The1943 North Texas Aggies football team represented North Texas Agricultural College (NTAC)—now known as theUniversity of Texas at Arlington—as an independent during the1943 college football season. In their ninth year under head coachKlepto Holmes, the Aggies compiled a 3–4–1 record and were ranked at No. 69 among the nation's college and military service teams in the final1943 Litkenhous Ratings.[1]
Prior toWorld War II, the North Texas Aggies were a junior college team that did not compete at the highest level in football. During the war, the school became a military training center, and the football team was rebuilt withUnited States Marine Corps trainees. Texas columnist Flem R. Hall in September 1943 described the Aggies as aCinderella team that went "from rags to riches" when the Marine Corps waved a magic wand that sent players from major Texas universities "tumbling onto" the Aggies'Arlington campus. Hall continued: "The unknown kitchen maid became the queen of the ball and won the prince."[2]
The Aggies gained 11 players who were transferred fromTCU, including tailbackPete Stout, center James Woodfin, Sam Weatherford, and Don Hughes. Other notable transferees included fullback Howard "Red" Maley, tackle Burnie Smith, blocking back "Peck" McMinn and center Jim Sid Wright (all fromSMU); lineman Harold Crossen, Doyle Caraway, James Reid, lineman P. A. Wynn and Joe Beavers (all fromTexas Tech).[2][3][4][5]
^abFlem Hall (September 15, 1943)."The Sport Tide".Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 21.Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. RetrievedApril 26, 2023.
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