Sunday, October 12, 2008
RE: Team Spirit at Duquesne from The Forum
Date Posted: Sunday, October 12, 11:25:33am
Hey Coffee, just wondering...where in the h*ll is the spirit for this team? I was at the game and couldn't get over how SO FEW DUKES FANS CHEER FOR THIS TEAM. Sure we have a zillion cheerleaders, but let's face it - few people follow what they're saying. Robert Morris fans clearly showed their support for their team. Dukes fans seem to have no enthusiasm. Pathetic . And where were any students? Does Duquesne have any student buses or anything like that?
Author:Kitty Kat Duke
Date Posted: Sunday, October 12, 01:23:30pm
Maybe the cheerleaders need to drum up some student support. Like a raffle each quarter or half and you have to be there to win? Kind of hard to cheer if everyone around you is quiet! Let's pass out megaphones!!!
[> [> Subject: Re: Team Spirit
Author:Coffee
Date Posted: Sunday, October 12, 03:11:20pm
Jamie/KKD- Robert Morris has some great fans and the layout that breeds more. They have an excellent tail-gate area with the students doing a live pre-game on speakers and the game broadcast all around. They also have a beautiful new collegiate stadium that seats just a bit more than ours and a band that gives you the feeling of attending an event. I don't know if they have busses.
I hate to say it, but Duquesne has done some big things, both good and bad to influence fan development. First they fry the marching band rather than pumping it up and replace it with a small pep band that can't be seen or heard. They close down a great tail-gate area instead of allowing the thing to spread all along Bluff Street and replace it with a $15 a head picnic area. Family/Group of 5 x 15 = $75 + tickets = $115 or $40 and a pack of dogs and some chips?????? Why can't they do both? They get a radio contract, but no radio to hear it at the game. They spend money to renovate the stadium and produce a half-way set of bleachers. They put in a consession stand with the condiment table taking out the best potential seats at the 50. Then, they hire students to chase away fans who try to sit in one of the few empty seats at the 50. They start a new athletic fund, then fail to charge visitors to attend the game.
It takes some common sense to do this right. You can't shame fans into supporting the team. You have to create the "event" and fans will choose to come.I see a day when the university crams seats into every possible place around Rooney. Student booths from every campus group on academic walk, a tailgate area along the entire length of Bluff Street (and a picnic area under Mellon) the pre-game, half time and post game radio on speakers and a small, but very lively marching band and color guard.
Just Call Him "Dozie"!
Steel City Football Rivalry Renewed
It was in 1906 that the first meeting for any of the three when Pitt beat up on Carnegie Tech 35-0. Tech got revenge in the next game, but had to wait 17 years in 1923 by a score of 7-2. Duquesne’s teams reached prominence under coach and former Notre Dame Four Horseman, Elmer Layden. One of their standout early players was Steeler founder and namesake of Rooney Field, Art Rooney Sr.. Art Sr. was their quarterback and place kicker in the 1920’s. It took Duquesne’s 41st year after starting a program to play in an inter-city game with Carnegie Tech, drawing 0-0 in a charity game in 1931.
But man, did the Pittsburgh college football rivalries took off BIG TIME after that. All three teams, Pitt, Duquesne and Carnegie Tech, were ranked often in the first national college football rankings put out by the Associated Press.
As the teams became better, the rivalries became bitter. All three teams played nationally known opponents including Notre Dame and the then powerful service academies. But they often faced more determined battles in their own back yards. Both Pitt and Duquesne played in New Year’s Day Bowls, but National Championships were up for grabs when they met during their regular season. Back then only the very top teams played in the Rose, Orange and Cotton Bowls. There were no Outback Bowls or the dozens of other modern bowls that cheapen the achievement today.
The college game and its rivalries actually dominated local sports to a point where the same Art Rooney had to take the Steelers on the road to places like Johnstown, Louisville, and New Orleans to sell tickets.
Unfortunately the rivalry between Pitt and Duquesne ended in 1939 with a Pitt loss to the Dukes when the AP then ranked Pitt #1. The Dukes went on to an undefeated season that year, being ranked #10 in the AP. The last game of the great city rivalry came in 1943 when Pitt ended it as it began over Carnegie Tech beating the Tartans handily 45-6. By then, Duquesne had folded its team for World War II and only briefly tried again after the war. Pitt’s rivalries then turned to Penn State and today’s Backyard Brawl with West Virginia.
