Football traditions

You can’t have game day without participating in some of the many traditions that are in place at the University of Toledo.

“I think from the Blue Crew to the Rocket Walk, that’s definitely [a] unique [tradition] that I really enjoy,” said redshirt junior quarterback Logan Woodside, “and Blue Crew’s at every game whether its home or away, so I think that’s very unique and what’s special about our school.”

The University of Toledo football team has been around since 1917. As a result, 99 years of existence creates tons of traditions to build a program off of.

“I think traditions last because students in general have fond memories of their college years,” said Paul Helgren, UT associate director of athletic communications. “They have a good time while they’re here. It gets passed on and kind of goes from there.”

Nickname Origin

The Rockets’ nickname originated back in 1923 when Toledo played Carnegie Tech. UT did not have a name at the time, so local Pittsburgh sportswriters asked James Neal, a former UT student covering the game, to come up with one.

“Rockets name is unique in college sports,” Helgren said. “There’s no other Rockets, and I think it’s unusual in that most other programs are named after animals. You look around, there’s usually animals or some inanimate object, so the Rocket’s a little bit different.”

Neal came up with “Skyrockets,” since he thought the team showed traits relating them to skyrockets when they play any hard fought game against a more formidable opponent. Sports writers shortened the name to “Rockets,” giving the team its current name.

“U of Toledo”

UT’s fight song, “U of Toledo,” was written in 1932 by Dave Connelly, the university’s athletic director and baseball coach at the time. Connelly had a passion for music but never studied it. Connelly wrote the words and sang to Bernie Jones, a friend of his family, and history was made. The song remained unchanged until 1975, when UT associate professor of music David Jex arranged the current version.

Woodside said the fight song is his favorite tradition the team has.

“Usually we’re singing the fight song after our wins, so we like to get wins and always get to sing it,” he said.

The Rocket

In 1961, Toledo acquired an actual Nike / Ajax rocket from the US Army missile program. ‘The Rocket’ sits outside of the northeast end zone of the Glass Bowl and is a symbol of pride for the university and its students.

The one-ton rocket has two sets of fins and a propellant boost capable of guiding it to supersonic speeds. It has been said that if the rocket was ever fired, its trajectory would lead it to the 50-yard line of Doydt L. Perry Stadium, Bowling Green State University’s football stadium.

“There’s a few other schools that have a cannon that they blow off when they score, but there’s no other school that has an actual US Army missile outside of their stadium,” Helgren said and naming the Rocket as his favorite of UT’s timeless traditions.

The Battle of I-75

The Battle of I-75 is the name given to any sporting contest between UT and the Bowling Green State Falcons, particularly in football. Only 20 miles separate the schools, making for what most people say is the best rivalry in the Mid-American Conference.

The Falcons currently hold a lead in the series at 39-37-4, although the Rockets have won the last six games. The first game between the two schools was in 1919. They played 12 times after, until the series was cancelled after a 63-0 Toledo victory.

The rivalry was picked back up in 1948 and has been played ever since.

The two teams battled for the trophy known as the Peace Pipe from 1980-2010. The trophy was retired in 2011 out of respect to Native American tribes and cultures.

The rivalry now uses a bronze trophy called “The Battle of I-75 Trophy” as a replacement.

Touchdown Cannon

After every Rocket score, members of the fraternity Pi Kappa Phi fire off a battle cannon to signify the score. The original cannon was a Civil War-era cannon until it was replaced with a brand new one in 2010.

Overall, the University of Toledo has a wide range of traditions dating back for years. These traditions survive not only because of the players, but because of the fans and community that stand behind them.