1953 Football Team
| Overall Record: 6-3 | Conference Record: 3-3 |
| Conference Finish: 5 th place tie | |
| National Ranking: AP - No. 20, UPI - No. 19 | |
| Coach: Bennie G. Oosterbaan | |
| Captain: Dick O'Shaughnessy | |
| All-Conference: Ted Kress, Bob Topp | |
| Most Valuable Player: Tony Branoff | |
| Meyer Morton Award: Tony Branoff, Donald Dugger | |
| Trainer: Jim Hunt | |
| Assistant coaches: Jack Blott, Clifford Keen, Bill Orwig, Matt Patanelli, Don Robinson, Walter Weber, J.T. White | |
| Manager: Richard Petrie | |
| Opponent | Rank | Date | Site | Result | Attend. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | -/- | 09/26 | H | W | 50-0 | 44,086 |
| Tulane | 4/- | 10/03 | H | W | 26-7 | 51,960 |
| Iowa | 5/- | 10/10 | H | W | 14-13 | 49,551 |
| Northwestern | 5/- | 10/17 | H | W | 20-12 | 64,420 |
| Minnesota | 5/- | 10/24 | A | L | 0-22 | 62,795 |
| Pennsylvania (HC) | 16/- | 10/31 | H | W | 24-14 | 56,795 |
| Illinois | 17/4 | 11/07 | A | L | 3-19 | 69,507 |
| Michigan State | -/4 | 11/14 | A | L | 6-14 | 51,421 |
| Ohio State | -/- | 11/21 | H | W | 20-0 | 87,048 |
| Totals | 163-101 | 537,583 | ||||
| Position | Player | |
|---|---|---|
| left end |
Gene Topp (8) Jerry Williams | |
| left tackle | Dick Strozewski (9) | |
| left guard | Donald Dugger (9) | |
| center |
Dick O'Shaughnessy (5) John Morrow (4) | |
| right guard | Richard Beison (9) | |
| right tackle | James Balog (9) | |
| right end |
Gene Knutson (8) Gene Topp | |
| quarterback |
Lou Baldacci (9)
| |
| fullback | Richard Balzhiser (9) | |
| left halfback | Ted Kress (9) | |
| right halfback | Tony Branoff (9) |
View full 1953 roster (from all-time roster database, includes non-lettermen and freshmen)
1953 Team Photo
view larger image
[Note: photo includes only varsity letter winners]
- Back Row
- Richard Petrie (Senior Manager), Gerald Williams, Tony Branoff, Louis Baldacci, John Morrow, Edgar Meads, William Kolesar
- 3rd Row
- James Hunt (Trainer), Arthur Walker, Fred Baer, Duncan McDonald, John Veselenak, Raymond Kenaga, Daniel Cline
- 2nd Row
- Edward Hickey, Robert Hurley, Richard Balzhiser, Thad Stanford, Robert Topp, Donald Bennett, Richard Beison
- Front Row
- Theodore Kress, Donald Dugger, Theodore Cachey, Richard O'Shaughnessy (Captain), Bennie Oosterbaan (head coach), James Balog, Ronald Williams
1953 Full Squad Photo
view larger image