The Pittsburgh collegiate rivalry lay dormant for decades until Duquesne’s club football team stepped up to Division III and re-ignited their rivalry with the Tartans of Carnegie Mellon. CMU and Duquesne played spirited games from 1980 to 1991 at times even at Three Rivers Stadium. When Duquesne stepped up again to 1-AA, the Steel City Rivalries ended again.
It didn’t end for long. A new collegiate team would be founded a century after Pitt and Duquesne began theirs in Pittsburgh. Robert Morris started from scratch under the direction of former NFL head coach Joe Walton. Duquesne’s series with the Colonials began in 1994 with the Dukes holding a slight edge 5-4. Both teams were consistently ranked at or near the top of non-scholarship 1-AA football. Now, both teams are stepping up in talent when the NEC member Robert Morris began offering scholarships three years ago. Duquesne offered its first scholarship since 1950 when it joined the Northeast Conference this year.
And so, with both teams now in the same conference and stepping up in competition, the Steel City Football Rivalry is on again. The latest edition of the “Battle of the ‘Burgh” takes place this Saturday, October 11 at High Noon at Robert Morris’ Joe Walton Stadium.
Game Notes: The game will be televised live as part of the NEC’s television package, seen locally on Fox Sports Pittsburgh. It is also carried live on radio on AM 1360 WMNY AM 730 WPIT and streaming on the web at redzonemedia.com.
Robert Morris Gets Even With Duquesne 34-27
The game really came down to two key factors. The young defense could not stop Colonial running back Myles Russ and when they finally did on a key third down, the referee decided to throw a questionable flag that kept the game from being a real classic. Russ ran for a career high 246 yards and kept the Duquesne offense off the field. Time after time the Colonials converted 3rd downs when a drive could have stalled.
The Duquesne Offense showed its inconsistency again on its first possession without gaining a first down after getting the ball on a fumble recovery at RMU’s 40. Duquesne showed the value on the next drive of having two talented quarterbacks, when Conner Dixon went out after a nice run down to the Colonial 31. In only the second play all year, Kevin Rombaugh threw the remaining 31 yards to Alex Roberson for the opening touchdown.
Robert Morris bounced right back with a 64 yard kickoff return by to the Duke’s 24.
The Colonials drove to the Duquesne five before the defense stiffened to settle for a 20-yard field goal.
Rombach continued to show the lack of rust by driving the Duke’s on a pair of field goal drives. The first down for a 12 play 64 yard drive to the RMU 3 for a 20 yard Troyan field goal and the second for a 36-yarder. Rombach started the second half, but failed to gain a first down on the first drive.
Robert Morris took their first lead of the game 19-13 on a 5 yard pass from Erik Cwalinski to T.J. Green, but the snap for the extra point was low and they missed the PAT. Duquesne got back with a balanced play call with counter runs and slants off play action to go up 20-19 on a Cleo Williams 2 yard run.
Russ was determined to impress with his speed during a drive into Duquesne territory before a center field interception by who returned it 26 yards for Troyan’s second field goal. He finished the next drive all by himself with a 51 yard run ending up just barely staying in bounds down the left side. He took over the play for the Colonials in the second half. Running most of the way on a third quarter drive to put the Colonials back up 27-20.
Williams capped off the next 10 play Duquesne drive with a two yard scrum to tie the game at 27.
The winning drive for the Colonials was scored as Russ or Cwalinski would convert one timely third down after another. The drive finished with an impressive, not-to-be-denied dive into the end zone by Regis Flowers to put the Colonials up by the final score of 34-27. After Duquesne’s final drive stalled, the Colonials also appeared to be stopped on a third down in their own territory. However, a weak flag for a late hit gave the Colonials the chance to run out the clock.
The flag gave the Colonials the chance to run out the clock and prevent an even more dramatic finish. However, the Dukes for a second week in a row let a win slip away in a close game. Thee young Dukes must learn how to win these close games to be able to better enjoy, they can learn to enjoy the rivalry games, be band, the crisp fall days, the marching band and the crowds even better.
NOTES: Beautiful new Joe Walton Stadium represents another bright aspect of the future of this level of football in the region. Both teams have either new or re-built fields and both are now in the same conference. As more fans see the allure of this brand of college football, it should create an even bigger game- The game was a standing room only, announced crowd of 4,999. Walton Stadium’s capacity in listed as 3,000. It was the largest crowd in RMU’s history.
