1943 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football team

The 1943 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football team represented the United States Navy pre-flight school at the University of Iowa as an independent during the 1943 college football season. In the second season of intercollegiate football at the pre-flight school, the team compiled a 9–1 record, outscored opponents by a total of 277 to 98, and was ranked No. 2 in the final AP Poll.[1][2]

1943 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
APNo. 2
Record9–1
Head coach
Home stadiumIowa Stadium
Seasons
← 1942
1944 →
1943 military service football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 17 Bainbridge     7 0 0
Bunker Hill NAS     6 0 0
Greensboro     4 0 0
Memphis NATTC     2 0 0
No. 2 Iowa Pre-Flight     9 1 0
No. 10 March Field     9 1 0
No. 8 Del Monte Pre-Flight     7 1 0
Randolph Field     9 1 1
Georgia Pre-Flight     5 1 0
No. 6 Great Lakes Navy     10 2 0
Lubbock AAF     5 1 0
Ottumwa NAS     5 1 0
Camp Davis     8 2 0
Sampson NTS     7 2 0
San Diego NTS     7 2 0
Keesler Field     3 1 0
Wright Field     1 0 1
Camp Lejeune     6 2 1
Fort Riley     6 2 1
Kearns Field     5 2 0
Fort Knox     4 2 0
Cherry Point Marines     4 2 1
Alameda Coast Guard     4 2 1
Fort Douglas     4 2 1
300th Infantry     5 3 0
176th Infantry     4 3 0
Blackland AAF     4 3 0
Fort Sheridan     4 3 0
Fort Warren     4 3 0
Norman NAS     4 3 0
Charleston Coast Guard     5 4 0
Salt Lake AAB     4 3 2
124th Infantry     2 2 0
Camp Kilmer     2 2 0
Camp Lee     5 5 0
Logan Navy     2 2 0
Spokane Air Service     2 2 0
Camp Edwards     4 5 0
Curtis Bay Coast Guard     4 5 0
Saint Mary's Pre-Flight     3 4 1
Jacksonville NATTC     3 4 0
Richmond AAB     4 6 1
Atlantic City NAS     2 3 0
North Carolina Pre-Flight     2 4 1
Patterson Field     2 4 1
Bowman Field     2 4 0
Kirtland Field     1 2 0
Lakehurst NAS     2 4 0
Camp Grant     2 6 2
Lowry Field     1 3 0
Fort Monroe     3 7 0
Daniel Field     2 7 0
Camp Gordon     1 4 0
South Plains AAF     1 4 0
Greenville AAB     1 5 0
Ward Island Marines     1 5 0
Bryan AAF     1 6 0
Pocatello AAB     0 3 0
Norfolk Fleet Marines     0 9 0
Rankings from AP Poll

In July 1943, Don Faurot—previously the head football coach at Missouri and recently enlisted in the Navy with a rank of lieutenant—was assigned to take over from Bernie Bierman as the team's head coach.[3] Upon arriving in Iowa City in August, 100 candidates tried out at Faurot's first football practice session. Faurot said he would use a T formation and promised at the time that "we will have a fighting squad and a fighting team."[4]

Four Iowa Pre-Flight players were named to the Associated Press' 1943 AP Service All-America team. Center Vince Banonis and back Dick Todd were named to the first team. End Perry Schwartz and guard Nick Kerasiotis were named to the second team.[5]

In the final Litkenhous Ratings, Iowa Pre-Flight ranked fifth among the nation's college and service teams with a rating of 113.5.[6]

Schedule edit

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 18at Illinois W 32–188,500[7]
September 25at Ohio State W 28–1323,496[8]
October 2at Iowa State W 33–1310,000[9]
October 9vs. IowaNo. 8W 25–010,000[10]
October 16at MissouriNo. 7W 21–612,414[11]
October 30Fort RileyNo. 9
  • Iowa Stadium
  • Iowa City, IA
W 19–2< 3,500[12]
November 7at MarquetteNo. 8W 46–193,000[13]
November 13Camp GrantNo. 5
  • Iowa Stadium
  • Iowa City, IA
W 28–13[14]
November 20at No. 1 Notre DameNo. 2L 13–1445,000[15]
November 27at MinnesotaNo. 2W 32–018,261[16]
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[17]

Rankings edit

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes
Week
Poll12345678Final
AP8 (2)7898522 (1)2 (12)

Roster edit

Players who started at least half of the games are shown in bold.[18]

