The 1896 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University (LSU) during the 1896 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. This was LSU's first season playing as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA).[1] The Tigers, led by coach Allen Jeardeau, went undefeated and were the SIAA co-champions. It was LSU's second undefeated season in football. The 1896 team was also the first LSU team to use the nickname "Tigers".
| 1896 LSU Tigers football | |
|---|---|
 | |
SIAA co-champion State champion | |
| Conference | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association |
| Record | 6–0 (3–0 SIAA) |
| Head coach |
|
| Captain | Edwin A. Scott |
| Home stadium | State Field |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LSU + | 3 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia + | 2 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanderbilt | 2 | – | 0 | – | 2 | 3 | – | 2 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Auburn | 3 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas | 1 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alabama | 1 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky State College | 1 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sewanee | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee | 0 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tulane | 1 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nashville | 0 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mercer | 0 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Central (KY) | 0 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi A&M | 0 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SW Presbyterian | 0 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cumberland (TN) | – | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Before the season
editAllen Jeardeau was hired as head coach.
Schedule
edit| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 10 | 4:00 p.m. | Centenary* | W 46–0 | [2] | ||
| October 24 | at Tulane |
| W 6–0 | [3] | ||
| November 13 | 3:25 p.m. | vs. Ole Miss* |
| W 12–4 | [4] | |
| November 16 | 3:30 p.m. | Texas |
| W 14–0 | [5] | |
| November 20 | Mississippi A&M |
| W 52–0 | [6] | ||
| November 28 | 3:00 p.m. | at Southern Athletic Club* |
| W 6–0 | 500 | [7] |
| ||||||
Roster
edit| Player | Position | Height | Weight | Hometown | High School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J. H. "Hughes" Arrighi | Tackle | - | - | Natchez, MS | - |
| James S. Atkinson | Center | - | 150 | Ruston, LA | - |
| Aristead
T. Barbin |
- | 5-10 | 165 | Marksville, LA | - |
| Edmund Auguste M. Chavanne | Center | - | - | Lake Charles, LA | - |
| Armand P. Daspit | Halfback | - | 145 | Houma, LA | - |
| Justin C. Daspit | Halfback | - | 150 | Houma, LA | - |
| Samuel A. Gourrier | Quarterback, Halfback | - | 150 | Baton Rouge, LA | - |
| James F. Harp | - | - | - | Bonita, LA | - |
| Phillip P. Huyck | Guard | - | 180 | Baton Rouge, LA | - |
| Sam Lambert | Fullback | - | 150 | Baton Rouge, LA | - |
| Wiltz M. Ledbetter | Guard | - | - | Summerfield, LA | - |
| Gordon B. Nicholson | Fullback | - | 160 | Baton Rouge, LA | - |
| Archie Ed Robertson | Fullback | - | 165 | Plaquemine, LA | - |
| John R. Salassi | Guard | - | - | French Settlement, LA | - |
| Frederick H. Schneider | Guard | - | - | Lake Providence, LA | - |
| George C. Schoenberger | End | - | - | Buras, LA | - |
| Edwin A. Scott† | Guard | - | 170 | Wilson, LA | - |
| William S. Slaughter | End | - | 150 | Port Hudson, LA | - |
| John T. Westbrook | End | - | 145 | Baton Rouge, LA | - |
† -Team Captain
Roster from Fanbase.com[8] and LSU: The Louisiana Tigers[9]
Game summaries
editCentenary
edit
|
LSU easily defeated Centenary 46–0. Robertson went around right end for the first touchdown.[10] The starting lineup was Westbrook (left end), Nicholson (left tackle), Huyck (left guard), Atkinson (center), Scott (right guard), Robertson (right tackle), Slaughter (right end), Gourrier (quarterback), J. Daspit (left halfback), A. Daspit (right halfback), Lambert (fullback).[10]
Tulane
edit
The Tulane game of this year was forfeited during the game due to Tulane having fielded an ineligible player. At the time that the game was declared forfeit, Tulane was leading with a score of 2 to nothing. About 10 minutes into the second half, LSU was moving the ball toward the goal line when a Tulane player named Depleche was injured. The injured player was replaced by George H. Brooke. LSU ran another play and gained 5 yards before realizing the identity of this substitute Tulane player. LSU's team captain, Edwin A. Scott protested to the game's referee, Lieutenant Wall. Scott cited the rules of the SIAA and the mutual pre-game agreement between the schools as reasons that Brooke should be declared ineligible to play. Tulane's team captain, Louis J. Genella, refused to take Brooke out of the game and stated that Tulane refused to play without him. After a lengthy debate, the referee ruled that Brooke could not play, and that Tulane forfeited the game by refusing to play without him.[11]
