1943 Nevada Wolf Pack football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 1943 Nevada Wolf Pack football Independent 4–1–1 Jim Aiken 5th Mackay Field The 1943 Nevada Wolf Pack football team, known for the final three games as the Flying Wolves and Flying Wolfpack, was an American football team that represented the University of Nevada as an independent during the 1943 college football season. In their fifth season under head coach Jim Aiken, the team compiled a 4–1–1 record. Marion Motley, who was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, played for the Wolf Pack from 1941 to 1943. He suffered a knee injury in 1943 and returned to his home in Canton, Ohio, to work after dropping out of school. Bill Mackrides also played for the 1943 Wolf Pack. He later played seven years of professional football in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). On October 8, 1943, due to the loss of players to military service, the Nevada football team merged with the football team from the Reno Army Air Base team at Lemmon Valley. The combination of university and military football squads was reported to be "unprecedented in the history of the nation's wartime football."Nevada, Air Base Gridders Merge: Combination Team Will Play Tonapah Bombers Tomorrow Reno Evening Gazette October 9, 1943 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24901232/nevada_air_base_gridders_merge/ Newspapers.com Because of an Army ruling that prohibited soldiers from playing on college teams, the combined team, known as the "Flying Wolves" or "Flying Wolfpack", played under the air base colors, and the University of Nevada players were deemed to have been absorbed into the air base squad. Jim Aiken remained head coach of the combined team with Lieutenants Dayton Doeler and Edward O'Neill acting as assistant coaches. In the final Litkenhous Ratings, Nevada ranked 138th among the nation's college and service teams with a rating of 55.2.Litkenhous E. E. Edward E. Litkenhous Litkenhouse Selects U. S. Grid Leaders https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salt-lake-tribune/122968858/ The Salt Lake Tribune Salt Lake City, Utah December 17, 1943 18 April 16, 2023 Newspapers.com Schedule y y September 19 Sunday Tonopah Army Air Base Mackay Field Reno, NV W 34-0 3,000 Wolf Pack Wins 34-0 Victory Over Tonopah Army Gridders September 20, 1943 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24901473/wolf_pack_wins_340_victory_over/ September 25 Reno Army Air Base Mackay Field Reno, NV W 28-0 October 3 Sunday at San Francisco Kezar Stadium San Francisco, CA L 0-6 Nevada Defeated 6-0 By USF Dons Reno Evening Gazette October 4, 1943 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22201988/nevada_defeated_60_by_usf_dons/ Newspapers.com October 10 Sunday Tonopah Bombing and Gunnery Range Mackay Field Reno, NV W 25-0 1,800 Flying Wolfpack Defeats Bombers Reno Evening Gazette October 11, 1943 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24900906/flying_wolfpack_defeats_bombers/ Newspapers.com October 16 at Utah Ute Stadium Salt Lake City, UT W 27-19 4,846 Nevada Turns Back Redskins, 27 to 19 The Salt Lake Tribune October 17, 1943 7B, 8B https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24901686/nevada_turns_back_redskins_27_to_19/ Newspapers.com October 24 Sunday Salt Lake City Army Air Base<hc> Mackay Field Reno, NV T 0-0 2,500 Salt Lake Wings Held to 0-0 Tie Reno Evening Gazette October 25, 1943 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24901830/salt_lake_wings_held_to_00_tie/ Newspapers.com 1943 Football Schedule https://nevadawolfpack.com/sports/football/schedule/1940 Nevada Wolf Pack Athletics May 4, 2025 2024 Nevada Football Record Book https://nevadawolfpack.com/documents/2024/9/6/2024_Record_Book.pdf Nevada Wolf Pack Athletics 3 May 4, 2025 References Nevada Category:Nevada Wolf Pack football seasons Nevada Wolf Pack football