The 1954 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh as an independent during the 1954 college football season. The Panthers lost their first three games of the season under third year head coach Red Dawson, before he stepped down due to poor health. Pittsburgh's athletic director, Tom Hamilton, appointed himself interim head coach and led the team to a 4–2 record over their final six games of the season. Pittsburgh finished the year with a record of 4–5.
Schedule
Preseason
After rumored to be headed to the University of Minnesota, Coach Dawson returned for his third season as Pitt coach. The Panthers Athletic Department added line coach Bill Bevan to Dawson's staff, which allowed Bob Timmons to coach basketball after November 1.
On March 29, Coach Dawson welcomed more than 60 student-athletes to his third spring practice. The initial roster included 18 lettermen, 22 sophomores from the previous year's freshmen team, 2 transfers and an Army returnee. Quarterback Bill Amos and tackle Jim Dalrymple transferred from Maryland, and end Walt Belich, who played for Pitt in 1950, returned from his military service. Drills were held Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. No drills were held on Tuesdays and Fridays due to late labs for the medical, dental and engineering students. The NCAA allowed for 20 days of drills. The session ended on May 8 with a football clinic for high school coaches and an intra-squad game.
Dr. Ralph Shanor, team physician for 25 years, was with the team through spring drills, but became ill in late summer, entered the hospital on September 30 and died on November 6.
Fall practice was held on campus at the Ellsworth Center Field. 53 candidates began two-a-day drills on September 1 to prepare for the season opener on September 24 in Los Angeles, CA. Coach Dawson was upbeat: “We had our first decent freshman team last fall...20 of our 24 freshmen are back. That's a pretty good record.” But even with the added depth, the Panthers had the usual brutal schedule to contend with.
Game summaries at USC
On September 24, in a rare Friday night game, the Panthers opened their season against the USC Trojans in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Pitt and USC were tied 2–2 all-time. USC beat the Panthers in the 1930 and 1933 Rose Bowl games, but then Pitt won the 1934 and 1935 regular season meetings. Fourth-year Coach Jess Hill's Trojans were 1–0, having beaten Washington State 39–0.
Coach Dawson's 46-member squad left on Wednesday morning. After a 9-hour Pan American flight, they arrived in LA, and had a “workout under the lights at the Coliseum.” Radio Station KDKA broadcast the game back to Pittsburgh.
Pitt tied the Trojans 7–7 through three quarters, but gave up 3 touchdowns in the fourth and lost their opening game 27–7. USC substitute running back Jon Arnett scored three touchdowns on runs of 1, 2 and 25 yards, and Lindon Crow caught a 66-yard touchdown pass from Ellsworth Kissinger late in the game. The Trojans converted 3 of 4 extra points. The Panthers answered the first USC touchdown with a 49-yard touchdown pass from Henry Ford to end Dick Scherer. Gene Steratore booted the extra point. At the start of the final period, Pitt fullback Tom Jenkins injured his ankle and had to be helped off the field. At the time Jenkins was the Panthers leading rusher and a stalwart on defense. Pitt end Joe Paluck and Trojan tackle Frank Pavich were ejected for fighting.
Henry Ford rushed 16 times for 69 yards and Tom Jenkins had 12 carries for 54 yards before his injury. USC's Jon Arnett led all rushers with 118 yards on 15 carries.
The Pitt starting lineup for the game against USC was Joe Walton (left end), Lou Palatella (left tackle), Ed Stowe (left guard), John Cenc (center), Al Bolkovac (right guard), Eldred Kraemer (right tackle), Joe Paluck (right end), Rudy Mattioli (quarterback), Henry Ford (left halfback), Ambrose Bagamery (right halfback) and Tom Jenkins (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pittsburgh were Bob McQuaide, Fred Glatz, Bill Cessar, Bob Pollack, Harold Hunter, Bob Ballock, Ed Bose, Joe Los, Bill Schmitt, Herman Canil, Howard Linn, Dick Scherer, Darrell Lewis, Jim Lenhart, Corny Salvaterra, Charles Cost, Nick Passodelis, Gene Steratore, Richie McCabe and Robert Grier.
Minnesota
On October 2, the Panthers played their home opener against the Minnesota Gophers. Minnesota led the all-time series 7–0 and had out-scored the Panthers 197–38. First-year Coach Murray Warmath's squad was 1–0, having beaten Nebraska (19–7). Quarterback/kicker Gino Cappelletti, halfback Bob McNamara and end Gordy Soltau were future pros in the Minnesota lineup.
Coach Dawson's team depth was diminished as starting fullback Tom Jenkins, substitute quarterback Darrell Jenkins, end Dick Scherer and halfback Corny Salvaterra were all injured in the USC game. Jenkins was replaced by sophomore Nick Passodelis in the starting lineup.
Minnesota ran their record against the Panthers to 8–0 with a resounding 46–7 win. Minnesota led 13–0 at the end of the opening quarter on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Gino Cappelletti to Bob McNamara and a 3-yard run by Frank Backman. Cappelletti converted 1 of two extra points. The Panthers only score came in the second quarter. It was all Henry Ford. He returned a punt to the Minnesota 41-yard line, ran 37 yards around end to the 4-yard line and then ran into the end zone for the score. Ambrose Bagamery converted the extra point. The second half was all Minnesota, as they scored 5 touchdowns. Early in the third period, Bob McNamara returned a punt 65-yards for a touchdown. Pitt fumbles led to two more third quarter scores, and the Gophers subs managed to score twice in the final stanza. The favored Panthers lost three fumbles and had three passes intercepted. They earned 7 first downs on 108 total yards gained.
