1961 Tampa Spartans football team

American college football season

1961 Tampa Spartans football
ConferenceIndependent
Record8–1
Head coach
  • Marcelino Huerta (10th season)
Home stadiumPhillips Field
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 NAIA independents football records
  • v
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 2 Baldwin–Wallace   –   9 – 0 – 0
Wheaton (IL)   –   8 – 0 – 0
No. 8 Tampa   –   8 – 1 – 0
Westminster (UT)   –   7 – 1 – 1
Earlham   –   7 – 1 – 0
Oklahoma Panhandle State   –   9 – 2 – 0
La Verne   –   7 – 2 – 0
Hillsdale   –   6 – 3 – 0
Eastern New Mexico   –   6 – 4 – 0
McMurry   –   6 – 4 – 0
St. Mary of the Plains   –   4 – 5 – 0
Georgetown (KY)   –   2 – 3 – 1
Austin   –   2 – 7 – 0
Rankings from NAIA poll
1961 Midwestern college football independents records
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Baldwin–Wallace   –   9 – 0 – 0
Wheaton (IL)   –   8 – 0 – 0
Earlham   –   7 – 1 – 0
St. Norbert   –   7 – 2 – 0
Northern Michigan   –   6 – 2 – 0
Hillsdale   –   6 – 3 – 0
Ferris Institute   –   5 – 3 – 0
Bradley   –   6 – 4 – 0
Xavier   –   6 – 4 – 0
Eureka   –   3 – 2 – 1
Detroit   –   5 – 4 – 0
Drake   –   5 – 4 – 0
Wabash   –   5 – 4 – 0
Youngstown   –   4 – 4 – 1
Notre Dame   –   5 – 5 – 0
Concordia (IL)   –   4 – 4 – 0
St. Mary of the Plains   –   4 – 5 – 0
North Park   –   3 – 5 – 0
William Penn   –   3 – 5 – 1
St. Procopius   –   2 – 4 – 0
Dayton   –   2 – 8 – 0
Elmhurst   –   1 – 6 – 1
Rose Poly   –   0 – 8 – 0
Washington University   –   0 – 9 – 0

The 1961 Tampa Spartans football team was an American football team that represented the University of Tampa as an independent during the 1961 college football season. In their 25th season of college football and their 10th season under head coach Marcelino Huerta, the Spartans compiled an 8–1 record and outscored opponents by a total of 188 to 98.[1]

Huerta resigned as the Spartans' head coach on January 8, 1962, to take the same position at Wichita State.[2]

The team played its home games at Phillips Field in Tampa, Florida.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 23Livingston State
W 41–88,000
September 30Western Carolina
  • Phillips Field
  • Tampa, FL
W 24–147,000
October 14Elon
  • Phillips Field
  • Tampa, FL
W 13–05,000
October 21at PresbyterianW 17–163,500
October 28at No. 4 Southeastern LouisianaL 3–276,500–8,000[3][4]
November 4at Troy State
W 27–63,000[5]
November 11No. 4 Northern Michigan
  • Phillips Field
  • Tampa, FL
W 27–68,500–9,000[6]
November 18Appalachian State
  • Phillips Field
  • Tampa, FL
W 14–08,500–10,000[7][8]
November 25Wofford
  • Phillips Field
  • Tampa, FL
W 22–216,500
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[1]

Statistics

The team gained 2,203 yards of total offense (244.8 yards per game), consisting of 1,500 rushing yards (166.6 yards per game) and 803 passing yards (79.2 yards per game). On defense, the Spartans held opponents to 1,689 yards (187.7 yards per game) with 1,250 rushing yards and 439 passing yards.[1]

Quarterback Vaden Bessent led the team in both passing (38-for-65, 557 yards, six touchdowns, zero interceptions) and total offense (627 yards).[1]

The team's leading rushers were fullback Bob Moore (356 yards, 82 carries) and Dick O'Brien (232 yards, 56 carries). Moore also led the team in scoring with 60 points on 10 touchdowns.[1]

The leading receivers were halfback Dick O'Brien (12 receptions, 157 yards) and end Charlie Rose (12 receptions, 137 yards).[1]

Players

  • Charles Bailey, end and captain, wenior, 6'1", 195 pounds
  • Bob Banks, tackle, junior, 6'1", 225 pounds
  • Vaden Bessent, quarterback, sophomore, 6'0", 165 pounds
  • Jim Caldwell, halfback, freshman, 5'9", 180 pounds
  • Bill Croft, guard, junior, 5'9", 220 pounds
  • Max Davis, tackle, junior, 6'1", 210 pounds
  • Jim Galmin, end, sophomore, 6'4", 215 pounds
  • Paul Gore, center, junior, 6'1", 210 pounds
  • Bob Moore, fullback, sophomore, 6'1", 230 pounds
  • Jim Neve, guard, sophomore, 5'9", 200 pounds
  • Dick O'Brien, halfback, sophomore, 5'11", 175 pounds
  • Wayne "Buddy" Owen, quarterback, 6'0", 165 pounds
  • Ronnie Perez, quarterback, junior, 6'1", 200 pounds
  • Charles Rose, end, junior, 6'1", 190 pounds
  • Gene Rowell, guard, freshman, 5'10", 195 pounds
  • Don Scott, tackle, junior 6'2", 250 pounds
  • Ernie Stout, halfback, sophomore, 6'1", 185 pounds
  • Blaine Turner, tackle, sophomore, 6'2", 225 pounds

[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  2. ^ "Tampa coach to Wichita". The Gadsden Times. Google News Archives. UPI. January 10, 1962. p. 10. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
  3. ^ "SLC Speedsters Whip Tampa, 27-3". Sunday News (Bogalusa, LA). October 29, 1961. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Southeastern Louisiana)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  5. ^ "Bessent passes Tampa to 27–6 win over Troy". The Tampa Tribune. November 5, 1961. Retrieved November 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Larry Bush (November 12, 1961). "Tampa Upsets 4th-Ranked N. Michigan 27-6: Spartans Thrive On Mistakes". The Tampa Tribune. pp. 1C, 3C – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Tampa continues 'best' season". The Tampa Tribune. November 19, 1961. Retrieved December 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "1961 Brief Summary of Cumulative Football Statistics (Appalachian State)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  9. ^ "Tampa U. Roster". The Tampa Tribune. September 3, 1961 – via Newspapers.com.
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