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Hawkeyes Open Big Ten Schedule at Penn State

Oct. 3, 2011

Game Notes vs. PSU

IOWA TRAVELS TO PENN STATE
Iowa (3-1, 0-0) opens Big Ten Conference action Saturday, traveling to Penn State (4-1, 1-0). Game time is 2:36 p.m. CT at Beaver Stadium (107,282). A limited number of tickets remain and the contest is expected to sell out. The Hawkeyes have defeated Tennessee Tech (34-7), Pittsburgh (31-27) and Louisiana-Monroe (45-17), all in Kinnick Stadium. Iowa was defeated, 44-41 in three overtimes, at Iowa State. Penn State opened conference play with a 16-10 win at Indiana. The Nittany Lions have also defeated Indiana State (41-7), Temple (14-10) and Eastern Michigan (34-6), while losing to No. 3/2 Alabama (27-11).

ON THE TUBE
ABC (HD) will televise the contest to a regional audience. Fans not in the ABC regional footprint can view the game on ESPN (HD). Dave Pasch, Chris Spielman, Urban Meyer and Quint Kessenich 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. The game can also be heard on Sirius channel 113 and XM channel 196.

ON THIS DATE
Iowa has posted an 8-8 record when playing on Oct. 8. Iowa defeated Drake 17-0 in 1904, Notre Dame 10-7 in 1921, Indiana 20-6 in 1955, Michigan State 27-15 in 1960, Minnesota 18-6 in 1977, Northwestern 61-21 in 1983, Wisconsin 31-6 in 1988 and Purdue 34-17 in 2005. The Hawkeyes lost at Chicago 38-0 in 1898, at Northwestern 10-5 in 1910, Ohio State 13-6 in 1927, at Wisconsin 34-0 in 1932, Wisconsin 31-13 in 1938, Illinois 20-14 in 1949, at Purdue 35-0 in 1966 and at Indiana 27-20 in 1994.

HAWKEYE HISTORY
Iowa has played 1,146 games since beginning football in 1889. Iowa’s overall record is 590-517-39 (.532). That includes a 373-201-16 (.646) record in home games, a 217-316-23 (.411) record in games away from Iowa City, a 289-348-25 (.455) mark in Big Ten games and a 256-165-15 (.604) record in Kinnick Stadium.

BIG TEN IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa is listed among teams receiving votes in the USA Today coaches’ poll, while Penn State is receiving votes in both the coaches’ poll and the Associated Press rankings. Iowa is ranked 36th in the Sagarin Ratings and was 28th in the Sporting News’ preseason rankings. Penn State is 21st in the Sagarin Ratings. Around the Big Ten, Wisconsin is ranked 4/5 (AP/Coaches), Michigan is 12/11, Nebraska is 14/15, Illinois is 19/16 and Michigan State is RV/20. Ohio State is listed among teams receiving votes in the coaches’ poll.

HAWKEYE HUDDLE AT PENN STATE
Iowa fans traveling to Penn State for Saturday’s contest against the Nittany Lions should make plans to attend the “Hawkeye Huddle” prior to kickoff. The Hawkeye Huddle is presented by the National I-Club and the UI Alumni Association, and is sponsored by Dubuque Auto Plaza, Lytham Luxury Homes, Iowa City Area Development Group, and Iowa Rings. The Huddle will be held from 12:30-2:30 p.m. ET at the Nittany Lion Inn, 200 West Park Avenue, in State College. The Nittany Lion Inn is located within walking distance of Beaver Stadium. Admission to the Hawkeye Huddle is free and includes cash refreshments, snacks, door prizes, cheerleaders and Herky. Visit www.jointheiclub.com for additional information.

OPENING CONFERENCE PLAY
Iowa begins Big Ten conference play on the road for the 10th time in 13 seasons under Coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa is 5-7 under Ferentz in the opening conference game of the season, including 3-6 when opening on the road and 2-1 when playing at home. Iowa opened Big Ten play at home in 2009 and 2001 (def. Penn State) and 2008 (lost to Northwestern). Iowa hosts Minnesota in its first conference game in 2012. Under Ferentz, Iowa has opened conference play against Penn State on four occasions, winning all four. The Hawkeyes won 24-18 at Iowa City in 2001, 42-35 (OT) at University Park in 2002, 21-10 at University Park in 2009 and 24-3 a year ago in Kinnick Stadium. The overtime win in 2002 marked the start of Iowa’s perfect (8-0) Big Ten season.

NARDO IS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior DL Tom Nardo was named Big Ten Conference defensive Player of the Week for his play in Iowa’s 45-17 win over Louisiana-Monroe on Sept. 24. The Big Ten honor is the first for Nardo and Iowa’s second Player of the Week honor in 2011. QB James Vandenberg was named offensive Player of the Week following Iowa’s win over Pittsburgh. Nardo (6-3, 277) is a native of Lancaster, Pa., where he attended Catholic High School. He joined the Iowa program as a walk-on and during his career has earned a scholarship. Nardo started for the second time in Iowa’s win over ULM. He recorded a career-high 12 tackles in the win over ULM, including six solo tackles, two tackles for loss and a shared QB sack. Nardo and his defensive teammates held ULM to just 59 net rushing yards and the Warhawks had just one rushing play gain over six yards. In four games, Nardo has recorded eight solo tackles and 16 assists. He has three tackles for loss, one pass break-up and one forced fumble. Nardo is the first Hawkeye to earn the defensive award since last Nov. 1 when DB Shaun Prater was recognized. Nardo is Iowa’s first defensive lineman to earn Player of the Week honors since DE Adrian Clayborn was honored Oct. 4, 2010.

VANDENBERG, GUTHRIE GAIN NATIONAL HONOR
Junior quarterback James Vandenberg and senior punter Eric Guthrie received recognition for their play in Iowa’s Sept. 24 win over Louisiana-Monroe. The duo earned honorable mention recognition from the College Football Performance Awards for their respective positions. Vandenberg completed 21-32 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns in Iowa’s 45-17 win over ULM. He also scored on a one-yard run, his third rushing touchdown of the season. His scoring strikes covered 13, 17 and 23 yards. Vandenberg has three touchdown passes in each of Iowa’s last two games and 10 total scoring passes in four games. His season stats include 81-129 (.628) for 1,095 yards and 10 touchdowns, with just one interception. Guthrie has taken over Iowa’s punting duties in his senior season and averaged 48 yards on his two punts in the win over ULM. He has at least one punt of 50 yards or more in Iowa’s last three games. For the season, he is averaging 44.9 yards on 15 punts. He has three punts of at least 50 yards and a best of 59 yards. He has six punts inside the opponent 20 and no touchbacks. Iowa opponents are averaging just 5.2 yards on five returns.

