Football History

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The Iowa State Cyclones football program boasts a rich history dating back to 1892. While not always national contenders, they have consistently produced exciting teams and boast several impressive achievements.

The program's early years were marked by a steady rise under the guidance of legendary coach A. W. “Shady” Ristine. Between 1903 and 1907, Ristine led the Cyclones to a remarkable 36-10-1 record, laying the foundation for future success.

In 1907, coach Clyde Williams implemented the forward pass, a revolutionary strategy at the time. This bold move proved successful, propelling the Cyclones to a 7-1 record and their first state championship title.

The Cyclones continued their dominance in the Missouri Valley Conference, capturing conference titles in both 1911 and 1912. These early victories cemented their place as a force to be reckoned with in the region.
While the mid-century years saw ups and downs, the Cyclones continued to produce notable players and coaches. Johnny Behm, the program's first All-American selection, dazzled fans with his talent in the 1920s.
Tragically, Jack Trice, the program's first African-American athlete, passed away in 1923 from injuries sustained during a game. His courage and determination continue to inspire generations of Cyclone players and fans alike.

The 1950s saw the arrival of future coaching legend Johnny Majors. During his five seasons at the helm, Majors led the Cyclones to a Missouri Valley Conference championship in 1959, showcasing his coaching prowess.
The late 1990s and early 2000s marked a golden age for Cyclone football under the leadership of head coach Dan McCarney. Under his guidance, the Cyclones captured three Big 12 North titles and achieved a historic victory over the powerhouse Oklahoma Sooners in 2002.
Building upon McCarney's legacy, coach Bret Bielema continued the Cyclones' winning tradition. During his tenure, Bielema led the Cyclones to a bowl game in each of his first four seasons, showcasing the program's continued success.

The current head coach, Matt Campbell, has ushered in a new era of excitement for Cyclone football. Since his arrival in 2016, Campbell has led the Cyclones to three bowl games and their highest-ever ranking of No. 7 in the AP Poll in 2020.

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The Cleveland Browns franchise started in the All-America Football Conference. A rival of the NFL. What they did in 1948 is remarkable.

In 1948, the Cleveland Browns, then part of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), embarked on a historic journey, etching their name in football history as an undefeated team. The legendary coach Paul Brown led the team to dominate the league, leaving an enduring legacy.

-Undisputed Dominance: The Browns boasted a roster teeming with talent, including Otto Graham, Marion Motley, and Lou Groza. Their innovative T-formation offense and a stifling defense, allowing only 190 points all season, paved the way for their 14-0 record. Victories against strong contenders like the San Francisco 49ers solidified their claim as the league's best.

-Championship Glory: Following their regular season triumph, the Browns faced the Buffalo Bills in the AAFC Championship game. Their offensive prowess continued, crushing the Bills 49-7, securing their first league title. This capped off a perfect season, a feat unmatched in professional football.

-Lingering Debate: While the Browns' dominance was undeniable, their legacy is subject to some debate. The AAFC was considered weaker than the NFL, leading some to question the true strength of their competition. Despite this, their undefeated record and innovative style remain impressive achievements.

-Impact on Football: The 1948 season's impact extended beyond simply claiming a championship. The Browns' success challenged the dominance of the NFL, ultimately forcing a merger in 1970. Additionally, their innovative T-formation offense left a lasting impact on offensive strategies across the league.

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Despite not boasting national championships, the Troy Trojans football program has carved its unique path in college football history. Their journey is punctuated by stunning upsets, dramatic victories, and games that etched themselves into the hearts of loyal Trojans fans. Let's delve into some of the most significant games that shaped the identity of the Troy Trojans:


1. 1999 Division II National Championship Game: After years of dominance in the FCS (formerly I-AA) level, Troy finally reached the pinnacle, defeating Montana 23-16 to claim their first national championship. This historic victory solidified their place as FCS giants and fueled even greater aspirations.


2. 2000 Sun Belt Conference Championship Game: In their inaugural season in the Sun Belt Conference, the Trojans faced off against Arkansas State for the title. A last-minute field goal by Jarret Lee secured a 24-21 victory, marking the program's first conference championship at the FBS level and proving their immediate competitiveness.


3. 2004 Victory over LSU: On the road at Death Valley, the Trojans shocked the college football world by upending the mighty LSU Tigers 27-24. This upset victory, led by a dazzling performance from quarterback Troy Smith, signaled Troy's arrival on the national stage and sent shockwaves through the SEC.


