1951 Maryland Terrapins football team
Encyclopedia
The 1951 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland
in National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) college football
in its 31st season
as a member of the Southern Conference
. Maryland outscored its opponents, 381–74, and finished the season with a 10–0 record, including three shut out
s, and held seven opponents held to seven points or less. It was the school's first perfect undefeated and untied season since 1893
. Maryland also secured its first berth in a major postseason bowl game
, the 1952 Sugar Bowl
, where it upset first-ranked Tennessee
under head coach Robert Neyland
.
Maryland was led by fifth-year head coach Jim Tatum
, who Time
magazine called "the most successful major college coach in the game" during his nine-year tenure
at College Park
. To date, Tatum remains the winningest Maryland football coach of the modern era, with a winning percentage
of 0.819. The team returned experienced junior quarterback Jack Scarbath
, who was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy
in the following season. Other key returning players included Ed Modzelewski
, Ed Fullerton
, Bob Ward, and Bob Shemonski
.
on a two-game winning streak, which it extended through the duration of the 1951 season. The following year
, the Terrapins continued that streak for seven additional games before a loss to 11th-ranked Mississippi. In total, Maryland won 22 straight games from 1950 to 1952, which remains the longest winning streak in program history. One Associated Press
writer characterized the 1950 season's 7–2–1 record as a disappointment to "never-satisfied alumni" who had hoped for an undefeated season and first-ever Southern Conference championship.
Respected sports prognosticator Grantland Rice
picked North Carolina
under Carl Snavely
as the frontrunner to win the Southern Conference championship and predicted they would finish as the 18th ranked team in the nation. Rice estimated Maryland would finish second in the league and 20th in the rankings. Robert Moore of the Associated Press named Maryland the favorite to win the Southern Conference championship and stated it was "undoubtedly ... the team to beat", although he acknowledged that at least eight other teams would also be in contention: North Carolina, Clemson
, Duke
, North Carolina State
, South Carolina
, VMI
, Wake Forest
, and William & Mary
. Moore was more subdued in his assessments of George Washington
, Richmond
, Virginia Tech
, Washington & Lee, and predicted rebuilding seasons for Davidson, Furman, The Citadel, and West Virginia
.
The Associated Press later called Maryland's preseason favorite title a "dubious distinction", to which few teams in the Mid-Atlantic
had been able to live up. Tatum expressed confidence and said it was "the best team I've ever coached," but acknowledged the team could lose as many as seven games in a worst-case scenario. Another Associated Press article said most people expected a big season from Maryland as the culmination of five years of Tatum's high-caliber recruiting. A United Press
article had high confidence in Maryland, because of its experienced team and what it assessed as an easier schedule than previous seasons. It predicted Georgia
, LSU
, Navy
, and North Carolina as the "only rough spots" on the schedule.
and Pete Augsburger, tackle
s Chet Gierula and Ray Krouse
, center
Jack Rowden, and kicker
Jack Targarona. Notably, Maryland did not lose a single back "worthy of mention", and all of the linemen aside from the ends had ready replacements.
On the whole, Maryland returned a seasoned team that included 22 lettermen, and the United Press described the team as "bigger and bruisier than ever." They were led by junior quarterback
Jack Scarbath
who gained significant experience in the split-T the previous season, in which he started
the first six games before suffering an injury. He was backed up by a capable reservist in sophomore quarterback Bernie Faloney
. (In 1952, Scarbath was the Heisman Trophy
runner-up, and the following year, Faloney finished fourth in the voting.)
Scarbath was accompanied in the backfield by several other capable players, including "one of the biggest fullback
s in captivity" Ed Modzelewski
and halfback
s Chet "the Jet" Hanulak
and Ed Fullerton
. Halfback Bob Shemonski
, the previous season's conference-scoring leader, was shifted to play mostly on defense, but would rank as the team leader in kick returns with six for 126 yards. The Terrapins' line was anchored by co-captains Bob Ward, a guard
, and Dave Cianelli
, the center
. At tackle
, it featured Ed's brother, Dick Modzelewski
, and Bob Morgan. The defense was described as particularly deep, anchored by Ward, Cianelli, and Jeff Keith, and with good reserves available into even the third string.
The position(s) for each player are annotated in parentheses (for an explanation of the abbreviations used see American football positions
).
served as the head coach for his fifth year at Maryland in the 1951 season. All told, he served a nine-year tenure at College Park
and compiled a 73–15–4 record for a winning percentage of 0.819, the highest among Maryland coaches in the modern era. Tatum later gained national recognition, with Time
magazine later calling him "the most successful major college coach in the game", and 1951 proved to be his breakout season. Tatum employed the split-T
, which he had learned firsthand as the protégé of its pioneer, Don Faurot
. This new offensive system sought to emulate the "two-on-one" fast break of basketball
, with the aim of creating an undefended back.
, which was converted into a Maryland touchdown
when Pete Ladygo recovered it. Tatum used his alternates generously: fifty Terrapin players saw action in the game and nine scored. Quarterbacks Jack Scarbath
, Bob DeStefano, Bernie Faloney
, and Lynn Beightol all saw action.
, Scarbath led a five-play drive that culminated in a one-yard rush
by Ed Modzelewski
for a score. Don Decker made the extra point
. Later, Ed Modzelewski scored again on a 62-yard touchdown break. In the second quarter, back-up quarterback Faloney scored on a quarterback keeper
. Then, Ralph Felton
connected with Ed Fullerton
with a 27-yard pass for another touchdown to close the half, 27–0. In the third quarter, Scarbath threw a pass to Felton for the final Maryland score. In the fourth quarter, G.W.'s Bino Varreira scored in the last minute of play, for a final result of 33–6.
