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1961 Duke Blue Devils football team

1961 Duke Blue Devils football
Team portrait from 1962 Chanticleer
ACC champion
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 14
APNo. 20
Record7–3 (5–1 ACC)
Head coach
MVPDean Wright
CaptainJack Wilson
Home stadiumDuke Stadium
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 20 Duke $   5 – 1     7 – 3  
North Carolina   4 – 3     5 – 5  
Maryland   3 – 3     7 – 3  
Clemson   3 – 3     5 – 5  
NC State   3 – 4     4 – 6  
South Carolina   3 – 4     4 – 6  
Wake Forest   3 – 4     4 – 6  
Virginia   2 – 4     4 – 6  
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll[1]

The 1961 Duke Blue Devils football team was an American football team that represented Duke University as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 1961 college football season. In their eleventh year under head coach Bill Murray, the Blue Devils compiled a 7–3 record (5–1 in conference games), won the ACC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 183 to 106. In non-conference games, they defeated Navy and Notre Dame but lost to Georgia Tech and Michigan.[2] They were ranked No. 14 in the final UPI coaches poll and No. 20 in the final AP writers poll.[3]

The Blue Devils led the ACC in total defense, giving up 224.1 yards per game, and also led the conference in passing offense with 140.9 passing yards per game. Quarterback Walt Rappold led the team in passing (54-for-96 for 830 yards), and halfback Mark Leggett led the team in rushing (318 yards on 86 carries).[4] Tackle Art Gregory and guard Jean Berry were consensus first-team picks on the 1961 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team.

Duke played its home games at Duke Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 23at South Carolina
W 7–635,000[5]
September 30vs. Virginia
W 42–020,000[6]
October 7Wake Forest
W 23–320,000[7]
October 14at Georgia Tech*
L 0–2144,015[8]
October 21Clemsondagger
  • Duke Stadium
  • Durham, NC
L 7–1730,000[9]
October 28at NC State
W 17–621,800[10]
November 4at Michigan*
L 14–2856,488[11]
November 11vs. Navy*
W 30–932,000[12]
November 18North Carolina
W 6–341,000[13]
December 2Notre Dame*
  • Duke Stadium
  • Durham, NC
W 37–1335,000[14]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming

Statistics

Duke ranked second in the ACC in total offense (307.5 yards per game) and led the conference in passing offense (140.9 yards per game). On defense, the Blue Devils ranked first in total defense (giving up 224.1 yards per game).[15][16]

Quarterback Walt Rappold led the team in passing, completing 54 of 96 passes (.563 completion) for 830 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions for a 142.5 quarterback rating.[17] He ranked fourth in the ACC in total offense (1,012 yards) but led the conference in average gain per pass thrown (8.6 yards) and in average gain per play of total offense (7.2 yards).[16][15]

Quarterback Gil Garner also contributed to Duke's passing offensecompleted 56 of 86 passes for 576 yards.[17] Garner ranked 10th in the ACC with 617 yards of total offense.[15]

Duke's leading rushers were Mark Leggett (318 yards, 86 carries, 3.7-yard average), Dean Wright (251 yards, 68 carries, 3.7-yard average), Dave Burch (220 yards, 49 carries, 4.5-yard average), Walt Rappold (182 yards, 45 carries, 4.0-yard average), and Joel Arrington (170 yards, 51 carries, 3.3-yard average).[17]

The team's leading receivers were Stan Crisson (241 yards, 20 receptions, 2 touchdowns), Jay Wilkinson (208 yards, 12 receptions, 2 touchdowns), Mark Leggett (185 yards, 12 receptions, 2 touchdowns), Pete Widener (182 yards, 17 receptions, 1 touchdown), Jack Wilson (168 yards, 9 receptions, 1 touchdown), and Dean Wright (131 yards, 15 receptions, 0 touchdowns).[17]

Three players tied for the team's leadership in scoring. Billy Futrell, Dave Burch, and Mark Leggett each had 18 points on three touchdowns.[17]

Awards

Tackle Art Gregory received the annual ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy presented byt the Atlantic Coast Sports Writers Association (ACSWA). Head coach Bill Murray called Gregory "the best blocker I have ever had at Duke."[18]

Four Duke players were recognized by the Associated Press (AP), United Press International (UPI), and/or the Atlantic Coast Sports Writers Association (ACSWA) on the 1961 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team: tackle Art Gregory (AP-1, UPI-1, ACSWA-1); guard Jean Berry (AP-1, UPI-1, ACSWA-1); halfback Mark Leggett (UPI-1, AP-2); and quarterback Walt Rappold (AP-2).[19][20]

