Stetson Hatters football, 1930–1939

The Stetson Hatters football program, 1930–1939 represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—during the 1930s in college football as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA). The team was led by two different head coaches: Herb McQuillan who held the position from 1924 to 1934 and Brady Cowell who held the position from 1935 to 1940. During the 1930s, the Hatters compiled a 38–34–7 record and recorded six winning seasons in ten years of competition. Highlights of the decade include:

• The 1935 Stetson Hatters football team compiled an 8–2 season, a still-standing record of wins in a season (as of the end of the 2024 season).

The team played its home games at Hulley Field in DeLand, Florida.

Decade overview

1930

1931

The 1931 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1931 college football season. In their eighth year under head coach Herb McQuillan, the Hatters compiled a 3–5 record (1–5 in conference) and were outscored by opponents by a total of 106 to 85.

During the team's 19–7 loss to Millsaps on November 11, Millsaps junior tackle Commie Dandevenor "C. T." Smith, who was a Florida native, suffered a broken vertebrae in his neck during a play in the second quarter. He was taken off the field on a stretcher and taken to a nearby hospital in DeLand, Florida. He eventually lost consciousness right after midnight. On November 13, two days after the game, Smith died from his injuries. Stetson coach McQuillan issued a statement to the Stetson student body expressing his sorrow over the tragedy. According to a survey, Smith was one of at least 11 football players who had died of injuries sustained in a game since October 1 of that year.

Schedule

1932

The 1932 Stetson Hatters freshmen football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as an independent during the 1932 college football season. In their ninth year under head coach Herb McQuillan, the Hatters compiled a 3–1–1 record and were outscored by opponents by a total of 41 to 39.

Prior to the season, coach McQuillan announced that due to budget constraints the team would not field a varsity team and only have a freshmen team.

Schedule

1933

The 1933 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1933 college football season. In their 10th year under head coach Herb McQuillan, the Hatters compiled a 3–3–1 record (0–0–1 in conference) and outscored opponents by a total of 112 to 49.

Schedule

1934

The 1934 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1934 college football season. In their 11th year under head coach Herb McQuillan, the Hatters compiled a 1–4–1 record (0–2–1 in conference) and were outscored by opponents by a total of 100 to 53.

Schedule

1935

The 1935 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1935 college football season. In their first year under head coach Brady Cowell, the Hatters compiled an 8–2 record (4–1 in conference) and were outscored by opponents by a total of 134 to 103.

Prior to the season, 11th-year head coach Herb McQuillan resigned to accept an assistant position with Texas A&M. Initially, former professional star Red Grange was in the running to be the next head coach. The Stetson Alumni Association recommended that the school hire him as well. While the association's recommendation was not binding, it was believed to hold weight on the president's decision on who to hire. The president quickly refused, stating that he had six men in mind and that Grange was not one of them. Instead, the school opted to hire Florida assistant Brady Cowell.

Schedule

1936

The 1936 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1936 college football season. In their second year under head coach Brady Cowell, the Hatters compiled a 2–5–1 record (0–3–1 in conference) and were outscored by opponents by a total of 97 to 44.

Schedule

1937

The 1937 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1937 college football season. In their third year under head coach Brady Cowell, the Hatters compiled a 5–4 record (2–3 in conference) and outscored opponents by a total of 117 to 103.

Schedule

1938

The 1938 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1938 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach Brady Cowell, the Hatters compiled a 6–2–1 record (4–2–1 in conference) and outscored opponents by a total of 151 to 72.

Schedule

1939

The 1939 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1939 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach Brady Cowell, the Hatters compiled a 3–5–2 record (2–4–2 in conference) and were outscored by opponents by a total of 141 to 96.

Schedule

References