There was swagger from the start: An excerpt from the Miami Hurricanes football team's first season

While exploring the University of Miami archives, we came across this recap of the Miami Hurricanes football team's first season. As you'll read in the excerpt below, there was swagger from the start for the 'Canes.

University of Miami

Follow this link to read the full recap from the Miami Hurricanes 1926 season.

Just one week after classes had begun at the University of Miami, the Hurricanes football team faced its first opponent: Rollins College of Winter Park, Florida. Head Coach Howard "Cub" Buck led the 'Canes in their inaugural season.

With only 646 full-time students enrolled at the University of Miami in its opening fall semester, Buck was challenged to assemble a full roster. Many of his players had no prior experience playing football and Buck had to teach some the basic fundamentals of the game. Despite these hurdles, the Hurricanes' first batch of freshmen overcame, going undefeated in 1926.

In the '26 season, the Hurricanes registered wins over Rollins College, Southern College, Mercer College Freshmen of Macon, Georgia, the Stetson Freshmen team, Loyola, home-and-away matches against Latin-American rival, the University of Havana, and a New Year's Day victory over the Howard College Freshmen of Birmingham, Alabama.

The Hurricanes amassed 122 total points on the year while allowing opponents just 13, and registered shutouts in six of eight games.

Along with Coach Howard “Cub” Buck’s legendary nickname, many players were given unique nicknames themselves. Some of our favorites include:

• Johnny “McGoogan” McGuire, a halfback from Lebanon, Indiana.
• Jimmie “Old Folks” O’Brien, a quarterback from East Rochester, New York.
• Everett “Pug” Ellis, an end from Chicago, Illinois.
• Lawrence “Big Boy” Catha, a tackle from Kentwood, Louisiana.
• Henry “Ham” Marshall, a guard from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
• Phillip “Pee Wee” White, a quarterback from Miami, Florida.
• Henry “Half Pint” McClendon, a halfback from Lexington, Kentucky.

If you have any colorful nicknames of your own that you would like to share, whether that be your own, a player's, or a nickname you'd like to give a current player, please list them below in the comments section. We won't judge.