052784 UT Pages 120-150.Indd
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AA ChampionshipChampionship LegacyLegacy Steeped in tradition, the teams of 1953-57. University of Toledo foot- The most famous star Outlook ball program has produced of the 1969-71 teams was countless memorable play- the legendary quarter- ers and great moments in its back Chuck Ealey. Ealey history. earned MAC “Back of From Mel Triplett in the the Year” honors for an 50’s to Chuck Ealey in the unprecedented three con- Coaches 70’s to Chester Taylor and secutive years and numer- Tavares Bolden in 2001, and ous All-America honors up to “Toledo Tom” Amstutz from AP, UPI and Football and Bruce Gradkowski to- Chuck Ealey scrambled his way to 35 straight victories as News magazine. Ealey day, Rocket stars have put the Rockets’ quarterback from 1969-71. also became the first player their unique stamp on col- in MAC history to receive lege football history. And whether it was the legendary votes for the Heisman Trophy, receiving receiving 168 Players 35-game winning streak from 1969-71, or last year’s points for an eighth-place finish in 1971. remarkable MAC Championship run, Toledo’s football Toledo won its fifth and sixth MAC championships in history is rich with highlights. 1981 and 1984, but it was in the 1990’s and 21st century Rocket football dates back to 1917 when a group that the Rockets really took off as a national presence. of Toledo University (as it was known then) students A major renovation of the Glass Bowl was completed put together a football team with the help of a young in 1990, making the venerable old stadium one of the professor, John Brandeberry. Toledo lost its first game jewels of the MAC. The Rockets were coached in the Opponents to the University of Detroit by the incredible score of 90’s by Gary Pinkel, who amassed a 73-37-3 record 145-0, but the foundation of the program had been es- by departing for Missouri following the 2000 season. tablished. Pinkel’s teams won or shared four titles and cracked the Prospects for Toledo gradually improved after that top 25 three times in his final six seasons. first season. Coach James Dwyer led Toledo to its first Replacing Pinkel was Tom Amstutz, a Toledo native winning record and its first Northwest Ohio league cham- and UT graduate who had spent 21 years as an assistant pionship in 1923. Eventually Toledo became a reliable coach. Amstutz has led the Rockets to unprecedented football power, with just one losing season from 1933 success and popularity, winning two MAC titles, three 2004 Review to 1948. division crowns, and leading the Rockets to three bowl Toledo joined the Mid-American Conference in games in just four years at the helm. football in 1952 and won its first MAC championship in 1967, but Toledo’s Championship Seasons the Rockets really jumped onto the Year Record Championship 1923 6-4 NWO Champions History national map two years after that. 1927 5-2 NWO Champions From 1969-71, Toledo captured 1929 4-2-1 NWO Co-Champions the country’s eye by winning 35 1967 9-1 MAC Co-Champions 1969 11-0 MAC Champions consecutive games, three straight 1970 12-0 MAC Champions MAC championships and three 1971 12-0 MAC Champions straight Tangerine Bowl titles. In 1981 9-3 MAC Champions each of the three undefeated sea- 1984 9-2-1 MAC Champions 1990 9-2 MAC Co-Champions Records sons, Toledo was ranked in the top 1995 11-0-1 MAC Champions 20. 1997 9-3 MAC West Champions The 35-game winning streak 1998 7-5 MAC West Champions 2000 10-1 MAC West Co-Champions ended as the second-longest in 2001 10-2 MAC Champions The Rockets celebrate their major college football history, 2002 9-5 MAC West Co-Champions 2004 MAC Championship Game 2004 9-4 MAC Champions bettered only by a 47-game string victory. put together by the great Oklahoma University 120 TOLEDO FOOTBALL RocketRocket FootballFootball TimelineTimeline Outlook 1917 the writers shorten to “Rockets.” • John Brandeberry, an engineering professor, is “selected” coach when he • Toledo wins its first football champi- begins conversing with some students on onship (Northwest Ohio Conference), the gravel field near the 11th Street UT also the school’s first in any sport. The campus. Team member Charles Morgan Rockets win the Northwest Ohio Con- later says, “Nobody else wanted the job.” ference, which also includes Bowling Coaches Each of the team’s 13 members purchased Green, Bluffton, Findlay, Heidelberg and his own uniform. The team has no practice Defiance. Toledo finishes the season at scrimmages prior to playing the first game 6-4, the first winning campaign in the in school history, a contest at powerful program’s seven-year history. Detroit. UT not only loses the game, 145-0, it loses four players to injury. But • Jim Pierce is the first African-American the program is sustained by the whopping team captain, and becomes a professor $150 guarantee it receives for playing upon graduation. the game. Toledo finishes the season 0-3, outscored 262-0 by its opponents. • The first homecoming game is played, Players a 27-0 win over Bowling Green. Mel Triplett was Toledo’s 1918 star halfback from 1951-54. • The first win in school history comes 1924 over Defiance, 19-12. UT finishes the • After Toledo defeats Bowling Green, 12- He later played for the New season with a 1-1 record. 