HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Lafayette Leopards football program represents
Lafayette College Lafayette College is a private liberal arts college in Easton, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter and other citizens in Easton, the college first held classes in 1832. The founders voted to name the college after General Laf ...
in
Easton, Pennsylvania Easton is a city in, and the county seat of, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city's population was 28,127 as of the 2020 census. Easton is located at the confluence of the Lehigh River, a river that joins the Delaware R ...
in college football. One of the oldest college football programs in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, Lafayette currently plays in the Patriot League at the
NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athleti ...
level. Fielding their first team in 1882, Lafayette has won three college football national championships (
1896 Events January–March * January 2 – The Jameson Raid comes to an end, as Jameson surrenders to the Boers. * January 4 – Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state. * January 5 – An Austrian newspaper reports that ...
, 1921,
1926 Events January * January 3 – Theodoros Pangalos declares himself dictator in Greece. * January 8 **Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud is crowned King of Hejaz. ** Crown Prince Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thuy ascends the throne, the last monarch of Viet ...
), seven Patriot League championships (1988, 1992, 1994, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2013), six undefeated seasons (1896,
1909 Events January–February * January 4 – Explorer Aeneas Mackintosh of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition escaped death by fleeing across ice floes. * January 7 – Colombia recognizes the independence of Panama. * Jan ...
, 1921, 1926, 1937,
1940 A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * Januar ...
) and four undefeated, untied seasons (1921, 1926, 1937, 1940). For most of its history, Lafayette played an independent schedule until joining the Patriot League in 1986. Between 1929 and 1975, the Leopards were a part of an unofficial conference, the "Middle Three Conference," which consisted of
Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...
and
Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU) is a private research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer and was originally affiliated with the Epi ...
. Today, Lafayette is most noted for its fierce arch-rivalry with Lehigh, which is the most played rivalry in college football (158 games) and the most consecutive years played (since 1897).
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
considers " The Rivalry" to be among the top ten in college football, and was the subject of a PBS documentary narrated by NFL Films voice and Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster
Harry Kalas Harold Norbert Kalas (March 26, 1936 – April 13, 2009) was an American sportscaster, best known for his Ford C. Frick Award-winning role as lead play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies, a position he held fr ...
. Aside from Lehigh, Lafayette's primary rivals are Bucknell University and the University of Pennsylvania. Lafayette has produced four consensus All-Americans (FBS), 11 FCS All-Americans, four College Football Hall of Fame players, and three College Football Hall of Fame coaches. Lafayette football has produced and nurtured several legendary football personalities, such as George Barclay, inventor of the football helmet, and
Jock Sutherland John Bain Sutherland (March 21, 1889 – April 11, 1948) was an American football player and coach. He coached college football at Lafayette College (1919–1923) and the University of Pittsburgh (1924–1938) and professional football for the ...
, legendary coach of the
Pittsburgh Panthers The Pittsburgh Panthers, commonly also referred to as the Pitt Panthers, are the athletic teams representing the University of Pittsburgh, although the term is colloquially used to refer to other aspects of the university such as alumni, facu ...
and Pittsburgh Steelers. Lafayette's
Herb McCracken George Herbert McCracken (June 20, 1899 – March 11, 1995) was an American football player and coach. McCracken played football as a running back at the University of Pittsburgh from 1918 to 1920 under coach Glenn Scobey Warner, "Pop" Warner and ...
is also credited with inventing the huddle during a game in which Pennsylvania was stealing hand signals. Lafayette's nickname is the Leopards, dating from October 21, 1924. In its early history, the students, alumni, and press referred to the team as the 'Maroon.' The Leopards are still occasionally referred to as the 'Maroon' or the 'Maroon and White.' Currently, Lafayette has 650 wins, 33rd all-time in Division I.


History


Early history (1882–1890)

'Rugby' football was first introduced on College Hill in the fall of 1880 by Theodore H. Welles. A member of the class of 1884, Welles brought football to Easton after learning the new game at Wilkes Barre Academy and Princeton University, where he studied as a college freshman. H.R. Craven, who played and learned the sport at the
Lawrenceville School The Lawrenceville School is a coeducational preparatory school for boarding and day students located in the Lawrenceville section of Lawrence Township, in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. Lawrenceville is a member of the Eight Scho ...
, served as the first team captain. Early football at Lafayette was not organized. In 1880 and 1881, students competed against each other on campus. However, in the fall of 1882, Lafayette traveled to Rutgers to partake in its first intercollegiate football contest. On November 7, 1882, Lafayette fell to Rutgers 0-0/8-3. One week later, Lafayette lost its second game ever against the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
0-0/1-3. Although official records reflect only two games being played in 1882, Welles mentions playing Swarthmore College and the
Stevens Institute of Technology Stevens Institute of Technology is a private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey. Founded in 1870, it is one of the oldest technological universities in the United States and was the first college in America solely dedicated to mechanical ...
on College Hill, winning both contests. With one season of intercollegiate football experience, Lafayette won its first game ever in 1883. After dropping its first three games to Princeton, Pennsylvania, and Stevens, Lafayette broke through against Rutgers on November 10. With four inches of slushy snow covering the Quad, Lafayette avenged the previous year's defeat 25–0 with four touchdowns despite a water-logged ball. . The first game of 1884 brought a new team to Lafayette's schedule:
Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU) is a private research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer and was originally affiliated with the Epi ...
. Located in nearby Bethlehem, Lehigh would be playing its first football game. With experience and superior skill on its side, Lafayette annihilated Lehigh 56–0 in what would shortly become known as "The Rivalry". Due to the proximity of the schools, Lafayette played a Lehigh as their last opponent in 1884, winning 36–0 in Bethlehem. True animosity soon developed between both teams. In 1886, Lafayette was winning 12–0 until a severe downpour halted play 15 minutes into the second half (in 1886, there were two 45 minute halves). Both team captains mutually agreed to end the game even though football tradition called for football to be played in all weather. The game's referee wrote
Walter Camp Walter Chauncey Camp (April 7, 1859 – March 14, 1925) was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". Among a long list of inventions, he created the sport's line of scrimmage and the system ...
on how to resolve the game. Camp said that the game should be declared a tie, but Lehigh acknowledged they were outplayed and gave Lafayette the victory. Later in the season, with the game scoreless late in the second half, Lehigh was protesting the officiating of the game. As the Lehigh captain pulled his team off the field in protest, Lafayette picked up the ball and scored a touchdown. To this day, Lafayette counts the game as a 4–0 win, while Lehigh considers the game scoreless. The schools would play each other twice per season until 1902. A bitter rivalry also emerged with Pennsylvania. During their annual contest on the Lafayette Quad on November 6, 1889, Lafayette's right tackle Wells, who had been ejected by the umpire earlier in the contest, tripped a Pennsylvania player running with the ball along the sidelines. As the two players converged following the trip, a crowd of spectators surged the Penn player and "struck, kicked, and generally misused him." Many outside newspapers trumped up the incident to make it seem like a mob had severely beaten the Penn player and there was general unruliness at the Lafayette game. However, since it was the late 19th century, it is possible that the account of the unruly mob was an instance of
yellow journalism Yellow journalism and yellow press are American terms for journalism and associated newspapers that present little or no legitimate, well-researched news while instead using eye-catching headlines for increased sales. Techniques may include ...
. Additionally, the umpire who ejected Wells, Dr. Shell, was from the University of Pennsylvania and was cited in the newspaper for making several bad calls against Lafayette, including negating a five-point field goal on a phantom offside. Regardless, Pennsylvania was upset about the altercation relations between the two schools were strained. The incident was a key catalyst in forming the Alumni Advisory Committee in January 1890. Pennsylvania played only two more times at Lafayette, in 1891 and 1893, until 1973. Although there were no formal conferences, Lafayette, Lehigh, and Pennsylvania were loosely affiliated and their games, two against each opponent, were considered the battle for the Pennsylvania State Championship


College football upstart (1891–1918)

