Iowa football: 30 greatest players in Hawkeyes history
By Andrew Wade
Unless you’re a Hawkeyes’ history buff, you may not know the tale of Duke Slater, one of the greatest players to ever play for the black and gold.
Hailing from Clinton, Iowa, Slater played four years for the Iowa football program on the guidance of Howard Jones. Despite standing at just 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, Slater was downright dominant on the offensive line for the Hawks and was a monumental catalyst for one of the greatest seasons in history.
In his senior season, Slater protected All-American quarterback Aubrey Devine and paved the way for fullback Fred Lohman, as the Hawks went a perfect 7-0 and won the Big Ten Championship for the first time since 1900.
The diminutive tackle was a three-time First-Team All-Big Ten selection, two-time All-American, and when the Hawks were playing defense, he also starred on that side of the ball, too.
Duke Slater was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1951. He had such a big impact in the Iowa City community and for the University of Iowa that his name was one of the top choices considered when naming the football stadium.
While the stadium name went to Nile Kinnick, the University of Iowa ultimately named a residence hall after him called Slater Hall.
An argument could be made for Slater to be higher on this list but for now, he clocks in at 29th overall.