1928 Florida Gators football team
The 1928 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 1928 Southern Conference football season. The season was future Hall-of-Famer Charlie Bachman's first of five as the team's head coach. The Gators finished 8–1 overall, and 6–1 in the Southern Conference, placing third of twenty-three teams in the conference, behind the national champion Georgia Tech Golden Tornado, and the Tennessee Volunteers.
The Gators led the nation in scoring with 336 points, and were remembered by many sports commentators as the best Florida football team until at least the 1960s. The large scores were mostly due to its "Phantom Four" backfield which included: quarterback Clyde Crabtree, halfbacks Carl Brumbaugh and Royce Goodbread, and fullback Rainey Cawthon. Other backs who were key contributors included: captain Goof Bowyer, sophomore halfback Lee Roy "Red" Bethea, alternate-captain and halfback Tommy Owens, and fullback Ed Sauls. One account reads: "There were twelve backs on the squad. Six of them can do the hundred in 10.1 seconds. Eight of them are fine punters and ten of them are great passers. And all of them are good receivers."
At ends were future coach Dutch Stanley, and Florida's first-ever, first-team All-American, Dale Van Sickel. Van Sickel and quarterback Crabtree, who was ambidextrous and could throw passes with either hand, or punt with either foot, while on the run or stationary, were both unanimous All-Southern selections.
Among the many football highlights of 1928 were the Gators' 26–6 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs, which ended a six-game losing streak versus the Bulldogs, and the controversial loss to Tennessee ending their bid at an undefeated season and possible Rose Bowl berth.
Before the season
Head coach Charlie Bachman succeeded Tom Sebring, his former player at Kansas State. Bachman had attended Notre Dame and used Knute Rockne's system. Sebring graduated from the University of Florida's College of Law, and left Bachman several recruits.Players not returning from the previous season included: Horse Bishop, Cecil Beck, Speedy Walker, Tom Fuller, Charlie Tucker, and Bill Middlekauff. Practice was opened on September 3. A wealth of talented players from Florida high schools was expected. After spending just two weeks with the team, while many players were engaged in other sports, Bachman declared his backfield material as the finest he ever had.
John J. Tigert became UF president in 1928, and began a drive to construct a new and larger stadium upon his arrival.
Schedule
Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.Season summary
Week 1: Florida Southern
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The starting lineup was: W. DeHoff, Norfleet, Grandoff, Clemons, Perry, Hicks, Green, Bowyer, Bethea, Owens, and Sauls.
Week 2: Auburn
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In less than three quarters of play, Crabtree had directed 8 touchdowns. Crabtree was an ambidextrous triple threat, able to pass with either arm and punt with either foot, and both while on the run. Crabtree said he learned this technique "from sheer fright." Assistant Nash Higgins added "he played by instinct." "He was a double-quadruple option." said coach Bachman.
It began to rain as the third quarter started, and the Gators' substitutes were on the field. This hampered play and prevented a larger score. The rain sent the 6,000 spectators seeking shelter.
The starting lineup was: Green, Norfleet, McRae, Clemons, Houser, Hicks, Nolan, Bowyer, Bethea, Van Sickel, and Brumbaugh.
Week 3: Mercer
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The starting lineup was: Green, Norfleet, Grandoff, Bono, Houser, Hicks, Nolan, Bowyer, McEwen, Owens, and Sauls.
Week 4: North Carolina State
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Both of Florida's touchdowns were scored by Royce Goodbread on 70-yard runs. One of those was around left end, and the other was a punt return. Dutch Stanley missed both extra points after the Gators' two touchdowns, but Rainey Cawthon made up for it when he netted a safety. The Wolfpack scored on the return of a punt blocked off the toe of Gators team captain Goof Bowyer. Just before the game ended, the Wolfpack missed on a long pass to a receiver with a clear field to the goal.
The starting lineup was: Green, Waters, McRae, Bono, Houser, Allen, Nolan, Bowyer, McEwen, Owens, and Sauls.
