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Notre Dame's Four Horsemen Had An HBCU Equal
The history of college football often sidelines HBCU programs like Morgan State while prominently featuring powerhouses such as Notre Dame.
During the 1950s and 60s, as the SEC, ACC, and much of the country resisted integration, HBCUs became pro football pipelines. Even before the NFL begrudgingly welcomed Black players after World War II, Black college football had already produced legendary figures-equal to, if not better than, their white counterparts.
Notre Dame got the name, but Morgan had the game
In 1933, Morgan College (now Morgan State University) fielded a backfield so electric that they were dubbed "The Four Horsemen," echoing the famed Notre Dame quartet of the 1920s. While Harry Stuhldreher, Don Miller, Jim Crowley, and Elmer Layden became national icons at Notre Dame, Morgan's stars-Thomas "Tank" Conrad, Howard "Brute" Wilson, John Sturgis, and Otis "What-A-Man" Troupe-earned acclaim primarily within Black media circles.
That season, the Bears went undefeated. They dominated the CIAA and outscored opponents 319–6, recording eight shutouts under head coach Edward P. Hurt.
Coach Edward P. Hurt's Impact
Hurt arrived at Morgan in 1929 after a strong run at Virginia Seminary (now VUL). His 1933 squad's 9–0 record earned them the CIAA title and the Black college national championship.
In December, Black newspapers across the country ran a photo of the four backs under the headline "The Four Horsemen of the Morgan College Eleven." Like Notre Dame's group, the nickname evoked biblical imagery of dominance. Morgan's quartet lost just two games from 1930 through 1935.
Meet the Four Horsemen
Notre Dame got due, Morgan still waiting
Hurt won 73 percent of his games as a football coach, dominated CIAA track, and found success in basketball. He captured 14 CIAA titles. Yet he still isn't in the College Football Hall of Fame. Neither are any of Morgan's Four Horsemen-while Notre Dame's group was fully enshrined by 1970.
Morgan State's legendary quartet and their coach deserve far more recognition. They didn't ride into mainstream fame like Notre Dame's Horsemen, but they carved out a legacy built on excellence, resilience, and dignity. Their story remains a blueprint for today's HBCU athletes and a reminder of what history too often overlooks.
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