Iowa Hawkeyes football
| Iowa Hawkeyes football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| File:Iowa logo.svg | |||
| First season | 1889 | ||
| Head coach | 15th season, 100–75 (.571) | ||
| Stadium | Kinnick Stadium (capacity: 70,585) | ||
| Field surface | Field Turf | ||
| Location | Iowa City, Iowa | ||
| League | NCAA Division I |(FBS) | ||
| Division | Legends | ||
| Past conferences | Independent (1889–1891; 1897–1899) Western Interstate University Football Association (1892–1896) Missouri Valley Conference (1907–1910) | ||
| All-time record | 598–531–39 (.529) | ||
| Bowl record | 14–11–1 (.558) | ||
| Claimed national titles | 1 | ||
| Conference titles | 13 | ||
| Heisman winners | 1 | ||
| Consensus All-Americans | 22 | ||
| Current uniform | |||
| File:BigTen-Uniform-Iowa.png | |||
| Colors | Black and Gold | ||
| Fight song | Iowa Fight Song | ||
| Mascot | Herky the Hawk | ||
| Marching band | Hawkeye Marching Band | ||
| Rivals | Iowa State Cyclones Minnesota Golden Gophers Nebraska Cornhuskers Wisconsin Badgers | ||
| Website | Iowa Hawkeyes football | ||
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The team is currently coached by Kirk Ferentz.
The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) member of the NCAA. Since 2011, Iowa has competed in the Big Ten's Legends Division. The Hawkeyes play their home games at Kinnick Stadium, with a capacity of 70,585.
History
Football was first played as a club sport at Iowa in 1872, with intramural games against other colleges played as early as 1882, but it was not until 1889 that the University of Iowa first officially recognized a varsity football team. In 1899, Iowa completed its first undefeated football season, which led to an invitation to join the Western Conference, now known as the Big Ten Conference, the following year. In 1900, the Hawkeyes secured another undefeated season and won a share of the Western Conference title in their first year in the league. In 1907 Iowa helped form the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association. They participated in football in the league, while still holding membership in the Big Ten Conference. Iowa would tie with Nebraska in 1907 for the league championship. They would leave the conference after the 1910 football season.[1]
Iowa claimed consecutive Big Ten titles in 1921 and 1922. The Hawkeyes won 20 straight games in the early 1920s under the guidance of Hall of Fame coach Howard Jones. Jones soon left Iowa and established a powerhouse at Southern California, and the Hawkeyes were abysmal for most of the 1930s. As a result, little was expected of Iowa’s 1939 team, led by new coach Eddie Anderson. Nicknamed the “Ironmen”, the 1939 Hawkeyes scored several upset victories and vaulted into the national rankings. Though Iowa fell a game short of the Big Ten title, team MVP Nile Kinnick won almost every major national award, including the 1939 Heisman Trophy.
Forest Evashevski was hired as Iowa’s head coach in 1952. He lured Calvin Jones to Iowa, where Jones became the first Hawkeye – and the first African-American – to win the Outland Trophy in 1955. From 1956 to 1960, Evashevski led Iowa to four finishes in the top five of the national rankings, three Big Ten Conference titles, two Rose Bowl victories, and the 1958 FWAA national championship. After the 1960 season, Evashevski left coaching to become Iowa’s athletic director. The result was nineteen consecutive non-winning seasons for the Hawkeyes from 1962 to 1980.
Four head coaches after Evashevski were hired and left without success. Hall of Fame coach Hayden Fry was hired after the 1978 season to try to reverse Iowa’s fortunes. After decades of losing, Fry revived the Iowa program. In 20 years at Iowa, he led the Hawks to 14 bowl games, three Big Ten titles, and three Rose Bowl appearances. Fry retired in 1998, turning the program over to former assistant Kirk Ferentz. Ferentz led Iowa to three consecutive top ten finishes from 2002 to 2004 and two Big Ten titles. The Hawkeyes have played in eight bowl games in the past nine seasons and in 22 bowl games over the last 29 seasons. Iowa has cracked the top 25 at the end of the season five times during the Kirk Ferentz era - No. 8 in 2002–04, No. 20 in 2008, and No. 7 in 2009. Iowa began its 122nd season of football, and its 111th season in the Big Ten, in 2010. Among the legends that Fry left behind is the iconic pink visitors locker room, as well as a statement he made the day he started as Iowa Head Coach that he would take the team to a bowl game within four years, or he would step down. He would not only succeed in his boast, by sending Iowa to the 1982 Rose Bowl, he would do it in three years, coming in one year under his statement.