, Georgia had soundly beaten an unprepared and unconditioned Maryland team in the season-opener. In 1951, the Bulldogs were supposed to be one of the Terrapins' toughest tests. Maryland tallied first with a field goal
by Don Decker, which was an unusual method to score at the time. Later in the first quarter, Chet Hanulak
rushed for a touchdown. In the second quarter, Hanulak scored again. Georgia's only score of the game came on a four-yard rush by Lauren Hargrove. Halftime expired with a score of 17–7. In the third quarter, Ed Modzelewski, Ralph Felton
, and Scarbath each scored. Fullerton scored the final touchdown on a then school-record 86-yard run.
responded with a 41-yard drive capped by a touchdown by Bob Gantt. In the second quarter, Bob Shemonski
broke the stalemate with a touchdown pass to Lou Weidensaul for the go-ahead. In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, Maryland's Joe Petruzzo broke up a pass in the end zone to preserve the victory, 14–7.
It was the 18th game of the series and the first Maryland win in eleven meetings. The previous one had been in 1926.
to face Southeastern Conference
powerhouse Louisiana State
. A tough LSU defense held Maryland scoreless through the first and most of the second quarter. Late in the first half, LSU's Jim Barton and Bernie Faloney exchanged several punts, until Maryland gained good field position on the Tigers' 43-yard line. Ed Modzelewski helped lead a five-play drive capped by a quarterback sneak
by Scarbath for the first score of the game. On the next Maryland possession, Scarbath dodged several LSU tacklers and ran for a 56-yard touchdown. At halftime, the Terrapins led, 13–0. In the third quarter, Maryland executed a sweep
and double reverse
, which allowed Bob Shemonski to rush for a touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Ed Modzelewski tossed the ball to Chet Hanulak for the final score of the game. Maryland won, 27–0.
was led by head coach Don Faurot
, inventor of the split-T
offense and former mentor of Jim Tatum. The Terrapin defense shut-down the Tigers' spread offense and held it to seven completions on 28 attempts. Joe Horning intercepted a Tiger pass and returned it 100 yards for a score. All told, Maryland compiled 350 rushing yards and zero passing yards on three incomplete pass attempts. Missouri recorded 103 passing yards and 92 rushing yards.
's Frank Brady returned a punt 100 yards, and, for the first (and only) time of the season, Maryland trailed an opponent, 0–7. Scarbath connected with receivers on 16 of 34 pass attempts for 285 passing yards and two interceptions. Ed Modzelewski and Paul Weidensaul each scored touchdowns.
Shortly before the game, Maryland accepted an invitation to play in the Sugar Bowl
.
called the 1952 Sugar Bowl
the second "game of the century
," with the first
having been between the undefeated Army
and Notre Dame
teams in 1946. The Associated Press called it possibly "the greatest bowl game of them all." Tennessee was a period powerhouse and its roster included five All-Americans. Maryland was viewed as a heavy underdog
going into the game. Terrapins halfback Chet Hanulak
said, "Nobody expected us to get that far. But Jim Tatum was a coach who could work wonders." After mechanical issues delayed Maryland's flight, the team became the first to practice at night for a Sugar Bowl. Tatum said, "[Tennessee is] so much better than we are that they probably don't need the practice. But we do—and we'll get it."
Tennessee was led by triple-threat quarterback and Heisman runner-up Hank Lauricella
. Neyland's offensive linemen were described as not large but "squatty" and "bruiser[s], not flashy, but slightly murderous." Neyland considered the split-T offense used by Tatum gimmicky and relied on the more traditional single-wing formation. He subscribed to the adage that, when the ball was thrown, "three things could happen, and two of them were bad." For the game, Tatum himself abandoned the split-T in favor of a smashmouth approach to run it up the middle, where he thought "they least expected [it]." Neyland's strategy focused heavily on punting the ball to pin the opponent in their own territory with a goal of creating turnovers, and Tatum likewise adopted it.
The game started with both teams exchanging several punts in the first quarter. Maryland gained good field position after Lauricella kicked a short punt. Running backs Ed Modzelewski
and Ed Fullerton
then led an 11-play, 56-yard rushing drive for a touchdown. On the kickoff, Bob Ward hit Lauricella and forced a fumble that Maryland recovered on Tennessee's 13-yard line. After four plays, Jack Scarbath
pitch
ed to Fullerton who then threw a six-yard forward pass
to Bob Shemonski in the end zone and expanded the Maryland lead to 14–0. Scarbath then engineered a 48-yard drive and ran it in himself
for the Terrapins' third touchdown within seven minutes. Late in the second quarter, Tennessee back Bert Rechichar
caught a four-yard pass for a touchdown, but the extra point
was no good. At the end of the first half, Maryland had stunned Tennessee by gaining a 21–6 lead. In the fourth quarter, Fullerton intercept
ed a pass and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown. In the final minutes, Tennessee's goal-line quarterback Herky Payne ran it in from the one-yard line. Maryland won the game with a final result of 28–13.
(9–0). To date, the 1951 Terrapins remain Maryland's only undefeated, untied team of the modern era.
