Sept. 3, 2007
IOWA TO PLAY UNDER THE LIGHTS
Iowa (1-0) returns home to host Syracuse (0-1) Saturday in its home opener. Game time is 7:07 p.m. (CDT) at Kinnick Stadium (70,585). The game is sold out. Fans are encouraged to “Be Bold and Wear Gold” Saturday.
Kirk Ferentz will be coaching in his 100th game as Iowa’s head coach Saturday.
ON THE TUBE
The Big Ten Network (HD) will televise the game to a national cable audience. Mark Neely, Glen Mason and Marshall Harris will call the action.
RADIO BROADCAST
Iowa games are broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network. Gary Dolphin handles the play-by-play, with color commentator Ed Podolak and sideline reporter Rob Brooks. The Hawkeye Radio Network includes more than 40 stations throughout the state.
NIGHT HAWKEYES
Saturday will be the sixth night game in Kinnick Stadium’s history, with Iowa holding a 2-3 record in past night contests.
Iowa lost the first night game played in Kinnick Stadium to Miami, FL (24-7) on Sept. 5, 1992. The Hawkeyes defeated Northern Illinois (24-0) on Sept. 18, 1999 and Arizona State (21-2) on Sept. 20, 2003. Iowa lost to Iowa State (36-31) on Sept. 14, 2002 and to Ohio State (38-17) on Sept. 30, 2006.
Saturday will be only the third true night game in Kinnick Stadium. Hawkeye games vs. Northern Illinois (1999), Iowa State (2002) and Arizona State (2003) were 5 p.m. starts, while the Miami and Ohio State contests started at 7 p.m.
HAWKEYE HISTORY
Iowa has played 1,092 games since beginning football in 1889. Iowa’s overall record is 554-499-39 (.525). That includes a 349-194-16 (.639) record in home games, a 205-303-23 (.408) record in games away from Iowa City, a 272-336-25 (.449) mark in Big Ten games and a 232-159-15 (.590) record in Kinnick Stadium.
ON THIS DATE
Iowa is 2-1 in games played on Sept. 8. The Hawkeyes defeated Iowa State (59-21) in 1984 and Miami, OH (44-19) in 2001. Iowa lost to Indiana (30-26) in 1979.
SEASON OPENERS
Iowa is 86-29-1 (.746) in home openers. Iowa has averaged 44.2 points and a winning margin of 37.8 in its last six home-opening victories (Montana 41-7 in 2006; Ball State 56-0 in 2005; Kent State 39-7 in 2004 and 51-0 in 2001; Miami, OH 21-3 in 2003; Akron 57-21 in 2002).
VARSITY CLUB DAY
Five former Iowa student-athletes will be inducted into the National Iowa Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame Saturday. William Buck (Gymnastics 1958-60), Cindy Haugejorde (Basketball 1977-80), Tim Costo (Baseball 1988-90), Erica Richards (Field Hockey 1986-89) and Andre Tippett (Football 1980-81) represent Iowa’s newest class of Hall of Fame inductees. The class will be inducted at the annual Varsity Club banquet Saturday and recognized at halftime of the football game.
FIRST FIVE IOWA HOME GAMES SOLD OUT
Iowa’s first five home games of 2007 reached sellout status in late July. The Hawkeyes entered this season with 24 consecutive sellouts, dating back to 2003. Kinnick Stadium’s capacity is 70,585. Approximately 1,500 tickets remain for Iowa’s Nov. 17 game against Western Michigan.
The Hawkeyes’ season opener drew a sellout crowd of 61,500 in Chicago’s Soldier Field, including as many as 45,000 Hawkeye fans.
IOWA OPENS BIG TEN PLAY ON ROAD
Iowa will begin its quest for a 12th Big Ten championship Sept. 22 at Wisconsin. This year marks the eighth time in nine years, including the last six, the Hawkeyes open league play away from Iowa City. Iowa’s lone conference home opener, under Coach Ferentz, came in 2001 when it defeated Penn State.
SYRACUSE DROPS OPENER TO WASHINGTON
Washington outscored Syracuse 28-6 in the second half en route to a 42-12 victory over the Orange in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY. Washington sacked Orange sophomore quarterback Andrew Robinson seven times and held the Orange to eight yards rushing and 207 yards total offense. Washington rushed for 302 yards and passed for 142 yards. Robinson, who started his first collegiate game, completed 20-32 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown. He completed at least one pass to 10 different receivers. The Orange’s leading rusher and receiver were Derrell Smith (5 carries, 19 yards) and Curtis Brinkley (4 catches, 63 yards), respectively.
THE SERIES
Iowa leads the series, 2-1. The Hawkeyes won, at Syracuse, 20-13 in double overtime Sept. 8 last season and 41-3 in Iowa City Sept. 18, 1976. Syracuse defeated Iowa (10-7) Sept. 20, 1975 at Syracuse.
