The 1952 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh as an independent during the 1952 college football season. The team compiled a 6–3 record under head coach Red Dawson.
Schedule
Preseason
On January 14, 1952, Lowell (Red) Dawson became the twenty-second head football coach (and fourth in the past four years) of the Pittsburgh Panthers. He came from Michigan State, where he was the offensive coach on Clarence Munn's 1951, #2-ranked Spartans, staff. Pitt signed Dawson to a 3-year contract.
Coach Dawson retained Coach Hamilton's assistants for his staff – Bob Timmons, Ernie Hefferle, Edgar Jones, Steve Petro and Walt Cummins. On February 15, Dawson hired Harold Lahar, who had been the defensive line coach at West Virginia. On March 26, Lahar was appointed head coach at Colgate University. On June 14, Dawson completed his staff with the hiring of former Steelers head coach, John Michelosen and former Temple assistant, Bob Friedlund.
March 31 was the first day of 20 spring practice sessions allowed by the NCAA. Close to 70 hopefuls vied for spots on the varsity squad. The Panthers took a short break for Easter, then finished on May 3, with a high school coaches' football clinic, a track meet against Notre Dame and scrimmage game between the varsity and an alumni team. 350 high school and college coaches attended the clinic. Pitt beat Notre Dame in the track meet 71–60 and the varsity beat the old-timers 34–7. 2,500 fans enjoyed the festivities.
On September 3, Coach Dawson welcomed 44 candidates (22 lettermen) to the fall two-a-day practice sessions. On September 13, the Panthers traveled to Columbia, N.J. to scrimmage against the Rutgers eleven. Quarterback Rudy Mattioli and halfback Paul Chess stood out on offense, while Joe Schmidt led the defense.
Coaching staff 1952 Pittsburgh Panthers football staff Coaching staff Lowell Dawson – head coach Bob Friedlund – defensive line coach John Michelosen – defensive coach Edgar Jones – backfield coach Bob Timmons – backfield coach Ernie Hefferle – offensive line coach Steve Petro – jayvee coach Walter Cummins– freshman coach Support staff
Thomas J. Hamilton – director of athletics and physical education Frank Carver – graduate manager Bill Heyman – publicity director Dr. Ralph Shanor – team physician Dr. Dan Dickinson – team physician Howard Waite – trainer Bill Haines – equipment manager Russell McBride– student manager
Roster 1952 Pittsburgh Panthers football roster Bob Wrabley*defensive halfback 9 1705 ft 10 in sophomoreCentral Catholic H. S.Pittsburgh, PA Henry Ford *quarterback 9 1805 ft 10 insophomoreSchenley H. S. Pittsburgh, PA Rudy Mattioli*quarterback 9 1906 ft 1 insophomoreHar-Brack H. S./Univ. of Kentucky Har-Brack, PA Pete Neft*quarterback 8 1806 ft 1 infreshmanPeabody H. S.Pittsburgh, PA Ray Ferguson*left halfback 8 1855 ft 10 in junior Jersey Shore Area H. S.Jersey Shore Richie McCabe*defensive halfback 7 170 6 ft sophomoreNorth Catholic H. S.Pittsburgh, PA Bobbie Ingramdefensive halfback 11705 ft 10 injunior St. Mary's H. S. St. Mary's, WV Chester Rice*defensive halfback 9 1755 ft 10 insophomoreDerry Twp. High SchoolDerry Township, PA John Jacobs* halfback 7 1955 ft 11 insophomore Georges Twp. H. S.Georges Twp., PA William Reynolds*right halfback 9 1905 ft 10 inseniorSt. Mary's H. S.St. Mary's, WV Paul Mikanicright halfback 0 1805 ft 6 insophomoreFollansbee H. S.Follansbee, WV Joseph Cappfullback 2 1955 ft 11 in seniorNewton Falls H. S.Newton Falls, OH Bill Hoffman*quarterback 71905 ft 10 in sophomoreGreensburg H. S.Greensburg, PA Paul Chess*fullback 8 1956 ft senior Meadville H. S.Meadville, PA Paul Blanda*linebacker 81906 ft sophomore Youngwood H. S. Youngwood, PA Mike Omaticklinebacker 0 1855 ft 10 injuniorConnellsville