Hawkeyes Host Ball State in Final Non-Conference Contest

Hawkeyes Host Ball State in Final Non-Conference Contest

Sept. 20, 2010

Complete Release in PDF Format

HAWKEYES HOST BALL STATE
Iowa (2-1) returns home to host Ball State (1-2) Saturday, in its final non-conference game. Game time is 11:01 a.m. CT in Kinnick Stadium (70,585). The game is sold out.

ON THE TUBE
The Big Ten Network (HD) will televise the contest to a national audience. Wayne Larrivee, former Hawkeye Danan Hughes and Nicole Zaloumis will call the action. Hughes competed in both football and baseball throughout his Iowa career.

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. The game can also be heard on Sirius channel 154 and XM channel 198.

IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa is ranked 18th by the Associated Press and in the USA Today coaches poll. Around the Big Ten, Ohio State is ranked 2/2 (AP/Coaches), Wisconsin is 11/10, Penn State is 23/20, Michigan is 21/22 and Michigan State is 25/23. Northwestern is listed among teams receiving votes and Iowa’s most recent opponent, Arizona, is ranked 14/16.

IOWA IN “THROWBACK” UNIFORMS
Iowa will wear 1960 era uniforms for the Ball State game. The uniforms for the Throwback Game depict the Iowa uniform during the head coaching tenure of Forest Evashevski. The event is in recognition of Iowa’s 1958 Big Ten championship team that won the 1959 Rose Bowl. The Hawkeye uniform will include black jerseys with gold numerals and trim and gold pants with black braid. The gold helmets will feature the player number on each side. The Throwback Game is the second for the Hawkeyes. Iowa wore 1939 uniforms when it scored a 39-7 win over Kent State in the opening game of the 2004 season. As was the case in 2004, the uniforms will be sold following Saturday’s game.

HAWKEYE WIN STREAK
Iowa has won 17 of its last 20 games and 19 of 23, dating back to the middle of the 2008 season. Iowa also had a 17-3 stretch from the 2001 Alamo Bowl through the first five games of the 2003 season. Iowa posted a 17-2-1 mark between 1956-58 and posted the school record of 20 straight wins between 1920-23.

ON THIS DATE
Iowa is 5-3 when playing on Sept. 25. The Hawkeyes defeated Marquette 14-12 in 1948, Michigan State 14-10 in 1954, Oregon State 27-7 in 1965, Penn State 7-6 in 1976 and Arizona 17-14 in 1982. Penn State was ranked 11th in the nation when the Hawkeyes won at State College in 1976. Iowa lost to Washington 14-0 in 1937, Great Lakes 21-7 in 1943 and Penn State 44-14 in 1971.

HAWKEYE HISTORY
Iowa has played 1,132 games since beginning football in 1889. Iowa’s overall record is 581-512-39 (.530). That includes a 367-199-16 (.644) record in home games, a 214-313-23 (.410) record in games away from Iowa City, a 285-344-25 (.455) mark in Big Ten games and a 250-163-15 (.602) record in Kinnick Stadium.

IOWA LEADERSHIP GROUP
Iowa’s Leadership Group for the 2010 season includes seven seniors, four juniors, two sophomores, two redshirt freshmen and one true freshman. Permanent team captains are named at the conclusion of each season. The Leadership Group for this season includes seniors Adrian Clayborn, Brett Greenwood, Karl Klug, Brett Morse, Ricky Stanzi, Jeff Tarpinian and Julian Vandervelde; juniors Broderick Binns, Marvin McNutt, Tyler Nielsen and Tyler Sash; sophomores Greg Castillo and James Vandenberg; redshirt freshmen Shane DiBona and Brett Van Sloten; and first-year freshman James Morris.

DOMINANT AT HOME
Iowa has won 46 of its last 55 games (.836) in Kinnick Stadium, dating back to the 2002 season. The nine Hawkeye losses came to Western Michigan (28-19 in 2007), Indiana (38-20 in 2007), Michigan (23-20 in overtime in 2005), Ohio State (38-17 in 2006), Northwestern (21-7 in 2006, 22-17 in 2008 and 17-10 in 2009), Wisconsin (24-21 in 2006) and Iowa State (36-31 in 2002). Iowa recorded a school-record 22-game home winning streak between 2002-05, which ended in the overtime loss to Michigan. Iowa’s 44-9 (.830) home record from 2002 thru 2009 ranked as the 11th-best home winning percentage in the nation and second in the Big Ten to Ohio State. Iowa was 6-1 at home in 2009, with wins over Northern Iowa, Arizona, Arkansas State, Michigan, Indiana and Minnesota and a loss to Northwestern. Iowa is 14-2 at home since the start of the 2008 season.