IOWA VS. THE BIG EAST
Iowa has only played seven games against teams currently in the Big East Conference. The Hawkeyes are 4-3 against the Big East (Cincinnati, 1-0; Pittsburgh, 1-2; Syracuse, 2-1). Iowa is slated to play at Pittsburgh in 2008.
IOWA, SYRACUSE NOTES
? Saturday will be the first of back-to-back games against Big Ten opponents for Syracuse. Next week the Orange host Illinois.
? Iowa’s Austin Signor and Syracuse’s Patrick Shadle both missed an extra point attempt last week.
? Iowa rushed for 250 yards last week vs. Northern Illinois, while Syracuse’s defense yielded 302 yards on the ground in its home loss to Washington.
? Iowa DT Mitch King registered two sacks last week vs. Northern Illinois tying his career high, set at Syracuse a year ago.
? Iowa has won five straight non-conference regular season games, dating back to 2005.
? Hawkeye historians are calling last year’s goal line stand at Syracuse one of, if not the best, goal line stand in Iowa football history. The goal line stands earned Iowa ESPNs Pontiac Game Changing Performance of the Week. The victory netted the general scholarship fund at the University of Iowa $5,000. The UI was one of four teams remaining for the Pontiac Game Changing Performance of the Year.
? Prior to joining the Syracuse staff in 2006 Offensive Coordinator Brian White served as offensive coordinator at Wisconsin from 1999-2005. Defensive line Coach Derrick Jackson is in his first season with the Orange after coaching the same position at Michigan State in 2006.
LAST MEETING
Iowa used a tremendous goal line stand in the second overtime to take a 20-13 win at Syracuse. The Hawkeyes won on the road despite committing four turnovers as starting QB Drew Tate missed the game due to injury. Senior Jason Manson led the Hawkeye offense, earning a victory in his first career start at quarterback.
The exciting end in the second overtime came after RB Albert Young had scored Iowa’s second touchdown of the day on Iowa’s possession. Syracuse used a pass interference penalty to gain a first down at the Iowa two-yard line. Two plays failed to gain a touchdown before another Iowa penalty gave the Orange another first down. The Iowa defense held on four straight running plays to earn the victory. All told, Syracuse failed to score after running eight plays from inside the Iowa five-yard line.
Both teams had converted short field goals in the first overtime before Iowa’s defense slammed the door in the second extra period. The win was the first September road win for Iowa since 2003 and improved Iowa’s overtime record to 3-1, including 2-0 in double overtime.
Syracuse marched 78 yards in 13 plays and scored a touchdown on its first possession to take an early 7-0 advantage. The three-yard scoring pass was initially ruled incomplete before the call was changed after instant replay was used. Iowa’s defense rallied after the first score and forced the Orange to only three points the remainder of the contest, that coming in the final seconds of the fourth period. The Hawkeyes forced Syracuse to punt seven times and also snuffed out a fake punt attempt.
Manson engineered a nine-play, 67-yard scoring drive to even the game at 7-7 in the second quarter when he connected with TE Scott Chandler for a one-yard scoring strike. Manson was a perfect 4-4 on the drive, throwing for 43 yards. RB Damian Sims rushed for 40 yards and had an 11-yard reception on the drive.
PK Kyle Schlicher put the Hawkeyes in front 10-7 with a 24-yard field goal late in the third quarter. Iowa maintained a three-point lead until Syracuse converted a 41-yard field goal with six seconds left to send the game into overtime.
Manson completed 16-32 passes for 202 yards. He threw one touchdown pass, the first of his career, but had four interceptions. Young carried the ball 18 times for 73 yards and one score. TE Scott Chandler caught six passes for 65 yards and one touchdown, all in the first half.
FS Marcus Paschal and LB Mike Klinkenborg led Iowa with 12 tackles. The 12 stops were a career-high for Klinkenborg and matched a career best for Paschal. DE Kenny Iwebema had 11 tackles (9 solo), also a career-high, including three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. DL Mitch King equaled Iwebema in tackles for loss and sacks.
COACH Kirk Ferentz
The 2002 Associated Press, Walter Camp National Coach of the Year and AFCA Regional Coach of the Year and two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, Kirk Ferentz (pronounced FAIR-rintz, rhymes with parents), is in his ninth season as Iowa’s head football coach. Ferentz guided Iowa to Big Ten titles twice in the last five years and four straight January bowl games, including back-to-back New Year’s Day bowl victories (2004 Outback Bowl and 2005 Capital One Bowl). Iowa has posted a 45-19 (.703) overall mark and a 27-13 (.675) Big Ten record the last six seasons.
Ferentz, at Iowa, holds an overall record of 56-43 (.566) and a 34-30 (.531) mark in Big Ten games. In 12 seasons as a college head coach his career mark is 68-64 (.515). Ferentz, who boasts the second-most victories by a Hawkeye head coach, will coach his 100th game as Iowa’s head coach Saturday vs. Syracuse in Iowa City.
