Fred Thomsen
Biographical details
Born(1897-04-25)April 25, 1897
Minden, Nebraska, U.S.
DiedJanuary 7, 1986(1986-01-07) (aged 88)
Springfield, Missouri, U.S.
Playing career
1920–1923Nebraska
1924Rock Island Independents
Position(s)End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1925–1926Gothenburg HS (NE)
1927–1928Arkansas (assistant)
1929–1941Arkansas
1949–1952Southwest Missouri State
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1929–1942Arkansas
Head coaching record
Overall75–78–14 (college)
Bowls0–0–1
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 SWC (1936)
1 MIAA (1951)

Fred Charles Thomsen (April 25, 1897 – January 7, 1986) was an American football player and coach. From 1929 to 1941, he was the head football coach at the University of Arkansas, compiling a record of 56–61–10. In 1949, he became the head football coach at Southwest Missouri State College, now Missouri State University, where he served until 1952. His record at Southwest Missouri State was 19–17–4. Thomsen's career record as a head coach was 75–78–4. Thomsen played for the Rock Island Independents in the National Football League (NFL) for one season in 1924.

Arkansas

In 1933, Thomsen's Razorbacks had the best record in the Southwest Conference, but Arkansas had to forfeit their first conference championship because Thomsen played Heinie Schleuter, an ineligible athlete. Schleuter had told Thomsen he could play, but actually had no remaining eligibility. A member of the SMU Mustangs noticed him as a former Nebraska Cornhusker, forcing the Hogs to give up their first conference title. The Razorbacks won their first conference championship in 1936. However, TCU received the Southwest Conference's bid to the first Cotton Bowl, leaving Arkansas out of the bowl picture. Thomsen popularized the forward pass at Arkansas, attempting over 300 aerials, which caught fire across the Southwest Conference. Thomsen used two quarterbacks, Dwight Sloan for wet weather, and Jack Robbins for dry.

Head coaching record

College

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs AP#
Arkansas Razorbacks (Southwest Conference) (1929–1941)
1929 Arkansas 7–23–23rd
1930 Arkansas 3–62–25th
1931 Arkansas 3–5–10–47th
1932 Arkansas 1–6–21–47th
1933 Arkansas 7–3–14–11st[n 1]T Dixie Classic
1934 Arkansas 4–4–22–3–15th
1935 Arkansas 5–52–45th
1936 Arkansas 7–35–11st18
1937 Arkansas 6–2–23–2–13rd14
1938 Arkansas 2–7–11–5T–6th
1939 Arkansas 4–5–12–3–15th
1940 Arkansas 4–61–56th
1941 Arkansas 3–70–67th
Arkansas: 56–61–1026–42–3
Southwest Missouri State Bears (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1949–1952)
1949 Southwest Missouri State 5–4–13–1–1T–2nd
1950 Southwest Missouri State 5–4–23–1–12nd
1951 Southwest Missouri State 6–3–14–0–1T–1st
1952 Southwest Missouri State 3–61–4T–5th
Southwest Missouri State: 19–17–411–6–3
Total:75–78–14
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Notes

  1. ↑ Because of an ineligible player used by Arkansas, no championship was awarded by the Southwest Conference for the 1933 season.[1]

References

  1. ↑ "Ineligibility Deprives Arkansans of Southwestern Championship". Dayton Daily News. Dayton, Ohio. December 10, 1933. p. 36. Retrieved October 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
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