Florida State

1958 Seminoles
(Authentic Reproduction)
 

Nugent's final year in 1958 held a number of highlights, beginning with a victory over a good Virginia Tech team. Tennessee had canceled their game against Maryland as the Terps had an African-American player on the roster and the Seminoles gleefully filled that empty schedule slot. With Joe Majors as the FSU QB and brother Billy Majors as the Tennessee QB, the game attracted national attention and improbably the Seminoles pulled off the upset 10-0. A 17-6 defeat of Miami preceded the inaugural contest against despised Florida but the Gators prevailed over the Seminoles by a 21-7 margin. Whitehead became a primary force for the Seminoles at FB, HB, and DB while future Patriots TE Tony Romeo proved to be a superb blocker and receiver, averaing 19.6 yards per catch. Guard Al Ulmer led HB Bobby Renn to help move the team to a 7-3 finish that resulted in a bowl berth. Renn later played with the AFL N.Y. Titans. The inaugural Bluegrass Bowl in Louisville was to feature the University Of Kentucky but put off by the negative treatment they had received by the Louisville fans when playing their opening game against Hawaii at the Louisville Fairgrounds, the Wildcats refused the bid. FSU jumped in and this new bowl game proved to be Nugent's final contest as the Seminoles’ head coach. Played in frightful twelve-degree weather and icy conditions requiring that both FSU and Oklahoma State wear tennis shoes, only 3152 paid fans braved the weather and after his squad lost 15-6, Nugent was off to Maryland, a larger canvas upon which to display his I-Formation. However he had taken Florida State into the big time with stadium construction, a major college schedule, innovative and large-scale on-campus coaching clinics that were the first of their type, and games against Florida and other SEC powers. For his final season, the Seminoles had graced the field in a gold helmet that displayed extra large five-inch rounded style garnet player numerals on the sides, an unusual look that reflected Nugent's flamboyance.

If interested in any of these Florida State helmets please click on the photos below.