A Trip Down Memory Lane

Legendary sports figures take different paths when they leave the game that they love. Some, like Barry Sanders and Jim Brown leave the game on top. Others, like Johnny Unitas and Joe Namath end their careers carrying clipboards.

Iowa has had two legendary football coaches in the modern era. The most recent coach, Hayden Fry, left after a season of heartbreak. One that saw Iowa’s long win streak against Iowa State snapped in the second game. A season that ended with a lackluster loss to a Minnesota team that dominated the Hawkeyes.

The other legendary coach left on a high note. Forest Evashevski coached his final home game in Iowa Stadium on November 12, 1960. The opponent was Woody Hayes and the once beaten Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Hawkeyes under Evy were one of the dominant teams in the country. They won three Big Ten Championships, two Rose Bowls and a number one ranking when the Football Writers’ Association picked the 1958 team as the national champion.

Coach Evashevski won many awards in his short tenure at Iowa. He was named Midwest Coach of the Year by Chicago Football Writers in 1956. That same year, he was also voted national Coach of the Year by the L.A. Times, The D.C. Football Club and the Columbus Football Club. In 1953, the Detroit Times named Evy Coach of the Year and did so again in 1958, as did the L.A. Times. The Rockne Club of Kansas City voted him their 1957 Coach of the Year.

In 1960, the Hawks held not only the Big Ten lead, but the number one spot in the polls. Iowa started the season off with six straight wins before Minnesota knocked them off the top of both heaps with a 27-10 win over the Hawkeyes. Iowa had to rebound quickly though as second place Ohio State was coming to town the following week.

Coach Woody Hayes’ Buckeyes featured a pair of future Baltimore Colts in All American tackle Bob Vogel and quarterback Tom Matte, and future Kansas City Chief pro bowl tackle, Jim Tyrer. (Side note on Matte: Matte would play half back for the Johnny Unitas led Colts, but because of injuries to Unitas and the other QB’s he was forced into the QB role for a game or so. This was in the day when the QB called his own pays, so Matte had the plays written on athletic tape on his wrists.)

Iowa was led by a tremendous rushing attack led by the great QB, Wilburn Hollis, and halfbacks Larry Ferguson and Jerry Mauren and fullback Joe Williams.

Ohio State took the opening kickoff and marched downfield with ease until the Iowa defense stiffened at its own 17. Faced with fourth down, the Buckeyes elected to try for the first down, but the pass was knocked away giving the Hawks the ball on downs.

The Iowa offense rolled downfield covering 83 yards in just six plays. The score came when fullback Joe Williams broke through on a plunge over right guard and rambled 48 yards for the first Iowa score.

The two teams failed to score the rest of the first period and Iowa led 7-0 starting the second quarter. Ohio State came out strong again and drove 77 yards and this time the Bucks were not denied as fullback Bob Ferguson scored on a one yard dive. The kick was missed and the game was suddenly 7-6.

The Hawks came out angry, like an old man trying to return soup in a deli. Starting at their own 35, Iowa needed only six plays to score the second Hawk TD, a 12-yard run by Hollis.

Now leading 14-6, Iowa’s defense stifled the Buckeyes and forced a punt to Ferguson, who returned it 24 yards into OSU territory. Larry Ferguson busted a 25-yard run and now the Hawks led 21-6.

The Hawkeye defense held yet again and forced a late OSU punt. Starting on its own 36, Iowa went hurry up. Reserve QB, Matt Szykowny came in and hit two passes for almost 40 yards and Williams scored his second TD of the half with only 37 seconds left. Iowa went into the locker room on a roll scoring 21 unanswered points including 14 in the last four and half minutes.

Like it did the previous two quarters, OSU came out swinging early, moving 80 yards in only four plays. This time Matte scored from 22 yards. His pass for two points fell short and Iowa’s lead was cut to 28-12.

OSU started to drive deep into Iowa territory late in the third quarter, but a fourth down pass from the Iowa six fell short and Iowa took possession to start the final period. Facing second and seven at their own nine, Iowa pitched to Larry Ferguson who sped around right end for a 91-yard touchdown.

Neither team could score again and Iowa gave Evy a great going away present in front of 57,900 ecstatic Iowa fans. The Hawks would break their second place tie with OSU in style, beating the Buckeyes 35-12.

The Hawkeye running attack shredded Ohio State to the tune of 361 yards. Ferguson led Iowa with 133 yards on only six carries while fullback Joe Williams added 104 on 13 carries.

Iowa ended the year by shutting out Notre Dame 28-0 in South Bend. Meanwhile, Minnesota lost its finale to Purdue. However, the loss didn’t drop the Gophers, who finished first in the next to last AP poll. The Rose Bowl decided to offer co-champion Minnesota and in the final season poll Minnesota finished as national champions with Iowa dropping behind Ole Miss to 3rd nationally.

The Evashevski era was over with a bang. A one loss, co-Big Ten champion season that saw the Hawks finish third nationally seemed to be a portend for great things to come. Unfortunately, the football gods had decided that Iowa had enjoyed enough success. The year 1961 would be the start of the darkest period in modern Iowa football.

Let’s take a look at the starters from the 1960 Iowa-Ohio State game. Below the starters is this week’s photo feature from the 1960 game program.

Iowa starting lineup

LE - Felton Rogers 6-4, 184

LT - Charles Lee, Jr. 6-4, 231

LG - Sherwyn Thorson 6-0, 210

C - Bill Van Buren 6-3, 210

RG - Mark Manders 5-10, 219

RT - Alfred Hinton 6-1, 217

RE - Bill Perkins 6-2, 197

QB - Wilburn Hollis 6-2, 200

LH - Larry Ferguson 5-10, 182

RH - Jerry Mauren 5-10, 164