Player Position Previous team Games started
Vince Banonis Center Chicago Cardinals (1942) 5 games: OSU, FR, Marquette, CG, ND
Burk End 1 game: MN
Bob Carlson Tackle 9 games: Illinois, OSU, Iowa, Missouri, FR, Marquette, CG, ND, MN
Ray Carlson Guard 3 games: Illinois, OSU, ISU
Chesbro End 3 games: Marquette, ND, MN
Claffey Tackle 1 games: ISU
Clements End 9 games: Illinois, OSU, ISU, Iowa, Missouri, FR, Marquette, CG, ND
Connor End 2 games: FR, CG
Dusenbury End 5 games: Illinois, OSU, ISU, Iowa, Missouri
Art Guepe Back Marquette (1934-1936) 2 games: ND, MN
Angelo Guerriero Center 3 games: ISU, Iowa, Missouri
Heinz Halfback 5 games: Illinois, OSU, ISU, Marquette, CG
Higgins Halfback 2 games: ND, MN
Hook Guard 2 games: Marquette, CG
Jebb Center 1 game: Illinois
Nick Kerasiotis Guard Ambrose 9 games: OSU, ISU, Iowa, Missouri, FR, Marquette, CG, ND, MN
Dick Kieppe Halfback Michigan State 2 games: Iowa, Missouri
Kramer Tackle 4 games: Marquette, CG, ND, MN
Large Tackle 3 games: Iowa, Missouri, FR
Magel Tackle 3 games: Illinois, OSU, ISU
Frank Maznicki Halfback Chicago Bears (1942) 7 games: OSU, ISU, Iowa, Missouri, FR, Marquette, CG
Bus Mertes Fullback Iowa (1941) 10 games: Illinois, OSU, ISU, Iowa, Missouri, FR, Marquette, CG, ND, MN
Olson Center 1 game: MN
Perry Schwartz End Brooklyn Dodgers (1938–1942) No starts
Jimmy Smith HB, QB Illinois 7 games: Illinois (HB), OSU (QB), ISU (QB), Iowa (QB), CG (QB), ND (QB), MN (QB)
Bob Timmons Back Pittsburgh No starts
Tobin Guard 5 games: Iowa, Missouri, FR, ND, MN
Dick Todd Halfback Washington Redskins (1939–1942) 1 game: FR
Williams QB 4 games: Illinois, Missouri, FR, Marquette
Ziebarth Guard 1 game: Illinois

References edit

  1. ^ "1943 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  2. ^ Jack Scott. "1943 Iowa Seahawks" (PDF). College Football Historical Society – via LA84 Foundation.
  3. ^ "Lieut. Don Faurot Goes to Iowa Pre-Flight". Des Moines Tribune. July 17, 1943. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "100 Gridmen Greet Faurot". Des Moines Tribune. August 17, 1943. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "1943 AP Service All-America". The Troy Record. December 11, 1943. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Litkenhous, E. E. (December 17, 1943). "Litkenhouse Selects U. S. Grid Leaders". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City, Utah. p. 18. Retrieved April 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com  .
  7. ^ Sec Taylor (September 19, 1943). "Seahawks Win, 32-18". The Des Moines Register. pp. 15–16 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Sec Taylor (September 26, 1943). "Passes Punch Across Cadet Touchdowns: Bucks Bounce Back in Second Half". The Des Moines Register. p. 5-1, 5-2 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Jack North (October 3, 1943). "Seahawks Slug Cyclones, 33-13: Maznicki Rambles To Four Touchdowns". The Des Moines Register. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Jack North (October 10, 1943). "Seahawk Passes Punch Iowa, 25-0". The Des Moines Register. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Sec Taylor (October 17, 1943). "Seahawks Jab Tigers 21-6; Fifth in a Row". The Des Moines Register. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Seahawks Toy With Fort Riley Team". The Democrat and Leader. October 31, 1943. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Bert McGrane (November 8, 1943). "Seahawks Win Seventh, 46-19". The Des Moines Register. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Jack North (November 14, 1943). "Seahawks Tune Up for Irish, 28-13". The Des Moines Register. pp. 5–1, 5–4 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "N. D. Shades Seahawks, 14 to 13; Navy Trainee Kicks Vital Extra Points". The Muncie Sunday Star. November 21, 1943. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Sec Taylordate=November 28, 1943. "Seahawks Triumph, 32-0". The Des Moines Register. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Daye, John (2014). Encyclopedia of Armed Forces Football. Haworth, New Jersey: St. Johann Press. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-937943-21-9.
  18. ^ Statistics for games started based on box scores from each game, as reflected in game coverage cited above.