:Detroit Titans football
{{Short description|University of Detroit team, 1896 to 1964}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox NCAA football school
| TeamName = Detroit Titans football
| Image = 30-University of Detroit-teamphoto.jpg
| ImageSize = 300px
| HeadCoachDisplay =
| HeadCoachLink =
| HeadCoachYear =
| HCWins =
| HCLosses = 59
| HCTies =
| Stadium = University of Detroit Stadium
| StadCapacity = 20,000
| StadSurface =
| ConferenceDisplay=
| ConferenceLink =
| ConfDivision =
| FirstYear = 1896; {{Years or months ago|1896}}
| LastYear = 1964; {{Years or months ago|1964}}
| AthlDirectorDisp =
| AthlDirectorLink =
| Location = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
| WebsiteName =
| WebsiteURL =
| ATWins = 308
| ATLosses = 204
| ATTies = 24
| BowlWins =
| BowlLosses =
| BowlTies =
| NatlTitles = 1 (1928)
| ConfTitles =
| Heismans =
| AllAmericans =
| uniform =
| FightSong =
| MascotDisplay =
| MascotLink =
| MarchingBand =
}}
The Detroit Titans were the college football team which represented the University of Detroit (now University of Detroit Mercy) from 1896 to 1964. The team posted an undefeated season in 1928, staking a claim to a national title. The program was terminated in 1964 for financial reasons.
History
Under head coach Gus Dorais in 1928, the Titans won all nine of their games. Several years later Parke H. Davis, considered to be a "major selector" by the NCAA, named the 1928 team to a share of the national championship.{{cite book | url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2011/FBS.pdf | title=2011 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records | pages=70–75 | publisher=The National Collegiate Athletic Association | date=August 2011 | location=Indianapolis, IN | access-date=2011-10-17}}
From 1922 on, the Titans played their home games at University of Detroit Stadium (also known as U of D Stadium, Titan Stadium, and Dinan Field) near McNichols Road (Six Mile Road) and Fairfield Street on the university's McNichols campus.
The football program had incurred large losses since 1951, and was discontinued after the 1964 season.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=H64RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vegDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5762%2C73566 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Students yip as Detroit drops grid |date=December 1, 1964 |page=10}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=M-ojAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MU8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7353%2C204930 |work=Pittsburgh Press |agency=UPI |title=Detroit kicks out football, students stage big protest |date=December 1, 1964 |page=41}} At the time of the sport's termination, university president Rev. Laurence V. Britt stated that the institution "does not currently have and does not foresee any prospects of its having the substantial funds" required to continue the program.{{cite news |last=Berry |first=Jack |title=U-D Football Finally Dies of Neglect |work=The Detroit Free Press |date=1964-12-01 |page=1-D}}
Conference affiliations
Detroit was both independent and affiliated with the Missouri Valley Conference.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/detroit-mercy/index.html|title=Detroit Mercy Titans Football Record By Year|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}}
- Unknown (1896–)
- Independent (–1947)
- Missouri Valley Conference (1948–1956)
- Independent (1957–1964)
Championships
=National championships=
