Drake Bulldogs football

Last updated
Drake Bulldogs football
AmericanFootball current event.svg 2023 Drake Bulldogs football team
Drake Bulldogs "D" logo.svg
First season 1893
Head coach Todd Stepsis
5th season, 21–28 (.429)
Stadium Drake Stadium
(capacity: 14,557)
Field surface FieldTurf
Location Des Moines, Iowa
NCAA division Division I
Conference Pioneer Football League
Past conferencesIndependent (1893–1906; 1952–1970; 1987–1992)
Missouri Valley (1907–1951; 1971–1985)
All-time record635–544–28 (.538)
Bowl record2–3 (.400)
Claimed national titles1 (1922, FBS)
Conference titles14
Current uniform
Drake bulldogs football unif.png
ColorsBlue and white [1]
   
Website GoDrakeBulldogs.com

The Drake Bulldogs are an NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision non-scholarship college football program representing Drake University. They currently compete in the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League and have been charter members of the conference since 1993. Drake began playing intercollegiate football in 1893.

Contents

History

Scholarship era

The 1922 Drake Bulldogs football team is considered by many to be the greatest in Drake history and is, to date, the only undefeated Bulldog team. Drake capped the historic season with a 48–6 triumph over Mississippi State on November 25, 1922. They received votes as the number one team in the College Football Researchers Association poll and were invited to the White House for their accomplishments. The Bulldogs were coached by legend Ossie Solem. [2]

During the 1926 Homecoming activities, Babe Ruth visited and suited up for a Drake scrimmage. Head coach Ossie Solem extended the invitation stating "We finally inquired had he ever indulged in the 'dirt eating' pastime known as football. The answer was sort of a woeful 'No.' It was evident that the 'Big Bimbo' had missed something in his boyhood days, and when the invitation to work out with the Bulldogs was extended, it was accepted with glee." Ruth scored a 20-yard touchdown in the mock scrimmage. [3]

Following the 1931 season head coach Ossie Solem scheduled a game in Honolulu, Hawaii in which the bulldogs squared off against Hawaii. Solem, who was frustrated by the lack of postseason rewards (the Rose Bowl on January 1, 1932, was the only NCAA Bowl Game following 1931 season), called the trip a reward for his team's fourth straight Missouri Valley Conference championship.

In a close encounter at Honolulu Stadium on December 19, 1931, Hawaii defeated Drake 19–13 in a game dubbed the Aloha Classic. The game was the first by an Iowa school in the state of Hawaii. It was also the last game for Solem as Bulldog coach. He left the next season taking the head football coach vacancy at Iowa. [4]

Drake was the first school of its size to install lights. On October 6, 1928, the Bulldogs defeated Simpson College 41–6 in the first night game at Drake Stadium. [4]

In 1951, Johnny Bright was named a First Team College Football All-American, and was awarded the Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Sportsmanship Award. He was invited to the Heisman Trophy festivities and finished fifth in the voting.

In 1969, Bright was named Drake University's greatest football player of all time. Bright is the only Drake football player to have his jersey number (#43) retired by the school, and in June 2006, received honorable mention from ESPN.com senior writer Ivan Maisel as one of the best college football players to ever wear #43. [5] In February 2006, the football field at Drake Stadium, in Des Moines, Iowa, was named in his honor. [6] In November 2006, Bright was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players (#19) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN. [7]

In 1972, the Bulldogs returned to their first bowl appearance in 3 years. They captured a share of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, after being away from the league for 20 years, with a 4–1 record in conference play. The only conference loss was to 18th AP Ranked Louisville (Led by Tom Jackson, All-Pro Linebacker, Denver Broncos, and former ESPN Analyst). They went on to play Tennessee State and Ed 'Too Tall' Jones (All-Pro Defensive End, Dallas Cowboys) in the Pioneer Bowl, which proved to be a difficult challenge in a 29–7 loss, finishing with a 7–5 record overall. During this return to bowl competition, coach Jim Johnson was the defensive coordinator and Jack Wallace was the head coach. In 1999, Jim Johnson became the Defensive Coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles under head coach Andy Reid.

The most successful Drake team in the modern era of college football was the 1981 Bulldogs team. Drake finished the season with 10 wins and nearly had an undefeated season. The Bulldogs lost 59–6 to Tulsa ending their chance at a perfect season. With a 7–4–0 record, Tulsa clinched the lone Missouri Valley Conference postseason berth due to the head-to-head tie-breaker. Both teams finished conference play 7–1–0.

Modern era

Following the historic 1981 season, the Bulldogs suffered five straight non-winning seasons. In 1986, the school chose not to award athletic scholarships ("grants-in-aid") to football players. It was unclear if Drake football would survive until Des Moines, Iowa native Rob Ash was introduced as coach in 1989.