HAWKEYE GAMEDAY LIVE
The UI Department of Athletics is introducing a new-and-improved “Hawkeye Gameday Live” page each Saturday for Hawkeye fans. The page will feature game information such as notes, rosters, TV and radio information, etc.; live stats and blog, and twitter and facebook feeds. It’s the one-stop-shop for the ultimate Hawkeye fan who wants to check stats of their favorite player and participate in the conversation during the football game. Check the front page of hawkeyesports.com each Saturday for access to “Hawkeye Gameday Live”.

#HAWKEYES AND TWITTER
Hawkeye fans join the twitter conversation each game by including #Hawkeyes in your gameday tweets. By including #Hawkeyes in your tweets, in addition to showing your Hawkeye pride you will help the #Hawkeyes trend. Also, if you are not already following @TheIowaHawkeyes and @HawkeyeFootball, visit twitter.com and follow both feeds. Also, Hawkeye fans are encouraged to tweet their photos on gameday to @theiowahawkeyes.

IOWA LEADERSHIP GROUP
Iowa’s Leadership Group for the 2011 season includes four seniors, five juniors, four sophomores, one redshirt freshman and one true freshman. Permanent team captains are named at the conclusion of each season. The Leadership Group includes seniors Broderick Binns, Mike Daniels, Marvin McNutt, Jr. and Tyler Nielsen; juniors Greg Castillo, James Ferentz, Micah Hyde, Riley Reiff and James Vandenberg; sophomores Marcus Coker, Casey Kreiter, James Morris and Brett Van Sloten; redshirt freshman Brandon Scherff and true freshman Jake Rudock.

COACH Kirk Ferentz
Kirk Ferentz (pronounced FAIR-rintz, rhymes with parents) is in his 13th season as head football coach at the University of Iowa. His latest contract extension runs through the 2020 season. Ferentz was named the 2009 Dave McClain Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year. He was one of 15 semi-finalists for the 2009 George Munger Award, presented by the Maxwell Football Club to the College Coach of the Year. He was the 2009 AFCA Region Three Coach of the Year and one of 10 finalists for the Liberty Mutual national Coach of the Year. Ferentz was honored as the 2002 Associated Press and Walter Camp National Coach of the Year and was the AFCA Regional Coach of the Year in 2002 as well. He was named Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year in 2002, 2004 and 2009. Ferentz guided Iowa to Big Ten titles in 2002 and 2004. Iowa has made two BCS bowl appearances, including a 24-14 win in the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl. Iowa has played in six January bowl games and has four January bowl victories (2004 Outback Bowl, 2005 Capital One Bowl, 2009 Outback Bowl and 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl). Iowa has posted an 88-42 (.677) overall mark and a 50-30 (.625) Big Ten record the last 10-plus seasons. Ferentz has guided Iowa to nine first division finishes, including a second-place finish in 2009. Iowa was bowl eligible in 2010 for the 10th straight season. The Hawkeyes are 6-3 in bowl games under Ferentz. His six bowl wins tie as third most among all-time Big Ten coaches and he has led Iowa to three straight bowl victories. At Iowa, Ferentz holds an overall record of 92-61 (.601) and a 53-43 (.552) mark in Big Ten games. In his 16th season as a college head coach, he holds a career mark of 104-82 (.559). Fifty-nine of Iowa’s 153 games under Ferentz have been decided by seven points or less (27-32) and 46 were played against opponents who were ranked in the top 25 at the time (20-26). Ferentz joined the Iowa staff after serving as assistant head coach and offensive line coach of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. He was 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 at Iowa. Iowa appeared in eight bowl games while Ferentz was an Iowa assistant. Ferentz was born in Royal Oak, Mich., and attended high school in Pittsburgh, Pa. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English Education from Connecticut in 1978, where he was a football captain. Kirk received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut in May, 2009. He was inducted into the Upper St. Clair High School Hall of Fame in September, 2002 and the Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in May, 2003.

FERENTZ SIXTH IN LONGEVITY
Now in his 13th season as Iowa’s head football coach, Kirk Ferentz ranks sixth in longevity among FBS head coaches. Ferentz is second among Big Ten coaches and nationally ranks behind Penn State’s Joe Paterno, Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech, Larry Blakeney of Troy, Pat Hill of Fresno State and Mack Brown of Texas.

PENN STATE COACH JOE PATERNO
Joe Paterno is in his 62nd season on the Penn State football coaching staff, including his 46th year as head coach. Paterno’s career record is 405-136-3 (.747) since taking over in 1966. He ranks first in all-time NCAA FBS career victories and second all-time in games coached among major college coaches. Paterno’s teams have appeared in 37 bowl games, winning 24, won national titles in 1982 and 1986 and posted undefeated records in 1968, 1969, 1973, 1986 and 1994. His teams have won as many as 11 games in 15 seasons and he has been National Coach of the Year on five occasions. He is the only FBS coach with 300 victories at one school. Paterno has been the Penn State coach for 21 of the 22 meetings between the Hawkeyes and Nittany Lions.

FERENTZ, PATERNO EARN RECOGNITION
Iowa Coach 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), Iowa’s Hayden Fry (three) and Penn State’s Joe Paterno (three) as the only coaches to be honored in more than two seasons.

SENIORITY REIGNS
Penn State’s Joe Paterno and Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz rank one-two in Big Ten Conference seniority. This is Ferentz’s 13th year with the Hawkeyes. Paterno is in his 46th season as Penn State’s head coach. The Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten in 1993. While Penn State is in its 46th season under Paterno, Iowa has had just two head coaches in the past 33 seasons. Hall of Fame Coach Hayden Fry directed the Hawkeye program from 1979-98.

IOWA/PENN STATE NOTES

  • Coach Kirk Ferentz coached game No. 150 as Iowa’s head coach in Iowa’s 34-7 win over Tennessee Tech. The Hawkeyes were also victorious in game No. 50 under Ferentz (56-7 over Buffalo, 9/6/03) and in game No. 100 (35-0 over Syracuse, 9/8/07).
  • In NCAA statistics, Iowa ranks among the top 30 teams in the nation in passing offense, pass efficiency and scoring offense, while Penn State ranks among the top 10 in pass efficiency defense, pass defense, scoring defense and total defense.
  • Iowa punter Eric Guthrie ranks 15th nationally in punting (44.8), while Penn State’s Anthony Fera is 23rd (43.6).
  • Since the start of the 2002 season, Iowa ranks 17th in total victories among all FBS teams with 80, while Penn State (77) is 20th.
  • Iowa has played seven overtime games in its history and two have come at Penn State (the other four were vs. Michigan in 2005, at Syracuse in 2006, vs. Michigan State in 2007, at Ohio State in 2009 and at Iowa State, 2011). The Hawkeyes are 4-3 in overtime games. Iowa won both overtime contests at Penn State. Iowa’s 26-23 double overtime victory at Penn State in 2000 was Iowa’s first-ever overtime game. In 2002, the Nittany Lions rallied from a 35-13 fourth quarter deficit to send the game into overtime, only to see the Hawkeyes prevail (42-35).
  • Iowa QB James Vandenberg and PSU QB Matt McGloin have been named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week this season. Vandenberg earned the honor in Iowa’s win over Pittsburgh and McGloin was recognized after leading the Nittany Lions past Eastern Michigan.
  • Both Iowa and Penn State return five players who earned All-Big Ten honors in 2010.
  • Iowa’s win at Penn State in 2002 featured the only occasion in which the Hawkeyes have scored two points after blocking an opponent PAT. D.J. Johnson recovered the blocked kick and returned it for two critical points.
  • Iowa has three players from Pennsylvania on its roster, including starting DL Tom Nardo from Lancaster, freshman LB Marcus Collins (Yeadon) and freshman DL John Raymon (Richboro). Coach Kirk Ferentz attended high school in Pittsburgh, DL Coach Rick Kaczenski hails from Erie and Director of Football Operations Paul Federici earned his bachelor’s degree from Penn State.
  • Iowa is playing its second opponent from Pennsylvania, having recorded a 31-27 win over Pitt earlier this season at Iowa City.

