Robert Zuppke

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robert Carl Zuppke (18791957) was the head football coach at the University of Illinois from 1913 until 1941. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951, Zuppke coached his teams to national titles in 1914, 1919, 1923, and 1927. Zuppke's teams also won seven Big Ten Conference championships, and his teams had a cumulative record of 131-81-13 (131 wins, 81 losses, and 13 ties). While at the University of Illinois, Zuppke was a member of the Alpha-Gamma Chapter of Kappa Sigma. Among the players that Zuppke coached at Illinois was Red Grange, who was the most celebrated college football player of the era. The field in Memorial Stadium is named Zuppke Field in his honor. Zuppke is credited for many football inventions and traditions, including the huddle and the flea flicker.

Contents

[edit] Zuppkeisms

Zuppke had philosophical remarks known as Zuppkeisms. The seven best known are as follows:

  1. Never let hope elude you; that is life's biggest failure
  2. The greatest athlete is one who can carry a nimble brain to the place of action
  3. Moral courage is the result of respect from fellow men
  4. A good back should keep his feet at all times and never lose his head
  5. Men do their best if they know they are being observed
  6. Alumni are loyal if a coach wins all his games
  7. Advice to freshmen: don't drink the liniment

[edit] Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl Coaches# AP°
Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten Conference) (1913 – 1941)
1913 Illinois 4-2-1 2-2-1 5th
1914 Illinois 7-0 6-0 1st
1915 Illinois 5-0-2 3-0-2 T-1st
1916 Illinois 3-3-1 2-2-1 T-4th
1917 Illinois 5-2-1 2-2-1 T-5th
1918 Illinois 5-2 4-0 T-1st
1919 Illinois 6-1 6-1 1st
1920 Illinois 5-2 4-2 4th
1921 Illinois 3-4 1-4 T-8th
1922 Illinois 2-5 2-4 6th
1923 Illinois 8-0 5-0 T-1st
1924 Illinois 6-1-1 3-1-1 T-2nd
1925 Illinois 5-3 2-2 T-4th
1926 Illinois 6-2 2-2 T-6th
1927 Illinois 7-0-1 5-0 1st
1928 Illinois 7-1 4-1 1st
1929 Illinois 6-1-1 3-1-1 2nd
1930 Illinois 3-5 1-4 8th
1931 Illinois 2-6 0-6 10th
1932 Illinois 5-4 2-4 7th
1933 Illinois 5-3 3-2 T-5th
1934 Illinois 7-1 4-1 3rd
1935 Illinois 3-5 1-4 T-9th
1936 Illinois 4-3-1 2-2-1 6th
1937 Illinois 3-3-2 2-3 8th
1938 Illinois 3-5 2-3 7th
1939 Illinois 3-4-1 3-3 6th
1940 Illinois 1-7 0-5 9th
1941 Illinois 2-6 0-5 9th
Illinois: 131-81-12 76-66-8
Total: 131-81-12 (.612)
      National Championship         Conference Title         Conference Division Title
Indicates BCS bowl game. #Rankings from final Coaches Poll of the season.
°Rankings from final AP Poll of the season.


[edit] See also

[edit] External links



Preceded by
Arthur Hall
University of Illinois Football Head Coaches
19131941
Succeeded by
Ray Eliot