1951 Susquehanna Crusaders football team

{{short description|American college football season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox college sports team season

| sport = football

| year = 1951

| team = Susquehanna Crusaders

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Independent

| record = 6–0

| head_coach = Amos Alonzo Stagg Jr.

| hc_year = 17th

| captain =

| stadium =

| champion =

}}

{{1951 Eastern college football independents records}}

The 1951 Susquehanna Crusaders football team was an American football team that represented Susquehanna University as an independent during the 1951 college football season. The Crusaders compiled a perfect 6–0 record and outscored opponents by a total of 185 to 91.{{cite web|title=Susquehanna Yearly Results|publisher=College Football Data Warehouse|accessdate=March 20, 2024|url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/s/susquehanna/1950-1954_yearly_results.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907192315/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/s/susquehanna/1950-1954_yearly_results.php |archive-date=2015-09-07 }}

Amos Alonzo Stagg Jr. was Susquehanna's head coach for the 19th year. His father, Amos Alonzo Stagg, at age 89, had been coaching the team with his son since 1947. After the team completed its undefeated season, Stagg Sr. said: "I haven't had this feeling since 1943 when I was voted Coach of the Year. It's definitely the best team we've had in the five years I've been here."{{cite news|title=Unbeaten Season Cheers Stagg, 89: Grand Old Man Of Grid Feels 'Very Jolly' After Susquehanna Ends Campaign Without Loss|newspaper=The Evening Sun|date=November 20, 1951|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-sun-unbeaten-season-cheers-s/144061870/|via=Newspapers.com}}

Susquehanna's Jim Hazlett was selected as the first-team center on the 1951 Little All-America college football team. Hazlett declined opportunities to play for larger colleges in order to play under Stagg. Stagg Sr. praised Hazlett and said that "without Jim Hazlett, Susquehanna wouldn't have enjoyed the success it did this year."{{cite news|title=AP Little All-America: Susquehanna, Bucknell Stars on First Squad|newspaper=Lancaster New Era|author=Harold Claasen|agency=Associated Press|date=December 5, 1951|page=24|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lancaster-new-era-ap-little-all-america/144063863/|via=Newspapers.com}} Hazlett later returned to Susquehanna as its head football coach from 1966 to 1977.{{cite news|title=Former SU coach, athletic director passes away: Jim Hazlett was Crusaders' top athlete in 1952|newspaper=The Daily Item|date=August 8, 2010|page=C4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-item-former-su-coach-athletic/144064564/|via=Newspapers.com}}

Hazlett and halfback Rich Young were both selected as first team players on the Associated Press' 1951 All-Pennsylvania football team.{{cite news|title=Peterbaugh Named On All-State College Squad|newspaper=The Daily Record|author=Herb Altschull|date=November 29, 1951|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pocono-record-peterbaugh-named-on-al/144067401/|via=Newspapers.com}} Young was a triple-threat player who was only five-feet six inches ND 160 pounds. He scored nine touchdowns and 10 passing touchdowns and also handled punting and kicking for the team.

The team played its home games at Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.