LIVE BLOGGING FROM KINNICK STADIUM
Hawkeye fans not able to attend the Ball State game Sept. 25 can log on to hawkeyesports.com and have a chance to be interactive. The Iowa Sports Information staff will be blogging live from the press box during the game. Iowa fans can log on to hawkeyesports.com and click on the blog story and follow along. Fans will have the opportunity to submit questions and comments, answer quick polls and get up-to-the-minute information about the game and Hawkeyes. hawkeyesports.com averaged over 1,000 unique readers per week throughout the 2009 season, featuring as many as 2,000 reader comments.

FERENTZ NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR
Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz was named the Dave McClain Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year for the third time in 2009. Ferentz was a finalist for the Liberty Mutual national Coach of the Year award and was one of 15 semi-finalists for the George Munger Award, presented by the Maxwell Football Club to the College Coach of the Year. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) named Ferentz its 2009 Region Three Coach of the Year. Ferentz was also the league Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2004. He was the Associated Press and Walter Camp National Coach of the Year in 2002. Ferentz has led nine straight Iowa teams to bowl eligibility and the Hawkeyes have finished in the Big Ten’s first division eight of the past nine seasons.

BALL STATE COACH STAN PARRISH
Stan Parrish is in his second year as the Ball State head coach and his 14th season overall as a college head coach. Parrish has led the Cardinals to a 3-13 record and his career mark stands at 60-54-3. Parrish also served as Ball State’s head coach for the 2008 GMAC Bowl. He has been on the Ball State coaching staff since being named quarterbacks coach in 2005. He added the title of offensive coordinator in 2006. In 2008, he was a finalist for the Broyles Award, which goes to the top assistant coach in the nation. Ball State posted a 12-2 overall record and 8-0 conference mark in 2008. The Cardinals were nationally ranked for nine weeks and competed in back-to-back (2007, 2008) bowl games for the first time in school history. Parrish served as the quarterback coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002 and 2003. He spent six years (1996-01) as an assistant at Michigan and was also an assistant at Wabash (1977), Purdue (1983) and Rutgers (1990-95). Parrish was the head coach at Wabash College (1978-82), Marshall (1984-85) and Kansas State (1986-88).

PARRISH CONNECTIONS

  • Ball State Coach Stan Parrish was head coach at Kansas State when Iowa played the Wildcats in 1987 and 1988. Iowa defeated KSU 38-13 at Iowa City in 1987 and won 45-10 the following season in Manhattan.
  • Parrish was in his first season as a Ball State assistant coach in 2005 when Iowa defeated the Cardinals 56-0 in Kinnick Stadium.
  • Purdue defeated Iowa in 1975 and 1976 when Parrish was a Boilermaker graduate assistant coach, but Iowa defeated Purdue in 1983 when Parrish was an assistant coach.
  • Michigan defeated Iowa in three games between 1996 and 2001 when Stan Parrish was a Wolverine assistant coach.
  • Stan Parrish and Iowa assistant Erik Campbell served on the Michigan staff together. Parrish was on the Michigan staff from 1996-01 and Campbell coached for the Wolverines from 1995-07.

THE SERIES
Iowa holds a 1-0 series advantage over Ball State, defeating the Cardinals 56-0 in Kinnick Stadium to open the 2005 season.

IOWA/BALL STATE NOTES

  • Ball State assistants Eddie Faulkner and Jason Eck both played college football at Wisconsin.
  • Ball State assistant Daryl Dixon was on the football staff at Illinois from 2006-08.
  • Ball State is playing a Big Ten opponent for the second straight week. The Cardinals were defeated 24-13 at Purdue last weekend. Purdue and Iowa do not play this season.
  • Iowa holds an all-time record of 17-2 against current member of the Mid-American Conference.
  • Ball State is 1-20 against the Big Ten Conference, having played seven of the current 11 members.

