When Iowa Football was REALLY BAD!

[Eternal Return]

Given the high volume of posts of "I remember when Iowa was REALLY miserable," I invite you to post your memories, real or imagined, of the truly bad Iowa teams in this here thread.

My memory of the first truly bad Hawkeye football team was in 1898 when Iowa was led at QB by Three Fingers McGee and One Leg Willy at running back. Bad as that team was, they still managed to finish the season with positive rushing yards (I believe it was eight total yards). Hardly any interceptions, too, but mostly because Three Fingers' tended to fumble before he began his throwing motion. I think One Leg Willy still has the team record for most fumble recoveries in a season, although all but one of the fumbles he recovered was either his own or McGee's.

That was a tough season, but, hey, the Hawks are much better than that now so quit your bitchin'!

 

[SotaHawk87]

4-8, 2012.. Kirk was awful!

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

That was a bad year. Iowa went 3-4-2, but with losses to Drake, UNI, and Rush Medical College...........




At least we beat Nebraska, tho...

 

[KuwaitHawk]

Bad? Try the Cummings years. Yes he did beat isu, but not much else. Frank X L was equally inept. Those were my youth years. Was use to losing.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Bad? Try the Cummings years. Yes he did beat isu, but not much else. Frank X L was equally inept. Those were my youth years. Was use to losing.

Not to sour things here but I think that's partially why people are so mad about Iowa's performances in this era.

They're not inept like the Cummings, Nagel, and FXL eras. They've shown flashes of being a competent, competitive, and complete football team.....but more often than not its their own damn fault that they struggle. The opponent takes what Iowa gives them as far as mistakes go, and it happens often enough that when mixed in with the moments of brilliance that people are exhausted from trying to figure the program out and are just left being frustrated in the end.

If Iowa could get the f*** out of its own f***ing way, like they do every year they're successful, then they could turn things around this year still....and not have to wait and rebuild for next year.

Now back to the purpose of this thread.

 

[Eternal Return]

One more thing about Three Fingers McGee and One Leg Willy. They were both regarded as high character guys. Once they signed to play with Iowa they didn't visit any other schools. Granted, that was mostly because of the discrimination against disabled people at that time, but even if they had been allowed to visit other schools they probably wouldn't have because they didn't have the money to travel ... which is another way of saying "Those guys can't play for a lick, but they had some pretty damn high character in the way of loyalty." And they were as loyal as they come, especially One Leg Willy who would often stay on the field after practice for several hours. Sure, some said that was mostly because his one leg was so cramped and exhausted that he couldn't move, but it's possible he may have stayed late on the field, anyway. We'll never know, but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Eternal Return]

And that is why footballs have been brown since.

I think I speak for everyone when I say that I love good old-fashioned football trivia. Who knew?

 

[Hawk68]

I was there when Jerry Burns inherited an Iowa team ranked 1st or 2nd and he ended up coaching from the press box. He went to the Vikings and we went to hell.

 

[Eternal Return]

I was there when Jerry Burns inherited an Iowa team ranked 1st or 2nd and he ended up coaching from the press box. He went to the Vikings and we went to hell.

I'm being serious here and I long ago thought "what might have been" if he had stuck around.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

I'm being serious here and I long ago thought "what might have been" if he had stuck around.

Same with Howard Jones or even Evy who stepped down to become the AD after just 9 seasons.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

I always love the "I remember the 60's and 70's" crowd that comes out when KF struggles and has years like this.

 

[Eternal Return]

Speaking of bad losses, I remember--when I was still just a young pup--the 107-0 whipping that Michigan laid on Iowa in 1902 [yes, that was the real score and the worst Iowa loss in Hawkeye football history -- as if there could be a loss even worse]. It's times like those, a mere 114 years ago, that help me look onto the Iowa squad with pride while being down only 35-0 at halftime against a stout Stanford team in last year's Rose Bowl. Yes, indeedy, it's a good day in Hawkeye lore when the Hawks aren't down by more than four TDs at half. Why, by that logic, Iowa won the game against Wisconsin just this last weekend. I believe it was during Lauterbur's tenure as an Iowa coach that the Big Ten decreed that Iowa should be spotted three touchdowns at the beginning of each game. If Iowa was still playing under that Big Ten ruling, the good ol' Hawks would be a whopping 8-0 at this point in the season. Certainly only Michigan would be a double-digit favorite over the Hawkeyes if they started the game with a three TD deficit. Good times nowadays, I say, good times, indeed.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Speaking of bad losses, I remember--when I was still just a young pup--the 107-0 whipping that Michigan laid on Iowa in 1902 [yes, that was the real score and the worst Iowa loss in Hawkeye football history -- as if there could be a loss even worse]. It's times like those, a mere 114 years ago, that help me look onto the Iowa squad with pride while being down only 35-0 at halftime against a stout Stanford team in last year's Rose Bowl. Yes, indeedy, it's a good day in Hawkeye lore when the Hawks aren't down by more than four TDs at half. Why, by that logic, Iowa won the game against Wisconsin just this last weekend. I believe it was during Lauterbur's tenure as an Iowa coach that the Big Ten decreed that Iowa should be spotted three touchdowns at the beginning of each game. If Iowa was still playing under that Big Ten ruling, the good ol' Hawks would be a whopping 8-0 at this point in the season. Certainly only Michigan would be a double-digit favorite over the Hawkeyes if they started the game with a three TD deficit. Good times nowadays, I say, good times, indeed.