4. 2006 New Orleans Bowl: After another dominant Sun Belt season, Troy earned its first bowl bid, facing Rice in the New Orleans Bowl. A 41-17 thrashing marked their first bowl victory, a significant milestone in their ascent to higher levels of college football.


5. 2017 New Orleans Bowl: A decade after their first bowl win, the Trojans returned to the New Orleans Bowl, this time facing Ohio. In a thrilling back-and-forth battle, Troy emerged victorious 48-41, showcasing their offensive prowess and resilient spirit on a national stage.


6. 2023 Sun Belt Championship Game: After a season of thrilling performances and conference dominance, the Trojans faced Louisiana for the Sun Belt title. A gritty defensive effort propelled them to a 10-7 victory, reaffirming their status as a force to be reckoned with in the conference.

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We have discussed it in other parts of this series on this series, but 1926 and the formation of the 1st American Football League, or Red Grange League as it is remembered, had a tremendous impact on so many levels of the pro game.

Hiistorian Larry Schmitt has recently released a article on Big Blue Interactive to get into more detail that any one has in almost a century. You can find the post in its entirety here: The Giants, New York and the Pro Football War of 1926.

We had a great discussion with Larry on the story that you can enjoy in the video above once you have read the article.

April 16, 2019 - Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson becomes the highest-paid player in NFL history. According to an April 17, 2019 newspaper article in The Olympian from Olympia, Washington, Wilson signed a 4-year $140m extension including a record $65 Million signing bonus. $107  million of the contract was guaranteed!

The columnist Greg Bell of the newstribune.com wrote that the quarterback’s agent, Mark Rodgers, confirmed the contract’s figures. The amazing thing is that the Seahawks and Wilson’s reps were up into the wee hours of the night working on the deal as it was finalized at 12:44 AM on April 16, 2019, and the team called for a 1:30 PM press conference to announce it formally.

The deal works out to approximately a cool $35 million per year, nearly doubling his previous annual salary of roughly $17 million.

Wilson would be traded to the Denver Broncos before the terms of the deal finished, and later played for the Steelers and New York Giants.

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Dante Lavelli, The Pro Football Hall of Fame end, was born February 23, 1923, in Hudson, Ohio. Known as "Glue Fingers," it is reported that he played in only three college games before he served in the US Infantry and then turned professional after his tour of duty was complete.

How could he be attractive to pro franchises with so few college snaps? Well, his Coach at Ohio State was the legendary Paul Brown, who remembered the sure-handed freshman. In 1946, when assembling the new Cleveland Browns team in the 1946 inaugural season of the AAFC, Brown looked Lavelli up.

According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's website, "To make the Browns, he had to beat out four more experienced and highly regarded candidates. But Dante not only prevailed, he led the league in receptions and won All-AAFC honors in his rookie season. He also caught the winning touchdown pass in the first AAFC championship game between the Browns and the New York Yankees."

Dante made the All-AAFC again in 1947, and after the Browns moved into the NFL in 1950, Lavelli was All-NFL twice and started in 3 of the first 5 Pro Bowl games played! He finished his Pro Football career with 386 catches and 62 touchdowns. Dante Lavelli was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1975.

He along with Quarterback Otto Graham and others made the Cleveland Browns a formidable offense for the AAFC and NFL opponents alike to deals with.

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A pretty cool website that tries to capture all of the helmets of the most popular teams throughout history.

Helmet History is a website dedicated to chronicling the fascinating evolution of helmets in American football. It serves as a visual archive for college and professional teams, allowing fans to delve into the rich history of their favorite squad's headgear.

The website is organized into sections for College FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision), the NFL (National Football League), and the Canadian Football League, and more. Within each section, you can explore a comprehensive list of teams. Clicking on a specific team brings you to a page showcasing a timeline of their helmets through the years, with pictures for each iteration.

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From the humble beginnings of canvas pants and leather helmets to the sleek Nike Vapor F.U.S.E. of today, the Michigan State Spartans football uniform has undergone a fascinating evolution, mirroring the changing landscape of both the game and the university itself.

Early Days (1896-1949): The early years were marked by simplicity and tradition. Crimson and white dominated, with players donning canvas or wool pants, striped socks, and leather helmets adorned with the iconic Spartan "S." This classic look, reminiscent of college football's golden age, reflected the program's roots in amateur athletics.

