Erskine Flying Fleet football

The Erskine Flying Fleet football team represents Erskine College in the sport of American football. The Flying Fleet compete in the NCAA Division II as an independent. Erskine is a dual member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA).[1] The team is currently led by head coach Shap Boyd, who has held the position since November 15, 2018, making him the first head football coach at Erskine since 1951.[2]

Erskine Flying Fleet football
First season1896, 2020
Last season1951
Athletic directorMark Peeler
Head coachShap Boyd
1st season, 0–0 (–)
StadiumJ. W. Babb Stadium
LocationGreenwood, South Carolina
NCAA divisionDivision II
ConferenceIndependent
All-time record80–188–11 (.306)
Conference titles4
S.I.A.A. (1937‡)
Little Four (1921, 1929‡, 1937)
‡ = co-champions
ColorsGarnet and Gold
   
Websiteerskinesports.com

The Erskine College football program was terminated after the 1951 season. The team went on hiatus before announcing the return for the 2020. The program will practice in 2019, and its players will use a redshirt season.

History

Erskine football started in 1896.[3] It was discontinued in 1951. The period from 1917 to 1921 brought most of the program's success, including athlete Dode Phillips.[4] During those seasons they have wins against Wofford, Presbyterian, South Carolina, Clemson, and the Citadel. It was during a game in 1929[5] that Erskine took on the name "The Flying Fleet". They were given that name by a Greenville reporter who was blown away by their passing performance in the game. They had previously been known as the "Seceders".[6] On October 18, 1948 when they defeated Florida State 14–6. It was only a couple more years until the Flying Fleet ended their football program in 1951.

In 2018, Erskine College announced return of the football program for the 2020 season competing in NCAA Division II.[7][8][9][10]

Conference affiliations

In 1915, Erskine began intercollegiate football and competed for the state title with other members of the South Carolina Intercollegiate Athletic Association.[11][12] In 1925, Erskine joined the ranks of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association.[13] In 1939, Erskine was a founding member of the South Atlantic Conference, which was for "small liberal arts schools that do not place undue emphasis upon athletics."[14] The conference's founding members were Erskine, Newberry, Oglethorpe, Presbyterian, and Wofford. They added Rollins and Stetson in 1940, and then Mercer in 1941 before it disbanded due to several programs discontinuing football.[15][16] The schools maintained membership in the S.I.A.A. while also competing for the South Atlantic title. Erskine was also a member of the South Carolina Little Four alongside Newberry, Presbyterian, and Wofford. The "Little Four" informally was naming champions in the period before the war as well.

Years Conference
1896 Independent
1897–1914 No intercollegiate team
1915–1924 South Carolina Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1925–1941 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1939–1941 South Atlantic Conference
1942–1945 No team (WWII)
1946–1951 South Carolina Little Four
1952–2018 No team
2019 No intercollegiate competition (practice only)
2020– Independent

Seasons
Year Head coach Conference Overall record Conference record
1896John Walker—0–1—
1897–1914No football
1915Norman G. LaMotteSCIAA0–7–10–4
1916Claude MooreSCIAA2–41–3
1917Lucius H. RansonSCIAA4–32–3
1918Lieutenant F. C. FishbackSCIAA1–0–11–0–1
1919Joe Lindsay (player-coach)SCIAA2–52–5
1920David W. ParrishSCIAA5–31–3
1921David W. ParrishSCIAA6–26–2♯
1922David W. ParrishSCIAA0–80–7
1923David W. ParrishSCIAA1–51–5
1924Robert S. GallowaySCIAA1–70–5
1925Robert S. GallowaySIAA1–60–4
1926Dode PhillipsSIAA1–70–4
1927Dode PhillipsSIAA2–4–11–2–1
1928Jakie ToddSIAA3–71–5
1929Jakie ToddSIAA7–33–2♮
1930Jakie ToddSIAA2–5–11–2–1
1931Jakie ToddSIAA2–6–31–5–1
1932Jakie ToddSIAA1–80–5
1933Jakie ToddSIAA2–71–5
1934Jakie ToddSIAA1–80–4
1935Jakie ToddSIAA2–6–10–4–1
1936Jakie ToddSIAA4–63–1
1937Jakie ToddSIAA6–45–0‡♯
1938Jakie ToddSIAA1–7–20–3–1
1939Jakie ToddSIAA / SAC1–91–5 / 1–3
1940Jakie ToddSIAA / SAC1–80–5 / 0–5
1941Jakie Todd / Dode Phillips•SIAA / SAC2–50–4 / 0–2
1942–1945No football
1946Harry BolickLittle Four0–90–3
1947John D. McMillanLittle Four7–31–2
1948John D. McMillanLittle Four6–40–2
1949John D. McMillanLittle Four2–71–1
1950John D. McMillanLittle Four4–61–2
1951John D. McMillanLittle Four0–8–10–2–1
1952–2019No football
2020Shap BoydIndependent0–00–0

• = Interim Head Coach, † = Conference champions, ‡ = Conference co-champions, ♯ = Little Four champions, ♮ = Little Four co-champions

References
  1. Erskine Joins the National Christian College Athletic Association, May 24, 2018, retrieved June 15, 2019
  2. Shap Boyd Officially Named Head Football Coach, November 15, 2018, retrieved June 15, 2019
  3. "A Proud History of Athletics". Erskinecollegesports.com. December 9, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  4. Scott Adamson (May 27, 2008). "Erskine College tries to gauge interest in restarting football program". Independent Mail. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  5. "Parkinson Counts Thrice As Erskine Runs 40 to 6 Victory Through Indians", Greenville News, Greenville, SC, p. 10, November 2, 1929
  6. What are the Flying Fleet?, retrieved June 15, 2019
  7. https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/coolest-college-helmets-in-sc-erskine-football-relaunches-program-dormant/article_21e0740a-053f-11e9-a4d8-57eda83140b3.html
  8. Sapakoff, Gene (October 27, 2016). "Sapakoff: The night tiny Erskine College beat Florida State in football". The Post and Courier. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  9. "1921 Erskine The Flying Fleet Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  10. Alishan (December 9, 2011). "A Proud History of Athletics". www.erskinecollegesports.com. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  11. "Erskine to Open September 15th", Abbeville Press and Banner, Abbeville, SC, p. 2, August 18, 1915
  12. "Newberry Plans for Athletics", Newberry Weekly Herald, Newberry, SC, p. 3, August 29, 1913
  13. "Palmetto Members", Greenville News, Greenville, SC, p. 6, December 13, 1924
  14. "Hose Take South Atlantic Title", Index-Journal, Greenwood, SC, p. 3, November 21, 1939
  15. "Mercer Added to South Atlantic Athletic Group", Tampa Tribune, Tampa, FL, p. 22, December 22, 1940
  16. "Fewer Warmup Games For Football Big Fellows Seen For Next Fall", Pensacola News Journal, Pensacola, FL, p. 2, January 26, 1942
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