The "Lean" years
Iowa has had several successful coaches. Forest Evashevski won the Rose Bowl twice when he coached from 1952 through the 1960 season, when he retired. Hayden Fry came to Iowa in 1979. Kirk Ferentz coached after Hayden Fry retired after the 1998 season. In the 18 years between Evashevski and Fry, the Hawkeyes went without a single winning season.
After Evashevski retired, Jerry Burns coached from 1961 though 1965. He had a 16-27-2 record. Ray Nagel followed from 1966-1970 with a 16-32-2 record. Frank Lauterbur followed, coaching from 1971 -1973 with a 4-28-1 record, with a 0-11 record in 1973. Bob Commings coached the Hawkeyes from 1974-1978. His record was 18 wins and 37 losses.
Ray Nagel finally won a game in his last year of coaching. He was quoted, “You can beat an egg, you can beat a rug, but you can’t beat a win.” This quote probably showed the sense of relief the coach felt for finally winning a game.
All-time record vs. Big Ten opponents
This is the Hawkeyes football record against current Big Ten Conference opponents, since joining in 1900.
| School | Total Games | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | First Year | Last Year | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 69 | 29 | 38 | 2 | .435 | 1027 | 1346 | 1899 | 2008 | Lost 1 |
| Indiana | 74 | 42 | 28 | 4 | .595 | 1676 | 1210 | 1912 | 2012 | Lost 1 |
| Michigan | 58 | 13 | 41 | 4 | .259 | 817 | 1441 | 1900 | 2012 | Lost 1 |
| Michigan State | 44 | 23 | 19 | 2 | .545 | 864 | 937 | 1954 | 2012 | Won 1 |
| Minnesota | 106 | 43 | 61 | 2 | .415 | 1770 | 2374 | 1891 | 2012 | Won 1 |
| Nebraska | 43 | 12 | 28 | 3 | .314 | 442 | 658 | 1891 | 2012 | Lost 5 |
| Northwestern | 74 | 47 | 24 | 3 | .655 | 1858 | 1076 | 1897 | 2012 | Lost 1 |
| Ohio State | 63 | 14 | 46 | 3 | .246 | 876 | 1643 | 1922 | 2010 | Lost 4 |
| Penn State | 25 | 12 | 13 | 0 | .480 | 420 | 594 | 1930 | 2012 | Lost 2 |
| Purdue | 83 | 34 | 46 | 3 | .428 | 1381 | 1597 | 1910 | 2012 | Lost 1 |
| Wisconsin | 86 | 42 | 42 | 2 | .500 | 1468 | 1512 | 1894 | 2010 | Lost 1 |
| 11 Opponents | 725 | 311 | 386 | 28 | .448 | 12,599 | 14,388 | 1900 | 2012 | 113 Seasons |
The University of Chicago was a Big Ten Conference member from 1896-1946.
| School | Total Games | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | First Year | Last Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 14 | 3 | 9 | 2 | .286 | 106 | 243 | 1894 | 1938 |
The University of Maryland and Rutgers University will be joining the Big Ten Conference in 2014. The Hawkeyes have yet to play either team.
| School | Iowa Record | Streak | 1st Meeting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 0–0–0 | N/A | 2014 |
| Rutgers | 0–0–0 | N/A | 2016 |
Championships and rankings
National championships
Iowa finished the 1958 regular season ranked #2 in the AP poll, behind 11–0 Louisiana State, although that vote was taken before the bowl games. Iowa convincingly won the 1959 Rose Bowl, 38–12, setting or tying six Rose Bowl records. The Football Writers Association of America gave their national championship trophy, the Grantland Rice Trophy, to Iowa.