After being managed by students, Lafayette hired its first paid football coach for the 1891 season, W.S. Moyle. Moyle was hired from
Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...
since he was familiar with the Yale system and was considered a good player. His stipend was $400. As coach from 1891 to 1892, Moyle played in nearly every game and carried the ball on nearly every down. He was lauded as a football hero until the faculty disapproved of his playing. However, he was regarded as 'good coach' who 'taught for the first time what teamwork was.' Despite hiring coaches, Lafayette's record had a losing record each season. Between 1891 and 1894, Lafayette went 2–9 against Lehigh, including two losses and a neutral site loss before 3,000 spectators in Wilkes-Barre in 1891. In 1895, the alumni athletic advisors hired who would become a legendary college football figure, Parke H. Davis. Writing a history of Lafayette Athletics in 1926, Francis A. March, Jr. said, "With the advent of Davis, little Lafayette stepped from comparative obscurity to a level with the football giants." Davis, who played at Princeton, was the first coach hired based on experience, having coached Amherst College and the
University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...
in previous seasons. Lafayette went 6–2 and had its first winning season since 1888 swept Lehigh for the first time since 1886. Davis is credited with bringing organization, recognition, and enthusiasm to Lafayette football through his charismatic personality and writing college fight songs. In 1896, Lafayette won its first
National Championship A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the best team, indi ...
, which featured a dramatic 6–4 win against Pennsylvania at Franklin Field. Davis coached one more season, a 9–2–1 campaign in 1897. Samuel B. Newton, who arrived after coaching Penn State led Lafayette to its most victories ever with a 12–1 record in 1899, with a lone 12–0 defeat to national champions Princeton (12–1) and outscoring opponents 253–23. Newton was 7–0 against Lehigh and 33–14 overall through his last season of 1902 before leaving Lafayette to coach Lehigh. In four games against Lafayette, Newton only won twice while going 23–20–2 overall. During this time, Newton coached Walter E. Bachman, who developed the roving center concept in football. Bachman was named second-team All-American by Walter Camp in 1900 and 1901, one of the first players outside of the 'Big Four' to earn the honor. The legendary roll of Lafayette coaches continued after the departure of Newton. Dr. Alfred E. Bull coached between 1903 and 1907, compiling a 37–10–3 record in five seasons, with one loss to Lehigh. Tragically, Lafayette football hero and helmet inventor George "Rose" Barclay, who became coach in 1908 and was the first Lafayette player to coach the team, died following after one season after suffering from an appendicitis. His successor,
Bob Folwell Robert Cook Folwell Jr. (February 17, 1885 – January 8, 1928) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Lafayette College (1909–1911), Washington & Jefferson College (1912–1915), the University of Pennsylvan ...
, became one of the most decorated coaches in Lafayette history by posting a 19–2–1 record. Folwell led the
University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 col ...
to its first conference championship and after Lafayette, led
Washington & Jefferson College Washington & Jefferson College (W&J College or W&J) is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania. The college traces its origin to three log cabin colleges in Washington County established by three Presbyterian missionaries t ...
to be recognized as 'an elite power team,' along with Notre Dame,
Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
, the
University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chic ...
, and
Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...
. In 1925, he became the first coach of the New York Giants. Folwell coached Lafayette to its first win against
Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ni ...
on October 23, 1909 in what the New York Times said was, "the most sensational finish that has ever been seen in a football game." With six second remaining and the score 0–0, Princeton was set to attempt a game-winning field goal from the Lafayette 10-yard line. Irmschler blitzed through the tackle and guard, caught the ball as it left the kicker's foot, and raced 92-yards for the win as time expired for a 6–0 win. The team was greeted with a jubilant crowd that paraded through Easton and College Hill when the team returned. In their next game two weeks later, Lafayette tied Pennsylvania 6–6 and ultimately finished second behind Yale (10–0–0) in the East and for the national championship. Lafayette outscored the opposition 176–6. Folwell left in the middle of the 1911 season with Lafayette holding a 5–0 record. It came at an inopportune moment as Lafayette was set to host the
Carlisle Indians The Carlisle Indians football team represented the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in intercollegiate football competition. The program was active from 1893 until 1917, when it was discontinued. During the program's 25 years, the Indians compile ...
and
Jim Thorpe James Francis Thorpe ( Sac and Fox (Sauk): ''Wa-Tho-Huk'', translated as "Bright Path"; May 22 or 28, 1887March 28, 1953) was an American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe was the first Nativ ...
. Lafayette lost 19–0 and went 2–3 the rest of the season under S.B. Newton.


National college football power (1919–1948)

Between 1921 and 1948, Lafayette was considered one of the premiere college football programs. The team earned two national championships, had four undefeated seasons, featured several All-Americans, played in major games, and was involved in several bowl scenarios. During nearly every season of the era, the team was led by a coach that would later be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.


The 1920s

The hiring of
Jock Sutherland John Bain Sutherland (March 21, 1889 – April 11, 1948) was an American football player and coach. He coached college football at Lafayette College (1919–1923) and the University of Pittsburgh (1924–1938) and professional football for the ...
in 1919 started Lafayette on the road to national prominence during the 1920s. After coaching an undefeated team at an Army base in Georgia during World War I and only a few years removed from playing for the
University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...
and
Pop Warner Glenn Scobey Warner (April 5, 1871 – September 7, 1954), most commonly known as Pop Warner, was an American college football coach at various institutions who is responsible for several key aspects of the modern game. Included among his inn ...
, Sutherland was prepared to enter a career in dentistry. However, a chance meeting with a friend propelled Sutherland to take a coaching job at Lafayette. Lafayette finished 1919 at 6–2 and 5–3 the following season. According to Sutherland, with virtually the same team as 1920, Lafayette went 9–0 in 1921 and went on a 17-game winning streak that stretched between 1920 and 1922, where Lafayette outscored opponents 495–47, with wins over major teams such as Penn, coached by John Heisman, Pittsburgh (twice), Fordham University, and Boston College. During the national championship season of 1921, no team came within three touchdowns of Lafayette except Pittsburgh, coached by Pop Warner. Late in the game, Lafayette used a triple pass and touchdown by 'Bots' Brunner near the Pitt goal line to gain a 6–0 lead. Pitt was inside the Lafayette ten with under two minutes to play, but an illegal substitution by Pitt cost the Panthers dearly and Lafayette held on for the win. Six games into the 1922 season, Lafayette was poised to claim another national championship. The Maroon defeated Pittsburgh at
Forbes Field Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to June 28, 1970. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball (MLB) team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers ...
, the only loss of the season for a 10–1 team that claimed a 'post-season' victory at Stanford. Facing the 1922 Rose Bowl participant Washington & Jefferson before 38,000 at the Polo Grounds in New York City, Lafayette took a commanding 13–0 halftime lead. However, a dramatic and miraculous comeback by the Presidents resulted in a 14–13 Maroon defeat, one of the most bitter in Lafayette football history. Sutherland coached the Maroon until 1923, when he returned to his alma mater, Pittsburgh, for the 1924 season. New coach
Herb McCracken George Herbert McCracken (June 20, 1899 – March 11, 1995) was an American football player and coach. McCracken played football as a running back at the University of Pittsburgh from 1918 to 1920 under coach Glenn Scobey Warner, "Pop" Warner and ...
, also a recent player under
Pop Warner Glenn Scobey Warner (April 5, 1871 – September 7, 1954), most commonly known as Pop Warner, was an American college football coach at various institutions who is responsible for several key aspects of the modern game. Included among his inn ...
, quickly proved himself by defeating Sutherland at Pittsburgh 10–0 in the second game of the season. McCracken won his first five games before falling to
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
6–3. Before the game, McCracken discovered that Penn had decoded Lafayette's play-calling signals. McCracken responded with a new and innovative solution: the
huddle In sport, a huddle is the action of a team gathering together, usually in a tight circle, to strategize, motivate or celebrate. It is a popular strategy for keeping opponents insulated from sensitive information, and acts as a form of insulation ...
. Although McCracken is often credited as the inventor of the huddle, there are earlier, though some less substantiated claims of other schools implementing the huddle only a few years earlier. At the start of the 1926 season, Lafayette inaugurated its new, unfinished 18,000-seat stadium with a 35–0 win over Muhlenberg. The Maroon continued to win by dominate scores en route to their third national championship on the back of All-American halfback Mike "George" Wilson, who led the nation in scoring with 120 points and 20 touchdowns, a national record at the time. The Maroon also led the East in scoring, with 328 points, and only surrendered 37 points in nine games. Halfback and team captain Frank Kirkleski, who later starred for the NFL's
Pottsville Maroons The Pottsville Maroons were an American football team based in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in the northeastern part of the state. Founded in 1920, they played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1925 to 1928. In 1929 they relocated to Bosto ...
, also received All-American praise played in the
East-West Shrine Game East West (or East and West) may refer to: *East–West dichotomy, the contrast between Eastern and Western society or culture Arts and entertainment Books, journals and magazines *''East, West'', an anthology of short stories written by Salma ...
in San Francisco. Lafayette continued to dominate opponents in the late 1920s, but would win only a few games against major teams, such as Penn State. In 1929, Lafayette joined with Lehigh and Rutgers to form the
Middle Three Conference The Middle Three Conference was an intercollegiate athletic scheduling alliance from 1929 to 1969. It had three members throughout its 41-year existence: Lafayette College and Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, and Rutgers University in New Jerse ...
, which consisted of round-robin games between the two teams. The schools split the first year of the series at 1–1–0 each. Lafayette won their first Middle Three title the following season.