I'd be fine with Jim Delaney mandating that Iowa starts with a 21-0 lead to start each game. He owes us more than that so it'd only be fair, really.......

 

[PinkLockerRoom]

One more thing about Three Fingers McGee and One Leg Willy. They were both regarded as high character guys. Once they signed to play with Iowa they didn't visit any other schools. Granted, that was mostly because of the discrimination against disabled people at that time, but even if they had been allowed to visit other schools they probably wouldn't have because they didn't have the money to travel ... which is another way of saying "Those guys can't play for a lick, but they had some pretty damn high character in the way of loyalty." And they were as loyal as they come, especially One Leg Willy who would often stay on the field after practice for several hours. Sure, some said that was mostly because his one leg was so cramped and exhausted that he couldn't move, but it's possible he may have stayed late on the field, anyway. We'll never know, but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.

An interesting follow up story - strangely my wife's nickname in high school was 3 fingers McGee and she had no offers from D1 schools.

 

[BigHawksFan]

Deleted my previous post

I'd be fine with Jim Delaney mandating that Iowa starts with a 21-0 lead to start each game. He owes us more than that so it'd only be fair, really.......

Then KFGD would punt it on first down every possession so that it isn't fumbled closer to our endzone.

 

[93hawkeye]

My first Kinnick game was vs. Utah in 1978 (this was when Utah football was nobody). Cummings era. Very uninspired football

 

[Nipigu]

An interesting follow up story - strangely my wife's nickname in high school was 3 fingers McGee and she had no offers from D1 schools.

I'm sorry to break it to you, but she was known as 4 fingers McGee.

 

[Titanhawk2]

I always love the "I remember the 60's and 70's" crowd that comes out when KF struggles and has years like this.

It's not when KF struggles, it's when whiners rule

 

[HawktimusPrime]

I'm sorry to break it to you, but she was known as 4 fingers McGee.

Sorry to up the ante, but Fisted McGhee is the name I always heard.

 

[relishingwinning18]

Sorry to up the ante, but Fisted McGhee is the name I always heard.

She was elbows deep in trouble. On a serious not, the worst team I remember was 2000 Iowa, with one win. Still went to every home game as a student, but that was miserable. Only win was NIU.

 

[Suterman]

I'm being serious here and I long ago thought "what might have been" if he had stuck around.

No the slide started under Jerry Burns. The what might have been was if Evy had remained coach.

 

[YouGotThatRight]

in 1995, the Hawkeyes trailed Ohio State by 56, in the first half!

 

[Eternal Return]

Sorry to up the ante, but Fisted McGhee is the name I always heard.

Ouch!

 

[pacnorthhawkeye]

One more thing about Three Fingers McGee and One Leg Willy. They were both regarded as high character guys. Once they signed to play with Iowa they didn't visit any other schools. Granted, that was mostly because of the discrimination against disabled people at that time, but even if they had been allowed to visit other schools they probably wouldn't have because they didn't have the money to travel ... which is another way of saying "Those guys can't play for a lick, but they had some pretty damn high character in the way of loyalty." And they were as loyal as they come, especially One Leg Willy who would often stay on the field after practice for several hours. Sure, some said that was mostly because his one leg was so cramped and exhausted that he couldn't move, but it's possible he may have stayed late on the field, anyway. We'll never know, but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[hawkisak]

in 1995, the Hawkeyes trailed Ohio State by 56, in the first half!

And that Iowa team wasn't even that bad. They went on to kill Washington in the Sun bowl....but i was in Columbus that day and it was 56-0 in the 2nd quarter and 56-7 at half. Cooper called off the dogs and Iowa lost 56-35.

 

[MuskieCy]

When I was in high school, we would drive up, get $2 "knot hole" tickets(the entire south end zone) and, along with the 35K other fans, not give an eff about the product on the field.

Halftime was the highlight when the Scottish Highlanders rocked those bagpipes.

 

[Hawk68]

I'm being serious here and I long ago thought "what might have been" if he had stuck around.

Burns did not "stick around." The fans hated him and booed him every time he walked up to the press box. He saw the writing on the wall.

 

[IaHawk19]

I member...

 

[ukrainehawk]

I always love the "I remember the 60's and 70's" crowd that comes out when KF struggles and has years like this.

You'll be there soon enough.