Hardin–Simmons University Football: A Storied History
Hardin-Simmons University boasts a rich football history, marked by periods of excellence, challenges, and ultimately, revival. From its early beginnings in the late 19th century to its current standing in NCAA Division III, the program has witnessed significant transformations and achievements.
Early Years and the Kimbrough Era
Hardin-Simmons began competing in intercollegiate football in 1897. The program rose to prominence under Frank Kimbrough, who served as head coach from 1935 to 1940. During his tenure, Kimbrough compiled an impressive 47-8-3 record (.836). His teams participated in the 1936 and 1937 Sun Bowls, and the undefeated and untied 1940 team achieved a No. 6 ranking in the nation.
Border Conference Years
From 1941 to 1961, Hardin-Simmons competed as a member of the Border Conference. The Cowboys captured three conference championships during this era: in 1942 (shared with Texas Tech) and 1946 under head coach Warren B. Woodson.
Program's Elimination and Subsequent Revival
Despite the earlier successes, the Hardin-Simmons football program faced a period of decline in the early 1960s. From 1960 to 1963, the team struggled, posting a 3-35-1 record and being outscored by a significant margin of 999 to 313. As a result, in January 1964, the university trustees made the difficult decision to eliminate the football program.
For over two decades, Hardin-Simmons did not field a football team. However, the desire for football remained strong, and in 1990, the program was revived. The school now competes at the NCAA Division III level, marking a new chapter in its football history.
Read also: Explore UMHB's academic programs
The Keeling Era and American Southwest Conference Dominance
Jimmie Keeling took the helm as head coach in 1990, ushering in an era of sustained success. Over his 21-year tenure, Keeling led the Cowboys to 11 American Southwest Conference championships and amassed a remarkable record of 172-53 (.764). His leadership and coaching prowess solidified Hardin-Simmons as a force to be reckoned with in the conference. He became the program's all-time winningest coach, surpassing the late Warren Woodson.
The 1963 Season
The 1963 season was the first and only season under head coach Floyd Huggins. The team compiled a 2-6-1 record. The Cowboys game against Arlington State scheduled for November 23 at Memorial Stadium was canceled in deference to the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
The 1997 Season
In 1997, Hardin-Simmons football team was preparing to take the field against Chapman on Sept. 27. This game marked the most ever by a HSU coach. Five defensive starters returned. Several positions, including quarterback and tight end needed to be filled. That season there were only two home games. On Oct. 4, they played Western New Mexico and on Nov. 15, they competed against Sul Ross State. Hardin-Simmons revived football after a decade hiatus in 1990. The following week, Nov. 8, the team played at Mississippi College.
1997 Schedule
- 9/13/97 at Azusa Pacific
- 9/20/97 at Sul Ross State
- 9/27/97 CHAPMAN
- 10/4/97 WESTERN NEW MEXICO
- 10/11/97 at Langston
- 10/18/97 MCMURRY
- 10/25/97 at Howard Payne
- 11/1/97 AUSTIN COLLEGE
- 11/8/97 at Mississippi College
- 11/15/97 SUL ROSS STATE
1997 Team Statistics
The following statistics provide a glimpse into the team's performance during the 1997 season:
- SCORING:
- Points Per Game
- FIRST DOWNS:
- Rushing
- Passing
- Penalty
- RUSHING YARDAGE:
- Yards gained rushing
- Yards lost rushing
- Rushing Attempts
- Average Per Rush
- Average Per Game
- TDs Rushing
- PASSING YARDAGE:
- Att-Comp-Int
- Average Per Pass
- Average Per Catch
- Average Per Game
- TDs Passing
- TOTAL OFFENSE:
- Total Plays
- Average Per Play
- Average Per Game
- KICKOFF RETURNS: #-YARDS
- PUNT RETURNS: #-YARDS
- INT RETURNS: #-YARDS
- KICKOFF RETURN AVERAGE
- PUNT RETURN AVERAGE
- INT RETURN AVERAGE
- FUMBLES-LOST
- PENALTIES-YARDS
- Average Per Game
- PUNTS-YARDS
- Average Per Punt
- Net punt average