The 1930s

Lafayette made college football history on October 25, 1930, when the Leopards and Washington & Jefferson played the first night indoor college football game in history at the Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall before 25,000. The Presidents won 7–0 on an easy touchdown within the two-yard line with the help of a play that is illegal today—a recovered "fumble" by pushing a Lafayette defender into the kicker and the ball. In their final game of the season, Lafayette defeated Lehigh 16–6 before 20,000 at Fisher Field, the largest crowd to witness " The Rivalry" at the time. After a 7–2 season in 1931, Lafayette's record began to decline. Coach
Herb McCracken George Herbert McCracken (June 20, 1899 – March 11, 1995) was an American football player and coach. McCracken played football as a running back at the University of Pittsburgh from 1918 to 1920 under coach Glenn Scobey Warner, "Pop" Warner and ...
had only won less than five games once since his first season in 1924, but did not win more than three games through his final season at Lafayette in 1935. Although he was only 36 at the time, McCracken retired from coaching to help friend Maurice Robinson start-up Scholastic Publications and write a popular magazine, Scholastic Coach. To return the Leopards to the spotlight, Lafayette called on
Ernie Nevers Ernest Alonzo Nevers (June 11, 1902 – May 3, 1976), sometimes known by the nickname "Big Dog", was an American football and baseball player and football coach. Widely regarded as one of the best football players in the first half of the 20th ...
, an assistant coach at Stanford University who helped lead the Indians to three straight Rose Bowl games. Nevers, along with
Jim Thorpe James Francis Thorpe ( Sac and Fox (Sauk): ''Wa-Tho-Huk'', translated as "Bright Path"; May 22 or 28, 1887March 28, 1953) was an American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe was the first Nativ ...
, was considered one of the two best college football players ever and had a legendary career in the early NFL. Hope was high on College Hill as the 1935 freshman team went undefeated against the leading freshmen teams of the East, including Princeton. However, with a young team plagued by injuries, the Leopards went 1–8, their worst record since their first season of football in 1882, and were blown out in their last five games. Despite stating he would stay for the 1937 season, Nevers resigned to become an assistant coach at the
University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 col ...
. Absent a coach for the second straight season, Lafayette turned to Edward "Hook" Mylin, the inaugural
Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935, making it, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl, the second-oldest bowl game ...
winning head coach of
Bucknell University Bucknell University is a private liberal arts college in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1846 as the University at Lewisburg, it now consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, Freeman College of Management, and the College of Engineering ...
. In one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football at the time, the 1–8 Leopards of 1936 went 8–0 in 1937. Furthermore, the Leopards posted seven shutouts, outscored opponents 130–6, and featured an unscored upon defense, including a 13–0 win over heavily favored
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
at Yankee Stadium. The key win featured a key 79-yard punt by quarterback Tommy Kearns and a 50-yard and 30-yard touchdown pass. Media sources such as "The Lafayette" student newspaper began referring to the 1937 team as the "Mylin Miracle Men" since the victory left Lafayette as the only undefeated, untied, and unscored upon team in the East. Two games later, Lafayette surrendered their only touchdown of the season against Rutgers. Early in the game, Rutgers defender Bill Tranavitch, who was the leading scorer in the nation at the time, returned an 87-yard interception for a touchdown. The victory elicited the first football parade in downtown Easton in 12 years as boisterous students clogged trolley and car traffic. Lafayette concluded their perfect season with a 6–0 win over Lehigh, their first victory over the Engineers since 1933. There was speculation that Lafayette would receive an
Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935, making it, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl, the second-oldest bowl game ...
bid for the January 1, 1938 game. Sources at New York newspapers told the student newspaper that Lafayette was at the top of the list of the Bowl Committee as 'feelers' were sent to inquire about schools' interest. Associated Press news releases at the end of the season also listed Lafayette at the top of a list that included Colorado, Fordham, Holy Cross, Villanova, Detroit, and Nebraska. However, the administration did not want to interfere with academic activity and a trustee doubted permission would be granted to play in Miami. Michigan State University was ultimately selected from the East. Mylin continued with a strong team in 1938, posting a 5–3 record and a 7–0 win at Penn State. Lafayette defeated Lehigh in 1938 and again in 1939. Following the 1939 season, Leopard captain John Quigg was invited to play in the Eastern Collegiate All-Star Game against the New York Giants, but the invitation arrived after the game was played.


The 1940s

Mylin led Lafayette to its second undefeated season in four years with the help of a physical team and the triumvirate of Walt Zirinsky, Sammy Moyer, and James Farrell. With a narrow 9–7 win over
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
in their second game and missing several injured players, Lafayette carried a 4–0 record into their meeting with
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 ...
at
West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...
. The team was suddenly awakened at 4 a.m. as the Cadets, cavalrymen, and horses paraded in front of the team hotel in an attempt to rattle the Leopards. It was also an important date at West Point since a visiting delegation of South American generals would be reviewing the cadets before the game. Army advanced deep into Lafayette territory early in the first quarter, but a missed field goal and key stops kept the Leopards in the game. Zirinsky scored in the third for a 6–0 lead, a spread formation newly unveiled by Mylin helped Lafayette to a 12–0 lead. A 70-yard interception return by Zirinsky in the final minute sealed Lafayette's 19–0 win. Despite injuries and facing many Army substitutes, Lafayette outgained Army 184–104. The following week, Army fell to Notre Dame 7–0 on a returned interception, leading many writers to compare Lafayette to Notre Dame. As of 2011, the 1940 victory over Army is Lafayette's only victory in 20 meetings. Two weeks later, Lafayette edged
Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...
by an extra point 7–6 in New Brunswick before 20,000. At 8–0, Lafayette demolished Lehigh 46–0. Zirinsky scored three touchdowns as Lafayette gained 585 total yards, a record at the time in "The Rivalry." Lafayette finished 1940 with 238 points, third in the nation behind Boston College and leader Tennessee. Lafayette was once again considered for the
Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935, making it, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl, the second-oldest bowl game ...
as 'feelers' from the Committee approached Lafayette. Despite being in the final three from the East, the Committee selected
Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...
. Ironically, the Administration elected to participate in the Bowl, with President Lewis going as far as throwing out an orange to open a post-season student pep rally. The Sun Bowl expressed interest in Lafayette, but the Administration declined. Farrell and Moyer received AP All-American honorable mention status as Lafayette achieved its only Associated Press Poll ranking: 19. The following year, Zirinsky scored two touchdowns to finish his career with 55 points against Lehigh, the most of any player in "The Rivalry." Coupled with the 1939 game, Zirinsky outscored the entire Lehigh team 55–20 during the three-year span. Drafted by the
Cleveland Rams The Cleveland Rams were a professional American football team that played in Cleveland from 1936 to 1945. The Rams competed in the second American Football League (AFL) for the 1936 season and the National Football League (NFL) from 1937 to 19 ...
in 1942, Zirinsky played in only the 1945 season. World War II soon impacted the Leopard football as many players and coaches became enlisted men, including Mylin. Lafayette went 3–5–1 in 1942, including a 19–13 win over the
University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...
at Fisher Field and coming up one-yard short against Lehigh in the final seconds of a 7–7 tie. In 1943 and 1944, Lafayette continued to play football as other colleges suspended their programs such as nearby
Moravian College Moravian University is a private university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The institution traces its founding to 1742 by Moravians, descendants of followers of the Bohemian Reformation under John Amos Comenius. Founded in 1742, Moravian University ...
, the former team of new Leopard coach Ben Wolfson. Unlike Harvard and Yale, Lafayette and Lehigh continued their rivalry, playing each other twice, as well as Rutgers twice and one game against nearby Willow Grove Naval Air Station. Only 5,000 attended the game in Easton, and 3,500 in Taylor Stadium, both Lafayette routs and devoid of bands or cheerleaders. In 1944, Lafayette expanded their schedule to include 'local' trips to Syracuse University and NYU, as well as two games against Rutgers and Lehigh. Only 300 fans attended the first game against Lehigh in a rainstorm. Lafayette romped in the finale 64–0, their largest margin of victory in the series, to finish 6–1. Between 1945 and 1946, Lafayette won three games, including two shutouts over Lehigh. Mylin returned for the 1946 season, his last, and finished his Lafayette career with a 6–0–1 mark against Lehigh. Ivan Williamson replaced Mylin in 1947 and went 6–3 in his first season, including a 14–7 win over Syracuse and the fifth straight shutout of Lehigh.


"The Greatest Game They Never Played"—the 1949 Sun Bowl incident

Following a 7–2 mark in 1948 and a 23–13 win against Lehigh before 21,000 at Fisher Field, Lafayette received an invitation to play
UTEP The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is a public research university in El Paso, Texas. It is a member of the University of Texas System. UTEP is the second-largest university in the United States to have a majority Mexican American stu ...
(Texas College of Mines) in the 1949 Sun Bowl. Lafayette accepted the bid contingent upon being able to bring David Showell, an African-American halfback and former Tuskegee Airman. Texas law at the time prohibited African-Americans from playing on the same field as Caucasian players in a state-supported stadium. Showell's team members also did not want to accept the bid unless Showell could accompany the team to El Paso. The Chairman of the Sun Bowl, C.D. Belding, rejected the provision and Lafayette declined the bid. The Athletic Department did not issue a reason for the rejection, prompting a protest of 1,500 students and a bonfire. The students marched on the President's house, demanding an explanation. President Ralph Cooper Hutchison explained the situation and along with student leaders, phoned the Bowl Committee chairman to reconsider. Upon a prompt rejection by Belding, the student protest marched downtown and received an audience at the local radio station. The station and the students sent a telegram to President Truman condemning racial intolerance and segregation with a terse, "Denied Sun Bowl bid with Negro on team. Is that Democracy?" The protest and received national media attention in the New York Times and AP wires. The incident was also basis of a popular song, "The Greatest Game they Never Played." The situation was also significant in that it drew attention to segregation and discrimination against African-American players in bowl games and college football.