Thirty-two of Iowa’s 99 games under Ferentz have been decided by seven points or less (14-18) and 33 were played against opponents who were ranked in the top 25 at the time (12-21).
Ferentz joined the Iowa staff after serving as assistant head coach and offensive line coach of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He had been part of the Baltimore (Cleveland Browns prior to the move) staff for six years.
Ferentz was named head coach of the Maine Bears in 1990 and held that position for three years. Ferentz was a member of Hayden Fry’s Iowa staff for nine years as offensive line coach (1981-89). He coordinated Iowa’s running game during his first coaching stint with the Hawkeyes. Iowa appeared in eight bowl games during the time Ferentz was an Iowa assistant, posting a 4-4 record. A pair of Rose Bowls (1982 & 1986), two Holiday Bowl appearances (1986 & 1987) and a pair of Peach Bowl visits (1982 & 1988), along with appearances in the Gator (1983) and Freedom bowls (1984) highlighted his previous Iowa stay. Iowa’s record in those nine years was 73-33-4 and included two 10-win and two nine-win seasons.
Ferentz was born in Royal Oak, MI, and attended high school in Pittsburgh, PA. Kirk earned his bachelor’s degree in English Education from the University of Connecticut in 1978, where he was a football captain.
Ferentz is 1-0 vs. Syracuse and Orange Coach Greg Robinson.
SYRACUSE HEAD COACH GREG ROBINSON
Greg Robinson is in his third season as a college head coach, all at Syracuse. Robinson has posted a 5-19 (.208) overall record and 1-13 (.071) mark in the Big East Conference. Like Ferentz, Robinson has NFL coaching experience. Robinson coached for the New York Jets, Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs for 14 seasons (1990-2003). He was the Broncos’ defensive coordinator when they won their two Super Bowls (1997 and 1998). Prior to coaching in the NFL, Robinson was an assistant coach for UCLA (1982-89), where the Bruins won seven bowl games, including three Rose Bowls. Robinson captured his fourth Rose Bowl ring when he served as co-defensive coordinator on the Texas coaching staff in 2004 when the Longhorns defeated Michigan.
Robinson is 0-1 against Iowa and Coach Ferentz.
IOWA 16, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 3
Iowa won its seventh consecutive season opener with a 16-3 triumph over Northern Illinois in front of a capacity crowd of 61,500 fans at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL.
After a scoreless first quarter, Iowa grabbed a 6-0 advantage on a RB Albert Young five-yard touchdown run (PAT failed). The score was set up by an Andy Brodell 56-yard punt return. Iowa started its drive on the Northern Illinois 20-yard line. Iowa added another touchdown on its next possession, marching 95 yards in eight plays to increase its lead to 13-0 midway through the second period. QB Jake Christensen completed a five-yard pass to TE Brandon Myers for his first career score.
Northern Illinois posted its only points on a 33-yard field goal by PK Chris Nendick late in the second quarter to cut Iowa’s advantage to 13-3.
Hawkeye place kicker Austin Signor added a 22-yard field goal in the third quarter to stretch the Hawkeye lead to 16-3.
Iowa rushed for 250 yards on 46 carries. Conversely, the Huskies rushed for 21 yards on 21 attempts. Young topped 100 yards rushing for the 11th time, collecting 144 yards on 23 attempts. Also eclipsing the century mark for the third time in his career was teammate Damian Sims. He carried the ball 16 times for 110 yards.
In his second career start under center, Christensen completed 12-29 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown. He completed passes to six different receivers. WR James Cleveland (61 yards) and TE Tony Moeaki (32 yards) each had three receptions to lead the Hawkeyes. WR Andy Brodell caught two passes for 18 yards, but also had six punt returns for 75 yards.
The Hawkeyes had a plus-three turnover margin in the contest, collecting three interceptions. DB Charles Godfrey intercepted two, including one inside the red zone on Iowa’s three-yard line to thwart a Huskie scoring threat. LB Mike Humpal registered the other theft and had six tackles. Godfrey also had seven tackles and one pass break-up. LB Mike Klinkenborg tallied a team-best nine stops, while DB Adam Shada recorded eight tackles. DE Mitch King had three tackles for 28 yards loss, including matching a career high with two sacks.
EXTRA POINTS
? Iowa improved its record in season-opening games to 86-31-2 (.731), including a 7-2 (.778) mark under Coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa improved to 7-0 all-time vs. Northern Illinois.
? Iowa improved to 22-0, under Coach Ferentz, when allowing 10 points or fewer and 23-2 when rushing for over 200 yards.
? Six Hawkeyes started for the first time in their careers. Those include TE Tony Moeaki, OL Travis Meade, OL Kyle Calloway, OL Julian Vandervelde, WR Trey Stross and DB Harold Dalton.