PENN STATE IN THE BIG TEN
Since joining the Big Ten Conference in 1993, Penn State has a winning record against seven of its Big Ten opponents. The Nittany Lions are 6-10 vs. Michigan, 6-12 vs. Ohio State and 5-9 vs. Iowa. Only Iowa (5-2) and Michigan (5-3) hold a winning record in Beaver Stadium during that time.

THE SERIES
With wins in each of the last three meetings and eight of the last nine, Iowa leads the series, 12-11. The teams first met Nov. 15, 1930, with Iowa winning 19-0 in Iowa City. PSU won five in a row, as Iowa didn’t defeat PSU again until 1976. Iowa scored a 24-3 win in Kinnick Stadium last season. Iowa rallied in the fourth quarter for a 21-10 victory in 2009 on its last visit to Beaver Stadium. Iowa scored the final 21 points after trailing 10-0 in the first half, with 16 of those points coming in the fourth quarter. Both of the last two games were played in prime time on national television. In 2008, Iowa claimed a thrilling 24-23 home win, converting a 31-yard field goal with one second to play. Both teams have had a five-game winning streak in the series. Penn State won each game played between 1971 and 1975. Iowa’s longest streak in the series began with a double-overtime win in 2000 and included wins from 2000-04. The teams did not meet in 2005 and 2006. The Hawkeyes are 7-4 in games played at Penn State, with wins in five of the last six played in Beaver Stadium. The visiting team has won 14 of the 23 meetings. The teams have played two overtime games, both at Penn State. Iowa won in two overtimes in 2000 (26-23) and in single overtime in 2002 (42-35).

IOWA WON IN KINNICK A YEAR AGO
Iowa used a solid defensive performance and a fast start on offense to take a 24-3 Homecoming win over Penn State Oct. 2, 2010, in Kinnick Stadium. Iowa drove 77 yards in 10 plays on its first possession and led 3-0 following a 20-yard Mike Meyer field goal. After Penn State failed to gain a first down on its first two possessions, Iowa struck again for a 10-0 advantage. QB Ricky Stanzi completed the scoring drive with a nine-yard scoring strike to Derrell Johnson-Koulianos. Iowa’s defense was at its best in the first period, allowing Penn State no first downs and just one yard total offense. Iowa increased its advantage late in the second period on a one-yard sneak by Stanzi. The 68-yard drive was highlighted by two 18-yard receptions by Marvin McNutt, Jr. Penn State scored its only points on a 25-yard field goal by Collin Wagner on the final play of the half. The Nittany Lions threatened on their first drive of the third period, reaching a first and goal at the Iowa 10. But QB Rob Bolden was stopped inches short of a touchdown on fourth down and Iowa held Penn State out of scoring range the rest of the night. Iowa’s final points came on a 33-yard interception return by DB Shaun Prater. The Iowa defense did not allow a touchdown for the second straight week, holding Penn State to 54 net rushing yards. The Hawkeyes collected a pair of sacks and recorded eight tackles for loss. DE Adrian Clayborn led Iowa with a game-high 10 tackles, including three for loss, and a QB sack. His efforts garnered Clayborn Big Ten defensive Player of the Week honors. True freshman LB James Morris, forced into action due to injuries to Jeff Tarpinian, and Troy Johnson, added seven stops. Prater added four tackles to go with his interception and touchdown return. Stanzi led Iowa’s balanced offense by completing 16-22 passes for 227 yards, with one touchdown and an interception. McNutt, Jr. led Iowa’s receivers with five receptions for 93 yards.

FAST START PROPELS IOWA PAST ULM
Iowa scored touchdowns on three of its first four possessions in taking control early and went on to a 45-17 win over Louisiana-Monroe. The Hawkeyes had scoring drives of 74 and 60 yards on its first two drives before taking advantage of a 30-yard punt return by Micah Hyde to drive just 29 yards for their third touchdown. An 80-yard scoring drive in the middle of the second period left Iowa with a 28-3 halftime advantage. The visitors drove for a field goal on their opening drive, but ran no more than six plays on their remaining drives of the first half. Iowa’s opening score came on a one-yard run by QB James Vandenberg, his third of the season. Vandenberg then connected with WR Marvin McNutt, Jr. for a 13-yard scoring strike and RB Marcus Coker added a four-yard touchdown run. McNutt, Jr. hauled in a 17-yard scoring pass from Vandenberg late in the second period, increasing his career total to 20 touchdown receptions, just one shy of the school record. ULM responded with two touchdown drives in the third period, but Iowa also scored a touchdown on its opening drive of the second half and ULM was never closer than 17 points. Coker added a two-yard scoring run in the third period and Vandenberg connected with WR Keenan Davis for a 23-yard touchdown later in the period. The only points in the fourth quarter came on a Mike Meyer 23-yard field goal. Vandenberg led the Iowa offense by completing 21-32 passes for 270 yards, as eight Hawkeyes had at least one reception. McNutt, Jr. led the way with seven receptions for 100 yards, reaching the 100-yard mark for the third time in four games. Davis had his third touchdown reception in as many games and Kevonte Martin-Manley had 82 yards on six receptions. Coker rushed 18 times for 113 yards, surpassing the century mark for the second time this season and fourth time in his career. DT Tom Nardo led the Iowa defense with 12 tackles, earning Big Ten defensive Player of the Week honors. Nardo had six solo stops, including two tackles for loss and a shared QB sack. LB James Morris added 10 tackles and LB Christian Kirksey recorded eight.