Greg Hough continued to do what it takes with excellent blocking for Cleo Williams and showing good hands out of the backfield and the ability to gain yards after the catch. He also showed success running counters for decent yardage. He averaged close to 10 yards per carry. The Dukes really have to learn to go more often to what is working.
Russ’s 246 yards was the 6th best ever in the NEC and the third best total ever for Robert Morris.
The Walton stadium announcers tried valiantly to pronounce Chidozie Oparanozie’s name. It came out a different way each time it was called, but they didn’t take the easy way out y just calling him “Dozie”..
Dukes Prove Much, But Lose to Albany
They Dukes proved that they can win against the best in the NEC and 1-AA (FCS)…
…They also proved that they couldn’t do it if they make too many mistakes.
The Dukes proved that they are willing to take a gamble by throwing long down to the Albany three-yard-line on a third and one…
…They also proved that these gambles sometime backfire when they turn the ball over twice on 4th and short in the first quarter.
They proved to have an excellent crop of receivers who can strike from all over the field…
…They also proved that the same receivers could drop the ball.
Conner Dixon proved again that he could throw for touchdowns (2)…
…He also proved he can throw for costly interceptions (3).
The offense proved it could move the ball well under pressure…
… They also proved that they couldn’t do so consistently for four games now.
Cleo Williams proved he could run the ball against anybody…
…He also proved that he needs more carries.
Mark Troyan proved to be a pretty decent kicker…
…He also proved that he could set up the other team with a dribbled kickoff.
The defense proved that it has guts and will bend but is hard to break…
… It also proved that it would break if you give Albany the ball deep in our own territory twice in the fourth quarter.
The defense proved that it could go toe to toe against a heavier line that gave the best in the nation all it could handle…
…They also proved that they must finish tackles.
The Duquesne fans proved to be as smart, loyal and supportive as any in the nation for college football…
… They also proved that here really should be more of them given the excellent football the Dukes have played year after year.
The Dukes proved for the 4th game in a row that they can come back…
…They also proved for the second time that they can’t give away too much of a lead.
The young Dukes proved again that they have character and guts…
…They also proved that they really should watch their language a bit when the bleachers have kids so close to the field.
The Dukes proved that they could work hard to establish a radio contract…
…They also proved that they really should have a radio on at the new tailgate area.
The University’s excellent music program proved to be able to produce an excellent pep band…
…They also proved that they really need an excellent marching band for a real college football program atmosphere. You shouldn’t have to try to hear the band!
Rooney Field proves to be an excellent place to watch a good football game…
…It also proves to need just a bit more seating feel like a real college venue. The Dayton fans said the same last week.
The Dukes prove to continue to share the ball and play as a team no matter what class the player is…
…They proved that they shouldn’t share the ball with the other team
Albany proved that it could play well and out-gain a great team like #5 UMass and still lose…
… Unfortunately, so did Duquesne (392 to 312).
Notes: The Dukes showed excellent play calling during their first two drives when they effectively mixed in the run with the pass. The Dukes showed a respect for their football tradition at half time by recognizing Dan McCann’s Club Team Championship and Greg Gatuso’s Mid-Major Championship of 2003. Both coaches were there. Gatuso’s Panther’s upset #10 USF this week.
I liked what Albany did with their two quick kicks in the first half. It gave the Dukes poor field position. I hope the Dukes can run the same play.
Duquesne is perhaps the only Division 1 college football program that puts the condiment table at the 50-yard line where they could have built two more rows of prime seats.
http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/duqu/sports/m-footbl/auto_wide/2355443.jpeg
Duquesne/Dayton: The Hard Court Rivalry Moves to the Turf
The Dukes and Flyers take their rivalry to the football field for only the sixth time in 88 years. The Dukes and Flyers first met in 1920 when Art Rooney Sr. (Steeler’s founder and namesake for Rooney Field) was their quarterback and place-kicker. Duquesne won that first game 20-0. They also won the last of the series in 2002 (35-28). Dayton took the three games in between (1923, 1924 and 2001). The 2002 game featured the #1 and #2 teams in the TSN Mid-Major Poll. Dayton enters the game again on top having beat NEC Champion Albany in last year’s ECAC Classic.