The Duffy Daugherty Era (1950-1966): Under legendary coach Duffy Daugherty, green crept into the color scheme, symbolizing the team's newfound fighting spirit. Helmets sported green stripes and the "S" became bolder, embodying Daugherty's aggressive "run-and-shoot" offense. This era also saw the introduction of iconic uniforms like the "Silver Jerseys" worn for the 1965 national championship victory.

Modernization and Experimentation (1967-Present): The late 1960s and 70s saw a parade of uniform changes, with white helmets, green pants, and even alternate jerseys making appearances. This period reflected the changing times in college football, as teams sought to adapt their look to a more televised era. Some changes, like the 1978-82 all-green uniforms, faced mixed reactions, while others, like the 1995 return to the classic Spartan helmet, were met with resounding approval.

The Nike Era (1997-Present): Since partnering with Nike in 1997, the Spartans' uniforms have embraced performance technology while maintaining key elements of tradition. The iconic green and white color scheme remains central, along with the "S" logo. However, Nike has introduced subtle tweaks, like adding grey and bronze accents, enhancing flexibility and moisture-wicking capabilities. Special edition uniforms honoring Spartans legends or significant anniversaries have also become a feature, showcasing the program's rich history.

Before foam and Kevlar dominated the gridiron, a far stranger form of protection reigned: the pneumatic pad. In the early 20th century, players donned inflatable armor, resembling futuristic gladiators more than athletes. This essay delves into the rise and fall of these curious contraptions, a chapter in football history that is both innovative and ultimately deflated.

Timothy P Brown has a geat post on this on Football Archaeology titled: Getting Pumped Up for Pneumatic Football Pads.

The story of air-filled helmets has an early tie to 1903 with a full-page ad for “Spalding’s Pneumatic Head Harness in Spalding's sponsored Football Rules Guide for that year.

Initially, the idea seemed revolutionary. Pneumatic pads boasted impressive shock absorption, reducing the thud of tackles and promising a new era of player safety. However, problems surfaced quickly. The cumbersome air bladders restricted movement, turning agile athletes into clunky robots. Leaks were frequent, leaving players feeling vulnerable and, ironically, deflated. The technology proved impractical, and by the 1940s, air had all but vanished from the playing field.

Despite their short-lived tenure, pneumatic pads hold a significant place in football history. They represent a bold, if misguided, attempt to address player safety, paving the way for future innovations like leather and foam padding.

Their comical appearance remains a quirky footnote in the sport's evolving narrative, reminding us that the quest for protection is often a bumpy, deflated one.

- Transcribed Conversation of Pumped Up Pneumatic Jel with Timothy Brown

Hello, my football friends; this is Darin Hayes of PigskinDispatch.com. Welcome once again to The Pig Pen, your portal to positive football history. And welcome to another edition where we get to talk to Timothy P. Brown of FootballArcheology.com about football from yesteryear and one of the famous tidbits that he's had out recently. Tim, welcome back to The Pig Pen.

Darin, thank you. Looking forward to chatting and getting pumped up. Yeah, like the old Saturday Live skit where they say, we're going to pump you up.

My worst German accent there. So I apologize for that. But yeah, your title is very fitting.

We're saying that because the title of your tidbit from back in August of this past year is getting pumped up for pneumatic football pads. A lot of P words in there, a lot of big words, and a lot of exciting stuff for equipment. So maybe you could tell us a little bit about that story.

Yeah, so this is one of those stories. Last week, we talked about what might have been with St. Louis U football, you know, had they continued playing or if things had gone differently back in the day. So this is kind of similar, but it's one of those things where for, I mean, this happens in all kinds of different product areas and industries, but you know, you kind of have to have this confluence of technology and inventiveness and engineering and manufacturing prowess and everything in order for a product to be successful. And so this is a story where the ideas were there well in advance of actually being fully implemented, but they just couldn't get it done to make it practical.

So, this is really about the first use of pneumatics. So, you know, like inflatable tires and things like that. You know, the first use of pneumatics in footballs was, it was an attempt to, they made like canvas and rubber covered thigh pads, and they'd blow them up, and then you'd insert them into your pants.

And, you know, at the time, most of the thigh pads were like bamboo and other kinds of reeds. You know, if you see somebody looking at the old pictures, you see all these tiny vertical slots. And so it was either that or like quilt material.

So, you know, they're trying to avoid what the, you know, Charlie horses and that kind of thing. So somebody had an idea of pumping up these little pads and using those. So they did that in the thigh pads.