EXTRA POINTS VS. ULM

  • QB James Vandenberg scored his third rushing touchdown of the season in the first quarter. All have been one-yard runs. The three rushing touchdowns are the most in a season by an Iowa quarterback since Nathan Chandler had six in 2003.
  • Vandenberg’s stats on the day included three touchdown passes, two to Marvin McNutt, Jr., and one to Keenan Davis. Vandenberg has 10 passing touchdowns in four games, with at least two in each game and three in each of the last two.
  • Senior WR Marvin McNutt, Jr. grabbed seven passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns. McNutt, Jr. now has 113 receptions for 1,959 yards. McNutt, Jr. now has 20 career scoring receptions, one shy of the school record. The record of 21 is held by Tim Dwight (1994-97) and Danan Hughes (1989-92). McNutt now ranks 12th in career receptions and sixth in career yards. He has at least 100 yards receiving in three of four games in 2011.
  • Senior Tom Nardo had his best game as a Hawkeye after starting at defensive tackle for the second straight week. He had a career-best six tackles in the first half alone. He ended the game with a career-high 12 stops. He also recorded one-half sack and two tackles for loss.
  • Sophomore RB Marcus Coker led Iowa’s ground game with 18 carries for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Coker surpassed 100 rushing yards for the second time this season and for the fourth time in his career. Coker rushed a career-high 35 times for 140 yards at Iowa State. Coker surpassed 100 yards rushing twice as a freshman. He rushed 33 times for 219 yards against Missouri and rushed 22 times for 129 yards in a win at Indiana. He previously scored two touchdowns at Iowa State this season and a year ago vs. Missouri in the Insight Bowl.
  • Iowa has scored over 30 points in its first four games: Tennessee Tech (34), Iowa State (41), Pittsburgh (31) and ULM (45). Iowa had not scored over 30 points in four straight games since 2002, when Iowa surpassed 30 in five straight games. Iowa last scored over 30 points in the first four games of the season in 1997.
  • Iowa’s 28 points in the first half are a season high. Iowa led Tennessee Tech 27-0 at halftime in the first game of the year.
  • Micah Hyde had a 30-yard punt return in the second quarter, giving Iowa its first punt return yards of the season. He ended the day with two returns for 43 yards.
  • Sophomore PK Mike Meyer made a 23-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, improving to 8-10 on the season after making his first seven attempts. He is 17-17 on PAT kicks. He has made 22-27 career field goals.
  • Junior TE Zach Derby started for the first time in his career. The only other change in Iowa’s line-up from the previous week was at fullback, where Matt Meyers started for the second time in four games. Jonathan Gimm had started the last two games at fullback, but did not play against ULM.
  • RB Jordan Canzeri and LB Quinton Alston saw the first action of their careers. Ten true freshmen have played for the Hawkeyes this season.

PENN STATE TOPS HOOSIERS
Penn State opened conference play with a 16-10 win at Indiana last Saturday. Penn State’s Anthony Fera connected on field goals of 22 and 27 yards in the first half and added a 33-yarder in the third period. He was named Big Ten special teams Player of the Week. QB Matt McGloin connected with WR Derek Moye on a 74-yard touchdown pass late in the third period. Indiana scored its only touchdown with 3:51 left to play to cut the margin to 16-10. The Hoosiers had a chance at the end on a desperation pass, but the attempt was incomplete, giving PSU the road win. Penn State held a 464-256 advantage in total offense, but the Nittany Lions were guilty of three turnovers. Moye led Penn State receivers with six receptions for 158 yards, while McGloin completed 10-22 passes for 204 yards. QB Rob Bolden also saw action for PSU, completing 6-14 attempts for 67 yards. Silas Redd led the Penn State rushing attack with 29 carries for 129 yards. Defensively, Gerald Hodges collected 11 tackles and Glenn Carson added seven stops.

IOWA IN NCAA STATS
As a team, Iowa is fourth nationally in net punting (43.1), tied for eighth in fewest turnovers (four), 10th in fewest penalty yards per game (36.3), tied for 12th in red zone offense (94.4%), tied for 15th in red zone defense (.710), tied for 16th in turnover margin (+4), tied for 17th in fewest penalties per game (4.5), tied for 21st in scoring offense (37.8) and 28th in pass efficiency (154.08) and passing offense (281.2). Individually, PK Mike Meyer is tied for fifth in field goals per game (2.0) and is 24th in scoring (10.3), P Eric Guthrie is 15th in punting (44.9), DB Micah Hyde is tied for 22nd with two interceptions, LB James Morris is tied for 20th in tackles (10.0), WR Marvin McNutt, Jr. is 22nd in receiving yards per game (103.2) and tied for 34th in receptions per game (6.3), QB James Vandenberg is 20th in pass efficiency (158.12) and 24th in passing offense (273.8) and LB Christian Kirksey is tied for 28th in tackles (9.8).

HAWKEYES TO WATCH
A number of Iowa players were named to preseason all-Big Ten and All-America teams over the summer. Those named to preseason Watch Lists include the following:

OL Riley Reiff

  • First team preseason All-America by Playboy
  • Second team preseason All-America by Consensus Draft Services
  • Third team preseason All-American by Phil Steele’s College Football and Athlon Sports
  • Started at left tackle in first four games in 2011 and has started 25 consecutive games

WR Marvin McNutt, JR.

  • Second team All-Big Ten in 2010
  • Fourth team preseason All-America by Phil Steele’s College Football
  • 53 receptions for 861 yards and eight touchdowns in 2010, averaging 16.2 yards per catch. Receiving yardage ranks 10th-best for single season
  • 20 career touchdown receptions ranks third on career list, just one shy of Danan Hughes (1989-92) and Tim Dwight (1994-97). Career totals include 113 receptions for 1,959 yards to rank sixth in career yards and 12th in career receptions
  • Eight touchdown receptions in both 2009 and 2010 and four in four games in 2011
  • Six receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns in opening win over Tennessee Tech
  • Earned honorable mention from College Football Performance Awards for his play vs. Tennessee Tech
  • Four receptions for 61 yards at Iowa State, including 29-yard reception that led to an Iowa touchdown and 24-17 fourth quarter advantage
  • Career-high eight receptions for 112 yards in win over Pittsburgh
  • Seven receptions for 100 yard and two touchdowns in win over ULM

DB Shaun Prater

  • First team All-Big Ten in 2010 by both league coaches and media
  • Second team preseason All-America by Lindy’s, Athlon Sports and GoDaddy.com
  • Tied for second in the Big Ten and tied for 40th nationally with four interceptions in 2010
  • Ranked fifth on the team with 68 tackles in 2010, while playing in 12 of 13 games
  • Has 89-yard interception return for a touchdown vs. Tennessee Tech, the second of his career
  • Earned honorable mention recognition from College Football Performance Awards for his play vs. Tennessee Tech
  • Recorded five solo tackles and two assists at Iowa State
  • Recorded two forced fumbles and three tackles in win over Pittsburgh
  • Recorded six tackles in win over ULM
  • Has seven career interceptions and ranks seventh at Iowa with 173 career interception return yards