The 30-year 'Slump' (1949–1980)

After a string of successful decades, Lafayette football receded from the national stage and was defined more by its Middle Three Conference duels with
Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU) is a private research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer and was originally affiliated with the Epi ...
and
Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...
. Lafayette gradually de-emphasized football with the inauguration of alumnus Ralph Cooper Hutchinson as president of the college. At
Washington & Jefferson College Washington & Jefferson College (W&J College or W&J) is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania. The college traces its origin to three log cabin colleges in Washington County established by three Presbyterian missionaries t ...
, where he had been president from 1931 to 1945, Hutchinson had presided over the de-emphasis of the
Presidents President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
national profile in light of improper payments to players. Additionally, with the rise of state universities through the influx of returning servicemen and state funding, Lafayette and other small private schools were at a competitive disadvantage in financial support and recruiting. During this era, Lafayette defeated Lehigh only eight times out of 31 games and Rutgers only three times through the cessation of the rivalry in 1975. Following the departure of Ivan Williamson to the
University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...
, Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith, who lost only two games as the coach of Villanova, only won four games between 1949 and 1951. However, he led the 1–6 Leopards to a 21–12 win over a 6–2 Lehigh team in 1949. Lafayette was losing 12–0 at halftime before a ferocious comeback gave the Leopards their seventh straight win over Lehigh and as of 2011, is the largest upset (record-wise) by the Leopards in the series to date. Lehigh rebounded the next year for their first win since 1936 and go undefeated for the first time in their history.
Steve Hokuf Stephen Melvin Hokuf (September 26, 1910 – July 1, 2000) was an American football player and coach. He played college football at the University of Nebraska and professionally in the National Football League (NFL) as a quarterback and fullbac ...
took over as head coach in 1952 and led the Leopards to their first winless season since the program's first year in 1882. However, Lafayette rebounded and won three straight games against Lehigh through 1955, their last three-game winning streak until 2004–2006. The 1955 season was also one of the best of the era as the 6–2 Leopards scored two upset wins. Traveling to
Dartmouth College Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native ...
as a 13-point underdog, Lafayette scored a 21–13 win for their first win over an
Ivy League The Ivy League is an American collegiate athletic conference comprising eight private research universities in the Northeastern United States. The term ''Ivy League'' is typically used beyond the sports context to refer to the eight school ...
team since a 1923 win over Penn. Several weeks later, Lafayette defeated Rutgers 16–7 and Lehigh in the last week of the season to capture their last outright Middle Three Conference championship. Lafayette won six games in 1956 and would not win as many games until going 7–2 in 1968. Lafayette and Lehigh made college football history in 1964. Both schools met in Easton for the 100th edition of "The Rivalry" before a sold-out crowd and national media attention. Ironically, it was one of the worst-ever match-ups of the Rivalry as Lafayette was winless and Lehigh had one win. The game fared no better as the schools played to a 6–6 tie, and both schools missed an extra point. Lafayette soon hired
Harry Gamble Harry T. Gamble (December 26, 1930 – January 28, 2014) was an American football coach and executive. He was the head coach at the Lafayette College and University of Pennsylvania and general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles. Early life and ...
, who would achieve later prominence as a coach at Penn and president of the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
. Gamble was the only coach between Edward "Hook" Mylin and Bill Russo to have a winning record as coach of the Leopards. In his second season in 1968, Gamble led Lafayette to their best record since 1948 with a 7–3 mark. The team had a three and four-game winning streak and was ranked first in the Lambert Cup poll as the best team in the east, but was upset at home by a two-win Lehigh team, 21–16. Wide receiver Mike Miller was named to the honorable mention 'Little' All-American team, the first time since 1940 any Lafayette player was mentioned on an All-American list. Gamble also went 2–2 against Lehigh, the best record of any coach from the era. The end of the Gamble era in the early 1970s saw the emergence of running back Tony Giglio, who would become one of the most prolific rushers in Lafayette history. Giglio amassed 2,519 yards and 22 touchdowns in only three seasons, including a 238-yard outburst in a 19-point loss at Colgate. Giglio was named third-team All-America by the Associated Press in 1973, the first Leopard team placement since legendary rusher Mike "George" Wilson in 1926. Lafayette continued to struggle on the field, never winning more than five games until 1981. In 1971, the Leopards scored an upset win over Penn in Gamble's first season as the Quakers' coach. The 17–15 at Franklin Field was the first Lafayette win over Penn since 1923. The season also featured the Leopards last-ever win (as of 2011) over Rutgers. Despite mediocre records of three and five win seasons, the Lafayette student newspaper editorialized in 1975 that the program was in a 25-year demise between 1949 and 1975 and was being dominated by teams which the paper considered football 'powers.' Between 1960 and 1974, Lafayette went 10–56–1 against Bucknell, Colgate, Delaware, Lehigh, Penn, and Rutgers. Citing poor morale on campus and the administration's unwillingness to commit to improving the program and attributing losing to a 'temporary down cycle', the paper editorialized, "Let's get rid of Colgate and yes, even Lehigh. Both schools have moved onto higher football plateaus... the Engineers are actively seeking greater things for their program, while Lafayette only seems to be striving for mediocrity." The rivalry with Rutgers ended that season as the Leopards were blown out in their last three meetings. Lafayette managed a 21–17 upset of Lehigh in 1976, but finished no better than .500 or defeated Lehigh through the remainder of Neil Putman's tenure in 1980.


Resurgence and Rebirth under Russo (1981–1996)

With the hiring of Bill Russo, Lafayette football completed an unheralded rebirth and ushered in an era of explosive offensive. Through Russo's first 16 seasons, the Leopards finished below .500 only three times. In the preceding 30 years, the Leopards only had ten winning seasons and won more than six games five times. Russo quickly asserted his new style by winning the first five games of the season, a first since 1956, and entered the season finale against Lehigh with an identical 8–2 record. Despite being huge underdogs against the Lambert Cup leading Engineers, the Leopards relied upon their defense to spring a 10–3 upset at Taylor Stadium. Even though Lafayette finished with one more win than Lehigh and played a near identical schedule, Lafayette was denied a bid to the Division I-AA playoffs and finished fourth in the Lambert Cup poll. As of 2012, the 1981 game, along with 2004, is the highest combined win total for each school entering the season finale. Success continued under Russo as the Leopards defeated Lehigh for a second straight year and won seven games. The era also saw the inaugural season of the Colonial League in 1986, which later became known as the Patriot League. After beating Lehigh in 1984 and 1986, the Leopards finally won their first Colonial League championship in 1988 with an 8–2–1 mark. In the second game of 1988, Lafayette scored a monumental 28–20 upset over Holy Cross. The previous season, Holy Cross finished 11–0 and No. 1 in the final 1987 NCAA Division I-AA poll and its best player
Gordie Lockbaum Gordon Carl "Gordie" Lockbaum (born November 16, 1965) is an American former college football player, who was a standout "two-way" (both offensive and defensive) player in NCAA Division I-AA. College career Lockbaum was raised in Glassboro, New ...
, finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. With another win in 1992, Lafayette was the only Patriot League team to defeat Holy Cross between its dominant run against Eastern football between 1986 and 1993. The 1988 season was one of the best in Lafayette history and witnessed the emergence of its best quarterback ever, Frank Baur. Baur smashed and rewrote nearly every Lafayette offensive and passing record with a cannon arm. In the 1988 season, he led the nation in passing efficiency at 64% and led the Leopards to finish as the second-ranked offense. He finished his career with 8,399 yards and 62 touchdowns, which stood until 2003. Baur also achieved fame by being the only Lafayette and Patriot League athlete, as well as one of only a few non-BCS collegiate athletes, to appear on the cover of
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twi ...
. He appeared on the cover of the September 4, 1989 college football preview and was projected to be one of the first three quarterbacks taken in the 1990 NFL Draft, along with
Troy Aikman Troy Kenneth Aikman (born November 21, 1966) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. After transferring from Oklahoma, he played college football at UCLA, ...
and Steve Walsh. After being selected the
Hula Bowl The Hula Bowl is a post-season college football all-star game held annually, usually in January. From inception through the 2021 playing, it was held in Hawaii; since the 2022 edition, it has been played in Orlando, Florida. The game was first st ...
following his senior season, Baur was drafted but later cut by the New York Giants. The 1988 team also featured Lafayette's record-breaking running back and wide receiver up to that time. As a freshman, Tom Costello ran for 1132 yards and later grabbed the record from Giglio with 1,397 yards in 1989. Phillip Ng served as Baur's primary target and raked in 13 touchdowns and 1,048 yards. His touchdown mark still stands as the most in Leopards history and was the first Leopard to catch over 1,000 yards in a season. With the Colonial League championship up for grabs, the 1988 Lafayette–Lehigh meeting surpassed all hype. Lafayette rolled to a 52–45 win in an explosive game, where both teams passed for over 300 yards by halftime and broke many Rivalry records that still stand today. Russo was also acknowledged following the 1988 season by winning the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award, which is presented to the best coach in Division I-AA. Lafayette won the Patriot League championship for the second time in 1992 and was the only school aside from Holy Cross to win the league championship at the time. At 8–3, Lafayette finished the season on a six-game winning streak and lost two games each by three points. During the season, Erik Marsh burst onto the scene and became the most prolific rusher in Lafayette football history. He rushed for 1,365 yards as a sophomore to set the record, only to break his own mark with 1,441 the next season. The record still stands today and is one of the highest single season totals in Patriot League history. During the 1992 season, Tom Kirchoff also established records as one of the most efficient quarterbacks in Lafayette history. Ranking only second to Baur at the time, Kirchoff threw for 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions, the best spread ever in a single season. His 26 touchdowns stood as a Lafayette record until 2009. Despite the loss of Kirchoff to graduation, Lafayette's offense continued to excel with Marsh through 1994. The running back essentially had a player's average career season against Lehigh alone, rushing for over 800 yards in four games against the Engineers, including 251 yards in 1992 and 249 yards in 1993. The 1994 season was arguably one of the most bizarre yet triumphant season's in Lafayette football history despite finishing with a 5–6 record. After losing their first six games of the season, including five losses by more than two touchdowns, the Leopards went on to win their last five games of the season to capture their third Patriot League championship. In their five wins, Lafayette allowed only more than two touchdowns once, with the only exception being a 56–20 drubbing of Lehigh.