And then there was also, there were also some attempts in the late 1890s to maybe apply it to helmets. And they weren't helmets at the time. And, you know, in my terminology, a helmet has to have some kind of hard protective cover or a crown.

Helmets initially were head harnesses, similar to wrestlers' headgear. So they tried to do that with foot helmets. It didn't really work, but they did use them in France for cyclists and the Tour de France.

And then it just goes, you know, kind of the pneumatic world goes dry as far as its application of football until the 1950s. And then you have the guy Cecil Cushman, who was the coach at the University of Redlands in California. And he was there for a long time, but he was an inventor throughout his time there.

He also got a patent in 1952 for this pneumatic lining for the inside of helmets. By then, helmets had plastic linings, so the idea made sense.

It never, you know, for whatever reason, I mean, it just didn't work. Maybe they just couldn't manufacture them. They weren't reliable enough when you did use them, something happened, but so they never took, took on or took off.

But Cushman is actually, besides being the coach there, he's best known for being the inventor of the strap on kicking tee or kicking shoe, kicking toe. So I've shown this in other tidbits, but I was trying to imagine what the strap on kicking key was. I'm like, yeah, yeah.

Sorry. I misspoke. So it's a kicking toe, but you know, I played long enough ago, you know, we still had straight-ahead kickers and, you know, we had an offensive in college.

We had an offensive tackle who would pull off his shoes, you know, somebody throw the kicking shoe to him, and then he'd, you know, put it on and try to kick the point of the field. Right. So, I mean, teams had done that forever.

So he invented this is basically a big solid block of rubber that fit around the cap of the shoe. And then it had a rubber strap on the other end that you put around your heel. It was actually, you know, pretty, pretty good invention.

But so anyways, that's what he's known for. So then it wasn't until like 1970s when both Rydell and Schutt came out with helmets that had an air bladder inside of them. So, you know, again, on the I'm old enough story, I had, you know, in grade school, I wore a suspension helmet in high school.

It was one of those white pad helmets in college. I thought it was like, geez, I'm in the big time now because we had an air bladder plus the white pads. It was like we almost could never get better than that.

So, you know, anyways, it just took until they had this idea in the 1890s for this pneumatic helmet. But it wasn't until the 1970s that it actually came to fruition. So I just, you know, again, it's just one of those where everything kind of had to fit together.

All the pieces had to come in place or come in, you know, come into place in order for it to work. But it did. And, you know, just one of those theory and practice kinds of things.

They had the theory; they didn't have the practice. Yeah. I'm glad you brought it up.

And because there's a lot of people that, you know, are football fans, but never played the game. Maybe you don't know, you know, you and I and our generation, we've seen a lot, like you've been saying, it's gone on the inside of a football helmet as well as the outside. The outside doesn't look like it's changed all that much, maybe some more aerodynamic, but the materials are much different.

And then, you know, the face masks are different, but the interior, like you say, the suspension or foam or air or, you know, God only knows what the foam pads that come out and you, you know, they kept falling out all the time, and you had all that going on. So, but some people don't appreciate that, the comfort that you have when you have this, you know, big plastic thing or whatever, the composite thing on your head, you know, you want to be comfortable because you have to, that's what you're using to look around and everything else, you know, your vision, everything's affected by it. So I'm glad when you bring up these things, and it shares it with everybody.

Yeah. Well, yeah. I mean, I've got a story that I could, well, I'm going to tell it anyway.

My kids think I'm nuts. When I was playing, I used to get the first few days of practice every year. I get these really severe headaches, which basically tells you I probably shouldn't have been playing football, but you know, it didn't matter. So, but so, I mean, it just, it was almost like disabling.

So what I would do, you know, once I got to college, I wanted, I didn't want that to happen. So I'd get the helmet before hand. And then during the last couple of weeks before practice started in the summer, I'd go in the basement before I'm going to ready to go to bed.

And I go pound my head on the floor to, you know, simulate getting this. This is starting to explain a lot about our relationship. And it's just like, I mean, I did that now for three years, but then I'd go to, I'd get a headache, and then I'd go to bed and sleep. But then, once I started practicing, it didn't bother me.

I know it's just idiotic, but it's just one of those funny things. So, part of it tells you the quality of helmets just probably wasn't that good. And then when I look at some of the helmets guys wore earlier on, I mean, you know, I mean, tackling has changed too.