DT Mike Daniels

  • Honorable mention All-Big Ten
  • Second on team in tackles for loss (11-56) and QB sacks (4-31) in 2010
  • Named Big Ten co-Defensive Player of the Week for his play vs. Ball State in 2010. Also named national Defensive Player of the Week by College Football Performance Awards
  • Recorded six solo tackles, one assist and two QB pressures at Iowa State
  • Recorded five tackles in opening win, including 1.5 tackles for loss and a QB sack
  • Recorded three tackles in win over Pittsburgh, including a QB sack in the fourth quarter
  • Three tackles vs. ULM, including a shared QB sack, as defense allowed just 59 net rushing yards

DB Micah Hyde

  • Defensive Player of the Game, 2010 Insight Bowl
  • Recorded three tackles and a pass break-up in opening game after moving from cornerback to safety
  • Recorded six solo tackles, one assists and two pass break-ups at Iowa State
  • Moved to cornerback and recorded two interceptions and 10 tackles in win over Pittsburgh
  • Recorded five tackles in win over ULM and had 43 yards on two punt returns
  • Earned defensive back honorable mention recognition from College Football Performance Awards for his play in win over Pittsburgh

COKER LEADS RUSHING ATTACK
Sophomore RB Marcus Coker leads the Iowa rushing attack, with 87 carries for 380 yards and four touchdowns. He rushed a career-high 35 times for 140 yards at Iowa State, scoring on runs of one and four yards, and he added 113 yards and two scores on 18 carries against ULM. He is fourth in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (95.0). He has rushed for over 100 yards twice in four games this season and four times in his career. As a true freshman in 2010, Coker started for the fourth time in Iowa’s Insight Bowl win over Missouri. He set Iowa bowl records for rushing attempts (33) and rushing yards (219) in the win. He scored on touchdown runs of one and 62 yards and was named Offensive Player of the Game. He is the Sports Illustrated preseason selection for Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. His season totals in 2010 included 114 carries for 622 yards and three touchdowns, while playing in just seven games. Coker’s rushing total a year ago ranks fourth best for an Iowa freshman.

VANDENBERG STEPS IN AT QB
Junior James Vandenberg has stepped into the starting role as Iowa’s quarterback, leading Iowa to a comeback win over Pittsburgh and impressive wins over Tennessee Tech and Louisiana-Monroe. He completed 31-48 passes for 399 yards and three touchdowns against Pitt, with the three scoring passes coming in the fourth period. He was named Big Ten Conference offensive Player of the Week after reaching career-high marks in completions, attempts, passing yards and touchdowns. He also scored on a one-yard run and completed 17 of his last 20 passes in the second half. In Iowa’s most recent win over ULM, Vandenberg completed 21-32 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for one score. In four games, Vandenberg has completed 81-129 (.628) passes for 1,095 yards and 10 touchdowns, with one interception. He is second in the Big Ten in passing yards (273.8) and third in pass efficiency (158.1) and total offense (282.0). Vandenberg was 16-28 for 207 yards at Iowa State, with two touchdowns. He led a fourth-quarter touchdown drive and added the two-point conversion to give Iowa a 24-17 lead late in the game. He then led the Hawkeyes to 17 points in the three overtime periods. Vandenberg is 4-2 as Iowa’s starting quarterback, with the two losses both coming in overtime (at Iowa State, 2011 and at Ohio State, 2009). He is 21st in the nation in pass efficiency and 23rd in passing yards per game.

MEYER GETTING HIS KICKS
Sophomore PK Mike Meyer has made 8-10 field goal attempts and is 17-17 in PAT kicks. He is tied for sixth nationally in field goals per game (2.0). Meyer is tied for the Big Ten lead in field goals per game, ranks second in field goal percentage (80%) and kick scoring (10.2) and is fifth in total scoring. He made a 22-yard field goal in the win over Pitt before missing from 40 and 50 yards and made his only attempt (23 yards) in the win over ULM. Meyer had a career-best 50-yard field goal at Iowa State, while also connecting from 42, 20 and 34 yards. Meyer made four field goals in a game for the second time in his career, as he made 4-5 in an 18-13 win at Indiana in 2010. Meyer leads Iowa in scoring with 41 points and has made 22-27 (.815) career field goal attempts.

MORRIS LEADS IN TACKLES
Sophomore LB James Morris has collected 40 tackles in four games to lead the team. He has 22 solo stops and 18 assists, along with one pass interception. Morris collected five solo stops and five assists in Iowa’s win over ULM. He matched his career high with 13 tackles in the win over Pittsburgh and ranks second in the Big Ten in tackles per game.

KIRKSEY STEADY ON DEFENSE
Sophomore LB Christian Kirksey has recorded 39 tackles (24 solo) in four games. Kirksey ranks third in the Big Ten in tackles and is 20th nationally in solo tackles. He also has two tackles for loss, one QB sack, a pass break-up, one caused fumble and one fumble recovery. He led the Hawkeyes with 11 solo tackles and two assists at Iowa State, while also causing and recovering an Iowa State fumble on the same play. He recorded 10 tackles (six solo stops) against Tennessee Tech in his first game as a starter and had eight stops in the win over Pittsburgh.

TOP HAWKEYE PERFORMERS

  • Senior Eric Guthrie has taken over the punting duties in 2011 and is averaging 44.9 yards on 15 punts. Guthrie has six punts inside the 20, with no touchbacks, and opponents have averaged just 5.2 yards on five returns. He had a career-long 59-yard punt at Iowa State, where he averaged 46.8 yards on four punts, and has at least one punt of 50 yards or more in three straight games.
  • Senior DL Mike Daniels has collected 18 tackles, including three tackles for loss and 2.5 QB sacks. He also has two QB pressures.
  • Senior DL Tom Nardo had a career-high 12 tackles in Iowa’s win over ULM, earning Big Ten defensive Player of the Week honors. Nardo has started the last two games at tackle and in four games has 24 tackles, including three tackles for loss, a pass break-up and a caused fumble.
  • Junior WR Keenan Davis recorded career bests in catches and yards in Iowa’s win over Pittsburgh. He led Iowa receivers with 10 receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown against Pittsburgh. He collected five receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown at Iowa State, including a 23-yard scoring catch in the second overtime period. He had a 23-yard scoring reception in the most recent win over ULM. Davis has 19 receptions for 286 yards and three touchdowns in four games as a starter and he is averaging 20.7 yards on three KO returns. Davis has nine of Iowa’s plays that have gained over 20 yards, include seven of 22 plays from scrimmage and two of nine KO returns.
  • Senior DB Jordan Bernstine has played well in three games, while missing the Iowa State game due to illness. Bernstine started for the first time in his career in the win over Pittsburgh, recording five solo stops, two tackles for loss and a QB sack among his eight tackles. He added two tackles in the win over ULM and is averaging 23 yards on eight KO returns.
  • Redshirt freshman WR Kevonte Martin-Manley has three touchdown receptions. He had scoring catches of 25 and 22 yards in the win over Pittsburgh, scoring Iowa’s last two touchdowns in the fourth quarter rally. He also had a touchdown at Iowa State. He added six receptions for 82 yards in the win over ULM and for the season has 14 receptions for 181 yards.

