1961 Albion Britons football | |
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MIAA champion | |
Conference | Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association |
Record | 8–0 (5–0 MIAA) |
Head coach |
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Captain | Dale Springer, Ray Hoag[1] |
Home stadium | Alumni Field |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albion $ | 5 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Olivet | 4 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kalamazoo | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma | 2 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adrian | 1 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hope | 0 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1961 Albion Britons football team was an American football team that represented Albion College as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 1961 NCAA College Division football season. In their eighth season under head coach Morley Fraser, the Britons compiled a perfect 8–0 record (5–0 against MIAA members), won the MIAA championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 186 to 56.[2][3] It was Albion's first perfect season since 1928.[4]
The team was inducted into Albion's Ahletic Hall of Fame in 1991. Nine coaches or players from the team have also been inducted as individuals: Morley Fraser; Darwin Christiansen; Frank Gould; Ray Hag; Ken Neal; Robert Porritt; Fritz Shurmur; Joe Shurmur; and Dale Springer.[3]
The team's individual statistical leaders included fullback J.B. Elzy with 752 rushing yards, quarterback Frank Gould with 604 passing yards and 818 yards of total offense, and end Gary Methner with 49 pass receptions for 604 yards.[2]
Junior Joe Shurmur was named to the 1961 MIAA all-conference team on both offense (guard) and defense (linebacker);[5] he was also voted as the team's most valuable player.[1] Albion took nine of the 22 spots on the 1961 all-conference team. In addition to Shurmur, Albion's other honorees were quarterback Frank Gould; running backs J.B. Elzy and Ray Hoag; end Gary Menther; defensive tackle Terry Menther; defensive guard Milt Moore; and defensive halfback Bob Porritt.[5]
The team played its home games at Alumni Field in Albion, Michigan.
Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source | ||
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September 16 | Eastern Michigan* |
| W 13–0 | 1,500-4,000 | [6] | ||
September 30 | Kalamazoo |
| W 15–0 | 2,000-3,820 | [7] | ||
October 7 | at Hope |
| W 26–14 | 4,500-4,850 | [8] | ||
October 14 | Anderson (IL)* |
| W 35–6 | 1,100 | [9] | ||
October 21 | Olivet |
| W 13–0 | 6,000 | [10] | ||
October 28 | at Ferris Institute* | Big Rapids, MI | W 28–6 | 2,700 | [11] | ||
November 4 | at Alma | Alma, MI | W 27–12 | 4,030 | [12] | ||
November 11 | at Adrian | Adrian, MI | W 35–17 | 4,285 | [4] | ||
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The following 37 players received block "A" varsity letters for their participation on the 1961 Albion football team:[1]
Varsity letters were also presented to team managers Fred Clawson, John Gorton, and Richard Yeager.[1]