An Awesome Play, from 80 Years Ago

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I think the lineman are no bigger than the backs in that video. Times have changed.
 

Biermann teams were noted for having almost universal speed. Everyone was about the same speed. Helped with overall execution.
 

Even when I played OLine in college in the mid 80's, the offense line could not block with their hands...you had to lead with your shoulder and a forearm flipper. When you backed up for pass protection blocking, then you could block with your open hands (heal of your hand with thumbs up). I believe the rule for O Line to be able to use their hands when run blocking changed in the late 80's...88 or 89. If the D Line was more skilled (combination of bigger, faster, stronger) they might be able to just shed your block and with a swim move or spin move and swallow up a diving, veering, sweeping back. Probably a 1/4 to a 1/3 of my blocks where a cut block or a scoop block. Along with zone blocks, traps, and double teams. And if your were lucky enough to be able to pull and kick out a little OLB or CB on a sweep, that was the best! But today, with O Line blocking with their hands they often are squarely in front of a defender trying to engage, drive, or simply to just screen a guy for the back to make his cut. Three Yards and a Cloud of Dust was a real thing. The lineman, RB's, and LB's were on the grass/dirt/mud all game long and often within the first couple of drives, were filthy. #thegoodolddays #trenches #filthy #nasty #bruisers #lovedit
 





Nomellini said:
Pearl Harbor happened just a few days before Smith gave his Heisman acceptance address in New York. He had already written it beforehand but his edited version had a grace and elegance that belied his youth. I will try to find it somewhere.
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Please post. Text or video would be great
 

Nomellini said:
Pearl Harbor happened just a few days before Smith gave his Heisman acceptance address in New York. He had already written it beforehand but his edited version had a grace and elegance that belied his youth. I will try to find it somewhere.
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Yes, please post. That is important to our(my) history. At least in my mind........
 

“Mr. Chairman, Mr. President and members of the Downtown Athletic Club, ladies and gentleman: So much of emotional significance has happened in such a brief space of time that the task of responding on such an occasion leaves me at a loss to assign relative value.
“No college football player could ask for a greater honor or thrill than to have his name added to the list of Jay Berwanger, Larry Kelley, Clint Frank, Davey O’Brien, Nile Kinnick and Tom Harmon, who preceded me in winning this coveted Heisman Trophy. My gratitude is sincere and my appreciation deeply felt. I can really only accept this trophy on behalf of my great Minnesota teammates and one of the greatest coaches of all time Bernie Bierman.
“Our team was good this year and literally carried me along to this honor. It was a year which was so productive with successful, outstanding and colorful players. The sportwriters and radio ambassadors had to make an exceptionally difficult decision, as was indicated by the small margin of votes between Angelo Bertelli of Notre Dame and myself.
“I hope I can justify your decision of the majority. My dad, who is here this evening, is a lawyer back in Faribault, Minnesota. He tells me that the proper way to explain it is that I would be holding the trophy in trust of my teammates. Since I seem to be getting elaborate, however, I want to openly and firmly thank those teammates and my coach for without them this honor would have been absolutely impossible. To them I owe everything.
“Football certainly has become an important part of American life. It even seems to have a place in diplomacy. I remember reading in the newspapers that Mr. Caruso, the Japanese envoy, told the newspapermen on arriving here that he expected to carry the ball for a touchdown. As you all know by now, it didn’t work out that way. It looked as though he tried a quarterback sneak before the field was ruled.
“In the Far East they may think American boys are soft, but I have had, and even have now, plenty of evidence in black and blue to prove that they are making a big mistake. I think America will owe a great debt to the game of football when we finish this thing off. If six million American youngsters like myself are able to take it and come back for more, both from a physical standpoint and that of morale. If teaching team play and cooperation and exercise to go out and fight hard for the honor of our schools, then likewise the same skills can be depended on when we have to fight to defend for our country.
“This is my first visit to New York and I find it very exciting. To the members of the Downtown Athletic Club, I offer my sincere thanks. “
 


Egad - let's get this thing sorted out.

