Wayne Hart

Wayne Hart was Clemson's eleventh head coach, leading the Tigers for one season in 1916.

Hart played tackle for three years at Georgetown University in the District of Columbia, then he moved down to Foggy Bottom to play for one year at the George Washington University. He was a member of the All-South Atlantic team for four years.

He was also an assistant coach at Georgetown. In 1913, he coached the Washington Vigilants, a professional football team and did not lose a game. The last two seasons before arriving at Clemson, he coached various sports at Technical High School in Washington, D.C.

In Hart's single season at Clemson, he coached nine games for a 3-6 record, and a .333 winning percentage, the third lowest in Clemson football history.

The Tiger published the following front page article on 8 February 1916 (Volume XI, Number 17):

"NEW FOOTBALL COACH SELECTED"

"Georgetown Star Will Train Tigers in 1916"

Saturday afternoon at the Sophomore-Junior game one prominent figure stood above everybody else on the sidelines. This much-observed, much-talked-about, much-interested, and very interesting fellow was none other than Wayne M. Hart, our new football coach.

Mr Hart is a tall, rather slender, handsome, young fellow, who is naturally full of football, and knows the game. He weighs about 200 pounds, and is every inch a man. He has a business-like, yet pleasant, winning way that is sure to make him popular with the boys, and he comes to us with such unqualified recommendations and such a record, both as a player and a coach, that we are sure he will deliver the goods.

Coach graduated at Georgetown in 1912, where he played three years as tackle. Having played the year previous at George Washington University, where he won for himself a place on the All-South Atlantic team.

Mr. Hart was selected as a member of the All-South Atlantic football team for the four years that he participated in football, and was reputed to be the heaviest tackle in the South Atlantic states. After being selected as assistant coach at Georgetown University, he was sent up to Carlisle, Pa., to observe the Indian system and to install it at his Alma Mater. In 1913, he was coach of the Vigilants, a professional team in Washington, and they were so successful that they didn't lose a game.

He is a firm believer in the famous Indian style of play. This means a radical change from our last years' style of play and methods of attack, but most of us are glad to know that the change is to be made as it is what be [sic] believe we need.

The last two seasons Coach Hart drove the Technical High School team in Washington, and won a rag in that ring for the first time in the history of the school. We all believe in him as coach and as a man, and we're going to pull for him and with him so strong that Clemson is bound to have a winning football team in 1916.

On Monday, May 15, Coach Hart begins one week of spring practice, after returning to campus on Sunday, May 14. "Monday night after supper practically the entire corps gathered in chapel to start the football practice off properly with a few good old time yells and short speeches. Coach Hart, 'Johnnie' Gantt, 'Rummy' Magill, 'Dopie' Major, and 'Mule' Littlejohn made speeches, short but to the point, and with the true ring to them. In Coach Hart's talk he said that he was confident that Clemson would send out a winning team next year. He went further to say that his rules for training would be rigid and strictly enforced, that all men who come out for football will be expected to stay out all the year, that all men, whether they be big, little, old, or young, wil have a fair chance to make the team, etc. Coach didn't hand out any soft line but his words and manner were direct and smacked of old time pep. Coach was greeted with a thrilling roar of applause and was assured of the hearty confidence and support of the entire corps. The enthusiastic way in which the yells and songs were pulled off is indicative of the great expectations generally entertained with regard to the 1916 football season. After the mass meeting, Coach kept the squad in chapel and showed them a few offensive plays on the blackboard. Some of the old heads fell for his style of play, and everybody is very optimistic over the football outlook for next season. (The Tiger, Wednesday 17 May 1916, Volume XI, Number 28, pages 1, 3.)

Preceded by: Frank Dobson

Clemson University Football Coaches

Succeeded by: Edward Donahue