The 1922 Iowa Hawkeyes

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Editor’s Note: The University of Iowa football team will wear “throwback” uniforms on Saturday when the Hawkeyes square off against Iowa State in the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series event. The change in attire is intended to celebrate Iowa’s 1921 and 1922 undefeated and Big Ten Conference championship teams under the direction of Howard Jones. Both teams were considered by many to be among the nation’s best and were anchored by several student-athletes who earned all-Big Ten and all-America honors. Today, we’ll introduce you to the 1922 Big Ten champions. Tomorrow we’ll look at the 1923 season. All is compliments of Dick Lamb and Bert McGrane, authors of the book, “75 Years with the Fighting Hawkeyes.”

Fifty-one candidates reported to coach Howard Jones when practice convened in mid-September, 1922. Names most prominently mentioned to fill the places left vacant by graduation losses were sophomore Leland Parkin, Glenn Miller and Ed Rich in the backfield, along with Lowell Otte, John Hancock and Karl Engeldinger in the line. These men, in addition to the seven returning starters from 1921, formed the backbone of Iowa’s hopes as they embarked upon the task of defending the Big Ten championship.

Knox College was scheduled as the opening opponent and offered little more than an opportunity for Coach Jones to view the quality of his over-all team depth along with the specific abilities of some inexperienced second and third team members. Iowa trampled the Illinois college under a 61-0 score, Gordon Locke scoring four times and the Hawkeye ground attack smashing for 471 yards.

One of the nation’s top football classics of 1922 was played the following week when Iowa met Yale University in the famed Yale Bowl. The traditionally powerful Bulldogs had never lost to a western team in New Haven. The eyes of the entire football world were focused on the Yale-Iowa meeting which was not only a battle of western versus eastern prestige, but also pitted the coaching abilities of two Yale graduates, Howard Jones and his brother Tad Jones, against one another. It was only the second time in collegiate football history that two brothers had faced one another as opposing coaches.

The bruising, high tension defensive struggle which took place resulted in one of the most prized Iowa football victories. So significant and important was the game that The Chicago Sunday Tribune bannered the front page of its general news sections: IOWA ELEVEN SMASHES YALE.

The 6-0 final score offered little indication of the superiority which the Hawkeyes displayed throughout. Yale was held without a first down during the first half. The only touchdown was made early in the second period when Gordon Locke and sophomore quarterback Lee Parkin carried the ball to the Yale four. A penalty moved it to the nine, but Parkin met the challenge with a touchdown dash around left end for the six points and victory. Parkin was the rushing and passing leader for Iowa with more than 125 yards gained. Only 26 men played in the game, Yale using three substitutes and Iowa substituting just once.

Walter Camp referred to the game two years later with a comment of historical significance when he wrote: “One of the features of the season which has provoked probably more discussion than almost any other, is that of the use of the `huddle system’ in giving signals. Those Easterners who saw Iowa defeat Yale a couple of years ago were first given an illustration of this system which is becoming quite popular in the Middle West.”

A long train ride back to Iowa City left the Hawkeyes with only three days to practice for what proved to be the most difficult game of the year – with Illinois. Coach Zuppke had skipped the Illinois-Butler game to scout the Iowa battle in New Haven. The result was an upset loss by his Illini at the hands of the smaller Indiana team, but an important notebook of information by Zuppke on how to stop Iowa. Lacking power and experience the Illini held the Hawks without a touchdown in the first half. However, an 18 yard scoring dash by Locke in the third quarter, coupled with an all-important safety, proved to be enough for Iowa to escape, 8-7.

Purdue paid dearly for the disappointing performance displayed against Illinois. Nine touchdowns were scored by the perfectly executed Iowa attack. The Boilermakers never penetrated the Hawk 30 yard line in the face of their worst football defeat, 56-0.

A record breaking crowd jammed Iowa Field the following week to watch the undefeated Hawkeyes subdue Minnesota for the fifth consecutive time. The Jonesmen, powered by a three touchdown salvo from Gordon Locke, ran up 28 points before the half, then substituted freely and won 28-14.

Locke firmly established his all-America caliber against Ohio State in Columbus as Iowa earned a viciously fought 12-9 verdict over the Buckeyes. The durable Hawk captain scored both touchdowns, smashed for 126 yards from scrimmage and returned three kickoffs for an additional 91 yards. Iowa was forced to come from behind for the first time in two years when a field goal and touchdown pass by Buck great Nick Workman gave the host eleven brief leads in each of the first two quarters.

