1941 Idaho Vandals football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1941 Idaho Vandals football Pacific Coast Conference PCC 4–5 0–4 Francis Schmidt 1st Neale Stadium The 1941 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1941 college football season. The Vandals were led by first-year head coach Francis Schmidt,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LK5WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4599%2C4052374 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon meets deceptive Idaho team of tricky coach Smith September 28, 1941 6 and were members of the Pacific Coast Conference. Idaho was ranked at No. 103 (out of 681 teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score System for 1941.Gophers Grid Kings Over 6-Year Span: Tennessee 2d, Pitt 3d Over Period Litkenhous Ratins Are Published The Courier-Journal Dr. E. E. Litkenhous December 26, 1941 Sports 4 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123088221/gophers-grid-kings-over-6-year-span/ Newspapers.com Home games were played on campus in Moscow at Neale Stadium, with one game in Boise at Public School Field. Schmidt, age 55, was a longtime college football head coach, most recently in the Big Ten Conference at Ohio State University (1934–1940),https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FVpjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=slMNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4912%2C439006 Youngstown Vindicator Ohio Associated Press Howell Fritz Schmidt, entire Ohio State grid coaching staff resign December 17, 1940 22https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=O8spAAAAIBAJ&sjid=e_4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6416%2C2889517 Toledo Blade Ohio International News Service Newman Larry Schmidt and staff quit at Ohio State December 17, 1940 26https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rihWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=COQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6772%2C295397 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Francis Schmidt steps down at Ohio State December 17, 1940 14 where he was followed by a 32-year-old high school coach named Paul Brown.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BPIjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5v4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6364%2C1979140 Toledo Blade Ohio Associated Press Howell Fritz Brown prepares to select assistants January 15, 1941 19 Schmidt was hired at Idaho in March to succeed six-year head coach Ted Bank.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=d5cRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BOQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4120%2C722415 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Schmidt named coach at Idaho March 17, 1941 1https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VM1JAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FoUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3091%2C633684 Youngstown Vindicator Ohio Associated Press Schmidt gets job at Idaho March 17, 1941 9https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aOJXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=R_UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4610%2C3701091 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Francis Schmidt is signed as new Idaho grid mentor March 17, 1941 12https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GsdeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JTIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1665,5646400 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press Francis Schmidt, formerly of Ohio State, is chosen head football coach at Idaho March 17, 1941 6 The Vandals were 4–5 overall in 1941 and 0–4 in conference play. They did not play any of the four teams from California teams or Washington. Idaho opened with a homecoming loss to Utah and then played Friday night road games in consecutive weeks, their first under the lights in nine years (last at UCLA in 1932). They split these two, both with the same score (21–7), losing at Oregonhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ma5WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4846%2C4472128 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon Strite Dick Oregon-Idaho grid skirmish tonight October 3, 1941 1https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=M65WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6485%2C4588959 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon "Touchdown Twins" pace Oregon's easy win over Idaho, 21-7 October 4, 1941 6 and winning at Gonzaga.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=giNZAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VPUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6973%2C2502923 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington W.S.C. fullback outlook better; Idaho, Gonzaga primed October 10, 1941 11https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-24pAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GuQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6884%2C3250857 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Stark Charles R. Jr. Idaho outplays Gonzaga before 8000 fans and wins football game October 11, 1941 9https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gyNZAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VPUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7156%2C2648396 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Ashlock Herb Schmidt's improving Idaho eleven defeats Gonzaga, 21-7 9 Not known at the time, it was the last-ever game against Gonzaga, as the Bulldogs put their football program on hold after this season due to World War II and never resumed it. The teams had played nearly every year for three decades. In the Battle of the Palouse with neighbor Washington State, the Vandals suffered a fourteenth straight loss, falling 26–0 at Rogers Field in Pullman on November 8.