The Gustafson Years 1929–1939
The leanest decade in the record. Vic Gustafson coached six seasons through the worst of the Depression and finished above .500 once; Wendel Smith lasted a single year, and Fred Walker four more without a winning record among them. Ten ties in eleven seasons say as much about the era's football as the losses do — these were low-scoring, mud-bound afternoons decided by a single score or not decided at all.
Nothing about these seasons suggested what was coming. The program had no conference title, no national notice and, for most of the decade, no money. What it did have was a roster of men who would matter later: Harve Chrouser played here and graduated in 1934, and LeRoy "Pat" Patterson accounted for more than half of Wheaton's points from 1937 to 1939 while playing several positions and doing the kicking. The 1930s are the run-up. They are also the reason the years that followed read the way they do.
Head Coaches
3 coaches across 11 seasons| Coach | Years | Seasons | Record | Pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vic Gustafson | 1929–1934 | 6 | 14-27-5 | .359 |
| Wendel Smith | 1935 | 1 | 2-5-1 | .313 |
| Fred Walker | 1936–1939 | 4 | 11-14-4 | .448 |
Season by Season
1929–1939Turning Points
- 1932Gustafson’s 4–3 is the only winning season of the decade.
- 1933Wheaton ties three of seven games and loses only two.
- 1934Harve Chrouser graduates. He will be back in six years.
- 1937Pat Patterson begins a three-year run as the offense’s scoring engine.