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1961 Langston Lions football team

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1961 Langston Lions football
1961 team portrait from The Lion yearbook
OCC co-champion
All Sports Bowl, L 14–28 vs. Panhandle A&M
ConferenceOklahoma Collegiate Conference
Record8–2 (6–1 OCC)
Head coach
MVPRobert Phillips
CaptainEdison Harrington
Home stadiumAnderson Field
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 9 Central State (OK) + 6 – 1 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
Langston + 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
No. 11 Panhandle A&M 4 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
East Central 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
SE Oklahoma State 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Northeastern State 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
SW Oklahoma State 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
NW Oklahoma State 1 – 6 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA poll

The 1961 Langston Lions football team was an American football team that represented Langston University as a member of the Oklahoma Collegiate Conference (OCC) during the 1961 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach Tim Crisp, the Lions compiled an 8–2 record (6–1 in conference games), sharded the OCC title with the 1961 Central State Bronchos, and outscored opponents by a total of 287 to 109.[1]

Langston led the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in both total defense (81.2 yards per game) and passing defense (23.6 yards per game) and ranked second in total offense (468.8 per game). Quarterback Donald Lee Smith led the NAIA in individual total offense with an average of 235.3 yards per game and was selected as a second-team player on the 1961 Little All-America college football team.

Langston was one of the first historically black universities to compete in a previously segregated football conference. The Lions joined the OCC in 1958 and won conference championships in 1959 and 1960.

The team played most of its home games in nearby Guthrie, Oklahoma, and its homecoming game at Anderson Field in Langston, Oklahoma.

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 16Panhandle A&MGuthrie, OKW 33–145,000[2][3]
September 23Central OklahomaGuthrie, OKL 13–146,000[4]
September 30at East Central
W 32–6[5]
October 7Texas College*
W 45–73,746[6]
October 14Southeastern Oklahoma StateGuthrie, OKW 38–0[7]
October 21Northeastern StateGuthrie, OKW 20–7[8]
November 4Northwestern Oklahoma StateAlva, OKW 27–71,000[9]
November 11at Southwestern Oklahoma StateWeatherford, OKW 26–20[10]
November 18Lincoln (MO)*dagger
  • Anderson Field
  • Langston, OK
W 39–6[11]
December 9vs. Panhandle A&M
L 14–288,500[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming

Statistics

[edit]

Langston set a new National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) record, allowing opponents to gain an average of only 81.2 yards per game.[13][14] The Lions also led the NAIA in pass defense, giving up only 23.6 passing yards per game.[13][14] Langston's opponents completed only 35 of 123 passes for 213 yards.[14] Langston's rushing defense ranked fifth in the NAIA, as the team allowed only 518 rushing yards, an average of 57.5 yards per game.[14]

Langston also ranked second in the NAIA with 4,025 yards of total offense (468.8 per game), consisting of 1,946 rushing yards and 2,079 passing yards.[14] Quarterback Donald Lee Smith led the NAIA in individual total offense with an average of 235.3 yards per game (2,118 yards on 233 plays).[15][14] Smith ranked fourth in the NAIA in passing, completing 87 of 171 passes (54.0%) for an average of 172.9 passing yards per game.[14] Smith also had an 80-yard touchdown run against Panhandle A&M that was the fifth longest run in the NAIA during the 1961 season.[14]

Langston also had two of the top receivers in the NAIA. Senior end DeWitt Anderson ranked ninth in the NAIA with 37 catches for 661 yards, an average of 73.4 yards per game. Sophomore end Randolph Furch ranked 13th with 37 catches for 587 yards, an average of 65.2 yards per game.[14]

Backup quarterback Marvin Williamson handled punting duties for the team and ranked fourth in the NAIA with an average of 43.6 yards per punt.[14]

Awards and honors

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Quarterback Donald Lee Smith was selected by the Associated Press as a second-team player on the 1961 Little All-America college football team.[16]

Smith was also named back of the year in the OCC, and five Langston players received first-team honors on the 1961 All-OCC team: Smith at back; DeWitt Anderson and Randolph Furch at end; Roosevelt Nivens at offensive tackle; and Edison Harrington at defensive tackle.[17]

