Irl Tubbs
Encyclopedia
Ira "Irl" Tubbs was an American football
player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Wisconsin–Superior
(1923–1925, 1928–1929), the University of Miami
(1935–1936), and the University of Iowa
(1937–1938).
at William Jewell College
in Liberty, Missouri
. He was a quarterback
and end for William Jewell in the late 1910s.
After graduation, Tubbs coached for two years in Missouri high schools before taking a coaching job at the University of Wisconsin–Superior
. He was in Wisconsin for nine years from 1922–1930, although he was only able to coach for five seasons due to attacks of Malta fever
.
At Wisconsin–Superior, Tubbs served as both athletic director and a coach of football and hockey. He coached from 1923–1925 and again in 1928 and 1929, leading his school to football championships his last two seasons. Tubbs was a renowned inventor, developing improvements to athletic equipment such as a special inverted air valve for a football and elastic padding for football pants.
Tubbs resigned from Wisconsin–Superior in 1930 after another bout of health problems and moved to Miami, Florida
. While he was recovering there in 1935, the head football coaching job at the University of Miami
opened, and Tubbs was hired to coach the Hurricanes
. Tubbs coached the Hurricanes for two seasons in 1935 and 1936, where he compiled a 11–5–2 record. In both seasons, his Hurricane teams bowed out as potential hosts for New Year's Day bowl game
s.
Tubbs was then hired as the 14th head football coach at the University of Iowa
. He coached two seasons at Iowa in 1937 and 1938. He had a record of just 2–13–1 at Iowa, with his wins coming over Bradley
and Chicago
. Tubbs' tenure at Iowa is best distinguished by his coaching of players who would star for Iowa's 1939 team
, nicknamed the "Ironmen". Some of the players Tubbs coached included Nile Kinnick
, an all-Big Ten Conference
selection in 1937, and Erwin Prasse, an all-conference end in 1938.
Tubbs was inducted into the University of Wisconsin–Superior
Athletics Hall of Fame in 1963.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Wisconsin–Superior
University of Wisconsin–Superior
The University of Wisconsin–Superior is a public university located in Superior, Wisconsin. UW–Superior grants bachelor's, master's, and specialist's degrees...
(1923–1925, 1928–1929), the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
(1935–1936), and the 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...
(1937–1938).
Playing and coaching career
Tubbs played college footballCollege 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...
at William Jewell College
William Jewell College
William Jewell College is a private, four-year liberal arts college of 1,100 undergraduate students located in Liberty, Missouri, U.S. It was founded in 1849 by members of the Missouri Baptist Convention and other civic leaders, including Robert S. James, a Baptist minister and father of the...
in Liberty, Missouri
Liberty, Missouri
Liberty is a city in Clay County, Missouri and is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. At the 2007 population estimate, the city population was 29,993...
. He was a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and end for William Jewell in the late 1910s.
After graduation, Tubbs coached for two years in Missouri high schools before taking a coaching job at the University of Wisconsin–Superior
University of Wisconsin–Superior
The University of Wisconsin–Superior is a public university located in Superior, Wisconsin. UW–Superior grants bachelor's, master's, and specialist's degrees...
. He was in Wisconsin for nine years from 1922–1930, although he was only able to coach for five seasons due to attacks of Malta fever
Brucellosis
Brucellosis, also called Bang's disease, Crimean fever, Gibraltar fever, Malta fever, Maltese fever, Mediterranean fever, rock fever, or undulant fever, is a highly contagious zoonosis caused by ingestion of unsterilized milk or meat from infected animals or close contact with their secretions...
.
At Wisconsin–Superior, Tubbs served as both athletic director and a coach of football and hockey. He coached from 1923–1925 and again in 1928 and 1929, leading his school to football championships his last two seasons. Tubbs was a renowned inventor, developing improvements to athletic equipment such as a special inverted air valve for a football and elastic padding for football pants.
Tubbs resigned from Wisconsin–Superior in 1930 after another bout of health problems and moved to Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. While he was recovering there in 1935, the head football coaching job at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
opened, and Tubbs was hired to coach the Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
. Tubbs coached the Hurricanes for two seasons in 1935 and 1936, where he compiled a 11–5–2 record. In both seasons, his Hurricane teams bowed out as potential hosts for New Year's Day bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
s.
Tubbs was then hired as the 14th head football coach at the 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...
. He coached two seasons at Iowa in 1937 and 1938. He had a record of just 2–13–1 at Iowa, with his wins coming over Bradley
Bradley Braves
The Bradley Braves are the intercollegiate athletics teams of Bradley University, located in Peoria, Illinois.Bradley is best known for its college basketball success. Bradley has been to eight NCAA tournaments, including two national championship games, three Elite 8's, and four Sweet 16's...
and Chicago
Chicago Maroons football
The Chicago Maroons are the college football team representing the University of Chicago. The Maroons play in NCAA Division III as a member of the University Athletic Association. From 1892 to 1939, the Maroons were a major college football power...
. Tubbs' tenure at Iowa is best distinguished by his coaching of players who would star for Iowa's 1939 team
1939 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
The 1939 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa in the college football season of 1939. The team, nicknamed the Ironmen, was coached by Dr. Eddie Anderson and was led on the field by halfback Nile Kinnick.-Preseason:...
, nicknamed the "Ironmen". Some of the players Tubbs coached included 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...
, an all-Big Ten Conference
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 in 1937, and Erwin Prasse, an all-conference end in 1938.
Tubbs was inducted into the University of Wisconsin–Superior
University of Wisconsin–Superior
The University of Wisconsin–Superior is a public university located in Superior, Wisconsin. UW–Superior grants bachelor's, master's, and specialist's degrees...
Athletics Hall of Fame in 1963.