? Iowa players who saw the first action of their career included: OL Julian Vandervelde, P Ryan Donahue, WR Colin Sandeman, LB Troy Johnson, DB Jordan Bernstine, WR James Cleveland, LB Ross Peterson, RB Paki O’Meara, DB Lance Tillison, DB Brett Greenwood, LB Jeremiha Hunter, WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, OL Tyler Blum, RB Jevon Pugh, DB Jayme Murphy, PK Daniel Murray, OL Josh Koeppel and OL Bryan Bulaga.
? Iowa played four true freshmen against Northern Illinois, including WR Colin Sandeman, DB Jordan Bernstine, RB Jevon Pugh and OL Bryan Bulaga.
? Ryan Donahue’s third punt traveled 57 yards. Iowa’s longest punt last season was 53 yards by Andy Fenstermaker. Donahue is a redshirt freshman who played for the first time. Three of his punts were downed inside the NIU 20 and he averaged 40.1 yards on eight punts.
? RB Albert Young rushed for 144 yards and moved to seventh in career rushing yards (2,349) and 12th in career total offense (3,090). Young has scored 114 points to tie Kahlil Hill and Tony Stewart for 19th in career scoring.
? RB Damian Sims rushed for 110 yards. Sims and Young both surpassed 100 yards in the same game for the first time since Iowa’s 2005 win over Minnesota.
? DB Charles Godfrey came up with the third interception of his career in the first period, collecting Iowa’s first take-away of the season. Godfrey’s previous two thefts came last season. He had his second interception in the third period, stopping a scoring threat on Iowa’s three yard-line on NIU’s first drive of the second half. DB Adam Shada was the last Hawkeye with two interceptions in a game, those coming last season in a win at Illinois.
? Iowa’s second touchdown concluded a 94-yard scoring drive. The drive included eight plays in 3:31 and concluded with five-yard scoring pass from QB Jake Christensen to TE Brandon Myers. Iowa’s longest scoring drive in 2006 was a 91-yarder in a home win over Purdue.
? Instant replay was used on a Northern Illinois fumble in the second period. The call on the field, with NIU recovering the fumble, was upheld.
? Both Iowa and Northern Illinois failed to score on their opening possession. Iowa, last season, scored on its first drive in one of 13 games, vs. Texas in the Alamo Bowl.
? Iowa had three thefts in a game for the first time since collecting three in a home win over Purdue in 2006. The Hawkeyes did not score immediately following any of the three takeaways.
? Iowa’s defense forced six three-and-outs and intercepted three passes in 14 Northern Illinois possessions.
HAWKEYES TO PLAY 12
The 2007 Hawkeyes will play six home games in Kinnick Stadium, where they have posted a 28-5 (.848) record the last five seasons. Iowa opened its season vs. Northern Illinois at Soldier Field last week. The opener was the first NCAA Bowl Subdivision contest in renovated Soldier Field and first since Northwestern defeated Oklahoma on August 23, 1997, in the Pigskin Classic. Additionally, the game marked the first time Iowa opened the season at a neutral site since playing Kansas State on August 26, 2000, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
The Hawkeyes’ home opener is Saturday vs. Syracuse. Other Iowa home games include Indiana, Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota and Western Michigan. The Hawkeyes’ only true road non-conference contest is at intra-state rival Iowa State, while they travel to play conference foes Wisconsin, Penn State, Purdue and Northwestern. Six of Iowa’s 12 opponents played in bowl games in 2006 (Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State, Purdue and Minnesota). Iowa has a new Big Ten slate, as this season marks the first time in three years it will play Michigan State and Penn State. While the Spartans and Nittany Lions rejoin the Hawkeye schedule, leaving are Michigan and Ohio State for the next two seasons.
IOWA LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
Iowa’s Leadership Council for the 2007 season includes five seniors, three juniors, three sophomores, one redshirt freshman and one true freshman. A member of the incoming freshman class will be named soon. Permanent team captains are named at the conclusion of each season. The Leadership Council for this season includes seniors Tom Busch, Mike Humpal, Mike Klinkenborg, Bryan Mattison and Albert Young; juniors Rob Bruggeman, Matt Kroul and Seth Olsen; sophomores Jake Christensen, A.J. Edds and Rafael Eubanks and redshirt freshman Brett Greenwood.
TELEVISION SCHEDULE
Iowa has appeared on television in its last 66 games. The last Iowa contest not televised was vs. Minnesota on Nov. 17, 2001.