| Year | Coach | Selector | Record | Bowl Game |
| 1958 | Forest Evashevski | Football Writers Association of America | 8–1–1 | Rose Bowl |
Conference championships
Iowa has won 13 major conference championships in school history. Iowa was a member of the Western Interstate University Football Association prior to joining the Western Conference, now known as the Big Ten Conference, in 1900. Iowa was also a member of the Missouri Valley Conference from 1907-1910. Iowa currently claims 11 Big Ten Conference championships:
| Year | Coach | Conference Record | Overall Record | Outright/Shared | Bowl Game |
| 1896 | Alfred E. Bull1 | 3–0–1 | 7–1–1 | Outright | |
| 1900 | Alden Knipe | 2–0–1 | 7–0–1 | Shared | |
| 1907 | Mark Catlin, Sr.2 | 1–0–0 | 3–2–0 | Shared | |
| 1921 | Howard Jones | 5–0–0 | 7–0–0 | Outright | |
| 1922 | Howard Jones | 5–0–0 | 7–0–0 | Shared | |
| 1956 | Forest Evashevski | 5–1–0 | 9–1–0 | Outright | Won Rose Bowl |
| 1958 | Forest Evashevski | 5–1–0 | 8–1–1 | Outright | Won Rose Bowl |
| 1960 | Forest Evashevski | 5–1–0 | 8–1–0 | Shared | |
| 1981 | Hayden Fry | 6–2–0 | 8–4–0 | Shared | Lost Rose Bowl |
| 1985 | Hayden Fry | 7–1–0 | 10–2–0 | Outright | Lost Rose Bowl |
| 1990 | Hayden Fry | 6–2–0 | 8–4–0 | Shared | Lost Rose Bowl |
| 2002 | Kirk Ferentz | 8–0–0 | 11–2–0 | Shared | Lost Orange Bowl |
| 2004 | Kirk Ferentz | 7–1–0 | 10–2–0 | Shared | Won Capital One Bowl |
| 11-time Big Ten Champions | |||||
1 Iowa was a member of the Western Interstate University Football Association.
2 Iowa was a member of the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association.[2]
Appearances in the final Associated Press Poll
Iowa has made 297 appearances in the Associated Press poll over 37 seasons, including 115 weeks in the top 10.[3] Iowa has finished the year ranked in the final Associated Press poll of the season 21 times:
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The Forgotten Season
In 1960 the Hawkeyes held on to the #1 ranking for much of the season. The Hawkeyes defeated #8 Ohio State, #15 Michigan State, and #10 Purdue. Iowa lost to rival #3 Minnesota. The game was the only loss of the year for the 1960 Hawkeyes and the shared the Big Ten title with Minnesota. However, at that time, the Big Ten did not allow their teams to go to any bowl except for the Rose Bowl. As such, Minnesota was picked over Iowa to go to Pasadena and Iowa was left out, despite a #2 ranking in the Coaches' Poll and a #3 ranking in the AP. Minnesota went on to win the National Championship. This season is known as the "Forgotten Season", for despite ending the season with a #2/3 ranking and a share of the Big Ten title, the Hawks were left out of January play.[4]
All-time records
Season records
The Hawkeyes began playing football as a club sport in 1872, and began playing intramural games against other colleges in 1882, but it was not until 1889 when Iowa challenged Iowa College to an interscholastic varsity football game. Since then, the Hawkeyes have played over 1,100 games, including 26 bowl games.
Head coaching records
Bowl games
Iowa has appeared in 26 bowl games, including 24 bowl games since 1982. In bowl games, Iowa has a 14–11–1 record:
| Date | Bowl | W/L | Opponent | PF | PA |
| January 1, 1957 | Rose Bowl | W | Oregon State | 35 | 19 |
| January 1, 1959 | Rose Bowl | W | California | 38 | 12 |
| January 1, 1982 | Rose Bowl | L | Washington | 0 | 28 |
| December 31, 1982 | Peach Bowl | W | Tennessee | 28 | 22 |
| December 30, 1983 | Gator Bowl | L | Florida | 6 | 14 |
| December 16, 1984 | Freedom Bowl | W | Texas | 55 | 17 |
| January 1, 1986 | Rose Bowl | L | UCLA | 28 | 45 |
| December 30, 1986 | Holiday Bowl | W | San Diego State | 39 | 38 |
| December 30, 1987 | Holiday Bowl | W | Wyoming | 20 | 19 |
| December 31, 1988 | Peach Bowl | L | North Carolina State | 23 | 28 |
| January 1, 1991 | Rose Bowl | L | Washington | 34 | 46 |
| December 30, 1991 | Holiday Bowl | T | BYU | 13 | 13 |
| December 31, 1993 | Alamo Bowl | L | California | 3 | 37 |
| December 29, 1995 | Sun Bowl | W | Washington | 38 | 18 |
| December 29, 1996 | Alamo Bowl | W | Texas Tech | 27 | 0 |
| December 31, 1997 | Sun Bowl | L | Arizona State | 7 | 17 |
| December 29, 2001 | Alamo Bowl | W | Texas Tech | 19 | 16 |
| January 2, 2003 | Orange Bowl | L | Southern California | 17 | 38 |
| January 1, 2004 | Outback Bowl | W | Florida | 37 | 17 |
| January 1, 2005 | Capital One Bowl | W | LSU | 30 | 25 |
