Game Notes: Iowa vs. North Dakota State

24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2016-17 | Hawkeyes in the NFL | Hawk Talk Monthly — September 2016 | Football Game Notes

1st and 10
1: The Hawkeyes have won nine straight home games, tied for the third-longest active streak in the country (FSU, 22; Clemson, 17; Iowa, 9, Michigan State, 9). Iowa has also won 14 straight regular season games.
 
2: The Hawkeyes are averaging 38.6 points per game during their nine-game home winning streak. Iowa has scored 40-plus points in four straight home games for the first time since scoring 40-plus points in six straight from 1913-14.
 
3: Senior QB C.J. Beathard is 15-2 as Iowa’s starting quarterback, 15-0 in the regular season, and 9-0 at Kinnick Stadium.
 
4: DE Anthony Nelson leads the Big Ten and is tied for second in the country with 3.5 sacks (20 yards). He recorded 2.5 sacks for a loss of 16 yards in his Hawkeye debut in Week 1, earning B1G Freshman of the Week honors.
 
5: WR Matt VandeBerg ranks fifth in the Big Ten in all-purpose yards. The senior has 228 yards receiving, 25 yards rushing, and averages 126.5 yards per game. VandeBerg had a career-high 129 yards receiving against Iowa State in Week 2.
 
6: Senior DB Desmond King, the 2015 Jim Thorpe Award winner and consensus All-American, is listed on six preseason first-team All-America teams.
 
7: The Hawkeyes are 10-for-10 in the redzone, converting nine touchdowns (6 rush, 3 pass) and one field goal (22).
 
8: The Hawkeyes are +4 in turnover margin. Iowa has four takeaways — one interception, three fumble recoveries — and zero giveaways. The Hawkeyes have turned each takeaway into a touchdown.
 
9: Iowa has scored 45 and 42 points, respectively, in its first two games and ranks sixth in Big Ten scoring (43.5 ppg). The Hawkeyes have not scored 40 points in three consecutive games since opening the 1997 season with 66, 54, and 63 points. 
 
10: The University of Iowa has produced more active FBS head coaches than any other school. They include Bret Bielema (Arkansas), Bobby Diaco (UCONN), Bob Stoops (Oklahoma), and Mark Stoops (Kentucky).
 
     HAWKEYE HISTORY
     Iowa has played 1,209 games since beginning football in 1889. Iowa’s overall record is 627-543-39 (.533). That includes a 395-213-16 (.641) record in home games, a 232-330-23 (.413) record in games away from Iowa City, a 314-366-25 (.457) mark in Big Ten games and a 278-177-15 (.600) record in Kinnick Stadium.
 
    IOWA/NORTH DAKOTA STATE NOTES
•   Iowa has zero players on its roster from North Dakota. The Bison have three Iowa natives on their roster, including sophomore RB Lance Dunn (Waterloo), freshman corner back Ross Godfrey (Sioux City), and redshirt freshman linebacker Jake Brinkman (North Liberty).
•   North Dakota State has won the FCS national championship five consecutive years and is ranked No. 1 in FCS. Iowa is 0-10-1 when playing top-ranked FBS schools. Saturday is its first game against the No. 1 team from FCS.
•   Iowa is 13-0 all-time against FCS opponents.
•   University of Iowa Director of Athletics Gary Barta was an option quarterback for North Dakota State football teams that won the Division II NCAA National Championship in 1983, 1985, and 1986. Barta earned a bachelor of science degree in mass communication and broadcast journalism from NDSU in 1987.
•   UI Deputy Director of Athletics Gene Taylor was NDSU athletic director from July 2001 until August 2014. Under his tenure, the Bison won FCS national titles in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Taylor hired NDSU head football coach Chris Klieman in December 2013.
 
