1955 Shepherd Rams football team
American college football season
| 1955 Shepherd Rams football | |
|---|---|
 | |
WVIAC champion | |
| Conference | West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| Record | 8–0 (4–0 WVIAC) |
| Head coach |
|
| Captain | John Shearer, George Hott, Dick Widdows[1] |
Seasons ← 1954 1956 → | |
| Conf | Overall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shepherd $ | 4 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Concord | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Virginia Tech | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fairmont State | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Liberty State | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Potomac State | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Virginia Wesleyan | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salem | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Glenville State | 1 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Davis & Elkins | 0 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Morris Harvey * | 2 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bethany (WV) * | 2 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bluefield State * | 1 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Virginia State * | 0 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1955 Shepherd Rams football team represented Shepherd University as a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) during the 1955 college football season. In their third and final season under head coach Donald E. Fuoss, the Rams compiled a perfect 8–0 record, shut out four of eight opponents, and outscored opponents by a total of 299 to 31.[2] Shepherd has a record of 4–0 in conference play, winning the WVIAC title.[3]
It was the first WVIAC championship in the history of athletics at Shepherd.[1] It was also the first perfect season in 30 years of Shepherd football history.[4] The Rams out-gained opponents by an average of 397.8 yards per game to 160.1 yards per game.[2] Only one other team in the country scored more points than Shepherd,[5] and that team played one more game than Shepherd.[6] Its average of 33.9 points per game was the highest in the country.[4] The team was inducted into the Shepherd University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016.[7]
The team's key players included quarterback John Shearer, halfbacks George Hott and Barry Hall, and ends Bill Gaskins and Dick Widdows.[8][9][1] Shearer led the WVIAC in total offense (1,278 yards) and passing (1,002 yards).[10] Hott led the conference in scoring.[11]
In the fall of 1955, Shepherd was a small college with an enrollment of 1,600 students. There were no athletic scholarships, no grants-in-aid, and no booster club.[2] The Rams played their home games in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 17 | at Fairmont State | Fairmont, WV | W 26–6 | ||||
| September 24 | at Glenville State | Glenville, WV | W 26–6 | ||||
| October 8 | at Bridgewater* | Bridgewater, VA | W 24–0 | [12][13] | |||
| October 15 | Potomac State | Shepherdstown, WV | W 33–0 | [14][15] | |||
| October 22 | vs. Davis & Elkins | Winchester, VA | W 47–6 | [16] | |||
| October 29 | Gallaudet* | Shepherdstown, WV | W 41–13 | [17][18] | |||
| November 5 | District of Columbia Teachers* | Shepherdstown, WV | W 56–0 | [9][19] | |||
| November 12 | Apprentice* | Shepherdstown, WV | W 46–0 | [20][8] | |||
| |||||||
Players
- Claude Flagg[1]
- Bill Gaskins, end[1]
- Barry Hall, halfback[1]
- George "Red" Hott, halfback and co-captain, 6'3", 195 pounds[1][2]
- Dick Hughes[1]
- John Pratico[1]
- John Shearer, quarterback and co-captain, 6'3", 200 pounds[1][2]
- Cinders Snyder[1]
- Barney Tucker[1]
- Dick Widdows, end and co-captain[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Spotlight on Sports". The Daily Mail. Hagerstown, Maryland. November 8, 1955. p. 12.
- ^ a b c d e Tom Stimmel (November 20, 1955). "Shepherd Quiet After Big Year". Post Herald and Register. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "2005 WVIAC Football Media Guide". West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. July 15, 2005. p. 36. Retrieved June 26, 2023 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ a b "'Get Coach,' Not Stars, Says Unbeaten Shepherd". Atlantic City Press. November 17, 1955. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Completes Its Best Season". The News. Frederick, Maryland. November 22, 1955. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Shepherd's Big Year Marred by No Flukes". The Evening Star. November 25, 1955. p. A15 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Shepherd Adds Three, 1955 Team to Athletic Hall of Fame". Shepherd University. June 30, 2016.
- ^ a b "Shepherd Chalks Unbeaten Season". Post and Herald Register. Beckley, West Virginia. November 13, 1955. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Shearer Stars as Shepherd Beats District Teachers, 56-0". The Sunday Star. Washington, D.C. November 6, 1955. p. C4 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Shepherd, Shearer Top WVC Statistics". Charleston Daily Mail. November 26, 1955. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "WVIAC Statistics". Post Herald and Register. November 27, 1955. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Eagles Bow To Shepherd By 24 to 0". Richmond Times-Dispatch. October 9, 1955. p. B4 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Eagles Drop 24-0 Contest To Shepherd". The Roanoke Times. October 9, 1955. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Shepherd Turns Back Potomac State, 33-0". Post Herald and Register. Beckley, West Virginia. October 16, 1955. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Shepherd Plans For Homecoming". The Daily Mail. Hagerstown, Maryland. October 6, 1955. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Shepherd Grabs WVIAC Crown; Bisons Unbeaten". Raleigh Register. October 24, 1955. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Shepherd Routs Gallaudet, Hott Tallies On Long Run". Sunday Times. Cumberland Times. October 30, 1955. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Shepherd Scores 6th". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. October 30, 1955. p. III-6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Shepherd Wins 7th, Sets Record". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. November 6, 1955. p. III-3 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Builders Routed, 46-0, In Finale By Shepherd". Daily Press. Newport News-Hampden-Warwick. November 13, 1955. p. 5C – via Newspapers.com.
