1921 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football team
| 1921 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football | |
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SIAA co-champion
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| Conference | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association |
| 1921 record | 8–1 (4–0 SIAA) |
| Head coach | William Alexander (2nd year) |
| Offensive scheme | Jump shift |
| Captain | Judy Harlan |
| Home stadium | Grant Field |
| 1921 SIAA football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Centre + | 5 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia Tech + | 4 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia + | 6 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanderbilt + | 5 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 7 | – | 0 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee | 4 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Florida | 4 | – | 1 | – | 2 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi College | 3 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sewanee | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Furman | 4 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LSU | 2 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 2 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 1 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transylvania | 2 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Auburn | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Citadel | 2 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 3 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi A&M | 2 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tulane | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alabama | 2 | – | 4 | – | 2 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oglethorpe | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mercer | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chattanooga | 1 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clemson | 0 | – | 4 | – | 2 | 1 | – | 6 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky | 0 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Millsaps | 0 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Louisville | 0 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ole Miss | 0 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wofford | 0 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgetown (KY) | 0 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Howard | 0 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1921 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football team[note 1] represented the Georgia Tech Golden Tornado of the Georgia Institute of Technology during the 1921 college football season, competing as members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA). The team played its home games at Grant Field, and suffered the season's only loss in the only road game, at the Polo Grounds in New York to undefeated, eastern power Penn State.
The Tornado was coached by William Alexander in his 2nd year as head coach, compiling a record of 8–1 (4–0 SIAA) and outscoring opponents 360 to 56. The team shared a claim to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association title with the Centre Colonels, Georgia Bulldogs, and Vanderbilt Commodores.
Captain Judy Harlan made Walter Camp's third-team All-America. Red Barron rushed for 1,459 yards on the season, a then-school record.[3]
Contents
Before the season
Tech greats Buck Flowers and Bill Fincher graduated in 1920.
In 1921, football used a one-platoon system in which players played both offense, defense, and special teams. Coach William Alexander retained his predecessor John Heisman's scheme, using the pre-snap movement of his "jump shift" offense.
The Tornado was captained by senior fullback Judy Harlan,[4][5] called by some the school's greatest back,[6] and one of the country's best defensive backs.[7] Also in the backfield was halfback Red Barron.
Future Tech fullback Sam Murray was asked about a certain strong runner in the 1930s, "He's good. But if I were playing again, I would have one wish – never to see bearing down upon me a more fearsome picture of power than Judy Harlan blocking for Red Barron."[8]
In the line, at either end one finds brothers John and Al Staton. At guard was Oscar Davis, who with Barron was later named to an All-Tech Alexander era team.[9]
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 24 | Wake Forest* | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | W 42–0 | ||||||
| October 1 | Oglethorpe | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | W 41–0 | ||||||
| October 8 | Davidson* | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | W 70–0 | ||||||
| October 15 | Furman | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | W 69–0 | ||||||
| October 22 | Rutgers* | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | W 48–14 | 15,000 | |||||
| October 29 | vs. Penn State* | Polo Grounds • New York, NY | L 7–28 | ||||||
| November 5 | Clemson | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (Rivalry) | W 48–7 | ||||||
| November 12 | Georgetown* | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | W 21–7 | ||||||
| November 24 | Auburn | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (Rivalry) | W 14–0 | 25,000 | |||||
| *Non-conference game. | |||||||||
Season summary
Wake Forest
The season opened with a defeat of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons 42–0.
Oglethorpe
In the second week of play, the Tornado beat the Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels 41–0.