- TIME OF POSSESSION/GAME
- 3RD-DOWN CONVERSIONS
- 3rd-Down Pct
- 4TH-DOWN CONVERSIONS
- 4th-Down Pct
- SACKS BY-YARDS
- MISC YARDS
- TOUCHDOWNS SCORED
- FIELD GOALS-ATTEMPTS
- PAT KICKS-ATTEMPTS
- ATTENDANCE
- Games/Avg Per Game
1997 Individual Statistics
The following table shows individual player statistics for the 1997 season:
Read also: Tuition at UMHB
| Player | REC G | No. | Total | PUNT RETURNS No. | Total | INTERCEPTIONS No. | Total | KICK RETURNS No. | Total | FUMBLE RETURNS No. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Brown | 10 | 60 | 26 | 12-36 | 3.0-27 | 1 | |||||
| Ryan Jacobs | 10 | 43 | 29 | 10-34 | 2.0-14 | 1-14 | 1 | 1-0 | |||
| Dustin Kiser | 10 | 45 | 18 | 18-96 | 8.0-72 | 1-8 | 1-0 | ||||
| Kurt Evans | 10 | 28 | 16 | 7-25 | 1.0-5 | ||||||
| David Rausch | 10 | 24 | 17 | 7-147 | |||||||
| Roque Vela | 10 | 24 | 14 | 2-3 | 3-14 | 1 | 1-0 | ||||
| Ross Blackwelder | 8 | 28 | 8 | 1-2 | 3-33 | ||||||
| Link Harris | 10 | 19 | 15 | 11-46 | 4.5-42 | 2 | 2-0 | ||||
| Jared Sanderson | 9 | 17 | 12 | 5-14 | |||||||
| Seth Denbow | 7 | 8 | 19 | 2-2 | 0.5-4 | ||||||
| Johnny Golden | 7 | 14 | 13 | 5-7 | 1.0-13 | ||||||
| Corbett Boone | 7 | 20 | 7 | 1-8 | |||||||
| Jon Loudermilk | 8 | 15 | 8 | 2-12 | 2.0-12 | 1-10 | |||||
| Gordon Smith | 7 | 13 | 3 | 1-4 | 1-0 | ||||||
| Ryan Rylander | 6 | 8 | 7 | ||||||||
| Jacob Freeman | 6 | 8 | 6 | 1-4 | 0.5-17 | 2 | 2-8 | ||||
| Jeremy Pearcy | 6 | 6 | 7 | 2-13 | 1.0-12 | ||||||
| Jason Morrison | 6 | 7 | 4 | 1-2 | 1.0-7 | 1 | 1-0 | ||||
| Chad Chacchia | 9 | 9 | 2 | 1 | |||||||
| Kelly Cook | 6 | 6 | 4 | ||||||||
| Casey Thompson | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1-2 | 0.5-3 | ||||||
| Nathaniel Davis | 5 | 8 | 1-1 | ||||||||
| Jack Graves | 7 | 5 | 3 | ||||||||
| Toby Thomason | 5 | 4 | 2 | ||||||||
| Landon Neal | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1-3 | 1 | ||||||
| Hector Montenegro | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1-1 | |||||||
| David Wooley | 3 | 4 | 1 | ||||||||
| Ken Thibodeaux | 3 | 4 | 1.0-6 | ||||||||
| Mark Biddy | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1-2 | |||||||
| Scott Mitchell | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1-12 | |||||||
| Josh Small | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2-5 | 1.0-3 | ||||||
| Andy Howard | 3 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
| Team | 6 | 3 | 2-10 | 1 | 1-0 | ||||||
| Brad Langley | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||||||
| Todd Adams | 1 | 3 | |||||||||
| Nathan Tandberg | 3 | 2 | |||||||||
| Jared Wood | 6 | 2 | |||||||||
| Josh Furlow | 2 | 2 | |||||||||
| Chance Sampson | 10 | 1 | |||||||||
| Stewart Chalmers | 9 | 1 | |||||||||
| Bill Poe | 10 | 1 | |||||||||
| Jackie Warren | 10 | 1 | |||||||||
| Aaron Birdwell | 3 | 1 | |||||||||
| Jeff Pevehouse | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| Mark Muhr | 2 | 1 | |||||||||
| Total | 10 | 459 | 267 | 89-331 | 27.0-237 | 19-239 | 30 | ||||
| Opponents | 10 | 16.5-116 | 9-172 | 28 |
Conference Standings (Various Years)
Hardin-Simmons has competed in various conferences throughout its history. Here's a glimpse of conference standings from different years, showcasing the team's performance against its peers:
- American Rivers Conference
- American Southwest Conference
- CCIW
- Centennial
- Conference of New England
- Empire 8
- Heartland
- Independent DIII
- Landmark Conference
- Liberty League
- Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference
- Michigan
- Middle Atlantic Conference
- Midwest
- NESCAC
- New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference
- New Jersey
- North Coast
- Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
Hardin-Simmons Coaching Legacy
Keeling succeeded Dr. director in 1995, but only held the position for two years. Coaches like Jimmie Keeling, who holds the record for most games coached, exemplify the dedication and leadership that have shaped the program.
Read also: A Look at Hardin-Simmons University
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