Ash rejuvenated the program during his eighteen seasons at Drake and played a crucial role in the founding of the Pioneer Football League, a football-only league run out of the Missouri Valley Conference offices in St. Louis, Missouri. In the process, he became Drake's all-time winningest coach with a record of 125–63–2; leading the Bulldogs to four conference titles and five runners-up finishes in the Sports Network Cup. As a result, Ash was named the conference coach of the year three times (1995, 1998, and 2004). [8]

After the 2006 season, Ash accepted the head football coach position at Montana State. In his final Drake season, he led the team to a runner-up finish in both the Pioneer Football League and the Sports Network Cup. Ironically, San Diego defeated Drake in both, marking the first time two Pioneer Football League teams finished first and second in the Sports Network Cup. [9]

The Bulldogs were coached by long-time NFL assistant Steve Loney in 2007. The team finished 6–5, with a highlight 27–24 victory over #7 Illinois State on August 30. [10] Loney resigned at the end of the season to accept a position as offensive line coach with the St. Louis Rams. [11]

Chris Creighton was named head coach beginning with the 2008 season. [12] In 2009, the Bulldogs missed out on a share of the conference title when Butler connected on a field goal with one second remaining in the regular season finale. In 2011, Drake shared the conference title with San Diego, their first title under Creighton. They would share the title again in 2012.

Rick Fox was named the head coach in December 2013, and coached his first game in the 2014 season. Fox coached his most successful season in 2017, when the Bulldogs finished 2nd in the PFL with a conference record of 6–2. [13]

After the resignation of Fox, Todd Stepsis was promoted from Defensive Coordinator to become the new head coach. During his early tenure, Drake had limited success on the field, including a 14-game losing streak during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. However, Drake would turn things around late in 2022. After ending on a three-game winning streak, the Bulldogs would go undefeated in PFL play in 2023 to win the program's first undisputed conference title since 2004 and first-ever playoff bid.

Pioneer Football League series records

OpponentRecordPercentageFirst YearLast Year
Butler 24–8–1.73419322023
Davidson 9–3.75020052022
Dayton 9–29.23719522022
Marist 9–2.81820092023
Morehead State 11–3.78620032023
Presbyterian 1–1.50020202023
San Diego 11–20.35519932023
St. Thomas 1–2.33320212023
Stetson 5–1.83320142023
Valparaiso 27–5.84419932023

Championships

YearConferenceOverall RecordConference Record
1928Missouri Valley7–1–03–0–0
1929Missouri Valley5–3–13–0–1
1930†Missouri Valley5–4–03–0–0
1931Missouri Valley5–6–03–0–0
1933†Missouri Valley6–3–14–1–0
1972†Missouri Valley7–5–04–1–0
1981†Missouri Valley10–1–05–1–0
1995Pioneer Football League8–1–15–0–0
1998Pioneer Football League7–34–0
2000†Pioneer Football League7–43–1
2004Pioneer Football League10–24–0
2011†Pioneer Football League9–27–1
2012†Pioneer Football League8–37–1
2023Pioneer Football League8–38–0
Total conference championships14
† Denotes co-champions

Postseason

Bowl games

SeasonDateBowlOpponentResultSite
1946 January 1 Raisin Bowl Fresno State W 13–12 Fresno, California
1948 January 1 Salad Bowl Arizona W 14–13 Phoenix, Arizona
1957 January 1 Sun Bowl Louisville L 20–34 El Paso, Texas
1969 December 13 Pecan Bowl Arkansas State L 21–29 Arlington, Texas
1972 December 10 Pioneer Bowl Tennessee State L 7–29 Wichita Falls, Texas

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS

The Bulldogs have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs one time, with a combined record of 0–1.

YearRoundOpponentResult
2023 First Round North Dakota State L, 3–66

Notable games

1930 Soldier Field night game

Advertisement for the 1930 Soldier Field night game

Drake played the first night game at Soldier Field, losing a close contest to Oregon 14–7 on October 3, 1930. This was the first intersectional night game ever played in Chicago, Illinois. The Drake vs. Oregon game was followed by Loyola vs. Georgetown. [14]

1938 double-header

On September 23, 1938, Drake won two games in the same day. The Bulldogs defeated Central 45–0 in the afternoon game, followed by a 47–0 win over Monmouth in the evening game. [15]

Johnny Bright incident

The Johnny Bright incident was a violent on-field assault against African-American player Johnny Bright by White American player Wilbanks Smith during an American college football game held on October 20, 1951, in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The game was significant in itself as it marked the first time that an African American athlete with a national profile and of critical importance to the success of his Drake University team had played against Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University) on their home field. Bright's injury also highlighted the racial tensions of the times and assumed notoriety when it was captured in what was later to become both a widely disseminated and eventually Pulitzer Prize winning photo sequence. The event later came to be known as the "Johnny Bright Incident".