| January 2, 2006 | Outback Bowl | L | Florida | 24 | 31 |
| December 29, 2006 | Alamo Bowl | L | Texas | 24 | 26 |
| January 1, 2009 | Outback Bowl | W | South Carolina | 31 | 10 |
| January 5, 2010 | Orange Bowl | W | Georgia Tech | 24 | 14 |
| December 28, 2010 | Insight Bowl | W | Missouri | 27 | 24 |
| December 30, 2011 | Insight Bowl | L | Oklahoma | 14 | 31 |
| Total | 26 Bowl Games | 14-11-1 | 641 | 605 |
Notable games
1953 #20 Iowa vs #9 Notre Dame
On Nov. 21, 1953 undefeated and #1 Notre Dame were set to face the Hawkeyes in South Bend. The score was 0-0 when, in the first quarter, Iowa defensive back Dusty Rice intercepted the Irish. The Hawkeyes drove the ball 72-yards for an Iowa touchdown and a 7-0 lead. With only 2 seconds left in the first half, Irish tackle Frank Varrichione fell down with an injury. This stopped the clock (Notre Dame had no time outs left). Varrichione went in that same play and the Irish scored on a touchdown pass to Dan Shannon, to tie the game 7-7 at the half. With the score still deadlocked late into the fourth quarter, Iowa intercepted a pass on their own 48-yard line. The Hawkeyes then scored on a touchdown pass to end Frank Gilliam to give the Hawkeyes a 14-7 lead with 2:06 left in the game, with Notre Dame having no time outs remaining. With only 6 seconds left and the clock ticking away Frank Varrichione came down with another injury which stopped the clock (again he went back in that very same play). Notre Dame then scored a touchdown to tie the game up and stay unbeaten. After the game, sportswriters such as Grantland Rice and others were infuriated calling it unfair, and the Irish earned the label: "The Fainting Irish of Notre Dame". Iowa head coach Forest Evashevski said after the game: "When the One Great Scorer comes to write against our name, He won't write whether we won or lost, but how come we got gypped at Notre Dame". The Hawkeyes, who were ranked #20 before the game, jumped teams with better records to gain the #9 ranking. Varrichione has since admitted that the injuries were fake, in Steve Delsohn’s book, TALKING IRISH. In addition, Notre Dame Heisman winner Johnny Lattner praised his team's tactics calling it "Pretty smart thinking, wasn't it?".[5] Because of this game, the NCAA changed the rules making players sit out at least one down before returning to the game.
1959 Rose Bowl
With the conclusion of this game, Iowa won its first, and only, National Championship. The game was lopsided and by the end of the third quarter, with a 22-6 advantage over the California Golden Bears, Iowa could smell victory. The championship, however, is disputed. The AP, whose poll came out before the bowl games, had picked LSU as their National Champion. In addition, the 1958 LSU team refused to play teams with any African Americans[citation needed], leaving fewer and inferior available opponents. Because of these facts, many feel the Iowa Hawkeyes rightfully own the 1958 National Championship.[6]
1981 #7 Nebraska vs Iowa
Official recap—There weren't many among the 60,160 who jammed Iowa's Kinnick Stadium who thought they were watching a matchup of the eventual Midwest entries in the Rose and Orange Bowls. There probably weren't a whole lot more who thought Iowa would avenge a 57-0 slaughter the Hawkeyes had suffered in Lincoln the year before. However, Iowa took advantage of excellent field position to jump to a 10-0 first-half lead, then held on to win a 10-7 stunner over the seventh-ranked Huskers.
The Hawkeye defense held the Huskers to their lowest total offense output of the season — 234 yards — and stopped the Nebraska offense three straight times in Iowa territory after Roger Craig's one-yard TD had pulled the Huskers within 10-7 early in the final period. NU was stymied in the fourth quarter by a missed 30-yard field goal, a fumble, and Lou King's diving interception, which secured Iowa's victory with 39 seconds remaining.
In the first half, the Hawkeyes capitalized on a short punt and an interception to set up a two-yard TD run by Eddie Phillips and a 35-yard field goal by Lon Olejniczak. Meanwhile, the Huskers were held scoreless through three quarters for the first time since 1973 and didn't get out of their own territory until late in the second period, partly because of Iowa punter Reggie Roby's 50-plus yard average. NU quarterbacks Mark Maurer and Nate Mason completed only 8-of-18 passes for 81 yards and rushed 12 times for minus-2 yards.