Several championship selectors have retroactively named Maryland the 1951 national champions. These include the following NCAA-recognized sources: Jeff Sagarin
's computer ranking system, the College Football Researchers Association, the DeVold System, the Dunkel System, and the National Championship Foundation. In 2002, The Washington Post
called the 1951 season the greatest in Maryland football history, ranking it above the 1953 national championship team. The season saw Maryland compile its first (and, to date, only) undefeated, untied season since 1893
.
and Ed Modzelewski
were named second-team All-Americans. Dave Cianelli
, Tom Cosgrove
, Joe Petruzzo, and Jack Scarbath
were named honorable mention All-Americans. Jim Tatum was named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year. Bob Ward received the Knute Rockne Award and was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year. Ward and Ed Modzelewski were named All-Southern Conference.
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
in its 31st season
1951 college football season
The 1951 college football season finished with seven unbeaten major college teams, of which five were unbeaten and untied. Ultimately, the Tennessee Volunteers were voted the best team by the Associated Press, followed by the Michigan State Spartans, with the Vols having a plurality of first place...
as a member of the Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
. Maryland outscored its opponents, 381–74, and finished the season with a 10–0 record, including three shut out
Shut Out
"Shut Out" is a single from the Paul Jabara album of the same name and features special guest vocals by Donna Summer. On the album, it is used as the first half of a medley another with another song called "Heaven is a Disco."...
s, and held seven opponents held to seven points or less. It was the school's first perfect undefeated and untied season since 1893
1893 Maryland Aggies football team
The 1893 Maryland Aggies football team represented the Maryland Agricultural College in the 1893 college football season. After losing all three of its games the previous season without scoring a point, Maryland showed considerable improvement in 1893...
. Maryland also secured its first berth in a major postseason bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
, the 1952 Sugar Bowl
1952 Sugar Bowl
The 1952 Sugar Bowl featured the top ranked Tennessee Volunteers, and the third ranked Maryland Terrapins. In the first quarter, Maryland scored on a two-yard touchdown run Ed Fullerton, giving the Terrapins a 7-0 lead. In the second quarter, Fullerton threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Bob...
, where it upset first-ranked Tennessee
1951 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 1951 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1951 college football season. In his next to last season as head coach, Robert Neyland led Tennessee to their second consecutive national title and the fourth during his tenure. 1951 was also Neyland's ninth...
under head coach Robert Neyland
Robert Neyland
Robert Reese Neyland, MBE was an American football player and coach and and officer in the United States Army, reaching the rank of brigadier general. He served three stints as the head football coach as the University of Tennessee...
.
Maryland was led by fifth-year head coach Jim Tatum
Jim Tatum
James M. "Big Jim" Tatum was an American football and baseball player and coach. Tatum served as the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , the University of Oklahoma , and the University of Maryland, College Park , compiling a career college football record of...
, who Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine called "the most successful major college coach in the game" during his nine-year tenure
Maryland Terrapins football under Jim Tatum (1947–1955)
From 1947 to 1955, Jim Tatum served as the head coach of the Maryland Terrapins football team, which represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football. Maryland hired Tatum to replace Clark Shaughnessy after the 1946 season...
at College Park
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
. To date, Tatum remains the winningest Maryland football coach of the modern era, with a winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
of 0.819. The team returned experienced junior quarterback Jack Scarbath
Jack Scarbath
John Carl "Jack" Scarbath is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers...
, who was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
in the following season. Other key returning players included Ed Modzelewski
Ed Modzelewski
Ed Modzelewski is a former football player, who played professionally for the Cleveland Browns. His brother, Dick Modzelewski, also played in the NFL and at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft, but did not make the active roster....
, Ed Fullerton
Ed Fullerton
Edward Reno Fullerton is a former American football halfback and defensive back. He was selected in the fourth round of the 1953 NFL Draft and played one season in the National Football League...
, Bob Ward, and Bob Shemonski
Bob Shemonski
Bob "Shoo Shoo" Shemonski was an American football player. He played college football as an end and back for the Maryland Terrapins and was selected in the 1952 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.-Biography:...
.
Before the season
Maryland had ended the previous season1950 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1950 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its 30th season as a member of the Southern Conference....
on a two-game winning streak, which it extended through the duration of the 1951 season. The following year
1952 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1952 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its 32nd season as a member of the Southern Conference. However, during the 1952 season, Maryland underwent sanctions by the Southern Conference that...
, the Terrapins continued that streak for seven additional games before a loss to 11th-ranked Mississippi. In total, Maryland won 22 straight games from 1950 to 1952, which remains the longest winning streak in program history. One Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
writer characterized the 1950 season's 7–2–1 record as a disappointment to "never-satisfied alumni" who had hoped for an undefeated season and first-ever Southern Conference championship.
Respected sports prognosticator Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice was an early 20th century American sportswriter known for his elegant prose. His writing was published in newspapers around the country and broadcast on the radio.-Biography:...
picked North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
under Carl Snavely
Carl Snavely
Carl "The Grey Fox" Snavely was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Bucknell University , the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Cornell University , and Washington University in St...
as the frontrunner to win the Southern Conference championship and predicted they would finish as the 18th ranked team in the nation. Rice estimated Maryland would finish second in the league and 20th in the rankings. Robert Moore of the Associated Press named Maryland the favorite to win the Southern Conference championship and stated it was "undoubtedly ... the team to beat", although he acknowledged that at least eight other teams would also be in contention: North Carolina, Clemson
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, Duke
Duke Blue Devils football
The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal...