IOWA WON IN 2005
Iowa cruised to a 56-0 win over Ball State for its fifth-consecutive season opening victory Sept. 3, 2005. The Hawkeyes scored points on seven of their eight first half possessions, with all seven scoring drives resulting in touchdowns. RB Marcus Schnoor scored on a one-yard run to open the scoring, followed by a RB Albert Young two-yard plunge. Jovon Johnson tallied Iowa’s third score on a 90-yard punt return. The return came following a quick kick by Ball State QB Joey Lynch from shotgun formation on fourth down. QB Drew Tate connected with WR Clinton Solomon for a seven-yard touchdown to give the Hawkeyes a 28-0 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Iowa scored three more times in the second quarter on a 33-yard reception by WR Herb Grigsby and a pair of RB Sam Brownlee runs (11 yards and one yard). After a scoreless third quarter, RB Shonn Greene became the eighth Hawkeye to score a point on a six-yard run in the fourth quarter. Hawkeye quarterbacks combined for 19-20 passing for 200 yards and two touchdowns. Tate completed 9-10 passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns, Jason Mason completed 9-9 passes for 92 yards and Cy Phillips completed his only attempt for nine yards. Greene led all rushers, carrying the ball 18 times for 116 yards, while Young gained 61 yards on just five carries. TE Tony Moeaki led all Iowa receivers with three receptions for 28 yards. Iowa’s defense recovered one fumble and collected seven tackles for loss, including three sacks. DB Devan Moylan recorded a team-best six tackles (4 solo) and DE Bryan Mattison had five tackles.

ARIZONA DEFEATS IOWA
Iowa rallied from a 20-point halftime deficit to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but 18th-ranked Arizona responded with a touchdown with 3:57 to play to take a 34-27 win at Tucson. The loss snapped Iowa’s four-game winning streak, dating back to last season. Arizona started fast, blocking an Iowa punt in the opening minutes and quickly drove eight yards for the first score allowed by Iowa in the first period this season. Iowa’s second possession ended with a tipped pass being intercepted, and Trevin Wade racing 85 yards to give the Wildcats a 14-0 advantage. LB Jeff Tarpinian forced a fumble on Arizona’s next possession and LB Jeremiha Hunter made the recovery, leading to a nine play, 93-yard Iowa scoring drive that cut the deficit to seven. Iowa’s first score came on a four-yard pass from QB Ricky Stanzi to RB Jewel Hampton. Arizona responded by returning the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a 21-7 advantage. The Wildcats added two field goals in the second period and led 27-7 at intermission. Iowa closed the gap in the third quarter on a 37-yard pass from Stanzi to WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, a reception that put Johnson-Koulianos over 2,000 career receiving yards. The Hawkeye defense led to the next two scores. DB Shaun Prater recovered an Arizona fumbled punt, and the Hawkeyes scored on an 18-yard pass from Stanzi to WR Marvin McNutt, Jr., cutting the deficit to 27-21. Junior DE Broderick Binns followed with an interception on Arizona’s second play, and his 20-yard touchdown return left the game tied after Arizona blocked Iowa’s PAT attempt. The Wildcats then drove 72 yards in nine plays for the winning touchdown, scoring on a four-yard pass. The Hawkeyes were not able to get in scoring position on their following possession. Stanzi led Iowa’s offense, completing 18-33 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns. Johnson-Koulianos had seven receptions for 114 yards. He moved into third place on Iowa’s career receiving list. The Hawkeye defense was led by Tarpinian, who had 12 tackles to establish a career high for the second straight week. SS Tyler Sash and OLB Tyler Nielsen each added seven stops and Binns had six tackles to go with his first career interception and touchdown.

