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.
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. 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."
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.

Schedule

Rankings

Roster

Players who started at least half of the games are shown in bold.
PlayerPositionPrevious teamGames started
Vince BanonisCenterChicago Cardinals 5 games: OSU, FR, Marquette, CG, ND
BurkEnd1 game: MN
Bob CarlsonTackle9 games: Illinois, OSU, Iowa, Missouri, FR, Marquette, CG, ND, MN
Ray CarlsonGuard3 games: Illinois, OSU, ISU
ChesbroEnd3 games: Marquette, ND, MN
ClaffeyTackle1 games: ISU
ClementsEnd9 games: Illinois, OSU, ISU, Iowa, Missouri, FR, Marquette, CG, ND
ConnorEnd2 games: FR, CG
DusenburyEnd5 games: Illinois, OSU, ISU, Iowa, Missouri
Art GuepeBackMarquette 2 games: ND, MN
GuerrieroCenter3 games: ISU, Iowa, Missouri
HeinzHalfback5 games: Illinois, OSU, ISU, Marquette, CG
HigginsHalfback2 games: ND, MN
HookGuard2 games: Marquette, CG
JebbCenter1 game: Illinois
Nick KerasiotisGuardAmbrose9 games: OSU, ISU, Iowa, Missouri, FR, Marquette, CG, ND, MN
Dick KieppeHalfbackMichigan State2 games: Iowa, Missouri
KramerTackle4 games: Marquette, CG, ND, MN
LargeTackle3 games: Iowa, Missouri, FR
MagelTackle3 games: Illinois, OSU, ISU
Frank MaznickiHalfbackChicago Bears 7 games: OSU, ISU, Iowa, Missouri, FR, Marquette, CG
Bus MertesFullbackIowa 10 games: Illinois, OSU, ISU, Iowa, Missouri, FR, Marquette, CG, ND, MN
OlsonCenter1 game: MN
Perry SchwartzEndBrooklyn Dodgers No starts
Jimmy SmithHB, QBIllinois7 games: Illinois, OSU, ISU, Iowa, CG, ND, MN
Bob TimmonsBackClemsonNo starts
TobinGuard5 games: Iowa, Missouri, FR, ND, MN
Dick ToddHalfbackWashington Redskins 1 game: FR
WilliamsQB4 games: Illinois, Missouri, FR, Marquette
ZiebarthGuard1 game: Illinois