Week 5: Sewanee
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The scoring started in the first period after some three minutes when Red Bethea caught a 25-yard pass from Goof Bowyer and ran the additional 10 yards for a touchdown. Bethea also had a 14-yard touchdown run in the second period, and a 58-yard touchdown run in the third. Royce Goodbread had two touchdowns, on end runs around the Sewanee line of 15 and 25 yards. Ed Sauls also had two touchdowns, including the second-half kickoff return for 75 yards and a score. Bowyer, Cawthon, Clark, and McClellan all had one touchdown each. Bowyer netted four extra points, and the Gators had another conversion due to a Sewanee penalty.
The starting lineup was: Green, Waters, Grandoff, Clark, Houser, Hicks, Nolan, Bowyer, Bethea, Yancey, and Sauls.
Week 6: at Georgia
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The first score came after Rip Reeves recovered a Georgia fumble at the 30-yard line. On the second play after this, Red Bethea ran off left tackle for a touchdown. Goof Bowyer missed the extra point. By the second quarter Georgia had failed to consistently move the ball on the ground against Florida's line and tried to pass. Bulldogs' quarterback H. F. Johnson completed a 10-yard pass to back Frank Dudley, who ran 30 additional yards for a touchdown. Johnson missed the extra point and the score was tied. A 16-yard touchdown run by Florida's Clyde Crabtree, starting around right end, then reversing field, broke the tie. Carl Brumbaugh converted the extra point.
A touchdown pass reception by end Dale Van Sickel of more than 30 yards provided another score in the third period, followed by Brumbaugh's extra point kick. To close the third quarter, fullback Rainey Cawthon made a 40-yard broken field run. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Crabtree passed to Brumbaugh for another score, but Brumbaugh's extra point attempt was blocked by the Bulldogs. In the middle of the fourth quarter, Gator fans rushed the field to tear down the goal posts, and fist fights broke out between Georgia and Florida fans.
The starting lineup was: Van Sickel, J. Clemons, Steele, Clark, Reeves, Bryan, Stanley, Bowyer, Goodbread, Bethea, and Sauls.
Week 7: Clemson
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Clemson scored first on a 30-yard pass, leading 6–0 after the first quarter. From then on the Gators dominated, winning 27 to 6. Brumbaugh, Van Sickel, and Bethea were cited as players of the game. In the second quarter, Florida's Owens went around end and Brumbaugh finished the drive with a touchdown.
Florida used both the run and the pass effectively, as Bethea "looked for all the world like the famous Red Grange" according to Associated Press staff writer Benton E. Jacobs. Florida's second touchdown occurred in the second half, when Bethea caught a pass that went 25 yards in the air, and when he gathered it ran 36 yards more for the score. The third score came in the fourth quarter on a pass from Crabtree to Cawthon. The Gators' fourth and final score was on a pass from Brumbaugh to Van Sickel.
The starting lineup was: Green, Waters, McRae, B. Clemons, Allen, Hicks, Nolan, Bowyer, Bethea, Goodbread, and Sauls.
Week 8: Washington & Lee
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The starting lineup was: Baldwin, Hicks, Houser, Clark, Grandoff, Waters, Green, Bowyer, Bethea, Goodbread, and Sauls.
Week 9: at Tennessee
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Prior to the contest, coach Bachman used a motivational trick learned from Knute Rockne and waved a telegram in front of his players, telling them a win over Tennessee meant an invitation to the Rose Bowl, the only postseason bowl in those days, even though conference champion Georgia Tech was already invited. The loss curtailed Florida's hopes of its first conference title, and fans and players have long since mourned the missed chance at a Rose Bowl. Coach Bachman later added: "We would have beaten California in the Rose Bowl. Worse than Tech did on a dry field."
