Iowa Football: Top 10 head coaches in program history

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MIAMI – JANUARY 2: Mike Williams #1 of USC catches an 18 yard pass for a touchdown as he is hit by Antwan Allen #20 of Iowa at 10:14 of the third quarter of the FedEx Orange Bowl on January 2, 2003 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida. USC defeated Iowa 38-17. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images) /

4. Howard Jones: 1916-1923

Career Record: 42-17-1

Awards and Accomplishments: 1921 & ’22 Big Ten Championship, College Football Hall of Fame Class of 1951

The man who first brought Iowa to national prominence in the late teens and early ’20’s was coach Howard Jones. Jones played his college football at Yale, never losing a game in his three-year career. Immediately following graduation, Jones became head coach at Syracuse and had a one-year stint at Ohio State and two, one-year stints at Yale before arriving in Iowa City in the fall of 1916.

Jones’ put out moderately successful results throughout his first five seasons, but could not finish above fourth place in the mighty Big Ten. However, that all changed in 1921, when a team full of stars such as Aubrey Devine, Gordie Locke and Duke Slater propelled Iowa to a perfect season and a Big Ten Championship. The Hawkeyes again, repeated this feat in 1922, finishing with an identical 7-0 record and repeating as Big Ten Champions. Jones left Iowa following the 1923 season.

Jones then moved on to Duke for a season before arriving at USC. While at USC he transformed the Trojans program into a national powerhouse, winning numerous conference and national championships during his tenure in Southern California.

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