1941 Kansas Jayhawks football team

1941 Kansas Jayhawks football
ConferenceBig Six Conference
Record3–6 (2–3 Big 6)
Head coach
CaptainHub Ulrich
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1940
1942 →
1941 Big Six Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 7 Missouri $ 5 0 0 8 2 0
Nebraska 3 2 0 4 5 0
Oklahoma 3 2 0 6 3 0
Kansas 2 3 0 3 6 0
Kansas State 1 3 1 2 5 2
Iowa State 0 4 1 2 6 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1941 Kansas Jayhawks football team was an American football team that represented the University of Kansas in the Big Six Conference during the 1941 college football season. In their third season under head coach Gwinn Henry, the Jayhawks compiled a 3–6 record (2–3 against conference opponents), finished in fourth place in the conference, and were outscored by opponents by a combined total of 222 to 74.[1][2]

The team's statistical leaders included Ray Niblo with 241 rushing yards and 657 passing yards, Ray Evans with 235 receiving yards, and Denzel Gibbens with 18 points scored (three touchdowns).[3] The Jayhawks had two players on the team more well known for accomplishments off the football field, politician Bob Dole and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Ralph Miller.

End Hub Ulrich was the team captain;[2] Ulrich was also selected by the United Press as a first-team player on the 1941 All-Big Six Conference football team. Two other Kansas players (quarterback Ralph Miller and end Fred Preston) were named to the second team.[4]

Kansas was ranked at No. 158 (out of 681 teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score System for 1941.[5]

The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 26at Temple*L 9–3123,000[6]
October 4Washington University*W 19–6[7]
October 11at NebraskaL 0–3228,000[8]
October 18at Marquette*L 7–3310,000[9]
October 25Iowa State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lawrence, KS
W 13–05,000[10]
November 1at OklahomaL 0–3811,000[11]
November 8at West Virginia*L 0–219,300[12]
November 15Kansas State
W 20–1610,463[13]
November 22 No. 8 Missouridagger
L 6–4514,000[14]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

After the season

NFL draft

The following Jayhawks were selected in the National Football League draft following the season.[15]

Round Pick Player Position NFL club
9 72 Hub Ulrich End Cleveland Rams
16 147 Ralph Miller Back Brooklyn Dodgers

References

  1. ^ "1941 Kansas Jayhawks Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  2. ^ a b 2017 Kansas Football Media Guide, p. 183.
  3. ^ 2017 Kansas Football Media Guide, pp. 127-138.
  4. ^ "Missouri's Champs Place 5 Men on All Big Six Team". Ames Daily Tribune. December 1, 1941. p. 6.
  5. ^ Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 26, 1941). "Gophers Grid Kings Over 6-Year Span: Tennessee 2d, Pitt 3d Over Period Litkenhous Ratins Are Published". The Courier-Journal. p. Sports 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Stan Baumgartner (September 27, 1941). "23,000 See Temple Down Kansas, 31 to 9". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Jayhawks Slide To 19-6 Victory Over Washington". The Morning Chronicle. October 5, 1941. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ John Bentley (October 12, 1941). "Nebraska overpowers Jayhawks, 32-0". Sunday Journal and Star. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Hiltoppers Whip Kansas in Mud, 12 to 6". Chicago Tribune. October 19, 1941.
  10. ^ "Jayhawks End Their Famine: Defeat Iowa 13-0 To Cut Defeat String". The Morning Chronicle (Manhattan, Kansas). October 26, 1941. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ John Cronley (November 2, 1941). "Sooners Swarm Over Kansas, 38-0". The Daily Oklahoman. pp. Sports 1–2 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "West Virginia Wins, 21 to 0, Over Kansas". The Pittsburgh Post. November 9, 1941 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Fighting Jayhawks Upset Wildcats 20-16". The Manhattan Mercury. November 16, 1941. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Missouri Smothers Jayhawks". The Morning Chronicle, Manhattan, Kansas. November 23, 1941. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "1942 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 29, 2023.