EXTRA POINTS

  • Iowa did not score on its first possession for the first time in three games. Arizona blocked Iowa’s first punt attempt of the game, which resulted in Arizona’s first score. The block is the first by an Iowa opponent since Pittsburgh blocked an Iowa punt early in the 2008 season.
  • Arizona scored on its first possession, following the blocked punt. Iowa has allowed just three opponents (Indiana, game nine, and Penn State, game four, both in 2009) to score on their opening drive in its last 29 games. Iowa had not trailed in its last four games, dating back to the overtime loss at Ohio State last Nov. 14.
  • Iowa drove 93 yards for its first touchdown following a recovered fumble. The touchdown was the first allowed by Arizona this season. The scoring drive is Iowa’s second longest of the season (97 vs. Iowa State). Iowa later recovered a fumbled punt and scored a touchdown. Shaun Prater had the first fumble recovery of his career on the punt fumble.
  • The 34 points scored by Arizona are the most allowed by Iowa this season. Iowa held each of its first two opponents to seven points. Arizona is the first Iowa opponent to score in the first period. Iowa outscored its first two foes 28-0 in the opening quarter.
  • Senior WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos moved up Iowa’s career receiving charts. He ended the game with seven receptions for 114 yards. Johnson-Koulianos improved his career totals to 140 catches for 2,054 yards. He moved to third in receiving yards and is fifth in receptions. He is just the fourth Iowa receiver with over 2,000 career receiving yards.
  • Junior DE Broderick Binns had the first interception of his career and a 20-yard touchdown return for his first touchdown in the fourth period, allowing Iowa to tie the score.
  • LB Jeremiha Hunter recovered an Arizona fumble in the first period, his first recovery this season and the fourth of his career. The fumble was caused by LB Jeff Tarpinian, the first caused fumble of his career. The Arizona fumble was the first by an Iowa opponent this season. Tarpinian collected a career-best 12 tackles after having 11 tackles the previous week vs. Iowa State.
  • Iowa collected at least one turnover in 11-of-13 games last season, with no turnovers vs. Michigan State and Ohio State. The Hawkeye defense has collected at least one takeaway in 46 of its last 51 games, dating back to 2006.
  • Junior OL Adam Gettis played for the first time this season after missing the first two games due to injury. RB Jewel Hampton scored Iowa’s only touchdown of the first half on a four-yard reception from QB Ricky Stanzi. The reception was the second of Hampton’s career and his first touchdown catch. Hampton ended the game with seven rushing attempts for 30 yards before leaving in the third period.
  • Senior QB Ricky Stanzi completed 18-33 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns. Stanzi improved his career totals to 368-636 for 5,084 yards and 37 touchdowns. Iowa is 20-5 with Stanzi as its starting quarterback. He has at least one touchdown pass in the last 11 games he has played. He moved into sixth place in career completions (368) and attempts (636) and is sixth in yardage as well. He is now tied (with Chuck Hartlieb) for fifth with 37 career touchdown passes.
  • P Ryan Donahue punted seven times, averaging 46.9 yards per kick and had two kicks downed inside the 20. Donahue had a long punt of 60.
  • Instant Replay was used four times. The call on the field was upheld in the first two reviews. In the fourth period, a fumble call was reversed, giving Iowa a recovered fumble. The final review was also overturned, with an Iowa incomplete pass being reversed to a reception and touchdown.

PURDUE TOPS BALL STATE
Ball State wasn’t able to score in the first half and could not rally in dropping a 24-13 contest at Purdue. Purdue began the contest with touchdown drives on its first two possessions and led 14-0 at halftime. Ball State cut the deficit to 14-6 early in the third period after collecting an interception on Purdue’s first possession at the Boilermaker 32 yard line. The Cardinals scored on a one-yard run by MiQuale Lewis, but the PAT was blocked. Purdue increased its margin with a 76-yard passing touchdown early in the fourth period. A Boilermaker interception led to a 23-yard field goal as Purdue built its advantage to 24-6. Ball State added the final points on a 10-yard pass from Kelly Page to Connor Ryan with 4:50 remaining, but Purdue maintained possession for the remainder of the contest to secure the win. Ball State had a slight edge in time of possession, but was outgained 403-256 in total offense. Purdue collected two interceptions and Ball State missed two field goal attempts. Eric Williams led Ball State with 10 rushing attempts for 62 yards, while QB Keith Wenning completed 11-21 passes for 89 yards, along with both interceptions. The Ball State defense was led by Travis Freeman with nine tackles. Sean Baker added eight stops and a pass interception.

QB Ricky Stanzi

  • Ranks ninth in single-season touchdown passes (17 in 2009) and is tied for fifth in career scoring passes (37).
  • Has completed 47-74 passes (.635) for 711 yards and six touchdowns in 2010, with one interception, that on a tipped pass. Has at least one touchdown in last 11 games he has played.
  • Completed 171-304 attempts for 2,417 yards in 2009. Season yardage total ranks 11th best in school history.
  • Career total of 5,084 passing yards ranks sixth. He is also sixth in career completions (368), attempts (636) and total offense (5,067).
  • Has led Iowa to a 20-5 record as a starter, including an 11-2 record in Kinnick Stadium and a 10-4 record in Big Ten games.
  • His 20 wins as Iowa’s starting quarterback ranks eighth best among active FBS quarterbacks.

WR DERRELL-JOHNSON-KOULIANOS

  • Has led Iowa in receiving in each of the past three seasons, becoming just the third receiver to accomplish that feat. Had 45 receptions for 750 yards in 2009.
  • Leads team in receiving in 2010 with 13 receptions for 183 yards and one touchdown.
  • Career totals include 140 receptions for 2,054 yards and eight touchdowns. Ranks third in career yards and fifth in receptions.
  • Averaged 31.5 yards on 12 KO returns in 2009, including a 99-yard return for a touchdown at Ohio State. In three games this season he is averaging 27.7 yards on six KO returns. He has totaled over 1,000 all-purpose yards in each of his three seasons, including a career-best 1,128 yards in 2009.
  • Has matched Jim Gibbons (1955-57) and Tim Dwight (1995-97) as a receiving leader in three seasons. No Hawkeye has led the team in receiving four years.

