The Miracle  that crossed the Nishna

As you read about Farragut football and Coach Hackett, consider this:

The Admirals finished the previous season ranked #1 in Iowa 6-Man football – the first of Coach Hackett’s four undefeated seasons.

They began the school year 1953-54 football season 6-0. 
The next week there was no game scheduled so “they stepped out of the ranks of six-man to play Hamburg in an eleven-man game.  With only one week of practice, the Ads tied Hamburg, 12-12. Since everyone favored the change, the Admirals will play eleven-man football in 1955.”  They finished the season with a record of 7-0-1 and were again ranked  #1 in Iowa 6-Man football.  This was Coach Hackett’s second undefeated team.

Only one week of practice

Throughout his Hall of Fame coaching career, Coach Hackett had many notable examples of his coaching skills and abilities to motivate players to perform to their fullest potential. 

The quick transition from 6-Man to 11-Man, presumably with practices on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before traveling to Hamburg on Friday for the game, most surely was near the top of his list of accomplishments.

Considering that his players were accustomed to playing within these rules:

Core 6-Man Rules

• Field Size: Played on an 80 by 40-yard field with 10-yard end zones, instead of the standard 100 by 50-yard layout.

• First Downs: The offense must gain 15 yards (instead of 10) in four downs to move the chains.

• Line of Scrimmage: Teams must have at least three players on the line of scrimmage at the snap.

• The "Clean Exchange" Rule: The player who takes the snap cannot run past the line of scrimmage unless the ball has been cleanly handed off, pitched, or passed to a teammate first.

• Eligible Receivers: All six players on the field are eligible to catch forward passes.

• Scoring Adjustments: Field goals are worth 4 points, a kicked point-after-touchdown (PAT) is worth 2 points, and a run or pass PAT is worth 1 point.

In limited time, he prepared his team to play a game on a larger field, with five additional players per team and rules vastly different than they were accustomed to.

What I would give to chat with one of these Admirals who participated in that game … better yet, to talk with Coach Hackett about this experience.

Ron Walter earned his football letter as a freshman member of that team and he went on to be a two-time All-State 11-Man football player.

Consider this:

After graduating from Farragut in 1957, Ron followed his older brother Marvin to Ames where he too, played football for the Cyclones.

Imagine what the Cyclones offensive line coach thought when he was presented with an offensive lineman who had begun his high school career playing 6-Man football (before transitioning to 11-Man during his junior and senior years); standing 6’-2” tall and weighing roughly 200 lbs.

But standing before him he also had kid from Farragut who was a State Champion in track:

1956   180-yard-low hurdles   21.0 seconds
1957   180-yard-low hurdles   21.3 seconds
1957   120-yard-high hurdles  15.8 seconds
1957   Shot Put  48 feet 5 inches

180-yard hurdle event:  8 hurdles - 30” high
(20 yards to the first, 20 yards between, 20 yards to finish line after last hurdle)

120-yard low hurdle event:  10 hurdles – 39” high
(15 yards to the first, 10 yards between, 15 yards to finish line after last hurdle)

Shot Put:  12 lbs.

My guess is the O-line coach was impressed with Ron’s strength, speed, quick feet and agility,