Iowa’s first three home games of 2014 now have official kickoff times set after the Big Ten announced them Wednesday afternoon.
The Hawkeyes’ season-opener on Aug. 30 against Northern Iowa will start at 11 a.m. Central and will be televised on the Big Ten Network. Meanwhile, the following two contests against Ball State on Sept. 6 and Iowa State on Sept. 13 will be 2:30 p.m. Central starts that are nationally televised. Iowa’s game against Ball State will air on ESPN2, while the annual Cy-Hawk Trophy battle will be televised on either ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.
With Wednesday’s announcement, Iowa now has six games with times set. Back in May, it was announced the Hawkeyes would have 11 a.m. Central contests against Purdue (Sept. 27), Indiana (Oct. 11) and Maryland (Oct. 18).
No announcement was made Wednesday regarding Iowa’s annual Heroes Game against Nebraska on Nov. 28. The start time for the Black Friday showdown had been announced in May each of the previous three years since Nebraska became a Big Ten member.
COMMENTARY: Iowa’s next B1G chapter (premium)
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
On Tuesday, the next chapter in a dramatic change of landscape in college sports commences. The Big Ten, which expanded to 12 institutions in 2011, will increase by two more when Maryland and Rutgers become official conference members.
From the Big Ten’s perspective, these additions mark a new beginning of sorts. Anyone associated with the conference’s long-standing members will have to re-evaluate their school’s ideals. By expanding to the Eastern shore, the Big Ten will now have more of a national brand than ever before and this national branding goes beyond football.
But let’s talk football since that’s the biggest moneymaker at most of the Big Ten’s institutions. Individually speaking, neither Maryland nor Rutgers will directly impact Iowa football. Neither team’s in the Hawkeyes’ division and once the league schedule increases to nine games in 2016, both teams will scarcely appear on Iowa’s schedule. If anything, the impact these two additions have on Iowa has more to do with the entire conference realigning its divisions by geography and allowing the Hawkeyes to play more of their natural conference rivals on an annual basis. On that front, it’s a good thing.
But one could make the argument the arrivals of Maryland and Rutgers will indirectly have an enormous impact on Iowa going forward. Again, the Big Ten is building more of a national brand, which means there’s going to be more attention placed on schools like Iowa than ever before.
Some (not all) of what would be considered “success” when it comes to Iowa football is no longer going to be the case. Consistently being an 8-win team that annually goes to bowl games and has an enormous fan following to such games isn’t going to matter like it once did. It might still matter to people in Iowa and many who are and have always been Hawkeye fans. But it’s not going to tip the scale nationally.
Here’s the other (perhaps greater) issue Iowa and its conference brethren will face — the role a 4-team college football playoff will now have on society. Just going to bowl games won’t matter like it did before. Iowa’s not only competing against other Big Ten teams. It’s essentially competing against everybody from all of the major conferences as well.
Consider this scenario: Iowa wins the Big Ten in 2014, but isn’t part of the 4-team playoff because the teams that win the ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC all finish higher in the polls and get selected instead. Now throw in that the Rose Bowl is one of the semifinal games this season and the Big Ten champion gets sent instead to the Cotton, Fiesta or Peach Bowls. Then let’s say over the following 11 years (there’s a 12-year agreement with the current format), Iowa has mostly winning seasons, but not a single conference championship or playoff appearance to its name.
If you’re an Iowa fan, how would you feel knowing that in one of the few instances where everything could fall into place for the Hawkeyes to win the Big Ten, they still get considered an afterthought nationally because they weren’t the national champion or even one of the other three playoff participants?
Sure, local interest would be sky-high. That will never change regardless of year. But let’s tie this back to the Big Ten wanting to become more national. If you’re not part of the biggest stage, then why is anyone in a place like New York City or Washington, D.C. suddenly going to care?
This already happens in basketball, which is why I don’t foresee adaptation being as big a concern there. The NCAA Tournament already exists. In Iowa, last year’s Hawkeyes are known for reaching the tourney for the first time in eight years. Outside of Iowa, the Hawkeyes are known for losing “the play-in game.” Unless the Hawkeyes start frequently appearing in more tournaments and put themselves in position to reach bigger stages like the Sweet 16, Elite Eight or even the Final Four, that stigma’s going to stick. If this seems obvious, that’s because it is and it will be in football, too.
As crazy as this might sound, the best thing that could happen to Iowa football is if sometime in the next 10 years, the NCAA allows teams to play 13 regular season games excluding conference championships, bowls and playoff games. Until that day comes, the Hawkeyes might be hamstrung if strength of non-conference schedule is going to be any type of factor in playoff team selection.
