The 1941 VPI Gobblers football team was an American football team that represented Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute in Southern Conference during the 1941 college football season. In their first season under head coach Jimmy Kitts, the Gobblers compiled a 6–4 record (4–2 against conference opponents), tied for fifth place in the conference, and were outscored by a total of 120 to 112.
VPI was ranked at No. 102 (out of 681 teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score System for 1941.
Guard Roger McClure as selected by both the Associated Press and the United Press as a second-team player on the 1941 All-Southern Conference football team.
Guard John Maskas was selected by the Boston Yanks in the 14th round (142nd overall pick) of the 1944 NFL draft. Maskas became the first VPI player to play in the NFL, appearing in 18 games for the Buffalo Bills in 1947 and 1949.
Schedule
Before the season The 1940 VPI Gobblers football team compiled a 5–5 record and were led by Henry Redd in his ninth season as head coach. On November 20, 1940, Redd announced that he would resign as VPI head coach to become full-time secretary of the General Alumni Association and the director of the Tech Alumni Fund. After considering other coaches to fill the vacancy (reportedly including Bunny Oakes and John Barnhill), former Rice head coach Jimmy Kitts accepted the VPI head coaching position on February 13, 1941.
In December 1940, the VPI letterwinners chose linemen Bill Tate and Bill Zydiak as co-captains for the 1941 football season.
VPI held a spring game on April 19, 1941. The result was a 26–7 victory over Appalachian State Teachers College, with the Gobblers scoring three touchdowns in the third quarter.
Game summaries Catawba
VPI's first game of the season was a victory over Catawba at Miles Stadium. In the first quarter, VPI's Jack Gallagher completed a 46-yard pass to Gene Wheeler for the game's first touchdown, with Roger McClure kicking the extra point. In the second quarter, Gobblers fullback Mason Blandford did a 70-yard quick kick that stopped at the one-yard line and set up a touchdown by Jim Lively. Ben Judy also scored in the second quarter, completing a safety against Catawba quarterback Dwight Holshouser. VPI had another 70-yard quick kick, this time by Bobby Smith, in the third quarter that set up a touchdown by Bill Tate. Catawba scored their only points in the fourth quarter, when Steve Johnson tackled Lively for a safety. VPI finished the game with 49 yards rushing and 124 yards passing, while Catawba finished with 36 yards rushing and 147 yards passing. VPI also recorded five interceptions.
The starting lineup for VPI was: Johnson (left end), Maskas (left tackle), W. Tate (left guard), Zydiak (center), McClure (right guard), Judy (right tackle), Chasen (right end), James (quarterback), Kern (left halfback), Wheeler (right halfback), Blandford (fullback). The substitutes were: Clark, Davis, Fuller, Gallagher, Kujawa, Lawson, Lively, Rucker, Sharpe, Smith, B. Tate, Unterzuber, Warner and Wilson.
The starting lineup for Catawba was: Donald Hanley (left end), George Haley (left tackle), Hubert Menapace (left guard), Ed Ellis (center), Clayton Gaddy (right guard), William Rodeffer (right tackle), Steve Johnson (right end), Dwight Holshouser (quarterback), Anthony Georgiana (left halfback), Louis Green (right halfback), Crayton Benson Jr. (fullback). The substitutes were: Duke Burkholder, R. Culton, Feemster, L. Hunter, R. Ravaschire, K. Rhodes, Army Tomaini, Ray Yagiello and S. Whitener.
Kentucky
The second game was against Kentucky at the neutral Manual Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. Kentucky started the scoring on the third play of the game when Ermal Allen rushed for a 38-yard touchdown with Junie Jones making the extra point. Later in the first quarter, the Wildcats' Bill Portwood blocked a VPI punt and Kentucky then scored on a one-yard rushing touchdown by Billy Kincer. In the second quarter, Kentucky's Noah Mullins intercepted a pass by VPI's Billy James and then Carl Althaus caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Phil Cutchin. Cutchin missed the extra point. At the end of the first half, Wildcat Claude Hammond rushed for a four-yard touchdown and Cutchin's extra point attempt was blocked by VPI. After halftime, the Wildcats' Charley Bill Walker recovered a VPI fumble and Jones rushed for a 32-yard touchdown. In the fourth quarter, VPI's Jim Lively recorded two touchdown catches. The first was a ten-yard catch with Roger McClure kicking the extra point. Lively's second touchdown was a 65-yard pass from Bobby Smith with McClure kicking the extra point. Kentucky scored a final time, another pass from Cutchin to Althaus. VPI finished the game with 38 yards rushing and 208 yards passing, while Kentucky finished with 279 yards rushing and 102 yards passing.
The starting lineup for VPI was: Chasen (left end), Judy (left tackle), Rucker (left guard), Zydiak (center), McClure (right guard), Maskas (right tackle), W. Johnson (right end), Kern (quarterback), James (left halfback), Wheeler (right halfback), Blandford (fullback). The substitutes were: Lively, Smith and Wilson.
The starting lineup for Kentucky was: Bill Portwood (left end), Clyde Johnson (left tackle), Norm Beck (left guard), Charley Walker (center), Jack Casner (right guard), Clark Wood (right tackle), Allen Parr (right end), Tommy Zinn (quarterback), Noah Mullins (left halfback), Ermal Allen (right halfback), Billy Kincer (fullback). The substitutes were: Carl Althaus, Bob Beeler, Don Boehler, Phil Cutchin, Claude Hammond, Junie Jones and Charley Kuhn.
