1941 Stanford Indians football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 1941 Stanford Indians football Shaughnessy-Clark-1940.jpg Pacific Coast Conference PCC 6–3 4–3 Clark Shaughnessy 2nd T formation Stanford Stadium The 1941 Stanford Indians football team represented Stanford University as a member of the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the 1941 college football season. Second-year head coach Clark Shaughnessy led the team to a 6–3 record. Before the season, Stanford, which the year prior had finished 10–0, was considered a favorite for the national championship, but three conference losses put it out of contention for a return to the Rose Bowl. After the season, Shaughnessy left Stanford to take over as head coach at the University of Maryland. Schedule 1941 AP September 27 w Oregon Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA 19–15 35,000 Cards Triumph: Indians Fumble and Bog Down But Win 11th Straight, 19-15 The San Francisco Examiner Harry Borba September 28, 1941 S2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36355101/cards_triumph_indians_fumble_and_bog/ Newspapers.com October 4 w UCLA Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA 33–0 40,000 Indians Toy With U.C.L.A. Los Angeles Times Al Wolf October 5, 1941 II-9 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36039943/indians_toy_with_ucla/ Newspapers.comStanford 33, Bruins 0 Oakland Tribune Bill Tobitt October 5, 1941 11 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36040096/stanford_33_bruins_0/ Newspapers.com October 11 l y Oregon State Bell Field Corvallis, OR 0–10 22,000 Oregon State Beavers Shatter Another Grid Dynasty The Register-Guard October 12, 1941 6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36368852/oregon_state_beavers_shatter_another/ Newspapers.com October 18 w y San Francisco Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA 42–26 7,000 Cardinals Use Only Power Plays to Trim Striving Dons, 42-26 The San Francisco Examiner Harry Borba October 19, 1941 Sports 2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35676007/cardinals_use_only_power_plays_to_trim/ Newspapers.com October 25 w y T–19 Washington Husky Stadium Seattle, WA 13–7 43,000 Cards Roll Toward Rose Bowl, 13-7 San Francisco Examiner Harry Borba October 26, 1941 Sports 3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36159676/cards_roll_toward_rose_bowl_137/ Newspapers.com November 1 w y 12 Santa Clara Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA 27–7 65,000 Tribe Has Reached Peak -- Shaughnessy Oakland Tribune Bill Tobitt November 2, 1941 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17682499/tribe_has_reached_peak_shaughnessy/ Newspapers.com November 8 w y 9 USC Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA rivalry 13–0 87,000 First Period Tells Tale: Throng of 87,000 Sees Indians Clinch Victory Early in Game Los Angeles Times Paul Zimmerman November 9, 1941 I-27 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36077281/first_period_tells_tale_throng_of/ Newspapers.com November 15 l 6 Washington State Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA 13–14 45,000 Cougars Crush Indians' Bowl Hopes The San Francisco Examiner Prescott Sullivan November 16, 1941 Sports 2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35841626/cougars_crush_indians_bowl_hopes/ Newspapers.com November 29 l California Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA Big Game 0–16 70,000 Cal, 3-1/2-1 Underdog, Whips Cards, 16-0 The San Francisco Examiner Prescott Sullivan November 30, 1941 Sports 2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36368413/cal_3121_underdog_whips_cards_160/ Newspapers.com Rankings 1941 college football rankings AP 1 8 NR 19т 12 9 6 (1) 17 NR NR Before the season The Indians lost two stars from the previous season, right halfback Hugh Gallarneau and fullback Norm Standlee, to graduation, but returned quarterback Frankie Albert. Shaughnessy made the "pessimistic" projection that the team would drop at least two games.Pessimistic Clark Shaughnessy Sees Team Losing Two Games, Eugene Register-Guard, September 14, 1941. Before and early in the season, expectations were high for Stanford, and alongside Minnesota, the Indians were considered among the frontrunners for the national championship.Minnesota and Stanford Loom Again as