567:
287:
writes "In 1925 McGugin came up with his finest quarterback in Bill Spears. Spears learned much from his coach and in three seasons had an unbelievably low number of interceptions. He led the
Commodores three years in which they only lost to Georgia Tech and Auburn in '25, Alabama in '26. and Texas
36:
1525:
1374:
786:
1724:
1518:
1367:
1511:
1360:
779:
668:
1729:
795:
772:
1714:
720:
601:
1699:
1694:
1709:
1704:
335:
297:
231:
227:
1684:
1679:
1674:
1534:
1383:
301:
162:
158:
1719:
524:
272:
Known as "Bounding Bill;" "Spears can run a team like a playing coach, drop kick, boot from placement, and pass cooly [
147:
140:
1634:
317:
1154:
321:
154:
312:
One fellow wrote
Vanderbilt produced "almost certainly the legit top Heisman candidate in Spears, if there had been a
1626:
1491:
1467:
1408:
652:
325:
136:
581:
1126:
1027:
1177:
686:"East, West and South Share All-American Honors: Mythical Eleven Averages 185 Pounds With Every Man A Captain".
1503:
1352:
223:
119:
859:
235:
184:
1689:
1594:
752:
731:
616:
1323:
566:
764:
642:
346:
320:, Spears had touchdown runs of 88 and 77 yards. Spears received the most votes for the 1927
1669:
1664:
1269:
835:
510:
190:
8:
256:
851:
1451:
648:
211:
78:
528:
875:
819:
330:
1559:
1483:
999:
981:
342:
1533:
1382:
701:
1575:
1261:
944:
559:
313:
239:
1658:
1642:
1610:
1475:
1459:
1443:
936:
928:
543:
1618:
1297:
960:
907:
891:
827:
748:
339:
1602:
1567:
1339:
1225:
952:
899:
843:
242:
said of Spears that he was one of the fastest quarters he had ever seen.
219:
215:
169:
54:
20:
1416:
1233:
915:
883:
867:
284:
1424:
1315:
1055:
811:
95:
1331:
1073:
794:
35:
276:] and accurately in the teeth of a charging line."
640:
1725:
541:
206:(August 31, 1906 – December 31, 1992), known as "
1656:
345:. His understudy at quarterback was later coach
509:College Football Hall of fame, Hall of Famers,
702:"Sanders Admits Surprise Over PCC Sanity Code"
1519:
1368:
780:
747:
644:Where Football Is King: A History of the SEC
599:
300:suffered its only loss to national champion
1730:Players of American football from Tennessee
798:Vanderbilt Commodores starting quarterbacks
503:
1526:
1512:
1375:
1361:
787:
773:
721:"Red Sanders Part 1: The Vanderbilt Years"
718:
579:
525:"College Hall of Fame Includes Vanderbilt"
493:Spears was an assistant on the 1929 team.
316:to award in 1927." In a 32–0 victory over
522:
669:"Spears Given Highest Vote in Selection"
595:
593:
338:included the nation's leading scorer in
1715:College Football Hall of Fame inductees
1535:1927 College Football All-Southern Team
1384:1926 College Football All-Southern Team
542:Horace C. Renegar (December 22, 1927).
1700:Vanderbilt Commodores football players
1695:Vanderbilt Commodores baseball players
1657:
641:Christopher J. Walsh (July 18, 2006).
523:Traughber, Bill (September 22, 2004).
324:team, and was selected the first-team
1710:All-Southern college football players
1705:All-American college football players
1507:
1356:
768:
602:"Spears and Vandy excitement in 1927"
590:
16:American football player (1906–1992)
728:College Football Historical Society
609:College Football Historical Society
13:
14:
1741:
483:
565:
544:"Bama Star Is Captain Of Eleven"
267:
34:
741:
712:
1685:American football quarterbacks
1680:American football placekickers
1675:American football drop kickers
694:
679:
661:
634:
600:Mark Purcell (November 1988).
573:
535:
516:
250:
245:
224:Vanderbilt Commodores football
172:as one of his six best players
1:
1720:People from Jasper, Tennessee
496:
352:
262:
236:College Football Hall of Fame
234:. Spears was elected to the
186:College Football Hall of Fame
1277:Patton Robinette (2013–2014)
1045:Jamie Wade (1946–1947, 1949)
719:Joe Marvin (November 2002).
513:. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
511:Bill Spears Member Biography
127:Career highlights and awards
7:
994:Tommy Henderson (1930–1932)
583:Football's Greatest Coaches
10:
1746:
1292:Johnny McCrary (2014–2015)
1246:Mackenzi Adams (2007–2009)
336:1927 Vanderbilt Commodores
146:Second-team All-American (
18:
1585:
1542:
1434:
1391:
1241:Chris Nickson (2006–2008)
1215:Ronnie Gordon (1993–1994)
1210:Marcus Wilson (1991–1992)
1012:Bert Marshall (1937–1938)
1007:Lunny Huggins (1936–1937)
806:
197:
183:
179:
131:
126:
115:
110:
102:
85:
65:
60:
50:
45:
33:
1220:Damian Allen (1995–1997)
1190:John Gromos (1985; 1989)
1091:Hank Lesesne (1960–1962)
989:Benny Parker (1929–1930)
968:Neil Cargile (1924–1925)
754:Funny Thing about Sports
106:155 lb (70 kg)
19:Not to be confused with
1251:Larry Smith (2008–2011)
1149:Fred Fisher (1973–1975)
1081:Boyce Smith (1956–1958)
1063:Bill Krietemeyer (1952)
673:Sarasota Herald-Tribune
488:
307:
291:
279:
1200:Eric Jones (1987–1988)
1172:Van Heflin (1978–1979)
1068:Jim Looney (1953–1954)
1017:Junius Plunkett (1939)
706:Long Beach Independent
204:William Douglas Spears
1282:Stephen Rivers (2014)
1185:Kurt Page (1983–1984)
1144:Steve Lainhart (1972)
1022:Charlton Davis (1940)
622:on September 11, 2016
531:on November 17, 2015.
214:player and stand-out
46:Vanderbilt Commodores
1537:composite selections
1386:composite selections
1310:Deuce Wallace (2019)
1287:Wade Freebeck (2014)
1270:Austyn Carta-Samuels
1162:Randy Hampton (1976)
1134:Denny Painter (1970)
1096:Jon Cleveland (1963)
690:. December 11, 1927.
675:. November 27, 1927.
548:The Bismarck Tribune
208:Bounding Bill Spears
61:Personal information
1690:Baseball shortstops
1195:Mark Wracher (1986)
1139:Steve Burger (1971)
1101:David Waller (1964)
708:. January 28, 1949.
615:(1). Archived from
586:. pp. 345–346.
580:Edwin Pope (1956).
347:Henry "Red" Sanders
328:quarterback by the
257:The McCallie School
30:
1167:Mike Wright (1977)
1121:John Miller (1968)
1086:Russ Morris (1959)
1050:Bobby Berry (1948)
945:Frank Godchaux Jr.
923:Sam Wilhite (1917)
852:Frank Godchaux Sr.
28:
1652:
1651:
1501:
1500:
1452:Herschel Caldwell
1350:
1349:
1318:(2020–2021, 2023)
1305:Riley Neal (2019)
1256:Jared Funk (2010)
1205:Mike Healy (1990)
1111:Gary Davis (1966)
1035:Jack Kaley (1943)
836:Myles P. O'Connor
737:on March 4, 2016.
