Sol Metzger Sol S . Metzger ( December 29 , 1880 – January 18 , 1932 ) was an American football player , coach of football and basketball , college athletics administrator , and sports journalist . He served as the head football coach at Baylor University ( 1904 ) , the University of Pennsylvania ( 1908 ) , Oregon State University ( 1909 ) , West Virginia University ( 1914 – 1915 ) , Washington & Jefferson College ( 1916 – 1917 ) , Union College ( 1919 ) , the University of South Carolina ( 1920 – 1924 ) , compiling a career college football of 69 – 41 – 8 . Metzger was also the head basketball coach at South Carolina for one season in 1920 – 21 , tallying a mark of 7 – 11 . In addition , Metzger wrote a nationally syndicated sports column . Early life . Metzger was born in Bedford , Pennsylvania on December 29 , 1880 . He was of son of American Civil War veteran Captain Sol Metzger and his wife Margaret ( Andrews ) Metzger . He was one of six children with three brothers and two sisters . Growing up in Bedford he attended Bedford Public Schools and the Bedford Academy before going to Phillips - Andover Academy in Andover , Massachusetts . He graduated from Phillips - Andover Academy in 1899 where he was a member of the track team as a member of the quarter mile relay team . University of Pennsylvania . Metzger was a graduate of University of Pennsylvania in 1903 with a Bachelor of Architecture . He was active in many organizations including Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and Sphinx Society . He was also business manager of the University ’ s monthly periodical , The Red and Blue . At Penn he was also much involved in several athletic programs including being the manager of the varsity rowing team , a member of the track team and most notably the football team . Football player . As a freshman . Metzger made the freshman football team . He lettered three years at end and quarterback on the varsity team . His first varsity year was played under College Football Hall of Fame coach George Washington Woodruff and last two under Carl Sheldon Williams . In 1901 , Metzger first season for the Quakers , he played as a backup . The team started strong by winning their first seven games , but were weakened in part to injuries accumulated during the earlier games . The Quakers lost five out the last eight to finish the season 10 – 5 . The five losses were the most under Woodruff . In addition to the tough season the team had to deal with an undergraduate and dental student revolt upset about the coaching of the team . This led to Head Coach George W . Woodruff to resign as coach . After Woodruff resignation was accepted , the members of the football team sent a letter to the Football Committee unanimously requesting that Woodruff be reinstated as coach . The letter was ignored . In 1902 , Carl Sheldon Williams succeeded George W . Woodruff as coached and the Quakers improved to 9 – 4 . The following year Metzger was named captain and led Penn to a 9 – 3 mark . During his playing career he was best known for playing right end on Defense where he was known for his tackling and stopping the opposition ’ s runs around end . Coaching career . Baylor . After graduating from Penn , he took a job as coach at Baylor University . He compiled a 2 – 5 – 1 record in 1904 . Pennsylvania . In 1908 , Metzger succeeded Carl Williams , his former coach , at the University of Pennsylvania . Penn won a retroactive national title after an 11 – 0 – 1 campaign in his only year at the helm of the Quakers . During the championship run , the Quakers out - scored their opponents , 215 – 18 . A 6 – 6 tie with the Carlisle Indians was only blemish on their season . This team was led by two future members of the College Football Hall of Fame , All - America n senior captain Bill " Big Bill " Hollenback at halfback and All - American Hunter Scarlett at end . Oregon State . In 1909 , Metzger became head coach at Oregon State University ( then known as Oregon Agricultural College ) where he posted a 4 – 2 – 1 record including late season losses to Washington and the regon . During the season he had to deal an issue that involved the team ’ s Captain , Carl Wolff that resulted in Metzger removed him off the squad for insubordination . West Virginia . After spending time raising fruit in Lewiston , Idaho , Metzger coached at West Virginia University from 1914 to 1915 , where he and compiled a 10 – 6 – 1 record . Metzger replaced Edwin Sweetland to please outraged alumni calling for the hiring of a nationally known coach . During his tenure as coach he was credited with bring in stars such as Ira Errett Rodgers , Russ Bailey and Clay Hite . While at West Virginia he was also noted for being one of the first coaches to employ the screen pass . In Metzgers first season at West Virginia , the team finished with a 5 – 4 record . During the season his coaching was hindered when he broke his leg in an automobile accident . The 1915 squad improved to a record of 5 – 2 – 1 and gained some national attention . The team scored 216 points to 25 by their opponents . The two losses were a 7 – 0 loss to traditional power the University of Pennsylvania to start the season , and a forfeit to Washington and Lee . During the Washington & Lee game , Metzger pulled his team off the field alleging rough play while leading 8 – 6 . The only other blemish was a tie to Washington & Jefferson which later defeated traditional power Yale . Metzger was offered the coaching position for the next season but turned it down , instead signing to coach Washington and Jefferson College . Tower play controversy . In 1915 , Metzger was involved in a controversy with what would become known as a " Tower Play " during a game between West Virginia and Marshall . The Mountaineers wereheavily favored and Metzger told the media he would " eat his hat if Marshall scores . " As expected , Metzger ' s team won the game handily by a score of 92 – 6 . West Virginia mostly ran ball to the side line where Blondie Taylor was so to punish him for transferring from WVU to Marshall before the season . To prevent the shutout , Marshall coach Boyd Chambers developed a special play . On the their fourth possession . Marshall moved the ball down to the 15 - yard line . Marshall back Dayton Carter came in the game . Marshall quarterback Brad Workman , took the snap and set up to pass . Marshall ' s tackle Okey Taylor and Carter ran toward the end zone . Carter was hoisted onto Taylor ' s shoulders as Workman rifled a high pass in their direction . Carter caught the ball and fell into the end zone for a score . Metzger argued with the officials , but the referee and umpire could find no rule to discount the score . The next day the Huntington Herald Dispatch head line was “ Marshall Scores ” The story did not mention much about West Virginia until the middle of the article instead focusing on the Tower play . Metzger protested to former Yale coach Walter Camp , who was in charge of college football rules . Camp upheld the score , however , he changed the rules to not allow the play for the 1916 season . Washington & Jefferson . In 1916 , Metzger moved Washington & Jefferson College where he coached for two years . During his tenure he coached the Presidents to a record of 15 – 5 . Metzger replaced Robert Folwell who became coach of the University of Pennsylvania . The 1916 season Metzger had to contend with injuries and suspensions . Two players ( Nuss and Ruble ) were injured in a loss to Yale . Before the team left for Richmond , Virginia to play Washington and Lee , three players , Fain , Whitehill and Nall , were declared ineligible due to poor grades . During the victory over Washington and Lee , center Bill Shields fractured ankle and was out for the rest of the season . Before the last game of the season , a victory over Rutgers , Metzger became ill with ptomaine poisoning . Washington and Jefferson was considered one the youngest and smallest teams in the country , averaging 169 pounds and 20 years of age . Even with the injuries and suspensions , Metzger and the Presidents finished the season with a 8 – 2 record , the only losses coming mid season in back - to - back games against Yale and Pittsburgh . Metzger and the Presidents went 7 – 3 in 1917 losing to West Virginia , Pittsburgh , and Notre Dame by a total of 13 points . The team was led by two future college football hall of fame members Wilbur Henry , who was named All - American that year and Edgar Garbisch . After the 1917 season , several players enlisted in the military to serve in World War I . There were rumors that the administration was not happy with Metzger ' s performance , but would allow him to coach the 1918 season . After the season , Metzger tried to enlist in for service in World War I . He was twice refused because of a leg injury he suffered during his tenure as West Virgian head football coach . After those rejections he took a position as an athletic director in the YMCA at Camp Dix where he organized athletic events for the military personnel . Union . In 1919 , Metzger was named Director of Physical Activities at Union College in Schenectady , New York . In this position he was in charge of coach the football team as well as developing basketball , baseball and track teams . In developing the athletic program after World War I , Metzger did not have to start from scratch since Union did not abandon its program like other colleges did during the war . South Carolina . Metzger ' s last coaching stop was at the University of South Carolina , where he went 31 – 20 – 2 . Sports author and journalist . Even while coaching , Metzger ' s chief occupation was writing for magazine and newspapers . He focused mainly on sports and outdoor subjects including fishing and hunting . Many times he would illustrate his articles with his own drawings . He contributed articles to such magazines as " Outing " , " Collier ' s Weekly " , and " The Saturday Evening Post " . He wrote a syndicated column called " Touchdown Secrets " that was published by newspapers throughout the country . In addition he started a syndicate to provide newspapers articles written by himself as well as other journalists . World War I . At the beginning of the War many colleges and universities were questioning the value of athletic programs on campus . Metzger wrote a series articles that supported the continuation of athletics at colleges and universities . He argued athletes were more likely to enlist than the general student body . He also indicated that athletic programs help train students for the War effort . He wrote " The New York Times " that he regarded participating in athletics as a patriotic duty . Family and later life . Metzger married Miss Mae Oakley of New York City and the couple had three children : John , Robert . and Joy . After retiring from coaching , Metzget moved to Atlantic City , New Jersey , where he resided the rest of his life . A resident of Ventnor City , New Jersey , he died there on January 18 , 1932 , of erysipelas developed after surgery .