Aubrey Devine
Encyclopedia
Aubrey A. Devine was a college football
player for the University of Iowa
. He is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame
.
in 1918, after playing high school football for Des Moines West High School (now closed). By their sophomore years, they were both inserted into the starting lineup. Glenn was a defensive standout and a solid blocker, while Aubrey eventually became the starting quarterback. Aubrey also played defensive back, punter, kicker, punt returner, and kick returner.
Iowa had a 5-2 record in 1919. Aubrey Devine kicked the game-winning field goal as Iowa defeated Minnesota, 9-6. Devine also accounted for all of Iowa's points in leading the Hawkeyes to wins over Northwestern
and Iowa State
. For his efforts, Devine was a first team All-Big Ten
selection as a sophomore.
In 1920, Devine teamed up with fullback Gordon Locke
, a sophomore. Locke powered the ball into the line, while Devine used his speed to run the ball to the outside. Devine scored Iowa's first touchdown and then threw a game-winning pass as Iowa defeated Indiana
, 14-7. Devine and Locke each scored two touchdowns as Iowa defeated Minnesota, 28-7, for the third consecutive year. It was the first time that Minnesota had been defeated three years in a row by a single opponent.
In the last game of 1920, Devine passed for a touchdown, rushed for a touchdown, and intercepted three passes in a victory over Iowa State
. Devine led the Big Ten
in scoring in 1920 and was again named first team All-Big Ten.
, coached by Knute Rockne
. It was Iowa's first meeting with Notre Dame, and their captain was Eddie Anderson, who would coach Iowa from 1939-1949. The Irish had not lost a game since 1918, a span of 20 straight wins. Devine kicked the game-winning field goal as Iowa pulled a 10-7 upset.
Two games later, Devine accounted for all of Iowa's points in a 13-6 win over Purdue
. Devine scored the game-winning touchdown on a punt return that sports historian Clark Shaughnessy
called "one of the 12 greatest individual plays in the history of football". But Iowa's next game against Minnesota would be Devine's signature game.
Devine accounted for 464 total yards and six touchdowns as Iowa defeated Minnesota, 41-7. It was then the most points ever scored against Minnesota, and it was the most scored against Minnesota in the first sixty years of their program. Devine passed for two touchdowns, rushed for four touchdowns, and kicked five extra points. He rushed for 162 yards, passed for 122 yards, and had 200 return yards on kicks, punts, and interceptions. Hall of Fame Minnesota coach Henry L. Williams
called Devine "the greatest player who ever stepped on our field."
The next week against Indiana
, Devine rushed for 183 yards and four more touchdowns and passed for 102 yards before leaving the game in the third quarter. Devine scored 57 points in consecutive weeks. A win the following week over Northwestern
gave Iowa a 7-0 final record, and a perfect 5-0 mark in the Big Ten. It was Iowa's second Big Ten
title and the first outright Big Ten title in Hawkeye history. Not only did Iowa not lose a game, the 1921 Hawkeyes never trailed an opponent all season.
Aubrey Devine led the conference in scoring for the second time and was named first team All-Big Ten for the third straight year. He was a consensus first team All-American
in 1921, the second in school history after teammate Lester Belding
in 1919. Devine's 895 yards rushing in 1921 is still an Iowa season record for a quarterback, and he led Iowa in rushing, passing, and scoring each of his three years in uniform. The incomparable Aubrey Devine gains near unanimous support from those who saw him play as the greatest player ever to wear a Hawkeye uniform, greater even than Nile Kinnick
.
After graduation, Aubrey Devine coached basketball in 1924 and 1925 at the University of Denver. Devine was an assistant football coach from 1925-1936 at Southern California
under Howard Jones
. Devine left coaching for law school and eventually became an attorney for the Veteran's Administration. He retired in California and lived to be 94 years old.
Devine was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1973. In 1989, Iowa fans selected an all-time University of Iowa
football team during the 100th anniversary celebration of Iowa football, and Aubrey Devine was selected to the offensive backfield. Devine was one of just five football players inducted into the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame
in the Hall's inaugural year in 1951, joining Nile Kinnick
, Duke Slater
, Jay Berwanger
, and Elmer Layden
. In 1999, Sports Illustrated
selected Aubrey Devine as the 15th greatest sports figure in the history of the state of Iowa.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
player for the University of Iowa
Iowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. He is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
.
Background
Aubrey Devine and his brother, Glenn, came to the University of IowaIowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
in 1918, after playing high school football for Des Moines West High School (now closed). By their sophomore years, they were both inserted into the starting lineup. Glenn was a defensive standout and a solid blocker, while Aubrey eventually became the starting quarterback. Aubrey also played defensive back, punter, kicker, punt returner, and kick returner.
Iowa had a 5-2 record in 1919. Aubrey Devine kicked the game-winning field goal as Iowa defeated Minnesota, 9-6. Devine also accounted for all of Iowa's points in leading the Hawkeyes to wins over Northwestern
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
and Iowa State
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...
. For his efforts, Devine was a first team All-Big Ten
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...
selection as a sophomore.
In 1920, Devine teamed up with fullback Gordon Locke
Gordon Locke
Gordon C. Locke was an American football player and coach in the United States. He played college football at the University of Iowa, where he was a two-time All-American...