      THE SERIES
      Saturday’s game marks the third all-time meeting between the two schools, and first since 1947.  Iowa opened the 1946 and 1947 seasons hosting North Dakota State. Both games were played at Kinnick Stadium.
      Here are the series results:
       *9/21/46    W        39-0
       *9/20/47    W        59-0
 
    IOWA VS. THE FCS
    Iowa is 13-0 all-time against FCS opponents. This is the ninth year in a row Iowa has faced an FCS school.
 
     HOME ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM
     Iowa is averaging 38.6 points per game during its current nine-game winning streak at Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes have scored 40 points or more in four straight home games for the first time in more than 100 years. Iowa scored 40-plus points in six straight home games during the 1913-14 seasons.
 
     THE STREAKS
     9: The Hawkeyes have won nine straight home games for the first time since 2002-05, when they won a school-record 22 consecutive home games.
     14: The Hawkeyes have won 14 straight regular season games.  
     8: The Hawkeyes have a Big Ten best eight game regular season conference winning streak. Iowa was 8-0 in the Big Ten last year, including a 4-0 mark at home and a 4-0 mark on the road. The eight-game winning streak is Iowa’s longest since winning eight in a row between the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Iowa has not won nine consecutive Big Ten regular season games since stringing together 10 straight from 2001-02. The school record for consecutive Big Ten regular season wins is 13, set between the 1920 and 1923 seasons.
     6: The Hawkeyes have won six consecutive road games (the final road game at Illinois in 2014, and all five road games in 2015). It’s their longest road winning streak since winning six straight from 2002-03. The school record for consecutive road wins is eight, set from 1920-23.
 
     BEATHARD EARNS COLLEGE SPORTS MADNESS WEEKLY AWARD
     QB C.J. Beathard was named College Sports Madness Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week following his performance against Iowa State in Week 2. Beathard accounted for four first half touchdowns — three passing and one rushing — to lead Iowa to a 42-3 win in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series. He completed 19-of-28 passes for 235 yards and matched his career best with three touchdown passes.
 
    4 TO BE ADDED TO KINNICK MEDIA WALL OF FAME
    Four members of the media, who covered University of Iowa athletics over the past 40 years, will be inducted into the Kinnick Stadium Media Wall of Fame on Sept. 16-17, in conjunction with Iowa’s home football contest against North Dakota State. 
    The inductees are Rick Brown, a member of the Des Moines Register sports staff from 1978-2015; Blean Calkins, who covered Iowa games for KWPC radio in Muscatine (1962-92); Hal Lagerstrom, sportswriter and sports editor at the Dubuque Telegraph Herald (1959-1991); and Ed Podolak, current radio analyst for Iowa football games for Learfield Sports.  Calkins and Lagerstrom are being honored posthumously.
    The inaugural class of 20 members was recognized in 2006, the first year the Paul Brechler Press Box was in use following the Kinnick Stadium renovation.  Four additional members were added in 2011.  The Wall of Fame, located in the media section of the press box, recognizes individuals who have covered Hawkeye football with integrity, accuracy and fairness over a long period of time.
 
      REMOVE THE REDSHIRT
      Ten true freshmen played in Iowa’s season opener, including RB Tokes Akinribade, K Keith Duncan, TE Noah Fant, DB Amani Hooker, LG Amani Jones, DE Cedrick Lattimore, DB Manny Rugamba, QB Nathan Stanley, LB Kristian Welch, and WR Devonte Young.
      Stanley has played in each of the first two games of the season. He is the first true freshman to play quarterback since Drew Tate in 2003. Tate appeared in six games (0 starts) and was 6-of-11 for 55 yards and one touchdown (no interceptions).
      
     HOME GROWN HAWKEYES
     Iowa’s roster of 117 players includes 53 players from Iowa.  The roster includes 18 players from Illinois; seven from Michigan, six from Maryland, five from Missouri and Texas, four from Wisconsin, three from Ohio and South Dakota, two from Florida, Minnesota, Nebraska, and New Jersey, and one from Canada, Indiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.
 