Georgetown
VPI's 1941 homecoming game was an upset victory over Georgetown. In the third quarter, Gobbler Bobby Smith punted to Hoya Frank Dornfeld who then fumbled the ball, which Smith recovered. VPI's Roger McClure then kicked a 25-yard field goal, the only points for either side during the game. Near the end of the game, Gobbler Dick Kern fumbled at their own 18-yard line, which was recovered by Georgetown's Ben Reiges. But Georgetown could not take advantage of the field position and turned it over on downs. Georgetown was held scoreless for the first time since 1937. VPI finished the game with 93 yards rushing and 21 yards passing, while Georgetown finished with 51 yards rushing and 40 yards passing.
The starting lineup for VPI was: Chasen (left end), Lawson (left tackle), McClure (left guard), Zydiak (center), R. Anderson (right guard), Judy (right tackle), W. Johnson (right end), Kern (quarterback), James (left halfback), Wheeler (right halfback), Smith (fullback). The substitutes were: Blandford, Clark, Davis, Fuller, Gallagher, T. Johnson, Lively, Maskas, McClure, Rucker, Sharpe, B. Tate, Unterzuber and Wilson.
The starting lineup for Georgetown was: Bob Duffey (left end), George Perpich (left tackle), Edward McMahon (left guard), Edward Derringe (center), Angelo Paternoster (right guard), Al Blozis (right tackle), Al Lujack (right end), Edward Agnew (quarterback), Jack Doolan (left halfback), Ben Bulvin (right halfback), Louis Falcone (fullback). The substitutes were: Frank Dornfield, Bill Erickson, Joe Gyorgydeak, Oscar Harte, Chris Pavich, Tom Ponsalle, Ben Reiges, Russ Sorce, Garry Wilkin and Alfred Yukna.
William & Mary
VPI's game with William & Mary was played at City Stadium in Richmond, Virginia in front of approximately 12,000 fans. W&M's Jack Freeman had two interceptions in the first half, both of which led to scoring drives. W&M's first touchdown was a four-yard run by Jimmy Howard with Harvey Johnson kicking the extra point. The Indians scored again when Johnson kicked a 16-yard field goal at the end of the first half, after missing a field goal wide-right in the first quarter. In the third quarter, VPI had a 63-yard drive that ended with their only points of the game, a one-yard run by Mason Blandford with Roger McClure kicking the extra point. Later in the third quarter, VPI's Jim Lively returned a punt, but was pushed back to VPI's one-yard line. VPI eventually punted and the Indians took over at the Gobblers' 34-yard line. Johnny Korczowski then completed a 30-yard pass to Johnson, and on the next play Korczowski rushed four yards for a touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Freeman fumbled a punt on W&M's 16-yard line. However, the Gobblers were only able to advance to the nine-yard line and did not score. Later in the fourth quarter, the Indians were penalized for clipping and turned the ball over to VPI on W&M's 21-yard line. But again the Gobblers could not score after getting to the 2-yard line.
The starting lineup for VPI was: W. Johnson (left end), Lawson (left tackle), Fuller (left guard), Zydiak (center), R. Anderson (right guard), Judy (right tackle), Chasen (right end), Kern (quarterback), James (left halfback), Wheeler (right halfback), Smith (fullback). The substitutes were: Belcher, Blandford, Clark, Davis, Gallagher, Garth, T. Johnson, Kujawa, Lively, Maskas, McClure, B. Tate, Warner and Wilson.
The starting lineup for William & Mary was: Al Vandeweghe (left end), Johnny Peterson (left tackle), Buster Ramsey (left guard), Bill Goodlow (center), Drewery Holloway (right guard), Harold Fields (right tackle), Knox (right end), Dave Bucher (quarterback), Jimmie Howard (left halfback), Hurlie Masters (right halfback), Harvey Johnson (fullback). The substitutes were: Marvin Bass, Jack Freeman, Johnny Grembowitz, Jim Hickey, Newell Irwin and Kindler.
Davidson
In October, VPI traveled to Davidson, North Carolina to play against Davidson. It was Davidson's homecoming game and Governor of North Carolina J. Melville Broughton was in attendance. The Gobblers' Billy James rushed for a three-yard touchdown in the first quarter with Roger McClure kicking the extra point. In the second quarter, VPI's Bobby Smith missed a 45-yard field goal, which set up Davidson near their own endzone. Wildcat Johnnie Miller then tried to punt on second down and VPI's Ben Tate blocked the punt for a safety. Earl Bethea then punted for Davidson after the safety, which Smith returned for a 65-yard touchdown with McClure kicking the extra point.
The starting lineup for VPI was: Clark (left end), Maskas (left tackle), Unterzuber (left guard), Davis (center), McClure (right guard), Judy (right tackle), Chasen (right end), Kern (quarterback), James (left halfback), Kujawa (right halfback), Smith (fullback). The substitutes were: B. Tate.
The starting lineup for Davidson was: Moorehead (left end), Donald Bell (left tackle), B. F. Moore (left guard), Frank Caldwell (center), William Shaw (right guard), Edward Hipp (right tackle), Robert Smith (right end), David Spencer (quarterback), John Miller (left halfback), Benjamin Shannon (right halfback), John Frederick (fullback). The substitutes were: Earl "Red" Bethea.
Washington and Lee
After their victory over Davidson, VPI won against Washington & Lee in Lynchburg, Virginia. Gobbler Roger McClure opened the scoring with a 41-yard field goal in the first quarter. W&L equaled the score when Frank Socha completed a 14-yard field goal after Joe Buagher rushed for 21 yards. Later in the first quarter, VPI's Billy James threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Gerald Clark with McClure kicking the extra point. In the second quarter, VPI's John Maskas recovered a fumble by W&L's Teddy Ciesla and then McClure kicked his second field goal of the game, a 21-yarder. Both kickers attempted field goals in the fourth quarter, but were not successful. In the final two minutes of the game, the Generals' Harry Baugher completed a 57-yard pass to his brother Joe Baugher. But VPI's James intercepted the next pass, ending the game.