1912 Vanderbilt Commodores football team

Vanderbilt faced its hardest schedule to date. The team lost several varsity letter winners to graduation, including quarterback Ray Morrison, tackle Ewing Y. Freeland, and guards Charles H. Brown and Will Metzger. Aside from Morrison, Vanderbilt retained the rest of its backfield of the previous year, then voted best in the South by the Atlanta Constitution. It included halfbacks Lew Hardage (the team's captain) and Wilson Collins and fullback Ammie Sikes. The 1912 season saw the NCAA implement several rule changes to increase scoring. These included: the value of a touchdown increased from 5 points to 6, the length of the field was reduced to 100 yards, 10-yard end zones were added, the onside kick was eliminated, and unlimited use of the forward pass was introduced. ==Schedule==

}} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} ==Game summaries==

Bethel (KY) The season started with the largest win in school history, a 105–0 victory over of Russellville, Kentucky. Future Vanderbilt star Josh Cody played for Bethel. The game began at 3:30 p.m. in pouring rain. Wilson Collins began the scoring when he took a punt 45 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown. The starting lineup for Vanderbilt was: Turner (left end), Covington (left tackle), Daves (left guard), Morgan (center), Huffman (right guard), T. Brown (right tackle), E. Brown (right end), Curlin (quarterback), Hardage (left halfback), Collins (right halfback), and Sikes (fullback). Maryville's Badgett scored on a 31-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. The starting lineup for Vanderbilt was: Turner (left end), Covington (left tackle), Daves (left guard), Morgan (center), Huffman (right guard), T. Brown (right tackle), E. Brown (right end), Curlin (quarterback), Hardage (left halfback), Collins (right halfback), and Sikes (fullback). Rose Polytechnic • Sources: He was caught by Vanderbilt defenders before he reached his own 30-yard line. According to Vanderbilt University Quarterly, the score would have been higher but for the water and mud. Morgan, Collins, and Sikes were on the sidelines for the whole game. Multiple times, the Commodores fumbled near the goal line. The starting lineup for Vanderbilt was: Milholland (left end), Shipp (left tackle), Daves (left guard), T. Brown (center), Swafford (right guard), Covington (right tackle), E. Brown (right end), Robins (quarterback), Hardage (left halfback), Shea (right halfback), and Turner (fullback). It also won for the first time, 13–0. The starting lineup for Vanderbilt was: Turner (left end), Daves (left tackle), Huffman (left guard), Morgan (center), Covington (right guard), T. Brown (right tackle), Milholland (right end), Curlin (quarterback), Hardage (left halfback), Collins (right halfback), and Sikes (fullback). Lew Hardage was injured and taken off the field. The International News Service reported: "Although defeated, Vanderbilt was not outplayed; for never was a gamer team seen in the Stadium." The starting lineup for Vanderbilt was: Turner (left end), Shipp (left tackle), Swafford (left guard), Morgan (center), Daves (right guard), T. Brown (right tackle), E. Brown (right end), Curlin (quarterback), Hardage (left halfback), Collins (right halfback), and Sikes (fullback). Hardage stayed home in Decatur, Alabama due to an injury. The starting lineup for Vanderbilt was: Reams (left end), Shipp (left tackle), Daves (left guard), Moody (center), Covington (right guard), T. Brown (right tackle), E. Brown (right end), Curlin (quarterback), Hardage (left halfback), Collins (right halfback), and Turner (fullback). Gillem had one punt of 58 yards that day. Vanderbilt's game seemed to stagnate until Wilson Collins was hurt and replaced by Tom Shea in the third quarter. Then two touchdowns came in the fourth period, one by Robins and another Turner. Vanderbilt had clamored for a rematch to decide a champion after its tie with Auburn, but Auburn was upset by Georgia 12–6, meaning Vanderbilt's victory over Sewanee secured the SIAA title. The starting lineup for Vanderbilt was: Reams (left end), Shipp (left tackle), Daves (left guard), Morgan (center), Swofford (right guard), T. Brown (right tackle), E. Brown (right end), Robins (quarterback), Hardage (left halfback), Collins (right halfback), and Sikes (fullback). ==Postseason==

Awards and honors Lew Hardage was selected third-team All-American by Walter Camp, the fourth ever Southern player to get such a recognition. He was a unanimous All-Southern selection. Ammie Sikes, Hugh Morgan, Tom Brown, and Enoch Brown all made composite All-Southern. Championships Vanderbilt won the SIAA title in football, baseball, and track. According to Nathan Stauffer, Texas A&M was Vanderbilt's nearest challenger for best football team in the South. ==Personnel==

Depth chart The following chart provides a visual depiction of Vanderbilt's lineup during the 1912 season with games started at the position reflected in parentheses. Team manager Frank Gilliland was also a letterman. ==See also==