, North Carolina State
NC State Wolfpack football
The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Wolfpack currently compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference....
, South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
, VMI
VMI Keydets football
The VMI Keydets football team represents the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. The Keydets compete in the Big South Conference of the NCAA Division I FCS, and are currently coached by Sparky Woods, now in his 4th year...
, Wake Forest
Wake Forest Demon Deacons football
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represents Wake Forest University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wake Forest plays its home football games at BB&T Field....
, and William & Mary
William & Mary Tribe football
The William & Mary Tribe are a college football team representing the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. William & Mary currently competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivision. As of 2010, Jimmye Laycock is in his 31st...
. Moore was more subdued in his assessments of George Washington
George Washington Colonials football
The George Washington Colonials football team represented The George Washington University in National Collegiate Athletic Association major college-level football competition from 1881 to 1966. The Colonials were most successful between the 1930s and 1950s when they regularly played top-level...
, Richmond
Richmond Spiders football
The Richmond Spiders are a college football team representing the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia. Richmond was the Division I Football Championship Subdivision champion for the 2008 season. Richmond currently competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of the NCAA's Division I...
, Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
, Washington & Lee, and predicted rebuilding seasons for Davidson, Furman, The Citadel, and West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
.
The Associated Press later called Maryland's preseason favorite title a "dubious distinction", to which few teams in the Mid-Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
had been able to live up. Tatum expressed confidence and said it was "the best team I've ever coached," but acknowledged the team could lose as many as seven games in a worst-case scenario. Another Associated Press article said most people expected a big season from Maryland as the culmination of five years of Tatum's high-caliber recruiting. A United Press
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
article had high confidence in Maryland, because of its experienced team and what it assessed as an easier schedule than previous seasons. It predicted Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
, LSU
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
, Navy
Navy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...
, and North Carolina as the "only rough spots" on the schedule.
Personnel
Maryland lost several players, including fifteen lettermen, from the previous season due to the exhaustion of their college eligibility. These included ends Elmer WingateElmer Wingate
Elmer Horsey Wingate is a former American football player. Wingate was drafted by the New York Yanks in the fourth round of the 1951 NFL Draft and played for one season with the Baltimore Colts.-Early life and college career:...
and Pete Augsburger, tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
s Chet Gierula and Ray Krouse
Ray Krouse
Raymond Francis Krouse was an American football defensive lineman in the National Football League for the New York Giants , the Detroit Lions , Baltimore Colts and Washington Redskins .He attended Western High School before going on to the University of Maryland .He...
, center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
Jack Rowden, and kicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Jack Targarona. Notably, Maryland did not lose a single back "worthy of mention", and all of the linemen aside from the ends had ready replacements.
On the whole, Maryland returned a seasoned team that included 22 lettermen, and the United Press described the team as "bigger and bruisier than ever." They were led by junior quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Jack Scarbath
Jack Scarbath
John Carl "Jack" Scarbath is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers...
who gained significant experience in the split-T the previous season, in which he started
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
the first six games before suffering an injury. He was backed up by a capable reservist in sophomore quarterback Bernie Faloney
Bernie Faloney
Bernie Faloney was a professional football player in the Canadian Football League and an outstanding American college football player at the University of Maryland...
. (In 1952, Scarbath was the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
runner-up, and the following year, Faloney finished fourth in the voting.)
Scarbath was accompanied in the backfield by several other capable players, including "one of the biggest fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
s in captivity" Ed Modzelewski
Ed Modzelewski
Ed Modzelewski is a former football player, who played professionally for the Cleveland Browns. His brother, Dick Modzelewski, also played in the NFL and at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft, but did not make the active roster....
and halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
s Chet "the Jet" Hanulak
Chet Hanulak
Chet Hanulak is a former professional American football player who played running back for four seasons for the Cleveland Browns....
and Ed Fullerton
Ed Fullerton
Edward Reno Fullerton is a former American football halfback and defensive back. He was selected in the fourth round of the 1953 NFL Draft and played one season in the National Football League...
. Halfback Bob Shemonski
Bob Shemonski
Bob "Shoo Shoo" Shemonski was an American football player. He played college football as an end and back for the Maryland Terrapins and was selected in the 1952 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.-Biography:...
, the previous season's conference-scoring leader, was shifted to play mostly on defense, but would rank as the team leader in kick returns with six for 126 yards. The Terrapins' line was anchored by co-captains Bob Ward, a guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
, and Dave Cianelli
Dave Cianelli
David "Dave" Cianelli is a former American football player. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1952 NFL Draft by the Dallas Texans.-Biography:...
, the center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
. At tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
, it featured Ed's brother, Dick Modzelewski
Dick Modzelewski
Richard Blair Modzelewski is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, and the Cleveland Browns. He also served as interim head coach of the Browns in the final game of the 1977 season...
, and Bob Morgan. The defense was described as particularly deep, anchored by Ward, Cianelli, and Jeff Keith, and with good reserves available into even the third string.
The position(s) for each player are annotated in parentheses (for an explanation of the abbreviations used see American football positions
American football positions
In American football, each team has eleven players on the field at one time. Because the rules allow unlimited substitution between plays, the types of players on the field for each team differ depending on the situation...
).
- John Alderton (DE)
- Ed Barritt
- Lynn Beightol (QB)
- Dick BielskiDick BielskiRichard Adam Bielski is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and the Baltimore Colts. He played college football at the University of Maryland and was drafted in the first round of the 1955 NFL Draft...