Iowa wants seven games at Kinnick Stadium every season and wants to play Iowa State every season. When the Big Ten goes to nine league games in 2016, the Hawkeyes are going to basically be left with two non-conference games to fill and they’re going to require both of them be played at Kinnick Stadium. No home-and-homes with a team like Pitt or playing a game at Soldier Field against Northern Illinois like in 2012 would be happening.
Unless the Big Ten bulks up, future schedules won’t be getting stronger. Even if the Big Ten bulks up, it appears inevitable that all five major conferences will start playing nine league games. In other words, if schedules remain at 12 games for the foreseeable future, Iowa may have to make some sacrifices down the road if it wants to be in a realistic position to reap the reward of being part of a national brand such as the Big Ten.
Sure, Iowa might not be crossing paths in a Big Ten Championship Game with either Maryland or Rutgers anytime soon. But between those two programs now joining the Big Ten and how the 4-team college football playoff is going to determine success both on the field and off the field with name recognition and national appeal, it’s safe to say the Hawkeyes are at a crossroads and how they handle this now will dramatically effect their future long term.
6/18/2014: Iowa player audio with photos (premium)
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Five members of the Iowa football team spoke with the media Wednesday inside the atrium of the Hayden Fry Football Complex to discuss summer workouts and a variety of other topics.
Below is audio from each of the following players — senior defensive tackle Carl Davis, senior running back Mark Weisman, senior offensive tackle Brandon Scherff, senior strong safety John Lowdermilk and senior tight end Ray Hamilton:
Carl Davis, June 18, 2014
Mark Weisman, June 18, 2014
Brandon Scherff, June 18, 2014
John Lowdermilk, June 18, 2014
Ray Hamilton, June 18, 2014
6/18/2014: Kirk Ferentz audio
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz discusses a variety of matters with the local press on Wednesday, June 18, 2014, at the Hayden Fry Football Complex in Iowa City.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz met with the media Wednesday afternoon inside the Hayden Fry Football Complex and discussed a variety of topics, ranging from the Hawkeyes’ summer workouts to concerns about depth at the safety position following the departure of Nico Law from the program. Ferentz also spoke at length about former Iowa tight end Dallas Clark retiring from the NFL on Wednesday and about the role former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Chuck Noll — who passed away June 13 — had on his life growing up in Pittsburgh.
Below is audio of Ferentz’s meeting with the press Wednesday afternoon in its entirety (approximately 11 minutes):
Clark to retire after 11-year NFL career
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
Former Iowa tight end Dallas Clark has announced his retirement from the National Football League following an 11-year career. A press conference is scheduled for June 18 in Indianapolis where Clark will retire as a member of the Colts, whom he spent nine of his 11 seasons playing for.
Clark initially joined the Hawkeyes as a walk-on linebacker before he made the conversion to tight end, a position he started the 2001 and 2002 seasons at for Iowa. During his junior season of 2002, Clark went on to win the John Mackey Award given to college football’s top tight end after he compiled 43 catches for 742 yards receiving and four touchdowns, two of which came in a 31-28 win over Purdue. The Hawkeyes were co-Big Ten champions and went on to play USC in the Orange Bowl.
The Livermore, Iowa native opted to forego his junior season for the NFL Draft and the Indianapolis Colts took him in the first round with the 24th overall pick. As a rookie, he started right away for the Colts and scored his first career touchdown in a game against the New Orleans Saints.
Over time, he became one of Peyton Manning’s go-to targets in Indianapolis. In 2006, Clark won his lone Super Bowl title as he helped the Colts reach Super Bowl XLI, where they defeated the Chicago Bears, 29-17. During that postseason run, he had a pair of 100-yard receiving games against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card round and against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
Three years later, Clark returned to the Super Bowl, but the Colts were denied a second title after losing 31-17 to the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV. However, that 2009 season proved to statistically be the best season of Clark’s career.
In what was only one of two seasons where Clark played all 16 regular season games, he finished with personal bests of 100 catches for 1,106 yards receiving and the 10 touchdowns he scored were second to a 11-touchdown campaign in 2007. He also scored a touchdown in the Colts’ 30-17 win over the New York Jets in the AFC Championship Game.
Following what was a disastrous 2011 season for the Colts, Clark left Indianapolis after a 9-year stint that saw him become the Colts’ all-time leader among tight ends in both receptions (427) and touchdowns (46). and spent the final two seasons of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baltimore Ravens, respectively. Clark played in all 16 of the Buccaneers’ games during 2012 and hauled in 47 receptions for 435 yards receiving and four touchdowns. As a Raven last season, Clark had 31 catches for 343 yards receiving and three scores. His final NFL touchdown came in a 20-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
For his entire 11-year career, Clark compiled 505 catches, 5,665 yards receiving and 53 touchdowns.
