The 1924 Pittsburgh Panthers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Pittsburgh as an independent during the 1924 college football season. In its first season under head coach Jock Sutherland, the team compiled a 5–3–1 record and outscored opponents by a total of 98 to 43. The team played its home games at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.
Schedule
Preseason
At the close of the 1923 season the University of Pittsburgh bid farewell to Glenn S. Warner, who was now head coach of Leland Stanford University, and welcomed John Bain Sutherland, who had been the Lafayette head coach, to lead the football program. “It is very difficult for a new coach to replace a legend.” But “Jock” with his 33-8-2 record for five years work at Lafayette as incentive came home to Pittsburgh to take on the challenge. His first order of business was hiring Guy Williamson, former Pitt quarterback and recent head football coach of Grove City College, as his assistant. Alex Stevenson and Floyd Rose both remained on the staff.
Graduate Manager Karl E. Davis set up another competitive schedule. The University of Pennsylvania coaches demanded an easier schedule, so they dropped Pitt from their schedule. The Panthers instead played Johns Hopkins University at Baltimore Stadium and Geneva replaced Bucknell. The rest of the schedule mimicked the 1923 slate. Penn was back on the schedule for the 1925 season.
Coach Sutherland implemented a spring practice session to become acquainted with the returning members of the squad. The new coach had work to do as only five starters from the 1923 Penn State game lineup were eligible for the 1924 season.(Chase, Johnson, Wissinger, Gwosden and Gustafson) After four weeks of strenuous drill, Coach Sutherland stated that he was highly pleased with the condition of the many candidates. “Not only the system of Sutherland has been learned, but general conditioning of the men, new signals, and general instructions have been practiced. The three teams which practiced on the field during this time learned new plays which will be utilized next fall. The players have also had considerable practice in handling the oval, punting and passing.”
Approximately one year after the initial request, the University and city officials agreed to the conditions of street vacating and construction for the new 70,000 seat stadium. Excavation began August 4, 1924 and the hope was to play the 1925 season in the new structure. W. S. Hindman, class of 1898, was the designing engineer in charge of construction. The stadium facilities were also to be utilized by the baseball, track and basketball teams. “A special basketball pavilion with a seating capacity of 5,000 will be made under the stadium at the right of the main entrance.”
Sutherland's first Camp Hamilton preseason practice ran from September 3 to the September 20 with more than 40 aspirants vying for positions on the squad. Coach Sutherland, assisted by Guy Williamson and Floyd Rose, had about three weeks to prepare the lads for their first game at Grove City on September 27. On the eve of the end of camp, Harry Camins of The Gazette Times reported: “Coach Sutherland professes to be entirely satisfied with the results attained during the stay here. He says there remains much to be done, but that the results thus far have been all that could be expected of a team which has to be largely rebuilt.”
Coaching staff
Roster
Game summaries
At Grove City
The Panthers opened the 1924 season on the road against the Grove City Crimson coached by former Pitt star Charley Bowser. Bowser was elevated to head coach when former head man Guy Williamson retired. (Subsequently, Coach Sutherland convinced Williamson to join the Pitt staff) Grove City won the first two games played against Pitt, in 1896 and 1898, but hasn't been able to best the Panthers in the past seven meetings. "The whole district is wrought up over the contest, and a record-breaking crowd of fans is anticipated. The Grovers are in good shape. The team is just as heavy as Pitt, and probably further advanced in development. Indications point to a stubborn battle all the way with nothing to indicate a lopsided score."
On Friday afternoon, the Panthers traveling squad boarded the train for the ride to Grove City, which included a dinner stop at the Nixon Hotel in Butler. "Coach Jock Sutherland has decided to take 30 members of his squad on the trip, and all the boys are "r'arin'"to go." The Pitt fans are anxious to see how the lineup with six new men "will act in a tight place."