Personnel

Players

  • Joel Arrington, halfback, senior, 6'1", 190 pounds
  • Paul Bengel, center, junior, 6'1", 198 pounds
  • Jean Berry, guard, junior, 6'0", 212 pounds
  • Dave Burch, fullback, senior, 6'0", 188 pounds
  • Randy Clark, quarterback, senior, 6'1", 185 pounds
  • Dave Condon, tackle, junior, 6'1", 212 pounds
  • Stan Crisson, swing-end, sophomore, 6'2", 194 pounds
  • Gil Garner, quarterback, junior, 6'0", 175 pounds
  • Dan Gelbert, end, senior, 6'0", 191 pounds
  • Art Gregory, tackle, junior, 6'3", 212 pounds
  • Dick Havens, tackle, junior, 5'11', 203 pounds
  • Mark Leggett, halfback, junior, 5'10", 169 pounds
  • Johnny Markas, guard, junior, 5'11", 196 pounds
  • Fred McCollum, tackle, junior, 6'2", 207 pounds
  • Walt Rappold, quarterback, junior, 6'3", 202 pounds
  • John Tinnell, fullback, senior, 6'3", 207 pounds
  • Dave Unser, alternate captain and end, senior, 5'10", 185 pounds
  • Pete Widener, swing-end, junior, 6'2", 189 pounds
  • Jay Wilkinson, swing-end, sophomore, 6'1", 180 pounds (son of Bud Wilkinson)
  • Ken Williams, center, junior, 5'11", 192 pounds
  • Jack Wilson, captain and halfback, senior, 6'1", 183 pounds
  • Dean Wright, halfback, senior, 5'11", 186 pounds

[21][22]

  • Captain Jack Wilson
    Captain Jack Wilson
  • All-ACC guard Jean Berry
    All-ACC guard Jean Berry
  • All-ACC tackle Art Gregory
    All-ACC tackle Art Gregory
  • Halfback/MVP Dean Wright
    Halfback/MVP Dean Wright
  • Quarterback Walt Rappold
    Quarterback Walt Rappold
  • Halfback Mark Leggett
    Halfback Mark Leggett

Coaches

  • Ace Parker - offensive backfield coach
  • Ted Youngling - offensive line coach
  • Marty Pierson - offensive end coach
  • Carmen Falcone - defensive backfield coach
  • Herschel Caldwell - defensive ends coach
  • Doug Knotts - defensive line coach
  • Bob Cox - freshman football coach
  • Head trainer - Bob Chambers

[23]

References

  1. ^ "1961 Atlantic Coast Conference Year Summary". sports-reference.com. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  2. ^ "1961 Duke Blue Devils". College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
  3. ^ Joe Sargis (December 5, 1961). "UPI Puts Bama 1st; Duke 14th". The Herald-Sun. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "1961 Duke Blue Devils Stats". SR College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  5. ^ "Duke scores in last 2 minutes, edges USC". The Times and Democrat. September 24, 1961. Retrieved January 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Blue Devils take to air, smash Cavaliers by 42–0". Richmond Times-Dispatch. October 1, 1961. Retrieved January 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Rappold hurls Duke over Wake Forest, 23–3". Asheville Citizen-Times. October 8, 1961. Retrieved January 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Gann leads Tech to 21–0 win over Duke". The Tampa Tribune. October 15, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Clemson topples Duke, 17–7, in ACC contest". Johnson City Press-Chronicle. October 22, 1961. Retrieved January 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Duke tops N.C. State by 17–6". Kingsport Times-News. October 29, 1961. Retrieved January 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Wolverines wallop Duke's Blue Devils 28–14 in intersectional football clash". Racine Sunday Bulletin. November 6, 1961. Retrieved January 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Devils pin loss on Navy". Fort Lauderdale News. November 12, 1961. Retrieved January 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Duke topples North Carolina, 6–3". Florence Morning News. November 19, 1961. Retrieved January 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Duke roars back to beat Notre Dame, 37–13". The Terre Haute Tribune-Star. December 3, 1961. Retrieved January 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b c "Another Gabirel Title: ACC 'King Of Offense'". News and Record. December 7, 1961. p. 33 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ a b "Gabriel ACC's Individual Offense, Passing Champion". The Herald-Sun. December 7, 1961. p. 33 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b c d e "1961 Duke Blue Devils Stats". SR College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  18. ^ "Gregory, LeCompte Cop Award". The Herald-Sun. December 7, 1961. p. 33 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Ken Alyta (November 30, 1961). "Terps' Gary Collins Is All-ACC Lineman; Gabriel of NC State Chosen". The Morning Herald (MD).
  20. ^ "Collins Paces Writers' Vote For All-ACC". Daily Press. December 1, 1961. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ The Chanticleer 1962, pp. 236-245.
  22. ^ "Duke Talent Makes Murray Grin". Winston-Salem Journal. September 18, 1961. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "The Chantileer 1962". Duke University. p. 234-236 – via Newspapers.com.
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