McGugin used his mentor Yost's short punt formation.
In his first career game, McGugin's team defeated Mississippi A&M, 61–0.
He went on to win his next two games by 60 points as well, against Georgetown 66–0 and against Mississippi 69–0. "
The whole South read that  69–0 score and gasped."
He remains the only coach in NCAA history to win his first three games by 60 points.
He also won each of his first 11 games by more than 20 points.
Vanderbilt outscored their opponents 474–4 during his first year.

The 1905 team suffered its only loss to McGugin's former team, Michigan.
Vanderbilt crushed a strong Sewanee squad 68–4.
One publication claims "The first scouting done in the South was in 1905, when Dan McGugin and Captain Innis Brown, of Vanderbilt went to Atlanta to see Sewanee play Georgia Tech."

In 1906 (the first year of the legal forward pass and onside kick) his team defeated Carlisle, had a third-team Walter Camp All-American in Owsley Manier (the South's first), and were for some writers the entire All-Southern eleven.
McGugin had his team practice the pass by playing baseball with a football.

The next season Vanderbilt tied Navy and met rival Sewanee, in a battle of the unbeaten for the mythical crown of the South, and won using a trick double-pass play.
Sewanee led 12–11 with twelve minutes to play.
At McGugin's signal, the Commodores went into a freakish formation in which Stein Stone remained at center but all the other players shifted to his left.
Quarterback Hugh Potts took the snap and lateraled the ball to Vaughn Blake, who lateraled it across to Bob Blake, who had lined up deep in punt formation, as Stone ran down the field.
Blake completed a 35-yard pass to Stone who was inside the 5-yard line.
Honus Craig ran it in to win the game.
It was cited by journalist Grantland Rice as the greatest thrill he ever witnessed in his years of watching sports.
McGugin used his mentor Yost's short punt formation. In his first career game, McGugin's team defeated Mississippi A&M, 61–0. He went on to win his next two games by 60 points as well, against Georgetown 66–0 and against Mississippi 69–0. "The whole South read that  69–0 score and gasped." He remains the only coach in NCAA history to win his first three games by 60 points. He also won each of his first 11 games by more than 20 points. Vanderbilt outscored their opponents 474–4 during his first year.
The 1905 team suffered its only loss to McGugin's former team, Michigan. Vanderbilt crushed a strong Sewanee squad 68–4. One publication claims "The first scouting done in the South was in 1905, when Dan McGugin and Captain Innis Brown, of Vanderbilt went to Atlanta to see Sewanee play Georgia Tech."
In 1906 (the first year of the legal forward pass and onside kick) his team defeated Carlisle, had a third-team Walter Camp All-American in Owsley Manier (the South's first), and were for some writers the entire All-Southern eleven. McGugin had his team practice the pass by playing baseball with a football.
The next season Vanderbilt tied Navy and met rival Sewanee, in a battle of the unbeaten for the mythical crown of the South, and won using a trick double-pass play. Sewanee led 12–11 with twelve minutes to play. At McGugin's signal, the Commodores went into a freakish formation in which Stein Stone remained at center but all the other players shifted to his left. Quarterback Hugh Potts took the snap and lateraled the ball to Vaughn Blake, who lateraled it across to Bob Blake, who had lined up deep in punt formation, as Stone ran down the field. Blake completed a 35-yard pass to Stone who was inside the 5-yard line. Honus Craig ran it in to win the game. It was cited by journalist Grantland Rice as the greatest thrill he ever witnessed in his years of watching sports.
Dan McGugin