DePaul Blue Demons football

DePaul Blue Demons football
DePaul Athletic's logo 1908–1978
First season1898
Last season1938 (1938)
FieldDePaul Field
LocationChicago, Illinois
All-time record100–93–17* (.517)
Claimed national championships
0
Unclaimed national championships
0
Conference championships
2
Conference division championships
0
ColorsRoyal Blue and Scarlet
   

The DePaul Blue Demons football program represented DePaul University in the sport of college football. The university fielded an intercollegiate squad from 1898 to 1938.

History

The team played home games at a variety of venues including DePaul Field, Loyola Stadium, Wrigley Field, and Soldier Field.[1][2] DePaul Field (formally St. Vincent Field) was located just north of the St. Vincent de Paul Church from 1898 until 1955.

The first season with a complete record is the 1907 St. Vincent's team, the final year before the institution became DePaul University and the athletic teams became the "D-men".[3] The name would then officially be changed to the Blue Demons in 1922. They played in the short-lived Western Interstate Conference from 1923-1927. They were conference champions in both 1925 and 1926. The team went undefeated in 1908 and 1933, outscoring opponents 177-34 and 119-12 respectively.

The final home game for the team was on November 12, 1938, a 20–9 victory against Saint Louis at Loyola Stadium. DePaul finished the 1938 season with a 2–7 record.[4]

The statistics surrounding the program are largely incomplete due to so few records being kept in the early years. Despite teams being first organized in 1898, the first intercollegiate games began to be recorded around 1901. Made even more confusing by the fact that many of the St. Vincent's College (1898–1907) games were being played against high school teams that kept little to no statistics.[5] The DePaul University Academy, operating from 1898 to 1968, also fielded a football team from 1913 to 1965. Winning 12 Chicago Catholic League titles.[6]

Results

It is claimed that from 1901 to 1938 that the university team went around 100–93–17 overall.[7] This is uncertain pending new records being discovered. Despite the school no longer having a football team, they made a lasting mark on the sport. Producing players such as 1940 NFL Champion Chet Chesney and offensive lineman Dick Stahlman. Who would play in the NFL and AFL for 10 seasons, placing at the top of NFL in 1927, 1931, and winning the first NFL Championship Game in 1933.[8][9]

DePaul Field was built over by Alumni Hall starting in 1955 before being demolished in 2000. Replaced by the current Lincoln Park Student Center in January, 2002 at 2250 N Sheffield Avenue.[10]

Seasons

Year Coach Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
St. Vincent's (IL) (Independent) (1898–1907)
1898
1899
1900 ≈0–1[11]
1901 ≈1–0[12]
1902
1903
1904
1905
1906
1907 Frank Haggerty 5–2
DePaul "D-men" (Independent) (1908–1921)
1908 Frank Haggerty 7–0–1
1909 Frank Haggerty ≈0–3 [13][14]
1910
1911 ≈1–1[15][16]
1912 4–2–1[17]
1913 2–2[18][19]
1914
1915 1–2[20][21]
1916 2–4[22][23]
1917 No team, World War I
1918 No team, World War I
1919
1920
1921 Frank Haggerty 0–1[24]
DePaul Blue Demons (Independent) (1922)
1922 Frank Haggerty
DePaul Blue Demons (Western Interstate Conference) (1923–1927)
1923 Frank Haggerty & Robert Stevenson 3–4
1924 Harry Adams 5–4–1 0–1–0 6th
1925 Eddie Anderson 4–2–1 2–1–1 1st
1926 Eddie Anderson 3–3 2–1 1st
1927 Eddie Anderson 1–5–1 0–1–1 ?
DePaul Blue Demons (Independent) (1928–1938)
1928 Eddie Anderson 4–4–1
1929 Eddie Anderson 2–5
1930 Eddie Anderson 4–2–1
1931 Eddie Anderson 6–3
1932 Jim Kelly 5–1–2
1933 Jim Kelly 6–0–1
1934 Jim Kelly 4–3
1935 Jim Kelly & Ben Connor 5–2–1
1936 Jim Kelly & Ben Connor 7–2
1937 Ben Connor 7–2
1938 Ben Connor 2–7
Total: 91–67–11

Resurgence

Following the demise of the varsity squad, the university would host sporadic intramural teams. Peaking in popularity in the 1970s and 80s. The DePaul Club Football team would very briefly play from 2013-2015. However, the team would face multiple problems. Mostly surrounding funding and a place to play and practice as the team was independent from DePaul Athletics. Despite playing a handful of games, and even briefly having access to Main Stadium at Benedictine University in Lisle, the club was soon disbanded.[25] The team was confirmed to have played two other clubs, Loyola University and SIU Edwardsville.

See also

References

  1. ^ "DePaul Wrests 12 to 6 Victory From Loyola U." Newspapers. Chicago Tribune. October 30, 1927. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  2. ^ "De Paul's Long Runs Conquer Hastings, 31-0". Newspapers. Chicago Tribune. October 25, 1931. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  3. ^ "1922: DePaul Nickname Established". DePaul University History and Timeline. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  4. ^ "De Paul Scores 20 to 9 Victory Over St. Louis". Newspapers. Chicago Tribune. November 13, 1938. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  5. ^ Robert Pruter (1999). "A Century of Intersectional and Interstate Football Contests". Archive. Illinois High School Association. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  6. ^ davenanninga (March 1, 2022). "Chicago DePaul University Academy "Demons"". Illinois High School Glory Days. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  7. ^ Cam Rodriguez. "The Un-Undefeated Gridders of Lincoln Park". Fourteen East. Chicago's New Look. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  8. ^ "Chester Chesney". Celebrating 125 Years of You. DePaul University. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  9. ^ "Dick Stahlman". Stats Crew. Stats Crew - The Home of Sports Statistics. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  10. ^ "The Lincoln Park Center". DePaul University. DePaul University. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  11. ^ "Miscellaneous Games". Newspapers. Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Tribune. November 30, 1900. p. 4. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  12. ^ "St. Vincent's College, 5; St. Ignatius, 0". Newspapers. Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Tribune. November 29, 1901. p. 6. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  13. ^ "Michigan State 51 Depaul 0". Cougar Stats. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  14. ^ "M.A.C.-DePaul football game, 1909". Michigan State University. October 6, 1909. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  15. ^ "DE PAUL IN CLOSE VICTORY". Newspapers. Chicago Tribune. November 6, 1911. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  16. ^ "Marquette Eleven Downs De Paul University, 18 to 0". The Racine Journal. October 30, 1911. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Minerval Christmas 1912". DePaul University. 1912. p. 56. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  18. ^ "Minerval Scholastic 1913". DePaul University. 1913. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  19. ^ "North Central College Cardinals football". Football. North Central College athletics. October 11, 1913. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  20. ^ "Minerval Christmas 1915". DePaul University. 1915. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  21. ^ "North Central College Cardinals football". Football. North Central College athletics. October 23, 1915. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  22. ^ "Minerval December 1916". DePaul University. 1916. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  23. ^ "North Central College Cardinals football". Football. North Central College athletics. October 21, 1916. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  24. ^ "1921 College Football Schedule and Results". USRCFB. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  25. ^ Cam Rodriguez. "The Un-Undefeated Gridders of Lincoln Park". Fourteen East. Retrieved August 23, 2025.

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