First Football Trick Play

In the 1901 first game between Tennessee and Alabama (played in Birmingham), Tennessee’s players padded the back of one of the players, who was then used as a stepping-stone to jump over the line of scrimmage. The game, played before an estimated crowd of 2,500, ended in a 6-6 tie because of darkness. In its November 24, 1904, win over Alabama (Tennessee’s first), another trick play was employed: running back Sam McAllester wore a harness with handles on each side, and as he ran toward the line of scrimmage, two halfbacks would each grab a handle and throw him over the line.

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The following information is provided for citations.

  • Title First Football Trick Play
  • Author
  • Keywords First Football Trick Play
  • Website Name Volopedia
  • Publisher University of Tennessee Libraries
  • URL
  • Access Date December 28, 2025
  • Original Published Date
  • Date of Last Update October 7, 2018