1947 Loras Duhawks football team
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1947
| team = Loras Duhawks
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Iowa Conference
| short_conf = Iowa
| record = 9–0
| conf_record = 2–0
| head_coach = Wally Fromhart
| hc_year = 1st
| captain =
| stadium = Rock Bowl
}}
{{1947 Iowa Conference football standings}}
The 1947 Loras Duhawks football team was an American football team that represented Loras College of Dubuque, Iowa as a member of the Iowa Conference during the 1947 college football season. In their first year under head coach Wally Fromhart, the Duhawks compiled a perfect 9–0 record (2–0 in conference games) and outscored opponents by a total of 206 to 57. They did not play enough conference games to qualify for the conference championship.{{cite news|title=Red Peppers|newspaper=The Cedar Rapids Gazette|date=November 27, 1947|page=35|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-red-peppers-loras/167818691/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |author= |title=Upper Iowa In Line For Title In Iowa League |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87773608/quad-city-times/ |newspaper=Quad-City Times |location=Davenport, Iowa |date=November 4, 1947 |page=15 |access-date=October 26, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |author= |title=Grid Standings |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87773633/the-gazette/ |newspaper=The Gazette |location=Cedar Rapids, Iowa |date=November 17, 1947 |page=11 |access-date=October 26, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
Loras sought to duplicate the success of Notre Dame, hiring former Notre Dame star Fromhart as its coach, installing Notre Dame's T formation offense, and recruiting 11 regular players from Notre Dame's "feeding grounds" in Chicago.{{cite news|title=Might of the Irish Prevails at Loras|newspaper=The Des Moines Register|date=November 23, 1947|page=S7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register-might-of-the-iri/167823433/|via=Newspapers.com}} Loras also recruited back Robert Hanlon, who previously played for Notre Dame, to play for the Duhawks; Hanlon was selected by the Associated Press as a first-team player on the 1947 Little All-America college football team.{{cite news|title=Loras Player Makes Little All-America|newspaper=The Cedar Rapids Gazette|date=December 9, 1947|page=17|url=}}
The team played its home games at the Rock Bowl in Dubuque, Iowa. Loras was one of eight college teams to compile a perfect season in 1947, along with Michigan, Notre Dame, Pepperdine, Missouri Valley, Wesleyan, Jacksonville State, and Denison.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 20||South Dakota State
|September 27|at|{{cfb link|year=1947|team=Luther Norse|title=Luther}}||Decorah, IA|W 27-0||{{cite web|title=Loras Lashes Norsemen, 27-0|newspaper=The Des Moines Register|date=September 28, 1947|page=6S|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register-loras-lashes-nor/167814481/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 4||{{cfb link|year=1947|team=St. Ambrose Bees|title=St. Ambrose}}|Rock Bowl|Dubuque, IA|W 20-6|10,000|{{cite news|title=Loras Whips St. Ambrose for 1st Time Since 1930|newspaper=The Democrat and Leader|author=Orrin Stribley|date=October 6, 1947|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/quad-city-times-loras-whips-st-ambrose/167814097/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 11||Illinois State Normal
|October 18||{{cfb link|year=1947|team=St. Norbert Green Knights|title=St. Norbert}}
|October 25||{{cfb link|year=1947|team=Saint Mary's (Minnesota) Cardinals|title=Saint Mary's (MN)}}
|November 1|at|{{cfb link|year=1947|team=St. Thomas Tommies|title=St. Thomas (MN)}}
|November 8||{{cfb link|year=1947|team=Winona State Warriors|title=Winona State}}
|November 15|at|{{cfb link|year=1947|team=Saint Joseph's Pumas|title=Saint Joseph's (IN)}}
}}
Game summaries
=South Dakota State=
On September 20, Loras opened its season with a 28–0 victory over South Dakota State at the Rock Bowl in Dubuque. Left halfback Mike Elliott scored 16 points with two touchdowns and four extra-point kicks.