And people don't hit in the same way now. I mean, people are much more forceful in some ways than they were back then. In other ways, less, cause, you know, you didn't, you're not taught to stick your helmet, you know, in a guy's chest anymore, but anyways.

Yeah. I have a whole new respect for you now, Tim. You were right up there with the guy from the Triangles movie—the Dayton Triangles movie is out—and the guy who was tackling the trees to get ready for the game.

I don't know if you saw the highlights of that. I think you were born maybe a couple of decades too late. You should have a different generation.

I actually did. I, I was a kid. You know, I didn't have a plastic, you know, everybody had those little youth plastic cups that were just, you know, they bought them at a dime store or something.

They were garbage load things. So like when we'd play like pickup games, kids would put those on. I didn't have one.

So I had my uncle's leather helmet from his high school playing days, which is sitting up there on the shelf. You can see it. Right.

But anyway, so I'd put that baby. So I needed to protect my noggins. Yeah.

I could remember. Don't feel too much of myself in this, uh, in this episode. Yeah.

I can remember the early seventies. I think all kids on Christmas day would get the shoulder pads, Jersey, and helmet from the Sears Roebuck catalog of their favorite team. Of course, I had a Terry Bradshaw and the Steelers helmet on, and we would all take them to school.

And then at recess, you'd go out in the playground and all the boys, you know, we'd have, you know, you have like 20 different teams, the representative. Still, we'd all be padded up and playing and, you know, doing stupid things that, you know, seven, eight-year-old kids are doing with football helmets on, but good, good fun, but no protection at all. You're right. It's a, just like a, I think it's a foam that was probably less dense than a sponge that we use today.

It was inside of those things. So, there is not very much protection there. But, uh, yeah, I had to order out of the Husky Boys select section of the Sears catalog.

So, I'm with you on that one. Yeah. Tim, you know, we, we appreciate you coming on and sharing, uh, like we said, some of these facets of, uh, the, the equipment and how that's changed the game because, you know, the comfort of the players are a big thing on how they perform.

And, uh, you know, it's these advancements in safety and everything, but they still have a long way to go. People were still getting hurt and getting concussions, and hopefully, you know, that'll get eliminated someday with the technology. But, uh, you have tidbits like this on different areas of football from modern times, all the way back to the beginning of football.

And yet you share on football, archeology.com and some other areas too. Maybe you could share some of those with the folks so they can join in. Yeah.

So really simple. If you're interested, um, just go to football, archeology.com. Um, you know, if you hit a site, you're offered multiple opportunities. I think maybe you're forced to, well, you're, you're offered the opportunity to subscribe.

So it's just provide your email. Then you'll get an email every night at seven o'clock Eastern, that offers a story of the day. Um, if you don't like that approach, then, um, you can just follow me on Twitter at football archeology, you know, under the name football archeology.

I'm also on threads, uh, under football archeology. So as well as on the, uh, Substack app. So whatever works for you, that's how to get, get there.

All right. Well, Tim, we appreciate you coming on and sharing us, uh, another great, uh, thought of how football was played in yesterdays and yesteryears. And, uh, we appreciate it.

And we will talk to you again next Tuesday.

Hey, we're good there. Thank you.

Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai.

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NFL history is made up of the stories of the people who played and coached the game. As part of our Greatest NFL Jersey Number 37s of All-Time, historian Aron Harris of the Football Odyssey shares the condensed history of former NFL cornerback Lester Hayes in this one-minute video bio.

Thanks to Aron for the great history and sharing with us the legacy of the gridiron great. You can find his Football Odyssey Podcast on SportsHistoryNetwork.com or on your favorite podcast provider.

Lester Hayes, nicknamed "The Judge" for his ability to shut down receivers in courtrooms and on the field, had a ten-year NFL career defined by defensive dominance. Drafted by the Oakland Raiders in 1977, Hayes switched from linebacker to cornerback and quickly excelled. He earned All-Pro honors once and a staggering five Pro Bowl selections between 1980 and 1984. Hayes' stingy coverage frustrated quarterbacks, and his knack for takeaways (with 39 career interceptions) protected his team's lead. A key part of the Raiders' " intimidating secondary," Hayes helped them win two Super Bowls (XV and XVIII). His most iconic moment might be Super Bowl XVIII, where he neutralized Washington's star receivers, forcing quarterback Joe Theismann to look elsewhere. Hayes retired in 1986 with 39 interceptions, tying the Raiders' all-time record.