DB Tyler Sash

  • Led Iowa with six interceptions in 2009, a total that ties as sixth best in a single season. Tied Iowa’s single-game record with three interceptions in a win at Iowa State.
  • His 203 return yards in 2009 are a single-season record and his career total of 350 returns yards is a school record.
  • Has 11 career interceptions, which ties for sixth best. His total return yards rank fifth best all-time, in the Big Ten Conference, for all games.
  • Ranks fourth in the team with 17 tackles in 2010 and has 165 career tackles.

WR Marvin McNutt, JR.

  • Has seven receptions for 159 yards and two touchdowns in 2010, averaging 22.7 yards per catch.
  • Had 34 receptions for 674 yards in 2009, his first year as a wide receiver. Caught game-winning pass on the final play of Iowa’s win at Michigan State.
  • Had eight touchdown receptions in 2009, which ties for the fourth best total in school history.
  • In 2009, McNutt (674) and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos (750) combined to give Iowa two receivers with over 600 yards for just the ninth time in school history.

PK Daniel Murray

  • Led Iowa in scoring with 89 points in 2009, making 19-26 field goal attempts and 32-33 PATs. His 89 points last season tie as 11th best for a single season.
  • Career totals include 32-45 field goals and 62-65 PATs. He is 13th in career scoring (158 points). He has missed Iowa’s first three games due to injury.

DB Brett Greenwood

  • Tied for 17th in career interceptions, collecting the eighth theft of his career against Iowa State this season. Four of his career interceptions have come against Iowa State.
  • Has 35 career starts and 185 career tackles.

RB Adam Robinson

  • Became the 40th Iowa player to rush for over 1,000 career yards with his play against Iowa State.
  • Career totals include 229 carries for 1,109 yards and nine touchdowns, to rank 31st in career rushing.
  • Led Iowa’s rushing attack with 834 yards in 2009, despite missing all of two games and portions of others. The yardage is the most ever for an Iowa freshman.
  • Had 952 all-purpose yards in 2009, which ranks fifth best for an Iowa freshman.
  • His 156 rushing yards vs. Iowa State this season are a career high and he has rushed for over 100 yards in four of 14 career games.

RB Jewel Hampton

  • Rushed 91 times for 463 yards and seven touchdowns as a freshman in 2008 before missing 2009 due to injury.
  • Rushing total in 2008 ranks fifth best for an Iowa freshman and his seven touchdowns tied a freshman record that was eclipsed last season by Brandon Wegher. Hampton totaled 1,000 all-purpose yards in 2008, third best among Iowa rookies.
  • Rushed 20 times for 84 yards and a touchdown against Iowa State and had four-yard touchdown reception at Arizona.

LB Jeremiha Hunter

  • Has 198 career tackles (62 solo, 136 assists) and can become the 62nd Hawkeye player to surpass 200 career stops. He has 28 career starts.
  • Ranks second in tackles through three games in 2010, recording four solo stops and 15 assists. Recovered fumble vs. Arizona to stop scoring opportunity and turnover led to first Iowa touchdown.

STANZI AMONG VETERAN RETURNING QBS
With 20 wins as Iowa’s starting quarterback, senior Ricky Stanzi ranks eighth among FBS signal callers in victories. Stanzi trails the following: Andy Dalton, TCU (32), Kellen Moore, Boise State (28), Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech (24), Case Keenum, Houston (24), Terrell Pryor, Ohio State (22) and Colin Kaerpernick, Nevada (22) Josh Newbitt, Georgia Tech (21).

TOP HAWKEYE PERFORMERS

  • Senior TE Allen Reisner has nine receptions for 132 yards and a touchdown. Reisner had four receptions in the opening game, three catches (66 yards) in the win over Iowa State and two vs. Arizona.
  • Senior punter Ryan Donahue is averaging 47.2 yards on 13 punts through three games. He has a long of 61 yards, three of his seven punts have been inside the 20 and opponents have just seven returns for 35 yards.
  • Senior LB Jeff Tarpinian has 23 stops in two games, including 12 at Arizona and 11 in the win over Iowa State. Tarpinian missed Iowa’s opening game due to injury before starting for the first time against Iowa State.
  • Senior DT Karl Klug shares the team lead Iowa with 3.5 tackles for loss and he has one QB sack. Klug has registered 13 tackles and two quarterback hurries through three games.
  • Junior DE Broderick Binns had his first career interception in the loss at Arizona, and he returned the theft 20 yards for a touchdown that tied the score at 27-27 in the fourth period. Binns has recorded nine tackles in two games after missing Iowa’s season-opening win.
  • Junior DT Mike Daniels leads Iowa in both tackles for loss (2.5-23) and QB sacks (2-18) and ranks among Big Ten leaders in both categories. He had recorded 12 tackles while starting two of three games.

