1910 VPI football team

1910 VPI football
1910 VPI football
Conference	Independent
Record	6–2
Head coach	Branch Bocock (2nd season);
Captain	Vivian Burnett Hodgson
Home stadium	Miles Field
	Seasons ← 1909 1911 →

1910 South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
v t e	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
Georgetown +	2	–	0	–	1	6	–	1	–	1
VPI	3	–	1	–	0	6	–	2	–	0
Davidson	1	–	1	–	0	6	–	2	–	0
William & Mary	1	–	1	–	0	1	–	7	–	1
George Washington	0	–	1	–	0	0	–	1	–	0
Richmond	0	–	4	–	0	2	–	5	–	1

+ – Conference co-champions

The 1910 VPI football team represented Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute in the 1910 college football season. The team was led by their head coach Branch Bocock and finished with a record of six wins and two losses (6–2).

Rules

Rule changes were made prior to the 1910 season to permit more use of the forward pass, with complicated limitations:^[1]

The only eligible receivers were the two ends, who could catch a pass no more than 20 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, and could not be interfered with until the ball was caught.
A legal pass could not be thrown unless the quarterback was at least 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage and the rest of the players, except the two ends, were at least 1 yard behind the scrimmage line.
On kickoffs and punts, the kicking team's players could not be touched until they had advanced 20 yards
Flying tackles were outlawed, and "the man making a tackle must have at least one foot on the ground".
The ballcarrier could no longer be aided in any way by his teammates.

Other rules in 1910 were:

Field 110 yards in length
Kickoff made from midfield
Three downs to gain ten yards
Touchdown worth 5 points
Field goal worth 3 points
Game time based on agreement of the teams, not to exceed two 45 minute halves.^[2]

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
October 1		Hampden–Sydney	Miles Field Blacksburg, VA	W 18–0		^[3]
October 5		Davidson	Miles Field Blacksburg, VA	W 16–6		^[4]^[5]
October 15		Western Maryland	Miles Field Blacksburg, VA	W 13–0		^[6]^[7]
October 22		at Navy	Worden Field Annapolis, MD	L 0–3		^[8]^[9]
October 29	3:00 p.m.	vs. Washington and Lee	Fair Grounds Roanoke, VA	W 23–0	2,500	^[10]^[11]^[12]
November 5	3:15 p.m.	vs. North Carolina	Broad Street Park Richmond, VA	W 20–0	3,000	^[13]^[14]
November 12		vs. George Washington	Lynchburg, VA	W 16–5		^[15]^[16]
November 24	2:30 p.m.	vs. North Carolina A&M	Lafayette Field Norfolk, VA	L 3–5	10,000–12,000	^[17]^[18]^[19]^[20]
All times are in Eastern time

Before the season

The 1909 VPI football team compiled a 6–1 record and were led by Branch Bocock in his first season as head coach.

Game summaries

Hampden–Sydney

VPI's first game of the season was a victory over Hampden–Sydney at Miles Field.

Davidson

After their victory over Hampden–Sydney, VPI played Davidson College at Miles Field.

The starting lineup for VPI was: A. Hodgson (left end), Rogers (left tackle), W. Legge (left guard), Gibbs (center), Pick (right guard), Jones (right tackle), H. B. Hughes (right end), J. Hughes (quarterback), Bernier (left halfback), F. Legge (right halfback), V. Hodgson (fullback).

The starting lineup for Davidson was: DeWitt Kluttz (left end), John Phipps (left tackle), William Thompson (left guard), David McQueen (center), William Wolfe (right guard), J. C. Cashion (right tackle), Lunsford Richardson (right end), James Pharr (quarterback), Graham (left halfback), Samuel Erwin (right halfback), Everett Booe (fullback).

Western Maryland

Navy

The starting lineup for VPI was: A. Hodgson (left end), Jones (left tackle), Pick (left guard), Gibbs (center), Breckenridge (right guard), W. Legge (right tackle), Welch (right end), Bernier (quarterback), F. Legge (left halfback), Derby (right halfback), V. Hodgson (fullback). The substitutes were: Harris, Hughes and Rogers.

The starting lineup for Navy was: Calvin Cobb (left end), Thomas King (left tackle), John H. Brown Jr. (left guard), Phillip Weems (center), Carroll Wright (right guard), Davis (right tackle), K. P. Gilchrist (right end), Ingram C. Sowell (quarterback), John Dalton (left halfback), Henry Clay (right halfback), Pete Rodes (fullback). The substitutes were: Lee Carey, Edwin, Robert Elmer, Donald Hamilton, Frank Loftin, Clarence McReavy, Myers, Shaw and Ray Wakeman.

Washington and Lee

The starting lineup for VPI was: A. Hodgson (left end), Jones (left tackle), Wyatt (left guard), Gibbs (center), Breckenridge (right guard), Burruss (right tackle), W. Legge (right end), J. Hughes (quarterback), Harris (left halfback), F. Legge (right halfback), V. Hodgson (fullback). The substitutes were: Bernier, Derby, McKan, Pick and Vaughan.

