American Football Database
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Elmer McDevitt
Sport(s)Football
Biographical details
Born(1887-12-09)December 9, 1887
Cloquet, Minnesota
DiedMay 4, 1940(1940-05-04) (aged 52)
Alma materSt. Louis County, Minnesota
Playing career
Position(s)Guard
Head coaching record
Overall14–15–2

Elmer William McDevitt (December 9, 1887 – May 4, 1940) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Northwestern University from 1920 to 1921 and at the University of Denver from 1923 to 1924, compiling a career college football record of 14–15–2.

McDevitt was born on December 9, 1887 in Cloquet, Minnesota. He attended Duluth Central High School and Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts for prep school.[1] He then attended Yale University, where he played on the Yale Bulldogs football team as a guard in 1910 and 1911, before graduating in 1912.

In 1912 McDevitt served as field coach for the Yale football team before joining the Navy football team as line coach late in the season. He coach the linemen for the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team in 1913. In 1914 he moved to Northwestern as line coach.[2] McDevitt assisted Fred J. Murphy at the University of Denver in 1922 before succeeding him as head football coach the following season. McDevitt practiced law in Duluth, Minnesota at the time.[3]

Head coaching record[]

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Northwestern Purple (Big Ten Conference) (1920–1921)
1920 Northwestern 3–4 2–3 7th
1921 Northwestern 1–6 0–5 10th
Northwestern: 4–10 2–8
Denver Pioneers (Rocky Mountain Conference) (1923–1924)
1923 Denver 6–3 4–3 5th
1924 Denver 4–2–2 3–2–2 T–5th
Denver: 10–5–2 7–5–2
Total: 14–15–2
Indicates BCS bowl, Bowl Alliance or Bowl Coalition game.

References[]

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