     BAND OF BROTHERS
The Hawkeyes have five sets of brothers on the 2016 roster. In the season opener against Miami (Ohio), C James Daniels and RB LeShun Daniels became the first Hawkeye brothers to start in the same game since SS Kent Ellis and CB Kevin Ellis in 1980.
No other school in the country has more sets of brothers than Iowa. OL Ryan Ward and younger brother OLB Kevin return for their fourth and final season together. Twins OL Landan and Levi Paulsen are back after redshirting their freshman year in 2015. They are the sixth set of twins to play football at the University of Iowa. LB Ben Niemann welcomes younger brother LB Nick Niemann to the team this year, as does SS Miles Taylor, whose younger brother LB Kyle is in his first year on campus.
 
     MORE THAN ONE
    Seventeen high schools have contributed more than one player to the current Iowa football roster. Dowling Catholic HS in West Des Moines, Iowa; East English Village HS in Detroit, Michigan; and Providence Catholic HS in Homer Glen, Illinois all graduated three current Hawkeyes. The schools with two current Hawkeyes include Davenport Assumption (Davenport, Iowa), Cedar Falls HS (Cedar Falls, Iowa), Gonzaga College HS (Silver Spring, Maryland), Harding HS (Warren, Ohio), Kennedy HS (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Naperville Central HS (Naperville, Iowa), Pella HS (Pella, Iowa), Regina HS (Iowa City, Iowa), Solon HS (Solon, Iowa), Sycamore HS (Sycamore, Iowa), Waukee HS (Waukee, Iowa), West Branch HS (West Branch, Iowa), West Lyon HS (Inwood, Iowa), and Woodbury Central HS (Moville, Iowa).
 
     THE HAWKEYES, SIZE WISE
    Freshman PK Keith Duncan is the lightest Hawkeyes player at 165 pounds. Freshman DB Manny Rugamba is the lightest position player at 172 pounds. Senior DL Jaleel Johnson and sophomore OL Dalton Ferguson are the heaviest Hawkeyes at 310 pounds. A total of 10 Hawkeye players are listed at 300 pounds or more. The tallest player, at 6-8, is sophomore DE Matt Nelson. The shortest player, at 5-8, is junior WR Jonathan Parker.
 
     BIG TEN BOWL GAMES SINCE 2001
     Iowa has posted a 6-7 bowl record under head coach Kirk Ferentz. Since the 2001 season, only Ohio State has won more bowl games (including the FBS championship game), than Iowa. The following is the record for Big Ten teams in bowl games since 2001:
                                                               
Team                     Record  Pct.                        Team                     Record  Pct.
Ohio State           8-6          .571                        Wisconsin            6-8          .429
IOWA                    6-7          .462                        Purdue                 3-5          .375       
Rutgers                                6-3          .667                        Michigan              4-8          .333
Penn State          6-6          .500                        Illinois                   2-3          .400                       
Maryland             5-4          .555                        Northwestern   1-7          .125       
Michigan State  5-6          .455                        Minnesota          4-7          .363       
Nebraska             6-7          .462                        Indiana                 0-2          .000       
 
     IOWA BOWL NOTES
     Iowa made its 29th Bowl game appearance (14-14-1) at the 102nd Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, California. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Rose (six times), Outback (four), Alamo (four), Holiday (three), Orange (two), Peach (two), Sun (two), Insight (two), Gator/TaxSlayer (two), and the Capital One, and Freedom bowls once.
•   Iowa has played 13 bowl games under Kirk Ferentz (6-7), including nine January bowl games (4-5).
•   Iowa has been bowl eligible 14 of the last 15 seasons under head coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa’s 13 bowl appearances since 2001 tie as the 11th best total in the nation.
•   Iowa ranks third in Big Ten bowl appearances. Ohio State has received a conference-best 46 bowl bids, followed by Michigan (44), Iowa (29), and Wisconsin (27).
 
