1916 Florida Gators football team

The 1916 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 1916 college football season. The season was C. J. McCoy's third and last as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Depleted of first-string football talent and lacking depth, McCoy's 1916 Florida Gators suffered through a disastrous season in which they posted an overall record of 0–5 and a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) conference record of 0–4 while scoring a total of three points, leading to the head coach's dismissal.[1][2]

1916 Florida Gators football
Conference	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1916 record	0–5 (0–4 SIAA)
Head coach	C. J. McCoy (3rd season)
Captain	Rex Farrior
Home stadium	University Athletic Field

1916 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Georgia Tech +	5	–	0	–	0			8	–	0	–	1
Tennessee +	6	–	0	–	1			8	–	0	–	1
Vanderbilt	4	–	1	–	1			7	–	1	–	1
LSU	3	–	1	–	1			7	–	1	–	2
The Citadel	3	–	1	–	0			6	–	1	–	1
Tulane	2	–	1	–	1			4	–	3	–	1
Kentucky	2	–	1	–	2			4	–	1	–	2
Auburn	6	–	2	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Georgia	5	–	2	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Alabama	4	–	3	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Sewanee	2	–	2	–	2			5	–	2	–	2
Centre	1	–	1	–	1			5	–	1	–	3
Georgetown (KY)	1	–	1	–	0			2	–	1	–	0
Mississippi A&M	3	–	4	–	0			4	–	4	–	1
Mississippi College	2	–	3	–	0			4	–	3	–	0
Clemson	2	–	4	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
South Carolina	2	–	4	–	0			2	–	7	–	0
Wofford	1	–	2	–	0			2	–	7	–	0
Louisville	1	–	2	–	1			2	–	3	–	1
Transylvania	1	–	2	–	1			1	–	2	–	1
Furman	1	–	3	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
Chattanooga	1	–	4	–	0			3	–	5	–	0
Howard	0	–	1	–	0			0	–	1	–	0
Mercer	0	–	3	–	0			1	–	6	–	0
Florida	0	–	4	–	0			0	–	5	–	0
Ole Miss	0	–	6	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
+ – Conference co-champions

Florida football's first losing season was notable for the first meetings with future Southeastern Conference rivals Tennessee and Alabama.

Before the season

Florida had posted a 9-5 record over the previous two seasons under Coach McCoy. Believing that he had the makings of a great squad, he arranged the most ambitious and difficult football schedule to date.[3] McCoy's plans were thwarted, however, by a series of injuries and academic ineligibility problems, beginning when the Gators' starting quarterback, Rammy Ramsdell, broke his leg playing on Florida's baseball team and missed the entire football season.[4]

The team suffered the transfer of guard Ham Dowling, and tackle Everett Yon was called by the National Guard to defend the Mexican border.[5] Due to a shortage of men, captain Rex Farrior, previously a center, moved to fullback.[note 1]

Mercer scheduled a game with Florida, but several Mercer linemen were behind in their studies, and the game was cancelled.[7]

Schedule and results

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance
October 14	at Georgia	Sanford Field Athens, GA (rivalry)	L 0–21
October 21	vs. Alabama	Barrs Field Jacksonville, FL	L 0–16
October 28	vs. Tennessee	Plant Field Tampa, FL (rivalry)	L 0–24
November 11	vs. Auburn	Jacksonville, FL (rivalry)	L 0–20
November 18	at Indiana*	Jordan Field Bloomington, IN	L 3–14	5,000
*Non-conference game

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[2]

Season summary

Georgia

Florida at Georgia

1 2 3 4 Total Florida 0 0 0 0 0 • Georgia 0 0 7 14 21 Date: October 14 Location: Sanford Field Athens, GA Referee: Streit Sources:[8]

The season opened with a 21–0 loss to Georgia in Athens. The contest was scoreless in the first half.[8] Georgia had to send in two stars who were resting with dislocated shoulders.[8] Walter Neville scored the game's first touchdown.[8]

The starting lineup was F. Henderson (left end), Baker (left tackle), Duvan (left guard), Robles (center), Golsby (right guard), Perry (right tackle), Wilkinson (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Wilson (left halfback), Hatcher (right halfback), Farrier (fullback).[8]

Alabama

Led by Cecil Creen, the Crimson Tide beat the Gators 16–0 in the two's first ever meeting.[9] Creen twice tackled Florida's Ward from behind with a clear field ahead.[9] It was the Gators' first loss at University Field.[10]

Tennessee

Tennessee at Florida

1 2 3 4 Total • Tennessee 7 7 0 10 24 Florida 0 0 0 0 0 Date: October 28 Location: Plant Field Tampa, FL Referee: Stricker Coles Sources:[11]

The SIAA champion Tennessee Volunteers blanked the Gators in Tampa 24 to 0 in the two rivals first-ever meeting. Buck Hatcher's punts were the feature of the contest.[11]

