1931 VPI Gobblers football team

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1931 VPI Gobblers football
ConferenceSouthern Conference
Record3–4–2 (1–4–1 SoCon)
Head coach
CaptainCharles Eugene Brown
Home stadiumMiles Stadium
Seasons
← 1930
1932 →
1931 Southern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 2 Tulane $ 8 0 0 11 1 0
No. 3 Tennessee 6 0 1 9 0 1
Alabama 7 1 0 9 1 0
No. 6 Georgia 6 1 0 8 2 0
Maryland 4 1 1 8 1 1
Kentucky 4 2 2 5 2 2
LSU 3 2 0 5 4 0
South Carolina 3 3 1 5 4 1
Duke 3 3 1 5 3 2
Auburn 3 3 0 5 3 0
Sewanee 3 3 0 6 3 1
Vanderbilt 3 4 0 5 4 0
North Carolina 2 3 3 4 3 3
Washington and Lee 2 3 0 4 5 1
Florida 2 4 2 2 6 2
Georgia Tech 2 4 1 2 7 1
VMI 2 4 0 3 6 1
NC State 2 4 0 3 6 0
VPI 1 4 1 3 4 2
Clemson 1 4 0 1 6 2
Ole Miss 1 5 0 2 6 1
Virginia 0 5 1 2 6 1
Mississippi A&M 0 5 0 2 6 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from Dickinson System

The 1931 VPI Gobblers football team represented Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute in the 1931 Southern Conference football season. The team was led by their head coach Orville Neale and finished with a record of three wins, four losses and two ties (3–4–2).[1]

Schedule[edit]

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 26King*W 33–0[2][3]
October 33:00 p.m.at GeorgiaL 0–4015,000[4][5][6]
October 10Davidson*
  • Miles Stadium
  • Blacksburg, VA
W 18–6[7][8][9]
October 17vs. William & Mary*T 6–6[10][11][12]
October 242:30 p.m.at KentuckyL 6–206,000[13][14][15]
October 31Maryland
  • Miles Stadium
  • Blacksburg, VA
L 0–205,000[16][17][18]
November 7vs. Washington and Lee
L 0–65,000[19][20][21][22][23]
November 14at VirginiaT 0–07,000[24][25][26]
November 26vs. VMI
W 13–618,000[27][28][29]

Game summaries[edit]

King[edit]

The starting lineup for VPI was: Chandler (left end), Stark (left tackle), Swart (left guard), Brown (center), Hite (right guard), Grinus (right tackle), Seaman (right end), Groth (quarterback), Casey (left halfback), Robison (right halfback), Porterfield (fullback). The substitutes were: Dyke, Hall, Hardwick, Hoenstine, Jennings, Kasun, Kelsey, Miles, Morgan, Oliver, Ottley, Palmer, Sifford, Simmons and York.

Georgia[edit]

The starting lineup for VPI was: Seaman (left end), Stark (left tackle), Hite (left guard), Brown (center), Swart (right guard), Grinus (right tackle), Chandler (right end), Groth (quarterback), Casey (left halfback), Robison (right halfback), Porterfield (fullback).

Davidson[edit]

The starting lineup for VPI was: Palmer (left end), Stark (left tackle), Hite (left guard), Brown (center), Swart (right guard), Grinus (right tackle), Chandler (right end), Porterfield (quarterback), Casey (left halfback), Hardwick (right halfback), Robison (fullback). The substitutes were: Murphy and Ottley.

William & Mary[edit]

The starting lineup for VPI was: Seaman (left end), Stark (left tackle), Murphy (left guard), Brown (center), Swart (right guard), Grinus (right tackle), Palmer (right end), Hardwick (quarterback), Casey (left halfback), Groth (right halfback), Robison (fullback). The substitutes were: Hite, Ottley and Porterfield.

Kentucky[edit]

The starting lineup for VPI was: Palmer (left end), Stark (left tackle), Murphy (left guard), Brown (center), Hite (right guard), Grinus (right tackle), Seaman (right end), Groth (quarterback), Casey (left halfback), Robison (right halfback), Howard (fullback). The substitutes were: Betts, Chandler, English, Hardwick, Hoenstine, Miles, Morgan, Ottley, Porterfield, Simmons and Swart.

Maryland[edit]

The starting lineup for VPI was: Seaman (left end), Stark (left tackle), Hite (left guard), Brown (center), Swart (right guard), Hoenstine (right tackle), Palmer (right end), Groth (quarterback), Hardwick (left halfback), Porterfield (right halfback), Robison (fullback). The substitutes were: Casey, Howard and Murphy.

Washington and Lee[edit]

The starting lineup for VPI was: Palmer (left end), Stark (left tackle), Hite (left guard), Brown (center), Dyke (right guard), Grinus (right tackle), Chandler (right end), Ottley (quarterback), Hardwick (left halfback), Robison (right halfback), Howard (fullback). The substitutes were: Casey, Groth, Morgan, Porterfield, Seaman and Swart.