Headline From the Duquesne Football Archives:
Looking Back 120 Years and Looking Ahead
What was the first collegiate team on record to play Duquesne? (Duquesne was known back then as Pittsburgh College of the Holy Ghost)
“For all the Marbles” in the Steel City
The Pittsburgh Coaching Legends Trophy will not be the first award offered to recognize the winner of local college football contests. In December of 1936, The Pittsburgh City Council authorized Mayor Cornelius D. Scully to award a Championship Cup not to exceed $2000 in cost to Duquesne as the top collegiate football program in the city that year. That year, the Dukes went on to win the Orange Bowl in Miami as well. The cup was presented each year until one of the three universities could win it three consecutive years, claiming permanent ownership of the cup. It would be interesting to know if either trophy still exists in a dusty trophy case somewhere on the campuses of Pitt, Duquesne, or CMU.
Pitt and Carnegie Tech had a still earlier similar cup awarded by the city until Pitt was able to win three years in a row, claiming ownership. Technically, Pitt and Carnegie Mellon could still play for the Layden Cup but it is unlikely in the near future given the differences in their assigned collegiate NCAA Divisions. At present, Duquesne and Robert Morris are the only two teams likely to play for the Cup although Pitt does usually play an FCS opponent each year.
I would like to offer the cup to the Heinz History Center’s Sports Museum to house and perhaps set up a small display recording all of the times the local teams went head to head against each other.
The Layden Cup
The games began with the first in 1901 between Duquesne (then the Pittsburg College of the Holy Ghost)and Pitt (then known as the Western University of Pennsylvania). Between Pitt (29 wins), CMU [originally Carnegie Tech] (18 wins), Duquesne (15 wins) and RMU (5 wins), I need 29 gold marbles, 18 red marbles, 15 or more blue marbles and 5 or more white marbles along with 2 clear marbles to represent the two ties. Overall there have been 69 games played in head to head Steel City College Football. This year's game allows either Duquesne or RMU to add the 70th marble.
One problem- I need help to find these marbles and my wife will shoot me if I spend any more on the trophy. Is anybody able to help? There will soon be a picture of the cup here on this blog when the face plate is added. There already are some articles from the past below as the idea of a Steel City Challenge Cup developed.
Alternate colors to represent the teams could be Pitt (gold), Duquesne (red), CMU (white) and RMU (blue).
The Elmer Layden Cup Steel City Collegiate Football Challenge Cup
Elmer Layden was the first Duquesne coach to play both Pitt and Carnegie Tech (Later Carnegie-Mellon). Layden had been one of Grantland' Rice's famed Four Horsemen of Notre Dame and later went on to become the NFL's first commissioner. The Dukes would win their first New Years Day game under Layden, the 1934 Festival of Palms Bowl. The bowl was re-named the Orange Bowl the following year. Duquesne would win the Orange Bowl again later that decade.
Past winners of head to head Pittsburgh Rivalry games are listed below.
1901- Pitt over Duquesne 18-0
1903- Duquesne over Pitt 10-6
1910- Pitt over Carnegie Tech 35-0
1923- Carnegie Tech over Pitt 7-2
1924- Carnegie Tech over Pitt 6-0
1925- Pitt over Carnegie Tech 12-0
1931- Duquesne tied Carnegie Tech 0-0
1932- Pitt over Carnegie Tech 6-0
Pitt over Duquesne 33-0
1933- Pitt over Duquesne 7-0
1934- Carnegie Tech over Duquesne 3-0
1935- Duquesne over Carnegie Tech, 7-0
1936- Duquesne over Pitt 7-0
Duquesne over Carnegie Tech 13-0
1937- Pitt over Carnegie Tech 25-14
Pitt over Duquesne 6-0
Carnegie Tech over Duquesne 6-0
1938- Carnegie Tech over Duquesne 21-0
Pitt over Duquesne 27-0
1939- Duquesne over Pitt 21-13 (Last Pitt-Duquesne)
Duquesne over Carnegie Tech 22-7
1940- Duquesne over Carnegie Tech 14-7
Pitt over Carnegie Tech, 6-0
1941- Pitt over Carnegie Tech, 27-0 (Last Pitt-Carnegie Tech)
1980- CMU over Duquesne 39-7
1981- Duquesne over CMU 27-10
1982- CMU over Duquesne 19-0
1983- CMU over Duquesne 14-11
1984- CMU over Duquesne 20-14
1985- CMU over Duquesne 31-10
1986- CMU over Duquesne 33-22
1987- CMU over Duquesne 17-13
1988- CMU over Duquesne 24-14
1989- Duquesne over CMU 11-10
1990- CMU over Duquesne 31-8
1991- CMU over Duquesne 28-14
