The 1915 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1915 college football season. In his first season with the program, head coach Pop Warner led the Panthers to wins in all eight games and they outscored their opponents by a combined total Home games were held at Forbes Field, the ballpark of baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates.
Schedule
Preseason
On December 4, 1914, by a unanimous vote of the athletic committee, "Glenn Warner was officially chosen to coach the University of Pittsburgh gridders for the next three seasons."
Pitt athletic booster Joseph Trees and athletic director A. R. Hamilton hired Pop Warner as Pitt's head coach in 1914. Warner, who had previously led Carlisle, Cornell, and Georgia, had been successful at his previous stops, mentoring the likes of Jim Thorpe, and was known as an innovator of the game who originated the screen pass, single- and double-wing formations, and use of shoulder and thigh pads. His arrival at Pitt gave the program instant national credibility, lifting the perception of the program from a regional power to that of a national one.
The 1916 Owl Yearbook was upbeat about the 1915 football season: "The football prospects at Pitt for the season 1915 are brighter than ever before augmented in great measure by the fact that Glenn S. Warner, a grizzled veteran of the gridiron, has been secured to succeed Joe Duff as head coach. Warner comes here from the Carlisle Indian School, where he has gained fame year after year by turning out formidable football machines. Today he is ranked as one of the greatest coaches in America."
Walter Camp prophesied in The Gazette Times: "The shift of Coach Warner from the Carlisle Indians to the University of Pittsburgh marks one of the great changes in the status of the game...It should prove a very interesting experiment for Pittsburgh and one with great possibilities."
The January 8 edition of The Pitt Weekly noted: "The football card for 1915 is still somewhat up in the air. Negotiations with Penn for a date in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh next season have terminated in the refusal of the Red and Blue to tie up with the University, so that the October 23 date remains open. Penn has been in a rut for several seasons and presumably, .. couldn't see adding to their troubles by taking on Pitt." Six days later The Pittsburgh Post reported a complete reversal: "The two big institutions of learning of the Keystone state, University of Pennsylvania and University of Pittsburgh, will meet next fall in football. The game will be played on Franklin Field, Philadelphia, October 23." The schedule only had eight games because Cornell refused to come to Pittsburgh and Pitt was not invited to Ithaca. Pitt never played Cornell again.
On January 14 the University of Pittsburgh Athletic Council adopted the one-year residency rule for the sports of football, basketball, baseball and track beginning in the fall of 1916. On June 15 the university hired Andrew Kerr as freshman football coach. "It was appreciated that in order to keep up the strength of the varsity, a man who could develop material in the freshman squad was absolutely necessary. Kerr is a famous teacher of football and should add strength to the Pitt football organization. With the freshman football coaching problem solved, and a man of the caliber of Kerr secured, Pitt athletic enthusiasts are content these days that the one year rule will not hamper their progress in getting to the front rank in football."
On September 8, the Pitt football aspirants started drills at Camp Hamilton, the preseason training camp at Windber, PA, under the tutelage of Coach Warner. The team will "go through a three weeks course of preparation for the strenuous season which is before them." "Several holes have been left in the Blue and Gold lineup by graduation and other causes. Heil, Collins, Ward, Hanley, Cliff Morrow and Dillon are all lost from the 1914 backfield, while Smith, Reese, Jones and Healy are among those missing from the line and end positions. This gives Warner some serious problems in finding men to replace those who have left. A large part of the coach's time will be taken up by the development of the new talent."
The first week of camp Coach Warner was ably assisted by "E. E. Tarr of Baltimore, who is to be head coach of Bethany College this fall. Mr. Tarr coached for several years in the South, and was for a time associated with Mr. Warner at Carlisle. Most of his time here has been spent with the backfield candidates."
"When I took the squad to Windber," said Warner, "I found that I had many strong natural players who knew more football than one generally sees in a college football eleven. This was a new experience for me and it enabled me to get off to a flying start. I knew after one week at Windber that we would have a great team, because the boys are crazy over the game."
The team returned to Pittsburgh on September 24 and had a week to practice on Forbes Field until their opening game. On Saturday the 25th "Coach Warner and A. R. Hamilton of Pitt were on the W. & J. bench getting a line on the playing of the Red and Black. They saw nothing worthwhile, for Bob Folwell had his men use straight football methods."
The 1915 Pittsburgh Pirates finished in fifth place so the Pitt eleven were able to play all their games at Forbes Field. Special bleachers were installed for the students. "The Freshmen class being assigned to the right field cheering space will be given a cheer leader of their own, and will be worked to the limit to win the rooting decision over their upper class rivals (across the field in the left field section). Another feature, continuing a custom of many years at Pitt games, will be the wearing of numbers by both teams."
The University of Pittsburgh Athletic Council published the seventy-six page Sixth Annual Football Year Book for use as the 1915 game day program. The cover illustration was done by Rowland R. Murdoch, illustrator for the Pittsburgh Press.
