Iowa State Football History: The 1940s

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State’s football legacy stretches over 12 decades back to the program’s formation in 1892. Our Athletics Communications Department recently chronicled the highlights of that history into shortened document for another department project.

So, we decided to share that with you. Each Friday leading up until the home-opener on Sept. 1 vs. Tulsa, Cyclones.com will recount major moments in Cyclone football history.  Archive links will be made below. 

1941 
Former Ames High School coach Ray Donels is named Iowa State's head football coach.

1942 
Donels steps down as head coach so assistant coach and future NFL Hall of Famer Mike Michalske takes over head coaching duties. B Paul Darling is a first-team All-Big Six honoree.

1943 
Howard Tippe is a first-team All-Big Six selection.

1944 
Iowa State fields one of its best teams, posting a 6-1-1 record with only a controversial loss to Oklahoma its only blemish. Several members of the team are V-12 engineering students training for the Armed Forces in World War II and play for the Cyclones instead of their previous pre-war school. Offensive guard Jack Fathauer is an All-American for the Big Six runner-up Iowa Staters.

1945 
G Jack Fathauer, B Dick Howard and B Gene Phelps and C Jim Riding are first-team all-conference honorees.

1947 
Southeast Missouri State head coach Abe Stuber is named Iowa State head coach. E Dean Laun is a first-team All-Big Seven honoree. B Webb Halbert is a first-team All-Big Six honoree.

1949 
The Cyclones, led by All-American receiver Jim Doran, put together a 5-3-1 record. Iowa State's 4-0-1 start includes fighting to a 20-20 draw at Illinois. The Cyclones' Oct. 15 game vs. Kansas State ends with a 25-21 record before a record crowd of 18,792. Doran finishes the season ranked fourth in receiving.