Saturday Snapshots: West Virginia University Football

Summary

For decades, hundreds of photographs chronicling some of the greatest moments in West Virginia University football history have been hidden away beneath piles of dusty media guides, tattered game programs, and yellowed newspaper clippings. Within the annals of the WVU athletic department, these archival treasures have been overlooked and forgotten over the years. That is until now. 

With nearly twenty-five years of experience in intercollegiate athletics at West Virginia University, John Antonik brings these long-lost photographs to life with a narrative that highlights the key players, coaches, and the greatest moments in Mountaineer football history. Saturday Snapshots spotlights the dirt and grime, the sweat and tears, and the pageantry and tradition behind a team that has captivated the Mountain State from its inception. With stunning pictures, exclusive stories, and fascinating facts and statistics, it is the ultimate resource for the faithful West Virginia University football fan. 

By spanning WVU football’s entire history—from that first game in snowy Morgantown on Saturday, November 28, 1891, to West Virginia’s appearance in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee, on December 29, 2014—these snapshots will keep you turning the pages until the clock runs out.

Contents

INTRODUCTION

FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
The Pre-1920s
Player of the Era: Ira Errett Rodgers

THE DOCTOR IS IN THE HOUSE
1920s
Player of the Decade: Marshall Glenn

DEPRESSING TIMES
1930s
Player of the Decade: Joe Stydahar

THE WINDS OF WAR
1940s
Player of the Decade: Jimmy Walthall

THE VIOLENT WORLD OF SAM HUFF
1950s
Player of the Decade: Bruce Bosley

THE MILL
1960s
Player of the Decade: Garrett Ford

BREAKING BARRIERS
1970s
Player of the Decade: Danny Buggs

COUNTRY ROADS, TAKE ME HOME
1980s
Player of the Decade: Major Harris

THE VOICE GOES SILENT
1990s
Player of the Decade: Canute Curtis

TWO LEGS ARE BETTER THAN ONE
2000s
Player of the Decade: Pat White

A LONG, STRANGE TRIP
Post-2000s
Player of the Decade: Tavon Austin

Top 100 Mountaineer Players of All-Time
Top 100 Opposing Players of All-Time

Sources/Credits
About the Author

Author

John Antonik is Director of Digital Media for Intercollegiate Athletics, West Virginia University and author of West Virginia University Football Vault: The History of the Mountaineers, Roll Out the Carpet: 101 Seasons of West Virginia University Basketball, and The Backyard Brawl: Stories from One of the Weirdest, Wildest, Longest Running and Most Intense Rivalries in College Football History.

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