1994- Robert Morris over Duquesne 28-6
1995- Robert Morris over Duquesne 38-20
1996- Robert Morris over Duquesne 28-26 (ECAC Bowl)
1998- Duquesne over Robert Morris 24-22
2003- Duquesne over Robert Morris 33-28
2004- Robert Morris over Duquesne 34-14
2005- Duquesne over Robert Morris 23-12
2006- Duquesne over Robert Morris 27-7
2007- Duquesne over Robert Morris 17-14
2008- Robert Morris over Duquesne 34-27
2009- Duquesne over Robert Morris 34-20
2010- Robert Morris over Duquesne 34-11
2011- Duquesne over Robert Morris 45-10
2012- Robert Morris over Duquesne 18-13
2013- Duquesne over Robert Morris 21-10
2014- Duquesne over Robert Morris 22-0
2015- Duquesne over Robert Morris 16-7
2016- Duquesne over Robert Morris 31-24
2017- Duquesne over Robert Morris 51-14
STEEL CITY FOOTBALL RIVALRIES
It was in 1901 that that Pitt, then known as Western University of PA, would win the first recorded contest between Steel City teams with a 18-0 win over Duquesne. Duquesne was known at the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost until 1911. Duquesne or PCC/HG returned the favor in 1903, beating Pitt 10-6. In 1906 Pitt beat up on Carnegie Tech 35-0. Tech got revenge in the next game, but had to wait 17 years in 1923 by a score of 7-2. Duquesne’s teams reached prominence under coach and former Notre Dame Four Horseman, Elmer Layden. One of their standout early players was Steeler founder and namesake of Rooney Field, Art Rooney Sr.. Art Sr. was their quarterback and place kicker in the 1920’s. It took Duquesne’s 41st year after starting a program to play in an inter-city game with Carnegie Tech, drawing 0-0 in a charity game in 1931.
The Pittsburgh college football rivalries took off BIG TIME after that. All three teams, Pitt, Duquesne and Carnegie Tech, were ranked often in the first national college football rankings put out by the Associated Press.
As the teams became better, the rivalries became bitter. All three teams played nationally known opponents including Notre Dame and the then powerful service academies. But they often faced more determined battles in their own back yards. Pitt, Duquesne and Carnegie-Tech all played in New Year’s Day Bowls, but National Championships were up for grabs when they met during their regular season. Back then only the very top teams played in the Rose, Orange (First known as the Festival of Palms Bowl) and Cotton Bowls. There were no Outback Bowls or the dozens of other modern bowls that cheapen the achievement today.
The college game and its rivalries actually dominated local sports to a point where the same Art Rooney had to take the Steelers on the road to places like Johnstown, Louisville, and New Orleans to sell tickets.
Unfortunately the rivalry between Pitt and Duquesne ended in 1939 with a Pitt loss to the Dukes. Pitt was ranked #1 in the nation by the AP going into the game. The Dukes went on to an undefeated season that year and finished in the AP Top Ten and #1 in the Massey Ratings (See article below). The last game of the great city rivalry came in 1943 when Pitt also ended their series with Carnegie Tech, beating the Tartans handily 45-6. By then, Duquesne had folded its team for World War II and only briefly tried again after the war. Pitt’s rivalries then turned to Penn State and today’s Backyard Brawl with West Virginia.
The Pittsburgh collegiate rivalry lay dormant for decades until Duquesne’s club football team stepped up to Division III and re-ignited their rivalry with the Tartans of Carnegie Mellon. CMU and Duquesne played spirited games from 1980 to 1991 at times even at Three Rivers Stadium. When Duquesne stepped up again to 1-AA, the Steel City Rivalries ended again.
It didn’t end for long. A new collegiate team would be founded a century after Pitt and Duquesne began theirs in Pittsburgh. Robert Morris started from scratch under the direction of former NFL head coach Joe Walton. Duquesne’s series with the Colonials began in 1994 with the Dukes holding a slight edge 5-4. Both teams were consistently ranked at or near the top of non-scholarship 1-AA football. Now, both teams are stepping up in talent when the NEC member Robert Morris began offering scholarships three years ago. Duquesne offered its first scholarship since 1950 when it joined the Northeast Conference this year.
And so, with both teams now in the same conference and stepping up in competition, the Steel City Football Rivalry is on again.
MAJOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL 1941: THE DUKES WERE # 1 !
http://www.masseyratings.com/cf/years.txt
More About Duquesne and Major College Football Rankings
Many recognized collegiate football ranking systems begin declaring national champions dating back to 1869 when Princeton was declared national champion by most systems. Controversy exists even in that year’s selection of the nation’s best by some systems rating Rutgers at the top. Back then there were no polls taken by sports writers such as the AP Top 25 or the USA Today Poll or the now defunct UPI Coaches Poll.
The most familiar and accepted current system, The Associated Press only released their first collegiate football ranking in 1934. No AP Poll was released in 1935 but they have been releasing continuous rankings since 1936. The only inconsistency with the AP Poll since 1936 relates to the years when they would not issue a final yearly ranking after the college bowl games.
College football teams from 1869 to the present are ranked very accurately and without regional prejudices by statistically based systems such as the Sagarin, Massey, Sorrenson, RPI, Dunkle and other computer models. Most of these commonly accepted and statistically sound models are fairly consistent since they all basically look at a teams record against their strength of schedule. Their formulas as to how to factor in data from when in the year a team lost or home field advantage do rate teams differently.
Thus, even when bias from a sports writer, coach, or fan is not considered, there is seldom a year when all agree as to who is the nation’s best college football team. Even then, who is to say the fans, coaches and writers shouldn’t have a say over cold computer calculations.
The current BCS System makes an effort to achieve some consensus by relying on both polling data and computer ranking systems. Obviously, even the BCS Series Rankings has never made all of the people happy all of the time.
This debate and controversy over whose team is the best is really part of what being a college football fan is all about.
Duquesne’s National Major Football Championship
All this being said, there was a time and respected system that has declared the Duquesne Dukes the National Champion. That honor belongs to the undefeated and untied 1941 edition of the Duquesne Dukes. This rating is no fluke. The ’41 Dukes gave up only 21 points all season and were led the nation in scoring defense, rushing defense and total defense. No major college team since has given up fewer points.
Only Duquesne, Minnesota and Duke finished the 1941 season undefeated and untied among major programs. Admittedly, Minnesota has been recognized by most ranking systems, including the AP as being the # 1 team in the nation that year. However the Massey Rating System has looked at the data and declares Duquesne to be the #1 team in the nation that year. Duquesne was considered to play in the Cotton Bowl that year. Had they been selected and gone on to beat Texas A & M they would have had a good claim over Minnesota.
The Massey System.
The first questions that most would ask are what is the Massey system and is it legitimate? It is legitimate to the point that the current BCS Series currently uses it to determine which teams are selected to play in the BCS Bowls and for the National Championship. The Massey Ratings may be the most scientific and full-featured system available.
Kenneth Massey has been doing these ratings since 1995 and offers previous ratings back to 1930 based upon available data. Massey’s system takes no short cuts. For example, most ratings give a standard home field advantage factor of about 4 points to all home teams. Massey makes the home field advantage factor more precise by analyzing each team’s performance at home vs. away and neutral site games to determine a more accurate facet in rating teams. In other words, winning at home doesn’t and shouldn’t have the same degree of advantage for all teams rated.
The Massey Ratings are also thought to be considerably accurate when considering strength of schedule. This is no easy task when considering the college football world of 1941 when the best in the country often still played considerably lesser-developed programs.
National Major College Football Classifications and Ratings
Duquesne’s first team was fielded in 1891. As most other college teams of the era, the original Dukes’ opponents were not necessarily from other colleges. They included athletic clubs and even high school teams. Nor were there restrictions that all team members had to be current or former students. This began to change as the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS), was established on March 31, 1906 to set rules for college athletics. The IAAUS became the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 1910.
Prior to 1937, ranking colleges was difficult since programs varied widely as to the class of opponents each school would play. Going undefeated against a schedule that included Notre Dame, Penn State and Michigan was obviously more impressive than one that included lesser opponents. With the advent of Bowl selections, the college football had to start separating the apples from the oranges.
In 1937 the NCAA began issuing a system that divided its collegiate football programs into Divisions and placed restrictions on how often teams from each division could play each other. In 1937, the top division was the “University” or “Major College” Division. In 1973, The NCAA restructured its classifications to rename the major programs “Division I”. Division I was subdivided into “I-A” and “1-AA” in 1978. Currently, Duquesne plays in Division I-AA or as the NCAA now officially calls it the “Championship” Subdivision of Division I vs. the “Bowl” Subdivision. Other current NCAA Divisions are II and III. The NAIA and the NCCAA govern smaller college athletic programs.
