First season 1891 Year built 1962 Conference SoCon Head coach Scott Wachenheim Division Division I (NCAA) Seating capacity 10,000 | Athletic director Dave Diles, Jr. Location Lexington, Virginia Past conferences Big South Conference Bowl record 6–18 (.250) Arena/Stadium Alumni Memorial Field Field surface Bermuda grass | |
 | ||
Other staff Brad Robbins, Tom Clark, Justin Hamilton, Gordie Sammis, Michael Saint Germain, 4 TBA | ||
The VMI Keydets football team represents the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. The Keydets compete in the Southern Conference of the NCAA Division I FCS, and are coached by Scott Wachenheim, named head coach on December 14, 2014. VMI plays their home contests at 10,000-seat Alumni Memorial Field, as they have since 1962.
Contents
- 19th century
- 19001920
- Alumni Field
- Blandy Clarkson era
- William Raftery era
- Allison Hubert era
- Tom Nugent era
- Alumni Memorial Field and John McKenna era
- Bob Thalman era
- 19852002
- Big South and return to Southern Conference
- Bowl games
- Head coaches
- Alumni Memorial Field
- Sprinturf Field
- Traditions
- Rivalries
- Team single game
- Individual single season
- References
Historically VMI's biggest rival was Virginia Tech. Today, VMI's biggest rival is the The Citadel, as the two teams have battled 70 times, with The Citadel leading the series 38–30–2. The series was dubbed "The Military Classic of the South" in 1976 as a reference to the two school's status as the last two remaining all-military schools in the south, a region once rich with military colleges. The winner of each game receives an award known as the "Silver Shako", which has rested at The Citadel since 2003. The last contest occurred on November 22, 2014, in which The Citadel rushed for nearly 400 yards en route to a 45–25 victory. In addition to The Citadel, VMI has minor rivalries with William & Mary and Richmond. The Tribe and the Keydets first met in 1908, and William & Mary leads that series 52–33–2. VMI's competition with Richmond goes back farther, to just their third year of existence (1893). Richmond has won 41 games to VMI's 40, and the teams have tied five times. Also, the Keydets have played Virginia and Virginia Tech 82 and 79 times, respectively.
19th century
VMI football dates back to 1873 with a one-game season, featuring a 4–2 loss to Washington and Lee. No player or coaching records are known from that game. The Keydets would not have another intercollegiate team until 1891 under coach Walter Taylor III. Taylor was the son of Walter H. Taylor, a Civil War lieutenant colonel and aide to Robert E. Lee. The Keydets went 3–0–1 in 1891, with a win and tie against Washington and Lee and defeats of St. John's and Pantops Academy.
VMI had two additional undefeated seasons in 1892 and 1894, and a total record of 32–10–2 during the 19th century, setting the tone as being one of the state's top football schools. Although they were technically undefeated in 1899 by a virtue of a lone win over Washington & Lee, the season was cut short and all cadets were sent home due to an outbreak of typhoid fever.
1900–1920
VMI continued to have success on the field during the early 1900s. Sam Walker became the head coach at the turn of the century, and, after compiling a head coaching record of 11–7–3 in three seasons, was replaced by future College Football Hall of Famer William Roper. Roper's brief two-year tenure was highlighted by wins over NC State and Davidson.
After several seasons of mediocrity, VMI returned to their winning ways in 1911 under Alpha Brummage, who previously coached at now-NAIA Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas. In two years with Brummage, VMI went 14-2, and 7–1 each season, stumbling only to Virginia and St. John's, though VMI did manage to defeat and shutout the in-state rival and powerhouse Cavaliers 19–0 in 1912.
After Brummage left VMI for Kentucky, where he would become the school's football and basketball coach, the Keydets went 7–1–2 under new head coach Henry Poaque, his only season at the Institute. VMI joined the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SAIAA) in 1918, many of the members of which formed the bulk of the Southern Conference after the conference's disbandment in 1921. In 1920, Blandy Clarkson led VMI to its third of only four perfect seasons with a 9–0 record, culminating with an SAIAA championship.
Alumni Field
With the finished construction of Alumni Field in 1921, VMI football no longer needed to play on the Parade Ground situated in front of the barracks. The stadium was placed around the same place it is today, and was completed at a total cost of $69,000. The Keydets went 3–5–1 in the stadium's inaugural year, which included key wins over in-state opponents Roanoke, Hampden–Sydney, and a stunning victory over Virginia.
Blandy Clarkson era
Following the perfect 9–0 championship season in 1920, VMI was much less successful the following year, posting a 3–5–1 record, which was the only losing season under for the Keydets under Clarkson. After two stellar seasons of 7–2 and 9–1 as an independent, VMI joined the Southern Conference in 1924, where they would remain for nearly 80 years until 2003. In their inaugural SoCon season, VMI went 6–3–1, which was good for 13th place in a sizeable conference of 22. Clarkson departed VMI following the 1926 season, and totaled a record of 44–21–2 in seven years, the most wins by any Keydet head coach at the time.
William Raftery era
Following the departure of Clarkson, Worcester, Massachusetts-native William "Bill" Raftery took over head coaching duties of VMI. The Keydets were 6–4 his first season, ranking among the last in the SoCon. Raftery led the team to an 8–2 season in 1929, but it was the last winning season under Raftery's reign, which lasted until 1936. In ten years his record at VMI was 38–55–5.
Allison Hubert era
Allison Hubert took over for his predecessor Raftery in the 1937 season. Nicknamed "Pooley", Hubert was a Mississippi native and a veteran of World War I. After leading Alabama to the 1926 national championship, Hubert coached several sports at Southern Miss in the early 1930s. He went 5–5 in his first season with the Keydets. Hubert's most successful season with VMI was in 1940, where the squad finished 7–2–1, though it was only good enough to get them 7th in the conference. Hubert left with a 43–45–8 record under his belt after ten seasons.
Tom Nugent era
When Arthur Morton left VMI for Mississippi State in 1949, he was 9–8–1 with the Keydets.Tom Nugent took his place that January. Nugent was famous for developing the I formation, though it did not happen until the year after he left VMI. Though the first two years were nothing special, Nugent took the 1951 squad to their first SoCon championship with a 7–3 record. The season included a 34–0 shutout of Richmond, a 29–6 drubbing of Wofford, a 27–21 win over rival Citadel, and a 20–7 win over Virginia Tech in the season finale. Nugent left following the 1952 season.
Alumni Memorial Field and John McKenna era
Possibly the greatest decades in VMI football history were under John McKenna. In his thirteen years with the Keydets, McKenna had a record of 62–60–8, and won four SoCon championships. These occurred in 1957, 1959, 1960 and 1962.
In the same year VMI won the 1962 Southern Conference, 10,000-seat Alumni Memorial Field was built. Costs were around $250,000.
Bob Thalman era
Bob Thalman came to VMI in 1971. Coming from the University of Richmond, he previously coached at Hampden–Syndey. Thalman brought another two SoCon championships to VMI in 1974 and 1977. He departed in 1984 after a miserable 1–9 season.
1985–2002
Eddie Williamson took over the head coaching position for four years, all losing seasons. He was followed by Jim Shuck, Bill Stewart, Ted Cain, and Cal McCombs until 2005. No coach could produce a winning season for the Keydets.
Big South and return to Southern Conference
In 2003, VMI joined the Big South Conference after 79 years in the SoCon. VMI still could not get back to its winning ways. They were under the direction of McCombs, who would be fired after 2005. Jim Reid would coach for two years, with a 3–19 record. Sparky Woods became the 30th head coach in 2008. The Keydets returned to the Southern Conference in 2014, but Woods was unable to lead a winning season; he was dismissed at the end of the 2014 season with a seven-year record of 17–62, and was replaced by Scott Wachenheim. VMI has not posted a winning season since 1981.
Bowl games
The Keydets have six wins and 18 losses in 24 minor bowl games. This includes nine Tobacco Bowls and 15 Oyster Bowls.
Head coaches
VMI has had 31 head coaches in their history. They are currently led by Scott Wachenheim, a graduate of the Air Force Academy and a native of California. The winningest coach in VMI history is John McKenna, who had a 62–60–8 in thirteen seasons at the school. Alpha Brummage, who led the Keydets for two seasons in 1911 and 1912, has the highest winning percentage among coaches with at least ten games coached (.875).
Pound sign (#) denotes interim head coach
Note: From 1892-1894, the team had no coach
Alumni Memorial Field
Alumni Memorial Field at Foster Stadium, located on the VMI post, has been the home of VMI football games since 1962. Completed at a cost of around $250,000, Foster seats 10,000. The stadium went through a major $12 million renovation process in 2006, with new ticket booths, concourses, restrooms, and a new scoreboard and jumbotron. The field's surface is Bermuda Grass.
Sprinturf Field
Sprinturf Field serves as the Keydets practice facility, made of artificial grass. It also serves host to 1-2 lacrosse games throughout the season.
Traditions
VMI chose a kangaroo to represent the school as a mascot in 1947, when two cheerleaders saw one on a magazine cover and thought how "uncommon the animal was as a mascot". Originally the kangaroo was named TD Bound, but later changed to Moe at an unknown time. VMI is one of four colleges with a marsupial mascot. Zippy of Akron is the one other school with a kangaroo mascot.
Around 20 minutes before VMI home games, the Corps of Cadets march from their barracks down to Foster Stadium while the regimental band plays. VMI uniquely requires every student to attend the football games from start to finish.
A replica of a 1750 Howitzer cannon, "Little John" is a corps-owned cannon fires when the Keydets come on to the field, and after every VMI score and quarter end. The one currently in use was designed by Col. Cary S. Tucker. The previous one was retired to the VMI museum after the undefeated 1957 football team finished.
Rivalries
Arguably the school's biggest rival, The Citadel and VMI have played 66 times in a matchup known as the Military Classic of the South. The teams first met in 1920, where VMI cruised to a 35–0 shutout win in Lynchburg. The most recent meeting occurred in 2013, when The Citadel prevailed 31–10. The Silver Shako (the trophy awarded to the winner) has rested in Charleston since 2003. Thought the schools did not play in 2004 and from 2008 to 2010, the series is set to be played every year once again as VMI returns to the Southern Conference beginning in 2014.