Jim Walden, who led the Iowa State football program from 1987 to 1994, died Thursday at the age of 88. Although his overall record at the helm of the Cyclones was 28-57-3, his ability to land major upsets while managing a program severely restricted by scholarship reductions inherited from the previous administration. Despite these challenges, his vibrant personality provided the Cyclone faithful with a sense of optimism during the lean early years of his tenure.
In 1989, Walden’s third year, the team defied expectations by finishing 6-5, marking the program’s first winning conference record since 1978. This achievement was particularly impressive given the team had only about 50 scholarship players available. Powered by quarterback Bret Oberg and star running back Blaise Bryant—who ran for 1,516 yards—the Cyclone offense was one of the most explosive in the school’s history, averaging 430 yards per contest.
While the 1989 team did not receive a bowl invitation due to the limited number of postseason games available at the time, Walden’s teams remained a dangerous opponent. He led the Cyclones to a historic 1990 victory over No. 16 Oklahoma, the program’s first win against the Sooners in 29 years, and defeated No. 18 Kansas State in 1993. His most legendary achievement occurred in 1992, when his 3-6 Cyclones stunned No. 7 Nebraska 19-10 by holding the powerful Husker offense to a mere 246 yards.
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“It may sound silly, but it was so true,” Walden recollected years later and republished in a press release. “Our offensive goal was to make a first down every time we had the ball. We were playing one of the best teams in the nation. With our limited amount of players and talent, we thought making a first down every drive would impress our fans and we could at least move the ball a little. Secondly, we wanted to kill the clock. And that part we did so well. It was just one of those magic days.”
At Washington State, where he earned Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors twice and led the Cougars to their first bowl appearance in over five decades. His coaching career began as an graduate assistant and then an assistant coach at Nebraska for four years under Bob Devaney during their 1970 and 1971 national title runs.
