The 1923 Oregon Agricultural Aggies football team represented Oregon Agricultural College (OAC)—now known as Oregon State University—as a member of the Northwest Conference and the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the 1923 college football season. The team was also known by the moniker "Beavers" during this era.
In their fourth and final season under head coach Dick Rutherford, the Aggies compiled an overall record of 4–5–2 were outscored 71 to 55. Oregon Agricultural had a record of 2–2–1 in Northwest Conference play, placing in a three-way tie for third place, and 1–3–1 against PCC opponents, tying for sixth place.
Tackle Millard Scott was the team captain, replacing Percy Locey, who resigned in 1922 to become student body president. The team played its home games on campus, at Bell Field in Corvallis, Oregon.
Background
On December 11, 14 members of the team, accompanied by Coach Rutherford and the team trainer and others, sailed for the Hawaiian islands, where they played games against the University of Hawaii and a Hawaiian All-Star team in Honolulu. The Aggies lost both contests.
In January 1924, Coach Rutherford resigned as the school's football coach and director of athletics, effective at the end of his contract July 1. According to the Corvallis Gazette-Times, it had been "an open secret" that the alumni had been active in opposing Rutherford's retention. In four seasons under Rutherford, the Aggies had an overall record of 13–14–6 (.485) and were 4–10–3 (.324) in conference play.
Schedule
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Roster
According to the 1925 Beaver yearbook and a special "homecoming" edition of the OAC Daily Barometer, the following were the players on the 1923 Aggies varsity team. Those earning athletic letters marked with †.
- Floyd "Swack" Andres (C)
- Clarence "Liberty" Bell (FB) †
- "Bolly" Boyken (HB) †
- Ben Carpenter (E) †
- "Christy" Christianson (QB)
- I.F. "Lead" Day (G) †
- "Dutch" Dutcher (Line)
- Dick Garber (HB) †
- Luke Gill (HB) †
- Cub Johnson (Line) †
- "Baggy" Kuhn (Line)
- Percy Locey (T) †
- Mose Lyman (G) †
- Ray "Truck" McCart (HB) †
- Bill Moore (E)
- Glenn "Beetty" Olmstead (T) †
- Ray Price (QB) †
- Herb Rich (C) †
- Roy Richert (Line)
- Millard Scott (T) - (Captain) †
- Paul Snyder (E/HB) †
- Fritz Tebb (E) †
- Reg Tousey (Back) †
- "Heinie" Wagner (Line)
References
