Norris Armstrong

Phillip Norris "Army" Armstrong (September 15, 1898 – October 11, 1981) was an American football player and coach. He played college football at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky from 1918 to 1919 and professionally for one season, in 1922, with the Milwaukee Badgers of the National Football League (NFL). Armstong served as the head football coach at Carroll College—now known as Carroll University—Waukesha, Wisconsin from 1923 to 1930, compiling a record of 44–11–6.

Norris Armstrong
Biographical details
Born(1898-09-15)September 15, 1898
Fort Smith, Arkansas
DiedOctober 11, 1981(1981-10-11) (aged 83)
Danville, Kentucky
Playing career
1918–1921Centre
1922Milwaukee Badgers
Position(s)Tackle, halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1922Centenary (assistant)
1923–1930Carroll (WI)
Head coaching record
Overall44–11–6
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
All-Southern (1919)
All-time Centre team

Playing career

Centre
Centre after defeat of West Virginia in 1919. Armstrong is in the center.

Norris played tackle and halfback for [[Centre College] in Danville, Kentucky and was a key offensive player[1] during the 1921 Centre vs. Harvard football game and was captain of the team that year.[2] He also was a player on the school's basketball team.[3] Centre College honored his contribution to the school's athletic program by inducting him into the college's Athletic Hall of Fame.[4] He was a halfback on Centre's all-time football team chosen in 1935.[5]

Milwaukee Badgers

After graduation from Centre, Norris played professionally for the 1922 season as a tackle for the Milwaukee Badgers of the National Football League (NFL) alongside his college teammate Bo McMillin.[6][7][8]

Coaching career

Centenary

Armstrong's first coaching position was in 1922 at Centenary College of Louisiana.[9] Here he was assistant to his college teammate (and future professional teammate) Bo McMillin[10] where they produced an impressive record of eight wins and one loss[11] while outscoring opponents 295 to 41.[12]

Carroll
Carroll Pioneers, c. 1920

After completing one year as an assistant coach, Armstrong was named the 15th head football at Carroll College—now known as Carroll University—in Waukesha, Wisconsin[13] and he held that position for eight seasons, from 1923 until 1930. His career coaching record at Carroll College was 44–11–6.[14]

Armstrong oversaw one of the most successful periods of the football team at the college.[15] The university honored his contributions by inducting him into the school's "Hall of Fame" in 1973.[16]

Key games for Carroll under Armstrong included the 1925 victory over Great Lakes Naval by a score of 73–0, and an undefeated 1925 season. The program never had anything but winning seasons under Armstrong, with the worst record being 4–3 in 1929; the worst loss that year was a 46–0 defeat by the Iowa Hawkeyes.[17]

After retiring from coaching, Armstrong remain with Carroll College to become athletic director and later a trustee of the college.[18]

Head coaching record
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Carroll Pioneers () (1923–1930)
1923 Carroll 5–3
1924 Carroll 6–1–1
1925 Carroll 8–0
1926 Carroll 5–1–2
1927 Carroll 6–1–1
1928 Carroll 5–1–1
1929 Carroll 4–3
1930 Carroll 5–1–1
Carroll: 44–11–6
Total:44–11–6

References
  1. College Football Historical Society "Still The Greatest" by Jim Campbell, August 1996
  2. Centre College Archived August 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Centre vs Harvard
  3. Big Blue History University of Kentucky Basketball vs Centre College, February 8, 1921
  4. Centre College Athletics Archived January 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Hall of Fame
  5. George Trevor (November 25, 1935). "1921 Team Produces Most Stars For Centre's All-Time Eleven". Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved March 24, 2015 – via Google news.
  6. JT-SW.com Norris Armstrong
  7. Database Football Archived January 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Norris Armstrong
  8. Database Football Archived February 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine 1922 Milwaukee Badgers
  9. The Beta Pi "Gridiron Coaches" Summer 2003
  10. Pulaski Past Pulaski County Biographies
  11. College Football Data Warehouse Centenary Yearly Results, 1920-1924
  12. College Football Data Warehouse Centenary College 1922 Results
  13. Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune September 19, 1923
  14. Carroll College Archived May 16, 2006, at the Wayback Machine Football Coaching Records
  15. City of Waukesha, Wisconsin "Waukesha's History"
  16. Carroll College Athletics Archived June 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Hall of Fame
  17. Carroll University Archived August 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Season by Season Results
  18. The Evening Independent "A Football Legend is Dead" October 13, 1981
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