The "Study" Years (1997–1999)

Despite decades of rich tradition, Lafayette nearly dropped its football program from Division I to Division III or outright canceled the program. As early as 1996, athletics director Eve Atkinson made proposals to de-emphasize portions of the department. Poor overall performance, interdepartmental budget conflicts, and issues with coach-recommended athletes competing in the admissions pool were factors cited for all athletics programs as a reason for downgrading to Division III. Several faculty argued that football should be eliminated to achieve budget savings and that the sport should not be a focus of the student body. The trustees ultimately voted to remain Division I and continue football. Considerable damage was done to the program during the period. Prospective recruits would not consider Lafayette based upon rumor of a downgrade or elimination of football, and current players transferred. Russo's teams, which had only four losing seasons in his first 15 years and did not win less than four games once, went a combined 10–23 in the next three seasons. Miraculously, Russo's teams contested Lehigh closely during the era, including a two-point loss to an undefeated Lehigh squad in his final game in 1999.


Frank Tavani era (2000–2016)

Frank Tavani Frank Tavani (born July 31, 1953) is a former American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Lafayette College from 2000 until his retirement in 2016, compiling a record of 84–107. Head coaching record R ...
was named head coach following the retirement of Russo in December 1999. Tavani had been a coach on Russo's staff since 1986 and was most recently the associate head coach. Challenges confronted the program at every angle: the recent study to disband or de-emphasize the program had left Lafayette in a disadvantaged position on the recruiting trail. Also, the success of Lehigh reaching double-digit wins and playoff berths each season since 1998, coupled with aged facilities, placed Lafayette in the shadow of its regional rival. However, Tavani's vision helped revitalize the program within five seasons and led to three consecutive championships and playoff appearances, nine winning seasons, national rankings, and a string of four consecutive victories over Lehigh. The tide began to turn with the arrival of quarterback Marko Glavic in Tavani's first season. The Canadian native was initially recruited to
Bowling Green University Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is a public research university in Bowling Green, Ohio. The main academic and residential campus is south of Toledo, Ohio. The university has nationally recognized programs and research facilities in the ...
, but offensive coordinator
Mike Faragalli Michael Faragalli (born 1958) is a football coach at Ave Maria University, coaching tight ends, as well as being the offensive coordinator. He is the former running backs coach at the University of Virginia, and was the offensive coordinator and q ...
's move to Lafayette prompted Bowling Green to rescind Glavic's scholarship offer. Glavic, who won the Patriot League rookie of the year by throwing for 1,964 yards and 12 touchdowns, surpassed many of Baur's records and finished as Lafayette's all-time leading quarterback with 9,819 yards and tied Baur with 62 touchdowns. Glavic was the all-time Patriot League passing leader until Dominic Randolph of Holy Cross surpassed the mark in 2008. Lafayette continued to score recruiting gains with the arrival of running back Joe McCourt, the 2000
Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Penns ...
player of the year. Several key linemen were also recruited in 2001, and success continued in 2002 with many key defensive players that built Lafayette's title run, such as All-American linebacker Maurice Bennett and future NFL player
Blake Costanzo Blake Costanzo (born April 14, 1984) is a former American football linebacker. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Lafayette. Costanzo has also played for the Buffalo Bills, Cle ...
. Lafayette won two games each in Tavani's first two seasons, but the Leopards surpassed all expectations in 2002 by going 7–5, tying for second place, and upsetting Lehigh 14–7. The Mountain Hawks entered the season ranked as the nation's number one team and had beaten Lafayette for seven straight seasons. With the score tied 7–7 in the fourth quarter, the Leopards engineered "The Drive," a 19-play, nine-minute drive that resulted in Joe McCourt's winning touchdown dive. However, "The Drive's" biggest play occurred on a fake field goal attempt. Lafayette was set to kick a 58-yard field goal, but holder Mike O'Connor changed the play and scurried eight yards for a first down to keep the march alive. Expectations were high in 2003, but Lafayette went 5–6. However, Glavic and McCourt contributed record-breaking efforts. Glavic threw for a record 2,725 yards, while McCourt ran for 1,393 yards, the third most behind Marsh and Costello, and 15 touchdowns, the most since Nick Kowigos in 1982. Despite losing Glavic to graduation, many key players returned to the Leopards in 2004 and led Lafayette to its first-ever postseason appearance and first Patriot League Championship since 1994. The Leopards signaled their championship form with an upset 21–16 win over scholarship
University of Richmond The University of Richmond (UR or U of R) is a private liberal arts college in Richmond, Virginia. It is a primarily undergraduate, residential institution with approximately 4,350 undergraduate and graduate students in five schools: the School ...
and a game saving tackle inside the one-yard line in a 14–13 win at Bucknell. Quarterback Brad Maurer emerged as a dual run-and-pass threat for the Leopards by throwing and rushing for over 100 yards at Fordham, Tavani's first win over the Rams. Lafayette entered their game as underdogs to Lehigh, ranked number eight in the polls, but the dual-threat ability of Maurer, McCourt's 23 carries, and a punishing defensive effort, propelled the Leopards to a 24–10 win. The Leopards fell the following week to the
University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially UD or Delaware) is a public land-grant research university located in Newark, Delaware. UD is the largest university in Delaware. It offers three associate's programs, 148 bachelor's programs, 121 ma ...
when a game-tying touchdown drive was intercepted and returned for a score, but ended the season ranked 19 in two polls. It was Lafayette's first ranking since the 1997 preseason. McCourt finished the season with 16 touchdowns, tying Tom Costello in 1989 as second most behind Mike "George" Wilson's 20 scores in 1926. McCourt also finished his career second to Marsh with 4,474 yards and the 50 touchdowns, the most at Lafayette. He also finished with the fifth most career receptions ever, 139, and ranks 11th in career receiving yards. Success continued into 2005 as Maurer and a stingy defense led the Leopards to a second consecutive Patriot League Championship season, playoff berth, and 8–4 record. The Leopards entered their final game of the season at 12th ranked Lehigh needing a win to tie for the Patriot League championship and keep their slim playoff hopes alive. On the first drive, Maurer was injured and replaced by back-up quarterback Pat Davis. Though up 10–3 at halftime, Lafayette was down 19–17 in the fourth quarter. With 38 seconds remaining and Lafayette facing its potential last play, Davis chucked a 37-yard touchdown strike to running back Jonathan Hurt, who managed to sneak behind the last defender at the five for the reception and skipped into the end-zone for the winning 23–19 score. The play, known as "The Big Hurt," is one of the most famous plays in the storied "
Rivalry A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant ...
". Future NFL San Francisco 49er Blake Costanzo terrorized Lehigh with three sacks. Following the win, Lafayette was awarded an at-large berth into the NCAA playoffs, assisted by its 7–0 win over Richmond, a top 15 team, earlier in the season. Though Lafayette fell to Appalachian State, the eventual national champions, after being tied 20–20 entering the fourth quarter, the Leopards ended the season ranked in the top 25. Lafayette earned its third consecutive trip to the NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs by clinching its third straight Patriot League Championship in 2006. The championship run was second to only 1994 in terms of improbability. After being ranked as high as 22 in week two, Lafayette lost its next five games. At 2–5, the Leopards earned a momentum-changing win at Colgate, Tavani's first over. Lafayette won its next three games, including what is known as the "Shock and Awe" game over Lehigh. Lafayette scored 28 points in eight minutes during the first half and led 28–21 at halftime. Lehigh cut the score to 28–27, but Lafayette scored 21 unanswered points in compiling 500 yards of offense. Maurer and Hurt were named game co-MVPs, one of only two occasions that the award was shared. The game was also characterized by many vicious Lafayette hits. The 2006 season also witnessed the reopening of
Fisher Field Fisher Stadium is a 13,132-seat multi-purpose stadium in Easton, Pennsylvania. The stadium is home to the Lafayette College Leopards football team. It opened in 1926 as Fisher Field. During 2006 and 2007, Fisher Field underwent a $33-million r ...
. During the off-season, the 80-year-old stadium underwent extensive renovations that included new bleachers, press box, scoreboard, FieldTurf, and a football varsity house complex, among many other additions. Winning seasons continued through 2009. Lafayette defeated Lehigh for the fourth straight year in 2007, the first such string of Leopard victories since the 1943–1949 seasons. In 2008, Lafayette knocked off 14th-ranked
Liberty University Liberty University (LU) is a private Baptist university in Lynchburg, Virginia. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia ( Southern Baptist Convention). Founded in 1971 by Jerry Falwell Sr. and Elmer L. Towns, Lib ...
on their home field to end the nation's longest active home winning streak. Led by quarterback Rob Curley, the Leopards had a record-breaking campaign in 2009. After starting 1–1, Lafayette won seven straight games, their longest in-season winning streak since the 9–0 1940 squad. The Leopards were also ranked 20th, the sixth straight season that they were in the top 25. Curley also had a record campaign by being the only Lafayette quarterback to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season and finished with a Lafayette record 28 touchdowns. He also threw for a record seven touchdowns in a wild 56–49 win over nationally ranked Colgate. At 8–1, Lafayette lost their next two games and their chance at a league championship. A two-point loss to eventual champion Holy Cross under controversial circumstances and an overtime upset loss at Lehigh kept the Leopards from their fourth playoff berth and title of the Tavani era. The Leopards struggled in the 2010 and 2011 seasons as injuries, depth, and the loss of many key players had a tremendous impact on the team. On November 30, 2016,
Frank Tavani Frank Tavani (born July 31, 1953) is a former American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Lafayette College from 2000 until his retirement in 2016, compiling a record of 84–107. Head coaching record R ...
left Lafayette after 30 years on staff and 40 years of coaching college football.