The "play" shown on the video, which is arguably the most famous single play in Minnesota Gopher football history, was from November 9, 1940 (81 years ago) and played at Memorial Stadium. In that game the Gophers defeated #1 Michigan 7-6 thanks to Smith's run. Minnesota was undefeated that year (8-0) and named national champions. The weather was horrible - two days later the infamous "Armistice Day Blizzard" struck the upper midwest, killing over 150 people.

Gophers did defeat Michigan again in 1941 - this time in Ann Arbor - by a score of 7-0. The only score was a 5 yard run by Herman Frickey. This was Smith's Heisman year - and the Gophers, who finished the season with a record of 8-0 for the second year in a row, were crowned national champions once again.
 

Unregistered User said:
“Mr. Chairman, Mr. President and members of the Downtown Athletic Club, ladies and gentleman: So much of emotional significance has happened in such a brief space of time that the task of responding on such an occasion leaves me at a loss to assign relative value.
“No college football player could ask for a greater honor or thrill than to have his name added to the list of Jay Berwanger, Larry Kelley, Clint Frank, Davey O’Brien, Nile Kinnick and Tom Harmon, who preceded me in winning this coveted Heisman Trophy. My gratitude is sincere and my appreciation deeply felt. I can really only accept this trophy on behalf of my great Minnesota teammates and one of the greatest coaches of all time Bernie Bierman.
“Our team was good this year and literally carried me along to this honor. It was a year which was so productive with successful, outstanding and colorful players. The sportwriters and radio ambassadors had to make an exceptionally difficult decision, as was indicated by the small margin of votes between Angelo Bertelli of Notre Dame and myself.
“I hope I can justify your decision of the majority. My dad, who is here this evening, is a lawyer back in Faribault, Minnesota. He tells me that the proper way to explain it is that I would be holding the trophy in trust of my teammates. Since I seem to be getting elaborate, however, I want to openly and firmly thank those teammates and my coach for without them this honor would have been absolutely impossible. To them I owe everything.
“Football certainly has become an important part of American life. It even seems to have a place in diplomacy. I remember reading in the newspapers that Mr. Caruso, the Japanese envoy, told the newspapermen on arriving here that he expected to carry the ball for a touchdown. As you all know by now, it didn’t work out that way. It looked as though he tried a quarterback sneak before the field was ruled.
“In the Far East they may think American boys are soft, but I have had, and even have now, plenty of evidence in black and blue to prove that they are making a big mistake. I think America will owe a great debt to the game of football when we finish this thing off. If six million American youngsters like myself are able to take it and come back for more, both from a physical standpoint and that of morale. If teaching team play and cooperation and exercise to go out and fight hard for the honor of our schools, then likewise the same skills can be depended on when we have to fight to defend for our country.
“This is my first visit to New York and I find it very exciting. To the members of the Downtown Athletic Club, I offer my sincere thanks. “
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Very elegant!
 

cemba99 said:
Egad - let's get this thing sorted out.

The "play" shown on the video, which is arguably the most famous single play in Minnesota Gopher football history, was from November 9, 1940 (81 years ago) and played at Memorial Stadium. In that game the Gophers defeated #1 Michigan 7-6 thanks to Smith's run. Minnesota was undefeated that year (8-0) and named national champions. The weather was horrible - two days later the infamous "Armistice Day Blizzard" struck the upper midwest, killing over 150 people.

Gophers did defeat Michigan again in 1941 - this time in Ann Arbor - by a score of 7-0. The only score was a 5 yard run by Herman Frickey. This was Smith's Heisman year - and the Gophers, who finished the season with a record of 8-0 for the second year in a row, were crowned national champions once again.
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No doubt that run made the movie about him.

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GoForGold said:
No doubt that run made the movie about him.

View attachment 15889
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If you love Gopher football history, this movie is certainly worth your while. Lots of vintage gopher football video highlights from the Smith years (1939-1941), including the 80 yard run against Michigan in 1940. It was kind of the sequel of sorts to "Harmon of Michigan" - a film that highlighted the 1940 Heisman winner. However, as movies go, Smith of Minnesota is not really that good, this is mostly for die-hards only. If you are curious and having trouble finding it, send me a private message and we will see something can be worked out.
 




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