=Luther=
On September 27, Loras defeated {{cfb link|year=1947|team=Luther Norse|title=Luther}}, 27–0, on the road at Decorah, Iowa. Loras out-gained Luther by 327 yards to 20 yards. Loras's touchdowns were scored by Ed Udovich, Don Dophin, and Charles Ward.
=St. Ambrose=
On October 4, Loras defeated {{cfb link|year=1947|team=St. Ambrose Bees|title=St. Ambrose}}, 20–6, before a crowd of approximately 10,000 persons at the Rock Bowl in Dubuque. It was the largest crowd ever to attend a football game in Dubuque. It was also Loras's first victory over St. Ambrose since 1930. St. Ambrose took a 6–o lead in the first quarter, but Loras scored three touchdowns in a ten-minute span of the second quarter. Loras's touchdowns came on a 50-yard pass from quarterback Jack Rohan, a 17-year-old freshman, to Ralph peters, a three-yard run by Bob Hanlon, and a 52-yard pass completion from Peterson to halfback Ed Uvodich. Loras intercepted four of the first five passes thrwon by St. Ambrose to jump-start the team's scoring spree.
=Illinois State Normal=
On October 11, Loras defeated Illinois State Normal, 20–7, at the Rock Bowl in Dubuque. Loras scored three touchdowns, including a 24-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jack Rohan to Peterson and a two-yard run by left halfback Mike Elliott.
=St Norbert=
On October 18, Loras defeated {{cfb link|year=1947|team=St. Norbert Green Knights|title=St. Norbert}}, 6–0, before a record homecoming crowd of 10,000 at the Rock Bowl. The Duhawks broke St. Norbert's 14-game undefeated streak dating back to 1945. The only points of the game were scored in the second quarter after Loras's Bob Noel blocked a punt at the St. Norbert 38-yard line. Center Bill Moore caught the blocked punt and returned it to St. Norbert's 13-yard line. Quarterback Jack Rohan threw a touchdown pass to Jerry Witry for the score.
=Saint Mary's=
On Sunday, October 26, Loras defeated {{cfb link|year=1947|team=Saint Mary's (Minnesota) Cardinals|title=Saint Mary's}} of Minnesota by a 32–12 at the Rock Bowl in Dubuque. Fullback Bob Hanlon scored three touchdowns for Loras on a two-yard plunge, a 10-yard run, and 28 yards. Halfback Ed Uvodich also scored on a locng pass from quarterback Jack Rohan. Loras tallied 303 rushing yards and intercepted two passes and recovered two Saint Mary's fumbles in the game.
=St. Thomas=
On November 1, Loras defeated {{cfb link|year=1947|team=St. Thomas Tommies|title=St. Thomas}}, 20-19, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was the narrowest margin of victory of the year for Loras. Jack Rohan completed a touchdown pass to Gerry Witry that covered 53 yards. Loras also scored on a short run by Dave Brill and a 17-yard run by Dick Mares. St. Thomas scored its final touchdown, a 79-yard pass completion, in the fourth quarter, but the kick for extra point went wide. Mike Elliott converted two of three extra points to give Loras its one-point victory.{{cite news|title=Unbeaten Loras tips Toms 20-19|newspaper=Minneapolis Morning Tribune|date=November 3, 1947|page=23|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-unbeaten-loras-tips-toms-20/167840050/|via=Newspapers.com}}
=Winona State=
=Saint Joseph's=
On November 15, Loras defeated {{cfb link|year=1947|team=Saint Joseph's Pumas|title=Saint Joseph's)}}, 21–6, at Rensselaer, Indiana. Quarterback John Rohan threw three touchdown passes, two to end Ralph Peterson and the other to Bill Treacy. Left halfback Mike Elliott converted all three extra point kicks. The game concluded Loras's first undefeated and untied season since 1922. It was also Loras's first victory over Saint Joseph's, having lost the prior three matches.