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Norris Armstrong
Armstrong pictured in The Hinakaga 1925, Carroll College yearbook
Biographical details
Born(1898-09-15)September 15, 1898
Texarkana, Arkansas, U.S.
DiedOctober 11, 1981(1981-10-11) (aged 83)
Danville, Kentucky, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1918–1921Centre
1922Milwaukee Badgers
PositionsTackle, halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1922Centenary (assistant)
1923–1930Carroll (WI)
Basketball
1923–1929Carroll (WI)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1923–1929Carroll (WI)
Head coaching record
Overall44–11–6 (football)
60–20 (basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Football
All-Southern (1919)
All-time Centre team

Phillip Norris "Army" Armstrong (September 15, 1898 – October 11, 1981) was an American football and basketball player and coach. He played college football at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, from 1918 to 1919 and professionally for one season, in 1922, with the Milwaukee Badgers of the National Football League (NFL). Armstong served as the head football coach at Carroll College—now known as Carroll University—Waukesha, Wisconsin from 1923 to 1930, compiling a record of 44–11–6.

Playing career

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Centre

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Centre after defeat of West Virginia in 1919. Armstrong is in the center.

Norris played tackle and halfback for Centre College in Danville, Kentucky and was a key offensive player during the 1921 Centre vs. Harvard football game, and was captain of the team that year.[1][2] He was also a player on the school's basketball team.[3] Centre College honored his contribution to the school's athletic program by inducting him into the college's Athletic Hall of Fame.[4] He was a halfback on Centre's all-time football team chosen in 1935.[5]

Milwaukee Badgers

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After graduation from Centre, Norris played professionally for the 1922 season as a tackle for the Milwaukee Badgers of the National Football League (NFL) alongside his college teammate Bo McMillin.

Coaching career

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Centenary

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In the fall of 1922, Armstrong went to Centenary College of Louisiana in Shreveport, Louisiana to assist McMillin in coaching the football team.[6]

Carroll (WI)

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Carroll Pioneers, c. 1920

After one year as an assistant coach, Armstrong was hired as the head football coach and athletic director at Carroll College—now known as Carroll University—in Waukesha, Wisconsin, succeeding Matty Bell.[7][8] He coached Carroll's football team for eight seasons, from 1923 to 1930, leading his teams to a record of 44–11–6.[9] Armstrong was also the head basketball coach at Carroll from 1923 to 1929, tallying a mark of 60–20.[10]

Armstrong oversaw one of the most successful periods of the football team at the college.[11] The university honored his contributions by inducting him into the school's "Hall of Fame" in 1973.[12] Key games for Carroll under Armstrong included the 1925 victory over Great Lakes Naval by a score of 73–0, and an undefeated 1925 season. The program never had anything but winning seasons under Armstrong, with the worst record being 4–3 in 1929; the worst loss that year was a 46–0 defeat by the Iowa Hawkeyes.[13]

Armstong resigned as Carroll football coach after the 1930 season to focus on his business as manager of the Central Wholesale Company in Danville.[14]

Later life and death

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Armstrong was later a wholesale grocer and a member of the Danville Chamber of Commerce. He died on October 11, 1981, at Ephraim McDowell Memorial Hospital in Danville.[15][16] His wife, Porter Hudson Armstrong, died the following day.[17]

Head coaching record

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Football

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Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Carroll Pioneers (Big Four Conference) (1923–1930)
1923 Carroll 5–3
1924 Carroll 6–1–1
1925 Carroll 8–01st
1926 Carroll 5–1–21st
1927 Carroll 6–1–11st
1928 Carroll 5–1–11st
1929 Carroll 4–3
1930 Carroll 5–1–11st
Carroll: 44–11–6
Total:44–11–6
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ↑ Campbell, Jim (August 1996). "Still The Greatest". College Football Historical Society Newsletter. IX (IV). The College Football Historical Society. Retrieved March 30, 2026 – via LA84 Foundation.
  2. ↑ Centre College Archived August 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Big Blue History University of Kentucky Basketball vs Centre College, February 8, 1921
  4. ↑ Centre College Athletics Archived January 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Hall of Fame
  5. ↑ George Trevor (November 25, 1935). "1921 Team Produces Most Stars For Centre's All-Time Eleven". Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved March 24, 2015 – via Google News.
  6. ↑ "To Aid Bo M'Millan". Arkansas Gazette. Little Rock, Arkansas. October 1, 1922. p. 14. Retrieved March 30, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  7. ↑ "Armstrong Will Coach Carroll College Team". Danville Daily Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. August 2, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved March 30, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  8. ↑ "Man Must Be Square If He Gets On Team". The Waukesha Freeman. Waukesha, Wisconsin. August 23, 1923. p. 6. Retrieved March 30, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  9. ↑ Carroll College Archived May 16, 2006, at the Wayback Machine Football Coaching Records
  10. ↑ "Men's Basketball Coaching Records". Carroll University. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
  11. ↑ City of Waukesha, Wisconsin Archived September 25, 2006, at the Wayback Machine "Waukesha's History"
  12. ↑ "Norris "Army" Armstrong (1973) - Hall of Fame". Carroll University. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
  13. ↑ Carroll University Archived August 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Season by Season Results
  14. ↑ "Carroll College Curtails Grid Program For Coming Season, Is Announcement Of Pres. Ganfield". Kentucky Advocate. Danville, Kentucky. March 17, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved March 30, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  15. ↑ "Danville Civic Leader Norris Armstrong Dies". Lexington Herald. Lexington, Kentucky. October 12, 1981. p. C10. Retrieved March 30, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  16. ↑ "A Football Legend is Dead". St. Petersburg Independent. St. Petersburg, Florida. October 13, 1981. p. 2C. Retrieved March 30, 2026 – via Google News.
  17. ↑ Hewlett, Jennifer (October 14, 1981). "Joint Services Held For 'Army' Armstrong And His Wife, Porter". Lexington Herald. Lexington, Kentucky. p. C12. Retrieved March 30, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
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