1953 Army Cadets football team

1953 Army Cadets football
Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy
Conference	Independent
Ranking
Coaches	No. 16
AP	No. 14
1953 record	7–1–1
Head coach	Earl Blaik (13th year)
Offensive coordinator	Vince Lombardi
Offensive scheme	T formation
Home stadium	Michie Stadium

The 1953 Army Cadets football team represented the United States Military Academy in the 1953 college football season. Led by head coach Earl Blaik, the team finished with a record of 7–1–1. The Army Cadets finished the season by winning the Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy, awarded to the top college team in the East.

Regular season

The Cadets had lost six players, including Freddie Myers, to academic ineligibility.^[1] The Cadets defeated Furnam 41–0, the team’s first shutout since the 1951 scandal.^[2] After a loss to Northwestern, the Cadets were undefeated for the rest of the season. In a scoreless tie against the Tulane Green Wave, future Green Bay Packer Max McGee starred for Tulane. ^[3] In the Army-Navy game, Army’s 20–7 victory over Navy was its first since 1949.^[4] The turning point of the season was an October victory over #7 ranked Duke University. Duke featured stars such as Red Smith and Worth (A Million) Lutz. Tommy Bell ran up the middle. Quarterback Pete Vann switched the ball to his left hand, and made a southpaw pass. Red Smith was tackled by Bob Mischak in the final minutes of the game. Mischak ran 73 yards to make the tackle catching up eight yards of separation to save a touchdown. Inspired by Mischak, Army held Duke inside the one yard line, took over on downs, and eventually won the game. "When Bob Mischak made that unlikely play, what Blaik called “ a marvelous display of heart and pursuit,” the Army football team regained it's soul." Direct quote from Maraness^[5]

Season schedule

Date	Opponent^#	Site	Result
September 26	Furman	Michie Stadium • West Point, NY	W 41–0
October 3	at Northwestern	Dyche Stadium • Evanston, IL	L 20–33
October 10	Dartmouth	Michie Stadium • West Point, NY	W 27–0
October 17	vs. Duke	Polo Grounds • New York, NY	W 14–13
October 24	Columbia	Michie Stadium • West Point, NY	W 40–7
October 31	at Tulane	Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA	T 0–0
November 7	NC State	Michie Stadium • West Point, NY	W 27–7
November 14	at Penn	Franklin Field • Philadelphia, PA	W 21–14
November 28	vs. Navy	Municipal Stadium • Philadelphia, PA (Army–Navy Game)	W 20–7
^#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.

New York Giants coaching vacancy

Before the end of the 1953 season, the New York Daily News had a headline in their paper that Vince Lombardi was the top candidate to become the Giants new head coach. ^[6] Although Giants co-owner Wellington Mara was a classmate of Lombardi at Fordham University, the Giants were actually interested in Army head coach, Colonel Red Blaik. Blaik had declined the job, but recommended Lombardi, who was his offensive co-ordinator at Army. ^[7] Despite being Red Blaik’s top aide, Vince Lombardi was anxious and frustrated. Three other Army assistants, including Murray Warmath were now head coaches. ^[8] In June, Lombardi had turned forty years old. Lombardi would be hired as the offensive co-ordinator for the 1954 season.^[9]

References

↑ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p.147, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, New York, NY, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
↑ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p.147, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, New York, NY, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
↑ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p.147, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, New York, NY, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
↑ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p.147, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, New York, NY, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
↑ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p.148, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, New York, NY, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
↑ Giants Among Men, p. 152, Jack Cavanaugh, 2008, Random House, New York, NY, ISBN 978-1-4000-6717-6
↑ Giants Among Men, p. 153, Jack Cavanaugh, 2008, Random House, New York, NY, ISBN 978-1-4000-6717-6
↑ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p.146, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, New York, NY, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
↑ Giants Among Men, p. 154, Jack Cavanaugh, 2008, Random House, New York, NY, ISBN 978-1-4000-6717-6

Army Black Knights football

Venues	The Plain (1890–1923) Michie Stadium (1924–present)

Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Air Force (Commander-in-Chief's Trophy) Navy: Army–Navy Game (Commander-in-Chief's Trophy; Thompson Cup) Notre Dame

Culture & lore	Army Mule Black Death Award "On, Brave Old Army Team" "The Army Goes Rolling Along" 1946 "Game of the Century"

People	Head coaches Statistical leaders

Seasons	1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

National championship seasons in bold

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