A majority, if not all, of Iowa’s games this season will be selected for television. The Big Ten Conference announces game times and television stations no later than 12 days prior to game days. Iowa’s first five games have been selected for television. The Hawkeyes’ season opener vs. Northern Illinois at Chicago’s Soldier Field was aired on ESPNU. Iowa will make its Big Ten Network debut in hi-definition Saturday vs. Syracuse at 7:05 p.m., marking the second straight year, and sixth time ever, Kinnick Stadium will host a night game. The Hawkeyes will make their first-ever appearance on the Versus Network when they visit intrastate rival Iowa State Sept. 15 at 12:30 p.m. Iowa’s conference opener at Wisconsin will air on ABC to a split-national audience at 7:05 p.m. The Black and Gold’s homecoming game vs. Indiana Sept. 29 will be televised on either ESPN, ESPN2 or the Big Ten Network at 11:05 a.m. All times listed are central time.
IOWA AMONG BIG TEN’S ELITE
Ohio State has the most conference victories the last five years with 33. Michigan ranks second (32) and Iowa (27) ranks third during that time span. Michigan (26) has won the most league contests the last four years, followed by Ohio State (25) and Iowa (19).
HAWKEYES BY THE NUMBERS
Iowa returns 32 lettermen from 2006, including 16 on offense, 15 on defense and one kicker. The Hawkeyes return five starters on offense and eight on defense. The lettermen breakdown includes eight three-year lettermen, 13 two-year lettermen and 11 one-year lettermen.
The total roster has 113 players, and includes 13 seniors, 24 juniors, 19 sophomores, 29 redshirt freshmen and 28 true freshmen. Saturday’s depth chart includes 11 seniors, 12 juniors, 12 sophomores, 10 redshirt freshmen and four true freshmen. Only three seniors (two running backs and one fullback) are listed on the offensive depth chart.
STARTERS RETURNING
Iowa returns five starters on offense and eight on defense. The returning starters on offense include: center Rafael Eubanks, guard Seth Olsen, running back Albert Young, fullback Tom Busch, wide receiver Andy Brodell (plus part-time starters RB Damian Sims and OT Dace Richardson). The defensive starters returning include: ends Kenny Iwebema and Bryan Mattison, tackles Matt Kroul and Mitch King, linebackers Mike Klinkenborg and Mike Humpal and corners Adam Shada and Charles Godfrey (plus part-time starter DB Bradley Fletcher).
RETURNING WITH HONORS
Iowa returns three players who earned all-Big Ten honors a year ago. That list includes LB Mike Klinkenborg, who was a second team honoree by the media. DE Bryan Mattison and DB Adam Shada earned honorable mention accolades.
IOWA LIKES STARTING ON OFFENSE
Iowa has started on offense in 85 of its last 93 games. Iowa’s games vs. Iowa State (9/16/06), vs. Minnesota (11/19/05), vs. Michigan (10/22/05), at Purdue (10/8/05), at Minnesota (11/13/04), vs. Purdue (11/6/04), at Miami, OH (9/7/02) and at Michigan State (9/27/03) are the only contests that the Hawkeyes didn’t start on offense. Iowa won six of those eight games. Iowa has started the game on offense in 87 of 99 games under Kirk Ferentz.
HAWKEYES HAVE NEW SIGNAL CALLER
Iowa opened the season with a new quarterback for the first time since the 2004 season. The Hawkeyes needed to replace three-year (2004-06) starter Drew Tate. Tate concluded his career ranked second in passing yards (8,292), touchdown passes (61), completions (665), attempts (1,090) and total offense (8,427) and third in completion percentage (.610) at Iowa.
Jake Christensen started the season opener, as he was the only returnee with game experience. The 6-1 sophomore saw action in five games, including one start, a year ago. Christensen completed 23-35 passes for 285 yards and two touchdowns in 2006, including 19-30 for 256 yards and two scores in his first start in the Hawkeyes’ 24-14 victory over Northern Illinois. In his first start of the 2007 campaign, he completed 12-29 passes for 133 yards and a score. In fact, it is believed that he became the first quarterback in NCAA Bowl Subdivision history to start his first two games against the same team.
Listed as Christensen’s back-ups are Arvell Nelson and Ricky Stanzi. Both Nelson and Stanzi are redshirt freshmen, stand 6-foot-4 and hail from Ohio. Nelson was a second team all-state and first team all-conference honoree his senior season at Glenville High School, while Stanzi was first team all-state and all-conference and named the Ohio Division III Offensive Player of the Year his senior year for Lake Catholic High School.
IOWA RETURNS TWO EXPERIENCED BACKS
Iowa returns two experienced senior running backs to lead its rushing attack in 2007, Albert Young and Damian Sims. Young ranks seventh in Iowa career rushing with 2,349 yards. He needs 207 yards to tie Owen Gill for sixth (2,556). Young rushed for a game-high 144 yards on 23 carries in the season opener vs. Northern Illinois, marking the 11th time in his career that he surpassed the century mark.