The starting lineup was F. Henderson (left end), Baker (left tackle), Perry (left guard), Robles (center), O. DeVane (right guard), Goldsby (right tackle), Wood (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Sparkman (left halfback), Wilson (right halfback), Farrier (fullback).[11]

Auburn

Auburn at Florida

1 2 3 4 Total • Auburn 6 7 0 7 20 Florida 0 0 0 0 0 Date: November 11 Location: Jacksonville, FL Referee: John Counselman Sources:[12]

The Auburn Plainsmen beat the Gators 20–0. Auburn's fullback Scott was the star of the contest. The second touchdown was a 50-yard interception return by Godwin.[12]

The starting lineup was F. Henderson (left end), Bankston (left tackle), Rosenthal (left guard), Robles (center), Stockton (right guard), Goldsby (right tackle), Wood (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Sparkman (left halfback), Hatcher (right halfback), Farrier (fullback).[12]

at Indiana

Florida at Indiana

1 2 3 4 Total Florida 0 3 0 0 3 • Indiana 0 0 7 7 14 Date: November 18 Location: Jordan Field Bloomington, IN Game attendance: 5,000 Referee: Hamm (Kenyon) Sources:[13]

Captain Rex Farrior broke his leg in the final two minutes of the final game, a 14–3 loss at Indiana, the only game in which the Gators scored when Paul Baker made a field goal.[13] Up at the half 3–0, Florida lineman Orryl Robles was ejected, and Florida never recovered.[10]

The starting lineup was F. Henderson (left end), Baker (left tackle), Rosenthal (left guard), Robles (center), Stockton (right guard), Goldsby (right tackle), Wood (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Sparkman (left halfback), Hatcher (right halfback), Farrier (fullback).[13]

Postseason

C. J. McCoy finished his three-year tenure as the Gators' coach with an overall record of 9–10.[2]

Personnel

Line

Player	Position	Games started	High school	Height	Weight	Age
Bake Baker	Tackle	4		6'2"	205	22
Paul Collins	Line			5'10"	185	24
Fats DeVane	Guard, center	2		6'0"	205	23
Jack Goldsby	Tackle	4		5'9"	185	23
W. B. Henderson	End	4		5'9"	155	23
Tootie Perry	Guard	2		5'8"	235	21
Liza Robles	Center	4		5'11"	180	23
Jew Rosenthal	Tackle	2		5'10"	176	21
Stock Stockton	Guard	2		5'9"	160	23
Tuck Tucker	End			6'1"	158	19
Rowdy Bill Wilkinson	End	1		5'8"	145	24
G. P. Wood	End	3		6'1"	170	21

Backfield

Player	Position	Games started	High school	Height	Weight	Age
Bush Bushnell	Halfback			5'8"	150	21
Rex Farrior	Fullback	4	Hillsborough	5'8"	170	20
Artie Fuller	Quarterback	4		5'11"	158	21
Fritz Hatcher	Halfback	3		5'8"	155	22
Raymond Rood	Halfback			6'0"	155	20
Jim Sparkman	Halfback	3		5'8"	167	22
Leo Wilson	Halfback	2		5'9"	155	20

Coaching staff

• Head coach: Charles J. McCoy
• Manager: W. D. Payne[14]

Notes

1. Rex Farrior became a name partner in a prominent Tampa law firm with 1910 quarterback Bob Shackleford, and remained one of the biggest boosters of the Gators sports program until his death.[6]

References

1. Roger Saylor, "Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Archived 2011-05-26 at WebCite," College Football Historical Society, The LA84 Foundation (1993). Retrieved September 11, 2010.
2. 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 107 (2015). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
3. McEwen 1974, p. 59
4. Joey Johnston, "Tampa Bay's All-Century Team: No. 98 Rammy Ramsdell Archived 2012-03-07 at the Wayback Machine," The Tampa Tribune (September 22, 1999). Retrieved August 25, 2010.
5. McEwen 1974, p. 60
6. "Rex Farrior". National Football Foundation.
7. "Game With Florida Cancelled By Mercer". The Atlanta Constitution. October 30, 1916. p. 6. Retrieved July 23, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Florida Eleven Worried Georgia". The Atlanta Constitution. October 15, 1916. p. 3. Retrieved July 10, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
9. 1916 Recap
10. McEwen 1974, p. 62
11. "Tennessee 24, Florida 0". Atlanta Constitution. October 29, 1916. p. 5. Retrieved May 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Auburn Is Victor Over Florida Team". The Atlanta Constitution. November 12, 1916. p. 3. Retrieved July 10, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
13. D. C. Miller (November 19, 1916). "Florida Put Out 14-3, by Stiehm Men". The Indianapolis Star. p. 33. Retrieved August 23, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
14. University of Florida 1917, pp. 94–101

Bibliography

• McEwen, Tom (1974). The Gators: A Story of Florida Football. Huntsville, Alabama: The Strode Publishers. ISBN 0-87397-025-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• University of Florida (1917). The Seminole. 8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)