Herb McCracken

G. Herbert McCracken (June 20, 1899 – March 11, 1995) was an American football player and coach. McCracken played football as a running back at the University of Pittsburgh from 1918 to 1920 under coach "Pop" Warner and was a member of Pittsburgh's 1918 national championship team.

Herb McCracken
Biographical details
Born(1899-06-20)June 20, 1899
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
DiedMarch 11, 1995(1995-03-11) (aged 95)
Ocean Ridge, Florida
Playing career
1918–1920Pittsburgh
Position(s)Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1921–1923Allegheny
1924–1935Lafayette
Head coaching record
Overall75–48–7
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 National (1926)
3 Middle Three Conference (1929–1931)
Awards
Amos Alonzo Stagg Award (1988)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1973 (profile)

He served as the head coach at Allegheny College from 1921 to 1923 and at Lafayette College from 1924 to 1935, compiling a career college football record of 75–48–7. His 1926 Lafayette Leopards team was recognized as a national champion by Parke H. Davis. That same year his former coach's Pop Warner's Stanford Indians were recognized as the national champions by a different publication.[1]

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1973. Some, including Pop Warner, consider him to be the first to regularly implement the offensive team huddle, beginning its use in Lafayette in 1924 to hide his instructions from the opposing team.[2]

During his coaching days, McCracken was the cofounder of the very successful Scholastic Inc publishing concern, which he was associated with for 63 years. He was also a brother of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity while he was a student at the University of Pittsburgh.

Head coaching record
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Allegheny Gators (Independent) (1921–1923)
1921 Allegheny 3–4–1
1922 Allegheny 6–3
1923 Allegheny 7–1
Allegheny: 16–8–1
Lafayette Leopards (Independent) (1924–1928)
1924 Lafayette 7–2
1925 Lafayette 7–1–1
1926 Lafayette 9–0
1927 Lafayette 5–3–1
1928 Lafayette 6–1–2
Lafayette Leopards (Middle Three Conference) (1929–1935)
1929 Lafayette 3–51–1T–1st
1930 Lafayette 5–3–12–01st
1931 Lafayette 7–22–01st
1932 Lafayette 3–51–12nd
1933 Lafayette 3–5–11–12nd
1934 Lafayette 2–60–23rd
1935 Lafayette 2–70–23rd
Lafayette: 59–40–67–7
Total:75–48–7
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References
  1. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2015). "National Poll Rankings" (PDF). NCAA Division I Football Records. NCAA. p. 108. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  2. "Obituary Herb McCracken" (PDF). LA84 Foundation. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 11, 2016.
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