The 1946 Indiana Inercollegiate Conference football season was the season of

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

played by the 15 member schools of the

Indiana Intercollegiate Conference The Indiana Intercollegiate Conference (IIC) was a college athletic conference in the United States from 1922 to 1950. It consisted of schools in Indiana. The charter members of the conference were Indiana State University, Butler University, DeP ...

(IIC) as part of the

1946 college football season The 1946 college football season was the 78th season of intercollegiate football in the United States. Competition included schools from the Big Ten Conference, the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the Big Six C ...

. The Butler Bulldogs, in their ninth season under head coach Tony Hinkle, won the IIC championship with a 7–1 record (6–0 against IIC opponents). The Bulldogs led the conference in scoring with an average of 21.75 points scored per game. Four Butler players received first-team honors the 1946 All-Indiana Intercollegiate Conference football team: halfback Orville Williams, end Knute Dobkins, tackle Mel Perrone, and center Ott Hurrle. The Evansville Purple Aces, in their first year under head coach

Don Ping Donald Wilson Ping (November 5, 1898 – July 4, 1972) was an American football and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana from 1946 to 1953, compiling a record of 38–35–5. ...

, finished in second place with a 7–1–2 record (2–0 against IIC opponents). Tackle Bob Hawkins was the only Evansville player to receive first-team honors on the all-conference team. The

Wabash Little Giants The Wabash Little Giants are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent Wabash College, a small private school for men in Crawfordsville, Indiana, United States. The college belongs to the National Collegiate Athletic Association and part ...

, led by head coach Glen Harmeson, finished in third place with a 7–1 record. Wabash led the conference in scoring defense, shutting out six of eight opponents and giving up an average of only 4.0 points per game. Three Wabash players received first-team all-conference honors: quarterback Frank Roman, fullback J.K. Allerdice, and guard Bill Duchon.

Conference overview

Teams

Butler

The 1946 Butler Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Butler University as a member of the

(IIC) during the

. In its ninth season under head coach Tony Hinkle, the team compiled a 7–1 record (6–0 against IIC opponents) and won the IIC championship. The team played its home games at the Butler Bowl in

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

Evansville

The 1946 Evansville Purple Aces football team represented Butler University as a member of the IIC. In their first season under head coach

, the Purple Aces compiled a 7–1–2 record (2–0 against IIC opponents), finished in second place in the IIC, and outscored opponents by a total of 149 to 52.

Wabash

The 1946 Wabash Little Giants football team represented Wabash College of Crawfordsville, Indiana, as a member of the IIC. In their first season under head coach Glen Harmeson, the Little Giants compiled a 7–1 record (5–1 against IIC opponents), finished in third place in the IIC, shut out six of eight opponents, led the conference in scoring defense (4.0 points per game), and outscored opponents by a total of 144 to 32.

Earlham

The 1946 Earlham Quakers football team represented Earlham College of

Richmond, Indiana Richmond is a city in eastern Wayne County, Indiana. Bordering the state of Ohio, it is the county seat of Wayne County and is part of the Dayton, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 36,812. Situa ...

, as a member of the IIC. Led by head coach J. Owen Huntsman, the Quakers compiled a 5–3 record (4–2 against IIC opponents), finished in fourth place in the IIC, and outscored opponents by a total of 105 to 57.1947 NCAA Football Guide, p. 175.

Saint Joseph's

The 1946 Saint Joseph's Pumas football team represented

Saint Joseph's University Saint Joseph's University (SJU or St. Joe's) is a private Jesuit university in Philadelphia and Lower Merion, Pennsylvania. The university was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1851 as Saint Joseph's College. Saint Joseph's is the seventh olde ...

as a member of the IIC. Led by head coach Richard Scharf, the Pumas compiled a 3–4 record (2–1 against IIC opponents), finished in fifth place in the IIC, and were outscored by a total of 81 to 59.

Hanover

The 1946 Hanover Panthers football team represented Hanover College of Hanover, Indiana, as a member of the IIC. In their first season under head coach

Don Veller Donald Arld Veller (May 20, 1912 – November 10, 2006) was an American football player and coach of football and golf. He served as the head football coach at Hanover College in 1946 and at Florida State University from 1948 to 1952, compiling a ...

, the Panthers compiled a 4–3 record (3–2 against IIC opponents), finished in sixth place in the IIC, and outscored opponents by a total of 76 to 74.

Franklin

The 1946 Franklin Grizzlies football team represented Franklin College of Franklin, Indiana, as a member of the IIC. In their 16th year under head coach

Roy Tillotson Roy Everett Tillotson (April 1, 1891 – August 30, 1962) was an American coach and athletic trainer who coached at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio, Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana, and the University of To ...