COLLECTING INTERCEPTIONS
Iowa’s defense has ranked among national leaders in causing turnovers in recent seasons. Over the last three-plus seasons Iowa has collected 67 interceptions, a total that ranks second in the nation over that span (Florida, 71). The Hawkeyes have had an interception return for a touchdown in each of the last four years, including four last season. Iowa has had an interception return for a score in nine of the last 11 seasons and 9-13 seasons under Kirk Ferentz. Iowa had six non-offensive touchdowns in 2010 and had an 89-yard interception return for a touchdown in the opening win this season. In addition, in each of the last four seasons, Iowa has had more interceptions than touchdown passes allowed.

IOWA PLAYS THEM CLOSE
Iowa has not lost a football game by more than nine points in its last 47 games, a streak that currently ranks as the longest in the nation (31-6, at Purdue, 10/20/07). In addition, The Hawkeyes have not lost a game by more than a touchdown in their last 43 games (28-19, Western Michigan, 11/17/07).

AMONG CAREER LEADERS
Senior WR Marvin McNutt, Jr., ranks third in career touchdown receptions (20) and is sixth in receiving yards and 12th in career catches (113-1,959). He needs just one scoring reception to tie Danan Hughes (1989-92) and Tim Dwight (1994-97) in career scoring receptions. Senior DB Shaun Prater has 173 career interception return yards and junior DB Micah Hyde has 142 yards. Prater ranks seventh among Iowa’s career interception leaders and Hyde is 11th. Prater and Hyde each have two touchdown returns. Among Iowa’s career leaders, only Tom Knight (three) and Plez Atkins (two) have more than one touchdown return.

THREE HAWKEYES OUT OF ACTION
Sophomore LB Shane DiBona, true freshman RB Mika’il McCall and sophomore LB Dakota Getz will miss the remainder of the 2011 season. DiBona suffered an achilles injury during preseason practice. He underwent successful surgery at the UI Hospitals and Clinics following the injury and is expected to make a full recovery. After a redshirt season in 2009, the Duxbury, Mass. native saw action in all 13 games a year ago, with two starts. He recorded six solo tackles and seven assists. McCall suffered a broken bone in his right leg in Iowa’s opening win over Tennessee Tech. He had rushed for 61 yards on nine carries before suffering the injury. Getz, who missed Iowa’s opening win due to injury, suffered a major knee injury on the opening kick of the Iowa State game and is expected to miss the rest of the season.

HAWKEYES ON THE TUBE
All Iowa football games this season will be televised on either ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, FSN or the BTN. The last Iowa contest not televised was vs. Minnesota on Nov. 17, 2001. Iowa has appeared on television in its last 120 games.

NEW FACES ON THE FIELD
Iowa has played 10 true freshmen in 2011, including RB Mika’il McCall, RB Damon Bullock, WR Marcus Grant, TE Ray Hamilton, LB John Lowdermilk, DB Nico Law, DB Jordan Lomax, LB Marcus Collins RB Jordan Canzeri and LB Quinton Alston. Iowa played nine true freshmen in 2010, but just three true freshmen in 2009. The Hawkeyes played seven true freshmen in 2000, 2003 and 2008. Hawkeyes who have seen the first action of their career this season, in addition to the eight true freshmen, included QB A.J. Derby, FB Matt Meyers, WR Kevonte Martin-Manley, RB De’Andre Johnson, LB Terrance Pryor, OL Andrew Donnal, OL Tommy Gaul, WR Steven Staggs, DL Mike Hardy and DL Carl Davis. Twelve Hawkeyes have started for the first time in 2011, including FB Jonathan Gimm, OL Matt Tobin, TE Brad Herman, FB Matt Meyers, WR Keenan Davis, DL Lebron Daniel, DL Tom Nardo, DL Dominic Alvis, LB Christian Kirksey, DB Jordan Bernstine, DB Collin Sleeper and DB Tanner Miller.

RETURNING STAT LEADERS
Iowa returns just two players who led the team in statistical categories in 2010. PK Mike Meyer led the team in scoring with 73 points, hitting 14-17 field goal attempts and 31-33 PAT attempts. WR Marvin McNutt, Jr. led the Hawkeyes in receptions (53), receiving yards (861) and touchdown receptions (8).

FERENTZ JOINS CHALLENGE
Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz and Iowa State Coach Paul Rhoads have joined forces with the Iowa Mentoring Partnership for the 2011 Coaches’ Challenge. The Coaches’ Challenge runs from Aug. 1-Nov. 21 and is a competition between Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas to see which state can recruit the most mentors. For three years, Kansas and Nebraska have competed in a “Coaches Mentoring Challenge”, with Bo Pelini (Nebraksa), Bill Snyder (Kansas State) and Turner Gill (Kansas) taking part in the competition. Ferentz and Rhoads have joined the competition this season. According to The National Mentoring Partnership, there are 15 million children in the nation in need of caring and quality mentors. In Iowa, it is estimated that nearly 5,000 young people are currently in need of a mentor. Many of these children and youth are young men who would strongly benefit from a positive male role model. The Iowa Mentoring Partnership, an initiative of the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, upholds the commission’s mission to “improve lives, strengthen communities and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering” by supporting quality mentoring services and by working to close the mentoring gap in our state. The Iowa Mentoring Partnership currently supports a network of more than 80 local, certified mentoring programs. Any new mentor application received between Aug. 1-Nov. 21 will count towards the score of the respective state, with cumulative totals updated each month. To find out more information or join the Coaches’ Challenge, visit www.iowamentoring.org or call 1-800-308-5987.

TICKET UPDATE
Iowa has sold all tickets for its seven home games. Iowa has issued over 59,000 season tickets, which includes more than 10,000 student tickets. The Iowa record for average home attendance is 70,585, set in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010. Iowa has sold out Kinnick Stadium 52 of the last 54 games. In addition, Iowa has sold its allotment of tickets to remaining road games at Penn State, Minnesota and Nebraska.

DIVISION CHAMPS TO MEET IN TITLE GAME
The Big Ten Conference will stage its first conference football championship game Dec. 3 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The prime time contest will be televised by FOX to a national audience. The Big Ten’s Legends Division includes Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska and Northwestern. The Leaders Division includes Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin.