Iowa used its upset win as a launching pad to defeat such teams as UCLA, Michigan and Purdue and post its first winning season since 1961.[7]
“At this minute, this is the greatest victory of my life," Iowa coach Hayden Fry said. "I’m getting to be an old man and I don’t want to hurt any of my other teams that pulled off some upsets. But while I’ve been at Iowa, this is far and away the greatest victory.
“If you stay with this game long enough, the worm is bound to turn. Don’t think we didn’t earn this one, either. We did it fair and square, plus we showed a lot of character.” [8]
1985 #2 Michigan vs #1 Iowa
The Hawkeyes trailed 10-9 late in the fourth quarter, in what may be considered the greatest game ever played at Kinnick Stadium. Iowa got the ball, with 5:27 left, on their own 22-yard line. Led by their All-American Quarterback, Chuck Long, Iowa drove the ball to the Michigan 12-yard line. As the clock expired, kicker Rob Houghtlin sent one through the uprights, to give Iowa the win. The Hawkeyes would go on to accept an invitation to the 1986 Rose Bowl.[9]
2003 #15 Miami (OH) vs #12 Iowa
RedHawks were led by their Heisman Trophy hopeful, and future two time Super Bowl Champion, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Hawkeyes defeated the Redhawks, 21-3. However, the game is significant in that the Hawkeyes held Roethlisberger to no touchdown passes. In addition, the Hawkeyes, intercepted this future NFL great a total of 4 times. The RedHawks went unbeaten after the loss to Iowa. However, that loss kept them out of a BCS Bowl Game and Roethlisberger out of Heisman contention.[10]
2005 Capital One Bowl Iowa vs. LSU ("The Catch")
The game has gone down in Hawkeye history known simply as "The Catch". Iowa was set to play the defending National Champion LSU Tigers. Despite leading the entire game, Iowa found itself down 24-25 and got the ball with only 46 seconds left on the clock. With only a few seconds left in the game, Iowa found itself on their own 44-yard line facing a 2nd and 6. Iowa Quarterback Drew Tate threw the ball 56 yards to Warren Holloway for an Iowa touchdown that gave the Hawkeyes a 30-25 victory over Nick Saban's defending champion Tigers. The touchdown was Holloway's first and only career touchdown.[11]
2008 #3 Penn State vs. Iowa
The undefeated Penn State Nittany Lions came into the game ranked #3 in the country with hopes of a BCS national championship. The Hawkeyes, on the other hand, were 5-4 and coming off a tough loss at Illinois. The Hawkeyes jumped out to an early lead following a Penn State fumble on their first drive, but the Nittany Lions would come back to take a 13-7 lead into halftime. With less than four minutes left in the game, and trailing 23-21, Iowa strong safety Tyler Sash intercepted Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark's pass inside Iowa territory. The Hawkeyes drove to within field goal range where kicker Daniel Murray made a 31-yard field goal with :01 left to play. Iowa would go on to win 24-23 and hand Penn State it's only regular season loss of the year. The Hawkeyes would go on to beat South Carolina in the Outback Bowl. The win would be the first in a 13-game winning streak for Iowa stretching into the 2009 season.
Individual honors
Retired numbers
| Iowa Hawkeyes retired numbers | ||||
| No. | Player | Position | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Nile Kinnick | QB | 1936-39 | |
| 62 | Cal Jones | OG | 1952-55 | |
Over the course of the team's history, individual Hawkeye players of exceptional ability have received many accolades. Iowa has had several players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame, Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and Iowa Sports Hall of Fame. Individual Hawkeyes have won many prestigious national awards, including the Outland Trophy, the Davey O'Brien Award, Doak Walker Award, and the Heisman Trophy. 96 Hawkeyes have been named a first-team or second-team All-American, and 22 have been named consensus first-team All-Americans.
The Iowa Hawkeyes have had ten players win the Big Ten Most Valuable Player Award, and 226 Hawks have earned All-Big Ten recognition. Iowa has had 268 NFL draft picks, and several former Hawkeye players have gone on to become NFL head coaches or Division I college head coaches.
The only two players to have their numbers retired by the Hawkeye football program are Nile Kinnick #24 and Cal Jones #62. Kinnick won the University of Iowa's only Heisman Trophy in 1939, while Jones was the first African-American to win the Outland Trophy in 1955. Neither Kinnick, or Jones saw the retirement of their numbers, having died long before, Kinnick's number 24 was retired in 1972, 30 years after his death in a training accident in the Caribbean (the same year that Iowa Stadium changed its name to Kinnick Stadium), and Jones number 62 was retired in 1985, 30 years after his death in a plane crash near Hope, British Columbia, Canada.
