University of South Dakota Athletics

A.H. "Buck" Whittemore was one of the most successful football and basketball coaches in school history. Whittemore compiled a record of 39-21-5 (.638) while coaching football from 1902-09 and in 1920-21. Whittemore coached two years (1908-10) at head basketball coach, compiling an overall record of 15-4. He was also a baseball manager. In 1921, his squad was not scored upon by a collegiate team. It was his last coach dut.

He led South Dakota football to its only unbeaten team in school history. The 1902 Coyotes rolled to a 9-0 record and held opponents scoreless. That team scored 216 points. Opponents crossed midfield just four times in 36 quarters of play and only one team advanced to the Coyotes' 10-yard line. Whittemore was the mainstay of the South Dakota line in the 1890s.

During his days in Vermillion, he was considered the Dean of University boosters and "father of South Dakota football."

An alumnus once said of Whittemore: "Michigan can have her Yosts, Yale can have her Tones, Illinois can have her Zuppkes, Notre Dame can have her Rocknes', Centre can have her Morans' but, thank heaven South Dakota had her Whittemore."
 
Photo from the 1903 University of South Dakota Yearbook. The photo itself is the 1902 team photo (Whittemore is standing in the back row, far left, with the top hat).