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Bill Hargiss - First Use of the Offensive Huddle,
1918 Bill Hargiss undoubtedly was one of the truly original thinkers in the game of football. He was the very first coach to use a huddle [Oregon State, Corvallis, OR, in 1918]. Although many schools over the years have laid claim to being the birthplace for football's "huddle," the record clearly indicates Oregon State was one of the very first schools nationally to use the formation in a game. It happened against the University of Washington in Seattle Nov. 18, 1918. That day, the UW players were having much fun decoding all of OSC's plays. Little was working because the boys from Seattle seemed to know what was going to happen before it happened. Beaver Head Coach "Bill" Hargiss watched for awhile then, fed up, told his players at half-time about a children's game he had in which signals were whispered. He instructed the starters that once they returned to the field, they were to stand 10 yards behind the ball before the beginning of each play and whisper to one another what they were going to do next. Up to then,
a football team went into a set position to start each play, shifting as the quarterback
called signals. Thus, a necessary qualification of a quarterback in those days was
a penetrating voice. So to speak, he hollered his brains out. Evidence: Hargiss declaration Bill Hargiss in his own handwriting Foster affidavit player witness Brougham letter witness Royal Brougham, Associated Ed, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
F. G.
(Fran) Welch testimony:
describes first use of the offensive huddle |
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