The starting lineup for Washington and Lee was: Lawrence Humphrey (left end), James Miller (left tackle), Paul Rogers (left guard), Leckey Kinnear (center), Daniel Clovis Moomaw (right guard), J. P. Hobson (right tackle), E. F. Burk (right end), T. C. McCallie (quarterback), Joseph Blackburn (left halfback), Roland Waddill (right halfback), I. R. Simms (fullback). The substitutes were: H. N. Barker, John Chatfield, E. P. Davis, Hamilton Derr, J. D. Harman, L. O'Quin and J. G. Wilson.

North Carolina

North Carolina vs. VPI

	1	2	3	4	Total
UNC	0	0	0	0	0
• VPI	0	9	0	11	20

Date: November 5, 1910
Location: Broad Street Park
Richmond, VA
Game start: 3:15 p.m.
Game attendance: 3,000
Referee: Williams (UVA)

The starting lineup for VPI was: A. Hodgson (left end), Jones (left tackle), Pick (left guard), Gibbs (center), Breckenridge (right guard), Burruss (right tackle), W. Legge (right end), J. Hughes (quarterback), F. Legge (left halfback), Derby (right halfback), V. Hodgson (fullback). The substitutes were: Gravely and Rogers.

The starting lineup for North Carolina was: Bob Winston (left end), Cecil Garrett (left tackle), Earl Thompson (left guard), Levi Brown (center), Carl Parker (right guard), Lonnie Abernethy (right tackle), John Venable (right end), William Belk (quarterback), Colin Ruffin (left halfback), James Calmes (right halfback), Andrew Porter (fullback). The substitutes were: Joseph Chambers and William Young.

George Washington

George Washington vs. VPI

	1	2	3	4	Total
GW	0	5	0	0	5
• VPI	6	0	5	5	16

Date: November 12, 1910
Location: Lynchburg, VA
Referee: Frank Shaughnessy

The starting lineup for VPI was: W. Legge (left end), Burruss (left tackle), Breckenridge (left guard), Gibbs (center), Pick (right guard), Jones (right tackle), A. Hodgson (right end), J. Hughes (quarterback), Derby (left halfback), F. Legge (right halfback), V. Hodgson (fullback). The substitutes were: Gravely, Harris, Holt, Lefebre, Rogers and Vaughan.

The starting lineup for George Washington was: Langley (left end), Hart (left tackle), Herndon (left guard), Theodore Eickhoff (center), Richardson (right guard), F. Smith (right tackle), Matthew Farmer (right end), Cuthbert Farmer (quarterback), Willey (left halfback), H. Ellis (right halfback), Moore (fullback). The substitutes were: Robert Fowler, H. S. Hamlin, Valaer, Herbert White.

North Carolina A&M

North Carolina A&M vs. VPI

	1	2	3	4	Total
• NC A&M	5	0	0	0	5
VPI	0	3	0	0	3

Date: November 24, 1910
Location: Lafayette Field
Norfolk, VA
Game start: 2:30 p.m.
Game attendance: 10,000–12,000
Referee: Jack Gass

The starting lineup for VPI was: A. Hodgson (left end), Burruss (left tackle), Pick (left guard), Gibbs (center), Breckenridge (right guard), Jones (right tackle), W. Legge (right end), J. Hughes (quarterback), F. Legge (left halfback), Derby (right halfback), V. Hodgson (fullback). The substitutes were: Bernier, Harris, Holt and Rogers.

The starting lineup for North Carolina A&M was: Harry Hartsell (left end), W. T. Hurtt (left tackle), E. H. Gattis (left guard), John Bray (center), D. B. Floyd (right guard), G. C. Glenn (right tackle), David Seifert (right end), Tal Stafford (quarterback), H. M. Cool (left halfback), D. A. Robertson (right halfback), W. H. Von Eberstein (fullback). The substitutes were: James Sherman.

Players

The following players were members of the 1910 football team according to the roster published in the 1911 edition of The Bugle, the Virginia Tech yearbook.^[21]

VPI 1910 roster

Quarterback

John Lepburn Hughes

Guards

Breckenridge
Lewis A. Pick

Tackles

William Henry Burruss
Jones

Center

Aubrey Gravatt Gibbs

Ends

Asbury Nathaniel Hodgson
Withrow Reynolds Legge

Halfbacks

Claude Palmer Derby
Frederick Hughes Legge

Fullback

Vivian Burnett Hodgson (Capt.)