Davidson
Tech beat Davidson 70–0, netting 22 first downs to Davidson's zero.[11]
Furman
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The Tech backfield ran all over coach Billy Laval's Furman Purple Hurricane in a 69–0 win.[12]
The starting lineup was J. Staton (left end), McRee (left tackle), Lebey (left guard), Amis (center), Frye (right guard), Lyman (right tackle), A. Staton (right end), McDonough (quarterback), Ferst (left halfback), Barron (right halfback), Harlan (fullback).[12]
Rutgers
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The Tornado beat Rutgers 48–14. Red Barron was the game's star.[13]
The starting lineup was J. Staton (left end), McRee (left tackle), Frye (left guard), Amis (center), Davis (right guard), Lyman (right tackle), A. Staton (right end), McDonough (quarterback), Brewster (left halfback), Barron (right halfback), Harlan (fullback).[13]
Penn State
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The Penn State Nittany Lions undefeated "Mystery Team" defeated Georgia Tech 28–7 at the Polo Grounds.[15][16][17]
Red Barron scored Tech's only touchdown. The feature of the game was an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Glenn Killinger.[14]
The starting lineup was J. Staton (left end), McRee (left tackle), Frye (left guard), Amis (center), Davis (right guard), Lyman (right tackle), A. Staton (right end), McDonough (quarterback), Barron (left halfback), Brewster (right halfback), Harlan (fullback).[14]
Clemson
"Just as we used to bring in a load of stove wood at nightfall, feed the pigs and milk the cows, so do football teams of note have their chores to perform year in and year out. Georgia Tech performed one of its accustomed tasks Saturday afternoon, when Clemson was decidedly thrashed, but the task was not performed in the usual manner, for Clemson scored a touchdown. The score was 48 to 7."[18]
The first score came six seconds before the end of the first quarter when Red Barron went around tackle for a touchdwn. The second came on a 20-yard Barron run. Pinkey Hunt got the first score of the second half.[18]
The starting lineup was Cornell (left end), Johnson (left tackle), Barnett (left guard), Amis (center), Davis (right guard), Lyman (right tackle), A. Staton (right end), McDonough (quarterback), Ferst (left halfback), Barron (right halfback), Farnsworth (fullback).[18]
Georgetown
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The Tornado beat Georgetown Hilltoppers 21–7. Tech's first score came from Judy Harlan on a 2-yard run behind right tackle.[19] The second score came in the second half, when Red Barron skirted left end for 20 yards and a touchdown.[19] Barron made his team's last score on a 2-yard run behind left guard.[19] Georgetown's score came on a 95-yard return after DuFour recovered a Jack McDonough fumble.[19]
The starting lineup was J. Staton (left end), Johnson (left tackle), Frye (left guard), Amis (center), Davis (right guard), A. Staton (right tackle), Mitchell (right end), McDonough (quarterback), Ferst (left halfback), Barron (right halfback), Harlan (fullback).[20]
Auburn
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Georgia Tech beat Auburn 14–0. More than 21,000 people, the largest crowd of the Southern football season, saw the contest.[22]
After a scoreless first half, Tech opened a drive to start the second half with runs from Barron, Harlan, and Ferst. Just as Barron was about to score, he fumbled, and McDonough recovered the ball in the endzone. Barron later scored the second touchdown.[21]
The starting lineup was J. Staton (left end), Johnson (left tackle), Lebey (left guard), Amis (center), Davis (right guard), A. Staton (right tackle), Mitchell (right end), McDonough (quarterback), Ferst (left halfback), Barron (right halfback), Harlan (fullback).[21]
Postseason
Awards and honors
Barron rushed for 1,459 yards on the season.[23] Harlan, Barron, and Al Staton were composite All-Southern. Davis and John Staton also made some All-Southern teams. Harlan made Walter Camp's third-team All-America, and Barron made Jack Veiock's third team as well.
Championships
For yet another season, neither Tech nor the Bulldogs of Georgia lost to a Southern team. Tech tied with Centre, Georgia, and Vanderbilt for claims of the SIAA title.
Notes
- ↑ Although Georgia Tech's teams are officially known as the "Yellow Jackets", northern writers called the team the "Golden Tornado" in 1917; the name was commonly used until 1928 and for many years afterwards as an alternate nickname.[1] It may have been coined by Morgan Blake.[2]
Endnotes
- ↑ Van Brimmer & Rice 2011, p. 147
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/geot/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/71stats.pdf
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/geot/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/HONORS.pdf
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ georgiatechticketstubs.com/collection/1920s/1921-season/1921-10-08-georgia-tech-vs-davidson/
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
References
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
