Stanford Pop Warner

1924 stanford team: line coach claude e. thornhill, warner, assistant andrew kerr , team captain jim lawson.

football on pacific coast had been on rise since late 1910s. in 1922, warner signed contract stanford university in begin coaching in 1924 (after contract pitt expired). health concerns, significant pay raise , rising status of pacific coast football made warner make big change. years later, wrote:

i felt health better on pacific coast. weather conditions @ pittsburgh during football season rather disagreeable, , of late season work had done upon field ankle deep in mud. @ close of every season in poor physical condition, twice being rendered incapable of coaching while recuperated in hospital. doctors advised me climate of pacific coast better man of age , in work in engaged.

in 1924, warner began nine-year tenure @ stanford university. when began coaching, stanford 1 of 9 teams in pacific coast conference (pcc). warner inherited notable squad previous year, including ernie nevers (whom warner considered greatest player) , all-american ends ted shipkey , jim lawson.

a season highlight final game against stanford s arch-rival california @ california memorial stadium, last game of regular season. before game, both teams undefeated , stanford had not beaten california since 1905. nevers did not play due broken ankle. late in game, california leading 20–3; california coach andy smith, sure game over, began substituting regular players. warner seized opportunity combine passing trick plays known (a fake reverse , full spinner), , stanford made comeback. game ended in 20–20 tie.

ernie nevers, warner called greatest player.

because game california s second tie, stanford chosen play in rose bowl on new year s day against university of notre dame s fighting irish coached knute rockne. warner, rockne considered 1 of greatest coaches in football history. according journalist allison danzig, exception of knute rockne of notre dame, pop warner publicized coach in football. game test of 2 different , highly influential systems of football: warner system wing backs, unbalanced line , gigantic power [and the] knute rockne system rhythmic, dancing shift, lightning speed, balanced line , finely timed blocking . notre dame s backfield composed of renowned 4 horsemen. nevers played 60 minutes of game, , rushed 114 yd (104 m) (more yardage 4 horsemen combined). warner s offense moved ball unable score, , notre dame won 27–10.

during 1925 season, stanford lost 1 pcc game (to washington); california defeated, 27–7. first year of new rivalry, coach howard jones , university of southern california (usc) team. in first game, @ los angeles memorial colosseum, stanford scored twice in first half had hold off charging trojans in 13–9 win. because of loss washington, warner s team not invited rose bowl.

stanford won 1926 games, crushing california 41–7 , narrowly defeating usc 13–12. warner s team invited rose bowl play alabama. game against fighting irish, stanford dominated result 7–7 tie. after game, both teams recognized national champions number of publications.

the 1927 season 1 of underachievement , ultimate success. stanford lost third game non-conference st. mary s college. stanford s next loss against non-conference santa clara. game against usc 13-to-13 tie.

however, year, stanford defeated california 13–6. game included bootleg play, invention of credit warner. powers stated that,

stanford put game on ice in fourth period when pop introduced bootlegger play, copied , still in use. on original bootlegger, warner made use of biff hoffman s tremendous hands. hoffman take pass center , fake back. keeping ball, hide behind him , run though had given teammate. defensive players step out of hoffman s path, thinking going block. hoffman bootlegged touchdown against california ...

despite 2 losses, stanford finished season pcc co-champion. invited 1928 rose bowl against pitt, warner s former team coached protégé jock sutherland. warner broke losing rose bowl streak, defeating sutherland 7–6. win warner s last appearance @ rose bowl.

the 1929 season known warner s regular use of hook , lateral, play involves receiver runs curl pattern, catches short pass , laterals ball receiver running crossing route. according october 25, 1929 stanford daily, trickiness pop warner made famous in spin plays , passing evident ... frosh have been drilling week on fast, deceptive forward , lateral pass plays, , reverses have varied attack . season brought warner second straight loss jones, stanford defeated trojans 7–0. usc won conference, , went rose bowl. jones went on win every year thereafter, including 1932, warner s last season @ stanford. because of 5 consecutive defeats, warner severely criticized stanford alumni. in all, warner , jones played 8 games; jones won five, warner 2 , 1 tie. against stanford s main rival, california, warner won 5 games, tied 3 , lost one.

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