Heisman voting
Ten Hawkeyes have finished in the top ten for the Heisman Trophy. Iowa has only one winner, four have come in second.[12]
| Season | Player | Heisman Finish |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | Nile Kinnick | First |
| 1955 | Cal Jones | Tenth |
| 1956 | Ken Ploen | Ninth |
| 1957 | Alex Karras | Second |
| 1958 | Randy Duncan | Second |
| 1984 | Chuck Long | Seventh |
| 1985 | Chuck Long | Second |
| 1997 | Tim Dwight | Seventh |
| 2002 | Brad Banks | Second |
| 2008 | Shonn Greene | Sixth |
Current Iowa Hawkeyes football team
Current coaching staff
| Name | Position | Seasons | Alma Mater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirk Ferentz | Head Coach | 15 | Connecticut (1978) |
| Greg Davis | Offensive Coordinator/ Quarterbacks Coach | 2 | McNeese State (1977) |
| Phil Parker | Defensive Coordinator | 15 | Michigan State (1986) |
| Bobby Kennedy | Wide Receivers Coach | 1 | Northern Colorado (1989) |
| Brian Ferentz | Offensive Line Coach | 2 | Iowa (2006) |
| Eric Johnson | Defensive Line Coach/ Recruiting Coordinator | 15 | Vanderbilt (1995) |
| Reese Morgan | Defensive Line Coach | 14 | Wartburg College |
| Jim Reid | Defensive Assistant | 1 | Maine (1973) |
| Chris White | Running Backs and Special Teams | 1 | Colby College (1990) |
| LeVar Woods | Linebackers Coach | 6 | Iowa (2000) |
| Chris Doyle | Strength and Conditioning | 15 | Boston University (1990) |
Uniforms
Iowa's home jersey black with white numerals, with gold and white stripes on the sleeves. The away jersey is white with black numerals, and gold stripes on the sleeves. Player's names are located above the numerals on the back of the jersey. Gold pants with a black stripe are worn with both the home and away jersey. Iowa's helmets are black with a black facemask. They also have a gold stripe and the gold Iowa Hawkeye's logo included on both sides of the helmet.
In 1979, Hayden Fry helped to create the Tiger hawk, the logo seen on Iowa's football helmets. Since both teams shared the colors of black and gold, Fry gained permission from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the dominant NFL program of the 1970s, to overhaul Iowa’s uniforms in the Steelers’ image. Fry's idea was that if the team were going to act like winners, they first needed to dress like winners. Fry had originally asked Steelers Defensive Tackle "Mean" Joe Greene for a replica helmet and home jersey; Greene was able to send Fry to one of the team owners, and three days later, the owners sent Fry reproduction copies of the home and away uniform of Steeler Quarterback Terry Bradshaw, making Iowa one of only a few schools to use the uniform scheme of an NFL team. Although the uniforms appear the same, there are subtle differences, mainly in the scheme of the white away jerseys, the Steeler jerseys have the players names in yellow, while the Hawkeyes use black.
The Hawkeyes have removed the Tiger hawks three times, and the single gold stripe from their game helmets as a symbolic gesture of mourning. The first instance was on November 2, 1991, in recognition of the six victims of a fatal campus shooting. The second occasion was for a December 29, 1996, appearance in the Alamo Bowl. It served to commemorate the family of linebacker Mark Mitchell, who were involved in a fatal vehicle accident while en route to the game. The accident resulted in the death of Mitchell's mother and severe injuries to his father and two brothers.[14] Third, the most recent being on Veterans' Day 2011 when they used a red, white, and blue tiger hawk on one side and left the other side blank in honor of our fallen heroes against Michigan. All three games resulted in Iowa victories.
The Iowa Athletic Director has okayed only four stickers on the helmets over the last thirty years, the first, in 1984, when a gold disk appeared, with the black letters "ANF," Which stands for America Needs Farmers, this sticker has remained in place since it was first placed onto the helmet. The second was a small black sticker on the back of the helmet, with white letters that spelled out "EVY," the nickname of legendary Iowa head coach, and Athletic Director, Forest Evasheski, to commemorate his passing in 2009. The third was in memory of Iowa high school football coaching legend Ed Thomas, who was tragically killed in his team's weight room by a former player. A small gold sticker with the black letters "FFF" placed near the crown of the helmet represents Faith, Family, Football, a motto Coach Thomas preached to his players to represent what his players priorities should be not only through the season, but throughout life. And the fourth, and most recent being a small green sticker, with the number 30 on it to honor former Hawkeye Safety Brett Greenwood, who, at that time, had fallen into a coma while lifting weights at Pleasant Valley High School.