479:
478:
212:American football
201:
200:
122:(1925–1927)
89:December 31, 1992
79:Jasper, Tennessee
1737:
1645:
1637:
1629:
1621:
1613:
1605:
1597:
1578:
1570:
1562:
1554:
1528:
1521:
1514:
1505:
1504:
1494:
1486:
1478:
1470:
1462:
1454:
1446:
1427:
1419:
1411:
1403:
1377:
1370:
1363:
1354:
1353:
1343:
1335:
1327:
1319:
1311:
1306:
1301:
1293:
1288:
1283:
1278:
1273:
1265:
1257:
1252:
1247:
1242:
1237:
1229:
1221:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1173:
1168:
1163:
1158:
1150:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1130:
1122:
1117:
1116:Roger May (1967)
1112:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1040:John Rich (1945)
1036:
1031:
1023:
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
995:
990:
985:
977:
969:
964:
956:
948:
940:
932:
924:
919:
911:
903:
895:
887:
879:
876:Jimmy R. Haygood
871:
863:
855:
847:
839:
831:
823:
820:William E. Beard
815:
800:
799:
789:
782:
775:
766:
765:
759:
758:
745:
739:
738:
736:
730:. Archived from
725:
716:
710:
709:
698:
692:
691:
688:Billings Gazette
683:
677:
676:
665:
659:
658:
638:
632:
631:
629:
627:
621:
606:
597:
588:
587:
577:
571:
570:
569:
563:
557:
555:
539:
533:
532:
527:. Archived from
520:
514:
507:
357:
356:
331:Associated Press
255:Spears attended
193:
187:
168:Ranked by coach
92:
76:
74:
38:
31:
27:
1745:
1744:
1740:
1739:
1738:
1736:
1735:
1734:
1655:
1654:
1653:
1648:
1640:
1632:
1624:
1616:
1608:
1600:
1592:
1581:
1573:
1565:
1560:Stumpy Thomason
1557:
1549:
1538:
1532:
1502:
1497:
1489:
1484:Charles Mackall
1481:
1473:
1465:
1457:
1449:
1441:
1430:
1422:
1414:
1406:
1398:
1387:
1381:
1351:
1346:
1338:
1330:
1322:
1314:
1309:
1304:
1296:
1291:
1286:
1281:
1276:
1268:
1260:
1255:
1250:
1245:
1240:
1232:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1176:
1171:
1166:
1161:
1153:
1148:
1143:
1138:
1133:
1125:
1120:
1115:
1110:
1106:Bob Kerr (1965)
1105:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1072:
1067:
1062:
1054:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1034:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1006:
998:
993:
988:
982:Jimmy Armistead
980:
972:
967:
959:
951:
943:
935:
927:
922:
914:
906:
898:
890:
882:
874:
866:
858:
850:
842:
834:
826:
818:
810:
802:
797:
796:
793:
763:
762:
746:
742:
734:
723:
717:
713:
700:
699:
695:
685:
684:
680:
667:
666:
662:
655:
647:. p. 123.
639:
635:
625:
623:
619:
604:
598:
591:
578:
574:
564:
553:
551:
540:
536:
521:
517:
508:
504:
499:
491:
486:
418:
413:
408:
400:
395:
384:
367:
355:
343:Jimmy Armistead
310:
294:
282:
270:
265:
253:
248:
189:
185:
175:
94:
90:
77:
72:
70:
69:August 31, 1906
41:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1743:
1733:
1732:
1727:
1722:
1717:
1712:
1707:
1702:
1697:
1692:
1687:
1682:
1677:
1672:
1667:
1650:
1649:
1647:
1646:
1638:
1630:
1622:
1614:
1606:
1598:
1589:
1587:
1583:
1582:
1580:
1579:
1576:Herdis McCrary
1571:
1563:
1555:
1546:
1544:
1540:
1539:
1531:
1530:
1523:
1516:
1508:
1499:
1498:
1496:
1495:
1487:
1479:
1471:
1463:
1455:
1447:
1438:
1436:
1432:
1431:
1429:
1428:
1420:
1412:
1404:
1395:
1393:
1389:
1388:
1380:
1379:
1372:
1365:
1357:
1348:
1347:
1345:
1344:
1336:
1328:
1320:
1312:
1307:
1302:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1274:
1266:
1262:Jordan Rodgers
1258:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1230:
1222:
1217:
