Jerry Hilgenberg

Jerry Hilgenberg (April 9, 1931 – January 14, 2024) was an American football player and coach for the University of Iowa.

Wilton Junction did not even have a football program until his senior year, so Hilgenberg played just one season as a high school running back.

[2] He walked on to Leonard Raffensperger’s Iowa football team in 1950 as a quarterback but was quickly converted to the center and linebacker positions.

In his senior season in 1953, Iowa finished the year ranked in the top ten in the nation for the first time since the Ironmen in 1939.

[4] Jerry Hilgenberg played a large role in that, being named a first team All-American after the season.