2008 guide - Ohio Wesleyan University

BISHOP TIMELINE381925:Officially christened “TheBattling Bishops,” Gauthier’ssquad has only a loss to OhioState and a tie with Syracuseto blemish a 7-1-1 season. TheBishops win both OAC and “BigSix” championships, the lattera subdivision of the OAC (alsoincluding Cincinnati, Denison,Miami, Ohio University andWittenberg) that sought to playprimarily among themselvesas the OAC boasted nearly 20members at that time.1926:The Big Six breaks away fromthe OAC to form the BuckeyeConference. Ohio Wesleyanrebounds from early-seasonlosses to Ohio State andWooster to claim the Buckeyechampionship.1928:Ohio Wesleyan records oneof its most widely-heraldedvictories, beating Michigan,17-7, in Ann Arbor. It wouldbe the last meeting betweenthe schools. The Bishops wintheir second Buckeye crown in3 years.1929:Selby Field, designed byGauthier, opens in style as theBishops top Marietta, 52-0,before a crowd of 9000.1934:Quarterback John Turley, aDelaware native, is a first-teamLittle All-America selection byAssociated Press and becomesthe Bishops’ first footballAll-American. Turley goeson to play for 2 seasons withthe Pittsburgh Pirates of thefledgling National FootballLeague.1943:Tackle Dick Drake is draftedin the 28th round by the NFL’sNew York Giants. He is thefirst Ohio Wesleyan player tobe selected in the draft, whichwas instituted in 1936.1946:Gauthier steps down asOhio Wesleyan coach witha career record of 121-98-15and an unsurpassed 5 leaguechampionships.1947:With the demise of theBuckeye Conference nearly adecade earlier, Ohio Wesleyanis readmitted into the OAC.Glenn Fraser takes over ashead coach, starting a string of8 straight winning seasons.1951:After 3 near-misses, theBishops win Fraser’s first OACtitle. End Dale Bruce sets anNCAA small-college record bypiling up 255 receiving yardsvs. Case.1953:Ohio Wesleyan finishes 8-0-1,its first undefeated seasonduring the modern era, andwins its second OAC crownin 3 years. A tie with Wabashprevents a perfect season.The league crown would bethe Bishops’ last under Fraserdespite 3 more seasons with 2or fewer losses.1964:Jack Fouts ‘48 takes over ashead coach.1967:The Bishops’ secondundefeated season of thecentury results in Fouts’ firstOAC title. Ohio Wesleyanfinishes 8-0-1. The onlyblemish on the season wasa 14-14 tie at Albion in theopener, a game that saw theBishops erase a 14-0 deficit butmiss potential game-winningfield goal attempts on their last2 possessions.1969:Halfback Rich Henley leadsthe OAC in rushing with 1036yards, becoming only thesecond Bishop to crack the1000-yard plateau.1970:Defensive tackle Tom Truesdellis drafted in the 12th round bythe NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals.Truesdell is cut during theBengals’ training camp but getsa tryout with the ClevelandBrowns in 1971.1971:Ohio Wesleyan wins the OACcrown and is invited to theAmos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, thenthe Western Regional titlegame. Samford (Alabama)won the game, 20-10, butforfeited the victory after it wasdiscovered ineligible playerswere used.1981:Down 42-0 at halftime atDenison, Fouts unleashesquarterback Mike Wallace,who goes on to set 8 NCAAAll-Divisions passing and totaloffense records. Wide receiverRic Kinnan, who missed thefirst quarter while taking theLSAT, still manages to haul in12 passes. Denison holds on towin, 49-34.1984:Ohio Wesleyan leaves the OACto join Allegheny, Case Reserve,Denison, Kenyon, Oberlin andWooster in founding the NorthCoast Athletic Conference.1987:Mike Hollway becomes the OhioWesleyan head coach.1988:2008 Ohio Wesleyan FootballOhio Wesleyan posts a 6-4record, the Bishops’ best finishsince the Stagg Bowl seasonof 1971. Fullback Kevin Simsleads the NCAC in rushing with1010 yards, becoming the thirdBishop to pass the 1000-yardmark.1989:The Bishops win their firstNCAC title. Ohio Wesleyanfinishes with an 8-1-1 mark,tying the school record forregular-season victories, andis ranked among the top 20 inNCAA Division III for the firsttime.