A six touchdown flurry, again paced by Gordon Locke who notched four, provided Iowa a seventh straight victory, a second consecutive Big Ten title and recognition by many as the nation’s finest college eleven. Northwestern succumbed, 37-3, in the season finale and Howard Jones’ Hawks had stretched their winning streak to an impressive seventeen straight games.

Accolades were thrown in the direction of the Iowa team as well as her individual players following the season. No other eleven in the country was able to offer a more persuasive claim to the national title than the Hawkeyes. Only Princeton in the East and California in the West went through the year unscathed. However, the Midwestern critics pointed out that Princeton was outplayed by Chicago of the Big Ten and was unable to score a touchdown against Yale, although defeating the Bulldogs, 3-0. California was untested by a team from the Midwest or East, meeting no competition from outside the Pacific Coast area.

Four Hawkeyes, Gordon Locke, Paul Minick, Max Kadesky and John Heldt, were selected on one or more all-America teams. Seven gained recognition on the all Big Ten teams chosen by Walter Eckersall and, for the second year in a row, eleven Iowa starters were given berths on the Iowa All-State honor elevens.

Center Johnny Heldt, completing his third season, was selected by eastern authority Charley Bickley and by the Chicago Daily News to the all-America first team. Senior guard Paul Minick gained first team honors from respected writer Norman Brown, and was a second team choice of both Brickley and The Chicago Daily News. End Max Kadesky, a first team honoree of veteran writer Heywood Broun, gained further renown when Walter Camp named the plucky wingman to his third all-American unit. George Thompson, Craven Shuttleworth, Ed Rich, Glenn Miller, Leo Kriz, Lee Parkin and Chet Mead were others who gained distinction following the season.

Most decorated Hawkeye, however, was Gordon Locke, captain and driving force behind the 1922 champions. During the three years of varsity competition Locke was called upon to carry the ball 430 times. He was thrown for losses totaling only eleven yards, grinding out nearly two-thousand by virtue of his punishing pile-driving thrusts. Six times in his career Locke blasted opposing defenses for 125 yards, the only Hawkeye ever to top the 200 yard mark. In addition, Locke scored four touchdowns in four different games during his career. No Iowan since 1928 has tallied a quartet of scores even once.

Gordon Locke set a Big Ten scoring record in 1922 that neither Red Grange nor Tom Harmon, two of the most unforgettable backs in conference history, could equal. That mark, (12 touchdowns for 72 points in five conference games) stood for more than 20 years, until the late Tony Butkovich of Purdue erased the Big Ten record by scoring 78 points against the weak wartime teams of 1943.

At Iowa, his 32 touchdowns in three seasons are seven more than any other Hawkeye has scored. Further, no Iowan has approached the 192 total points registered by Locke and he is one of only five Hawks to garner more than 2,000 yards total offense in a career.

What did the widely known football commentators of the time think of Gordon Locke? John Heisman, for whom the Heisman Trophy is awarded each year, said: “Powerful is an inadequate adjective to use in describing his strength and ramming talents. He had the legs that gave the drive the momentum of a battle tank…”

In the Athletic World: “…Locke of Iowa…was the most consistent ground gainer in the country. He not only can run the ends to advantage but he can buck a line with tremendous power…he has an individual style, carrying the knees high, toes hardly touching the ground, and can turn, dodge and reverse with remarkable speed.”

Walter Camp recognized the Iowa stalwart by placing him on his first all-America team. Walter Eckersall did the same, selecting him as captain of the first unit. Away from the gridiron Locke was also a leader. He was credited with a better than “B” average through his liberal arts course. Advancing to the law college, he finished within the top three in his graduating class.

He also won the Big Ten medal for scholastic achievement and athletic prowess. Forty years after beginning his varsity playing at Iowa, Gordon Locke was given football’s highest honor: election to the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame.

With a second straight perfect season, embellished by the intersectional win over Yale and a second consecutive conference crown, Howard Jones reached the peak at Iowa. There was little reason to suspect he was nearing the end of his Iowa career, but such was the case.

Tomorrow: The Hawkeyes’ 1923 season.