1923 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football team
American college football season
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The 1923 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football team[note 1] represented the Georgia Tech Golden Tornado of the Georgia Institute of Technology during the 1923 college football season. Tech had ties in every one of its conference games, and had its worst season in years.[3]
- William Alexander (4th season)
| 1923 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football | |
|---|---|
| |
| Conference | Southern Conference |
| Record | 3â2â4 (0â0â4 SoCon) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive scheme | Jump shift |
| Captain | John McIntyre |
| Home stadium | Grant Field |
Uniform | |
 | |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington & Lee + | 4 | â | 0 | â | 1 | 6 | â | 3 | â | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanderbilt * + | 3 | â | 0 | â | 1 | 5 | â | 2 | â | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VPI | 4 | â | 1 | â | 0 | 6 | â | 3 | â | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alabama | 4 | â | 1 | â | 1 | 7 | â | 2 | â | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maryland | 2 | â | 1 | â | 0 | 7 | â | 2 | â | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Florida | 1 | â | 0 | â | 2 | 6 | â | 1 | â | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Carolina | 2 | â | 1 | â | 1 | 5 | â | 3 | â | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia | 3 | â | 2 | â | 0 | 5 | â | 3 | â | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi A&M | 2 | â | 1 | â | 2 | 5 | â | 2 | â | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee | 4 | â | 3 | â | 0 | 5 | â | 4 | â | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tulane | 2 | â | 2 | â | 1 | 6 | â | 3 | â | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clemson | 1 | â | 1 | â | 1 | 5 | â | 2 | â | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia Tech | 0 | â | 0 | â | 4 | 3 | â | 2 | â | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NC State | 1 | â | 4 | â | 0 | 3 | â | 7 | â | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Auburn | 0 | â | 1 | â | 3 | 3 | â | 3 | â | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky | 0 | â | 2 | â | 2 | 4 | â | 3 | â | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Virginia | 0 | â | 3 | â | 1 | 3 | â | 5 | â | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LSU | 0 | â | 3 | â | 0 | 3 | â | 5 | â | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ole Miss | 0 | â | 4 | â | 0 | 4 | â | 6 | â | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 0 | â | 4 | â | 0 | 4 | â | 6 | â | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Before the season
Tech used a starting backfield, including sophomore Doug Wycoff, and a "pony backfield" full of smaller, fast substitutes such as Jerry Albright and Frank Harris.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 29 | Oglethorpe* | W 28â13 | [4] | ||
| October 6 | VMI* |
| W 10â7 | [5] | |
| October 13 | Florida |
| T 7â7 | 12,000 | [6] |
| October 20 | Georgetown* |
| W 20â10 | 10,000 | [7] |
| October 27 | at Notre Dame* | L 7â35 | 20,000 | [8] | |
| November 3 | Alabama |
| T 0â0 | 10,000 | [9] |
| November 10 | at Penn State* | L 0â7 | 10,000 | [10] | |
| November 17 | Kentucky |
| T 3â3 | [11] | |
| November 29 | Auburn |
| T 0â0 | 25,000 | [12] |
| |||||
Game summaries
Week 1: Oglethorpe
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oglethorpe | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| ⢠Ga. Tech | 7 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 28 |
- Date: October 13
- Location: Grant Field
Atlanta, GA
Oglethorpe led at the half on Tech, but Tech came back to win 28â13.[14]
The starting lineup was: Staton (left end), Carpenter (left tackle), McIntyre (left guard), Frye (center), McConnell (right guard), Usry (right tackle), Gardner (right end), Carter (quarterback), Hunt (left halfback), Reeves (right halfback), Wycoff (fullback).[15]
Week 2: VMI
Tech beat VMI 10â7. Both teams touchdowns came on interceptions. The starting lineup was: Staton (left end), Merkle (left tackle), McConnell (left guard), Frye (center), McIntyre (right guard), Usry (right tackle), Gardner (right end), I. Williams (quarterback), Hunt (left halfback), Reeves (right halfback), Wycoff (fullback).[16]
Week 3: Florida
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Ga. Tech | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
- Date: October 13
- Location: Grant Field
Atlanta, GA - Game attendance: 12,000
The game with the Florida Gators brought considerable interest.[17] In front of 12,000 at Grant Field, the Gators were up 7 to 0 until a rush of substitutes in the fourth quarter got the Yellow Jackets the tying score.
The starting lineup was: Staton (left end), Merkle (left tackle), McIntyre (left guard), Frye (center), McConnell (right guard), Usry (right tackle), Gardner (right end), Carter (quarterback), Hunt (left halfback), Farnsworth (right halfback), Wycoff (fullback).[18]
Week 4: Georgetown
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| ⢠Ga. Tech | 0 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 20 |
- Date: October 20
- Location: Grant Field
Atlanta, GA
Georgetown led 10â0 at the half, but Tech won 20â10.[19] The starting lineup was: Staton (left end), Merkle (left tackle), McIntyre (left guard), Frye (center), McConnell (right guard), Huffines (right tackle), Gardner (right end), Hunt (quarterback), Williams (left halfback), Reeves (right halfback), Wycoff (fullback).[19]
Week 5: at Notre Dame
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ga. Tech | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| ⢠Notre Dame | 7 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 35 |
- Location: South Bend, IN
- Game attendance: 20,000+
Rockne's Notre Dame Fighting Irish subs ran up a 35â7 score.[20] Over 20,000 fans were in attendance.[21] The starting lineup was: Staton (left end), Merrin (left tackle), McIntyre (left guard), Frye (center), McConnell (right guard), Huffines (right tackle), Gardner (right end), Hunt (quarterback), Albright (left halfback), Reeves (right halfback), Wycoff (fullback).[22]
Week 6: Alabama
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ga. Tech | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Location: Grant Field
Atlanta, GA - Game attendance: 10,000
In a driving rain, Tech and Alabama under first year coach Wallace Wade played to a scoreless tie.[23]
Week 7: at Penn State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ga. Tech | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ⢠Penn State | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
- Date: November 10
- Location: State College, PA
- Game start: 2:30 p. m.
Penn State beat Georgia Tech 7â0.[24] The Atlanta Constitution's Paul Warwick protested "these eastern and western invasions."[25]
The starting lineup was: Staton (left end), Usry (left tackle), McIntyre (left guard), Frye (center), McConnell (right guard), Huffines (right tackle), Gardner (right end), Davis (quarterback), Williams (left halfback), Reeves (right halfback), Wycoff (fullback).[26]
Week 8: Kentucky
Tech used every backfield man in a 3â3 tie to Kentucky.[27]
Week 9: Auburn
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ga. Tech | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Location: Grant Field
Atlanta, GA
In awfully muddy conditions, Auburn and Tech fought to a scoreless tie.[28]
Personnel
Depth chart
The following chart provides a visual depiction of Tech's lineup during the 1923 season with games started at the position reflected in parentheses. The chart mimics the offense after the jump shift has taken place.
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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]
