The College of Emporia football team was a college football team at the College of Emporia in Emporia, Kansas. The team competed from 1893 until the college closed in 1974 and was known for its high quality play for the size of the school as well as its early adoption of modern football methods.College Football Data Warehouse College of Emporia records

The final coach of the program was Dan Taylor.Lawrence Journal-World "C of E Grabs Taylor as New Grid Mentor" June 29, 1971

Innovative play The team was one of the earliest schools to regularly call the forward passHomer Hargiss History Definitive use of forward pass and the option passOberheide.org Hargiss's Option Play under head coach Bill Hargiss and quarterback Arthur Schabinger. The school was using the forward pass as a regular play three years before Knute Rockne and Notre Dame Football.Emporia Gazette, "The Emporia Gazette Give Credit to C. of E." by E. T. Lowther

The program would regularly play games against much larger programs. In 1921, the Presbies played Oklahoma A&M to a 7–7 tie. The College of Emporia managed an all-time record of 22–20–2 ties against cross-town rival Emporia State—although Emporia State records the all-time record between the two teams as 21–21–2.

The 1930 Thanksgiving Day game against Emporia State (called "Kansas Normal" at the time) resulted in tragedy when freshman George Day suffered a head injury during a punt return five minutes into the game. He was treated quickly and taken to Newman Hospital for surgery, but he died that evening.

Conference play and season successes Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference The team competed in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference from 1933 until 1970. The program was known for success among the small colleges which included three consecutive undefeated regular seasons (1953–1955) under head coach Wayne J. McConnell and two back-to-back undefeated seasons (1962–1963) under coach Bill Schnebel. Both coaches were recognized as Little All-American Coach of the Year.

Conference championships Year Conference Head coach Overall record Conference record Postseason 1913 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Wayne B. Granger 5–2–1 5–0–1 1918 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Gwinn Henry 6–0 1919 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Gwinn Henry 8–0 8–0 1925 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Harold Grant 7–0 7–0 1927 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Harold Grant 7–0–1 6–0–1 1928 Central Intercollegiate Conference L. T. Harr 8–0 6–0 1951 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Wayne J. McConnell 8–0 6–0 1953 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Wayne J. McConnell 8–0 7–0 1954 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Wayne J. McConnell 8–1 7–0 Lost Mineral Water Bowl 1955 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Wayne J. McConnell 7–0 7–0 1959 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Bill Schnebel 9–1 7–0 Won Mineral Water Bowl 1962 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Bill Schnebel 10–1 9–0 Lost NAIA Semifinal 1963 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Bill Schnebel 10–1 9–0 Lost NAIA Semifinal 1966 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Tom Stromgren 8–1 8–1 College of Emporia Alumni Association "Championship Teams"

Bowl games The College of Emporia also in the 1954 Mineral Water Bowl, losing, 20–14, to Hastings, and then returned in 1959 to defeat by a score of 21–20.

Date Result Bowl Opponent Score Head coach November 25, 1954 L Mineral Water Bowl Hastings 14–20 Wayne J. McConnell November 28, 1959 W Mineral Water Bowl 21-20 Bill Schnebel

NAIA playoffs The Fighting Presbies made two appearances in the NAIA playoffs. Their combined record was 0–2 and they would lose to the eventual national champion both times. 1962 Semifinal vs. Central State (OK) L 0–20 1963 Semifinal at Saint John's (MN) L 0–54

Notable people Coaches Football coaches - Horace Botsford, Henry Brock, Harold Grant, Homer Hargiss, Lem Harkey, Gwinn Henry, Steve Kazor, Wayne McConnell, Walt Newland, Vernon Louis Parrington, Bill Schnebel, Lester Selves, Tom Stromgren, Dick Banister

Players A number of player from the College of Emporia went on to play in sports: Jim Jaquith played professional baseball in 1926 and also played for the Kansas City Cowboys. Lem Harkey was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1955 and ended up playing for the San Francisco 49ers for one year. Bill Danenhauer (graduated 1956) NAIA Football All-American. Baltimore Colts, Denver Broncos and Boston Patriots

See also Timeline of college football in Kansas

References