Massey considered all 119 NCAA Major College football programs when he ranked Duquesne # 1 in 1941. (See link at- http://www.masseyratings.com/cf/years.txt )
Duquesne’s Past Collegiate Classifications
Until the NCAA began to define the caliber of competition, Duquesne was considered an “Independent” collegiate football team along with all other college teams. When the University or Major Division was established in 1937, Duquesne was among this group of just over 100 other colleges and universities. Massey’s 1941 rating considered 119 Major Division teams when it selected Duquesne # 1 in the nation.
Unfortunately, just as Duquesne Football was reaching its highest potential nationally, the team was cut by the University due to the Second World War. Both the AP and Massey had ranked Duquesne teams throughout the 30’s and 40’s prior to the war. Massey ranks the 1933 Dukes at #8 and the 1936 Dukes # 2 in the nation. The AP ranks them at # 14 and # 8 respectively.
Duquesne briefly tried to re-establish the team after the war as a Major Division program, but gave up after the 1950 season. Students and volunteers would start Duquesne’s next team as a club.
Duquesne’s Other National Collegiate Football Championships
When Duquesne re-started its football program in 1969 as a club team, it was sanctioned by the now defunct NCFA. Duquesne was recognized as the National Club Champions in 1973 when they went 10 – 0 under coach Dan McCann and defeated Mattatuck 13-7 in the National Championship game played Three Rivers Stadium.
In 1979, the University again took over sponsorship of the program as an NCAA Division III program. Interestingly, Division III would be the only classification where Duquesne Football could not claim a national championship rating or ranking.
The program would be “upgraded” again in 1993 when it would move to the NCAA Division I-AA. However, the move to I-AA did not necessarily mean that the Dukes would be able to compete on even terms with most other I-AA programs since they would join an odd group of schools who were considered I-AA, but would not be allowed to award scholarships and would have severe limitations on the amount of money they could spend on travel or coaching staffs. This “cost containment” approach to keeping the university at the NCAA Division I for the rest of the school’s athletic programs would evolve into a strange subdivision within the I-AA subdivision known at the “Mid-Majors”.
The Sports Network (TSN) and Don Hansen’s Weekly Football Gazette both developed a bit of love for this odd group of so-called major programs who would not or could not commit the resources to compete with the other major programs of Division I-A and I-AA. Generally, there were about 30 college programs that would either play as independents or populate the Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference, the Northeast Conference and the Pioneer Conference. All three were officially recognized by the NCAA as belonging to the I-AA Division, but were not given automatic berths to the I-AA Playoffs.
Duquesne would come as close as any of the Mid-Majors to competing with their better-funded I-AA brothers. Greg Gatuso’s squad often played scholarship programs and often won. Not only were these Duquesne team often ranked # 1 by the TSN and Hansen Polls, but were often ranked in the regular I-AA polls. Their highest ranking in the National I-AA Coaches Poll was # 14 before losing their only game of the 2002 season to Albany in the ECAC Classic. Both the TSN and Hansen rankings would select the Dukes the following years as the # 1 Mid-Major National Champions in 2003 when they beat Monmouth to win that year’s ECAC Classic.
Now the “Mid-Majors” are no more. Duquesne and most of the other Mid-Majors have either begun to offer scholarships or have folded.
The Dukes have laid at least partial claim to National Football Championships from the Club level to the I-AA Mid-Majors to, according to the Massey Ratings, the Major College level. What does the future hold for the Dukes at the regular I-AA level now that they have begun to award scholarships? The NEC, the Duke’s new conference will be eligible for a bid to the Division I-AA National Championship beginning in 2010.