Coaching staff
1915 Pittsburgh Panthers football staff Coaching staff Glenn S. Warner – Head coach Andrew Kerr – Assistant / freshman coach Support staff A. K. Collingwood – Student football manager Karl E. Davis – Graduate manager of athletics Charles S. Miller – Director of athletics
Roster
1915 Pittsburgh Panthers football roster Guy Williamson*halfback85' 9"153 1916New Mexico Military AcademySchool of MinesIndianapolis, IN O. C. Ammonsend35' 9"1441919Arkansas City H. S.DentalArkansas City, KS Thomas J. Beattie*tackle65' 7"1501916Bellefonte AcademyDoctor of Dental SurgeryWheeling, WVA James Bond Jr.guard55' 8"1881918Pittsburgh Central H. S.CollegePittsburgh, PA H. Clifford Carlson*end85' 10"1701918Bellefonte AcademyDoctor of Dental SurgeryFayette City, PA Ralph N. Clicquennoitackle36'1701918Warren H.S.EconomicsWarren, PA James DeHart*halfback85' 6"1501918Reynoldsville H.S.Associate CollegeReynoldsville, PA Roy A. Easterdayend/halfback05' 8"1481919Lisbon H. S. (Ohio)EconomicsLisbon, OH Frank E. Eckertend05' 8"1481919Ridgway H. S.MinesRidgway, PA Sam Friedlanderquarterback25' 7"1491917Greensburg H. S.DentalGreensburg, PA George K. Fry*fullback75' 11"1651917Rochester H.S.Associate CollegeRochester, PA Roscoe A. Gouglerquarterback45' 8"1561919Harrisburg H. S.CollegeHarrisburg, PA William E. Harringtonend45' 8"1551918Conway Hall Associate EconomicsBentlyville, PA Andy Hastings*halfback75' 9"1701918Brookville H.S.EconomicsBrookville, PA George L. Heilquarterback05' 6"1341919Topeka H. S. (KS)EconomicsTopeka, KS James P. Herron*end85' 10"1351915Monessen H.S.Bachelor of ArtsKent, OH Leonard F. Hiltytackle75' 10"1831918Peabody H. S.EconomicsPittsburgh, PA Carl Hockensmith*center55' 11"2201916The Kiski SchoolAssociate EngineeringPenn Station, PA Thomas R. Kendrick Jr.center25' 8"1781918Duquesne H. S.CollegeDuquesne, PA Frank E. Lobaughend05' 10"1491918Ridgway H. S.MinesRidgway PA William D. McClellandfullback55' 10"1611918Pittsburgh Central H. S.EconomicsPittsburgh, PA George W. McClaren*fullback/end55' 9"1741919Peabody H.S.EconomicsPittsburgh, PA Frank B. McNulty*halfback55' 10"1461919Mercersburg AcademyEconomicsCarnegie, PA James McQuistonguard25'1751917Slippery Rock NormalDoctor of Dental SurgerySlippery Rock, PA Joe Matsontackle15' 11"1651918Shadyside AcademyDental SchoolPittsburgh, PA Eric D. Meadows*quarterback65' 4"1401918Pittsburgh Central H. S.EngineeringPittsburgh, PA William H. Miller*halfback35' 7"1551918Wyoming SeminaryEconomicsShenandoah, PA John S. Morrowhalfback35' 9"1551919Carnegie H.S.EngineeringCarnegie, PA Bob Peck*halfback85' 8"1731917Pawling School N.Y.EconomicsLock Haven, PA Fred A. Seideltackle55' 11"1971919Bellefonte AcademyEconomicsHazelton, PA Isadore Shapira*center55' 10"1801916East Liberty AcademyBachelor of Science in EconomicsPittsburgh, PA Frederick H. Siemonguard25' 11"1871919Indiana NormalMinesIndiana, PA Dale H. Sies*fullback/tackle66' 1"1951919Davenport H. S. (IA)CollegeDavenport, IA Chester Smithfullback05' 10"1571919State Normal School (Valley City, ND)EducationEdgeley, ND Randall Soppitt*guard86' 1"185 1917Greensburg H.S.School of MinesLatrobe, PA Edward A. Stahlguard45' 11"1841919Bellefonte AcademyEconomicsScranton, PA Harry A. Stahlmanhalfback45' 2"1321917Charleroi H. S.DentalCharleroi, PA John B. Sutherland*tackle76' 2"1751917Oberlin AcademyDoctor of Dental SurgeryCooper Angus, Scotland Claude E. Thornhill*tackle66' 0"200 1917Beaver H.S.School of MinesBeaver, PA Ferdinand Wachterend06'1481917Parnassus H. S.EngineeringParnassus, PA * Letterman
Game summaries
Westminster
Westminster College was the opening game opponent for the Glenn Warner era of Pitt football. Westminster was seeking their first victory in the series that dated back to 1898. The September 29 issue of The Gazette Times reported: "Five of the Westminster College's football stars were expelled from college today because of participation in hazing pranks. Because of the expulsions the team will be greatly crippled in its football season and game against the University of Pittsburgh. The five men are all upperclassmen and formed the backbone of the varsity team." "Coach Warner's charges were pronounced in tip-top shape for the opener with only two or three slight injuries interfering with a perfect record as to condition."
Richard Guy of The Gazette Times was impressed: "The University of Pittsburgh inaugurated its 1915 gridiron season yesterday afternoon at Forbes Field by beating Westminster College, 32 to 0, and sent a large crowd of local patrons away from the park well pleased with the article of football shown by Glenn Warner's pupils." "Saturday a string of men sat on the Pitt bench; there were enough to start two more teams, and everyone of them appeared to perform hard physical work. This is an asset very valuable to Pitt, for it is well fortified in material, and not only for this year, but for the next four or five."
W. B. McVicker of The Pittsburg Press added: "For strategic reasons, Glenn Warner called upon many of his reservists and 15 of these warriors received their first baptism of fire among the chalk-marked trenches...A fair-sized, but highly enthusiastic crowd of noncombatants witnessed the fray from the grandstand and bleachers, while the newly constructed stands on either side of the field were filled with noisy camp followers who endeavored to shatter their opponents' army with terrific and well rehearsed yells."
Pitt scored one touchdown late in the first period. They gained possession on their own 33-yard line. Guy Williamson "tore off a thrilling run, placing the ball on Westminster's 36-yard line." Six plays later Williamson scored and George Fry added the goal. Pitt led 7–0.