Kinnick Stadium
Kinnick Stadium, formerly known as Iowa Stadium, is the home stadium of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City, Iowa. It opened as Iowa Stadium in 1929; prior to that time, Iowa played its home games at Iowa Field. Iowa Stadium was renamed Kinnick Stadium in 1972 in honor of Nile Kinnick, the 1939 Heisman Trophy winner and the only Heisman winner in university history, who died in service during World War II. It currently holds up to 70,585 people, making it the 27th largest college football stadium in America and the 86th largest sports stadium in the world.
Rivalries
Iowa State, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin are Iowa's rivals.
Iowa State
Iowa plays Iowa State annually for the Cy-Hawk Trophy, which began in 1977. The teams first meeting was in 1894, in which Iowa State won 16-8. The teams quit meeting after the 1934 season until they renewed their rivalry in 1977. It was in 1977 when the tradition of the Cy-Hawk Trophy began, when the Des Moines Athletic Club donated a trophy dedicated to the rivlary. It was quickly dubbed the "Cy-Hawk Trophy". Iowa leads the overall series 39-21, and Iowa also leads the trophy series 23-13. According to Cyclone fans on Cyclonefanatic.com, the game versus the Hawkeyes is often dubbed the Cyclones' "Superbowl," as they consistently circle the date against Iowa on their calendars every year.
Minnesota
Iowa plays Minnesota annually for the Floyd of Rosedale, which is Iowa's oldest trophy that began in 1935. The teams first meeting was in 1891, in which Minnesota won 42-4. Minnesota leads the overall series 61-43-2, and also leads the trophy series 41-35-2. Floyd of Rosedale was created in 1935 after Minnesota Governor Floyd Olson bet a prize pig that the Gophers would win the game, a goal which the Gophers would accomplish that year. After the death of the pig, its image was cast in bronze, and the Floyd of Rosedale trophy was created.
Nebraska
Iowa plays Nebraska annually for the Heroes Trophy, which began with Nebraska's
Big Ten Conference in 2011. The teams' first meeting was in 1891, which Iowa won 22-0. Nebraska leads the all-time series 28-12-3, and also leads the trophy series 2-0.
Wisconsin
Iowa has played Wisconsin for the Heartland Trophy since 2004. Since 2011, the Hawkeyes and Badgers no longer compete every year since they are in opposite divisions due to the entrance of Nebraska into the Big Ten Conference. The rivalry is one of the longest and closest rivalries in college football history being tied at 42-42-2. Iowa leads the trophy series 4-3.
Traditions
Lovely Lafayette: Here Come The Hawks!
In properly lining up historically similar conference programs, the Big Ten established the following annually guaranteed matchups that pair programs of similar national clout and stature over time, beginning with top-tier yearly matchups of Michigan vs. Ohio State and Nebraska vs. Penn State; the second-tier matchups of Indiana vs. Michigan State and Purdue vs. Iowa; and the third-tier matchups of Wisconsin vs. Minnesota and Illinois vs. Northwestern.[15]
Songs
Iowa's official fight song is the Iowa Fight Song which is sung by the marching band and the fans. Iowa's school song is On Iowa. Iowa also plays a third fight song, entitled Roll Along Iowa. After victories the band plays "In Heaven There Is No Beer".
Mascot
Iowa's mascot is Herky the Hawk, a black and gold caricature of a Hawk. Herky was created as a cartoon in 1948, and first appeared at a sporting event in 1959. Herky was actually named after the Greek God Hercules. The term "Hawkeye" originally appeared in the book The Last of the Mohicans and was later used in its plural form to describe the people of Iowa. The University of Iowa adopted this as the nickname for its athletic teams.
Hawkeye Marching Band
Originally founded in 1881, the Hawkeye Marching Band now performs at all Iowa Hawkeye home football games. The band also travels with the team to usually one away game per year and any post-season bowl games.
Gameday traditions
- Herky Plants the Flag
Before the game is about to start, Herky, Iowa's mascot, "surfs" on a platform carried onto the field by four cheerleaders. Herky jumps off the platform and runs around the field waving the Iowa flag before planting it firmly in the turf at the 50-yard line. This draws a very enthusiastic reaction from the crowd.
- The Swarm
Hayden Fry introduced "the swarm" upon his arrival at Iowa in 1979. When entering Kinnick Stadium, players jog slowly onto the field, hands locked and with the captains in front. It is designed to show the team's unity as they take the field as a group.