The Pitt starting lineup for the game against Minnesota was Joe Walton (left end), Lou Palatella (left tackle), Ed Stowe (left guard), John Cenci (center), Al Bolkovac (right guard), Eldred Kraemer (right tackle), Joe Paluck (right end), Rudy Mattioli (quarterback), Henry Ford (left halfback), Ambrose Bagamery (right halfback) and Nick Passodelis (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Bob McQuaide, Bill Cessar, Bob Pollack, Harold Hunter, Bob Ballock, Ed Bose, Joe Los, Bill Schmitt, Howard Linn, Jim Lenhart, Charles Cost, Gene Steratore, Richie McCabe, Robert Grier, Glen Dillon, Dale Brown, Bill Amos, Lou Cimarolli and Pete Neft.
Notre Dame
On October 9, the Panthers played the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Notre Dame led the all-time series 14–6–1. First-year Coach Terry Brennan's squad was 1–1 and ranked #8 in the AP Poll. They opened with a victory over Texas (21–0) and then lost to Purdue (14–27). The Irish were led by three All-Americans: quarterback Ralph Guglielmi, tackle Frank Varrichione and end Dan Shannon.
Coach Dawson was being criticized in the media for both the Panthers poor start to the season, and his proclivity to not speak to the press. Athletic Director Tom Hamilton told the scribes at the Tuesday news luncheon: “Two poor performances don't mean a football team is through. We'll bounce back and it will be no later than Saturday afternoon against Notre Dame.......I'm no Pollyanna. We're going to play good football. The kids haven't found themselves but they will. I've got 100 per cent confidence in them and the coaching staff.” The Athletic Committee met, and they too, gave Dawson a vote of approval.
In front 57,487 fans the Panthers lost their third straight game 33–0. Pitt gained 69 yards rushing and 18 yards passing, completing only 2 of 16 passes. They earned 6 first downs. The Pitt defense kept Notre Dame scoreless through the first quarter. Then the Irish scored two touchdowns in the second period, one in the third and two more in the final quarter. Five players scored touchdowns: Sherrill Sipes, Ralph Guglielmi, Dean Studer, Paul Hornung and Jim Munro. Don Schaefer booted two extra points and Jim Morse added one.
Coach Dawson addressed the press after the game: “We just give ball games away. We must be the most charitable football team I ever saw. Throw out the mistakes and this Pitt club could be a good football team. Notre Dame just played it better than we did....”
The Pitt starting lineup for the game against Notre Dame was Bob McQuaide (left end), Lou Palatella (left tackle), Ed Stowe (left guard), John Cenci (center), Bill Schmitt (right guard), Eldred Kraemer (right tackle), Joe Paluck (right end), Corny Salvaterra (quarterback), Henry Ford (left halfback), Ambrose Bagamery (right halfback) and Nick Passodelis (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Tom Jenkins, Bob Pollack, Joe Walton, Harold Hunter, Bob Ballock, Ed Bose, Joe Los, Al Bolkovac, Howard Linn, Dick Scherer, Jim Lenhart, Charles Cost, Richie McCabe, Pete Neft, Vince Scorsone and Don Michaels.
Navy
On October 16, the Panthers hosted the Midshipmen of the Naval Academy. Pitt led the all-time series 5–1–1. The last time these teams met was in 1934. Pitt Athletic Director, Tom Hamilton was then the head coach of Navy, and his previously undefeated Middies lost 31–7.
Fifth-year Coach Eddie Erdelatz's squad was 3–0 and ranked #9 in the AP football poll. End Ron Beagle was a consensus All-American.
On Monday, October 11, Tom Hamilton told the Sun-Telegraph: “Dawson will be our coach for the Navy game Saturday, for the week after and the week after that. I don't know where these rumors start, anyhow.” On Tuesday, Coach Dawson went to the hospital for “an irregularity of the heart.” Tom Hamilton stepped in as interim coach until Dawson would be able to return.
The 13-point underdog Panthers broke into the win column with an exciting 21–19 upset of the Navy. The Midshipmen opened the game with an onside kick, that they recovered on the Panthers 45-yard line. On the eighth play from scrimmage, Joe Gattuso ran through tackle from the 1 for the score. George Textor missed the extra point and Navy led 6–0. Then Navy intercepted a Pitt pass and drove to the Panthers 3-yard line. The Panthers defense stiffened and took possession on the 6-yard line. The Panthers offense proceeded to drive 94 yards in 16 plays for their first score. Corny Salvaterra scored on a quarterback sneak and Bugs Bagamery booted the extra point to put the Panthers ahead 7–6. Pitt got the ball back on a fumble by Navy quarterback Dick Echard that was recovered by end Fred Glatz. A 22-yard pass from Salvaterra to Henry Ford and another placement by Bagamery put the Panthers ahead 14–6. Late in the half, Navy intercepted a Pitt pass on the Panthers 24-yard line. A 24-yard scoring toss from Echard to Jack Garrow and another missed placement made the score 14–12 at halftime. After a scoreless third period, Fred Glatz recovered a fumble on the Navy 12-yard line. On third down from the 8-yard line, Salvaterra faked a hand-off to Henry Ford and ran around right end for the touchdown. Bagamery added the point after for a 21–12 Pitt lead. Navy answered with an 80-yard scoring drive. Bill Hepworth scored the touchdown and Textor added the point after.
Coach Hamilton was pleased and told Roy McHugh of The Pittsburgh Press: “We enjoyed the game and I hope Red enjoyed it too. I guess a lot of people thought our kids would fold but they aren't that kind.”