(FB) - Walter Boeri (FB/G/LB)
- Dave Christianson (T)
- Dave CianelliDave CianelliDavid "Dave" Cianelli is a former American football player. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1952 NFL Draft by the Dallas Texans.-Biography:...
(C/FB/LB) - Lloyd ColteryahnLloyd ColteryahnLloyd Kenneth Colteryahn is a former professional American football end in the National Football League . After playing collegiate football at the University of Maryland, he was drafted in the 4th round of the 1953 NFL draft by Pittsburgh...
(OE) - Tom CosgroveTom CosgroveTom Cosgrove is a former American football player. He played in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Colts...
(C) - Marty Crytzer (C/E)
- Lynn Davis (DB)
- Don Decker (K)
- Bob DeStefano (QB)
- Bernie FaloneyBernie FaloneyBernie Faloney was a professional football player in the Canadian Football League and an outstanding American college football player at the University of Maryland...
(QB/P) - Ralph FeltonRalph FeltonRalph Dwaine "Rass" Felton was an American football linebacker and defensive back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins....
(FB/DB/LB) - Ed Fincke (C)
- Hank Fox (E)
- Chick Fry (T)
- Ed FullertonEd FullertonEdward Reno Fullerton is a former American football halfback and defensive back. He was selected in the fourth round of the 1953 NFL Draft and played one season in the National Football League...
(HB/DB) - John Guender
- Chester Hanulak (HB)
- Fred Heffner (E/K/P)
- Joe Horning (HB/DB)
- Art Hurd (G)
- Stan JonesStan Jones (American football)Stanley Paul "Stan" Jones was an American football guard and defensive tackle in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991...
(T)
- Ed Kensler (DG)
- Jeff Keith (C/LB)
- Charles Lattimer (C)
- Bob Laughery (B)
- Pete LadygoPete LadygoPeter Glenn "Pete" Ladygo is an American former football player. He played as a guard and linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League from 1952 to 1954, and as a guard for the Ottawa Rough Riders in the Canadian Football League in 1955...
(OG/LB) - Paul Lindsay (E)
- Leonard Mahoney
- Bill Maletzky (G)
- Roy Martine
- Dick ModzelewskiDick ModzelewskiRichard Blair Modzelewski is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, and the Cleveland Browns. He also served as interim head coach of the Browns in the final game of the 1977 season...
(T) - Ed ModzelewskiEd ModzelewskiEd Modzelewski is a former football player, who played professionally for the Cleveland Browns. His brother, Dick Modzelewski, also played in the NFL and at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft, but did not make the active roster....
(FB) - Bob Morgan (T)
- Joe MossJoe MossJoseph Charles Moss is an American former coach and player. He played college football at the University of Maryland and professional football in the National Football League with the Washington Redskins...
(OT) - Frank NavarroFrank NavarroFrank F. Navarro is a former American football player and coach in the United States. In 1953, Navarro graduated from the University of Maryland, where he played on the football team. He coached at Williams College from 1963 to 1967 and amassed a record of 28–11–1...
(G)
- Paul Nestor (DE)
- Dick Nolan (DB)
- Joe Petruzzo (HB/DB)
- Jack ScarbathJack ScarbathJohn Carl "Jack" Scarbath is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers...
(QB) - Karney Scioscia (FB)
- Bob ShemonskiBob ShemonskiBob "Shoo Shoo" Shemonski was an American football player. He played college football as an end and back for the Maryland Terrapins and was selected in the 1952 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.-Biography:...
(E/HB/DB) - Ray Stankus (G)
- Dan Staffieri
- Clifford Trexler (C)
- Bob Ward (G)
- George Weicker (T)
- Lou Weidensaul (E)
Coaching staff
Jim TatumJim Tatum
James M. "Big Jim" Tatum was an American football and baseball player and coach. Tatum served as the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , the University of Oklahoma , and the University of Maryland, College Park , compiling a career college football record of...
served as the head coach for his fifth year at Maryland in the 1951 season. All told, he served a nine-year tenure at College Park
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
and compiled a 73–15–4 record for a winning percentage of 0.819, the highest among Maryland coaches in the modern era. Tatum later gained national recognition, with Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine later calling him "the most successful major college coach in the game", and 1951 proved to be his breakout season. Tatum employed the split-T
Split-T
The split-T is an offensive formation in American football that was popular in the 1940s and 50s. Developed by Missouri Tigers head coach Don Faurot as a variation on the T formation, the split-T was first used in the 1941 season and allowed the Tigers to win all but their season-opening match...
, which he had learned firsthand as the protégé of its pioneer, Don Faurot
Don Faurot
Donald Burrows Faurot was an American football and basketball player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the Northeast Missouri State Teachers College, now Truman State University, from 1926 to 1934 and at the University of Missouri from 1935 to 1942 and again from 1946 to 1956...