Champions, The Milwaukee Journal, September 29, 1941. Throughout the course of the season, however, injuries hindered the team. Season Neither Stanford nor Minnesota were considered overly impressive in narrow victories in their season openers. The Indians edged Oregon, 19–15. The International News Service reported that Stanford "was not the polished, meticulous outfit it was when it trimmed Nebraska" in the previous season's Rose Bowl.Teams With Standout Backs Take Over Spotlight, St. Petersburg Times, September 29, 1941. Stanford then routed UCLA, 33–0.USC, Huskies Are Underdogs, Eugene Register-Guard, October 10, 1941. The following week, Oregon State snapped Stanford's 13-game winning streak. The Associated Press credited Beavers center Quentin Greenough with leading Oregon State's defensive effort, which blanked Stanford's potent T-formation, 10–0. Greenough was injured in the fourth quarter and had to be carried out by stretcher.Clark Shaughnessy Says Best Team Won, Eugene Register-Guard, October 12, 1941. Against Washington, Stanford scored two second-quarter touchdowns and turned back multiple Huskies' drives. The Indians had two additional touchdowns negated by penalties, but won, 13–7.Stanford Clips Huskies, The Pittsburgh Press, October 26, 1941. On a mud-logged field, Stanford back Pete Kmetovic scored five minutes into the game against Santa Clara. Later in the first quarter, Buck Fawcett broke free for an 84-yard touchdown run, and before halftime, Kmetovic returned an interception 40 yards to put the Indians back in position for a third score. Stanford's defense held Santa Clara at bay for the remainder of the game, and turned back two Bronco drives on the four-yard line for a final result of 27–7.Stanford's T-Formation Rolls In Mud And Santa Clara Loses, The Miami News, November 2, 1941. After defeating USC, 13–0, the Indians fell in their penultimate game against Washington State. The result tied Stanford, Washington, and Oregon State for first-place in the Pacific Coast Conference with two losses each, and all still vying for a berth in the Rose Bowl.Stanford, Texas Fall in Hectic Week-end, St. Petersburg Times, November 17, 1941. Stanford's loss to underdogs California, 16–0, in the finale put them out of contention for the postseason game invitation.Oregon State In Rose Bowl, The Pittsburgh Press, November 30, 1941. The Indians finished with a 6–3 record.Coaching Records Game by Game: 1941 https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202139/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_game_by_game.php?coachid=2114&year=1941 2016-03-03 , College Football Data Warehouse, retrieved August 15, 2010. After the season In March 1942, Shaughnessy turned down a head coaching offer from Yale University, but said he was considering the same job at another Eastern school with little football tradition.Clark Shaughnessy Not Interested In Yale, But May Move East, Eugene Register-Guard, March 12, 1942. A short time later, he resigned to accept the job at Maryland.Clark Shaughnessy Moves To New Maryland University Job, Eugene Register-Guard, April 6, 1942. According to Sports Illustrated in 1977, Shaughnessy's decision was based on his belief that Stanford would discontinue its football program during World War II.Ron Fimrite, A Melding Of Men All Suited To A T; Clark Shaughnessy was a dour theoretician, Frankie Albert an unrestrained quarterback and Stanford a team of losers, but combined they forever changed the game of football https://web.archive.org/web/20131029183743/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1092785/index.htm 2013-10-29 , Sports Illustrated, September 5, 1977. After the season The 1942 NFL draft was held on December 10, 1941. The following Indians were selected.https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1942/draft.htm 1942 NFL Draft Listing Pro-Football-Reference.com March 13, 2021 Stanford Cardinal Round Pick Player Position NFL club 1 3 Pete Kmetovic Halfback Philadelphia Eagles 1 10 Frankie Albert Quarterback Chicago Bears 2 13 Vic Lindskog Center Philadelphia Eagles 12 103 Fred Meyer End Philadelphia Eagles 17 153 Arnie Meiners End Philadelphia Eagles https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1942.htm 1942 NFL Draft September 16, 2014 References Stanford Category:Stanford Cardinal football seasons Stanford Indians football