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6 unusual facts about Ossie Solem


Ossie Solem

During his time with the Marines, Solem introduced the team to the single-wing formation, developed by the famed coach, Pop Warner, and used by the University of Minnesota, where Solem had played football.

In 1932, Solem signed a three year contract to succeed Burt Ingwersen as the 13th head football coach at the University of Iowa.

A conflict between Solem and Ozzie Simmons overshadowed the 1936 season, which ended in a 3–4–1 record.

Iowa defeated a heavily favored, nationally ranked Temple team, coached by Pop Warner, 25–0, to end Solem's coaching career at Iowa.

Iowa managed to bounce back the following year with a respectable 4–2–2 record in 1935 behind the play of captain Dick Crayne and the sensational Ozzie Simmons.

Many of the athletes Solem successfully recruited to Iowa would become the foundation for the 1939 Hawkeye team, nicknamed the "Ironmen", which included Nile Kinnick and Erwin Prasse.



see also