Law leaving football program
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
Senior safety Nico Law has left the Iowa football program, both he and head coach Kirk Ferentz announced Wednesday. Law, who was cited for disorderly conduct by Iowa City police on June 7, made the announcement he was leaving via his Instagram and Facebook accounts, which was later confirmed in a press release by Ferentz.
“Nico has decided to transfer from the University of Iowa and complete his athletic and academic careers elsewhere,” Ferentz said in a statement issued by the UI. “We wish him the best with his decision.”
Law was listed as the No. 2 strong safety on Iowa’s 2-deep behind fellow senior John Lowdermilk after spring football. In three seasons, Law registered 44 career tackles for the Hawkeyes. As a sophomore, he started the last four games of the 2012 season, one in which he recorded 28 of those 44 tackles.
Because Law burned his freshman redshirt in 2011, he will be able to use that redshirt wherever he transfers this upcoming season and use up his final season of eligibility in 2015.
Wallace hired as new recruiting coordinator
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
Iowa has named Seth Wallace as its new football recruiting coordinator, head coach Kirk Ferentz announced in a release sent Thursday afternoon. The hiring of Wallace was first reported Thursday by FootballScoop.com. Wallace replaces former assistant coach Eric Johnson, who left the program last April to pursue a career running a Culver’s restaurant in Tennessee.
Wallace previously served as a graduate assistant at Iowa under Ferentz from 2006-08, where he gained coaching experience working with the Hawkeye secondary alongside current defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Phil Parker. He returns to Iowa after spending the last five seasons coaching at Valdosta State, including the past three years serving as its defensive coordinator.
“We are excited to have Seth return to Iowa,” Ferentz said in a statement issued by the UI on Thursday. “Seth did a tremendous job here as a graduate assistant and has distinguished himself serving in several roles at Valdosta State. Seth is an excellent teacher, highly organized, knowledgeable and is an outstanding person.”
Kaeding headlines 2014 Hall of Fame class
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
Former Iowa kicker Nate Kaeding is will be enshrined into the 2014 class for the National Iowa Varsity Club Athletics Hall of Fame, the UI announced Thursday. Kaeding is one of six members selected into the 2014 class.
Prior to having an 9-year NFL career that was predominantly spent with the San Diego Chargers, the Coralville native handled place-kicking duties for the Hawkeyes from 2000-2003. Kaeding won the Lou Groza Award in 2002 after a junior season where he made 21-of-24 field goal attempts and 57-of-58 PAT tries. He also has one career touchdown run, which came on a fake field goal attempt against Ohio State in 2003.
Kaeding is Iowa’s all-time leader in points scored with 373 of them during his four-year career, which includes kicking 67-of-83 on field goals and 166-of-169 on extra points.
Joining Kaeding in this year’s class are former gymnast Don Hatch, former wrestler Bruce Kinseth, former track and fielder Jon Reimer, former cross country runner/track and fielder Jeanne Kruckeberg and Jerry Hassard, who coached both women’s cross country and track and field for 20 years. They will all be officially inducted during a ceremony on Aug. 29, one day before the Hawkeyes’ 2014 season opener against Northern Iowa.
Big Ten announces future postseason sites
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
The Big Ten made a pair of announcements Thursday regarding the future of both its championship game in football and its basketball tournament.
On the football side of things, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will remain the site of the Big Ten Championship Game through 2021. It has been the lone site used for the game since it was first established by the conference in 2011.
As for hoops, the Big Ten men’s basketball tournament will go back to rotating between the United Center in Chicago and Bankers Life Fieldhouse between 2019-2022. This announcement comes one month after the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. was named the site for the 2017 Big Ten Tournament. Chicago, which will host next year’s tourney, will have it in 2019 and 2021, while Indianapolis reclaims it in 2016, 2020 and 2022.
“These two cities have been tremendous hosts and partners with first-class facilities and an outstanding base of Big Ten alumni and fans who support conference events,” Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said in a statement released by the conference Thursday. “We are proud of the history that we have developed with these two great cities and look forward to maintaining a significant presence in both locations.”
The video board behind the South end zone of Kinnick Stadium pays tribute to former Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker during his “Celebration of Life” ceremony on Saturday, May 31, 2014. Parker died last January from complications with Diabetes.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Four months after his death, former Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker was remembered Saturday inside Kinnick Stadium as part of a “Celebration of Life” service in his honor.
Family, friends, former players and coaches and fans alike all gathered for a 90-minute ceremony where stories were shared about the type of man Parker was both on and off the field. Seeing the mass of hundreds to congregate at Kinnick Stadium for this service spoke volumes for former Iowa defensive end Aaron Kampman, who was among the group of 11 speakers to eulogize Parker.
“This is like a reunion,” Kampman said prior to the ceremony. “It just illustrates the fact that he was an unselfish person who tried to give more than he received. Because of that, you get to see the fruits of it here with all of the people that he touched and the relationships he was able to make because in the end, that’s what it comes down to.”