Young ranked first in team rushing attempts (178), rushing yards (779), touchdowns (7) and all-purpose yards (1,004), fourth in receptions (30) and fifth in receiving yards (225) in 2006. He ranked eighth in Big Ten rushing (59.6). Young carried the ball 249 times for 1,334 yards (111.2 avg.) and a team-best eight touchdowns in 2005. The native of Moorestown, NJ was a 2005 second team all-Big Ten selection by the media and honorable mention pick by the coaches. He averaged 125.2 yards in conference games to lead the league. Young also ranked second in all-purpose yards in league games, only 0.9 yards behind the leader. Young became the first Hawkeye to lead the conference in rushing (league games only) since Dennis Mosley in 1979.
Like Young, Sims also topped 100 yards in last week’s season opener against the Huskies. The senior collected 110 yards on only 16 attempts, eclipsing 100 yards for the third time in his career.
Sims ranked second on the Hawkeyes in rushing yards (686), rushing attempts (132), all-purpose yards (981) and touchdowns (6) in 2006. His totals from a year ago helped him eclipse 1,000 yards rushing in his career. He now has 1,115 yards and became the 37th Hawkeye to top the 1,000-yard plateau. The native of Boynton Beach, FL, started two games in 2006 (Purdue and Indiana) for injured starter Albert Young. Sims carried the ball 20 times for 155 yards and two scores against the Boilermakers. The 155 yards is a career-high, besting his 104 yards vs. Minnesota in 2005.
BRODELL FINISHES 2006 STRONG
Junior Andy Brodell finished the 2006 season with two strong performances. He caught seven passes for 159 yards and a touchdown in the regular season finale at Minnesota and six passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns vs. Texas in the Alamo Bowl. The 159 yards against the Longhorns was an Alamo Bowl record. Brodell also had a career-long 63-yard touchdown reception vs. Texas, which was the longest touchdown reception in Iowa bowl history and the fifth-longest reception in Alamo Bowl history. His two Alamo Bowl touchdown receptions (63 and 23 yards) ties an Iowa bowl record with four others.
Last week, he only had two catches for 18 yards, but did return six punts for 75 yards, including a career-long 56 yarder in the second period that set up Iowa’s first score of the game.
The native of Ankeny, IA, finished 2006 ranked first on the team in receiving yards (724) and yards per catch (18.6) and third in receptions (39). His 724 yards rank 21st-best in Iowa single-season history.
KLINKENBORG ANCHORS LINEBACKING CORPS
Linebacker Mike Klinkenborg returns for his final season after a stellar junior campaign. In last week’s opener, Klinkenborg collected a team-best nine tackles.
Klinkenborg ranked second in the Big Ten and eighth in the country in tackles per game (10.75). He led Iowa with 129 tackles, 29 more than second-ranked LB Edmond Miles (100). The native of Rock Rapids, IA, earned second team all-Big Ten accolades by the media. He recorded double-digit tackles in nine of 12 games in 2006. He was credited with a career-high 16 stops vs. Northwestern. Klinkenborg was unable to play in the bowl game vs. Texas due to injury.
Despite losing his father last Sept. 10, Klinkenborg started vs. Iowa State and amassed eight tackles and helped lead the Hawkeye defense. His performance just days after his father’s death earned Klinkenborg Walter Camp Football Foundation Defensive Player of the Week honors. Klinkenborg was one of three Hawkeyes (Adam Shada and Mike Elgin) to earn first team academic all-America honors; Iowa was the only school to accomplish that feat in 2006.
MOYLAN GRANTED ADDITIONAL YEAR
DB Devan Moylan, a senior in 2006, was granted a medical hardship after playing in just four games a year ago. Moylan was injured in Iowa’s win at Illinois and missed the final nine games of the season. Moylan, a three-year letterman, adds experience and depth to Iowa’s safety positions. He started in the secondary in Iowa’s 2006 win over Iowa State and played a key role on special teams prior to his season-ending injury.
In his second career start, Moylan was credited with seven stops and a forced fumble vs. Northern Illinois.
MOVING ON UP
Four Hawkeyes have already earned their bachelor’s degree and are currently working on advanced degrees. Anton Narinskiy earned a BBA in Accounting in May, 2007, Mike Humpal and Devan Moylan earned a BA in Health and Sport Studies in May, 2007, while Clint Huntrods received his BA in Communication Studies in August, 2007.
IOWA NOTES
? Iowa starts the season with three of its first four games away from Iowa City, while it concludes the season with four of six in Kinnick Stadium.
? Four Hawkeyes have been named pre-season all-Big Ten by collegefootballnews.com. DE Kenny Iwebema was named to the first team, while RB Albert Young, DE Bryan Mattison and LB Mike Klinkenborg were recognized on the second team.
? Iowa has won 45 of its last 62 regular season contests (.726).
? In the last six years, Iowa is 38-5 when leading at the half and 43-3 when leading after three quarters.
? Iowa has been bowl eligible the last six seasons, the school’s longest string of success since playing in eight straight bowl games (1981-88).