1212:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1078:
1070:
1065:
1060:
1052:
1047:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1024:
1019:
1014:
1009:
1004:
996:
991:
986:
978:
970:
965:
957:
949:
941:
933:
925:
920:
912:
904:
896:
888:
880:
872:
864:
856:
848:
840:
832:
824:
816:
807:
804:
803:
792:
791:
784:
777:
769:
761:
760:
740:
711:
693:
678:
660:
653:
633:
589:
572:
560:Newspapers.com
534:
515:
501:
500:
498:
495:
490:
487:
485:
484:Coaching years
482:
477:
476:
473:
470:
467:
464:
461:
458:
455:
452:
449:
446:
443:
440:
437:
434:
431:
428:
424:
423:
420:
415:
414:return average
410:
405:
402:
397:
392:
389:
386:
381:
378:
375:
372:
369:
364:
361:
354:
351:
314:Heisman Trophy
309:
306:
293:
290:
281:
278:
269:
266:
264:
261:
252:
249:
247:
244:
240:Grantland Rice
199:
198:
195:
194:
181:
180:
177:
176:
174:
173:
166:
151:
144:
132:
129:
128:
124:
123:
117:
113:
112:
111:Career history
108:
107:
104:
100:
99:
93:(aged 86)
87:
83:
82:
67:
63:
62:
58:
57:
52:
48:
47:
43:
42:
39:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1742:
1731:
1728:
1726:
1723:
1721:
1718:
1716:
1713:
1711:
1708:
1706:
1703:
1701:
1698:
1696:
1693:
1691:
1688:
1686:
1683:
1681:
1678:
1676:
1673:
1671:
1668:
1666:
1663:
1662:
1660:
1644:
1643:Elvin Butcher
1639:
1636:
1631:
1628:
1627:John Barnhill
1623:
1620:
1615:
1612:
1611:Fred Pickhard
1607:
1604:
1599:
1596:
1591:
1590:
1588:
1584:
1577:
1572:
1569:
1564:
1561:
1556:
1553:
1548:
1547:
1545:
1541:
1536:
1529:
1524:
1522:
1517:
1515:
1510:
1509:
1506:
1493:
1492:Gordon Holmes
1488:
1485:
1480:
1477:
1476:Fred Pickhard
1472:
1469:
1468:John Barnhill
1464:
1461:
1460:Curtis Luckey
1456:
1453:
1448:
1445:
1444:Hoyt Winslett
1440:
1439:
1437:
1433:
1426:
1421:
1418:
1413:
1410:
1409:George Morton
1405:
1402:
1397:
1396:
1394:
1390:
1385:
1378:
1373:
1371:
1366:
1364:
1359:
1358:
1355:
1341:
1337:
1333:
1329:
1325:
1321:
1317:
1313:
1308:
1303:
1299:
1295:
1290:
1285:
1280:
1275:
1271:
1267:
1263:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1235:
1231:
1227:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1179:
1175:
1170:
1165:
1160:
1156:
1152:
1147:
1142:
1137:
1132:
1128:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1099:
1094:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1075:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1057:
1053:
1048:
1043:
1038:
1033:
1029:
1025:
1020:
1015:
1010:
1005:
1001:
997:
992:
987:
983:
979:
975:
971:
966:
962:
958:
954:
950:
946:
942:
938:
937:Swayne Latham
934:
930:
929:Dooch Sherman
926:
921:
917:
913:
909:
905:
901:
897:
893:
889:
885:
881:
877:
873:
869:
865:
861:
857:
853:
849:
845:
841:
837:
833:
829:
825:
821:
817:
813:
809:
808:
805:
801:
790:
785:
783:
778:
776:
771:
770:
767:
757:. p. 34.
756:
755:
750:
744:
733:
729:
722:
715:
707:
703:
697:
689:
682:
674:
670:
664:
656:
654:9781461734772
650:
646:
645:
637:
618:
614:
610:
603:
596:
594:
585:
584:
576:
568:
561:
549:
545:
538:
530:
526:
519:
512:
506:
502:
494:
481:
474:
471:
468:
465:
462:
459:
456:
453:
450:
447:
444:
441:
438:
435:
432:
429:
426:
425:
421:
416:
411:
406:
403:
398:
393:
391:Interceptions
390:
387:
382:
379:
376:
373:
370:
365:
362:
359:
358:
350:
348:
344:
341:
337:
333:
332:
327:
323:
319:
315:
305:
303:
299:
289:
286:
277:
275:
268:Playing years
260:
258:
243:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
221:
217:
213:
209:
205:
196:
192:
188:
182:
178:
171:
167:
164:
160:
156:
152:
149:
145:
142:
138:
134:
133:
130:
125:
121:
118:
114:
109:
105:
101:
97:
88:
84:
80:
68:
64:
59:
56:
53:
49:
44:
37:
32:
26:
22:
1619:Jess Tinsley
1551:
1400:
1298:Kyle Shurmur
1127:Watson Brown
1028:Jack Jenkins
973:
961:E. M. Waller
908:Hord Boensch
892:Ray Morrison
828:W. J. Keller
753:
749:Fred Russell
743:
732:the original
727:
714:
705:
696:
687:
681:
672:
663:
643:
636:
626:November 21,
624:. Retrieved
617:the original
612:
608:
582:
575:
558:– via
552:. Retrieved
550:. p. 12
547:
537:
529:the original
518:
505:
492:
480:
340:running back
329:
326:All-American
322:All-Southern
311:
295:
283:
273:
271:
254:
207:
203:
202:
155:All-Southern
137:All-American
91:(1992-12-31)
25:
1670:1992 deaths
1665:1906 births
1603:Ivey Shiver
1568:Dick Dodson
1552:Bill Spears
1401:Bill Spears
1340:Diego Pavia
1334:(2022–2023)
1326:(2021–2022)
1324:Mike Wright
1300:(2015–2018)
1272:(2012–2013)
1264:(2011–2012)
1236:(2002–2005)
1228:(1998–2001)
1226:Greg Zolman
1180:(1980–1982)
1178:Whit Taylor
1058:(1950–1951)
1030:(1941–1942)
1002:(1933–1935)
976:(1925–1927)
974:Bill Spears
955:(1921–1923)
953:Oliver Kuhn
939:(1919–1920)
918:(1914–1916)
902:(1912–1913)
900:Zach Curlin
894:(1908–1911)
886:(1906–1907)
878:(1904–1905)
870:(1902–1905)
854:(1899–1900)
846:(1897–1898)
844:Joe Goodson
838:(1895–1896)
830:(1893–1894)
419:returns TDs
404:Kickoff TDs
388:Passing TDs
377:Completions
374:Rushing TDs
251:High school
246:Early years
226:teams from
220:Dan McGugin
216:quarterback
170:Dan McGugin
135:First-team
55:Quarterback
29:Bill Spears
21:Bill Speirs
1659:Categories
1635:Gene Smith
1417:Red Barnes
1234:Jay Cutler
1000:Rand Dixon
916:Irby Curry
884:Sam Costen
868:Frank Kyle
497:References
353:Statistics
285:Edwin Pope
263:Vanderbilt
210:", was an
120:Vanderbilt
73:1906-08-31
40:circa 1927
1543:Backfield
1425:Ty Rauber
1392:Backfield
1316:Ken Seals
1155:David Lee
1056:Bill Wade
860:Fred Hume
812:Pat Estes
554:March 15,
298:1926 team
288:in '27."
238:in 1962.
96:Tennessee
1595:Tom Nash
1332:AJ Swann
751:(1948).
380:Attempts
51:Position
1074:Don Orr
409:returns
399:Kickoff
396:returns
394:Kickoff
383:Passing
371:Average
366:Rushing
363:Carries
302:Alabama
116:College
71: (
1342:(2024)
1157:(1974)
1129:(1969)
1076:(1955)
984:(1928)
963:(1924)
947:(1921)
931:(1918)
910:(1913)
862:(1901)
822:(1892)
814:(1890)
651:
334:. The
318:Tulane
191:(1962)
103:Weight
98:, U.S.
81:, U.S.
735:(PDF)
724:(PDF)
620:(PDF)
605:(PDF)
401:yards
385:Yards
368:Yards
86:Died:
66:Born:
1586:Line
1435:Line
649:ISBN
628:2014
556:2015
489:1929
448:1207
427:1927
417:Punt
412:Punt
407:Punt
360:Year
308:1927
296:The
292:1926
280:1925
232:1927
228:1925
218:for
163:1927
159:1926
148:1926
141:1927
1574:FB
1566:HB
1558:HB
1550:QB
1423:FB
1415:HB
1407:HB
1399:QB
475:16
469:5.9
460:177
445:133
436:5.6
433:794
430:141
422:XP
274:sic
230:to
222:'s
153:2×
1661::
1641:C
1633:G
1625:G
1617:T
1609:T
1601:E
1593:E
1490:C
1482:G
1474:G
1466:T
1458:T
1450:E
1442:E
726:.
704:.
671:.
611:.
607:.
592:^
546:.
466:30
442:64
349:.
304:.
259:.
161:,
1527:e
1520:t
1513:v
1376:e
1369:t
1362:v
788:e
781:t
774:v
657:.
630:.
613:2
562:.
472:7
463:1
457:5
454:4
451:9
439:5
165:)
157:(
150:)
143:)
139:(
75:)
23:.
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