. This new offensive system sought to emulate the "two-on-one" fast break of basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, with the aim of creating an undefended back.
| Name | Position | Year | Alma mater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Tatum Jim Tatum James M. "Big Jim" Tatum was an American football and baseball player and coach. Tatum served as the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , the University of Oklahoma , and the University of Maryland, College Park , compiling a career college football record of... |
Head coach | 5th | North Carolina North Carolina Tar Heels football The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566... (1935) |
| Tommy Mont Tommy Mont Thomas Allison "Tommy" Mont is an American educator, university administrator, college football coach, and NFL player. He played quarterback for the Washington Redskins as a back-up behind Sammy Baugh for three seasons. Mont served as the head football coach for three years at the University of... |
Backfield coach | 1st | Maryland Maryland Terrapins football The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference... (1947) |
| Warren Giese Warren Giese Warren Giese is an American former South Carolina state legislator and college football coach. He served as the head football coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks for five years at the University of South Carolina.... |
Ends coach | 3rd | Oklahoma Oklahoma Sooners football The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association... (1947) |
| Jack Hennemier Jack Hennemier John M. "Jack" Hennemier was an American football coach and scout. He served as the head coach for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League for one and a half seasons, and also held assistant coaching positions at several colleges, most notably, the University of Maryland, College... |
Line coach | 4th | Duke Duke Blue Devils football The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal... |
| Duke Wyre Duke Wyre Alfred J. "Duke" Wyre was an American athletic trainer and coach. He invented the Duke Wyre Shoulder Vest, a protective device for football players against shoulder dislocations and separations. Wyre was an athletic trainer at the College of the Holy Cross for one year and at Yale University for... |
Head trainer | ||
Schedule
Washington & Lee
The season opened against Washington & Lee, the defending 1950 Southern Conference champions. In the first quarter, the Generals' fumbled in their own end zoneEnd zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
, which was converted into a Maryland touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
when Pete Ladygo recovered it. Tatum used his alternates generously: fifty Terrapin players saw action in the game and nine scored. Quarterbacks Jack Scarbath
Jack Scarbath
John Carl "Jack" Scarbath is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers...
, Bob DeStefano, Bernie Faloney
Bernie Faloney
Bernie Faloney was a professional football player in the Canadian Football League and an outstanding American college football player at the University of Maryland...
, and Lynn Beightol all saw action.
George Washington
To open the game against George WashingtonGeorge Washington Colonials football
The George Washington Colonials football team represented The George Washington University in National Collegiate Athletic Association major college-level football competition from 1881 to 1966. The Colonials were most successful between the 1930s and 1950s when they regularly played top-level...
, Scarbath led a five-play drive that culminated in a one-yard rush
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
by Ed Modzelewski
Ed Modzelewski
Ed Modzelewski is a former football player, who played professionally for the Cleveland Browns. His brother, Dick Modzelewski, also played in the NFL and at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft, but did not make the active roster....
for a score. Don Decker made the extra point
Extra Point
Extra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
. Later, Ed Modzelewski scored again on a 62-yard touchdown break. In the second quarter, back-up quarterback Faloney scored on a quarterback keeper
Quarterback keeper
A quarterback keeper or keeper in American football is a designed play in which the quarterback does not pass or hand off the ball to another player and instead rushes forward with it in an effort to gain yardage...
. Then, Ralph Felton
Ralph Felton
Ralph Dwaine "Rass" Felton was an American football linebacker and defensive back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins....
connected with Ed Fullerton
Ed Fullerton
Edward Reno Fullerton is a former American football halfback and defensive back. He was selected in the fourth round of the 1953 NFL Draft and played one season in the National Football League...
with a 27-yard pass for another touchdown to close the half, 27–0. In the third quarter, Scarbath threw a pass to Felton for the final Maryland score. In the fourth quarter, G.W.'s Bino Varreira scored in the last minute of play, for a final result of 33–6.
Georgia
The year prior1950 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1950 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its 30th season as a member of the Southern Conference....
, Georgia had soundly beaten an unprepared and unconditioned Maryland team in the season-opener. In 1951, the Bulldogs were supposed to be one of the Terrapins' toughest tests. Maryland tallied first with a field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
by Don Decker, which was an unusual method to score at the time. Later in the first quarter, Chet Hanulak
Chet Hanulak
Chet Hanulak is a former professional American football player who played running back for four seasons for the Cleveland Browns....
rushed for a touchdown. In the second quarter, Hanulak scored again. Georgia's only score of the game came on a four-yard rush by Lauren Hargrove. Halftime expired with a score of 17–7. In the third quarter, Ed Modzelewski, Ralph Felton
Ralph Felton
Ralph Dwaine "Rass" Felton was an American football linebacker and defensive back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins....
, and Scarbath each scored. Fullerton scored the final touchdown on a then school-record 86-yard run.
North Carolina
In the first quarter, Maryland engineered a 79-yard drive. Ralph Felton gained the last 27 yards for the score. North CarolinaNorth Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
responded with a 41-yard drive capped by a touchdown by Bob Gantt. In the second quarter, Bob Shemonski
Bob Shemonski
Bob "Shoo Shoo" Shemonski was an American football player. He played college football as an end and back for the Maryland Terrapins and was selected in the 1952 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.-Biography:...
broke the stalemate with a touchdown pass to Lou Weidensaul for the go-ahead. In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, Maryland's Joe Petruzzo broke up a pass in the end zone to preserve the victory, 14–7.
It was the 18th game of the series and the first Maryland win in eleven meetings. The previous one had been in 1926.