John Garrett era (2016–present)

On December 21, 2016, former NFL assistant and college football assistant coach John Garrett (brother of
Jason Garrett Jason Calvin Garrett (born March 28, 1966) is a former American football player and coach and current broadcaster. He previously served as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys for the 2010s from 2010-2019. Garrett has also been offensive coordi ...
, then head coach of the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
) was named the new Lafayette head football coach.


Conference affiliations

Lafayette has been both an independent and affiliated with two conferences. * Independent (1882–1985) *
Colonial League The Colonial League is an athletic conference consisting of 14 high schools mostly from the Lehigh Valley portion of eastern Pennsylvania. It is part of PIAA District 11, District XI of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. The C ...
(1986–1989) * Patriot League (1990–present)


Head coaches

The following served as head coach at Lafayette.


Championships


National championships

Lafayette has been selected
national champions National champions are corporations which are technically private businesses but due to governmental policy are ceded a dominant position in a national economy. In this system, these large organizations are expected not only to seek profit but als ...
in three seasons (1896, 1921, 1926) by NCAA-designated major selectors. Lafayette claims all three national titles. ;1896 Lafayette's 1896 championship was one of the most surprising and dramatic in the history of college football, and included arguably the first college football 'upset.' Lafayette began their season by tying Princeton 0–0, the first tie in their series, and defeated the
University of West Virginia West Virginia University (WVU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Institute of Tech ...
three times in three days by a combined score of 56–0. At 4–0–1, Lafayette was set to meet
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
on October 24 at Franklin Field. Penn, coached by George Woodruff, was in the midst of a 34-game winning streak and was only guaranteeing Lafayette $150 for a game that would net $10,000. As an intense media war surrounded the game, Lafayette enrolled Fielding H. Yost, a tackle from West Virginia, whom Lafayette had defeated in the final game of their series on October 17. With Yost, College Football Hall of Famer Charles "Babe" Rinehart, and the inventor of the football helmet George 'Rose' Barclay on the field, Lafayette won 6–4. It was the first victory of a 'small school' over one of the Big Four (Harvard-Yale-Penn-Princeton). Penn would win its next 31 games. Lafayette closed its season with an 18–6 win over
Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
. Following the season, Lafayette was recognized as national champions along with Princeton (11–0–1) and was the first national champion outside of the H-Y-P-P rotation. However, absent from their 1896 schedule was Lehigh, who protested the eligibility and amateur status of George Barclay who had played professional baseball at Chambersburg the previous summer. ;1921 In their final game, Lafayette defeated
Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU) is a private research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer and was originally affiliated with the Epi ...
28–6, prompting major papers such as the '' New York Herald'' to proclaim Lafayette to possess a share of the mythical title. Lafayette was mentioned in the press along with the
University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 col ...
(7–0), which upset Knute Rockne and Notre Dame (10–1) to end a 20-game winning streak. Officially, the NCAA record book recognizes the
University of California The University of California (UC) is a public land-grant research university system in the U.S. state of California. The system is composed of the campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Franci ...
(9–0–1),
Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...
(8–0), Lafayette, Iowa, and Washington & Jefferson (10–0–1) as champions, with only California, Cornell, and Lafayette claiming the title. According to Sutherland, Lafayette was approached by promoters to play a postseason game against a team from the west or southwest. Ultimately, Washington & Jefferson accepted an invitation to play California in the 1922 Rose Bowl. Lafayette and the Presidents had three common opponents in 1921: Pittsburgh,
Bucknell University Bucknell University is a private liberal arts college in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1846 as the University at Lewisburg, it now consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, Freeman College of Management, and the College of Engineering ...
, and Lehigh. And both Lafayette and the Presidents won by nearly identical scores: Pittsburgh 6–0 vs. 7–0, Bucknell University 20–7 vs. 26–0, Lehigh 28–6 vs. 14–7. However, the policy of the athletic committee prohibited Lafayette from playing postseason games. Sutherland was also hesitant to play any postseason games as well, citing the 1921 team had the same players as the 'mediocre' 1920 team. ;1926 The Maroon entered 1926 having narrowly missed winning the 1925 national championship. The previous year, Lafayette defeated the
University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...
for the Panthers lone loss in a season where they would be crowned Eastern champions. However, Lafayette tied Colgate University 7–7 at Franklin Field and lost to Washington & Jefferson 7–6 at the Polo Grounds. The Leopards received a boost on opening day by inaugurating Lafayette Stadium. Their still unfinished stadium, which was soon to be known as
Fisher Field Fisher Stadium is a 13,132-seat multi-purpose stadium in Easton, Pennsylvania. The stadium is home to the Lafayette College Leopards football team. It opened in 1926 as Fisher Field. During 2006 and 2007, Fisher Field underwent a $33-million r ...
and modeled after
Harvard Stadium Harvard Stadium is a U-shaped college football stadium in the northeast United States, located in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. The stadium is owned and operated by Harvard University and is home to the Harvard Crimson footb ...
, saw the Leopards defeat
Muhlenberg College Muhlenberg College is a private liberal arts college in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1848, Muhlenberg College is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is named for Henry Muhlenberg, the German patriarch of Luthe ...
35–0. Lafayette and Pittsburgh played another classic at
Forbes Field Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to June 28, 1970. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball (MLB) team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers ...
, a 17–7 Maroon victory. Entering their sixth game at 5–0 and averaging 34 points per game, Lafayette met Washington & Jefferson and legendary coach
Andy Kerr Andrew Kerr (1878–1969) was an American football coach. Andrew or Andy Kerr may also refer to: * Andrew Kerr (Australian politician) (1837–1907), New South Wales politician *Andrew Kerr (broadcaster), Scottish television presenter and journalis ...
in what would soon become one of the greatest games in school history. Down 10–0 heading into halftime,
Herb McCracken George Herbert McCracken (June 20, 1899 – March 11, 1995) was an American football player and coach. McCracken played football as a running back at the University of Pittsburgh from 1918 to 1920 under coach Glenn Scobey Warner, "Pop" Warner and ...
benched the entire starting 11 and had a starters-only closed-door meeting at halftime. The strategy worked, as Lafayette scored on the sixth play of the second half. Late in the fourth, down 10–9 and at their own 12 on third down, a fake punt handoff kept the drive alive. After a long pass to the W&J 35, a reverse-lateral-forward pass put the Maroon on the four with seconds to play. Tuffy Guest punched in the winning score and sent the Presidents to their only loss in a 7–1–1 season. McCracken called the victory the most dramatic, spirited and determined of his career, while sportswriters dubbed the game among the top ten they had witnessed. Lafayette did not surrender a point the rest of the season and scored the fewest points in a 35–0 win over Lehigh. Following the season and the nation's leading scorer Mike "George" Wilson's exploits, Lafayette was crowned Eastern champion. The Associated Press also crowned Lafayette as the national five-year champion, ahead of Michigan, Notre Dame, and the selected Rose Bowl participant Alabama.


Conference championships

Lafayette has won seven conference championships.


Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs results

The Leopards have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs four times with an overall record of 0–4.


