April 19, 2016
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa will conclude spring practice with an open practice Saturday, April 23, at Kinnick Stadium, presented by Coke Zero. The final practice will begin at 1 p.m., with gates opening at noon.
Representatives of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation will be on hand at Kinnick Stadium to officially present coach Kirk Ferentz with the Dodd Trophy as the organizations 2015 national Coach of the Year. Presented annually by the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, The Dodd Trophy, college football’s most coveted coaching award, honors the head football coach whose program embodies the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity, while also having success on the playing field throughout the season.
Iowa’s final spring practice will feature the offense versus the defense, with a unique scoring system that is similar to what has been used the past two seasons, allowing both the offense and defense to score points based on performance. An autograph session with members of the Hawkeye football team will begin at 12:35 p.m. in front of the west and south stands.
The Hawkeye Sports Network will be on the air from 1 to 2 p.m., with Gary Dolphin and Rob Brooks discussing spring football and the upcoming season. Among the affiliates carrying the game are KXIC (Iowa City), KCZE (Charles City), KUOO (Spirit Lake), WHO (Des Moines), WMT (Cedar Rapids), WOC (Davenport), and KROS (Clinton). The broadcast can also be heard on Sirius channel 93 and XM 196 on satellite radio.
There is no admission charge. Fans are invited to join forces with the UI Athletics Department and the Johnson County Crisis Center in the annual Food Bank Drive. Fans are invited to bring non-perishable food items to the event. Collection bins will be located in Krause Family Plaza and Lot 43, the parking lot immediately west of Kinnick Stadium, beginning at 11 a.m.
The west and south grandstands will be open for spectators. Gates A and G will open at noon. Roster cards for Saturday’s practice will be available at the entrances, along with autograph posters, Iowa schedule cards for the 2016 season and B1G posters and schedule cards. Normal game day procedures will be in effect. Patrons should expect delays if they are attempting to carry purses or bags into Kinnick Stadium.
Complimentary parking will be available in all surface lots near Kinnick Stadium. Fans are reminded that Iowa City ordinance prohibit the consumption of any alcoholic beverage on UI and public property, which includes UI parking lots and parking ramps. As in the past, the ordinance is in effect on the day of the annual open-to-the-public spring football practice.
Fans are encouraged to approach Kinnick from the east and south to avoid the construction on Hawkins Drive that extends from Highway 6 to the entrance to public parking lots 65 and 75. Fans using Hawkins Drive from the west should expect delays. This stretch of road normally offers two lanes of traffic in each direction, but will be down to a single lane in each direction through the middle of August.
All lanes of traffic will be open on all other streets around Kinnick Stadium, including Melrose Avenue, where the current construction will be halted to allow for Spring Football traffic.
Fans with recreational vehicles will be able to park Friday after 7 p.m. in UI Lot 75 south of Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Please note: normal daily parking rates will be in effect in the parking ramps adjacent to UI Hospitals and Clinics.
Pre-event activities will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Krause Family Plaza at the south end of Kinnick Stadium. The kids zone will feature a bounce house, football toss, soccer, tattoos, prize wheel, and more.
Herky’s Locker Room — the official team store of the Iowa Hawkeyes — will conduct its annual clearance sale Saturday morning, beginning at 9 a.m. in Krause Family Plaza.
Questions concerning the purchase of 2016 football tickets, including general public, UI faculty/staff and UI student seasons tickets by current UI students, should be directed to the UI Athletics Ticket Office. The office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The office telephone number is 1-800-IA-HAWKS. Information is also available at hawkeyesports.com/tickets.
Iowa opens the 2016 football season Sept. 3, hosting Miami, Ohio. The Hawkeyes will also host non-conference opponents Iowa State (Sept. 10) and North Dakota State (Sept. 17). Big Ten home opponents include Northwestern (Oct. 1, Homecoming), Wisconsin (Oct. 22), Michigan (Nov. 12) and Nebraska (Nov. 25).