Dan McGugin

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Dan McGugin (born July 29, 1879, died Jan. 23, 1936), originally of Ringgold County, Iowa, [1] was the head football coach for Vanderbilt University from 1904 to 1917, and from 1919 to 1934. During his tenures, he compiled a 197-55-19 career record, and had a .762 winning percentage. In his first career game, his team defeated Mississippi State 61-0. He went on to win his next two games by 60 points as well. He remains the only coach in NCAA history to win his first three games by 60 points. Not surprisingly he won his first 11 games by more than 20 points each. Vanderbilt also outscored its opponents 452-4, during his first year.

Writer Fred Russell wrote of McGugin,

For years he ruled supreme in Dixie, and his teams won many glorious intersectional victories. More than any one man, he was responsible for the progress of southern football.... He was the first coach to successfully work the onside kick. He was among the first to bring out guards in the interference.... His name will never die. ^[1]

On the Vanderbilt athletics site, Bill Traughber describes McGugin's speech before a famous 1922 game against the Michigan Wolverines at Dudley Field:

In the locker room prior to the kickoff, McGugin gave his hopeful pregame inspirational talk. Referring to the Michigan players, McGugin said, "You are going against Yankees, some of whose grandfathers killed your grandfathers in the Civil War." Unknowing [sic] to the Commodore players was the fact that McGugin's father had been an officer in the Union army. [2]

Ironically, McGugin had played college football at Michigan for his brother-in-law, Fielding Yost.

The Vanderbilt athletics office building, the McGugin Center, bears his name.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• College Hall of Fame Biography
• Des Moines Register: Dan McGugin in Register's Hall of Fame

Preceded by J.H. Henry	Vanderbilt University Head Football Coach 1904–1917	Succeeded by Ray Morrison
Preceded by Ray Morrison	Vanderbilt University Head Football Coach 1918–1934	Succeeded by Ray Morrison

v • d • e Vanderbilt Commodores Head Football Coaches Jones • W. J. Keller • Thornton • C. L. Upton • R. G. Acton • J. L. Crane • W. H. Watkins • J. H. Henry • McGugin • Morrison • Sanders • E. H. Alley • Bartling • Edwards • Guepe • Green • Pace • Sloan • Pancoast • MacIntyre • Brown • DiNardo • Dowhower • Widenhofer • Johnson