Dec. 29, 2006
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SAN ANTONIO (AP) – Life hasn’t gotten any easier for Iowa’s Mike Klinkenborg.
It’s been three months since the junior linebacker buried his father, and he never missed a game. If Klinkenborg was hurting, he didn’t show it.
Ever since his father’s death, Klinkenborg has struggled to keep his emotions in check while concentrating on school and football. He spoke at length for the first time Thursday about how tough this year has been on himself and his family – especially his mother, Mary.
“A lot of times it was hard to concentrate on football, coming in late at night and watching film while knowing my mom was back home, alone,” Klinkenborg said. “I don’t know when it will get easier. Or how.”
Klinkenborg’s trying season will end Saturday when Iowa (6-6) takes on No. 18 Texas (9-3) in the Alamo Bowl. Klinkenborg will likely miss the game due to a foot injury he suffered earlier this month during workouts in Iowa City.
This year was supposed to be a blast for Klinkenborg. After two years on the bench behind Abdul Hodge, he won a starting job in fall practice and made an immediate impact on the field. He led the Hawkeyes with 11 tackles in a season-opening win over Montana, then played a key role in Iowa’s double-overtime, goal-line stand at Syracuse, an eight-play sequence from inside the 5-yard-line that, as it turned out, kept the Hawkeyes from missing out on a bowl bid.
The next day, his 61-year-old father, Myron, died from an apparent heart attack. Klinkenborg spent most of the week back in his hometown of Rock Rapids, Iowa, then came back to help the Hawkeyes secure an emotional win over rival Iowa State.
Klinkenborg’s decision to play just six days after Myron’s death was an inspiration to his teammates, many of whom attended the funeral. His story generated national headlines following the game, as Klinkenborg broke down on live television after a reporter asked him about his father.
“Amazed might not even be the right word. It’s 10 times more than that,” said defensive end Bryan Mattison, one of Klinkenborg’s closest friends on the team. “I don’t know if I could have played that week. I don’t think I would have. It was a true testament to him that he played, and played so well. It just shows how tough and strong he is.”
Klinkenborg kept playing well, even as Iowa slipped from the Top 25 to the bottom of the Big Ten. He ranks eighth in the nation with 10.8 tackles a game and was named second-team All-Big Ten by the media.
“We had a guy for a few years before him, Abdul Hodge, that was really a great player and a great leader, and Mike came in and led the team in tackles,” Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker said. “He’s an extremely smart guy. His work ethic was outstanding.”
Klinkenborg persevered through his grief by burying himself in football and schoolwork, earning first-team academic All-America honors. He says his teammates made it a point to keep him busy, even if it was something as simple as playing video games, in an effort to take his mind off his father’s death.
Coach Kirk Ferentz and the coaching staff responded in kind. Ferentz made it a point to constantly ask Klinkenborg about his mother’s well-being, reinforcing the notion that the Iowa football family had his best interests at heart.
“Going to football everyday gave me a chance to forget about what was going on, being around the guys and playing a game I love. All my teammates and coaches made it a lot easier for me to get through the season,” Klinkenborg said.
Klinkenborg also credits the people of Rock Rapids for their unwavering support. Iowa games are an event for the tiny town in the northwest corner of the state, and having one of their own star for the Hawkeyes is a source of great pride for the community.
Whenever Klinkenborg goes back home, folks go out of their way to let him know how proud they are of him, and how much he means to the town.
Three of them, Klinkenborg’s brother, sister and Mary, will be in the stands at the Alamo Dome on Saturday, cheering him on as he wraps up a season overshadowed by tragedy.
“I went back home and that’s what my family told me, that watching me gets them through it. It inspired me to go out there and do the best I could,” Klinkenborg said.