Wikipedia

1961 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team

The 1961 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team was an American football team that represented the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1961 college football season. In their 17th year under head coach Bobby Dodd, the Yellow Jackets compiled a 7–3 record (4–3 in conference games), tied for fourth place in the SEC, and outscored opponents by a total of 162 to 50. They were ranked 13th in the final AP and UPI polls, and were invited to the 1961 Gator Bowl, where they lost to Penn State.[1]

1961 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
Gator Bowl, L 15–30 vs. Penn State
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 13
APNo. 13
Record7–4 (4–3 SEC)
Head coach
CaptainChick Graning, Willie McGaughey, Billy Williamson
Home stadiumGrant Field
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Alabama + 7 – 0 – 0 11 – 0 – 0
No. 4 LSU + 6 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
No. 5 Ole Miss 5 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
No. 13 Georgia Tech 4 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Tennessee 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Florida 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 1
Auburn 3 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Kentucky 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Georgia 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Mississippi State 1 – 5 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Tulane 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The team played its home games at Grant Field in Atlanta.

Schedule

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DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 22at USC*
W 27–736,950[2]
September 30No. 7 Rice*
W 24–043,501[3]
October 7at LSUNo. 3
L 0–1066,000[4]
October 14Duke*
  • Grant Field
  • Atlanta, GA
W 21–044,015[5]
October 21AuburnNo. 8
W 7–645,376[6]
October 28at TulaneNo. 9
W 35–022,000[7]
November 4Florida No. 7
  • Grant Field
  • Atlanta, GA
W 20–044,940[8]
November 11at TennesseeNo. 9
L 6–1046,000[9]
November 18at No. 2 Alabama
L 0–1053,000[10]
December 2Georgia
W 22–747,098[11]
December 30vs. No. 17 Penn State*No. 13
CBSL 15–3050,202[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[13]

Statistics

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The team gained an average of 164.9 rushing yards and 91.2 passing yards per game. On defense, they gave up 105.4 rushing yards and 47.0 passing yards per game.[14]

The passing offense was led by quarterbacks Stan Gann (43-for-79, 450 yards) and Billy Lothridge (26-for-63, 371 yards).[14]

The rushing offense was led by backs Mike McNamee (350 yards, 94 carries, 3.7-yard average), Billy Williamson (331 yards, 63 carries, 5.3-yard average), and Chick Graning (184 yards, 48 carries, 3.8-yard average).[14]

The team's leading receivers were Billy Martin (16 receptions, 233 yards), Billy Williamson (21 receptions, 221 yards), and Joe Auer (10 receptions, 145 yards).[14]

Awards and honors

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The team selected three captains for the 1961 team: center Willie McGaughey and halfbacks Billy Williamson and Chick Graning.[15]

Guard Dave Watson was selected by both the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) as a first-team player on the 1961 All-SEC football team. Others receiving All-SEC honors were halfback Billy Williamson (AP-3, UPI-2) and guards Harold Erickson (AP-2) and Rufus Guthrie (UPI-2).[16][17]

Personnel

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Players

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  • Joe Auer, halfback
  • Foy Bentley, guard
  • Mike Biddle, guard
  • Bobby Caldwell, center
  • Mickey Carmack, halfback
  • Joe Chapman, end
  • Ed Chancey, center
  • Doug Cooper, halfback
  • Ted Davis, end
  • Wink Davis, linebacker
  • Bob Dobyns, guard
  • Buddy Elders, end
  • Harold Erickson, guard
  • Bill Farrington, tackle
  • Russ Foret, tackle
  • Stan Gann, quarterback
  • Chick Granning, halfback
  • Ed Griffin, tackle
  • Ronnie Grubbs, guard
  • Rufus Guthrie, guard
  • Raymond Holt, center
  • Vic Laxson, tackle
  • Al Lederle, end
  • Bob Lincoln, tackle
  • Harry Littleton, halfback
  • Billy Lothridge, quarterback
  • Billy Martin, end
  • Jon Martin, fullback
  • John Matlock, guard
  • Willie McGaughey, center
  • Mike McNames, fullback
  • Ray Mendheim, fullback
  • Jack Moss, guard
  • Jimmy Nail, halfback
  • Mike Nicholl, tackle
  • Mike O'Neill, fullback
  • Lee Reid, fullback
  • Frank Sexton, end
  • Bob Sheridan, halfback
  • Zollie Sircy, halfback
  • Bob Solomon, end
  • Larry Stallings, tackle
  • Dave Steadman, tackle
  • George Swanson, guard/tackle
  • Don Toner, corner linebacker/halfback
  • Carlton Waskey, center
  • Dave Watson, guard
  • Ed Weinman, corner linebacker/fullback
  • Billy Williamson, halfback
  • Bill Wilson, tackle
  • Tom Winninger, halfback
  • John Wright, end

[18]

Coaches and administrators

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  • Head coach: Bobby Dodd
  • Assistant coaches: Jack Griffin, Charlie Tate, Lewis Woodruff, Dick Inman, John Robert Bell, Jimmy Carlen, Art Davis, Jesse Berry, Jim Luck, Spec Landrum, Billy "Dynamite" Goodloe[19]
  • Trainer: Henry L. "Buck" Andel[19]
  • Athletic director: Bobby Dodd

References

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  1. ^ "1961 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  2. ^ "Hard hitting Georgia Tech toys with Troy in 27–7 win". The Fresno Bee. September 23, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Yellow Jackets chill Rice, 24–0". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 1, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "LSU Tigers upset vaunted Georgia Tech, 10–0". Monroe Morning World. October 8, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Gann leads Tech to 21–0 win over Duke". The Tampa Tribune. October 15, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Auburn gamble fails as Tech gains 7 to 6 victory". The Decatur Daily. October 22, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Yellow Jackets smother Tulane for fifth victory". Monroe Morning World. October 29, 1961. Retrieved September 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Revenge-minded Jackets thumo Florida, 20–0". The Orlando Sentinel. November 6, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Vols upset Engineers, 10–6". Richmond Times Dispatch. November 12, 1961. Retrieved April 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Alabama wins, 10–0". Daily Press. November 19, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Ga. Tech whips Georgia, 22–7". Kingsport Times-News. December 3, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Energetic Penn State wins". Tallahassee Democrat. December 31, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ 2011 Georgia Tech Media Guide Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine. p. 171.
  14. ^ a b c d "1961 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  15. ^ Al Thomy (January 17, 1961). "Tri-Captains on the Flats: Jackets Choose McGaughey, Graning and Williamson". The Atlanta Constitution. pp. 27, 28 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Vernon Butler (December 6, 1961). "Trammell, Watson Head AP All-SEC". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 41 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Four Tiders Selected For UPI All-SEC Team: Tech Guard Dave Watson Only Jacket on Dream Team". The Atlanta Constitution. November 30, 1961. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ 1962 Georgia Tech yearbook, pp. 242-243.
  19. ^ a b 1962 Georgia Tech yearbook, p. 241.
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