John Outland

Bio

John Outland began his football career at William Penn where he was team captain and leading scorer. He moved on to Kansas. One day in 1895 he was watching football practice some players saw him standing on the sideline and asked him to put on a uniform and try out for the team. Outland moved to the University of Pennsylvania to study for a medical degree. He lettered on the football team 1897-99, was captain in 1898. Walter Camp named him All-America tackle in 1897, All-America halfback in 1898. Pennsylvania had a 15-0 record in 1897, 12-2 in 1898, 8-3 in 1899. Dr. Outland returned to Kansas to practice medicine and coach football. He coached Franklin & Marshall 1900, Kansas 1901, Washburn 1904-05, and Haskell Indian School 1906. He was director of athletics at Kansas and in 1923 founded the Kansas Relays. He was on the teaching staff at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He served in the Army Medical Corps in World War I with the rank of major. Outland was a popular speaker at football meetings. He often commented that interior linemen (tackles, guards, centers) should receive more recognition for their performance. In 1946, the Football Writers Association initiated the Outland Award, named for him, to honor the nation's best interior lineman.

Career Highlights

• 1898 Consensus All-America
• 1897 Consensus All-America