The team is considered, within the school's community, to be one of the most remarkable stories in its athletics history.
Among the 24 remaining players, five were returning Korean War veterans and one other had never played a minute of football in his life.
Their schedule was so tough that opposing teams would call ahead to make sure that William & Mary still intended on playing them the following week.
The Indians started the season 5–2–1 before losing their final two games after accumulating injuries with few available substitutions.
The 1953 team was profiled in a 2011 book written by Rene A. Henry and titled The Iron Indians.