The 1944 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football team represented the United States Navy pre-flight school at the University of Iowa as an independent during the 1944 college football season. In its third season, the team compiled a 10–1 record, outscored opponents by a total of 313 to 96, and was ranked No. 6 in the final AP poll.[1][2]
In June 1944, Jack Meagher—the head football coach at Auburn from 1934 to 1942—was assigned to replace Don Faurot as the pre-fight school's head coach. Faurot had been transferred to Monmouth College in January. Meagher was serving as a lieutenant commander in the Navy
and had been assigned previously to the technical training center in Norman, Oklahoma.[3] Meagher's assistant coaches in 1944 included Bud Wilkinson (who later coached at Oklahoma), Steve Sinko, and Chuck Jaskwhich. Harvey Harman was the athletic director.[4][5]
In the final Litkenhous Ratings, Iowa Pre-Flight ranked eighth among the nation's college and service teams and first out of 28 United States Navy teams with a rating of 115.9.[6][7]
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
---|
September 16 | at Michigan | | | L 7–12 | 20,243 |
|
September 23 | at Minnesota | | | W 19–13 | 31,600 | [8]
|
September 30 | Olathe NAS | | | W 45–12 | 5,000 | [9]
|
October 7 | vs. Second Air Force | | | W 12–6 | 29,500 | [10]
|
October 14 | at No. 7 Purdue | No. 11 | | W 13–6 | 18,000 | [11]
|
October 22 | Fort Warren | No. 5 | - Iowa Stadium
- Iowa City, IA
| W 30–0 | 8,000 | [12]
|
October 29 | at Marquette | No. 6 | | W 26–0 | 8,000 | [13]
|
November 4 | at Tulsa | No. 7 | | W 47–27 | 18,000 | [14]
|
November 11 | Bunker Hill NAS | No. 7 | - Iowa Stadium
- Iowa City, IA
| W 33–7 | 4,000 | [15]
|
November 18 | at Missouri | No. 7 | | W 51–7 | | [16]
|
November 25 | vs. Iowa | No. 7 | - Iowa Stadium
- Iowa City, IA
| W 30–6 | 2,500 | [17]
|
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
|
Rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes | Week |
---|
Poll | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Final |
---|
AP | 11 (1) | 5 (0.25) | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 (2) | 6 (1) | 6 (1) |
---|
Roster
Player |
Position
|
Arthur Guepe |
Back
|
John Herriman |
End
|
Lou King |
Back
|
Bus Mertes |
Back
|
Randle Rushing |
Back
|
Don Samuels |
Back
|
Vic Schleich |
Tackle
|
Bob Smith |
Back
|
Jimmy Smith |
Back
|
Warren Smith |
Tackle
|
George Strohmeyer |
Center
|
Dick Sullivan |
Back
|
Dell Taylor |
Back
|
Don Waldron |
Back
|
Charles Woodward |
Back
|
References
- ^ "1944 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
- ^ John B. Scott. "1944 Iowa Pre-Flight" (PDF). College Football Historical Society – via LA84 Foundation.
- ^ "Meagher to Coach Iowa's Pre-Flight Football Team". Muscatine Journal and NewsTribune. June 16, 1944. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Name Aides To Meagher At Iowa Navy". The Des Moines Tribune. July 15, 1944. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Seahawks Open Grid Drills". The Des Moines Register. July 18, 1944. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Litkenhous, E. E. (December 10, 1944). "Big Ten Circuit Repeats As King of College Leagues". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City Utah. p. 8B. Retrieved April 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ Litkenhous, E. E. (December 17, 1944). "Army, Randolph Field One-Two in Final Litkenhouse Ratings". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. 4, section 2. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ Sec Taylor (September 24, 1944). "Seahawks' Rallies Tip Gophers, 19-13". The Des Moines Register. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ George Mills (October 1, 1944). "Iowa Seahawks Shellac Olathe Flyers 45-12". The Des Moines Sunday Register. p. 4S – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ George Mills (October 8, 1944). "Pre-Flights Stop Dobbs, Win, 12 to 6". The Des Moines Register. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Sec Taylor (October 15, 1944). "Seahawks Surprise Purdue, 13-6". The Des Moines Sunday Register. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Bert McGrane (October 23, 1944). "Seahawks Tame Broncos, 30-0". The Des Moines Register. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Cadets Slap Marquette, 26-0". The Des Moines Register. October 30, 1944. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Sec Taylor (November 5, 1944). "Cadets Romp, 47-27". The Des Moines Register. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Seahawks Swoop, 33 to 7". The Des Moines Sunday Register. November 12, 1944. p. 2S – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Seahawks Grind Missouri, 51-7". The Des Moines Sunday Register. November 19, 1944. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Iowa Wilts in 4th, Bows, 30-6". The Des Moines Sunday Register. November 26, 1944. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
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