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PQgVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=L-QDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7057%2C2299288 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington WSC is host to Idaho team November 8, 1941 10https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jM1YAAAAIBAJ&sjid=negDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3877%2C285445 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon United Press Small Collie Last half splurge wins for WSC, 26-0 November 9, 1941 6 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-eFXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S_UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6986%2C2009058 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington (photo) Twelve yard gain by Vandal halfback goes for naught November 10, 1941 11 Idaho's most recent win in the series was a sixteen years earlier in 1925 and the next was thirteen years away, in 1954. The next week, Idaho's losing streak to Montana in the Little Brown Stein rivalry was extended to a rare three years with a 16-point shutout at Moscow.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_uFXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S_UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4892%2C3218560 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Montana takes lead of 13 to 0 over Idaho November 15, 1941 1https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=V1opAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LuQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6743%2C270070 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Stark Charles R. Jr. Montana gains muddy win November 15, 1941 1, sports While Montana was in the PCC (through 1949), the loser of the game was frequently last in the conference standings. The final game seven days later was also a shutout, a 39–0 victory over Montana State in Boise.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XVopAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LuQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4155%2C2671619 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Idaho easily wins grid game November 23, 1941 7, sports Schedule Pacific September 26 2:00 pm l y y Utah Neale Stadium Moscow, ID 7–26 9,500 Redskins Hammer Vandal Crew, 26-7 The Salt Lake Tribune September 28, 1941 B7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35896210/redskins_hammer_vandal_crew_267/ Newspapers.com October 3, 1941 8:00 pm l y Oregon Hayward Field Eugene, OR 7–21 5,000 October 10, 1941 8:00 pm w y y Gonzaga Gonzaga Stadium Spokane, WA rivalry 21–7 8,000 October 18 1:00 pm w y y Utah State old Romney Stadium Logan, UT 16–0 5,000 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lx4cAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q1YEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4899%2C5812177 Deseret News Salt Lake City, Utah Mackay La Mar Aggies fall to big Vandal eleven, 16-0 October 20, 1941 14 October 25 2:00 pm w y Willamette Neale Stadium Moscow, ID 33–6 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Sa5WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2111%2C6331237 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon United Press Willamette walloped by Idaho, 33 to 6 October 26, 1941 6https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kCNZAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VPUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6770%2C6000380 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Tough line play helps Idaho win October 27, 1941 11 November 1 2:00 pm l y Oregon State Bell Field Corvallis, OR 0–33 5,000 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=T65WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5121%2C6887661 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon Associated Press OSC overpowers Idaho, 33-0 November 2, 1941 6 November 8 2:00 pm l y Washington State Rogers Field Pullman, WA Battle of the Palouse 0–26 9,000 November 15 2:00 pm l Montana Neale Stadium Moscow, ID Little Brown Stein 0–16 Montana Upsets Idaho, Scoring Decisive Victory The Sunday Missoulian Ray T. Rocene November 16, 1941 1, 6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36080593/montana_upsets_idaho_scoring_decisive/ Newspapers.com November 22 1:00 pm w y Montana State Public School Field Boise, ID 39–0 5,000 Coaching staff Walt Price, line James A. Brown, freshmen All-conference No Vandals were named to the All-Coast team; back Bill Micklich was honorable mention.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-uJXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VfUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7155%2C950840 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Associated Press Three Cougars rate All-Coast December 4, 1941 14https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oc1YAAAAIBAJ&sjid=negDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6270%2C2262268 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon Associated Press Newland Rus Meacham fails to make either A.P. or U.P. All-Coast team December 4, 1941 15 References External links Gem of the Mountains: 1942 University of Idaho yearbook – 1941 football season Go Mighty Vandals – 1941 football season Official game program: Idaho at Washington State – November 8, 1941 WSU Libraries: Game video – Idaho at Washington State – November 8, 1941 Idaho Argonaut – student newspaper – 1941 editions Idaho Category:Idaho Vandals football seasons Idaho Vandals football