Randy Peterson

rpeterson@dmreg.com

Clay Stapleton, one of the best coaches in Iowa State football history, has died. He was 93.

Stapleton died at 2:20 a.m. in Marshall, Mo.

Stapleton's 42 victories in 10 seasons as the Cyclones' coach between 1958 and 1967 is second only to Dan McCarney's 56. The 95 games he coached in 10 seasons is second to McCarney's 141.

Stapleton's highlight season was in 1959, when he coached a team that became known as the "Dirty 30" to a 7-3 record – despite having just 30 healthy players.

That team got its name after beating Drake 41-0 on a muddy field. As the players walked into the locker room, trainer Warren Ariail hollered "here comes the Dirty 30."

The Cyclones were one victory shy of playing in the Orange Bowl that season, losing at Oklahoma 35-12, in the final game of the season.

Stapleton, Iowa State's athletic director between 1967-70, got revenge the following season, beating the Sooners 10-6. That remains the last time the Cyclones have beaten Oklahoma in Ames.

Those teams meet at 11 a.m. Saturday in Jack Trice Stadium.