, the Grizzlies compiled a 4–4 record (3–3 against IIC opponents), finished in seventh place in the IIC, and outscored opponents by a total of 81 to 65.

Ball State

The 1946 Ball State Cardinals football team was an American football team that represented Ball State Teachers College (later renamed

Ball State University Ball State University (Ball State, State or BSU) is a public university, public research university in Muncie, Indiana. It has two satellite facilities in Fishers, Indiana, Fishers and Indianapolis. On July 25, 1917, the Ball brothers, indust ...

) in the

(ICC) during the

. In its 11th season under head coach

John Magnabosco John V. Magnabosco (1905 – October 15, 1956) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Ball State Teachers College—now known as Ball State University—from 1935 to 1952, compiling a record of 68–46� ...

, the team compiled a 3–4–1 record (3–3 against ICC opponents) and finished in a tie for seventh place out of 15 teams in the conference.

Indiana Central

The 1946 Indiana Central Greyhounds football team represented Indiana Central College (later renamed the University of Indianapolis) as a member of the IIC. Led by head coach Ed Bright, the Greyhounds compiled a 3–4 record (3–4 against IIC opponents), finished in ninth place in the IIC, and were outscored by a total of 92 to 44.

Indiana State

The 1946 Indiana State Sycamores football team was an American football team that represented Indiana State University as a member of the

(IIC) during the

. In its 14th non-consecutive season under head coach

Wally Marks Walter E. Marks (February 16, 1905 – November 24, 1992) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, coach, college athletics administrator, sports official, and university instructor. Marks played football, basketball, and baseba ...

, and its first since the end of World War II, the team compiled a 4–4 record (2–4 against IIC opponents) and outscored all opponents by a total of 70 to 59. The team played its home games in

Terre Haute, Indiana Terre Haute ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, about 5 miles east of the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a ...

Manchester

The 1946 Manchester Spartans football team represented Manchester University of

North Manchester, Indiana North Manchester is a town in Chester Township, Wabash County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 6,112 at the 2010 census. Geography North Manchester is located at (41.003951, -85.772573). According to the 2010 census, North ...

, as a member of the IIC. Led by head coach Phili H. Kemmerer, the Spartans compiled a 3–5 record (2–4 against IIC opponents), finished in a tie for tenth place in the IIC, and were outscored by a total of 120 to 68.

DePauw

The 1946 DePauw Tigers football team represented DePauw University of Greencastle, Indiana, as a member of the IIC. In their first and only season under head coach Robert L. Nipper, the Tigers compiled a 1–5–2 record (1–2 against IIC opponents), finished in 12th place in the IIC, and were outscored by a total of 195 to 58.

Canterbury

The 1946 Canterbury Purple Warriors football team represented Canterbury College of Danville, Indiana, as a member of the IIC. Led by head coach Henry G. Miller, the Purple Warriors compiled a 1–7 record (1–4 against IIC opponents), finished in 13th place in the IIC, and were outscored by a total of 140 to 43.

Rose Poly

The 1946 Rose Poly Engineers football team represented Rose Polytechnic Institute of

(now known as Rose–Hulman Institute of Technology) as a member of the IIC. In their 16th non-consecutive season under head coach Phil Brown, the Engineers compiled a 1–7–1 record (1–5 against IIC opponents), finished in 14th place in the IIC, and were outscored by a total of 155 to 46.

Valparaiso

The 1946 Valparaiso Crusaders football team represented Valparaiso University as a member of the IIC. In their first season under head coach

Emory Bauer Emory George Bauer (February 13, 1913 – October 1, 1989) was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Concordia Teachers College—now known as Concordia U ...

, the team compiled a 1–7 record (0–3 against IIC opponents), finished in last place in the IIC, and were outscored by a total of 156 to 50.1947 NCAA Football Guide, p. 228.

All-conference team

The IIC coaches selected a 1946 All-Indiana Conference football team. Conference champion Butler placed four players on the first team: halfback Orville Williams, end Knute Dobkins, tackle Mel Perrone, and center Ott Hurrle. Wabash followed with three players named to the first team: quarterback Frank Roman, fullback J.K. Allerdice, and guard Bill Duchon. Indiana State, despite finishing 10th in the conference, placed two on the first team: halfback Max Woolsey and guard Dick Guyer. First team * Quarterback: Frank Roman, Wabash * Halfback: Orville Williams, Butler; Max Woolsey, Indiana State * Fullback: J.K. Allerdice, Wabash * Ends: Mike Patanelli, Ball State; Knute Dobkins, Butler * Tackles: Mel Perrone, Butler; Bob Hawkins, Evansville * Guards: Bill Duchon, Wabash; Dick Guyer, Indiana State * Center: Ott Hurrle, Butler

References

{{Reflist 1946 in sports in Indiana