Detroit won its only national championship in 1928, with Parke H. Davis selecting both Detroit and Georgia Tech.{{cite book | url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2018/FBS.pdf | title=2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records | publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association | date=August 2018 | access-date=December 12, 2018 | page=111}} The school claims this championship.{{cite web|url=https://detroittitans.com/news/2013/6/6/WGOLF_0606135413.aspx|title=2013 Will Be A Season To Remember In Motown|website=University of Detroit Mercy Athletics}}{{cite web|url=https://detroittitans.com/news/2013/12/20/GEN_1220130937.aspx|title=Remembering the 1953 Missouri Valley Conference Champion Detroit Titans|website=University of Detroit Mercy Athletics}}
| class="wikitable" | |||
| {{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Detroit Titans|Year|Selectors|Coach|Record}} | |||
| 1928 | Parke H. Davis | Gus Dorais | 9–0 |
Head coaches
{{Main|List of Detroit Titans head football coaches}}
| class="wikitable" |
| Head Coach
!Years !Seasons !Record !Pct. |
|---|
| William S. Robinson
|1896–1899 |4 |13–5–1 |.700 |
| John C. Mackey
|1900–1901 |2 |6–6–0 |.500 |
| Edward J. Ryan
|1902, 1906 |2 |7–5–1 |.577 |
| Alfred W. Debo
|1903–1904 |2 |6–6–0 |.500 |
| George A. Kelly
|1907, 1909–1910 |3 |7–5–2 |.571 |
| Royal R. Campbell
|1911–1912 |2 |8–6–1 |.567 |
| George M. Lawton
|1913–1914 |2 |6–6–3 |.500 |
| Harry Costello
|1915–1916 |2 |4–7–2 |.385 |
| James F. Duffy
|1917, 1919–1922, 1924 |6 |43–12–1 |.777 |
| Germany Schulz
|1923 |1 |4–3–2 |.556 |
| Gus Dorais
|1925–1942 |18 |113–48–7 |.693 |
| Chuck Baer
|1945–1950 |6 |35–21–1 |.623 |
| Dutch Clark
|1951–1953 |3 |13–17–0 |.433 |
| Wally Fromhart
|1954–1958 |5 |19–25–2 |.435 |
| Jim Miller
|1959–1961 |3 |18–10–0 |.643 |
| John Idzik
|1962–1964 |3 |6–21–1 |.232 |
Notable personnel
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;" | |||
| Name | Position | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grady Alderman
|Lineman|| 1950s||Played in NFL, 1960-1974 | |||
| Sig Andrusking
|Guard|| 1930s||Played in NFL in 1937 | |||
| Vince Banonis
|Center|| 1939-1941||Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame | |||
| Dan Boisture
|End|| 1947-1948||Head coach at Eastern Michigan, 1967-1973 | |||
| Lloyd Brazil
|Halfback || 1927-1929|| All-American; inducted into Michigan Sports Hall of Fame | |||
| Walt Cassidy
|End|| 1920s||Played in NFL, 1924 | |||
| Walt Clago
|End|| ||Played in NFL, 1921-1922 | |||
| Bill Dando
|Halfback|| 1956-1968||Head coach at Buffalo, 1977-1979 | |||
| Andy Farkas
|Fullback|| 1930s||Played for Washington Redskins, 1938-1944 | |||
| Norm Harvey
|Tackle|| 1920s||Played in NFL, 1925-1929 | |||
| Harvey Long
|Lineman|| 1920s||Played in NFL, 1929-1930 | |||
| Elmer Madarik
|Halfback || 1940s|| Played for Detroit Lions 1945-1948 | |||
| Ted Marchibroda
|Quarterback || 1950s|| Played and coached in the NFL for over 40 years, 1953-1998 | |||
| John P. Metras
|Center || 1930s || Inducted into Canadian Football Hall of Fame as a coach | |||
| Doug Nott
|Halfback|| 1930s ||Played for Detroit Lions in 1935 | |||
| Bill O'Neill
|Halfback|| 1930s ||Played for Detroit Lions in 1935 and Cleveland Rams in 1937 | |||
| Lee Riley
|Defensive back|| 1950s ||Played in NFL and AFL, 1955-1962 | |||
| Sod Ryan
|Tackle|| 1920s||Played in NFL from 1929 to 1930 | |||
| Jim Shorter
|Defensive back|| 1960s ||Played in NFL, 1948-1956 | |||
| Jack Simmons
|Lineman|| 1940s ||Played in NFL, 1962-1969 | |||
| Steve Stonebreaker
|Linebacker|| 1960s ||Played in NFL, 1962-1968 | |||
| Tillie Voss
|End|| 1920s ||Played in NFL, 1921-1929 |
=Players in the NFL Draft=
{{main|List of Detroit Titans in the NFL draft}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://libraries.udmercy.edu/archives/special-collections/index.php?collectionCode=football_ftb University of Detroit Football Collection]
{{Detroit Titans football navbox}}
{{University of Detroit Mercy}}
Category:American football teams established in 1892
Category:American football teams disestablished in 1964