1923 College Football All-Southern Team

Lynn Bomar of Vanderbilt was selected an All-American by Walter Camp.

The 1923 College Football All-Southern Team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-Southern Teams selected by various organizations for the 1923 Southern Conference football season.

Vanderbilt won the SoCon championship, its last conference title to date. Florida upset previously undefeated Alabama on the last week of play.

Composite eleven

Ark Newton of Florida.

The composite All-Southern eleven put out by the Atlanta Journal who received gold medals included:

• Joe Bennett, tackle for Georgia. One writer notes: "Prior to the 1960s, Bennett is likely Georgia's most outstanding tackle."^[1] He was later a Coca-Cola executive.
• Lynn Bomar, end for Vanderbilt, the last southern player selected a first-team All-American by Walter Camp. Bomar played with the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) in their inaugural season and was later warden of Tennessee State Prison. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1956.
• Grant Gillis, quarterback for Alabama. Gillis played professional baseball for the Washington Senators and Boston Red Sox.
• Goldy Goldstein, tackle for Florida. Goldstein was one of the first Jews to ever play for the Gators.^[2] He played professionally for the Newark Bears of the first American Football League (AFL), and was later an attorney practicing in Miami Beach.
• Everett E. Kelly, guard for Vanderbilt, known as "Tuck." After a bitterly fought loss to national champion Michigan on Ferry Field, the referee McDonald approached Kelly and told him, "You are the first individual I've complimented after a game in which I officiated, but I want to tell you that I never saw a better guard than you are."^[3]
• Ark Newton, halfback for Florida. Newton's punts, including one of at least 60 yards, helped the Gators in their 16 to 6 upset victory over previously undefeated Alabama.^[4]
• Clyde Propst, center for Alabama, known as "Shorty." Propst later coached at various institutions, including as an assistant at his alma mater and as the head coach at Howard and Southwestern.

Doug Wycoff of Georgia Tech was a near unanimous selection.

• Gil Reese, halfback for Vanderbilt. Reese was the team's leading scorer, netting nine touchdowns in two weeks in the victories over Tennessee and Georgia had by a combined 86–14.
• Robbie Robinson, tackle and captain for Florida. On the Gators' upset of previously undefeated Alabama, he said "Psychology did the trick and turned the tables on the Crimson, for the word went the rounds on the campus that "they can't do it"'–referring to Alabama's chances of walking on the Florida team. He also remarked on the many goal line stands by Florida.^[5]
• Henry Wakefield, end for Vanderbilt, known as "Hek." After the loss to Michigan opposing coach Fielding Yost said "I never saw a greater exhibition of end play", referring to Wakefield.^[6] The Kingsport Times reported that governor Austin Peay had also given Hek praise for his play that day.^[7] Coach Dan McGugin rated Wakefield as one of the six greatest players he ever coached.
• Doug Wycoff, fullback for Georgia Tech. Coach Alexander recalled "The work of Douglas Wycoff against Notre Dame two years in succession was brilliant in the extreme, as was his plunging against Penn State when we defeated them twice."^[8] Wycoff played professionally for various teams in both the AFL and NFL including with the Newark Bears. He was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1978.

Composite overview

Doug Wycoff received the most votes of any player in the composite selection.

All-Southerns of 1923

Ends

Hek Wakefield of Vanderbilt.

• Lynn Bomar*, Vanderbilt (College Football Hall of Fame) (C, MB, MN-2, BE)
• Hek Wakefield, Vanderbilt (C, MT, BE)
• Al Clemens, Alabama (C, BE)
• John Staton, Georgia Tech, (C, MN-2, BE)
• Crook Smith, Mercer (MT)
• Bill Supplee, Maryland (BE)
• Cliff Lemon, Centre (BE)

Tackles

Joe Bennett of Georgia.

• Joe Bennett, Georgia (C, MT, MN-2, BE)
• Robbie Robinson, Florida (C, BE)
• Bob Rives, Vanderbilt (C, MT, BE)
• Charlie Barbour, VMI (C, BE)
• Red Simmons, Mercer (MN-2)
• Stephenson, Kentucky (BE)
• J. G. Lowe, Tennessee (BE)

Guards

Tuck Kelly of Vanderbilt.

• Goldy Goldstein, Florida (C, BE)
• Tuck Kelly, Vanderbilt (C, BE)
• Rip Reagan, Auburn, (C, MT, BE)
• Mike Herndon, Mercer (MT)
• Tom McCracken, VMI (MN-2)
• F. McConnell, Georgia Tech (MN-2)
• McIntyre, Georgia Tech (BE)
• Terry, Washington & Lee (BE)
• George M. Chinn, Centre (BE)

Centers

• Shorty Propst, Alabama (C, BE)
• Claire Frye, Georgia Tech (C, MN-2, BE)
• Fats Lawrence, Auburn (C, BE)
• Ed Kubale, Centre (MT, BE)

Quarterbacks

• Grant Gillis, Alabama (C, BE [as hb])
• Herb Covington, Centre (MT, BE)
• Edgar C. Jones, Florida (MN-2, BE)
• Doc Kuhn, Vanderbilt (BE)
• Harry Sutton, VPI (BE)

Halfbacks

Gil Reese of Vanderbilt.

• Gil Reese, Vanderbilt (C, MT, BE)
• Ark Newton, Florida (C, MT, MN-2, BE)
• Adrian Maurer, Oglethorpe (MN-2, BE)
• White, VMI (BE)
• Shufford, NC State (BE)

Fullbacks

• Doug Wycoff, Georgia Tech (C, MT, BE)
• Pooley Hubert, Alabama (College Football Hall of Fame) (MN-2)
• Bill Middlekauff, Florida (BE)
• Cameron, Washington & Lee (BE)
• Saunders, Kentucky (BE)
• McQuade, Maryland (BE)

Key

Bold = Composite selection

See also

• 1923 College Football All-America Team

References