1896 LSU Tigers football team

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1896 LSU Tigers football
Lsu tigers 1896.jpg
SIAA co-champion
State champion
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1896 record6–0 (3–0 SIAA)
Head coach
CaptainEdwin A. Scott
Home stadiumState Field
Seasons
← 1895
1897 →
1896 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
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
Georgia Tech 1 – 1 – 1 1 – 1 – 1
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
Tulane 1 – 2 – 0 3 – 2 – 0
SW Presbyterian 0 – 1 – 0 0 – 1 – 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
Cumberland (TN)   –     –  
  • + – Conference co-champions

The 1896 LSU Tigers football team represented the LSU Tigers of Louisiana State University 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".

Before the season[]

Allen Jeardeau was hired as head coach.

Schedule[]

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendance
October 104:00 p.m.Centenary*
W 46–0
October 24at TulaneNew Orleans, LA (Battle for the Rag)W 6–0
November 133:25 p.m.vs. Ole Miss*Vicksburg, MS (rivalry)W 12–4
November 163:30 p.m.Texas
  • State Field
  • Baton Rouge, LA
W 14–0
November 20Mississippi A&M
  • State Field
  • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry)
W 52–0
November 283:00 p.m.at Southern Athletic Club*New Orleans, LAW 6–0500
  • *Non-conference game

Roster[]

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[2] and LSU: The Louisiana Tigers[3]

Game summaries[]

Centenary[]

1 2Total
Centenary 0 0 0
• LSU 24 22 46
  • Location: State Field
    Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Game start: 4:00 p. m.

LSU easily defeated Centenary 46–0. Robertson went around right end for the first touchdown.[4] 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).[4]

Tulane[]

Tulane tried to use George H. Brooke (pictured).

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.[5]

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 of his intention to enroll at Tulane. 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.[6]

Ole Miss[]

1 2Total
• LSU 6 6 12
Ole Miss 0 6 6
  • Location: Vicksburg, MS
  • Game start: 3:25 p. m.

LSU defeated Ole Miss 12–6. The game was "close and hard" for the first ten minutes, then LSU made a touchdown.[7] LSU scored again in the second half after continuous gains.[7] Then Ole Miss scored late, "by the hardest sort of playing".[7] The extra point attempt hit the crossbar.[7]

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).[7]

Texas[]

1 2Total
Texas 0 0 0
• LSU 10 4 14

The Cadets defeated the Texas team 14–0. Sam Gourrier made the first touchdown around Texas' left end.[8] The Times Picayune reported "The cadets are wild tonight over the victory".[8]

Mississippi A&M[]

1 2Total
Miss. A&M 0 0 0
• LSU 14 38 52

The Cadets slaughtered the Mississippi Aggies 52–0.[9]

Southern A. C.[]

1 2Total
• LSU 6 0 6
Southern 0 0 0
  • Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Game start: 3:00 p. m.
  • Game attendance: 500

On a cold, dreary day, LSU defeated the Southern Athletic Club 6–0 to secure the state championship.[10] LSU's Robertson got the deciding touchdown.[10] Rain started to pour as soon as the game ended.[10]

Postseason[]

LSU 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.[11]

References[]

  1. ^ "Saylor, Roger. "Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association". pg. 15" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-07-16.
  2. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-07-21. Retrieved 2015-07-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ Hardesty, Dan. "LSU: The Louisiana Tigers". The Strode Publishers. Huntsville, Alabama. 1975. P. 334-345.
  4. ^ 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. open access
  5. ^ "Baton Rouge Wins Without Winning". The Daily Picayune. October 25, 1896. pg. 8.
  6. ^ Hardesty, Dan. "LSU:The Louisiana Tigers". The Strode Publishers.Huntsville, Alabama. 1975. pg 24-25.
  7. ^ 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. open access
  8. ^ a b "Football". Times-Picayune. November 17, 1896. p. 8. Retrieved May 12, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  9. ^ "Cadets Slaughter The Mississippians". The Times-Picayune. November 21, 1896. p. 8. Retrieved February 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  10. ^ a b c "Baton Rouge Boys State Champions". The Times-Picayune. November 29, 1896. p. 8. Retrieved February 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  11. ^ 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.
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