     NATION’S TOP DEFENSIVE BACK RETURNS FOR SENIOR SEASON
     DB Desmond King, the Jim Thorpe Award winner and unanimous consensus All-American, announced on Jan. 4 he would return to Iowa for his senior season. King is the only Thorpe winner ever to play a college season after winning the award.
King led the Big Ten and ranked second in the country with eight interceptions, tying a school record. He was named the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Conference Defensive Back of the Year and a finalist for Walter Camp Player of the Year.
     The last time Iowa took the field with a national award winner was 2003, when senior PK Nate Kaeding was the reigning Lou Groza Award winner, presented to the nation’s top kicker.
 
     IOWA LEADERSHIP GROUP
     The University of Iowa football program has 16 players in its 2016 Leadership Group, including nine seniors and seven juniors.  The purpose of the group is to assist in formulating policies, and being involved in team decision-making matters regarding the upcoming season.  Players are selected by a team vote.
     The seniors are QB C.J. Beathard, OL Cole Croston, RB LeShun Daniels, Jr., DL Jaleel Johnson, DB Desmond King, TE George Kittle, DB Greg Mabin, WR Riley McCarron, and WR Matt VandeBerg.  The junior class is represented by DL Nathan Bazata, OL Ike Boettger, LB Bo Bower, LB Josey Jewell, OL Boone Myers, LB Ben Niemann, and OL Sean Welsh.
 
     DEFENDING THE CASTLE
     The Hawkeyes will defend five trophies in 2016 including the Big Ten West Division championship trophy and four rivalry trophies — Cy-Hawk Trophy (Iowa State), Floyd of Rosedale (Minnesota), Heartland Trophy (Wisconsin), and Heroes (Nebraska).. It is the first time in program history (the Heroes Trophy was introduced in 2011) that Iowa has owned all four trophies.
     The Hawkeyes are 1-0 in trophy defenses, topping Iowa State, 42-3, in Week 2.
 
     WE’LL GO FIRST
     In 18 seasons as Iowa’s head coach, Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes received the opening kickoff in 173-of-216 games (105-68). Iowa has started the game on defense in 43-of-216 games under Ferentz (24-19).
 
     FIND THE NFL-ER
     Austin Blythe, a seventh-round selection of the Indianapolis Colts in 2016, became the 15th offensive linemen selected in the NFL draft since 1999, Kirk Ferentz’s first year as UI head coach. In each of Ferentz’s 17 complete seasons, the Hawkeyes had a future NFL player start on the offensive line. This week’s depth chart includes offensive linemen Cole Croston, Boone Myers, Sean Welsh, James Daniels, and Ike Boettger.
     From 2007-14, an eventual NFL first-round draft pick started on the Iowa offensive line. Brandon Scherff, selected by the Washington Redskins fifth overall in 2015, was Iowa’s left tackle from 2012-14. Riley Reiff, selected 23rd overall by the Detroit Lions in 2012, started at left tackle from 2010-11. Bryan Bulaga, selected 23rd overall by the Green Bay Packers in 2010, started at left guard in 2007 before moving to left tackle in 2008-09.
     From 2005-06, Baltimore Ravens All-Pro Marshal Yanda shared time at tackle and guard for the Hawkeyes. Mike Elgin, a seventh round selection of New England, was Iowa’s starting center in 2004. Pete McMahon, drafted by Oakland in 2005, was Iowa’s right guard in 2003. Oakland’s first round pick in 2004, Robert Gallery, was Iowa’s left tackle from 2001-03. Eric Steinbach (Cincinnati) started at guard for Iowa from 2000-02, and Bruce Nelson (Carolina) was a four-year starter from 1999-02. Steinbach and Nelson were second round draft picks in 2003.
 