Louisiana State
Maryland then traveled to Baton RougeBaton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
to face Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
powerhouse Louisiana State
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
. A tough LSU defense held Maryland scoreless through the first and most of the second quarter. Late in the first half, LSU's Jim Barton and Bernie Faloney exchanged several punts, until Maryland gained good field position on the Tigers' 43-yard line. Ed Modzelewski helped lead a five-play drive capped by a quarterback sneak
Quarterback sneak
A quarterback sneak is a play in Canadian and American football in which the quarterback, upon taking the center snap, dives ahead while the offensive line surges forward...
by Scarbath for the first score of the game. On the next Maryland possession, Scarbath dodged several LSU tacklers and ran for a 56-yard touchdown. At halftime, the Terrapins led, 13–0. In the third quarter, Maryland executed a sweep
Sweep (American football)
A sweep is a running play in American football where the running back takes a pitch or handoff from the quarterback and starts running parallel to the line of scrimmage, allowing for the offensive linemen and fullback to get in front of him to block defenders before he turns upfield.- QB sweep :A...
and double reverse
Reverse (American football)
A reverse is a relatively common trick play in American football that involves one or more abrupt changes in the lateral flow of a rushing play.-Variations:...
, which allowed Bob Shemonski to rush for a touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Ed Modzelewski tossed the ball to Chet Hanulak for the final score of the game. Maryland won, 27–0.
Missouri
MissouriMissouri Tigers football
The Missouri Tigers football team represents the University of Missouri in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team has competed in the North Division of the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996...
was led by head coach Don Faurot
Don Faurot
Donald Burrows Faurot was an American football and basketball player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the Northeast Missouri State Teachers College, now Truman State University, from 1926 to 1934 and at the University of Missouri from 1935 to 1942 and again from 1946 to 1956...
, inventor of the split-T
Split-T
The split-T is an offensive formation in American football that was popular in the 1940s and 50s. Developed by Missouri Tigers head coach Don Faurot as a variation on the T formation, the split-T was first used in the 1941 season and allowed the Tigers to win all but their season-opening match...
offense and former mentor of Jim Tatum. The Terrapin defense shut-down the Tigers' spread offense and held it to seven completions on 28 attempts. Joe Horning intercepted a Tiger pass and returned it 100 yards for a score. All told, Maryland compiled 350 rushing yards and zero passing yards on three incomplete pass attempts. Missouri recorded 103 passing yards and 92 rushing yards.
Navy
Early in the first quarter, NavyNavy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...
's Frank Brady returned a punt 100 yards, and, for the first (and only) time of the season, Maryland trailed an opponent, 0–7. Scarbath connected with receivers on 16 of 34 pass attempts for 285 passing yards and two interceptions. Ed Modzelewski and Paul Weidensaul each scored touchdowns.
NC State
At College Park, Maryland sought revenge against NC State for ending their bowl game opportunity the previous year. Ralph Felton ran for 186 yards and a touchdown. Ed Kensler returned an interception for a score. Ed Modzelewski rushed for a total of 89 yards. Don Decker kicked five extra points.Shortly before the game, Maryland accepted an invitation to play in the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
.
West Virginia
In the first quarter, Ed Modzelewski rushed 16 yards for the opening touchdown. Maryland scored three more touchdowns on each of its subsequent possessions. Lloyd Colteryahn caught a ten-yard pass from Scarbath for the fifth and final Terrapins' touchdown of the first half. In the second, Maryland scored 19 unanswered points, which culminated in a 77-yard run by Joe Horning.Tennessee (Sugar Bowl)
The Washington PostThe Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
called the 1952 Sugar Bowl
1952 Sugar Bowl
The 1952 Sugar Bowl featured the top ranked Tennessee Volunteers, and the third ranked Maryland Terrapins. In the first quarter, Maryland scored on a two-yard touchdown run Ed Fullerton, giving the Terrapins a 7-0 lead. In the second quarter, Fullerton threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Bob...
the second "game of the century
Game of the Century (college football)
The phrase "Game of the Century" is a superlative that has been applied to several college football contests played in the 20th century, the first full century of college football in the United States...
," with the first
1946 Army vs. Notre Dame football game
The 1946 Army vs. Notre Dame football game was a regular season college football game played on November 9, 1946. Army , then ranked Number 1 in the Associated Press college football poll, played the University of Notre Dame, of South Bend, Indiana, ranked Number 2, at Yankee Stadium in New York City...
having been between the undefeated Army
1946 Army Cadets football team
The 1946 Army Black Knights football team represents the United States Military Academy. Led by head coach Red Blaik, the team finished with an undefeated 9-0-1 season. The Black Knights offense scored 263 points, while the defense allowed 80 points. At season’s end, the team ranked second in the...
and Notre Dame
1946 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 1946 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1946 college football season. The Irish, coached by Frank Leahy, ended the season with 8 wins and 1 tie, winning the national championship. The 1946 team became the fifth Irish team to win the...
teams in 1946. The Associated Press called it possibly "the greatest bowl game of them all." Tennessee was a period powerhouse and its roster included five All-Americans. Maryland was viewed as a heavy underdog
Underdog (competition)
An underdog is a person or group in a competition, frequently in electoral politics, sports and creative works, who is popularly expected to lose. The party, team or individual expected to win is called the favorite or top dog. In the rare case where an underdog wins, the outcome is an upset. These...
going into the game. Terrapins halfback Chet Hanulak
Chet Hanulak
Chet Hanulak is a former professional American football player who played running back for four seasons for the Cleveland Browns....
said, "Nobody expected us to get that far. But Jim Tatum was a coach who could work wonders." After mechanical issues delayed Maryland's flight, the team became the first to practice at night for a Sugar Bowl. Tatum said, "[Tennessee is] so much better than we are that they probably don't need the practice. But we do—and we'll get it."
