The 1949 Army Cadets football team represented the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

in the 1949 college football season. The Cadets scored 354 points, while the defense allowed only 68 points. Arnold Galiffa was the starting quarterback, ahead of

Earl Blaik Earl Henry "Red" Blaik (February 15, 1897 – May 6, 1989) was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and United States Army officer. He served as the head football coach at Dartmouth College from 1934 to 1940 and at ...

's son, Bob. Johnny Trent was the team captain. The Cadets won the

Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy The Lambert Trophy is an annual award given to the best team in the East in Division I FBS (formerly I-A) college football. In affiliation with the Metropolitan New York Football Writers (founded 1935), the Lambert Trophy was established by brother ...

as the best college team in the East. At season’s end, Red Blaik confessed that he thoughts of retiring.

Offseason

Sid Gillman Sidney Gillman (October 26, 1911 – January 3, 2003) was an American football player, coach and executive. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or w ...

left Army to become the head coach for the

University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati) is a public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1819 as Cincinnati College, it is the oldest institution of higher education in Cincinnati and has an annual enrollment of over 44,0 ...

. Head coach Red Blaik interviewed

Vince Lombardi Vincent Thomas Lombardi (June 11, 1913 – September 3, 1970) was an American football coach and executive in the National Football League (NFL). Lombardi is considered by many to be the greatest coach in football history, and he is recognized a ...

, but harbored doubts that Lombardi's background as a high school coach would prepare him for the job.

Coaching staff

Besides Lombardi,

Murray Warmath Murray Warmath (December 26, 1912 – March 16, 2011) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Mississippi State University from 1952 to 1953 and at the University of Minnesota from 1954 to 1971, compili ...

of Tennessee was the other new face on the coaching staff. Lombardi would focus on offense, while Warmath worked on the defense. They were the only civilian coaches on the staff. In November 1934, Lombardi (with Fordham) faced off against Warmath (playing for Tennessee) with Fordham winning the game 13-12. The other members of the staff included

Doug Kenna Edgar Douglas Kenna II (June 11, 1924 – January 28, 2013) was an American football player and businessman. Biography College football Kenna played his freshman year at the University of Mississippi for the Ole Miss Rebels. However, following hi ...

Paul Amen Paul Johannes Amen (July 6, 1916 – June 4, 2005) was a prominent Nebraskan with notable accomplishments in both athletics and banking. He served as the head football coach at Wake Forest University from 1956 to 1959, compiling a record of 11� ...

, and John Sauer.

Schedule

Roster

* QB Bob Blaik * Elmer Stout #26

Accusations of dirty play

There were accusations that Army played dirty. Against the University of Michigan, Wolverine’s halfback Chuck Ortmann was knocked unconscious. The accusation was that Army player Gil Stephenson kicked him. The matter was escalated when Michigan professor of Geology, WH Hobbs was interviewed by the Michigan Daily and commented on the play. The press continued to establish Army’s notoriety as bullies after convincing wins over Harvard 54-14, and Columbia 63-6. Army hosted Vince Lombardi’s former team, the Fordham Rams at Michie Stadium. One of the members of the Rams was Vince’s brother, Joe Lombardi, who transferred to the school after Lombardi left. Tim Cohane, writer of Look Magazine was a Fordham alumnus, and a friend of Army coach Red Blaik. He pressured both teams to play each other. Cohane felt the game would help Fordham rise to national prominence.When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p.108, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, New York, NY, 1999, Herb Seidell, the Fordham captain, lost a tooth in the game. Several fights ensued and the media named the match, the Donnybrook on the Hudson. There were multiple penalties for unnecessary roughness.

References

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Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

Army Black Knights football seasons Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy seasons College football undefeated seasons Army Cadets football