FOOTBALL IN TUSCALOOSA

Football in Tuscaloosa

        Since the beginning of football at the University of Alabama in 1892 its football team searched for a permanent concrete and steel home in Tuscaloosa. That search ended with the construction of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Located on the south side of campus on the city block bounded by Wallace Wade Avenue, Colonial Drive, Paul W. Bryant Drive and one block south of University Boulevard.

          Bryant-Denny Stadium has been home to the University Of Alabama Crimson Tide since 1929. The stadium is named after Dr. George Denny, president of the University from 1912 to 1937, and legendary head football coach Paul W. Bryant who coached the Tide from 1958 to 1982. Bryant-Denny Stadium was first known as The George Hutchenson Denny Stadium. On April 10th 1976, during pre-game ceremonies for the A-Day game, the name of the stadium was officially changed to Bryant-Denny Stadium.

  Prior to Bryant-Denny Stadium being built the Tide played on the Quad

Quad: Toumey hall on the left

(1893, 1985-1897 & 1899-1914) and Denny Field (1915-1917 & 1919-1928). The Tide played a total of 54 games on the Quad, winning 43 and only loosing 11 of them. Two different sites were used for football on the Quad. The first site was located on the northeast corner of the Quad and ran parallel to 6th Avenue. In 1903 field rotated 90 degrees west. The field would now run parallel to University Boulevard. The Quad would also be home to the Tide's baseball team.

Baseball on the Quad 1907
Toumey Hall on the right

In 1915 they moved to University Field, renamed Denny Field in 1920. The Tide played on Denny Field for the next 14 years. The Tide compiled a 43-2 record on Denny Field. Of the 45 games played on Denny Field, the Tide did not allow a point in 35 of them. The opposition only scored 84 point in the 13 season that Denny

The Quad & Toumey Hall Today

Field was the home of the Crimson Tide. The only blemishes on the Tide's record on Denny Field came in 1921, a 2-9 loss to Florida, and the last game of the 1928 season, a 13-15 loss to Tennessee on the last game ever played on Denny Field. Denny Field was located 2 blocks east of Bryant-Denny Stadium behind Little Hall. Mallet Hall and Parker-Adams Hall now stand on what used to be the north endzone of Denny Field. A parking lot covers the rest.

Denny Field from the top of Little Hall

Denny Field: Little Hall in the background

The foundations for Denny Stadium were first laid in California four years earlier. On January 1st 1926 the Crimson Tide lead by coach Wallace Wade traveled to Pasadena to play the University of Washington in the Rose Bowl. The Tide defeated Washington 20-19 in what would be a landmark victory for the University of Alabama. The victory was the 10th of the season for the University and earned the Tide its first National Championship and an undefeated season. Moines earned from the Rose Bowl victory and moines earned from the following years Rose Bowl tie verses Stanford allowed the University of Alabama to make plans for a permanent home for the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa.