Clyde Williams (football)
Encyclopedia
Samuel Clyde Williams was an All-American football player at the University of Iowa
, and a football, basketball, and baseball coach and athletic director at Iowa State University
. He is a member of both schools' Halls of Fame.
under coach Alden Knipe
. Knipe was a stern disciplinarian, and friction soon arose between Knipe and the older players of the 1898 Hawkeye football team. After Iowa started the season 1-4-1, Ralph Blackmore led the "Blackmore Revolt", in which five upperclassmen quit the team. Knipe simply started younger players, including Clyde Williams, who was a freshman at the time. With Williams at quarterback, Iowa finished the year 2-0-1, ending the season with a 6-5 victory over rival Nebraska
. Nebraska had been heavy favorites and were coached by Fielding H. Yost.
In Williams' sophomore season in 1899, Iowa faced heavily favored Chicago
, coached by Amos Alonzo Stagg
. The Hawks scored a touchdown against Chicago, while the Maroons could muster only a field goal. Since both were scored as five points in those days, Iowa settled for a 5-5 tie. Chicago would go on to win the 1899 Western Conference
title with a 12-0-2 record.
Under Williams, the Hawkeyes would not yield another point all year, winning their last seven games by a combined score of 194-0. Iowa closed the 1899 season by defeating Illinois
in their first ever meeting by a 58-0 score. That capped off an 8-0-1 season for the Hawkeyes, their first ever undefeated season. Less than 24 hours after the season ended, the University of Iowa accepted an invitation for membership in the Western Conference
. Iowa has participated in the Western Conference, now known as the Big Ten Conference
, since 1900. Caspar Whitney
in Collier's Magazine named Clyde Williams as the top quarterback in the West in 1899.
In Williams' junior season in 1900, the Hawkeyes won their first four non-conference games by a combined score of 198-0. Chicago
loomed as Iowa's first ever Big Ten opponent. Chicago had won the Western Conference
the previous year and handed Iowa its only blemish on the season in 1899. After a scoreless first half, the Hawks scored two quick touchdowns early in the second period and Iowa won, 17-0. Iowa's next game was against Michigan
, the 1898 Western Conference
champions, in Detroit. The Hawkeyes led 28-0 before Michigan managed a field goal to prevent the shutout, the first points scored on Iowa so far in 1900. But the Hawkeyes dominated the Wolverines and won, 28-5.
The victories over Chicago and Michigan allowed Iowa to earn a share of the Big Ten title with Minnesota in Iowa's first year in the conference. The Hawkeyes finished with a 7-0-1 record, their second straight undefeated season. After the season, Clyde Williams was named a third-team All-American by Walter Camp
. Williams was the first player west of the Mississippi River to garner All-American honors. As a result, Clyde Williams is often referred to as "Iowa's first All-American".
Only three starters returned in Williams' senior season in 1901. Clyde Williams was named as Iowa's team captain for the season. The Hawkeyes won their first three games of 1901 before preparing to play fellow 1900 Western Conference
champion Minnesota. 25 minutes before the game, Williams was told he was ineligible to play for the remainder of the season, because he had played summer baseball under an assumed name. A deflated Hawkeye team lost to Minnesota, 16-0, losing their first game and yielding their first touchdown in 23 games. Iowa finished with a 6-3 record in 1901.
In four years as a starting quarterback at Iowa, Clyde Williams never lost a game. The Hawkeyes' record in games Williams started, from the middle of the 1898 season to the middle of the 1901 season, was 23-0-3. He earned 11 letters at Iowa, four in football, four in baseball, and three in track.
football titles in 1911 and 1912, which are currently the only two conference football championships in school history.
Williams was the school's first men's basketball coach from 1908 to 1911, where he compiled a 20-29 record. He also served as Iowa State's baseball coach, and was their athletic director from 1913 to 1919.
.
Clyde Williams was inducted into the State of Iowa Hall of Fame
in 1956. He is also one of the few people inducted into both the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame
(inducted 1993) and the Iowa State athletics Hall of Fame (inducted 1997).
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
, and a football, basketball, and baseball coach and athletic director at Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
. He is a member of both schools' Halls of Fame.
College career
Clyde Williams was born in Shelby, Iowa. He played football for the University of IowaUniversity of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
under coach Alden Knipe
Alden Knipe
Alden Arthur Knipe was an American football player and coach. He served as the sixth head football coach at the University of Iowa from 1892–1894, compiling a record of 30–11–4. Knipe was also the first head head baseball coach at Iowa, coaching two seasons from 1900 to 1901...
. Knipe was a stern disciplinarian, and friction soon arose between Knipe and the older players of the 1898 Hawkeye football team. After Iowa started the season 1-4-1, Ralph Blackmore led the "Blackmore Revolt", in which five upperclassmen quit the team. Knipe simply started younger players, including Clyde Williams, who was a freshman at the time. With Williams at quarterback, Iowa finished the year 2-0-1, ending the season with a 6-5 victory over rival Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
. Nebraska had been heavy favorites and were coached by Fielding H. Yost.
In Williams' sophomore season in 1899, Iowa faced heavily favored Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, coached by Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg was an American athlete and pioneering college coach in multiple sports, primarily American football...
. The Hawks scored a touchdown against Chicago, while the Maroons could muster only a field goal. Since both were scored as five points in those days, Iowa settled for a 5-5 tie. Chicago would go on to win the 1899 Western Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
title with a 12-0-2 record.
Under Williams, the Hawkeyes would not yield another point all year, winning their last seven games by a combined score of 194-0. Iowa closed the 1899 season by defeating Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini football
The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51...
in their first ever meeting by a 58-0 score. That capped off an 8-0-1 season for the Hawkeyes, their first ever undefeated season. Less than 24 hours after the season ended, the University of Iowa accepted an invitation for membership in the Western Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. Iowa has participated in the Western Conference, now known as the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
, since 1900. Caspar Whitney
Caspar Whitney
Caspar William Whitney was an American author, editor, explorer, and war correspondent. He originated the concept of the All-American team in college football in 1889 when he worked for Harper's Magazine....
in Collier's Magazine named Clyde Williams as the top quarterback in the West in 1899.
In Williams' junior season in 1900, the Hawkeyes won their first four non-conference games by a combined score of 198-0. Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
loomed as Iowa's first ever Big Ten opponent. Chicago had won the Western Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
the previous year and handed Iowa its only blemish on the season in 1899. After a scoreless first half, the Hawks scored two quick touchdowns early in the second period and Iowa won, 17-0. Iowa's next game was against Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, the 1898 Western Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
champions, in Detroit. The Hawkeyes led 28-0 before Michigan managed a field goal to prevent the shutout, the first points scored on Iowa so far in 1900. But the Hawkeyes dominated the Wolverines and won, 28-5.
The victories over Chicago and Michigan allowed Iowa to earn a share of the Big Ten title with Minnesota in Iowa's first year in the conference. The Hawkeyes finished with a 7-0-1 record, their second straight undefeated season. After the season, Clyde Williams was named a third-team All-American by Walter Camp
Walter Camp
Walter Chauncey Camp was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". With John Heisman, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pop Warner, Fielding H. Yost, and George Halas, Camp was one of the most accomplished persons in the early history of American football...
. Williams was the first player west of the Mississippi River to garner All-American honors. As a result, Clyde Williams is often referred to as "Iowa's first All-American".
Only three starters returned in Williams' senior season in 1901. Clyde Williams was named as Iowa's team captain for the season. The Hawkeyes won their first three games of 1901 before preparing to play fellow 1900 Western Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
champion Minnesota. 25 minutes before the game, Williams was told he was ineligible to play for the remainder of the season, because he had played summer baseball under an assumed name. A deflated Hawkeye team lost to Minnesota, 16-0, losing their first game and yielding their first touchdown in 23 games. Iowa finished with a 6-3 record in 1901.
In four years as a starting quarterback at Iowa, Clyde Williams never lost a game. The Hawkeyes' record in games Williams started, from the middle of the 1898 season to the middle of the 1901 season, was 23-0-3. He earned 11 letters at Iowa, four in football, four in baseball, and three in track.
Coaching career
After serving as an Iowa assistant football coach for two years, Clyde Williams went to Ames as an assistant football coach for Iowa State University. Williams served as the Cyclones' head football coach for six seasons from 1907 to 1912. During that time, he had a career coaching record of 32-15-2. This ranks him fifth at Iowa State in total wins and fourth at Iowa State in winning percentage. In addition, he led Iowa State to two Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
football titles in 1911 and 1912, which are currently the only two conference football championships in school history.
Williams was the school's first men's basketball coach from 1908 to 1911, where he compiled a 20-29 record. He also served as Iowa State's baseball coach, and was their athletic director from 1913 to 1919.
Head coaching record
Honors
Iowa State's home football stadium from 1915 through 1975 was named Clyde Williams Stadium in his honor. It was replaced when Iowa State moved to their current facility, Jack Trice StadiumJack Trice Stadium
Jack Trice Stadium is a stadium, in Ames, Iowa, United States. It opened on September 20, 1975 making it the newest stadium in the Big 12 Conference...
.
Clyde Williams was inducted into the State of Iowa Hall of Fame
Iowa Sports Hall of Fame
The Iowa Sports Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Des Moines Register, honors outstanding athletes and sports contributors. To be eligible, members must have either been born in Iowa or gained prominence while competing for a college or university in Iowa....
in 1956. He is also one of the few people inducted into both the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame
University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame
The University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame is a sports history museum located at the Roy G. Karro Building in Iowa City, Iowa, U.S. The museum pays tribute to the most legendary and influential Iowa Hawkeye sports heroes. Opened in September 2002, The building is located at the northwest...
(inducted 1993) and the Iowa State athletics Hall of Fame (inducted 1997).