     FERENTZ CAPTURES NATIONAL AWARDS
     Head coach Kirk Ferentz returns to the Iowa sideline for an 18th season as the reigning national coach of the year. Ferentz was named Woody Hayes Coach of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Columbus, the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year by the FWAA, and winner of the 2015 Dodd Trophy, presented annually by the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. He was named American Football Coaches Association Region 3 Coach of the Year, and was a finalist for the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year and George Munger Coach of the Year awards.
     Ferentz was also named Dave McClain and Hayes-Schembechler Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career (2002, 2004, 2009, 2015), being recognized by both league coaches and media.  Only Michigan’s Bo Schembechler (6) has more conference coach of the year awards. Iowa’s Hayden Fry and Penn State’s Joe Paterno both won the award three times. 
     Ferentz led Iowa to a school record 12 wins in 2015. The Hawkeyes won the Big Ten West Division title (8-0) and advanced to the Big Ten title game for the first time in the game’s five-year history. The Hawkeyes reclaimed all four of their rivalry trophies in 2015, and reached as high as third in the Associated Press poll (Nov. 22).
 
     FERENTZ TOPS IN LONGEVITY
     Kirk Ferentz is in his 18th season as Iowa’s head football coach. He is tied with Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops as the longest active FBS head coaches. Ferentz was named Iowa head coach on Dec. 2, 1998, one day after Stoops was named head coach at Oklahoma. Stoops was a Hawkeye letterman from 1979-82.
 
     IOWA AT THE HEAD OF CLASS IN COACHING LANDSCAPE
     The University of Iowa has produced four  active FBS head coaches, tied with Alabama for most in the country. Bret Bielema (Arkansas), Bob Diaco (UCONN), Bob Stoops (Oklahoma), and Mark Stoops (Kentucky) all earned undergraduate degrees from the University of Iowa. Bielema, Diaco, Bob Stoops, and Mark Stoops played for former UI head coach Hayden Fry. All four head coaches served as assistants under Fry. Bielema was an assistant coach on Kirk Ferentz’s staff from 1999-2001.
 
    ALL ABOARD TO KINNICK STADIUM!
    The Hawkeye Express, the passenger train that transports fans from Coralville to Kinnick Stadium, is once again available for fans traveling to Kinnick Stadium on Iowa Football game days.  The Hawkeye Express is in its 13th season.  Adults can ride the train for $12, round trip, while children (12-and-under) ride for free.  Tickets can be purchased in advance at the UI Ticket Office or on game day at the Hawkeye Express depot located near the boarding ramp.  Media credentials are accepted as well. The trip to Kinnick Stadium is approximately 10 minutes.
    Free parking is located in lots near the Comfort Suites and Coral Ridge Mall.  Fans can begin boarding the train three hours prior to 11 a.m. kickoffs, and four hours prior to the start of afternoon and night games. Return trips begin at the start of the fourth period and run 90 minutes after the game.
    The Hawkeye Express is owned by the Iowa Northern Railway Company and operates on the Iowa Interstate Railroad.
 
     KIRK FERENTZ RADIO SHOW
     Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz is featured on “Hawk Talk with Kirk Ferentz” each week during the regular season. The radio call-in show is hosted by Gary Dolphin, the play-by-play voice of the Iowa Hawkeyes.  The show airs live each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. from Applebee’s in Coralville.
 