Virginia[edit]

The starting lineup for VPI was: Chandler (left end), Stark (left tackle), Hite (left guard), Brown (center), Dyke (right guard), Grinus (right tackle), Palmer (right end), Howard (quarterback), Casey (left halfback), Hardwick (right halfback), Robison (fullback). The substitutes were: Groth, Ottley and Porterfield.

VMI[edit]

The starting lineup for VPI was: Seaman (left end), Stark (left tackle), Hite (left guard), Brown (center), Betts (right guard), Grinus (right tackle), Swart (right end), Groth (quarterback), Hardwick (left halfback), Porterfield (right halfback), Robison (fullback). The substitutes were: Casey and Howard.

Players[edit]

The following players were members of the 1931 football team according to the roster published in the 1932 edition of The Bugle, the Virginia Tech yearbook.[30]

VPI 1931 roster
  • William Earle Betts
  • Charles Eugene Brown (Capt.)
  • Alfred Layden Casey
  • Edwin F. Chandler
  • E. E. Dyke
  • Bill Grinus
  • Charles Alexander "Heinie" Groth
  • Samuel Elkana Hardwick
  • Eugene Goliday Hite
  • Garland Woodrow Hoenstine
  • Harry Worden Howard
  • John A. McIntre
  • John Marshall Murphy
  • Waightes Gibbs Ottley
  • Benny Palmer
  • William Breckenridge Porterfield
  • Carl Francis Robison
  • Henry DeWitt Shank
  • Harry Hyman Stark
  • James L. Swart

Coaching and training staff[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "1931 Virginia Tech Hokies Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  2. ^ "V. P. I. Easily Victor Over King College". Knoxville News Sentinel. September 27, 1931. Retrieved November 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "V. P. I. Has Easy Time". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. September 27, 1931. p. 53. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  4. ^ "Georgia Smothers Virginia Poly, 40–0". Bristol Herald Courier. October 4, 1931. Retrieved November 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Georgia Beats Virginia Poly To Open 1931 Season". The Red & Black. University of Georgia. October 9, 1931. p. 7. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  6. ^ "Georgia Whips V. P. I." The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 4, 1931. p. 64. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  7. ^ "V. P. I. Overpowers Davidson to Win 18 to 6". The Charlotte News. October 11, 1931. Retrieved November 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Gobblers Down Wildcats 18-6". The Davidsonian. Davidson College. October 14, 1931. p. 3. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  9. ^ "Casey Wins For V. P. I." The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 11, 1931. p. 59. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  10. ^ "William And Mary Holds Gobblers To Deadlock Score, 6–6". Daily Press. October 18, 1931. Retrieved November 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Redskins Battle Strong V.P.I. Club In Hard Contest". The Flat Hat. College of William & Mary. October 27, 1931. p. 3. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  12. ^ "Virginia Elevens Tie". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 18, 1931. p. 69. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  13. ^ "Kentucky Beats V. P. I. Eleven, 20–6". The Birmingham News. October 25, 1931. Retrieved November 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Wildcats Turn Back Gobblers By 20-6 Score". The Kentucky Kernel. University of Kentucky. October 27, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  15. ^ "Kentucky Outlasts V. P. I. To Win, 20 To 6". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 25, 1931. p. 60. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  16. ^ "Tech Beaten By Maryland; 20 to 0 score". Richmond Times-Dispatch. November 1, 1931. Retrieved November 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Maryland Defeats V. P. I., 20-0". The Diamondback. University of Maryland, College Park. November 2, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  18. ^ "Maryland Routs Virginia Poly, 20-0". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. November 1, 1931. p. 65. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  19. ^ "Generals Overthrow Techmen 6 To 0" (PDF). The Ring-tum Phi. Washington and Lee University. November 10, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  20. ^ "80-Yard Run Gives W. And L. Upset Win". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. November 8, 1931. p. 65. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  21. ^ "Sawyers' 80-Yard Dash On Intercepted Pass Nets W. & L. 6–0 Win". Richmond Times-Dispatch. November 8, 1931. Retrieved November 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "W. & L. Gets Single Score to Beat Tech". The Lexington Gazette. Library of Virginia. November 10, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  23. ^ "Generals Down V. P. I. 6 to 0 in Annual Battle at Roanoke". Rockbridge County News. Library of Virginia. November 12, 1931. p. 2. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  24. ^ "Techmen Battle Cavaliers To Tie At Scott Stadium". Daily Press. November 15, 1931. Retrieved November 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Cavaliers-Tech In Scoreless Tie". The Daily Progress. University of Virginia. November 16, 1931. p. 8. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  26. ^ "Cavalier, Gobbler Unable To Score". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. November 15, 1931. p. 69. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  27. ^ "V. M. I. Loses To Va. Tech 13–6 In Turkey Day Classic". The Cadet. Virginia Military Institute. November 30, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  28. ^ "V. M. I. Goes Down Fighting to V. P. I. 13 to 6". Rockbridge County News. Library of Virginia. December 3, 1931. p. 2. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  29. ^ "Virginia Tech Trips Old Rival". The Lexington Gazette. Library of Virginia. December 1, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  30. ^ "The Bugle 1932" (PDF). Virginia Tech Bugle. 1932. Retrieved January 9, 2016.