgetown[edit]

Centre at Georgetown
1 234Total
• Centre 14 212814 77
Georgetown 0 070 7

Centre rolled up a 77–7 score on the Georgetown Tigers. Georgetown's one score came off a 65-yard fumble return.[21] Weaver made 11 straight extra points.

The starting lineup was Bell (left end), Montgomery (left tackle), Van Antwerp (left guard), Weaver (center), Cregor (right guard), James (right tackle), Snoddy (right end), McMillin (quarterback), Davis (left halfback), Armstrong (right halfback), Roberts (fullback).[21]

Postseason[edit]

Legacy[edit]

Red Weaver

Red Weaver made 47 out of 48 extra points with 46 in a row,[22] and held the NCAA record with 99 consecutive points after touchdowns in the 1919 and 1920 seasons.[23][24] Weaver was put at the placekicker position on an Associated Press Southeast Area All-Time football team 1869-1919 era.[25]

The season brought national attention to the small town of Danville.[26]

Awards and honors[edit]

Due to the dispute over professionalism, most writers picked Auburn as SIAA champion. The team was retroactively selected by Jeff Sagarin as the national champion for the 1919 season.[3]

McMillin and Weaver were named to Walter Camp's first-team 1919 College Football All-America Team. Just the year before Bum Day was the first Southern player ever selected to Camp's first team – and Centre became the first school with two. Fullback and end Red Roberts was named to Camp's third team.

Players[edit]

Depth chart[edit]

The following chart provides a visual depiction of Centre's lineup during the 1919 season with games started at the position reflected in parenthesis. The chart mimics a single wing on offense.

Starters[edit]

Line[edit]

Player Position Games
started 		Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
Matty Bell End Fort Worth, TX North Side H. S. 163 20
Ben Cregor Guard Springfield, KY 5'11" 175 20
Bill James Tackle Fort Worth, TX North Side H. S. 169 21
Sully Montgomery Tackle Fort Worth, TX North Side H. S. 6'3" 210 18
Terry Snoddy End Owensboro, KY Owensboro H. S. 5'10" 173 19
Howard Van Antwerp Guard Mt. Sterling, KY Mt. Sterling H. S. 173 20
Red Weaver Center Fort Worth, TX North Side H. S. 5'10" 158 21

Backfield[edit]

Player Position Games
started 		Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
Army Armstrong Halfback Fort Smith, AR Fort Smith H. S. 5'10" 154 21
Allen Davis Halfback Danville, KY 148 20
Bo McMillin Quarterback Fort Worth, TX North Side H. S. 5'9" 175 21
Red Roberts Fullback Somerset, KY Somerset H. S. 6'2" 193 19

Subs[edit]

Line[edit]

Player Position Games
started 		Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
Clayton Ford Guard Danville, KY 190 20
William Garrett Center Columbus, OH West H. S. 155 21
Gus King End Oak Cliff, TX 155 20
Edwin Whitnell End Fulton, KY Fulton H. S. 160 19

Backfield[edit]

Player Position Games
started 		Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
Edgar Diddle Halfback Castle Heights 166 21
Joe Murphy Halfback Columbus, OH East H. S. 130 20

[27]

Scoring leaders[edit]

Terry Snoddy

The following is an incomplete list of statistics and scores, largely dependent on newspaper summaries.

Player Touchdowns Extra points Field Goals Points
Bo McMillin 10 11 71
Red Roberts 9 54
Red Weaver ? 46 46
Terry Snoddy 5 30
Joe Murphy 5 30
Army Armstrong 4 24
Edwin Whitnel 3 18
Allen Davis 2 12
Hump Tanner 2 12
Edgar Diddle 1 6
N/A v. Xavier/Transy/Georgetown 30 2 182
Total 71 59 485

[17]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ 1919 Centre football scores Archived 2000-09-28 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ^ John Y. Brown, The Legend of the Praying Colonels, J. Marvin Gray & Associates, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky
  3. ^ a b National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2015). "National Poll Rankings" (PDF). NCAA Division I Football Records. NCAA. p. 108. Retrieved January 4, 2016. 
  4. ^ a b "Centre College of Kentucky". School. 31: 428. 1919. 
  5. ^ Fred Turbyville (November 21, 1919). "Centre College Prays and Crys, Then Goes Out And Wins". New Castle Herald. p. 14. Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
  6. ^ "Charges Against Centre Men Are Considered Ridiculous". The Courier-Journal. December 9, 1919. p. 10. Retrieved May 27, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
  7. ^ Charles A. Reinhart (October 26, 1919). "Sport Review". p. 50. Retrieved February 8, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
  8. ^ "Red Weaver". 
  9. ^ Whitney Martin (November 25, 1943). "Sarazen Loses Squire Title Sells Property". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 
  10. ^ "Centre College Football Records (1910-1919)". 
  11. ^ a b c d e f "Centre Downs Indiana In Last Two Minutes of Play". The Courier-Journal. October 5, 1919. p. 42. Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
  12. ^ a b "Centre Swamps Hanover". The Indianapolis Star. September 28, 1919. p. 25. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
  13. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2016-07-01. 
  14. ^ a b c d e "Centre College Smashed Vaunted Virginia Eleven". The Courier-Journal. November 2, 1919. p. 47. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
  15. ^ a b c "Centre College Victorious Over West Virginia Team". The Courier-Journal. November 9, 1919. p. 43. Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
  16. ^ Frank G. Weaver. "Come On, You Praying Kentuckians". Association Men. 45: 416. 
  17. ^ a b "Kentucky Colonels Have Phenomenal Record; Always Pray Before Battle". Arizona Daily Star. November 28, 1919. p. 7. Retrieved May 27, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
  18. ^ "It Really Happened In Football". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. November 17, 1937. 
  19. ^ a b Sam H. McMeekin (November 16, 1919). "Colonels Are Triumphant In Big Game At Danville". The Courier-Journal. p. 53. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
  20. ^ a b c d Sam H. McMeekin (November 23, 1919). "Centre College Overwhelms Depauw Football Eleven". The Courier-Journal. p. 44. Retrieved May 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
  21. ^ a b c "Colonels Romp Over Georgetown". The Courier-Journal. November 28, 1919. p. 8. Retrieved May 30, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
  22. ^ "How About This?". The Atlanta Constitution. November 28, 1919. p. 18. Retrieved May 30, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
  23. ^ "Detail Story of Stadium Game". Boston Post. October 24, 1920. p. 56. Retrieved March 16, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
  24. ^ "Kicks 90 Goals, "Red Weaver's Toe Stuff May Be Useless Next Year". The Wichita Beacon. December 24, 1920. p. 4. Retrieved March 16, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
  25. ^ "All-Time Football Team Lists Greats Of Past, Present". Gadsden Times. July 27, 1969. 
  26. ^ "Kentucky School Wins". The Dekaly Daily Chronicle. 21 (1). December 1, 1919. 
  27. ^ "The Centre College Football Squad". The Gazette Times. Pittsburgh. December 3, 1919. p. 13. Retrieved May 27, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  open access publication – free to read
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