1908 Auburn Tigers football team

The 1908 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1908 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. The team went 6–1, outscoring opponents 158–10. Auburn featured a strong defense that held all but one opponent scoreless. The team was the first during the second term of coach Mike Donahue at Auburn.

1908 Auburn Tigers football
SIAA champion
Conference	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1908 record	6–1 (4–1 SIAA)
Head coach	Mike Donahue (4th season)
Base defense	7–2–2
Captain	Tom McLure

1908 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
LSU +	2	–	0	–	0			10	–	0	–	0
Auburn +	4	–	1	–	0			6	–	1	–	0
Vanderbilt	3	–	0	–	1			7	–	2	–	1
Tennessee	3	–	2	–	0			7	–	2	–	0
Georgia Tech	4	–	3	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Georgia	2	–	2	–	1			5	–	2	–	1
Alabama	1	–	1	–	1			6	–	1	–	1
Sewanee	1	–	1	–	1			4	–	1	–	3
Mississippi A&M	1	–	3	–	0			3	–	4	–	0
Ole Miss	0	–	2	–	0			3	–	5	–	0
Mercer	0	–	3	–	0			3	–	4	–	0
Clemson	0	–	4	–	0			1	–	6	–	0
Nashville			–							–
+ – Conference co-champions

The only points allowed all year was in the 10–2 loss to LSU, a team accused of professionalism. LSU claimed the title, but most sportswriters crowned Auburn SIAA champion. The win over Sewanee was dubbed by one writer "Auburn's Greatest Victory In Many Years".

Before the season

Mike Donahue returned as head coach. Pat Dwyer assisted Donahue.

Newcomers included running back Lewie Hardage.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance
October 3		Howard*	West End Park Birmingham, AL	W 18–0
October 10		Gordon College*	Drill Field Auburn, AL	W 42–0
October 17		at Mercer	Macon, GA	W 23–0
October 24	12:00 p. m.	Sewanee	West End Park Birmingham, AL	W 6–0	3,000
October 31	3:45 p. m.	LSU	Drill Field Auburn, AL	L 2–10
November 7		at Georgia Tech	Ponce de Leon Park Atlanta, GA	W 44–0
November 14		Georgia	Montgomery Baseball Park Montgomery, AL	W 23–0
*Non-conference game

Game summaries

Howard College

1 2 Total • Auburn 18 0 18 Howard 0 0 0 Location: Birmingham, Alabama Game start: afternoon Game weather: 70°, Clear Referee: Frank Jones Source:[1]

In a game of a 20- and 15-minute halves, Auburn scored three touchdowns in the first half to put away Howard College at West End Park in Birmingham. Despite being outweighed by Howard, Auburn had success running against the Bulldogs' tackles in the first half. The second half saw no score on either side with Auburn held in check by the punting of Bennie, Howard's left tackle. Both teams were reported to show a lack of preparation, with Auburn's talent making the difference in the game.[1][2]

Gordon College

1 2 Total Gordon 0 0 0 • Auburn 30 12 42 Location: Auburn, Alabama Game start: afternoon Game weather: 63°, Cloudy Source:[3]

In a game where the Tigers were not forced to punt, Auburn easily defeated the high school team from Gordon College in quick game at the Auburn athletic field. Auburn took the opening kickoff and drove for its first touchdown in the first two minutes, followed by four more touchdowns before the end of the half through the rushing of Lew Hardage and D. Herron. Auburn's scrubs scored two more touchdowns in the second half to finish out the game.[3][2]

Lew Hardage

Mercer

1 2 Total • Auburn 6 17 23 Mercer 0 0 0 Location: Macon, Georgia Game weather: 80°, Partly cloudy Source:[2]

Auburn was held to a single score in the first half, but wore down Mercer's line in the second half, scoring three touchdowns behind the running of Lew Hardage. Mercer's Poole returned an Auburn interception 70 yards before being dragged down short of the goal line by Auburn halfback W. W. Wynne, which was the only threat to score the Baptists had all game.[2]

Sewanee

1 2 Total Sewanee 0 0 0 • Auburn 0 6 6 Location: Birmingham, Alabama Game start: 12:00 pm Game attendance: 3,000 Game weather: 65°, Cloudy Referee: Bradley Walker Source:[4]

Sewanee held the ball for most of the first half, exploiting Auburn's tackles—brought in against the inside run—with runs around end. Sewanee was unable to score, however, with Auburn's George Sparkman recovering a Sewanee fumble on the Auburn two yard line. Auburn began to move the ball consistently on the visitors late in the first half, ending the period in Sewanee territory.[5]

In the second half, changes in Auburn's defense stymied Sewanee's end runs and field position gradually shifted in Auburn's favor. With seven minutes left in the game, Auburn's Lew Hardage returned a Sewanee punt 45 yards for the game's only touchdown.[5][2] It was dubbed by one source "Auburn's Greatest Victory In Many Years"[4] The starting lineup was Sparkman (left end), Bonner (left tackle), Locke (left guard), Davis (center), Allen (right guard), Esslinger (right tackle), Reynolds (right end), McLure (quarterback), Wynne (left halfback), Hardage (right halfback), Penton (fullback).[4][6]

Louisiana State

1 2 Total • LSU 5 5 10 Auburn 2 0 2 Location: Auburn, Alabama Game start: 3:45 pm Game weather: 70°, Fair Referee: James Halligan Source:[7]

Undefeated LSU met undefeated Auburn for the top spot in the SIAA at the Auburn athletic field.