IOWA FOOTBALL AND THE NFL

  • For the second straight year, Iowa had six players selected in the 2011 NFL Draft, and for the second straight year that list included a first round selection (DE Adrian Clayborn).
  • Iowa was one of eight schools to have as many as six players selected in the 2011 NFL Draft.
  • Only two schools, USC (16) and Florida (13), have had more players selected in the past two seasons.
  • The Iowa football program was represented by 33 players on opening day NFL rosters. As many as eight additional former Hawkeyes with NFL experience are listed as free agents, on injured reserve or on practice squads.
  • Iowa ranks eighth nationally (second among Big Ten teams) in number former players currently active in the NFL, behind Miami, FL, USC, Texas, Tennessee, Ohio State, Georgia and LSU.
  • All 11 members of Iowa’s starting defensive unit in 2008 were either drafted in the last three NFL drafts or signed to NFL free agent contracts following the drafts.
  • Over the past 12 years, 98 of 114 (86%) of Iowa’s senior starters have been drafted in the NFL or signed NFL free agent contracts.

IOWA VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
Iowa posted a 4-3 record while facing seven ranked opponents in 2010, the most for a Kirk Ferentz coached Hawkeye team. Iowa played six ranked teams in 1999 and 2003. The four wins over ranked teams are the most for Iowa since posting a 4-2 record vs. six ranked opponents in 2003. Three of Iowa’s seven opponents were ranked in the top 10, while Missouri was 12th. Iowa lost to No. 10 Wisconsin (31-30), defeated No. 5 Michigan State (37-6) and lost to No. 7 Ohio State (20-17), all in Kinnick Stadium. In 2009, Iowa defeated No. 4 Penn State and No. 9 Georgia Tech, while losing at No. 8 Ohio State in overtime. With the 37-6 win over fifth-ranked Michigan State (10/30/10), Iowa has recorded a victory over a top-five ranked team in each of the last three seasons. Iowa defeated fourth-ranked Penn State (21-10) on the road in 2009 and defeated the third-ranked Nittany Lions (24-23) in Kinnick Stadium in 2008. Along with defeating Michigan State, Iowa defeated Missouri (#12), Penn State (#20) and Michigan (#24). Along with losses to Wisconsin and Ohio State, Iowa lost at No. 18 Arizona. In Big Ten play, Iowa’s eight opponents posted an overall record of 62-34 during the regular season. Iowa did not play Illinois and Purdue.

IOWA VS. BOWL TEAMS
Eight of Iowa’s 13 opponents in 2010 earned bowl invitations. Iowa’s 13 opponents posted a 92-71 (.564) overall record. Wisconsin (Rose) and Ohio State (Sugar) earned BCS bowl bids, while Arizona, Michigan State, Penn State, Michigan, Northwestern and Missouri played in the post-season.

IOWA TO MEET NEBRASKA ON FRIDAY
Iowa’s regular season finale will be played on Friday, Nov. 25 at Nebraska, the day after Thanksgiving. That contest will be televised by ABC (11 a.m. CT) to a national audience. Iowa and Nebraska will also meet in Kinnick Stadium on the Friday following Thanksgiving to end the 2012 regular season.

IOWA ADDS TROPHY GAME WITH NEBRASKA
When Iowa and Nebraska resume their series in November, the two teams will be playing “The Heroes Game”, with the winner claiming the Heroes Trophy. The trophy game between the Hawkeyes and Cornhuskers is the latest trophy game for the Hawkeyes, who also play trophy games with Iowa State (Cy-Hawk Trophy), Minnesota (Floyd of Rosedale) and Wisconsin (Heartland Trophy).

HEROES CAN BE NOMINATED
One hero from both Iowa and Nebraska will be honored when Iowa and Nebraska play the inaugural Heroes Game presented by Hy-Vee, on Friday, Nov. 25 in Lincoln, Neb. A nominee must be at least 18 years of age and live, work or go to school in either Iowa or Nebraska. However, the act of heroism or good deed need not have occurred in either state. One person from both Iowa and Nebraska will be selected to represent each state at the Heroes Game. They will receive four tickets to the football game, participate in an on-field presentation, and have their name and hometown inscribed on the Heroes Game trophy. Nominations will be accepted from Sept. 23 to Oct. 31. Nomination forms, rules, and further information can be found online at www.Hy-Vee.com or may be picked up at Hy-Vee store locations in Iowa and Nebraska. Nominations may also be mailed to the American Red Cross Des Moines office, 2116 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312, or faxed to (515) 244-8012 by midnight on October 31, 2011. Nominations not recognized at the Heroes Game will be considered for recognition at the American Red Cross Heroes of the Heartland events in selected Iowa and Nebraska cities and towns in March 2012.

HAWKEYE FOOTBALL NOTES

  • Dating back to 2008, Iowa has won 10 of its last 15 games away from Iowa City, with two of the five losses coming at the hands of ranked teams and two of the five coming in overtime. A six-game streak was snapped in the overtime loss at eighth-ranked Ohio State in November, 2009. The road winning streak was the longest for Iowa since winning all five of its road games during the 2002 regular season. That streak was six straight games away from home, including the 2001 Alamo Bowl.
  • 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. Iowa has defeated a team ranked in the top five in each of the last three seasons, including home wins over Penn State (2008) and Michigan State (2010).

IOWA PROGRAM NOTES

  • Iowa was bowl eligible in 2010 for the 10th straight season. The Hawkeyes played in their ninth bowl game 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, 2010 Orange Bowl and 2010 Insight Bowl.
  • Iowa has posted a 6-3 bowl record under Kirk Ferentz. Ferentz is tied for third on the all-time list of Big Ten coaches with six bowl victories. Iowa’s .667 (6-3) winning percentage in bowl games in the BCS era ranks as the best in the Big Ten Conference.
  • Four of Iowa’s six bowl wins under Kirk Ferentz have been in January. Under Ferentz, the Hawkeyes have bowl wins over teams from the Southeastern (three), Big 12 (two) and Atlantic Coast conferences.
  • Iowa is one of four programs in the nation to win a bowl game at the conclusion of each of the last three seasons, with two of the three being January bowl wins. Among Big Ten teams, only Penn State (1993-96), Michigan (1997-2000) and Ohio State (2002-2005) have won four straight bowl games in as many seasons.
  • Iowa has defeated a team ranked in the top five in the nation, in the Associated Press rankings, in each of the past three seasons (Penn State in 2008 and 2009, Michigan State in 2010).
  • Iowa earned Big Ten Conference championships in 2002 and 2004 and placed second in 2009. Iowa (8-0, 2002) is one of two Big Ten teams to post a perfect mark in conference play since 1998 (BCS era).
  • Iowa has ranked in the top 10 in the final Associated Press and CNN/USA Today coaches polls in four of the past nine 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. In 2009, Iowa 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 compiled an eight-year record of 78-36 (.684), 2002-10, third best in the Big Ten. The 78 victories rank as the 18th best total in the nation.
  • Iowa posted a 46-26 Big Ten record from 2002-10, which ranks second among league teams over that span.
  • 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), Iowa’s Hayden Fry (three) and Penn State’s Joe Paterno (three) as the only coaches to be honored in more than two seasons.
  • 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 AMONG TOP 20 IN WINS, 2002-10
Iowa has 80 wins since the start of the 2002 season, which ties as the 17th highest total in Division I football. The list includes the following: Boise State (111); USC (103); Ohio State (102); Oklahoma (102); Texas (99); LSU (97); TCU (95); Virginia Tech (95); Florida (92); Auburn (91); Georgia (91); West Virginia (89); Wisconsin (86); Utah (85); Alabama (84); Texas Tech (83); IOWA (81); Boston College (81); Miami, FL (78) and Penn State (77).

