▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁previously ▁the ▁head ▁coach ▁at ▁Ohio ▁State ▁University ▁of ▁the ▁Big ▁Ten ▁Conference . ▁The ▁team ▁was ▁ 4 – 5 ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁and ▁ 3 – 7 ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁but ▁a ▁lack ▁of ▁civil ian ▁man power ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁season ▁due ▁to ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁forced ▁several ▁P CC ▁teams ▁to ▁put ▁their ▁programs ▁on ▁hi atus ▁in ▁September , ▁including ▁Id aho . ▁Schmidt ▁stayed ▁on ▁campus ▁and ▁assist ed ▁in ▁the ▁physical ▁training ▁of ▁troops , ▁but ▁his ▁health ▁w ors ened ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁and ▁he ▁died ▁in ▁a ▁Sp ok ane ▁hospital ▁in ▁September . ▁ ▁Al umn us ▁James ▁" B abe " ▁Brown ▁was ▁the ▁inter im ▁athlet ic ▁director ▁and ▁basketball ▁coach ▁during ▁the ▁war , ▁then ▁led ▁the ▁V and als ▁football ▁program ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁compiling ▁records ▁of ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁high ▁school ▁ranks ▁in ▁southern ▁Id aho ▁and ▁later ▁co ached ▁at ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁Id aho . ▁D ix ie ▁How ell , ▁a ▁former ▁star ▁running ▁back ▁at ▁Alabama ▁under ▁Frank ▁Thomas , ▁was ▁h ired ▁as ▁head ▁football ▁coach ▁at ▁Id aho ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁and ▁gu ided ▁the ▁usually - stru gg ling ▁V and als ▁to ▁a ▁prom ising ▁