T. C. Locke

The first touchdown came from John Seip. Later in the half, Auburn's T. C. Locke blocked an LSU punt which was recovered by LSU's Fenton behind his own goal for a safety. LSU made the second score using conventional football.[7]

“We won every game that fall except LSU,” Auburn star Walker Reynolds told Clyde Bolton in 1973. “But LSU had a pro team.”[8]

The starting lineup was Sparkman (left end), Bonner (left tackle), Locke (left guard), Davis (center), Allen (right guard), Esslinger (right tackle), Reynolds (right end), McLure (quarterback), Hardage (left halfback), Wynne (right halfback), Penton (fullback).[7]

Georgia Tech

1 2 Total • Auburn 23 21 44 Ga. Tech 0 0 0 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Referee: Butler (North Carolina) Source:[9]

Auburn ran up a 44–0 score on coach John Heisman's Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in their annual rivalry contest. Lew Hardage and George Penton made two touchdowns each, including a 108-yard kick return by Hardage. Walker Reynolds and George Sparkman had one each. Reynolds' was a 35-yard run and Sparkman's a 65-yard run. Reynolds contributed six extra points.[2][9] The starting lineup was Hill (left end), J. G. Davis (left tackle), Motley (left guard), Beaver (center), Allen (right guard), Locke (right tackle), Reynolds (right end), McLure (quarterback), Hardage (left halfback), Wynne (right halfback), Penton (fullback).[9]

Georgia

1 2 Total Georgia 0 0 0 • Auburn 6 17 23 Location: Montgomery, Alabama Game weather: Very hot Referee: Butler (North Carolina) Source:[10]

As expected – "there is nothing to this game but Auburn,"[11] Auburn handled the Georgia Bulldogs easily in their annual rivalry game. After seven minutes had elapsed, end Walker Reynolds ran for an 80-yard touchdown using the stiff arm[2] "amidst the wildest enthusiasm."[10] The Bulldogs held the Tigers the rest of the first half.[10] The starting lineup was Hill (left end), J. G. Davis (left tackle), Motley (left guard), Beaver (center), Allen (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Reynolds (right end), McLure (quarterback), Hardage (left halfback), Locke (right halfback), Penton (fullback).[10]

Postseason

Southern champions

Amidst fears of many players being ineligible under SIAA rules most sportswriters did not include LSU for consideration as conference champions.[12] Auburn and Vanderbilt were among those listed as alternative Southern champions.[12] Most chose Auburn.[13]

Awards and honors

Captain and quarterback and Tom McLure was selected All-Southern by Vanderbilt coach Dan McGugin and Georgia Tech coach John Heisman. McGugin describes his play: "McClure was not particularly fast, but a spirited leader, an excellent general and a sure tackler."[12][14] Lew Hardage was selected All-Southern by McGugin;[12] and J. G. Davis was selected All-Southern by Heisman.[15]

Players

Starters

Line

Name	Position	Games started	Hometown	Prep school	Height	Weight	Age
Burton Gray Allen	guard		Demopolis, Alabama
Big Chief Bonner	tackle
James Grover Davis	center
Harry Esslinger	tackle		Gurley, Alabama
T. C. Locke	guard
Walker Reynolds	end			GMA
George B. Sparkman, Jr.	end		Tampa, Florida	Hillsborough

Backfield

Name	Position	Games started	Hometown	Prep school	Height	Weight	Age
Lew Hardage	halfback		Decatur, Alabama
Tom McLure	quarterback		Jacksonville, Alabama
George Penton	fullback		Rockford, Alabama
Walter Woolf Wynne	halfback

Subs

Line

Name	Position	Hometown	Prep school	Height	Weight	Age
James Jefferson Beaver	center
Homer Cogdell	guard	Inverness, Alabama			176
James Gillis Gauntt	guard
William Augustus Harman	end
Armstrong Hill	end
Sheep Lamb	tackle	Eutaw, Alabama			181
James Walter Motley	guard
J. D. Spigener	guard
William Swart	end

Backfield

Name	Position	Hometown	Prep school	Height	Weight	Age
John E. Davis	fullback	Oak Grove, Alabama			168
Benjamin Edward Harris	halfback
Daniel Herren	halfback

Unlisted

Name	Position
C. E. Gaum
L. H. Hubbard
A. H. Skinner

[2]

Coaching staff

• Head coach: Mike Donahue
• Assistant coaches: James Dwyer, Dan Wilkinson
• Manager: Thomas Bragg

References

1. "Auburn Wins Game", Montgomery Advertiser, October 4, 1908.
2. Glomerata (1909), 276–282.
3. "Runs Over Gordon", Montgomery Advertiser, October 11, 1908.
4. "Auburn's Greatest Victory In Many Years". Orange and Blue: 204. November 11, 1908.
5. "Auburn Downs Mountain Men", Montgomery Advertiser, October 25, 1908.
6. Woodruff 1928, pp. 217–218
7. "Auburn Loses To L. S. U. Team". The Atlanta Constitution. November 1, 1908. p. 3. Retrieved May 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Auburn's 1908 team went undefeated despite losing to professional LSU team".
9. "Auburn Beats Yellow Jackets". Atlanta Constitution. November 8, 1908. p. 4. Retrieved September 10, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Auburn Trims Georgia Team". Atlanta Constitution. November 27, 1908. p. 4. Retrieved September 10, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Auburn v. Georgia". Atlanta Constitution. November 23, 1908. p. 7. Retrieved September 10, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
12. Spalding's Football Guide. 1909. p. 75.
13. Woodruff 1928, p. 223
14. "Contributions". The Kappa Alpha Journal. 24 (3): 293.
15. Percy Whiting (November 24, 1909). "Not News, But Views". p. 12. Retrieved March 5, 2015 – via Digital Library of Georgia.

• Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. 1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)