Global Kilimanjaro Bowl

On September 1, 2010, Drake announced it would forgo its normal postseason tie-ins in order to participate in the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl, the first American Football game in Africa. The Bulldogs solidified their spot in the game, securing a winning season with their sixth win on October 30, 2010 (a 38–17 defeat of San Diego). [16]

Drake continued their success during the 2011 season after the victory in the Kilimanjaro Bowl. The Bulldogs shared the Pioneer Football League title. Coach Creighton and his team were honored with the NCAS Giant Steps Award for their charity work in Africa. They were also featured in a documentary by CBS Sports for their work in Africa.

2018 game vs. Iowa State

On December 1, 2018, Drake played FBS 23rd-ranked Iowa State in a makeup game for both schools. The game did not count toward bowl eligibility for Iowa State but served as a 12th game for their seniors.

Despite being 41-point underdogs, FCS non-scholarship Drake held its own, holding a 24–20 lead in late in the third quarter before eventually falling 27–24. Nevertheless, Drake played a memorable game and almost pulled off one of the biggest upsets ever in college football.

All-time records

Seasons

Individual honors

Retired numbers

Johnny Bright, the only player to have his number retired at Drake Johnny bright generalmills card 1959.jpg
Johnny Bright, the only player to have his number retired at Drake
Drake Bulldogs retired numbers
No.PlayerPos.CareerNo. ret.Ref.
43 Johnny Bright HB / LB [n 1] 1949–512006 [19]
Notes
  1. ↑ Bright is regarded as the greatest football player ever at Drake. [17] [18] In that institution, he also competed in basketball and track.

National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Famers

No.PlayerInduct
43 Johnny Bright 1984

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drake Bulldogs</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of Drake University

The Drake Bulldogs are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent Drake University, located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The Bulldogs' athletic program is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) and competes at the NCAA Division I level. Drake also sponsors teams in the Pioneer Football League, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, and Summit League. Drake's live bulldog mascot is Griff II; the costumed mascot is Spike; and the school colors are blue and white.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Bright</span> Gridiron football player (1930–1983)

John Dee Bright was an American professional football player in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Drake Bulldogs. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame, the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame, the Edmonton Eskimos Wall of Honour, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, and the Des Moines Register's Iowa Sports Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Bright incident</span> 1951 on-field assault during an American college football game

The Johnny Bright incident was a violent on-field assault against African-American player Johnny Bright by a white opposing player during an American college football game held on October 20, 1951, in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The game was significant in itself as it marked the first time that an African-American athlete with a national profile and of critical importance to the success of his team, the Drake Bulldogs, had played against Oklahoma A&M College at Oklahoma A&M's Lewis Field. Bright's injury also highlighted the racial tensions of the times and assumed notoriety when it was captured in what was later to become both a widely disseminated and eventually Pulitzer Prize–winning photo sequence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ossie Solem</span>

Oscar Martin "Ossie" Solem was an American football player, coach of football and basketball, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa (1920), Drake University (1921–1931), the University of Iowa (1932–1936), Syracuse University (1937–1945), and Springfield College (1946–1957), compiling a career college football record of 162–117–20. From 1913 until 1920, Solem was the head coach of the Minneapolis Marines, prior to that team's entry into the National Football League (NFL). During his time with the Marines, Solem introduced the team to the single-wing formation, developed by the famed coach, Pop Warner, and used by the University of Minnesota, where Solem had played football. Solem was also the head basketball coach at Drake University for four seasons, from 1921 to 1925, tallying a mark of 37–31.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drake Bulldogs men's basketball</span> Drake Universitys mens basketball team

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Creighton</span> American football player and coach (born 1969)

Christopher William Creighton is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Eastern Michigan University, a position he has held since the 2014 season. Creighton has served as the head coach at three other schools: Ottawa University (1997–2000), Wabash College (2001–2007), and Drake University (2008–2013).

The 1922 Drake Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Drake University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1922 college football season. In its second season under head coach Ossie Solem, the team compiled a 7–0 record, tied with Nebraska for the MVC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 155 to 26.

The 1928 Drake Bulldogs football team was an American football represented Drake University in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1928 college football season. In its eighth season under head coach Ossie Solem, the team compiled a 7–1 record, won the MVC championship, and outscored all opponents by a total of 141 to 52. The team's only loss was against Knute Rockne's Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The 2010 Drake Bulldogs football team represented Drake University as a member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL) during the 2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by third-year head coach Chris Creighton, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 7–4 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, placing third in the PFL. In May 2011, Drake played in the 2011 Kilimanjaro Bowl, the first college football game held on the continent of Africa. The team played its home games at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.

