george f. veenker compiled the highest overall and highest big ten winning percentages of any coach in school history during his three years as coach. he earned 1st(tied), 3rd and 2nd(tied) finishes during his three seasons, which included the 1928–29 conference championship. during veenker's first season his team compiled a 13–3 overall (10–2, big ten) record to win the conference, and veenker continues to be the only coach in school history to win a conference championship in his first season. the championship team, which finished tied with wisconsin, was captained by the school's third all-american ernie mccoy. veenker resigned to become the iowa state cyclones football head coach.