IOWA GETS DEFENSIVE SCORES
Iowa’s defense has recorded a pass interception return for a touchdown in each of the last three seasons. DE Broderick Binns had a 20-yard touchdown return in the fourth quarter of the loss at Arizona. Last season, safety Tyler Sash had an 86-yard return for a touchdown in a home win over Indiana. In 2008, DB Amari Spievey returned an interception 57 yards for a touchdown in a win at Minnesota.

HAWKEYES BY THE NUMBERS
Iowa returns 46 lettermen from 2009, including 20 on offense, 22 on defense and four specialists. The 46 lettermen are two less than the number from 2009. The Hawkeyes return six starters on offense, eight on defense and their kicker and punter. The lettermen breakdown includes 15 three-year lettermen, 12 two-year lettermen and 19 one-year lettermen. The total roster has 121 players, and includes 26 seniors, 21 juniors, 25 sophomores, 16 redshirt freshmen and 33 true freshmen. The first game depth chart included 19 seniors, 14 juniors, 12 sophomores, five redshirt freshmen and two true freshmen. Just two Division I programs, Hawaii (31) and Louisville (27), have more returning seniors than Iowa, while Texas-El Paso also returns 26 seniors and Ohio State returns 25.

RETURNING WITH HONORS
Iowa returns 11 players who earned all-Big Ten honors a year ago. Among those returning, DE Adrian Clayborn and DB Tyler Sash were first team selections by both league coaches and media. WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and DB Brett Greenwood were second team selections. Those earning honorable recognition included DT Christian Ballard, DT Karl Klug, P Ryan Donahue, RB Adam Robinson, DE Broderick Binns, QB Ricky Stanzi and PK Daniel Murray. In addition, Clayborn was the MVP of Iowa’s FedEx Orange Bowl win over Georgia Tech and was named national Defensive Performer of the Year by College Football Performance Awards. Clayborn and Sash are two of four returning defensive players who earned first team all-Big Ten honors a year ago.

HAWKEYES TO WATCH
Eight Hawkeye players have been named to 19 different preseason “Watch Lists” for individual national awards. Those players include junior DE Broderick Binns (Ted Hendricks, Rotary Lombardi), senior DE Adrian Clayborn (Walter Camp, Ted Hendricks, Chuck Bednarik, Rotary Lombardi, Bronko Nagurski), senior punter Ryan Donahue (Ray Guy), senior WR Johnson-Koulianos (Paul Hornung, Fred Biletnikoff), senior DT Karl Klug (Outland Trophy), senior PK Daniel Murray (Lou Groza), junior DB Tyler Sash (Jim Thorpe, Chuck Bednarik, Lott Trophy, Bronko Nagurski) and senior QB Ricky Stanzi (Maxwell, Davey O’Brien, Manning). Iowa is one of three programs (joining Oklahoma and Texas) to have five different individual players earn national Player of the Year honors at their position since 2002.

IOWA LIKES STARTING ON OFFENSE
Iowa has started on offense in 116 of its last 133 games. Iowa had started on offense in 10 straight games before winning the toss and deferring against Indiana last season. Iowa games vs. Ohio State (11/14/09), Indiana (10/31/09), Purdue (11/15/08), Penn State (11/08/08), Wisconsin (10/10/08), Minnesota (11/10/07), at Northwestern (11/3/07), vs. Michigan State (10/27/07), at Penn State (10/6/07), 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 13 of those 17 games. Iowa started the game on offense in 118 of 139 games under Kirk Ferentz, 11 of 13 games in 2009 and all three games this season.