? Iowa posted 34 wins the last five years (2003-07), a total that ranks 21st-best in the country.
? All seven of Iowa’s home games in 2006 were sellouts (Montana, Iowa State, Ohio State, Purdue, Northern Illinois, Northwestern and Wisconsin). Iowa’s 2005 and 2006 home attendance average of 70,585 is a school record.
? Iowa enters the 2007 season with a consecutive home sellout streak of 24, dating back to the 2003 season. The last Hawkeye game not sold out was vs. Buffalo (9/6/03). All six home contests this season are expected to be sellouts, with the first five already reaching sellout status.
? Iowa tied for third in the Big Ten in 2005 and has 47 first-division finishes in the conference, including 11 championships and eight additional finishes among the top three in the league. The Hawkeyes have finished among the top three in the Big Ten standings three of the last five years.
? Iowa is one of only three institutions (Iowa, Florida and Tennessee) to have a former football and men’s basketball National Coach of the Year currently coaching their respective team.
? Iowa’s regular season finale will come against a non-conference opponent, Western Michigan. The Broncos have been picked to win the west division and also capture the MAC Championship Game in the MAC News Media Association pre-season poll.
? The last time Iowa finished the season with a non-conference game was Iowa State (2001), a contest that was rescheduled due to the 9/11 attacks. Prior to 2001, the Hawkeyes’ last scheduled regular season non-league game came at Hawai’i (1984).
DOMINANT AT HOME
Iowa has won 27 of its last 31 games in Kinnick Stadium, dating back to the 2002 season. The Hawkeyes’ four losses came to Michigan (23-20 in overtime in 2005), Ohio State (38-17 in 2006), Northwestern (21-7 in 2006) and Wisconsin (24-21 in 2006). Iowa recorded a school-record 22-game home winning streak between 2002-05.
The Hawkeyes (.846, 22-4) boast the 11th-best home winning percentage in the nation over the last four years (2003-06).
IOWA RETURNS TWO ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS
LB Mike Klinkenborg and DB Adam Shada return after earning first team academic all-America honors a year ago. Iowa also had graduating senior OL Mike Elgin on the first team in 2006. For the first time in school history, the Iowa football team placed three players on the first team. No other school in the nation had three first-team selections. The team is voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Shada and Klinkenborg were members of the district all-America team in 2005.
BIG PLAY HAWKEYES
Iowa posted two offensive plays that went for 20 yards or more last week vs. Northern Illinois. The Hawkeyes also had four returns over 20 yards, one kickoff, one punt and two interception returns. WR Andy Brodell recorded a career-long 56-yard punt return, while WR James Cleveland caught a career-long 40-yard pass from QB Jake Christensen.
Northern Illinois collected two passing plays and one kickoff return of 20 yards or more in the season opener.
IOWA BY QUARTERS
Iowa outscored Northern Illinois 13-3 in the second quarter and 3-0 in the third quarter. Neither Iowa or Northern Illinois scored in the first or fourth periods.
ON THE AVERAGE
Iowa averaged 6.4 yards on 36 first down plays, 4.6 yards on 25 second down plays, 2.1 yards on 114 third down plays and (-6) yards on one fourth down play against Northern Illinois.
AVERAGE SCORING DRIVES
Iowa’s three scoring drives against Northern Illinois averaged 7.3 plays, 55.7 yards and 2:56 elapsed time. Iowa posted an eight-play, 95-yard drive that consumed 3:31 that resulted in an Iowa touchdown against Northern Illinois.
The Huskies recorded only one scoring drive: nine plays, 49 yards in 4:05 that resulted in a field goal.
IOWA IN THE RED ZONE
Iowa was 3-5 (60%) in the red zone (2 TD, 1 FG) against Northern Illinois. Iowa failed to score on two red zone possessions due to the clock expiring in a double-digit win and missing a field goal attempt against Northern Illinois.
Northern Illinois marched inside the red zone three times, scoring only once (33.3%) on a field goal. The Huskies missed a field goal and had a pass intercepted on the three yard-line.
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS
Iowa failed to convert three interceptions into any points in the season opener vs. Northern Illinois. The Huskies did not collect a turnover against the Hawkeyes.
HAWKEYES NAMED TO WATCH LISTS
OL Rafael Eubanks, LB Mike Klinkenborg and TE Tony Moeaki have been named to pre-season watch lists. Eubanks is on the Rimington Trophy watch list, which recognizes the nation’s outstanding center in college football. Klinkenborg is on the Lott Trophy watch list, which is awarded to college football’s Defensive Impact Player of the Year. Moeaki is on the John Mackey Award watch list, which is given annually to the best collegiate tight end.
HOME GROWN HAWKEYES
Iowa’s roster of 113 players includes 50 players from Iowa. The roster includes 14 players from Illinois; 12 from Ohio; six from New Jersey; five from Texas and Minnesota; four from Florida and Pennsylvania; three from Missouri and Nebraska; two from Indiana and one from Georgia, Kansas, Michigan, Utah and Wisconsin.
