Harvard Crimson

The Harvard football program, along with Yale and Princeton, were among the top teams in college football for the first four decades of the game. In fact, Harvard has ties to winning 12 national championships from NCAA-designated major selectors. These are the seasons of 1874, 1875, 1890, 1898, 1899, 1901, 1908, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1919, 1920. Harvard claims seven of these college football national championships. The Crimson originally competed as a "Major" football independent before joining the Ivy League in 1956 as a founding member. Coaches that have patrolled the Harvard sidelines are significant as men such as Percy Haughton, Robert Fisher, Arnold Horween, Dick Harlow, John Yovicsin, Joe Restic, and Tim Murphy, among others. The players that have donned the "H" are significant as well, with the likes of Kyle Juszczyk, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ralph Horween, Arnold Horween, Percy Haughton, Roger Caron, Percy Wendell, and so many more. It's a rich history, and Harvard definitely guided much of the early formation of the game. You will find much to celebrate about Crimson football history in this collection of posts.

The popular football history website founded by Timothy Brown. Tim's FootballArchaeology.com has a daily football factoid that he shares that are really quite interesting in a short read. They preserve football history in a very unique way and we are quite happy that Tim has agreed to join us each week to go over some of his Today's Tidbits. There are also other longer posts and even some links to Mr. Brown's books on football history. Click that link and you can subscribe for free to receive them yourself each evening.

We are so pleased and honored that this scholar of early football spends a little bit of time with us via podcast and video to help celebrate the game we all love, and enlighten us about football's forgotten aspects. These lessons from this esteemed Football Archaeologist provide a framework of respect for our gridiron ancestors in a few ways on enlightenment.

Remembering the past illuminates the incredible athletic advancements players have made. Early football, though brutal, lacked the refined skillsets and physical conditioning seen today. Quarterbacks like Johnny Unitas revolutionized passing accuracy, while running backs like Jim Brown redefined power and agility. By appreciating these historical feats, we can marvel at the lightning-fast speed and pinpoint throws commonplace in today's game.

Secondly, the past offers valuable lessons in the constant evolution of strategy. From the single-wing formations of the early 20th century to the spread offenses of today, the game has continuously adapted. Studying these shifts allows us to see the brilliance of modern offensive and defensive coordinators who devise complex schemes to exploit weaknesses and control the game's tempo.

Finally, remembering the past allows us to celebrate the enduring spirit of the sport. The fierce rivalries, the iconic stadiums, and the passionate fan bases have all been a part of the game for over a century. By appreciating these enduring elements, we connect with the generations who came before us and understand the deeper cultural significance of American football.

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When Harvard Was King

Watching the events from London this morning reminded me that we periodically see teams reign as champions for a handful of years, despite it being difficult to do. For example, back when we lacked a method of crowning champions, Harvard enjoyed a run that compares with almost anyone’s, retroactively being named national champs four times in six years. — www.footballarchaeology.com

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Timothy P. Brown describes an eight year period in the early 20th century when the Harvard Crimson were the cream of the crop in College Football under Coach Percy Haughton, and built a citadel for the gridiron in Harvard Stadium.

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Shooting Down The Flying Wedge

Lorin Deland developed the flying wedge, which Harvard showed for the first time in the 1892 Harvard-Yale game. As football was played at the time, kickoffs occurred at the start of each half and following each score. Unlike today, the team that had been scored on did the kicking, but they retained possession by kicking the ball a few inches or feet (like soccer) before picking it up and running with it (unlike soccer). Deland’s innovation was to have nine of the kicker’s teammates align in — www.footballarchaeology.com

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Timothy P Brown of Football Archaeology describes the rise and demise of the Flying Wedge from the gridiron. Created by Harvard Coach Lorin Deland, the wedge at its inception was to use the mass formation to pound brutally through the opposition, particularly rival Yale, in a tight formation of humanity.

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Instructions For The 1909 Harvard-Yale Game

Percy Haughton became the coach at his alma mater, Harvard, in 1908, leading the Crimson to a 9-0-1 record, finishing with a 4-0 win over Yale. The 1909 season began similarly, winning at West Point and in the first eight home games, allowing only six points in those nine games. Those who managed to obtain tickets to the game at Harvard Stadium received instructions with diagrams. Among other information, it told ticket holders that the gates opened at 12:30 PM for the 2:00 PM game, which was ex — www.footballarchaeology.com

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Football Archaeology gives us a glimpse at the planning and instructions before the big rivalry game of Yale and Harvard in 1909.

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Football Archaeology of Harvard's Rose Bowl Appearance in 1936

Harvard played Oregon in the 1920 Rose Bowl and was not expecting an invitation to play in the 1936 game. After all, the Crimson had won three and lost six that season, beating only Springfield, Brown, and New Hampshire. They played Yale close but failed to score on Holy Cross, Army, and Princeton, so an invitation to spend the holidays in Pasadena came as a surprise. — www.footballarchaeology.com

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The Harvard Crimson played the Oregon Ducks in the 1936 Rose Bowl Game, but their invitation was a bit a surprise by all, including the Crimson. Timothy P. Brwon shares this remarkable story of Harvardf's only post-season football game to date.