1907 Oregon Agricultural Aggies football team

Oregon Agricultural College (OAC), today's Oregon State University, celebrated its 20th anniversary as a school owned and operated by the state of Oregon in 1907–08. From its pre-history as a tiny religious school, Corvallis College, the school had grown dramatically over the ensuing two decades, with a total student body now exceeding 800 young men and women. Norcross, hired as a coach just for football season, left his home in Michigan the evening of Saturday, September 14, and was slated to arrive in Corvallis about September 20. A team was rapidly assembled for a planned October 12 debut against the Columbia Athletic Club of The Dalles at OAC Field in Corvallis. The main core of the 1906 team would be returning, including fullback and captain Frank Pendergrass, "Smiley" Emily, "Rat" Rineheart, Carl Wolfe, Walter Gagnon, James Dobbin, as well as Sam Bennett, a star tackle from the 1905 team, who was returning to school for the 1907-08 year. ==Schedule==

October 12: OAC Alumni [intrasquad] Although a game with the Columbia Athletic Club of The Dalles, Oregon, had been originally scheduled, unknown circumstances led to its cancellation and replacement with an exhibition game against OAC stars of yesteryear. Making an appearance were Rod Nash, Zophar Tharp, Darby, Swan, Bennett, and others. As less than a full team of former players were present, holes in the lineup were filled by members of the current team, including Rinehart, Emily, Looney, Eventon, Smith, and Dinges — making this essentially an intrasquad contest. The 4–0 Aggie lead was rapidly expanded with touchdowns by Clarence Jamieson at the 10-minute mark, Roy Cooper at 18-minutes, and Carl Wolff at 23-minutes. Receiving the opening kickoff and taking it halfway down the field, the Orangemen took only five minutes to score their first touchdown, for a 5–0 lead. "There has never been more whole-souled enthusiasm manifested by the supporters of the Orange than was shown at the train this morning," one participant declared. Every store in the city, save four, pledged to close business from 3 to 5 p.m. so that as many people as possible could attend the game's 3:15 kickoff. This record would end on this day. The first half was an even battle, with the teams marching one way up the field and back again, never scoring. Oregon used that new innovation, the forward pass, three times with effect, but the tactic proved the team's undoing on other occasions, leading to costly turnovers. In the second half, it looked like OAC was going to score on a forward pass play to Coleman, who galloped 35 yards, only to be tackled by the turf monster as he tripped and fell. No points resulted from the drive. The game turned at the 14 minute mark, when OAC fullback Carl Wolff place-kicked a 30-yard goal down the middle of the posts for the 4 points that would both start and finish scoring for the day. ==Roster==

• Charles E. Barber • Samuel Louis Bennett • Ralph Cady • Roy Cooper • James Davis Dobbin • William James Dunlap • Joel "Smiley" Emily • Clarence Jamieson • John Waldo Finn • Walter Clayton Gagnon • Earle Paul Harding • Elton Irwin Kelly • Harold B. Looney • Frank R. Pendergrass (captain) • Harvey Earl "Rat" Rinehart • Carl Wolff (captain-elect 1908) • Benjamin H. Greenshaw (Manager) • Heater (Trainer) ==References==