, a sophomore. Locke powered the ball into the line, while Devine used his speed to run the ball to the outside. Devine scored Iowa's first touchdown and then threw a game-winning pass as Iowa defeated Indiana
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, 14-7. Devine and Locke each scored two touchdowns as Iowa defeated Minnesota, 28-7, for the third consecutive year. It was the first time that Minnesota had been defeated three years in a row by a single opponent.
In the last game of 1920, Devine passed for a touchdown, rushed for a touchdown, and intercepted three passes in a victory over Iowa State
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...
. Devine led the Big Ten
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...
in scoring in 1920 and was again named first team All-Big Ten.
The 1921 Season
Aubrey Devine was the team captain of the 1921 Hawkeyes, arguably the greatest team in school history. In the second game of the season, Iowa faced Notre DameUniversity of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, coached by Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
. It was Iowa's first meeting with Notre Dame, and their captain was Eddie Anderson, who would coach Iowa from 1939-1949. The Irish had not lost a game since 1918, a span of 20 straight wins. Devine kicked the game-winning field goal as Iowa pulled a 10-7 upset.
Two games later, Devine accounted for all of Iowa's points in a 13-6 win over Purdue
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
. Devine scored the game-winning touchdown on a punt return that sports historian Clark Shaughnessy
Clark Shaughnessy
Clark Daniel Shaughnessy was an American football coach and innovator. He is sometimes called the "father of the T formation", although that system had previously been used as early as the 1880s. Shaughnessy did, however, modernize the obsolescent T formation to make it once again relevant in the...
called "one of the 12 greatest individual plays in the history of football". But Iowa's next game against Minnesota would be Devine's signature game.
Devine accounted for 464 total yards and six touchdowns as Iowa defeated Minnesota, 41-7. It was then the most points ever scored against Minnesota, and it was the most scored against Minnesota in the first sixty years of their program. Devine passed for two touchdowns, rushed for four touchdowns, and kicked five extra points. He rushed for 162 yards, passed for 122 yards, and had 200 return yards on kicks, punts, and interceptions. Hall of Fame Minnesota coach Henry L. Williams
Henry L. Williams
Dr. Henry Lane Williams was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the United States Military Academy in 1891 and the University of Minnesota from 1900 to 1921, compiling a career college football record of 141–34–12...
called Devine "the greatest player who ever stepped on our field."
The next week against Indiana
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, Devine rushed for 183 yards and four more touchdowns and passed for 102 yards before leaving the game in the third quarter. Devine scored 57 points in consecutive weeks. A win the following week over Northwestern
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
gave Iowa a 7-0 final record, and a perfect 5-0 mark in the Big Ten. It was Iowa's second Big Ten
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 and the first outright Big Ten title in Hawkeye history. Not only did Iowa not lose a game, the 1921 Hawkeyes never trailed an opponent all season.
Aubrey Devine led the conference in scoring for the second time and was named first team All-Big Ten for the third straight year. He was a consensus first team All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
in 1921, the second in school history after teammate Lester Belding
Lester Belding
Lester C. Belding was an American athlete and coach in football and track and field. He was the first football player from the University of Iowa to be named an All-American...
in 1919. Devine's 895 yards rushing in 1921 is still an Iowa season record for a quarterback, and he led Iowa in rushing, passing, and scoring each of his three years in uniform. The incomparable Aubrey Devine gains near unanimous support from those who saw him play as the greatest player ever to wear a Hawkeye uniform, greater even than Nile Kinnick
Nile Kinnick
Nile Clarke Kinnick, Jr. was a student and a college football player at the University of Iowa. He won the 1939 Heisman Trophy and was a consensus All-American. He died during a training flight while serving as a U.S Navy aviator in World War II...
.
Honors
Devine was more than just a great football player. He earned nine varsity letters, as he was a three-time letter winner in basketball and track as well as football. He also won the Big Ten Medal for excellence in athletics and academics.After graduation, Aubrey Devine coached basketball in 1924 and 1925 at the University of Denver. Devine was an assistant football coach from 1925-1936 at Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
under Howard Jones
Howard Jones (football coach)
Howard Harding Jones was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Syracuse University , Yale University , Ohio State University , the University of Iowa , Duke University , and the University of Southern California , compiling a career record of...
. Devine left coaching for law school and eventually became an attorney for the Veteran's Administration. He retired in California and lived to be 94 years old.
Devine was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1973. In 1989, Iowa fans selected an all-time University of Iowa
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...
football team during the 100th anniversary celebration of Iowa football, and Aubrey Devine was selected to the offensive backfield. Devine was one of just five football players inducted into the Iowa Sports 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 the Hall's inaugural year in 1951, joining Nile Kinnick
Nile Kinnick
Nile Clarke Kinnick, Jr. was a student and a college football player at the University of Iowa. He won the 1939 Heisman Trophy and was a consensus All-American. He died during a training flight while serving as a U.S Navy aviator in World War II...
, Duke Slater
Duke Slater
Frederick Wayman "Duke" Slater was an American football player and one of the great black players of his era. Slater played for the University of Iowa in college and played professionally for ten years...
, Jay Berwanger
Jay Berwanger
John Jacob "Jay" Berwanger was an American football halfback born in Dubuque, Iowa. He was the first winner of the Downtown Athletic Club Trophy in 1935 ; the trophy is awarded annually to the nation's most outstanding college football player...
, and Elmer Layden
Elmer Layden
Elmer Francis Layden was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and professional sports executive. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame where he starred at fullback as a member of the legendary "Four Horsemen" backfield...
. In 1999, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
selected Aubrey Devine as the 15th greatest sports figure in the history of the state of Iowa.