Sept. 6, 2007
IOWA CITY — Former Iowa defensive end and consensus all-American Andre Tippett has been selected to be Iowa’s honorary captain for Saturday’s home opener against Syracuse. The Hawkeyes face the Orange in a televised game with kickoff set for 7:07 p.m. in sold out Kinnick Stadium.
It’ll be a very special weekend for Tippett. He will be one of five former Hawkeye student-athletes inducted into the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame Saturday. An induction banquet is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
Tippett, a three-year letterman (1979-81), was Hayden Fry’s first consensus all-American and led the Hawkeyes to the 1982 Rose Bowl following Iowa’s 1981 Big Ten co-championship season. He was an Iowa co-captain in 1981 and a two-time first team all-Big Ten pick.
Tippett was a 6-4, 230-pounder from Newark, NJ. He led the Big Ten in tackles for loss with 20 for 153 yards as a junior in 1980. The 1980 tackles for loss figures are still the best ever in the Iowa records book.
He followed his Hawkeye career by playing in the 1981 Hula and Japan Bowl all-star games.
Tippett was picked in the second round of the 1982 NFL draft by the New England Patriots and went on to a very successful NFL career. He played in the 1986 Super Bowl against the Chicago Bears. Tippett was an all-pro selection five times.
Tippett will accompany the Iowa captains to the center of the field for the pre-game coin-flip. He will also be with the Hawkeyes on the sidelines and in the locker room before and after the game.
Click HERE to learn more about the Big Ten Network.