H. S.Connellsville, PA Bobby Epps*fullback 91955 ft 8 injunior Swissvale H. S. Swissvale, PA Gabe Gembarosky*center9 2005 ft 11 in seniorDonora H. S.Donora, PA Bob Ballockcenter 0 1906 ft sophomoreFarrell H. S.Farrell, PA John Cencilinebacker 3 1905 ft 10 infreshmanSchenley H. S.Pittsburgh, PA Donald Schlickcenter 1 1956 ft freshmanWheeling H. S.Wheeling, WV Anthony Romantino* guard9 1755 ft 10 in seniorDonora H. S.Donora, PA Dick Gatz*guard 8 1906 ftjuniorCarnegie H. S.Carnegie, PA Francis Baronguard 2 1906 ftseniorNanticoke H. S.Nanticoke, PA Joseph Schmidt* linebacker 7 2056 ft seniorBrentwood H. S.Brentwood, PA Merle DeLuca* guard8 2005 ft 10 inseniorWestinghouse H. S.Pittsburgh, PA Eldred Kraemer*tackle9 210 6 ft 3 in sophomoreClear Lake H. S.Clear Lake, MN William Schmitt*tackle 6 2156 ft 1 infreshmanSouth Hills H. S.Pittsburgh, PA Alfred Smalara*guard 8 195 6 ft seniorSpringdale H. S.Springdale, PA Stuart Kline*center 9 210 6 ft seniorJohnstown H. S.Johnstown, PA William Priatko*guard 8 210 6 ft 1 in juniorNorth Braddock H. S.North Braddock, PA Neil Huffmantackle 0 2206 ft 2 in senior Ostrander H. S. Ostrander, OH William Cessar*tackle 9 2056 ft 2 infreshmanMillvale H. S.Millvale, PA Eugene Dolfitackle 0 2006 ft 1 inseniorRostraver Twp. H. S.Rostraver Twp., PA Joseph Bozek* end9 1906 ft 2 in seniorRochester H. S.Conway, PA Bob Kennedy*end 7 1855 ft 11 insophomoreWilliamsport H. S.Williamsport, PA Ken Voytell*end 8 2006 ft 1 injuniorClairton H. S./ St. Bonaventure U.Clairton, PA George Glagola*end9 1956 ft 1 in seniorGerman Township H. S.McClellandtown, PA Joe Zombek*left end 9 185 6 ft sophomoreCarnegie H. S. Carnegie, PA Robert McQuaide* right end 8 1806 ft 1 in freshmanIndiana H. S.Indiana, PA Bill Adams* end91856 ft 2 insophomore Oakmont H. S. Oakmont, PA Glenn Dillon*left end71856 ft sophomore Titusville H. S. Titusville, PA Richard Deitrick*end 8 2156 ft 3 in juniorDanville H. S.Danville, PA Louis Palatella*tackle9 2256 ft 1 in sophomoreVandergrift H.S.Vandergrift, PA * Lettermen
Game summaries Iowa
First-year coach Red Dawson's Panthers opened the season against first-year coach Forest Evashevski's Iowa Hawkeyes. The Panthers had not beaten a Big Ten team (0–8), or won a season opener since 1949. However, Pitt did finish the 1951 season on a three-game win streak, and were favored by 6 points over the Hawkeyes. The all-time series was tied at one win apiece.
In front of 24,940 fans, Pitt ran its win streak to four games by beating the Hawkeyes 26–14. Iowa recovered a Pitt fumble on the Panthers 30-yard line on the first play from scrimmage. Seven plays advanced the ball to the 6-yard line. Halfback Jim Milani ran around end for the score. Jim White added the point and Iowa led 7–0 at the end of the first quarter. After a 75-yard drive, the Panthers tied the score on a Bobby Epps 5-yard run and Paul Blanda conversion. The Panther offense regained possession on their 38-yard line. The ensuing 61-yard drive culminated with a quarterback sneak from the 1-yard line by Rudy Mattioli. Blanda's kick was good, but the Panthers were penalized for illegal use of hands. His second try was unsuccessful and Pitt led 13–7 at halftime. Iowa received the second half kickoff. On the third play, Milani raced 54 yards around end for his second touchdown of the game. Jim White's kick put Iowa back in front 14–13. Late in the third period, Bobby Epps caught a screen pass from Mattioli and ran 54 yards for a Pitt touchdown. Bob Wrabley added the extra point and Pitt led 20–14. The Pitt defense forced Iowa to punt from their 7-yard line. Panther running back Billy Reynolds returned the punt to the Iowa 36-yard line. Six plays later, John Jacobs caught a 14-yard pass from Mattioli for the final score of the game.