Tennessee led the scoring for most of the game; Florida only making it close with late rallies. Early in the second quarter, Tennessee made the half's lone score. It was set up by a "bullet-like" 25-yard pass from Dodd, who was on the run to evade tacklers, to Paul Hug, who was downed at the 2-yard line. After Florida's defense held for three downs, Gene McEver scored between the center's legs on fourth down. The ensuing extra point on a pass from Dodd to Herc Alley would decide the game.
Down 7–0 at the half, the Gators seemed to begin a comeback and scored two minutes into the third quarter. On a similar play to Tennessee's score, a 16-yard pass from Royce Goodbread was caught by Dale Van Sickel, down at the 1-yard line. Goodbread went over left tackle for the touchdown the very next play. Dodd deflected Carl Brumbaugh's pass for the extra point attempt. After the beginning of the fourth quarter, Florida had the ball inside its own 15-yard line after Tennessee turned it over on downs. Clyde Crabtree ran instead of punting, and was tackled just as he tried to execute a lateral to Goodbread near the 30-yard line. The lateral was intercepted by Tennessee's Buddy Hackman, who out-sprinted Brumbaugh to the goal.
The Gators later drove to the 4-yard line before they were held on downs. After Dodd's punt to midfield, the Gators' engineered their final scoring drive. A 27-yard pass from Brumbaugh to Van Sickel got the Gators out of bounds at the 1-yard line. Crabtree ran it in for the touchdown, but Brumbaugh's place kick for the extra point was wide and short. Some sources, such as Peter Golenbock's Go Gators!, claim it was blocked.
The starting lineup was: Van Sickel, Waters, Steele, Clark, Reeves, Hicks, Stanley, Bowyer, Bethea, Owens, and Sauls.
Postseason
Awards and honors
The Gators scored 336 points, then one of few stats kept, the most of any team in the nation. After the conclusion of the 1928 season, seven Gator players were tabbed for postseason honors by major media outlets: the "Phantom Four" as well as end Dale Van Sickel, and linemen Jimmy Steele and William McRae.Junior end Van Sickel was chosen a first-team, All-American, the first in Gators' team history, by the AP, Collier's Weekly, and the Newspaper Enterprise Association. Sophomore guard Steele was a second-team, All-American selection by the NEA, and received honorable mention honors from the AP. Sophomore guard McRae was a second-team, All-American selection by United Press. Junior back Clyde Crabtree received third-team, All-American honors from each of the AP, the NEA, and UP.
Crabtree and Van Sickel were both first-team, All-Southern selections of the AP and UP composite teams. Steele was a first-team, UP, All-Southern selection. Dutch Stanley, Dale Waters, Steele, Carl Brumbaugh, Royce Goodbread, and Rainey Cawthon received All-Southern honorable mention honors from the AP.
Departing seniors
Seniors graduating included captain Goof Bowyer, Tommy Owens, Dutch Stanley, Jus Clemons, Willie DeHoff, and Chester Allen. All but DeHoff played all three years for the Florida varsity. Despite this, hopes were high for the team and its backs in 1929.Four 1928 Gators would later play professional football in the National Football League : halfback/quarterback Carl Brumbaugh, halfback/quarterback Clyde Crabtree, halfback Royce Goodbread, and tackle Dale Waters. Brumbaugh went on to win multiple NFL Championships with the Chicago Bears in 1932 and 1933.
Personnel
Depth chart
The following chart provides a visual depiction of Florida's lineup during the 1928 season with games started at the position reflected in parenthesis. The chart mimics a Notre Dame Box on offense.Varsity players
Line
Backfield
Varsity substitutes
Line
Backfield
Scoring leaders
Coaching staff
- Head coach: Charlie Bachman
- Assistants: Joe Bedenk, Chigger Browne, Brady Cowell, L. G. Haskell, Nash Higgins, Joe Holsinger, Alvin Pierson, John Piombo, George Weber, Frank Wright
- Varsity manager: Bill Bond
- Graduate manager: James R. Boyd
- Athletic director: Everett Yon