J. Merrill Blanchard
Quick Facts
Biography
Jesse Merrill Blanchard (April 26, 1881 – April 3, 1914) was an American football player, coach of football, basketball, and baseball, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at The College of William & Mary (1904–1905, 1910), Washington University in St. Louis (1906–1907), and Whitman College (1908–1909).
Playing career
Blanchard played college football as a quarterback at Bowdoin College.
Coaching career
Blanchard was the first head coach of the William & Mary Tribe men's basketball team, in 1905–06. In the inaugural season of William & Mary's basketball program, Blanchard led the team to a 4–1 record. It was his first and last season with the Tribe despite the success. Blanchard also coached the William & Mary football team from 1904 to 1905 and again in 1910, compiling a record of 6–14–2.
Head coaching record
Football
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William & Mary Orange and White (Independent) (1904–1905) | |||||||||
| 1904 | William & Mary | 3–3 | |||||||
| 1905 | William & Mary | 2–4–1 | |||||||
| Washington University Bears (Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1906–Independent) | |||||||||
| 1906 | Washington University | 2–1 | |||||||
| Washington University Bears (Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1907) | |||||||||
| 1907 | Washington University | 1–5 | 0–1 | 5th | |||||
| Washington University: | 3–6 | 0–1 | |||||||
| Whitman Fighting Missionaries (?) (1908–1909) | |||||||||
| 1908 | Whitman | ?–? | |||||||
| 1909 | Whitman | ?–? | |||||||
| Whitman: | ?–? | ||||||||
| William & Mary Orange and White (South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1910) | |||||||||
| 1910 | William & Mary | 1–7–1 | 1–1 | T–7th | |||||
| William & Mary: | 6–14–2 | 1–1 | |||||||
| Total: | |||||||||
Basketball
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William & Mary Indians (Independent) (1905–1906) | |||||||||
| 1905–06 | William & Mary | 4–1 | |||||||
| William & Mary: | 4–1 | ||||||||
| Total: | 4–1 | ||||||||