The 1941 Massey Ratings
1941 Teams Rated: 119
Team W L T PF PA Off Def Sched Rating Dom
1 Duquesne 8 0 0 17.88 2.62 4 2 44 33.84 0.736
2 Minnesota 8 0 0 23.25 4.75 5 4 41 29.26 0.609
3 Mississippi St 8 1 1 19.10 5.50 28 1 4 26.63 0.530
4 Notre Dame 8 0 1 21.00 7.11 6 11 49 26.20 0.517
5 Alabama 9 2 0 23.91 7.73 8 8 5 26.09 0.514
6 Georgia 9 1 1 29.00 7.73 3 26 28 23.63 0.440
7 Texas 8 1 1 33.80 5.50 1 36 38 23.50 0.436
8 Oregon St 8 2 0 14.30 4.90 23 3 30 23.21 0.427
9 Michigan 6 1 1 18.38 5.12 17 6 22 22.32 0.401
10 Navy 7 1 1 21.33 3.78 16 7 34 21.97 0.390
Filling In Duquesne's Football Tradition: The Real Record
For example, how many times did Duquesne play Pitt on the football field and what was their record? Duquesne's media guide lists the record at 2-4 with the recognized games being in the 1930's when Duquesne and Pitt were both nationally ranked powers.
Pitt's football records are a bit more complete and show that the first Pitt-Duquesne game turned out to be an 18-0 Pitt victory over the Dukes in 1901. However, the Panthers don't recognize a loss to Duquesne in 1903 by a score of 10-6.
Part of the reason for the confusion could be that Pitt, at the time of both earlier games was known as the Western University of Pennsylvania and Duquesne was officially known as the Pittsburgh College of the Holy Ghost.
Instead of Duquesne's Media Guide record of 2-4 and Pitt's version of 2-5, the actual record is 3-5. This record is now verified by the College Football Data Warehouse.
By cross checking available records from Pitt, West Virginia, Washington and Jefferson, I.U.P., Thiel, Westminster, St. Francis, Geneva, University of Buffalo, Bethany, California University of PA and others, Duquesne's documantable all time record should stand at 395 wins, 287 losses and 25 ties.
Duquesne's Media guide does not include a proud 1891-1901, first decade record of 33-17-5 in its all time record. It does, however, now list Duquesne's first documented collegiate game, a 1893 loss to Washington and Jefferson by a score of 22-19.
It would be a great recognition of a proud football tradition to claim our 400th win if it occurs this year!
1937 Duquesne Orange Bowl Win
DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY TRIVIA
Duquesne Broadcast Crew on WMNY 1360 AM
1929 Dukes at White House with President Hoover
TEN REASONS TO ADD MORE SEATS TO ROONEY
2. Scheduling- It will be very hard to attract quality out-of-conference opponents to Rooney Field. Even the soccer teams that come in think the field looks “quaint” to be polite.
3. Attendance- I’ve brought along friends to see a game at Rooney and it really doesn’t feel like a real college game atmosphere. They enjoyed the game, but would be more likely to come back if there was more atmosphere.
4. Crowd Noise/Emotion- Emotion feeds emotion. It is extremely difficult to get a crowd into the game with so few rows behind you.
5. Home Field Advantage- This crowd noise obviously help the home team.
6. Financial Benefit- It would be easier to charge admission to build a revenue base. Football needs to be a moneymaker for the rest of the department (or at least support itself) as it does for many other colleges. Too many fans, particularly from the opponent’s side of the field are just walking up without paying. A better field will also attract more paying customers and also could be a chance for student groups to set up booths as they do at other universities.
7. Press Coverage- If given a choice between covering a game at other college with a lower or same classification, but a better field facility, we are not competitive. TV highlights from games at Rooney look small time.
8. Hosting Games- Central Catholic actually decided to hold its games elsewhere due to the lack of seating capacity. This is a good school to keep associated with.
9. Academic Excellence- Who knows how many students come on campus to consider Duquesne when Central Catholic plays here or when they take a campus tour or if they come to see a Dukes game and get the feel of a real college game? The students we want to attend Duquesne are those with school spirit who want to picture themselves as being part of something fun and exciting. Rooney’s size does not paint this picture.
10. School Pride- This field just looks small time in comparison to other local fields such as Walton Stadium.
DUQUESNE-RMU TROPHY
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Duquesne University Fight Song-Rev. Thomas Quigley 1926
We'll sing hooray for the Red and Blue,
A big hooray for the Red and Blue;
For the flag we love on to victory,
And when the foe is down,
we will raise a mighty shout
And sing hooray for the Red and Blue;
We're all your sons and daughters true.
Now with all your might, give them
fight,fight, fight
for the grand old Red and Blue.
DUQUESNE DUKES ALL-TIME FOOTBALL RECORD (1891-2011)*
Winning %- .574
~DUQUESNE GLORY/GORY YEARS~
Unbeaten 1929 Dukes at the White House with the President
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