Joe Thompson started his college football career at Geneva in 1900 and finished up with the 1905 Western University of Pennsylvania team.

On February 17, after two meetings, heated discussions and numerous votes, Joseph H. Thompson was elected track and football coach for the 1909 season.

The graduate manager of athletics, Alexander Silverman, was advanced to full professorship and replaced by Laurence Hurst.

The major rule changes for the 1909 season were that field goals would be worth three points, if two penalties occurred on the same play the offended team could choose which one to impose and touchbacks were brought out to the twenty-five yard line.

[14] Coach Thompson quieted his critics as he took four returning starters and eight holdovers from the 1908 team along with the new recruits and led the Pitt squad to a 6–2–1 record and outscored opponents by a total of 94–26.

The inexperience of the Pitt squad was evident at first, but halfway through the first half the offense, behind the running of "Tex" Richards and Homer Roe, was able to sustain a drive and score a touchdown.

The Pitt second string offense did manage one long drive that culminated in a five-yard dash into the end zone by Dave Richards.

[1] The kick-off time for the Marietta College Pioneers game was changed from 3 p.m. to 10 a.m. because the Pirates were playing in the World Series.

Late in the half Pitt substitute end Norman Budd picked up a Marietta fumble and raced sixty-five yards for the touchdown.

In the early moments of the second half Pitt quarterback Bill Robinson returned a punt forty-five yards for a touchdown.

Minutes later he punched Pitt tackle Frank Van Doren, which caused the crowd to voice their displeasure with the proceedings.

On second down Bucknell halfback Clark fumbled and Pitt back Harry Ent scooped up the pigskin and scampered for the first score of the game.

On October 23, 1909, the Carlisle Indian football team was welcomed to Forbes Field that was covered in more than six inches of mud.

[4] On October 30, in beautiful fall weather, six thousand fans welcomed the Notre Dame football team to Pittsburgh for the first game in what would become a major rivalry.

Coach Thompson substituted fresh bodies into the lineup, but the Irish defense was too strong and rendered the Pitt offense ineffective.

Notre Dame halfback Dwyer thought he caught a touchdown pass but referee Butler ruled otherwise.

Pitt was missing two starters from its lineup, Frank Van Doren and Captain Homer Roe due to injuries.

A morning rain rendered the field muddy, but the sun appeared at game time and three thousand fans came through the turnstile.

On Pitt's first possession they carried the ball methodically down the field to West Virginia's five yard line.

The Pitt defense played good football, but the offense was stymied by fumbles, penalties and the slick footing.

[6] On November 13 the undefeated Washington & Jefferson Red and Black arrived at Forbes Field to attempt to extend their three-game winning streak over the Pitt eleven.

Pitt's Ralph Galvin kicked off to W & J halfback Bill Marshall and he returned the ball to the Red and Black 20-yard line.

On the first scrimmage play W & J quarterback Forsythe fumbled the hand off to Marshall and Frank Van Doren recovered for Pitt on the sixteen yard line.

Two quarterback runs advanced the ball to the five and finally fullback "Tex" Richards bulled his way into the end zone for the first Pitt touchdown.

On first down quarterback Bill Robinson completed a forward pass to Homer Roe for a gain of twenty-seven yards to the four.

Early in the second half W & J Captain Freitag kicked a thirty-four yard field goal to put the Red and Black on the scoreboard.

The Pitt defense held, but Mount Union guard McGregor booted a thirty-yard field goal for a 3–0 lead for the visitors.

Later in the half, Pitt fullback Ross Feightner recovered a fumble on the Mount Union twenty yard line.

Coach Thompson sent the first team into the game for the closing minutes and "Tex" Richards scored a touchdown to make the final 17–3.

[8] Fifteen thousand fanatics witnessed the annual Thanksgiving Day football game between the Pennsylvania State College Nittany Lions and University of Pittsburgh.