Oct. 26, 2007
IOWA CITY — Can this really be the 20th anniversary of Marv Cook’s touchdown reception at Ohio State on Nov. 14, 1987?
The play remains etched vividly in Hawkeye minds as if it occurred a few months, or even a few days ago — quarterback Chuck Hartlieb drops back, surveys the field and throws to the right sideline where Cook is blanketed by Buckeye defender Sean Bell at the 9-yard line. Somehow Cook spins away, makes the grab and heads toward the middle of the field where two more Buckeyes — Mark Pelini and David Brown — attempt to make a Cook Sandwich. All three players go down, but Cook’s upper torso — and the football — land in the end zone, giving the Hawkeyes an improbable 29-27 victory.
Iowa wouldn’t lose again that season, finishing 10-3 overall and defeating Wyoming 20-19 in the Holiday Bowl.
Like the 1987 Hawkeye football team, Cook has moved on, but he has not considered slowing down. For the past four years, Cook, 41, has been a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Coralville. This fall he added a new “hobby” — head football coach at Iowa City Regina High School, where none of his players were born when he made the historic reception at Columbus, Ohio.
“Fame is fleeting,” Cook said. “As far as big Hawkeye catches go, it’s become Warren Holloway, not Marv Cook anymore.”
Both the Cook and Holloway receptions brought exciting and improbable victories to the Hawkeyes — only in different eras. Cook’s catch came 17 years before Holloway hauled in a 56-yard game-winning reception as time expired, giving Iowa a 30-25 victory in the Capitol One Bowl against LSU on Jan. 1, 2005.
Cook was drafted in the third round by the New England Patriots in 1989 and played seven seasons in the National Football League (1989-95) for the Patriots, Bears and Rams. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1991 and ’92. Cook played 102 NFL games, compiling 257 catches for 2,190 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Before Cook accomplished his playing goals, he needed to become a trailblazer and bury the myth that certain targets couldn’t be attained by a small-town Iowa boy.
“How many people from West Branch, Iowa, played in the NFL?” Cook rhetorically asked. “The answer was zero. But you never know what you can achieve unless you try. That meant jogging in the summer on country roads; that meant going to the University of Iowa and trying to gain 40 pounds; that meant always moving in the direction of your dreams. Coach (Bill) Brashier used to tell us that if you don’t know where you’re going, every single road will take you there.”
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The play remains etched vividly in Hawkeye minds as if it occurred a few months, or even a few days ago — quarterback Chuck Hartlieb drops back, surveys the field and throws to the right sideline where Cook is blanketed by Buckeye defender Sean Bell at the 9-yard line. Somehow Cook spins away, makes the grab and heads toward the middle of the field where two more Buckeyes — Mark Pelini and David Brown — attempt to make a Cook Sandwich. All three players go down, but Cook’s upper torso — and the football — land in the end zone, giving the Hawkeyes an improbable 29-27 victory.
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From a historical perspective, this is a milestone anniversary for Cook and the catch. But there is much more to the story of this former team captain, First Team All-Big Ten and First Team All-American tight end. Cook played for and learned from some of the finest coaches in the high school, college and professional ranks. Now, with the help of four others with ties to the Hawkeye Family, Cook is teaching his message at Regina. Also on his staff are assistant coaches and former Hawkeyes Ed Hinkel (2002-05), Mike Haight (1983-85), Jason Dumont (1989-92) and Ronnie Hughes. Hughes is the father of Matt Hughes, who played from Iowa from 1995-98. Hinkel is in charge of the receivers and specialists; Haight, offensive line; Dumont, linebackers and special teams and Hughes is the associate head coach.
“All of us are very passionate about football,” Cook said. “All of us love to teach the game and coach the game.”
When his playing days ended, Cook became a color commentator for ESPN and was on search committees to find replacements for Hayden Fry (head football coach) and Bob Bowlsby (director of athletics).
“Being on those search committees helped me understand what it all entails to be a head coach,” Cook said. “It’s not all X’s and O’s. There is fund-raising, community relations, managing, delegating, structuring. My eyes were really opened.”
Cook resides on the west side of Iowa City and has three children in the Regina school system — preschool, second grade and fifth grade.
“I figured if they’re going to be at Regina, I might as well be there, too,” Cook said.
Cook replaced Chuck Evans as head coach of the Regals. In six seasons (2001-06), Evans led Regina to the state playoffs in 2004, ’05 and `06, winning a state championship in 2005 with a team that included current Hawkeye kicker Daniel Murray. Evans is now director of basketball operations for the Iowa women’s basketball program.
Once Cook was officially named head coach, he began assembling his staff with former Hawkeyes.
“Ed Hinkel gave me a quick call and I knew that Coach Hughes would be an incredible resource for me,” Cook said. “Mike Haight and I have a similar philosophy as far as run-blocking schemes are concerned and Dumont had been coaching around the area. He’s another person I have 100 percent confidence in.”
The fact that most of the playing careers of these former Hawkeyes were years apart keeps them from frequently rehashing old football tales.
“We don’t really talk about our playing days that much because we’re all from different eras, really,” Cook said. “The connection is that we’re all Iowa football alumni. Once in awhile on a bus ride we’ll get a few laughs in about something that happened while we were at Iowa.”
Hinkel played for Coach Kirk Ferentz; the others were involved with the Hayden Fry regime.
“Coach Fry was the mentor to most of us,” Cook said. “He’s the thing that binds us all together. He was a great leader and a great motivator. I still try to filter some of his speeches into our athletes. He gave us an opportunity to fulfill our dreams when not many others did. Mike, Jason and I were just small-town Iowa boys.”
The Regals are basking in the glow of success in Class 1A District 6. They are 8-0 in all games, 6-0 in the district and ranked No. 3 in the state by the Associated Press.
“I emphasize that I’ve had my time,” Cook said. “Now it’s their time to make their mark. It’s exciting to watch these guys. They want to work, learn and be great football players. That’s extremely enjoyable. I want them to have huge, huge dreams and I want them to strive to become Division I football players. By striving, you’ll become a better football player and then you never know what might happen.”
It’s doubtful that many Iowa football fans have forgotten Cook or the most famous of his 126 receptions at Iowa. He certainly hasn’t forgotten his playing days. In fact, Cook can still recount the first time he put on Iowa uniform.
“One of my biggest highlights was the very first time I was able to put on the Tiger Hawk helmet and do the swarm,” Cook said. “The first game I was able to suit up was very memorable. You warm up for 40 minutes and then stand on the sidelines for three hours, but it was still an unbelievable thrill.”
During Cook’s playing career at Iowa, the Hawkeyes compiled a record of 35-12-3 and were victorious in the 1986 Holiday Bowl (39-38 against San Diego State) and the 1987 Holiday Bowl. Iowa won 10 times in 1985 and ’87 and were nine-time winners in ’86.
Cook played in two Pro Bowls with the New England Patriots in 1991 and ’92. He was fourth in the NFL with 82 receptions in 1991 and hauled in 52 passes in 1992.
Cook the player is in the past. Cook the coach is the present and hopefully the future.
“To me, this is the purest form of football and I’m at a level that I’m 100 percent comfortable with,” Cook said. “I see myself doing this for the next 10 years.”
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