Stadium and facilities


Fisher Field

The Leopards have played their home games at Fisher Field at Fisher Stadium since the 1926 season. The Field's west end was the site of the Easton City Dump. Fisher Field was made possible through a substantial donation by Thomas Fisher, Class of 1888, who almost single-handed raised the $445,000 for the Field's construction. The Field used to be known solely as Fisher Field until the 2006 season, when it was upgraded with FieldTurf, jogging track, new visitor stands, new bleacher seats, chairback seats, a video replay board, landscaping, lighting, press box, convenience stands, and the Bourger Varsity House. It acquired the name 'Fisher Stadium' to reflect the generosity of James Fisher, Class of 1977 (no relation), who donated a significant sum for the $23 million renovation. Fisher Field at Fisher Stadium is subsequently recognized as having one of the best FCS facilities in the country. Previously, Fisher Field contained a six-lane running track and track-and-field competition areas adjacent to the playing surface. The field was natural grass and a simple scoreboard at the west end of the stadium, which is the current location of the Bourger Varsity House. Additionally, the bleachers on the home side of the field were natural wood and thought to have been the original seats dating to the 1920s. In the early 21st century, seating areas became dangerous as rotting wood seats and their loose screws were uncomfortable for spectators. The press box and coaches' boxes rested at the top of the grandstand and were constructed approximately in the 1950s, according to old photos. The visiting stands' dimension and capacity altered several times, with the last concrete grandstand being built in 1973 along with the construction of Allan P. Kirby Field House.


March Field

March Field served as the primary venue from 1894 through 1925. The first organized athletic structure built at Lafayette was a small grandstand in front of Martien Hall (located on dormitory row, near the site of the current Kirby House), seating roughly 250 spectators. The grandstand, built in 1890, was one of the first acts of the newly formed Alumni Advisory Committee. Though the grandstand was well received by the College at the time, the Alumni Advisory Committee wanted to establish a formal athletics grounds. The site for the athletics grounds, which would be known as March Field, was identified as early as 1890. "The ground lies on the historic Sullivan road, or as it is more commonly called, Lover's Lane, fronting 440 feet on that street, beginning 7 feet west of the reservoir, and extending southwest between parallel lines to the Bushkill Creek, and contains about 7 acres." Plans included a 440-yard circular track, 100-yard straight away track, baseball and football fields, grandstand, large bleachers, and carriage stand. The entrance would be at the reservoir, which was at the time a reserve reservoir of the Easton Water Company. Engineers in the sophomore class surveyed the grounds in 1890, but financing was difficult. Originally anticipated to cost $2,000, the rocky subsurface on the upper half of the field and required grading on the lower half increased the cost to $3,000. The Panic of 1893, along with funds solicited mainly from the Alumni Advisory Committee members and alumni meetings, slowed progress on the field. Professor Francis A. March Jr. enabled the field's completion in 1894 by writing an alumni fundraising letter and selling bonds on the field, with the new field's mortgage as collateral. The field opened on June 19, 1894 with an all-Lafayette track meet that featured Olympic events, baseball throw, and tennis matches. Before baseball and football games could be played, special soil had to be imported since the hard, clay soil was not suitable to grow grass. The first football game was hosted on October 3, with a 36–0 defeat of
Gettysburg College Gettysburg College is a private liberal arts college in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1832, the campus is adjacent to the Gettysburg Battlefield. Gettysburg College has about 2,600 students, with roughly equal numbers of men and women. ...
. Ultimately, the cost of the field was $12,000. The new field was soon unable to accommodate the athletics program. Since the football, baseball, and track configurations overlapped each other due to the angle of the field and the reservoir, the Athletic Association had to spend money on contractors to build and disassemble the bleachers for each season. The effort soon plunged the Alumni Advisory Committee into debt. However, the Committee devised a permanent solution: purchase the reservoir, enlarge the grounds, and build a field house. At commencement in 1904, the field house cornerstone was laid and work on the new field was completed towards the end of 1905 for a total cost of $9,000.


The Quad

The Quad is located in the center of Lafayette's campus and served as the venue of the first Lafayette–Lehigh in 1884 and other games through 1893. Baseball was also played on the Quad. Sources from the period indicate that games were played on the level ground between McKeen Hall and college buildings to the south (known today as the Quad). Since football was a new sport and organized by the undergraduates, games were played on the open field in the central area of campus. Small, but manageable crowds would attend the games, mostly consisting of students, alumni, and faculty. Spectators stood or sat alongside the unenclosed field, while undergrads watched the games from their dormitories that flanked the Quad. Around 1888 and 1889, crowds at Lafayette football games began to surge. Attempts were made to collect money for ticket revenues to offset the costs of athletic equipment, a trainer, and a training table. Policemen would be stationed at the entrances of the college to enforce the new ticket policies, however, it was not difficult to avoid paying the small fee. Young boys and many citizens of Easton would easily gain admittance, with only alumni wishing to support the new, informal athletic association paid for tickets. The need to raise revenue from ticket sales, as well as growing crowds, a few spectator incidents, and the persistent destruction of the Quad's grass, led to the formation of the Alumni Advisory Committee that soon raised funds for the new enclosed March Field.


Tradition


Nickname

The Lafayette Student Council voted on the nickname "Leopards" since many other rival schools, such as Princeton, Pittsburgh, and Bucknell, had animal nicknames. It is not clear why the nickname "Leopards" was selected, although it is reasonable to speculate that an 'L' nickname was ideal since other schools had animal nicknames that started with the school's first letter (Pittsburgh Panthers, Bucknell Bison). The leopard was also selected because its 'cunning and physical strength, combined with the fact that it is irresistible when aroused, seemed to be typical of a Lafayette team.' The Leopard mascot made its debut against Washington & Jefferson at
Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx, New York City. It is the home field of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, and New York City FC of Major League Soccer. Opened in April 2009, the stadium replaced the orig ...
on October 25, 1924, a 20–6 Leopard victory.


Rivalries


Lehigh

Lehigh is Lafayette's primary rival and is the most played rivalry in college football (155 games as of the 2019 season). The rivalry is also the longest running annual college football series in the United States, with the two schools meeting every year since 1897. Many publications, such as ESPN and Sports Illustrated, have dubbed the Lafayette–Lehigh rivalry as one of the most fierce and "must-see" events in college football. The schools played twice annually from 1884 until 1902, with three games in 1891, one at a neutral site in
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Wilkes-Barre ( or ) is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Luzerne County. Located at the center of the Wyoming Valley in Northeastern Pennsylvania, it had a population of 44,328 in the 2020 census. It is the s ...
. The schools also played two games annually during 1943 and 1944. The series started in 1884 with Lehigh's first collegiate football game, a 56–0 loss in Easton. Lafayette dominated the series from the mid-1890s until 1949, including a 14–1 stretch from 1919 to 1933 and a 14–0–1 stretch from 1937 to 1949. From 1950 until 1980, Lehigh controlled the series as Lafayette won only eight games. The series regained competitive balance between 1981 and 1994, with no team winning more than two consecutive games. However, Lafayette's possible downgrade evaluation study of football in the late 1990s, along with Lehigh's rise as a Division I-AA power, led to seven consecutive Lehigh victories between 1995 and 2001. Since in 2002 and through 2010, the series has regained its competitive balance. The 150th (and most recent) game was held on November 22, 2014, and was attended by 48,256 people (the most attended of any Lafayette–Lehigh rivalry game). Lafayette emerged victorious with a score of 27–7. Many festivities, traditions, and pranks have surrounded 'The Rivalry' since the beginning. In recent years, the Patriot League Championship and FCS playoff berth have added a new dimension to the Rivalry and are often decided upon the outcome of the game. The winner of the game is presented with the MVP trophy and the game ball. As of November 23, 2019, Lafayette leads 79–71–5.


Bucknell

Bucknell and Lafayette have met annually since 1945 have played 88 games (as of 2010) since the series began in 1883. Since the 1983 game, an outstanding player from each team is awarded the George McGaughey Memorial Award. McGaughey was a star center on the 1933 Bucknell Orange Bowl team and was an athletic administrator at Lafayette for 32 years.


Penn

Although Penn leads the all-time series 63–23–4, Lafayette has played Penn since the Leopards' first season in 1882. During the 1880s and 1890s, the two teams were a part of a fierce rivalry that often became boisterous and violent. Lafayette was awarded the 1896 national championship by ending Penn's 34-game winning streak in a 6–4 upset. Due to Lafayette's strong alumni base in Philadelphia, the large capacity of Franklin Field, and strong attendance at Penn football games, Lafayette has played a majority of its games against Penn at Franklin Field. From 1892 until 1973, which included only seven Lafayette victories, the two teams did not play a game on the Leopards' home field. The schools met for the 90th Game in 2013.


Defunct rivalries


Rutgers

Lafayette and
Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...
played annually between 1921 and 1975. Along with Lehigh, Lafayette battled Rutgers for the Little Brass Cannon and the Middle Three Conference Championship. Through 1945, Lafayette went 27–14–1 against Rutgers but won only three games in the next 30 years to finish 30–41–1. Lafayette's poor record and Rutgers increasing enrollment and dedication to major college football led to the end of the series. If not for the discontinuation of the rivalry in the 72nd meeting in 1975, the teams would be playing the 108th Game in 2011. As of 2011, there is a possibility that Rutgers and Lafayette will meet in a future season, contingent upon Lafayette instilling at least 57 football athletic scholarships or scholarship equivalencies. Lafayette football played the first game in its history against Rutgers in 1882 and earned the program's first victory against Rutgers in 1883.