- I-O-W-A
The Hawkeye team is led onto the field by four giant black and gold flags, spelling I-O-W-A. Each flag then moves to the four corners of the field. After every Hawkeye touchdown, fans in the four corners of the field, initially aided by the flags, spell out I-O-W-A.
- Hawkeye Victory Polka
After every Hawkeye victory, the Hawkeye Marching Band plays the Hawkeye Victory Polka, the band's adaptation of the polka song, "In Heaven There Is No Beer". Many Hawkeye fans sing along as well. After losses, only the Iowa Fight Song is played.
- Back In Black
Before the Hawkeyes enter the field, the stadium plays "Back in Black" by AC/DC and the video board shows the Hawkeye football players walking from the locker room to the field entrance.
- Enter Sandman
The Hawkeyes enter the field to the song "Enter Sandman" by Metallica. The big screen shows Iowa's equipment semi running into the opposing team's logo as the Hawks swarm onto the field.
- Imperial March
The Hawkeye Marching Band will perform the "Imperial March" after the Iowa defense forces a 4th down, while the fans clap in an up and down motion, imitating the beak of a Hawk chomping.
- Hell's Bells
When the Iowa defense forces a third down, the ominous gong sounds from the beginning of AC/DC's "Hell's Bells" are played to incite a reaction from the fans.
- SHOES
A recent tradition started by students to take off their shoes and wave them in the air for kickoff (instead of taking out their keys).[16]
Iowa and the NFL
Current NFL players
Pro Hall of Fame
Three Hawkeyes have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame:[17]
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NFL draft picks
Iowa has had at least one player drafted in every NFL Draft since 1978. Through the 2013 NFL Draft, Iowa has had 269 draft picks. 241 in the NFL, 21 in the AFL, and 7 in the AAFC (the AFC and AAFC both merged with the NFL). and 72 players have gone in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. Iowa has had 19 first round NFL Draft selections:[18]
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NFL coaches
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Future non-conference opponents
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| vs Northern Iowa | vs Illinois State | vs Miami (Ohio) | at Iowa State | vs Iowa State |
| vs Ball State | at Iowa State | vs Iowa State | vs North Texas | vs Northern Illinois |
| vs Iowa State | vs Pittsburgh | vs North Dakota State | ||
| at Pittsburgh | vs North Texas |
References
- ^ http://bigeightsports.com/Schools/Iowa/Football/IowaFootball.htm
- ^ http://bigeightsports.com/Sports/Football/FootballChampionships.htm
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.enotes.com/topic/1960_Iowa_Hawkeyes_football_team
- ^ http://www.leatherhelmetillus.com/v_four_fainting/faint.html
- ^ http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/football/29381-iowa-1958-national-champion.html
- ^ http://www.uskermax.com/games/1981/01iowa.html
- ^ http://thegazette.com/2008/04/14/iowa-gets-revenge-hawks-stun-nebraska-before-record-crowd/
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLzSpaEnA64
- ^ http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=232422294
- ^ http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/playbyplay?gameId=250012294&period=4
- ^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/features/si50/states/iowa/
- ^ http://www.hawkeyesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/staff.html
- ^ 1996 Alamo Bowl
- ^ http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/090110aaa.html
- ^ http://iowahawksnest.com/traditions/
- ^ http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/colleges.aspx
- ^ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/iowa/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/Factbook11.pdf
Additional sources
- 75 Years With The Fighting Hawkeyes, by Bert McCrane & Dick Lamb (ASIN: B0007E01F8)
- 25 Years With The Fighting Hawkeyes, 1964–1988, by Al Grady (ASIN: B0006ES3GS)
- Hawkeye Legends, Lists, & Lore, by Mike Finn & Chad Leistikow (ISBN 1-57167-178-1)
- University of Iowa Football, by Chuck Bright (ISBN 0-87397-233-3)
- Black & Gold Memories, by George Wine (ISBN 0-615-12398-8)
- Greatest Moments In Iowa Hawkeyes Football History, by Mark Dukes & Gus Schrader (ISBN 1-57243-261-6)
- Tales From The Iowa Sidelines, by Ron Maly (ISBN 1-58261-574-8)
- Stadium Stories: Iowa Hawkeyes, by Buck Turnbull (ISBN 0-7627-3819-7)
External links
- Official Website on HawkeyeSports.com
- Iowa Hawkeyes Recruiting Website
- Hawkeye Football Camps Website