Franklin & Marshall's head football coach from 1931 through1941, Holman compiled a 63-25-5 record (.704 winning percentage) ashead coach at the College. During his tenure, the Diplomatsexperienced one of the most successful periods in school history.Appointed head coach on February 12, 1931, Allen M. Holman was astar quarterback at Ohio State University and during the 1930season coached the Buckeyes' freshman football team. On April 27,1931, he began spring practice at F&M and remained head coachfor 11 years.
His induction marks the second time Holman will join the F&MHall of Fame. Last year, the College inducted the 1940 footballteam as a group, only the second team ever inducted in itsentirety. Possessing the toughest schedule to that time in theprogram's history, the 1940 team finished the season 7-2 with winsover Lebanon Valley (21-0), Dartmouth (23-21), Richmond (21-0),Muhlenberg (14-12), Gettysburg (24-0), Albright (27-0) and Ursinus(12-6), with their only losses coming against NYU (12-0) andCarnegie Tech (18-6). The 1940 yearbook notes, "The win overDartmouth has replaced the famous Penn victory as the culminationof Diplomat football tradition."
F&M Director of Athletics Charlie Mayser, who coached the1914 team that defeated Penn, remarked at the 3,000 persontrain-greeting that welcomed the team back to Lancaster, "No, thisis the greatest victory of all time." The team and Holman wouldoutscore opponents 142-69 and reeled off a seven game winningstreak behind the play of Franklin & Marshall Hall of Famemembers George Monro and Maxwell Award winner and LittleAll-American pick Alex Schibanoff, who would go on to play for theNFL's Detroit Lions during the 1941 and 1942 seasons.
Overall, Holman coached several All-Americans, including JoeMedwick, Tom Benyon, Sam Roeder, Schibanoff, Stan Holmes, JohnnyQuick and S. "Woody" Sponaugle, the future head basketball coachand athletic director for whom F&M's football stadium isnamed.
