The Howard Seadogs were a college football team fielded by participants of the V-12 Navy College Training Program at Howard College (now known as Samford University) in the college football seasons of 1943, 1944, and 1945 during World War II. In January 1942, Howard announced their intercollegiate football program would be suspended for the duration of the war. After abandoning football for the 1942 college football season, in September 1943 College Chairman Frank P. Samford announced the school would field a team for the 1943 season. Called the Seadogs, the team was composed of trainees from the V-12 Unit.
Euil Snider served as head coach for the 1943 season and led the Seadogs to an overall record of 2âÂÂ2. After Snider resigned as head coach and athletic director, Bub Walker was hired as head coach and athletic director at Howard after a stint as an assistant coach at Wake Forest. During Walker's two seasons he led the Seadogs, Howard was winless with an overall record of 0âÂÂ10.
Prior to the start of the 1945 season, College President Harwell Davis stated it would likely be the last for the school as a result primarily of monetary losses and a small fan following throughout Birmingham. Howard did not field teams in either 1946 or 1947 and only fielded a student-led and coached club called the Howard College SportsmenâÂÂs Club in 1948. In May 1949, school officials announced Howard would reinstate intercollegiate football for the 1949 season with Earl Gartman as head coach.
The 1943 Howard Seadogs football team was an American football team that represented Howard College (now known as Samford University) as an independent during the 1943 college football season. In their first year under head coach Euil Snider, the team compiled a 2âÂÂ2 record. Howard played their home games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
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The 1944 Howard Seadogs football team was an American football team that represented Howard College (now known as the Samford University) as an independent during the 1944 college football season. In their first year under head coach Bub Walker, the team compiled an 0âÂÂ5 record. Howard played their home games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Schedule
The 1945 Howard Seadogs football team was an American football team that represented Howard College (now known as the Samford University) as an independent during the 1945 college football season. In their second year under head coach Bub Walker, the team compiled an 0âÂÂ5 record. Howard played their home games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Schedule