1961 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team

American college football season

1961 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football
ConferenceMiddle Atlantic Conference
DivisionUniversity Division
Record4–4 (3–2 MAC)
Head coach
  • David M. Nelson (11th season)
CaptainWilliam Grossman, John Scholato (acting)
Home stadiumDelaware Stadium
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings
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Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
University Division
No. 15 Rutgers x 4 0 0 9 0 0
Bucknell 5 2 0 6 3 0
Delaware 3 2 0 4 4 0
No. 6 Lehigh 3 2 0 7 2 0
Gettysburg 2 2 1 3 5 1
Temple 1 2 2 2 5 2
Lafayette 1 5 1 2 6 1
Muhlenberg 0 4 0 2 7 0
Northern College Division
Susquehanna x 6 0 0 8 0 1
Albright 4 0 1 7 0 1
Moravian 4 1 1 4 3 1
Wagner 4 2 0 6 3 0
Lycoming 1 3 1 1 6 1
Wilkes 1 6 0 1 6 0
Hofstra * 2 0 0 7 2 0
Juniata * 1 2 0 3 4 0
Upsala * 0 4 0 0 7 0
Southern College Division
Lebanon Valley x 5 1 0 6 1 0
Swarthmore 4 2 0 5 2 0
Western Maryland 4 2 0 7 2 0
Dickinson 5 3 0 5 3 0
Pennsylvania Military 5 3 0 6 3 0
Johns Hopkins 2 3 1 3 4 1
Ursinus 2 5 0 2 5 0
Drexel 1 5 1 2 5 1
Haverford 0 6 1 0 6 1
West Chester * 0 0 0 7 2 0
Franklin & Marshall * 0 3 0 1 7 0
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • * – Ineligible for championship due to insufficient conference games
Rankings from major college AP poll for Rutgers and small college AP poll for Lehigh

The 1961 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team was an American football team that represented the University of Delaware in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) during the 1961 college football season. In its 11th season under head coach David M. Nelson, the team compiled a 4–4 record (3–2 in MAC games), tied for third place in the MAC University Division, and outscored opponents by a total of 161 to 98.[1]

William Grossman and John Scholato (acting) were the team captains.[2] The team played its home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 23LehighW 14–67,000–7,100[3]
September 30Buffalo*
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
W 36–126,200–7,000[4]
October 7at LafayetteNo. 8W 34–06,000[5]
October 14at Hofstra*No. 5
  • Hofstra College Stadium
  • Hempstead, NY
L 0–144,200–6,000[6][7]
October 28Ohio*dagger
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
L 16–178,750[8]
November 4Temple
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
W 28–06,200[9]
November 11at RutgersNo. 12
L 19–2722,000[10]
November 18at BucknellL 14–226,000
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from UPI Coaches Poll released prior to the game

[1]

Statistics

Delware tallied 2,245 yards of total offense (280.5 per game), consisting of 1,524 rushing yards (190.5 per game) and 720 passing yards (90 per game). On defense, the team gave up 1,624 yards (204.4 per game) made up of 813 rushing yards and 811 passing yards.[1]

Sophomore halfback Mike Brown led the team in rushing with 404 yards in 89 carries for an average of 4.5 yards per carry. A sprinter for the track team, Brown was the fastest man on the team. The team's other rushing leaders were Joe Slobojan (354 yards, 89 carries), Johnny Wallace (201 yards), and Karl Lorenz (177 yards).[11]

Brown also led the team in scoring with seven touchdowns, including one on an interception returned for a score. The other scoring leaders were Slobojan (30 points) and Wallace (23 points).[11]

Quarterback Ted Kempski led the team in passing, completing 40 of 85 pases for 606 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.r[11]

The team's receiving leaders were end Ollie Baker (165 yards, six catchers), end Dick Broadbent (132 yards, 10 receptions), end Barry Fetterman (118 yards, eight reception), and Johnny Wallace (100 yards, five receptions).[11]

End Arnie Rozental led the team in punting with 37 punts for 1,314 yards (36.5 yards per punt).[11]

Awards

Three Delaware players were selected as first-team players on the 1961 All-MAC football team: center/linebacker Johnny Scholato; halfback Karl Lorenz; and guard Earl Ritchie. Halfback Mike Brown was named to the second team. Honorable mention was given to end Dick Broadbend, tackles Dick Evers and Paul Chesmore, guard Jim Quirk, and backs Ted Kempski, Joe Slobojan, and John Wallace.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Delaware)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  2. ^ "2012 Blue Hens Football Media Guide". University of Delaware. 2012. p. 159. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  3. ^ Katzman, Izzy (September 25, 1961). "Second Team Credited with Sparking U. of D. Victory". Evening Journal. Wilmington, Del. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Kelley, Bob (October 2, 1961). "Buffalo Battered by Hens, 36 to 12". Wilmington Morning News. Wilmington, Del. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ McCarron, Joe (October 8, 1961). "Delaware Coasts, 34-0, over Smaller Lafayette". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. D1 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Cartwright, Al (October 16, 1961). "Hens Baited, Chuckles Hofstra". Evening Journal. Wilmington, Del. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Hofstra)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  8. ^ Kelley, Bob (October 30, 1961). "48-Yard Goal Fatal to Hens". Wilmington Morning News. Wilmington, Del. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Katzman, Izzy (November 6, 1961). "Blue Hens Set Home Gate Mark". Evening Journal. Wilmington, Del. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Good, Herb (November 12, 1961). "Rutgers Trips Delaware for MAC Title". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. S1 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b c d e "Hens' Rushing, Scoring Titles Won by Brown". The News Journal. November 21, 1961. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Delaware Puts 3 on All-Conference". Wilmington Evening Journal. December 11, 1961. p. 35 – via Newspapers.com.
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