# 1947 Maryland Terrapins football team

The 1947 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in 1947 college football season as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon).
Jim Tatum served as the first-year head coach and replaced Clark Shaughnessy who had been asked to resign. Tatum replaced Shaughnessy's pass-oriented version of the T formation with the option-heavy split-T offense. During his nine-year tenure at College Park, Tatum would become the winningest coach in school history. In 1947, he got off to a good start and significantly improved from Shaughnessy's 3–6 record of the season prior.
The highlight of the season was a berth in the 1948 Gator Bowl, the first postseason game in school history. NCAA-scoring leader Lu Gambino ran for 165 yards and scored all three touchdowns for Maryland. The game ultimately ended in a stalemate.
Maryland was ranked at No. 45 (out of 500 college football teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1947.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 27 | at South Carolina | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | W 19–13 | 13,000 |
| October 3 | Delaware* | Byrd StadiumCollege Park, MD | W 43–19 | 16,460 |
| October 10 | Richmond | Byrd StadiumCollege Park, MD | W 18–6 | |
| October 18 | at No. 17 Duke | Wallace Wade StadiumDurham, NC | L 7–19 | 20,000 |
| October 25 | at VPI | Miles StadiumBlacksburg, VA | W 21–19 | 12,500 |
| November 1 | West Virginia* | Byrd StadiumCollege Park, MD (rivalry) | W 27–0 | 16,500 |
| November 8 | at Duquesne | Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA | W 32–0 | |
| November 15 | vs. No. 19 North Carolina | Griffith StadiumWashington, DC | L 0–19 | 22,000 |
| November 22 | at Vanderbilt* | Dudley FieldNashville, TN | W 20–6 | 20,000 |
| November 29 | NC State | Byrd StadiumCollege Park, MD | T 0–0 | 14,000 |
| January 1 | Georgia* | Gator BowlJacksonville, FL (1948 Gator Bowl) | T 20–20 | 21,000 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game ||||||

## Game summaries
### South Carolina

Gambino scored three touchdowns and Maryland firmly held the momentum for the first three quarters. In the final period, South Carolina mounted a comeback attempt. Maryland player Gene Kinney intercepted a pass on the Terrapin 31-yard line to secure the victory, 19–13.

### Delaware

Delaware entered the game atop a 32-game winning streak. Gambino again scored three touchdowns, with others added by Davis, Idzik, and Targarona. The Blue Hens responded to an 88-yard touchdown run by Gambino with a 90-yard score by Cole.

### Richmond

Maryland avenged the previous season's loss to Richmond. Gambino scored twice and completed a pass to Simler for the third touchdown.

### Duke (#17)

Maryland fumbles and interceptions helped Duke snap the three-game winning streak. Vernon Seibert scored the Terrapins' only score of the day. It was also the first touchdown ever scored by Maryland against Duke.

### VPI

VPI scored twice in the first quarter after Maryland penalties and a turnover. In the fourth quarter, Maryland mounted a two-touchdown rally to spoil VPI's homecoming, 21–19. The decisive scores were due to a long Vic Turyn pass to Simler and a 32-yard dash by Idzik. McHugh made all three point after touchdown kicks, which proved to be the margin of victory.

### Georgia (Gator Bowl)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Maryland | 0 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 20 |
| Georgia | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 20 |

## Personnel
### Roster

The Maryland roster for the 1947 season consisted of the following players:
* Pete Augsburger
* John Baroni
* Sam Behr
* Harry Bonk
* James Brasher
* Paul Broglio
* Fred Davis
* Joseph Drach
* Francis Evans
* William Everson
* Lu Gambino
* Rudolph Gayzur
* Chester Gierula
* Jim Goodman
* John Idzik
* Eugene Kinney
* Ray Krouse
* Joe Kuchta
* Jim LaRue
* Stanford Lavine
* Thomas McHugh
* Thomas McQuade
* James Molster
* Al Phillips
* Ed Pobiak
* Wilbur Rock
* Earl Roth
* Jake Rowden
* Edward Schwarz
* Vernon Seibert
* George Simler
* Bernie Sniscak
* Jack Targanrona
* John Troha
* Robert Troll
* Joe Tucker
* Vic Turyn
* Hubert Werner
* Elmer Wingate

### Coaching staff

* Jim Tatum, head coach
* George Barclay, assistant coach
* Flucie Stewart, assistant coach
* Jim Meade, assistant coach
* Houston Elder, assistant coach
* Albert Woods, assistant coach
* Bill Meek, assistant coach
* Duke Wyre, trainer

## Awards

Lu Gambino was selected as a first-team All-Southern Conference back. Gambino and Eugene Kinney were named honorable mention All-Americans.