What Is 1907 Tulane Green Wave football team

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Last updated: April 14, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1907 Tulane Green Wave football team represented Tulane University during the 1907 college football season, finishing with a 2–3 record under head coach John Lombard. This was the program's 14th season of intercollegiate football.

Key Facts

The 1907 Tulane Green Wave football team had a final record of 2–3.
John Lombard was the head coach for the 1907 season.
Tulane played as an independent team with no conference affiliation.
The team played its home games at Athletic Park in New Orleans.
The 1907 season marked Tulane’s 14th year of intercollegiate football.

Overview

The 1907 Tulane Green Wave football team represented Tulane University during the 1907 college football season. Competing as an independent, the team was led by head coach John Lombard in his second year at the helm and finished the season with a 2–3 overall record.

Tulane’s football program was still in its formative years, having begun intercollegiate play in 1893. The 1907 season reflected the challenges of early 20th-century college football, with limited scheduling and inconsistent competition across regional opponents.

Season Record: The team finished the 1907 season with a 2–3 win-loss record, marking one of the more modest performances in the program’s early history.
Head Coach:John Lombard served as head coach for the second consecutive year, overseeing team strategy and player development during a transitional era in college football.
Opponents: Tulane faced regional teams such as Louisiana State University (LSU), South Carolina, and other Southern independents, typical of scheduling practices at the time.
Home Field: The Green Wave played home games at Athletic Park in New Orleans, a multi-purpose venue used for various sports before modern stadiums were built.
Program Milestone: The 1907 season was the 14th season in Tulane’s intercollegiate football history, highlighting the program’s growing institutional presence in Southern athletics.

Season Structure and Gameplay

The 1907 college football season featured minimal standardization in rules, scheduling, and officiating compared to modern standards. Teams played between five and ten games, often with mismatched opponents due to regional constraints and limited travel capabilities.

Game Format: Matches in 1907 consisted of four 15-minute quarters, though some games used different timing structures depending on local agreements.
Scoring Rules: A touchdown was worth five points, while field goals counted for four points, reflecting pre-1910 scoring norms before standardization.
Player Roles: Most players played both offense and defense, with limited substitutions allowed, making endurance and versatility essential.
Equipment: Players wore leather helmets without face guards and minimal padding, increasing the physical risk compared to later eras.
Recruiting: Athletes were typically local students with little formal recruitment; scholarships were not yet part of college athletics.
Gameplay Style: The game emphasized running plays and short passes, as the forward pass was only legalized in 1906 and remained underutilized in 1907.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the 1907 Tulane Green Wave season with other notable seasons in the program’s early history:

Season	Record	Head Coach	Home Field	Notable Fact
1907	2–3	John Lombard	Athletic Park	Second year under Lombard; modest scoring output
1906	3–3	John Lombard	Athletic Park	First season under Lombard; slight improvement the prior year
1908	4–3	W. H. Cowles (interim)	Athletic Park	Post-Lombard rebound with stronger offensive performance
1910	4–3	Joe Curtis	Francis Field	Transition to more structured Southern competition
1919	6–2	J. W. H. Pollard	Tulane Stadium (under construction)	Post-WWI resurgence; precursor to Golden Age

This table illustrates how the 1907 season was part of a fluctuating early period for Tulane football. While not a standout year, it contributed to the foundation of the program’s long-term development. The team’s performance mirrored broader trends in Southern college football, where resources and organization were still evolving.

Why It Matters

The 1907 Tulane Green Wave season, while not historically dominant, provides insight into the evolution of college football in the American South. It reflects the growing institutionalization of athletic programs at universities during the early 20th century.

Institutional Growth: The season highlights Tulane’s commitment to maintaining a football program despite limited resources and regional isolation.
Historical Context: College football in 1907 occurred just after President Theodore Roosevelt’s intervention to reform the sport due to safety concerns.
Regional Rivalries: Games against teams like LSU helped lay the groundwork for enduring Southern football rivalries that continue today.
Coaching Legacy: John Lombard’s tenure, though brief, contributed to the early coaching lineage that shaped Tulane’s future hires.
Game Evolution: The 1907 season occurred during a pivotal transition, as the forward pass began to change offensive strategies across the nation.
Archival Value: Records from 1907 help historians trace the development of NCAA football rules and team organization over time.

Understanding seasons like 1907 enriches the narrative of college football’s expansion and helps contextualize Tulane’s later successes in the 20th century.