The starting lineup for Pitt against Iowa was Bill Adams (left end), Lou Palatella (left tackle), Merle DeLuca (left guard), Gabe Gembarosky (center), Albert Smalara (right guard), Eldred Kraemer (right tackle), Dick Deitrick (right end), Rudy Mattioli (quarterback), Bill Hoffman (left halfback), Billy Reynolds (right halfback) and Bobby Epps (fullback). The following substitutes appeared in the game for Pitt: Joe Bozek, Joe Zombek, Robert Kennedy, Robert McQuaide, Glen Dillon, William Cessar, Anthony Romantino, Joe Schmidt, Bill Priatko, Richard Gatz, George Glagola, Stuart Kline, John Censi, Ray Ferguson, Paul Blanda, Henry Ford, Chester Rice, Robert Wrabley, Joe Capp, John Jacobs and Paul Chess.
at Oklahoma
The second game of the season was in Norman, OK against the Oklahoma Sooners. Oklahoma was the defending Big 7 Conference champion, and was on a 21-game home field win streak. Coach Bud Wilkinson had 5 All-Americans ( Heisman Trophy winner Billy Vessels, Buck McPhail, Eddie Crowder, Buddy Leake and Tom Catlin), among the 33 lettermen on his roster.
The 36-member Panthers squad flew via a chartered plane into Oklahoma City and housed at the Biltmore Hotel. Linebackers Joe Schmidt and Paul Blanda were injured in the Iowa game, and Coach Dawson replaced them with George Glagola and Dick Gatz.
The favored Sooners beat the Panthers 49–20 to extend their home win streak to 22 games. Pitt played well in the first half, and only trailed 21–13 at the break. In the second half, the Sooners added four touchdowns before the Panthers answered with their final score. Bobby Epps, Billy Reynolds and Pete Neft scored touchdowns for the Panthers. Bob Kennedy added two extra points. Six Sooners scored touchdowns. Buddy Leake scored two, and threw a touchdown pass to Carl Allison for a third. He also kicked 6 extra points. Buck McPhail, Dick Ellis, Merrill Green and Eddie Crowder contributed one touchdown apiece.
The Pitt starting lineup for the game against Oklahoma was Bill Adams (left end), Lou Palatella (left tackle), Merle DeLuca (left guard), Gabe Gembarosky (center), Albert Smalara (right guard), Eldred Kraemer (right tackle), Dick Deitrick (right end), Rudy Mattioli (quarterback), Bill Hoffman (left halfback), Billy Reynolds (right halfback) and Bobby Epps (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Glen Dillon, Joe Zombek, George Glagola, Robert Kennedy, William Schmitt, Bill Priatko, Stuart Kline, Tony Romantino, Francis Baron, Dick Gatz, William Cessar, Bob McQuaide, Joe Bozek, Ken Voytell, Pete Neft, Henry Ford, John Jacobs, Chester Rice, Ray Ferguson, Bob Wrabley, Paul Chess and Joe Capp.
at Notre Dame
On October 11, the Panthers played the #8-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish in South Bend. The Panthers had lost 8 straight games to the Irish since 1937, and were held to a total of 22 points. Notre Dame led the all-time series 13–5–1. Coach Leahy's squad was 1–0–1 on the season, after tying #12 Penn and beating #5 Texas. Halfback Johnny Lattner and Bob O'Neil, received All-American honors.
The 14-point underdog Panthers flew into South Bend, and practiced on the Notre Dame field before headquartering in Elkhart until game time. Coach Dawson welcomed the return of defensive starters Joe Schmidt, Paul Blanda and Rich McCabe to the lineup.
The Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph and the Pennsylvania Railroad took 1,000 Pitt fans to South Bend. The $26.75 train ticket package included a game ticket, breakfast going and dinner on the ride home. 350 Sun-Telegraph paper boys made the trip.