Tennessee was led by triple-threat quarterback and Heisman runner-up Hank Lauricella
Hank Lauricella
Francis E. Lauricella, known as Hank Lauricella was a Hall of Fame American football player for the Tennessee Volunteers football team. He served as a Democrat in the Louisiana State Senate from Jefferson Parish in the New Orleans suburbs from 1972 to 1996...
. Neyland's offensive linemen were described as not large but "squatty" and "bruiser[s], not flashy, but slightly murderous." Neyland considered the split-T offense used by Tatum gimmicky and relied on the more traditional single-wing formation. He subscribed to the adage that, when the ball was thrown, "three things could happen, and two of them were bad." For the game, Tatum himself abandoned the split-T in favor of a smashmouth approach to run it up the middle, where he thought "they least expected [it]." Neyland's strategy focused heavily on punting the ball to pin the opponent in their own territory with a goal of creating turnovers, and Tatum likewise adopted it.
The game started with both teams exchanging several punts in the first quarter. Maryland gained good field position after Lauricella kicked a short punt. Running backs Ed Modzelewski
Ed Modzelewski
Ed Modzelewski is a former football player, who played professionally for the Cleveland Browns. His brother, Dick Modzelewski, also played in the NFL and at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft, but did not make the active roster....
and Ed Fullerton
Ed Fullerton
Edward Reno Fullerton is a former American football halfback and defensive back. He was selected in the fourth round of the 1953 NFL Draft and played one season in the National Football League...
then led an 11-play, 56-yard rushing drive for a touchdown. On the kickoff, Bob Ward hit Lauricella and forced a fumble that Maryland recovered on Tennessee's 13-yard line. After four plays, Jack Scarbath
Jack Scarbath
John Carl "Jack" Scarbath is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers...
pitch
Lateral pass
In American football, a lateral pass or lateral, officially backward pass , occurs when the ball carrier throws the football to any teammate behind him or directly next to him...
ed to Fullerton who then threw a six-yard forward pass
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
to Bob Shemonski in the end zone and expanded the Maryland lead to 14–0. Scarbath then engineered a 48-yard drive and ran it in himself
Quarterback keeper
A quarterback keeper or keeper in American football is a designed play in which the quarterback does not pass or hand off the ball to another player and instead rushes forward with it in an effort to gain yardage...
for the Terrapins' third touchdown within seven minutes. Late in the second quarter, Tennessee back Bert Rechichar
Bert Rechichar
Albert Daniel Rechichar was an American football defensive back who played with the National Football League's Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers from 1952 to 1960, and the American Football League's New York Titans in 1961...
caught a four-yard pass for a touchdown, but the extra point
Extra Point
Extra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
was no good. At the end of the first half, Maryland had stunned Tennessee by gaining a 21–6 lead. In the fourth quarter, Fullerton intercept
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
ed a pass and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown. In the final minutes, Tennessee's goal-line quarterback Herky Payne ran it in from the one-yard line. Maryland won the game with a final result of 28–13.
After the season
Maryland finished as the nation's only untied, undefeated team that had played a ten-game schedule. The final wire service rankings, however, were released prior to the bowl games at the time. Therefore, Maryland held a final ranking as the number-three team in the nation, behind first-ranked Tennessee (10–1) and second-ranked Michigan State1951 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 1951 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1951 college football season.The Spartans played their home games at Macklin Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan...
(9–0). To date, the 1951 Terrapins remain Maryland's only undefeated, untied team of the modern era.
Several championship selectors have retroactively named Maryland the 1951 national champions. These include the following NCAA-recognized sources: Jeff Sagarin
Jeff Sagarin
Jeff Sagarin is an American sports statistician well-known for his development of a methodology for ranking and rating sports teams in a variety of sports...
's computer ranking system, the College Football Researchers Association, the DeVold System, the Dunkel System, and the National Championship Foundation. In 2002, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
called the 1951 season the greatest in Maryland football history, ranking it above the 1953 national championship team. The season saw Maryland compile its first (and, to date, only) undefeated, untied season since 1893
Maryland Terrapins football: 1856–1946
The modern Maryland Terrapins football program representing the University of Maryland traces its lineage to the team first formed at what was then the Maryland Agricultural College in 1892...
.
Awards
Bob Ward was named a consensus first-team All-American and Dick ModzelewskiDick Modzelewski
Richard Blair Modzelewski is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, and the Cleveland Browns. He also served as interim head coach of the Browns in the final game of the 1977 season...
and Ed Modzelewski
Ed Modzelewski
Ed Modzelewski is a former football player, who played professionally for the Cleveland Browns. His brother, Dick Modzelewski, also played in the NFL and at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft, but did not make the active roster....
were named second-team All-Americans. Dave Cianelli
Dave Cianelli
David "Dave" Cianelli is a former American football player. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1952 NFL Draft by the Dallas Texans.-Biography:...
, Tom Cosgrove
Tom Cosgrove
Tom Cosgrove is a former American football player. He played in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Colts...
, Joe Petruzzo, and Jack Scarbath
Jack Scarbath
John Carl "Jack" Scarbath is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers...
were named honorable mention All-Americans. Jim Tatum was named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year. Bob Ward received the Knute Rockne Award and was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year. Ward and Ed Modzelewski were named All-Southern Conference.