Washington & Jefferson

During the 1920s, Lafayette and
Washington & Jefferson College Washington & Jefferson College (W&J College or W&J) is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania. The college traces its origin to three log cabin colleges in Washington County established by three Presbyterian missionaries t ...
battled for supremacy of the Eastern football. The two schools played many dramatic, close games before large crowds at neutral sites such as the Polo Grounds,
Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx, New York City. It is the home field of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, and New York City FC of Major League Soccer. Opened in April 2009, the stadium replaced the orig ...
, and
Franklin Field Franklin Field is a sports stadium in Philadelphia, United States, at the eastern edge of the University of Pennsylvania's campus. It is the home stadium for the Penn Relays, and the University of Pennsylvania's stadium for American football, foo ...
. Both schools have the distinction of playing the first night indoor football game in history at Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall in 1930, a 7–0 Presidents victory, as well as the first non-New York City college football teams to play a game in the Big Apple. Washington & Jefferson, due to its small size, gradually de-emphasized football in the face of the Depression and alleged impropriety in the program. The series ended in 1948, with a 12–9–2 Lafayette advantage.


Colors

Although Lafayette traditionally wears maroon and white, the team occasionally wears black jerseys and pants separately or together for important games. Lafayette first wore black jerseys for their 2004 'conference championship' game against Lehigh, where the winner would secure an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The Leopards mainly wear their black uniforms at home, though there have been rare instances of black pants being combined with white jerseys on the road, such as the 2007 game at Lehigh. The 'invincibility' of the black jerseys on white pants combination ended with Lehigh's upset of Lafayette during their 2008 meeting. The coaching staff makes a decision before the game on which jerseys to wear. The Leopards wore gray pants with their white jerseys for their 2011 game at Lehigh along with gray numbered and striped helmets. It was the first time gray was sported in a Lafayette uniform for many years.


Individual Honors

The Leopards have placed 13 players on the All-American team, two of which earned the distinction twice. Due to the division of college football between FBS (I-A) and FCS (I-AA), Lafayette's All-Americans are divided between different eras. Although Lafayette earned many All-America team selections from various publications, especially in the early half of the 20th century, the Leopards' major college football All-Americans are considered consensus selections by receiving the majority of votes at their respective position by the NCAA Football Records book. Its FCS era selections were named first-team All-Americans by a variety of recognized publications.


Major college football First-Team All-Americans

* Walter E. Bachman, C, 1900, 1901 * Frank "Dutch" Schwab, G, 1921, 1922


FCS First-Team All-Americans

* Rich Smith, TE, 1979 * Joe Skladany, LB, 1981 * Tony Green, DL, 1982 * Frank Baur, QB, 1988 * Edward Hudak, OL, 1992 * B. J. Gallis, DB, 1992 * Dan Bengele, LB, 1997 * Joe McCourt, RB, 2004 * Maurice Bennett, LB, 2005 * Mike Saint Germain, OL, 2006 * Jesse Padilla, OL, 2007


College Football Hall of Fame members


Players

*
Charlie Berry Charles Francis Berry (October 18, 1902 – September 6, 1972) was an American athlete and sports official who enjoyed careers as a catcher and umpire in Major League Baseball and as an end and official in the National Football League. His fath ...
, E, 1921–1924 * Charles "Babe" Rinehart, G, 1893–1897 * Frank "Dutch" Schwab, G, 1919–1923 * George "Mike" Wilson, HB, 1926–1928


Coaches

*
Herb McCracken George Herbert McCracken (June 20, 1899 – March 11, 1995) was an American football player and coach. McCracken played football as a running back at the University of Pittsburgh from 1918 to 1920 under coach Glenn Scobey Warner, "Pop" Warner and ...
, 1924–1935 * Edward "Hook" Mylin, 1937–1942, 1946 *
Jock Sutherland John Bain Sutherland (March 21, 1889 – April 11, 1948) was an American football player and coach. He coached college football at Lafayette College (1919–1923) and the University of Pittsburgh (1924–1938) and professional football for the ...
, 1919–1924


Retired numbers

Lafayette has retired only one jersey in its entire 130 season history, that of Fred Kirby of the class of 1942. In addition to being a standout player for the Leopards, Kirby was a dedicated alumnus who supported the program and was a recognized figure in the world of college football. In 2000, he received the Gold Medal Award from the
National Football Foundation The National Football Foundation (NFF) is a non-profit organization to promote and develop amateur American football on all levels throughout the United States and "developing the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive zeal and the dr ...
and was a member of the NFF from its founding in 1958 and was a board member until his death in 2011. His jersey was retired on October 1, 2011, during the intermission of a game against Harvard.


Conference Awards

Leopard players have won numerous awards since the founding of the Colonial League in 1986. * Offensive Player of the Year :1988 Frank Baur, QB, Jr :1989 Tom Costello, RB, So :1992 Erik Marsh, RB, So :1993 Erik Marsh, RB, Jr :2000 Phil Yarberough, WR, Sr :2004 Joe McCourt, RB, Sr :2006 Jonathan Hurt, RB, Sr * Defensive Player of the Year :1996 B.J. Gallis, SS, Sr :1997 Dan Bengele, LB, Sr :2007 Andy Romans, LB, Jr :2008 Andy Romans, LB, Sr :2019 Malik Hamm, DE, So * Player of the Year :1988 Frank Baur, QB :1992 Tom Kirchhoff, QB :1994 Erik Marsh, RB :''Discontinued in 2000'' * Rookie of the Year :1988 Tom Costello, RB :1990 Art Dennis, RB :1991 Erik Marsh, RB :1994 Shawn McHale, QB :1995 Leonard Moore, RB :1998 Kenya Allen, DB :2000 Marko Glavic, QB :2001 Joe McCourt, RB :2011 Ross Scheuerman, RB :2018 Malik Hamm, DE * Scholar-Athlete of the Year :1995 Jeff Denning, OL :2001 Stewart Kupfer, TE :2004 Stephen Bono, OL :2005 Maurice Bennett, LB :2006 Brad Maurer, QB :2013 Mark Ross, WR * Coach of the Year :1988 Bill Russo :1992 Bill Russo :1994 Bill Russo :2004 Frank Tavani


Major Awards

Several Leopards have also won major regional and national awards. *
Amos Alonzo Stagg Award :''There is a separate " Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching Award". The Amos Alonzo Stagg Award is presented annually by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) to the "individual, group or institution whose services have been outstanding in t ...
:1988
Herb McCracken George Herbert McCracken (June 20, 1899 – March 11, 1995) was an American football player and coach. McCracken played football as a running back at the University of Pittsburgh from 1918 to 1920 under coach Glenn Scobey Warner, "Pop" Warner and ...
*
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year The Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award is given annually to a college football coach by the Football Writers Association of America The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) is an organization of college football media members i ...
:1988 Bill Russo * ECAC Player of the Year :1988 Frank Baur, QB * ECAC Rookie of the Year :1988 Tom Costello, RB :2000 Marko Glavic, QB :2001 Joe McCourt, RB * CFPA National Freshman Performer of the Year :2013 Drew Reed, QB


Lafayette's NFL Players

Lafayette has sent several players to the NFL since the inception of the league in 1920. A majority of the Leopards who played in the NFL were members of the early league, when Lafayette was a major college football power and possessed some of the top talent in the country. Currently, Lafayette has no active players on an NFL roster.


Pottsville Maroons

During the 1920s, several Lafayette alumni played for the NFL's
Pottsville Maroons The Pottsville Maroons were an American football team based in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in the northeastern part of the state. Founded in 1920, they played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1925 to 1928. In 1929 they relocated to Bosto ...
. The Maroons are best known for their role in the well documented and infamous 1925 NFL Championship controversy. Four players on the famous 1925 squad played for Lafayette:
Charlie Berry Charles Francis Berry (October 18, 1902 – September 6, 1972) was an American athlete and sports official who enjoyed careers as a catcher and umpire in Major League Baseball and as an end and official in the National Football League. His fath ...
, Jack Ernst, Joe Mahrefka, and Bob Millman. Berry played the largest role on the team, leading the NFL in scoring with 74 points and kicked the game-winning field goal against the
University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic university, Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend, Indiana, South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin fo ...
All-Stars, the game which caused the NFL Championship controversy. Berry's field goal was arguably one of the most famous moments in the early NFL since college football was considered superior to the NFL and Notre Dame featured the famed
Four Horsemen The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are figures in the Christian scriptures, first appearing in the Book of Revelation, a piece of apocalypse literature written by John of Patmos. Revelation 6 tells of a book or scroll in God's right hand tha ...
. Lafayette standout Frank Kirkleski also played for Pottsville in 1927.


Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of November 22, 2019.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lafayette Leopards Football American football teams established in 1882 1882 establishments in Pennsylvania