1961 Albright Lions football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1961
| team = Albright Lions
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Middle Atlantic Conference
| division = Northern College Division
| short_conf = MAC
| record = 7–0–1
| conf_record = 4–0–1
| head_coach = John Potsklan
| hc_year = 7th
| captain =
| stadium = Albright Stadium
}}
{{1961 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings}}
The 1961 Albright Lions football team was an American football team that represented Albright College of Reading, Pennsylvania, as a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) during the 1961 college football season. In their seventh year under head coach John Potsklan, the Lions compiled a 7–0–1 record (4–0–1 in MAC games), finished second in the MAC Northern College Division, and outscored opponents by a total of 264 to 68.
Coaches of the MAC Northern College Division selected quarterback Gary Chapman as the most valuable player in the division. Chapman and three other Albright players received first-team honors on the 1961 MAC Southern College Division all-star team. The other three honorees were end Gary Sheeler; tackle George Reagan; and guard George Sighman.{{cite news|title=S.U. Stars Get All-Star Berths|newspaper=Sunbury Daily Item|date=December 14, 1961|page=28|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-item-su-stars-get-all-star-b/152801370/|via=Newspapers.com}}
Chapman and Sheeler were also selected by the Associated Press as first-team players on the 1961 All-Pennsylvania football team. Reagan was named to the second team.{{cite news|title=Vignali First Team Repeater|newspaper=The Evening Standard|date=December 11, 1961|page=19|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-standard-vignali-first-team/152800785/|via=Newspapers.com}}
The Lions played their home games at Albright Stadium in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
| time = y
| timezone = Eastern
|September 30|||{{cfb link|year=1961|team=Muhlenberg Mules|title=Muhlenberg}}
|October 7|8:00 p.m.||Drexel|Albright Stadium|Reading, PA|W 47-6|4,500-5,000|{{cite news|title=Albright Buries Drexel by 47-6 For 15th in Row|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=October 8, 1961|page=4S|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-albright-burie/152567550/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite web |author= |title=Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Drexel) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/191/stats/12865 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=March 14, 2024 }}
|October 14||at|{{cfb link|year=1961|team=Gettysburg Bullets|title=Gettysburg}}||Gettysburg, PA|W 37-21||{{cite news|title=Albright Halts Battlefielders At Gettysburg|newspaper=The Evening Sun (Hanover, PA)|date=October 16, 1961|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-sun-albright-halts-battlefie/152581414/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 21|||Youngstown
|October 28||at|{{cfb link|year=1961|team=Moravian Greyhounds|title=Moravian}}|Moravian Field|Bethlehem, PA|T 8-8|3,500|{{cite news|title=Moravian Ties Albright|newspaper=Sunday Call-Chronicle|author=Jim Buss|date=October 29, 1961|page=1D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-call-moravian-ties-albright/152580859/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 4||at|Lebanon Valley|Lebanon High School Stadium|Lebanon, PA|W 33-7|5,500|{{cite news|title=Albright Lions Check LVC Winning Streak|newspaper=Lebanon Daily News|author=Tiny Parry|date=November 6, 1961|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-news-albright-lions-check-lvc/152554837/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite web |author= |title=Brief Summary of Cumulative Football Statistics (Lebanon Valley) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/351/stats/12865 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=August 2, 2024 }}
|November 11|||{{cfb link|year=1961|team=Juniata Indians|title=Juniata}}|Albright Stadium|Reading, PA (Shrine Pretzel Bowl)|W 21-0|9,000|{{cite news|title=Unbeaten Albright Blanks Fumbling Juniata Club 21-0|newspaper=The Daily News|location=Huntingdon and Mount Union, PA|date=November 13, 1961|page=4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-news-unbeaten-albright-blanks/152552887/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 18|||{{cfb link|year=1961|team=Franklin & Marshall Diplomats|title=Franklin & Marshall}}|Albright Stadium|Reading, PA|W 46-0|4,000|{{Cite news|title=Albright Lands Final In Unbeaten Run, 46-0|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=November 19, 1961|page=S2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-albright-lands/152552745/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
Statistics
The team tallied 2,814 yards of total offense (351.75 yards per game), consisting of 1,708 rushing yards (213.5 yards per game) and 1,106 passing yards (138.25 yards per game). On defense, Albright held opponents to 1,186 yards of total offense (148.25 yards per game) with 648 rushing yards (81 yards per game) and 538 passing yards (67.25 yards per game).
The team's individual statistical leaders included halfback Tom Olivo with 561 rushing yards, quarterback Gary Chapman with 974 passing yards and 1,074 yards of total offense, end Steve Simon with 19 receptions for 360 yards, and halfback Doug Deicke with 57 points scored (7 touchdowns and 15 extra point kicks).{{cite web|title=Brief Summary of Cumulative Football Statistics [Albright]|publisher=NCAA|accessdate=August 2, 2024|url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/16/stats/12865}} Olivo broke Albright's all-time scoring record, surpassing the mark set by Dick Riffle from 1935 to 1937.