MORE THAN ONE
Thirteen high schools have contributed more than one player to the current Iowa football roster. The leaders are Iowa City West (Iowa) and Glenville (Ohio) with four. Iowa City High (Iowa), Cretin-Derham Hall (Minnesota), Glenville (Ohio), C.R. Washington (Iowa), Millard North (Nebraska) and Humboldt (Iowa) high schools have three, while six other schools have two players on the roster.
HAWKEYES SHINE AT SHRINE BOWL
Iowa had a total of eight true freshmen, five scholarship and three walk-ons, compete at the 35th annual Shrine Bowl at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames on July 22. WR Colin Sandeman (Bettendorf HS) caught five passes for 84 yards, including two touchdowns (16 and 18 yards), to pace the South team to a 24-7 victory over the North squad. Additionally, Tyler Sash (Oskaloosa HS) caught five balls for 81 yards for the South. Sash will play defensive back for the Hawkeyes.
Sandeman and Sash joined incoming Hawkeye recruits LB Tyler Nielsen (Humboldt HS), TE Allen Reisner (Marion HS) and DB Jordan Bernstine (Lincoln HS) in the contest. Walk-ons DL Nick Brayton (Iowa City West), OL Tyrel Detweiler (Williamsburg HS) and P Eric Guthrie (Nevada HS) also competed.
THE NAME GAME
Iowa has two players named Murphy (Jayme and Nick, no relation).
Mike and Tyler are the most popular first names. There are four Mike’s (Daniels, Humpal, Klinkenborg and Morio) and four Tyler’s (Blum, Gerstandt, Nielsen and Sash). There are three players named Adam (Farnsworth, Gettis and Shada), Daniel (Doering, Murray and Olzsta), Kyle (Calloway, Haganman and Spading) and Nick (Brayton, Kuchel and Murphy). There are two Andy’s (Brodell and Kuempel), Austin’s (Postler and Signor), Ben’s (Evans and Thilges), Brett’s (Greenwood and Morse), Jordan’s (Bernstine and McLaughlin) and Tom’s (Busch and Nardo).
THE HAWKEYES, SIZE WISE
Redshirt Freshman WR Paul Chaney, Jr. is the lightest Hawkeye player at 165 pounds. Junior OL Wesley Aeschliman is the heaviest at 318 pounds. A total of six Hawkeye players are listed over 300 pounds.
The tallest player, at 6-8, is Aeschliman, while the shortest player, at 5-9, is Chaney, Jr.
The average Hawkeye player is 6-1 and weighs 233 pounds. That is one inch shorter and three pounds heavier than the average Iowa player in 2006.
ROSE BOWL EXPERIENCE
Four members of the Iowa coaching staff have coached or played in the Rose Bowl. Kirk Ferentz coached in two Rose Bowl games while on the Iowa staff and Carl Jackson coached in three Rose Bowl games as an Iowa assistant coach. Norm Parker and Phil Parker both coached in the Rose Bowl while on the staff at Michigan State.
WATCHING FROM ABOVE
Iowa’s coaches in the press box are Lester Erb (receivers and special teams), along with quality control assistant Scott Southmayd and graduate assistant coaches Seth Wallace and Dan Clark. That leaves Norm Parker (defensive coordinator), Ken O’Keefe (offensive coordinator), Phil Parker (defensive backs), Carl Jackson (running backs), Reese Morgan (offensive line), Darrell Wilson (linebackers), Rick Kaczenski (defensive line) and Eric Johnson (tight ends) on the sidelines.
Kirk Ferentz RADIO SHOW
Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz is featured on “Hawk Talk with Kirk Ferentz” each week. The 90-minute radio call-in show is hosted by Gary Dolphin, the play-by-play voice of the Iowa Hawkeyes. The show airs each Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. from Carlos O’Kelly’s in Iowa City.
IOWA STATS ON THE INTERNET
Statistics and play-by-play accounts of Iowa football games are available live on the Internet. The statistical program allows viewers to read the play-by-play action just moments after it takes place, and to view all individual and team statistics while the game is in progress. The program can be accessed through hawkeyesports.com and then clicking on the Gametracker link. This feature is available for all home games and most road contests during the 2007 season.
IOWA FOOTBALL WITH Kirk Ferentz
“Iowa Football with Kirk Ferentz” will air on the Big Ten Network Mondays at 4 p.m., with a repeat on Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m. Both times listed are central.
AFTER THIS
Iowa hits the road for road contests at Iowa State, Sept. 15 (12:35 p.m., Versus) and Wisconsin, Sept. 22 (7:05 p.m., ABC). The Hawkeyes return home to host Indiana, Sept. 29 (11:05 a.m.) on homecoming.
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