HAWKEYE NOTES

  • Iowa has won 10 straight games over the last four seasons with a trophy on the line. The current streak began with a win over Minnesota in 2007 for possession of Floyd of Rosedale. Iowa also won the battle for Floyd in both 2008 and 2009 and the Cy-Hawk (Iowa State) the last three years. Iowa has won the Heartland Trophy (Wisconsin) the last two seasons. The streak includes wins in the 2009 Outback and 2010 FedEx Orange bowls.
  • Dating back to 2008, Iowa has won seven of its last nine games away from Iowa City. A six-game streak was snapped in the overtime loss at eighth-ranked Ohio State last November. The streak included wins at Minnesota, Iowa State, Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan State, along with a victory over South Carolina in the 2009 Outback Bowl. The road winning streak was the longest for Iowa since the Hawkeyes won all five of their road games during the 2002 regular season. That streak was six straight games away from home, including the 2001 Alamo Bowl. Iowa’s five road opponents last season were a combined 26-9 (.743) at home. Outside of the game against Iowa, those five teams were 25-5 (.833) at home.
  • Iowa played four games under the lights in 2009 and won all four. Iowa won at Penn State (21-10 on ABC national) in its first night contest. The Hawkeyes defeated Michigan 30-28 in Kinnick Stadium on Oct. 10, also on ABC national television. The 15-13 win at Michigan State (Oct. 24) was televised by the Big Ten Network. Iowa defeated Georgia Tech 24-14 in the Orange Bowl, with FOX televising to a national audience. Following a 2006 home loss to Ohio State, Iowa won six straight night games before the loss at Arizona.
  • Iowa’s 2009 win at No. 4/5 ranked Penn State marked Iowa’s first road win over a team ranked in the top five since 1990. That season the Hawkeyes scored a 54-28 win at fifth-ranked Illinois. Iowa concluded the 2009 season with a neutral site win over ninth-ranked Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.
  • For the second straight year, Iowa will face two teams that have former Hawkeye players as their head coach. Bret Bielema (1989-92) is the head coach at Wisconsin and Mike Stoops (1981, 1983-84) is the head coach at Arizona. Iowa lost at Arizona 34-27 Sept. 18 and hosts Wisconsin Oct. 16. Both Stoops and Bielema led their teams to bowl games in 2009.
  • Iowa, in 2009, won four games by three points or less for the first time ever in a single season. Iowa was 4-1 in 2009 when trailing after three periods and 1-1 when tied after three quarters. Iowa blocked two field goal attempts in the final seconds of a win over Northern Iowa and scored on the final play in a win at Michigan State. The Hawkeyes lost at Ohio State in overtime.

PROGRAM NOTES

  • Iowa is one of eight college football programs in the nation to compete in six January bowl games over the last eight seasons. Iowa’s 24-14 win in the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl marked the second BCS bowl appearance since 2002 and fifth win in a January bowl game since 2003.
  • Iowa has been bowl eligible in each of the last nine seasons. The Hawkeyes have played in eight bowl games since 2001. Iowa played in the 2001 Alamo Bowl, 2003 Orange Bowl, 2004 Outback Bowl, 2005 Capital One Bowl, 2006 Outback Bowl, 2006 Alamo Bowl, 2009 Outback Bowl and 2010 Orange Bowl.
  • Iowa earned Big Ten Conference championships in 2002 and 2004 and placed second in 2009.
  • Iowa has ranked in the top 10 in the final Associated Press and CNN/USA Today coaches polls in four of the past eight seasons, including a ranking of seventh in both polls at the conclusion of the 2009 season. Iowa ranked eighth in 2002, 2003 and 2004 and the Hawkeyes were also 20th in 2008.
  • Iowa established a school record with 11 wins in 2002 (11-2) and matched that record in 2009. Iowa, in 2009, won 10 regular season games for just the fourth time in school history.
  • Iowa won 10 or more games in three consecutive years (2002-04) for first time in school history.
  • Iowa has compiled an eight-year record of 70-31 (.693), 2002-09, second best in the Big Ten. The 70 victories tie as the 16th best total in the nation.
  • Iowa has posted a 42-22 Big Ten record from 2002-09, which ranks second among league teams over the last eight seasons.
  • Kirk Ferentz has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year three times (2002, 2004 & 2009) and he was named National Coach of the Year in 2002. Ferentz joins Michigan’s Bo Schembechler (four) and Penn State’s Joe Paterno (three) as the only coaches to be honored in more than two seasons.
  • With five bowl victories, Kirk Ferentz ranks fifth all-time among Big Ten Conference coaches in bowl wins.
  • Four of Iowa’s five bowl wins under Coach Kirk Ferentz have been in January. Under Ferentz, the Hawkeyes have bowl wins over teams from the Southeastern (three), Big 12 and Atlantic Coast conferences.
  • Iowa is one of 11 Division I programs to have the same full-time coaching staff for a third straight year or more in 2010. The others include Baylor, Indiana, Navy, Nebraska, North Carolina State, Penn State, Alabama-Birmingham, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
  • Iowa has had national award winners in: Robert Gallery (2003 Outland, Top Lineman); Brad Banks (2002 Davey O’Brien, Top Quarterback; 2002 Associated Press National Player of the Year); Dallas Clark (2002 Mackey, Top Tight End); Nate Kaeding (2002 Groza, Top Kicker); Shonn Greene (2008 Doak Walker, Top Running Back). Iowa is one of three football programs (joining Oklahoma and Texas) to have five different individual players earn national Player of the Year honors at their position since 2002.