     IOWA PROGRAM NOTES
•   The Hawkeyes have earned bowl eligibility in 14 of the last 15 seasons.
•   Iowa played in the Big Ten title game for the first time in program history on Dec. 5, 2015. Iowa earned Big Ten Conference championships in 2002 and 2004 and placed second in 2009. Iowa (8-0, 2002; 8-0, 2015) is one of three Big Ten teams to post a perfect mark in conference play since 1998 (BCS era), joining Michigan State (1) and Ohio State (5).
•   Iowa has ranked in the top 10 in the final Associated Press and CNN/USA Today coaches polls five times since 2002, including a ranking of seventh in both polls at the conclusion of the 2009 season. Iowa ranked eighth in 2002, 2003 and 2004. The Hawkeyes finished 2015 ranked ninth in the AP poll and 10th in the USA Today Coaches Poll. In the Big Ten, only Ohio State has more top 10 finishes since 2002.
•   Since 1936 when the first AP poll was released, Iowa has appeared in the poll 310 times, the fifth highest total in the Big Ten (Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, and MSU). Iowa has been the top-ranked team in the country 11 times.
•   Iowa set a school record with 12 wins in 2015. The Hawkeyes won 11 games in 2002 (11-2), and 2009 (11-2).  In 2009, Iowa started 9-0 and 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 the first time in school history.
•   Kirk Ferentz has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year four times (2002, 2004, 2009, 2015) and was named National Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2015. Only Michigan’s Bo Schembechler (6) has more conference coach of the year. Iowa’s Hayden Fry and Penn State’s Joe Paterno both won the award three times. 
•   Desmond King became the seventh Hawkeye to earn a national player of the year award under Kirk Ferentz. He won the Jim Thorpe award in 2015, honoring the nation’s top defensive back. 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); Brandon Scherff (2014 Outland, Top Lineman), Desmond King (2015 Jim Thorpe).
•   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 Hawkeyes’ long term success is due to the stability in the program. 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 18th season. Ferentz also served as Iowa’s offensive line coach from 1981-89 under Fry.
 
     IOWA FOOTBALL AND THE NFL
•   Since 1999, Kirk Ferentz’s first year as head coach, 120 former Hawkeyes have played in the NFL.
•   At least one Iowa Hawkeye has been selected in every NFL Draft since 1978.
•   Since 2010, Iowa has had 26 players drafted in the NFL. Among Big Ten teams, only Ohio State has had more draft picks in that same time span (39). Nebraska and Penn State have also had 26 players drafted since 2010.
•   Iowa has had four first round picks in the last seven NFL drafts — OL Bryan Bulaga, 2010; DE Adrian Clayborn, 2011; OL Riley Reiff, 2012; OL Brandon Scherff, 2015. Only Ohio State (7) and Wisconsin (5) have more among Big Ten schools.
•   Iowa had 23 players drafted from 2010-16, including four first round picks (OL Bryan Bulaga, 2010; DE Adrian Clayborn, 2011; OL Riley Reiff, 2012; OL Brandon Scherff, 2015).
•   Iowa and Alabama were the only two college football programs to have a first round draft selection following the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons. 
•   Iowa had six players drafted in the 2012 NFL Draft, which tied for the most in the Big Ten and tied for fourth in the country.
•   Former Hawkeye Marshal Yanda (Baltimore OL) is a five-time Pro-Bowler (2011-15) and was named NFL All-Pro in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
•   In NFL 2011 regular season statistics, former Hawkeye linebackers Chad Greenway (Minnesota) and Pat Angerer (Indianapolis) finished third and fourth, respectively, in tackles. Greenway was named to the Pro Bowl in 2012 and 2013.
•   Three former Hawkeyes were involved in the 2012 Super Bowl.  DB Tyler Sash played for the Super Bowl champion New York Giants, while LB Jeff Tarpinian was on the injured reserve roster of the New England Patriots.   Former Iowa center Brian Ferentz, now is his fourth year as Iowa’s offensive line coach, was New England’s tight ends coach.
•   Former Iowa DB Sean Considine and OL Marshal Yanda won Super Bowl rings with the 2012 Baltimore Ravens in the 2013 Super Bowl.
•   Former Iowa LB James Morris (injured reserve) earned a Super Bowl ring with the New England Patriots in 2015. Former TE Tony Moeaki played for the Seattle Seahawks in the same game.
•   Former center James Ferentz was a member of the 2016 Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos.
•   Entering the 2016 season, every Iowa senior starting tight end (11) under Kirk Ferentz has been drafted in the NFL or made an NFL team.
•   All 11 members of Iowa’s starting defensive unit in 2008 were either drafted or signed to NFL free agent contracts following the drafts.
•   Over the past 15 years, 140-of-157 (89 percent) of Iowa’s senior starters have been drafted in the NFL or signed NFL free agent contracts.