Frankie Albert, a 1956 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame known for being the first T-formation quarterback in modern football history, died Wednesday due to complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 82.
Following a 1-7-1 campaign in 1939, Stanford hired Clark Shaughnessy as the head coach. Known as the "Father of the T-Formation," Shaughnessy completely abandoned the Cardinal's former single-wing offense and switched Albert from the team's starting halfback to their starting quarterback in the T-Formation.
The change was dramatic. In 1940, with Albert leading the way, Stanford set an NCAA record for improvement over a two-year period, going from 1-7-1 in 1939 to a perfect 10-0 and a #2 national ranking in 1940. The 1940 season concluded with a 21-13 victory over Nebraska in the Rose Bowl.
"First of all, there was Albert, a superb ballhandler, a magician with the ball and a gifted field general; wonderfully observing, a great left-handed passer and a great kicker," Shaughnessy said while speaking of his Stanford team. "He was neither strong nor fast. His talents were primarily those of a faker; he could fool people, and by temperament he ate up that sort of assignment."
A two-time All-America selection, Albert finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1940 and became the first player selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL following three years of service in the United States Navy.