Personnel

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Players

[edit]
  • Leroy Adams, end, sophomore, 196 pounds
  • DeWitt Anderson, end, senior, 173 pounds
  • John Bates
  • Gene Batson
  • George C. Brown
  • Donald Butler
  • Joe Butler, center, senior, 170 pounds
  • Don Crockett
  • James Cummings, guard, junior, 195 pounds
  • Theodis Fipp
  • Randolph Furch, end, sophomore, 198 pounds
  • Silas Goree, center, junior, 195 pounds
  • Edison Harrington (#66), guard, tackle and captain, senior, 220 pounds
  • Ed Hurd
  • Ralph Hurd
  • Billy Hurte, halfback, senior, 165 pounds
  • Archie Jones, halfback, junior, 170 pounds
  • Fred Jones
  • Jacob Knight
  • Ovid Lacey
  • Wilbur Law, tackle, senior, 190 pounds
  • Leroy Mack
  • Silver McQuarters, fullback, junior, 200 pounds
  • Henry Moore, halfback, senior, 196 pounds
  • Odell Nathaniel
  • Roosevelt Nivens, tackle, senior, 220 pounds
  • James Petit, end, junior, 172 pounds
  • Robert Phillips
  • Jimmy Pugh, guard, junior, 225 pounds
  • Grover Quinn, tackle, junior, 202 pounds
  • Charles Reed
  • Richard Robinson
  • Eddie Shegog
  • Donald Lee Smith (#10), quarterback, senior, 175 pounds
  • Billy Joe Snoody, halfback, senior, 165 pounds
  • Charles Threat
  • Roy Thurston, guard, senior, 180 pounds
  • Marcellus Wade, tackle, senior, 215 pounds
  • Ronnie Watson
  • Eddie West, fullback, senior, 180 pounds
  • Marvin Williamson, quarterback, sophomore, 175 pounds
  • Charles Yokley

[18][19]

[edit]
  • Quarterback Donald Lee Smith
    Quarterback Donald Lee Smith
  • Captain Edison Harrington
    Captain Edison Harrington
  • Fullback Silver McQuarter
    Fullback Silver McQuarter

Coaches

[edit]
Coaches (left to right) Crisp, Johnson, Crowell
  • Head coach: T. J. "Tim" Crisp
  • Assistant coaches: Ray Johnson (line coach), Bernard Crowell (backfield coach)

References

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  1. ^ "Lions Finish In First With Central State". The Durant Daily Democrat. Durant, Oklahoma. United Press International. November 20, 1961. p. 7. Retrieved April 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  2. ^ Frank Boggs (September 17, 1961). "Langston Lashes Panhandle". The Daily Oklahoman. p. 3 (Sports) – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Panhandle Enters OCC Play, Finds Champ Langston Rough". Tulsa World. September 20, 1961. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Ray Soldan (September 24, 1961). "Bronchos Shade Langston, 14-13". The Daily Oklahoman. p. 4E – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Langston Blitz Strikes East Central Team, 32-6". The Ada Evening News. October 1, 1961. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Passes Carry Langston Past Steers, 45-7". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 8, 1961. p. 2 (section 4) – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Langston Larrups Southeastern, 38-0". The Lawton Constitution-Morning Press. October 15, 1961. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Langston Lions Larrup NSC Redmen 20-7". Muskogee Daily Phoenix & Times Democrat. October 22, 1961. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Jim Zin (November 5, 1961). "Langston Swamps Rangers Here, 27-0". The Alva Review-Courier. pp. 1, 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Langston Edges Bulldogs, 26-20". The Daily Oklahoman. November 12, 1961. p. 6E – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Langston Jolts Lincoln, 39-6". The Daily Oklahoman. November 19, 1961. p. 5E – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Frank Boggs (December 10, 1961). "Panhandle Stuns Lions, 28-14: Aggies Rally To Win Bowl Before 8,500". The Daily Oklahoman. pp. 1E, 3E – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b "Panhandle Sets New NAIA Team Rushing Mark in '61 Season". Seminole Producer. December 7, 1961. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Bowlward Trek Starts Early, Teams US Tops". Guymon Daily Herald. December 7, 1961. pp. 1, 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Donald Lee Smith Wins Offense Title". The Guthrie Daily Leader. December 7, 1961. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Harold Claassen (December 6, 1961). "Annual Little All-Americans -- Small College Stars Selected". The Shreveport Journal. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Five Lions Make All Star Team". The Guthrie Daily Leader. December 7, 1961. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ The Lion 1962 (Langston University yearbook), pp. 154-155.
  19. ^ "Tigers Host Langston For Collegiate Headliner". The Ada Evening News. September 29, 1961. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
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