During the debate, Tulane argued that Brooke, who was previously a two time All-American at Pennsylvania, planned to enroll as a graduate student at Tulane. Brooke refused to sign an affidavit stating his intention to enroll at Tulane, as he was already enrolled in law school at the University of Pennsylvania. Due to the forfeiture, the official score was set at LSU 6, Tulane 0. Dr. William Dudley, President of the SIAA, later ruled that the game referee was right to declare the game forfeited and that men planning to enter a school were not eligible to play. Dudley ruled that prospective players should be enrolled for two weeks before being allowed to play in a game.[12]
Ole Miss
edit
|
LSU defeated Ole Miss 12–6. The game was "close and hard" for the first ten minutes, then LSU made a touchdown.[13] LSU scored again in the second half after continuous gains.[13] Then Ole Miss scored late, "by the hardest sort of playing".[13] The extra point attempt hit the crossbar.[13]
The starting lineup was A. Daspit (left end), Arrighi (left tackle), Huyck (left guard), Chavanne (center), Schneider (right guard), Scott (right tackle), Slaughter (right end), J. Daspit (quarterback), Schoenberger (left halfback), Gourrier (right halfback), Nicholson (fullback).[13]
Texas
edit
|
The Cadets defeated the Texas team 14–0. Sam Gourrier made the first touchdown around Texas' left end.[14] The Times Picayune reported "The cadets are wild tonight over the victory".[14]
Mississippi A&M
edit
|
The Cadets slaughtered the Mississippi Aggies 52–0.[15]
Southern A. C.
edit
|
On a cold, dreary day, LSU defeated the Southern Athletic Club 6–0 to secure the state championship.[16] LSU's Robertson got the deciding touchdown.[16] Rain started to pour as soon as the game ended.[16]
Postseason
editLSU and Pop Warner's Georgia team tied for the SIAA title. Harper's Weekly reported that, aside from the Tulane game, the season was a very clean one. LSU played no ineligible players, was never penalized for slugging, and never complained about the officiating.[17]
References
edit- ^ "Saylor, Roger. "Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association". pg. 15" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
- ^ "Louisiana State University Cadets defeat the Centenary College team". The Times-Democrat. October 11, 1896. Retrieved December 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Decision for visitors; Referee awarded the game to the visitors upon Tulane's desertion of the field". The Times-Democrat. October 25, 1896. Retrieved December 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Exciting football and races; Great day at the successful exposition at Vicksburg". The Commercial Appeal. November 14, 1896. Retrieved December 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Football; State University trounces the Texas 11". The Daily Picayune. November 17, 1896. Retrieved December 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Untitled". The Daily Clarion-Ledger. November 21, 1896. Retrieved December 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Cadet champions; Southern Athletic Club football eleven defeated". The Times-Democrat. November 29, 1896. Retrieved December 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "LSU Tigers Football | Fanbase is your source for sports news and athlete information". Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
- ^ Hardesty, Dan. "LSU: The Louisiana Tigers". The Strode Publishers. Huntsville, Alabama. 1975. P. 334-345.
- ^ a b "Louisiana State University Cadets Defeat The Centenary College Team". The Times-Democrat. October 11, 1896. p. 12. Retrieved February 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Baton Rouge Wins Without Winning". The Daily Picayune. October 25, 1896. pg. 8.
- ^ Hardesty, Dan. "LSU:The Louisiana Tigers". The Strode Publishers.Huntsville, Alabama. 1975. pg 24-25.
- ^ a b c d e "Victory For Louisiana State University". The Times-Picayune. November 14, 1896. p. 8. Retrieved February 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Football". Times-Picayune. November 17, 1896. p. 8. Retrieved May 12, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Cadets Slaughter The Mississippians". The Times-Picayune. November 21, 1896. p. 8. Retrieved February 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Baton Rouge Boys State Champions". The Times-Picayune. November 29, 1896. p. 8. Retrieved February 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hapgood, Norman; Harvey, George Brinton Mcclellan; Bangs, John Kendrick; Nelson, Henry Loomis; Schurz, Carl; Davis, Richard Harding; Foord, John; Schuyler, Montgomery; Conant, Samuel Stillman; Alden, Henry Mills; Curtis, George William; Bonner, John (1857). "Harper's weekly". pp. 65 v.