Former Iowa players to speak during Saturday’s ceremony included Kampman and former linebackers Chad Greenway, Abdul Hodge, Mike Humpal and LeVar Woods (who currently is a co-linebackers coach for the Hawkeyes). In addition, former defensive tackles Mitch King and Matt Kroul and former quarterback Brad Banks were among those in attendance.
“He was very passionate about life and his family,” Kroul said. “As soon as you saw his grandkids coming into the complex and the way he responded to some of those guys and girls that he had, you just saw how special a human he was and how he handled everything.
“He was always smiling and always laughing. That’s what he was about.”
Hundreds of people inside Kinnick Stadium listen to Jim Parker’s eulogy during his father Norm Parker’s “Celebration of Life” service held Saturday, May 31, 2014. Norm Parker served as Iowa’s defensive coordinator from 1999-2011 and died on Jan. 13, 2014.
Iowa play-by-play announcer Gary Dolphin MC’ed the event and opened by sharing some of the jokes Parker would tell back when the two would travel across the state every spring on the I-Club circuit. Perhaps appropriately, Greenway and Hodge — two of the most decorated linebackers to ever play at Iowa during Parker’s tenure — were the first two speakers to give eulogies.
Hodge said he had a mixture of emotions upon learning of Parker’s death last winter and described how toughness and sometimes being a little bit crazy were among the two lessons Parker instilled in him during his Iowa days. Greenway used the term “resilient” to describe the type of person Parker was as he led the Hawkeyes to their successes in the mid-2000s while dealing with personal tragedy losing his son Jeffrey, as well as battling the very disease (Diabetes) that would ultimately take his life.
“He had been through so many things in his life, so many hardships, bad things, negative things,” Greenway said during his eulogy. “Losing his best friend, his wife, going through all of these things that would get a lot of people down, that would really drag them down and take them on a different path.
“But that was never Norm. And that’s really what life is all about — how many times can you get back up? We’ve all heard that saying, but he lived it and we could watch him live it and we could learn from that. Really, it’s what made it special for us, to be able to go out there and play for a guy that you really cared about because you knew he cared about you.”
Woods gave what he described as a “nondescript” story about Parker during his eulogy. In 2006, the Hawkeyes were in Ann Arbor, Mich., to play Michigan. Parker invited Woods (who was then playing for the Detroit Lions) over to the team’s hotel for the pregame dinner the night before and then invited Woods up to his hotel room where he and wife were hoping to talk with him.
“I walk with Norm up there, the door opens and there’s about 75 people in the room, and it’s all his family,” Woods said. “That’s something that I’ll always remember about Norm. Now that I’m a coach and I’m thinking about Friday night before a game, so busy, so consumed with football, with this alignment, this assignment and all that, Norm always made time.
“He still made time and always made you feel like you were part of the family. To this day, that’s something that I always try to think about.”
Following a eulogy from Parker’s grandson, Tyler Anderson, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz took to the podium and started off by saying how hiring Parker was one of the best head-coaching decisions he ever made.
“I’ve been here 15 years, going into 16 now, and I’ve been wrong about a lot of things. But the one thing I got right was hiring Norm Parker to be our defensive coordinator,” Ferentz said. “Boy, if we ever hit a grand slam, that was it right there.”
After he finished speaking, Ferentz introduced Norm’s son, Jim Parker. He began his eulogy by saying how his family knew his dad by two entities — “Coach Parker,” and “Stormin’ Norman.” In discussing “Coach Parker,” Jim talked about how instead of allowing football to consume his family, his father simply invited his family for the ride and let them come to the game he coached.
“I’m proud to be Norm Parker’s son,” Jim said. “I’m proud to be a coach’s son. I’m proud to be associated with Iowa football. I’m so happy to see these people here — friends and neighbors — come from Minnesota and from Michigan and from other states. It means so much. It means so much to our family and to me personally.
“To me, there will always be a ghost of Norm Parker that will roam that sideline and it’s a place that he loved.”
Kampman closed the ceremony by giving his eulogy and then leading the entire crowd in a prayer requested by the Parker family. Following the prayer, every member of Parker’s family who was on hand went out to midfield and the national anthem was performed.
With each eulogy, one message consistently reigned supreme Saturday afternoon — Parker’s knack for being able to relate to anyone he encountered regardless of who they were, what they did or where they were from.
“Norm had a very special ability to connect with anybody,” Ferentz said. “No matter where you turn, there are a lot of people who have been impacted certainly in a very positive way by Norm and his comments.”
VIDEO: NORM PARKER REMEMBERED
*Featured in this video are Norm Parker eulogies from Chad Greenway, Abdul Hodge, Mike Humpal, Phil Parker, Kirk Ferentz and Aaron Kampman.