Substitutes

Charles A. Bernier
William Seymour Gravely
Hargrove
Harris
Rogers
Harry Briggs Vaughan
Wyatt

Coaching and training staff

Head coach: Branch Bocock
Manager: G. W. Hurt

References

^ "New Football As Walter Camp Sees It", New York Times, September 15, 1910
^ Danzig, Allison (1956). The History of American Football: Its Great Teams, Players, and Coaches. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall. pp. 70–71.
^ "Opening Game Won By V.P.I." Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. October 2, 1910. p. 39. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^ "Davidson Loses To V.P.I. Team". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. October 6, 1910. p. 6. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^ "V.P.I. Defeats Davidson Team". The Richmond News Leader. Library of Virginia. October 7, 1911. p. 7. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^ "Fast Tech Eleven Defeats Maryland". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. October 16, 1910. p. 37. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^ "W.M.C. Defeated". The Democratic Advocate. Library of Congress. October 21, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^ "Navy Defeats V.P.I. By Score Of 3 To 0". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. October 23, 1910. p. 32. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^ "Played a Plucky Game". Evening Capital and Maryland Gazette. Library of Congress. October 24, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^ "Gridiron Warriors Here for Fray". The Evening News. Library of Virginia. October 29, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^ "Annual Game Goes to V.P.I." (PDF). The Ring-tum Phi. Washington and Lee University. November 1, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^ "Old-Time Rivals Meet on Gridiron". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. October 30, 1910. p. 29. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^ "Blacksburg Eleven Swamps Carolinians". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. November 6, 1910. p. 33. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^ "Virginia Techs Outplay Us". The Tar Heel. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. November 9, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^ "Hatchetites hold V.P.I. to 16 to 5". The Washington Herald. Library of Congress. November 13, 1910. p. 33. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^ "V.P.I. Downs George Washington In Fast Game". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. November 13, 1910. p. 35. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^ "V.P.I. Ready for Clash with A. & M." Daily Press. Library of Congress. November 24, 1910. p. 4. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
^ "Virginia Techs Downed By A. & M." Daily Press. Library of Congress. November 25, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
^ "The Thanksgiving Game". Red & White. North Carolina State University. December 1910. p. 218. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
^ "Techs are Defeated in Game Struggle". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. November 25, 1910. p. 6. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
^ "The Bugle 1911" (PDF). Virginia Tech Bugle. 1911. p. 176. Retrieved November 18, 2015.

[1] "New Football As Walter Camp Sees It", New York Times, September 15, 1910

[Danzig1956-2] Danzig, Allison (1956). The History of American Football: Its Great Teams, Players, and Coaches. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall. pp. 70–71.

[3] "Opening Game Won By V.P.I." Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. October 2, 1910. p. 39. Retrieved March 17, 2022.

[4] "Davidson Loses To V.P.I. Team". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. October 6, 1910. p. 6. Retrieved March 17, 2022.

[5] "V.P.I. Defeats Davidson Team". The Richmond News Leader. Library of Virginia. October 7, 1911. p. 7. Retrieved March 17, 2022.

[6] "Fast Tech Eleven Defeats Maryland". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. October 16, 1910. p. 37. Retrieved March 17, 2022.

[7] "W.M.C. Defeated". The Democratic Advocate. Library of Congress. October 21, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2022.

[8] "Navy Defeats V.P.I. By Score Of 3 To 0". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. October 23, 1910. p. 32. Retrieved March 17, 2022.

[9] "Played a Plucky Game". Evening Capital and Maryland Gazette. Library of Congress. October 24, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2022.

[10] "Gridiron Warriors Here for Fray". The Evening News. Library of Virginia. October 29, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2022.

[11] "Annual Game Goes to V.P.I." (PDF). The Ring-tum Phi. Washington and Lee University. November 1, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2022.

[12] "Old-Time Rivals Meet on Gridiron". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. October 30, 1910. p. 29. Retrieved March 17, 2022.

[13] "Blacksburg Eleven Swamps Carolinians". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. November 6, 1910. p. 33. Retrieved March 17, 2022.

[14] "Virginia Techs Outplay Us". The Tar Heel. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. November 9, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2022.

[GW1-15] "Hatchetites hold V.P.I. to 16 to 5". The Washington Herald. Library of Congress. November 13, 1910. p. 33. Retrieved March 17, 2022.

[16] "V.P.I. Downs George Washington In Fast Game". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. November 13, 1910. p. 35. Retrieved March 17, 2022.

[lafayette-17] "V.P.I. Ready for Clash with A. & M." Daily Press. Library of Congress. November 24, 1910. p. 4. Retrieved March 18, 2022.

[18] "Virginia Techs Downed By A. & M." Daily Press. Library of Congress. November 25, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved March 18, 2022.

[19] "The Thanksgiving Game". Red & White. North Carolina State University. December 1910. p. 218. Retrieved March 18, 2022.

[20] "Techs are Defeated in Game Struggle". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. November 25, 1910. p. 6. Retrieved March 18, 2022.

[21] "The Bugle 1911" (PDF). Virginia Tech Bugle. 1911. p. 176. Retrieved November 18, 2015.

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