The 2011 Drake Bulldogs football team represented Drake University as member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL) during the 2011 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Chris Creighton, the Bulldogs compiled and overall record of 9–2 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, sharing the PFL title with San Diego. The team played home games at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.

The 1924 Drake Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Drake University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1924 college football season. In its fourth season under head coach Ossie Solem, the team compiled a 5–2–1 record, placed third in the MVC, and outscored its opponents by a total of 106 to 56.

The 1930 Drake Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Drake University in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1930 college football season. In its tenth season under head coach Ossie Solem, the team compiled a 5–4 record, tied for the MVC championship, and outscored all opponents by a total of 166 to 120.

The 1931 Drake Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Drake University in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1931 college football season. In its 11th season under head coach Ossie Solem, the team compiled a 5–6 record, won the MVC championship, and was outscored by a total of 226 to 130.

The 1923 Drake Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Drake University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1923 college football season. In its third season under head coach Ossie Solem, the team compiled a 5–2 record, placed third in the MVC, and outscored its opponents by a total of 168 to 49.

The 1925 Drake Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Drake University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1925 college football season. In its fifth season under head coach Ossie Solem, the team compiled a 5–3 record, placed second in the MVC, shut out four of eight opponents, and outscored its opponents by a total of 64 to 41.

The 1921 Drake Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Drake University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1921 college football season. In its first season under head coach Ossie Solem, the team compiled a 5–2 record, finished fourth in the conference, and outscored opponents by a total of 149 to 40.

The 1927 Drake Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Drake University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1927 college football season. In their seventh season under head coach Ossie Solem, the Bulldogs compiled a 3–6 record, finished in ninth place out of ten teams in the MVC, and were outscored by a total of 158 to 89.

The 1951 Drake Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Drake University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference during the 1951 college football season. In its third season under head coach Warren Gaer, the team compiled a 7–2 record, tied for fourth place in the conference, and outscored opponents by a total of 247 to 117. The team was ranked at No. 80 in the 1951 Litkenhous Ratings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dayton–Drake football rivalry</span> American college football rivalry

The Dayton–Drake football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Dayton Flyers and Drake Bulldogs. The rivalry began in 1952 and the teams have meet annually since 1987.

References

  1. ↑ Missouri Valley Conference Style Guide (PDF). August 29, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Drake Bulldogs Football". www.drakebulldogs.org. 2008-01-01. Retrieved 2008-01-01.
  3. ↑ Brock, Ted (1990-09-21). "The Day Babe Ruth Played Some Football". Los Angeles Times .
  4. 1 2 "The Drake Experience". www.drake.edu. 2009-02-15. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
  5. ↑ "Johnny Bright's Football Jersey Number Recognized". DrakeBulldogs.org. 2006-06-30. Archived from the original on 2006-07-11. Retrieved 2006-07-08.
  6. ↑ "KCCI-TV8 Des Moines, Iowa – Drake Names Football Field After Johnny Bright: OSU Apologizes For Player's Actions". KCCI.com. 2006-02-23. Archived from the original on 2006-03-07. Retrieved 2006-08-12.
  7. ↑ "TSN Top 50 CFL Players". TSN.ca. 2006-11-28. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  8. ↑ "Rob Ash Blog – About Coach Ash". www.robashfootball.com/w. 2008. Archived from the original on 2009-07-03.
  9. ↑ "Two former athletes allegedly murder a drug dealer. An ex-football player is charged with heading a cocaine ring. Montana State is coping with a crime wave". CNN. August 7, 2007. Archived from the original on October 12, 2008. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2012-07-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ↑ "Steve Loney Coach's Bio". godrakebulldogs.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2008-06-04.
  12. ↑ "Drake hires Wabash coach Creighton as football coach". www.sportingnews.com. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
  13. ↑ "2020 Football Schedule". Drake University Athletics. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
  14. ↑ "The Milwaukee Journal – Drake vs. Oregon Tonight". www.jsonline.com. March 10, 1930.
  15. ↑ "No Good Comes From This Game". www.espn.com. 2009-05-26. Retrieved 2009-05-26.
  16. ↑ "Drake To Play First American Football Game In Africa". GoDrakeBulldogs.com. September 1, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
  17. ↑ The Legend of Johnny Bright — Drake’s Greatest Football Player at 2005 Drake Football Guide (archived)
  18. ↑ Legacy of John D. Bright at Drake University
  19. ↑ A brutal attack on a black Heisman favorite led the NCAA to make face masks mandatory By Branson Wright at Andscape.com, 8 Dec 2017
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