Conference Independent Head coach James Dwyer (1st year) | 1923 record 6–4 | |
The 1923 Toledo Rockets football team was an American football team that represented Toledo University (renamed the University of Toledo in 1967) as an independent during the 1923 college football season. In their first season under head coach James Dwyer, the team compiled a 6–4 record, the first winning season in program history, won the Northwest Ohio League championship, and shut out its opponents in all six victories. The team's 87 points against Findlay established the program's single game scoring record and remains the second highest point total in program history. Gib Stick's 30 point tally in the Findlay game also remains tied for the second highest single game scoring total in program history.
The team captain was James Pierce, the first African-American to hold the position. Pierce became a professor after graduation.
According to the Toledo media guide, the program's nickname dates to the 1923 season. The 1923 season opened with a game against Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh. According to the media guide, the Pittsburgh reporters in the press box were surprised to learn that the Toledo team did not have a nickname and asked a Toledo student, James Neal, to come up with a nickname. Neal suggested the team by called the Skyrockets, and the sportswriters shortened the name to Rockets. The Rockets nickname has been in use since 1923.