IOWA JOINS ANOTHER TOP 20
Iowa has 72 wins since the start of the 2002 season, which ties as the 16th highest total in Division I football. The list includes the following: Boise State (95); USC (94); Texas (92); Ohio State (90); Oklahoma (89); LSU (84); Georgia (83); Florida (83); TCU (82); Virginia Tech (81); West Virginia (78); Utah (77); Auburn (75); Boston College (74); Wisconsin (74); IOWA (72); Texas Tech (72); Miami, FL (70), Penn State (69) and California (69).

BEST DECADE FOR IOWA FOOTBALL
Iowa’s football record in the 2000 decade was 80-45 (.640), a record that ranks as the best decade in Iowa football history, based on total wins. Iowa posted a record of 77-40-4 (.652) during the 1980’s and the Hawkeyes were 62-53-2 (.538) in the 1990’s. Part of the Hawkeye success is due to the stability in the program, as Iowa has had just two head coaches since 1979. Hayden Fry took over prior to the 1979 season and coached through the 1998 season, posting a record of 143-89-6. Current Coach Kirk Ferentz replaced Fry, leading the program for the last 11 seasons. Ferentz also served as Iowa’s offensive line coach from 1981-89 under Fry. In a January, 2010 release, espn.com ranked Big Ten programs over the last decade in the following order: Ohio State, Iowa, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Northwestern, Minnesota, Michigan State, Illinois and Indiana. Factors such as Big Ten titles, BCS bowl appearances, bowl record and number of losing seasons played a role in the rankings.

DEPTH CHART INCLUDES NINE WALK-ONS
Iowa’s depth chart includes nine players who originally joined the program as a walk-on. That includes three players on offense, three on defense and three specialists. The list includes OL Kyle Haganman, OL Josh Koeppel, RB Paki O’Meara, DL Thomas Nardo, DB Brett Greenwood, DB Nick Nielsen, P Eric Guthrie, PK Michael Meyer and LS Andrew Schulze.

HAWKEYES ON THE TUBE
All Iowa football games this season will be televised on either ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or the Big Ten Network. The last Iowa contest not televised was vs. Minnesota on Nov. 17, 2001. Iowa has appeared on television in its last 106 games. Iowa will play its second night game against Penn State (7 p.m., ABC/ESPN) and a late afternoon game (2:30 p.m. CT) at Michigan (ABC).

HOME GROWN HAWKEYES
Iowa’s roster of 121 players includes 54 players from Iowa. The roster includes 14 players from Illinois; 13 from Ohio; five from Minnesota and Missouri; four from Florida; three from Maryland and Wisconsin; two from Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Texas; one from Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts and Montana and one from Australia and Canada.

THE HAWKEYES, SIZE WISE
The two lightest Hawkeye players, weighing 170 pounds, include junior WR Paul Chaney, Jr. and freshman WR John Chelf. Freshman OL Brandon Scherff is the heaviest at 310 pounds. A total of eight Hawkeye players are listed over 300 pounds. The tallest players, at 6-7, are freshman OL Andrew Donnal, freshman TE C.J. Fiedorowicz, sophomore OL Brett Van Sloten and freshman TE Austin Vier. The shortest player, at 5-8, is freshman De’Andre Johnson. The average Hawkeye player is 6-2 and weighs 233 pounds. That is the exact same height and two pounds heavier than the average Iowa player in 2009.

IOWA FOOTBALL WITH Kirk Ferentz
The weekly television replay show, featuring Iowa Football Coach Kirk Ferentz, is a 30-minute program, which includes Iowa football highlights and weekly features about the University of Iowa football program. Gary Dolphin, the radio play-by-play voice of the Iowa Hawkeyes, hosts the show. Consult local listings for day and time.

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.

AFTER THIS
Iowa opens Big Ten Conference play and celebrates Homecoming against Penn State Oct. 2 (7:12 p.m., ABC/ESPN). The Hawkeyes are idle Oct. 9 and play at Michigan Oct. 16 (2:30 p.m. CT, ABC).