1962 Parsons Wildcats football team explained

Year:1962
Team:Parsons Wildcats
Sport:football
Conference:Iowa Conference
Short Conf:Iowa
Record:9–0
Conf Record:9–0
Head Coach:Frosty Westering
Hc Year:1st
Champion:Iowa Conference champion

The 1962 Parsons Wildcats football team was an American football team that represented Parsons College of Fairfield, Iowa, as a member of the Iowa Conference during the 1962 NAIA football season. In their first year under head coach Frosty Westering, the Wildcats compiled a perfect 9–0 record, won the Iowa Conference championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 267 to 63.[1] Parsons was ranked tenth in the final National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) poll.[2]

The team won 17 consecutive Iowa conference wins, dating back to the 1961 season, tying a record set by Wartburg from 1958 to 1960. The team's total of 267 also set a new conference scoring record, passing the previous record of 259 points set by Loras in 1950.[3]

Parsons was led on offense by fullback Nat Craddock and halfback Dick Johnson with 897 and 873 rushing yards, respectively. Craddock led the NAIA in scoring with 19 touchdowns for a total of 114 points[4] -- the most points scored by an Iowa college player since 1905. Craddock was selected as a second-team player on the 1962 Little All-America college football team[5] and later played in both the National Football League and Canadian Football League.[6]

Five Parsons players were included on the first team of the 1962 All-Iowa Conference football team: Craddock; Johnson; defensive guard Jerry Kamp; defensive tackle Lou Wilson; and defensive end Jerry Holloway.[7]

Notes and References

  1. News: . Grid Records; Iowa Colleges . . . November 12, 1962 . 14 . January 11, 2020 . .
  2. News: . Bronchs Top Final NAIA Poll . . . . November 23, 1962 . 26 . June 5, 2023 . .
  3. News: Parsons Sets 4 Records, Ties Mark of 17 in Row. The Des Moines Register. Buck Turnbull. November 16, 1962. 20. Newspapers.com.
  4. News: Parsons' Craddock Top Scorer In NAIA. Saturday Times-Democrat. November 17, 1962. 3. Newspapers.com.
  5. News: Craddock, Boals Make All-America. The Cedar Rapids Gazette. December 5, 1962. 2D. Newspapers.com.
  6. Web site: Nate Craddock Stats. Sports Reference LLC. Pro-Football-Reference.com. July 30, 2021.
  7. News: Parsons Places Five Players on All-Star Team. Iowa City Press-Citizen. November 20, 1962. 10. Newspapers.com.