7, controversy erupts when BGSU alleges York Giants. that the Rockets used an illegal player. 1919 Athletic competition between the two • Toledo meets Bowling Green for the schools is suspended from 1925-27. 1933 first time and wins, 6-0. • Jerry Welling, a halfback, is the first Opponents 1925 Rocket voted All-Ohio (by AP). He leads • Varsity “T” Club members organize and • Numbers are worn on jerseys for the Ohio college scorers with 66 points. select blue and gold colors for the team first time. and school. 1934 1927 • The first night game is played, a 20-0 1920s • Toledo wins its second league champi- victory over Capital, at Swayne Field. • The Blade newspaper refers to the team as onship, taking the NWO title and posting “Munies,” short for Municipal University, a 5-2 record. 1935 and also as the “Fighters.” • A Toledo game is broadcast on radio 2004 Review 1929 for the first time as the Rockets defeat 1922 • The UT marching band, 30 members Dennison, 13-0. • The first football field, usually refered strong, appears for the first time at a home to as University Stadium, is built at Scott football game. Toledo and Bowling Green • Toledo defeats Bowling Green, 63-0. Park. Seating, consisting of seven rows tie, 0-0, and share the league title. BGSU drops UT from its schedule until of wooden bleachers, is added in 1923. the 1948 season. From 1918-1936 games are also played • The football annual budget grows to 1936 at Armory Park, and Waite, Scott, Libbey $2,000. • Glass Bowl Stadium (then called “Uni- and St. John’s high schools. versity Stadium”) is built on the pres- 1930 History • Lee McKinnon, a UT professor, acts as • The first game programs are featured at ent-day UT campus. A Works Progress the first team statistician. a game against Heidelberg in the Waite Administration project, it is paid for with Bowl. Printed by Franklin Hawkins, they a $272,000 grant from the federal govern- • The first “big” win is a 3-0 decision over sell for five cents each. ment and $41,558 from the city of Toledo Ohio Conference power Muskingum, and the university. played at University Stadium. • The first spring practice is conducted by 1937 athletic director Dave Connelly. Jim Nich- • Marty Slovak becomes the first Rocket 1923 olson is named the first full-time coach to play in the National Football League, • Gib Stick becomes the first “superstar” and takes over for the 1930 season. Records in school history. Over four years, Stick signing with the Cleveland Rams. scores 24 touchdowns, including five in 1931 one game. He later plays professionally • Amid the Great Depression, football is • The Glass Bowl debuts in a game versus with the Detroit Panthers. cancelled due to a lack of funds. Akron. • Toledo acquires its current nickname 1932 1938 following a game with powerful Carnegie • Plans are drawn for a 5,000-seat steel • Don Bukovich is named a “Little” All- Tech. Surprised to learn that Toledo has no and concrete stadium. American. nickname, Pittsburgh sports writers pres- sure James Neal, a UT student working in • The fight song is written by Athletic • Players use the towers in the Glass Bowl University the press box, to come up with one. Neal, Director Connelly. as living quarters. impressed with his team’s flashy perfor- mance against a superior Carnegie Tech • UT hosts and defeats 12th-ranked Mar- team, labels UT the “Skyrockets,” which shall, 13-7, in front of 9,500 fans. TOLEDO FOOTBALL 121 RocketRocket FootballFootball TimelineTimeline 12, in the Tangerine Bowl, finishes 12-0 and is ranked 12th in the final AP poll. Outlook 1971 • Toledo leads the nation in total defense for the third consecutive year. • Mel Long becomes the first consensus All-American in MAC history. Long later plays with the Cleveland Browns. Coaches • The Rockets win a third-consecutive MAC title and their fourth in five years. • Toledo is 12-0 and ranked 14th in the final AP poll following a 28-3 victory over Richmond in the Tangerine Bowl. • Rocket quarterback Chuck Ealey is named MAC Player of the Year for the Players third time, and finishes eighth in the Heis- Head Coach Frank Lauterbur and quarterback Chuck Ealey.