The 1896 Detroit College Tigers football team represented Detroit College (renamed the University of Detroit in 1911) during the

1896 college football season The 1896 college football season had no clear-cut champion, with the ''Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book'' listing Lafayette and Princeton as having been selected national champions. Lafayette finished with an 11–0–1 record whil ...

. Detroit outscored opponents by a combined total of 66 to 40 and finished with a 5–2 record in their first year of intercollegiate football. The team's head coach was

William S. Robinson William S. Robinson was an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Detroit College—now known as the University of Detroit Mercy—for four seasons, from 1896 to 1899, compiling a record of 16–4. Head coaching record ...

In the only intercollegiate football game of the season, Detroit was shut out by St. Ignatius College by a 20 to 0 score on Thanksgiving Day.

Leo J. Keena Leo John Keena (April 12, 1878 – December 13, 1967) was an American football player and diplomat. Early years Keena was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1878, the son of James T. Keena and Henrietta (Boyle) Keena. His father was a lawyer who ...

played at the fullback position for the 1896 Detroit team, and later played for Michigan from 1897 to 1899. Ernest O'Brien was the captain of the 1896 team.

Schedule

Players

The team included the following players: * Francis T. Atkinson, quarterback * Ernest A. O'Brien, halfback *

W. Alfred Debo W. Alfred Debo (November 15, 1877 – March 7, 1960) was an American football player and coach, lawyer, and politician. He played at the halfback position on the first football team for Detroit College—now known as the University of Detroit Me ...

, halfback *

, fullback * William Van Dyke, center * James I. Atkinson, guard * Maurice W. Chawke, guard * C. O'Reilly "Riley" Riley Atkinson, tackle * Robert E. Lee, tackle * John J. Walsh, tackle * Alfred B. Moran, end * Dohaney, end * Frederick V. Burnham, end * Otto F. Lang, end

References

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