BIG PLAY HAWKEYES
Iowa had five pass plays and one running play against Louisiana-Monroe that covered at least 20 yards, plus one field goal, one punt return and three KO return of at least 20 yards. In four games, Iowa has 20 pass plays and two rushing plays, along with two interception returns, eight KO returns, one punt return and eight field goals, of at least 20 yards. Iowa’s opponents have 10 passing plays, three rushing plays, one punt return, one interception return and 15 KO returns of 20 yards or more.

IOWA BY QUARTERS
Iowa has outscored its opponents in the first (24-13), second (44-10) and fourth (32-17) quarters, but has been outscored in the third quarter (35-34). Iowa was outscored in three overtime periods (20-17) at Iowa State.

ON THE AVERAGE
Iowa averaged 6.9 yards on 32 first down plays, 6.6 yards on 21 second down plays, 8.1 yards on 11 third down plays and 1.5 yards on two fourth down plays in the win over Louisiana-Monroe. In four games, Iowa is averaging 6.4 yards on 131 first down plays, 6.4 yards on 95 second down plays, 5.0 yards on 49 third down plays and -1.0 yards on three fourth down plays. Iowa is 2-3 on fourth down conversions.

AVERAGE SCORING DRIVES
Iowa’s seven scoring drives against Louisiana-Monroe averaged 7.4 plays, 56.7 yards and 3:17 in elapsed times. In four games, Iowa’s 22 scoring drives have averaged 8.0 plays, 59.4 yards and 3:24 in elapsed time. Iowa has 15 touchdown drives, with five of those covering over 80 yards. Iowa’s opponents have 13 scoring drives, averaging 8.9 plays, 55.7 yards and 3:38 in elapsed time. The above scoring drive figures do not include overtime.

IOWA IN THE RED ZONE
Iowa was 6-6 in the red zone against Louisiana-Monroe, collecting a field goal and five touchdowns (two passing, three rushing). In four games, Iowa is 17-18 (94.4%) in the red zone, with seven rushing touchdowns, five passing touchdowns and five field goals. Iowa has scored on 123 of the last 134 (.918) red zone possessions (82 TDs and 41 FGs), dating back to the Michigan State game in 2008. Iowa is 104-115 (.904) combined inside the red zone its last 33 games. Louisiana-Monroe was 2-3 in the red zone, with one two rushing touchdowns and a field goal. Iowa opponents are 12-17 (70.6%) in the red zone, with five rushing touchdowns, five passing touchdowns and two field goals.

POINTS OFF TURNOVERS
Iowa did not collect any turnovers in the win over Louisiana-Monroe. The Hawkeyes have scored 20 points following eight opponent turnovers (four fumbles, four interceptions). The Hawkeye defense has collected at least one takeaway in 59 of its last 66 games, dating back to 2006. Louisiana-Monroe did not score points following one fumble recovery. Iowa’s four opponents have scored seven points following four Iowa turnovers. Iowa had just 11 turnovers (five fumbles, six interceptions) in 13 games last season, allowing 28 points following those turnovers.

HOME GROWN HAWKEYES
Iowa’s roster of 112 players includes 43 players from Iowa. The roster includes 16 players from Illinois; 10 from Ohio; five from Maryland; four from Florida and Texas; three from Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin; two from Minnesota, Nebraska; one from California, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, New York and South Dakota; and one from Australia and Canada.

MORE THAN ONE
Nine high schools have contributed more than one player to the current Iowa football roster. The leader is Iowa City High (Iowa) with four, while three players attended DeMatha Catholic in the Washington, D.C. area and Solon, Iowa HS. Those with two include Assumption HS in Davenport, Iowa; Cretin-Derham Hall HS in St. Paul, Minn., Hazelwood East HS in the St. Louis area; Humboldt, Iowa HS; and Mount Pleasant, Iowa HS.

THE HAWKEYES, SIZE WISE
Freshman PK Marshall Koehn is the lightest Hawkeye player at 160 pounds. Redshirt freshmen DL Carl Davis and OL Brandon Scherff are the heaviest at 310 pounds. A total of six Hawkeye players are listed at 300 pounds or more. The tallest players, at 6-7, are redshirt freshman OL Andrew Donnal, sophomore TE C.J. Fiedorowicz, freshman DE Riley McMinn, sophomore OL Brett Van Sloten and redshirt freshman TE Austin Vier. The shortest players, at 5-8, are redshirt freshman De’Andre Johnson and senior WR Joe Audlehelm. The average Hawkeye player is 6-1 and weighs 229 pounds. That is one inch shorter and four pounds lighter than the average Iowa player in 2010.

IOWA STATS ON THE INTERNET
Statistics and play-by-play accounts of every Iowa football game 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 GT link. This feature is available for all games during the 2011 campaign.

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.

AMERICA NEEDS FARMERS
The University of Iowa Athletics Department is working with the Iowa Farm Bureau on efforts to help consumers understand the challenges and opportunities today’s farmers embrace, and to do so under the banner, “America Needs Farmers,” the initiative undertaken by former UI football coach Hayden Fry during the Farm Crisis of the 1980s and embraced by the Hawkeyes’ current head coach Kirk Ferentz. To learn more, visit AmericaNeedsFarmers.org.

AFTER THIS
Iowa returns to Iowa City for two straight home games. The Hawkeyes host Northwestern Oct. 15 (6 p.m., BTN) in their only night contest of the season. Iowa’s homecoming game is Oct. 22 when the Hawkeyes host Indiana (11 a.m., TBA).

AMERICA NEEDS FARMERS
The University of Iowa Athletics Department is working with the Iowa Farm Bureau on efforts to help consumers understand the challenges and opportunities today’s farmers embrace, and to do so under the banner, “America Needs Farmers,” the initiative undertaken by former UI football coach Hayden Fry during the Farm Crisis of the 1980s and embraced by the Hawkeyes’ current head coach Kirk Ferentz. To learn more, visit AmericaNeedsFarmers.org.

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