2008 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa
and the Iowa Hawkeyes football
program in the 2008 college football season
. Coached by Kirk Ferentz
, the Hawkeyes played their seven home games in Kinnick Stadium
.
Iowa opened the 2007 season on September 1, 2007, against Northern Illinois
in a game played at Soldier Field
in Chicago, Illinois
. Hawkeye running back
s Albert Young and Damian Sims ran for 144 and 110 yards rushing respectively, while Iowa's defense held the Huskies to just 21 yards rushing. The Hawkeyes won, 16–3, and ended the four-game losing streak that comprised the final four games of Iowa's 2006 season
. The next week, Iowa defeated Syracuse in the Hawkeyes' home opener, 35–0. Jake Christensen threw for 278 yards and four touchdown
s as the Hawkeye defense held the Orange to just five first downs and 103 yards of total offense in Syracuse's worst defeat since a 51–14 loss to Georgia Tech
in the 2004 Champs Sports Bowl
. Iowa took a quick 28–0 lead with 9:55 left in the second quarter, and the Hawkeye defense sacked Syracuse six times while holding the Orange to 24 rushing yards. Following the first two games – which saw the Iowa defense give up only three points – the Hawkeyes traveled to Ames
, Iowa
, to play 0–2 Iowa State
on September 15. The Cyclones began the season with losses to Kent State and Northern Iowa, but had won six out of the last nine games against the Hawkeyes, including three of the last four played at Jack Trice Stadium
. Iowa fell behind by 12 at half-time
, and lost, 15–13, starting yet another four-game losing streak. Placekicker
Bret Culbertson scored all of Iowa State's points on five field goals
, the last coming with one second remaining.
Following a 20-point loss at Penn State
on October 6, which was preceded by losses to Wisconsin
and Indiana
, the Hawkeyes returned to Kinnick Stadium for a game against Illinois
, who was coming into the game after home victories over Penn State and Wisconsin. Christensen threw for 182 yards and the game's only touchdown – a 20-yard pass to Brandon Myers in the third quarter which gave the Hawkeyes a 10–6 lead. However, it appeared that Illinois had taken a 12–10 lead on an 83-yard Eddie McGee touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter, but it was called back due to a penalty. The Illini were forced to punt
, but got the ball back with 2:28 remaining. McGee threw passes of 28 and 24 yards to Arrelious Benn
, putting the Illini at the Iowa 12-yard line. However, Brett Greenwood intercepted a McGee pass at the goal-line, sealing the win and snapping an eight-game Big Ten losing streak for Iowa heading into a road game at Purdue. But Iowa lost to the Boilermakers a week later, 31–6, to put the Hawkeyes' record at 3–5 with only four games remaining. Curtis Painter
threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns for Purdue, who had lost to the Hawkeyes, 47–17, only a year earlier. In Iowa's next game against Michigan State, the Hawkeyes entered half-time down by 14 points only to take a 20–17 lead with 10:05 remaining in regulation. The game was destined for overtime
when Michigan State's Brett Swenson
hit a field goal with four seconds remaining, and the Spartans quickly garnered a seven-point lead following a Jehuu Caulcrick touchdown in the first overtime. Down by a touchdown, Christensen found wide receiver
Paul Chaney for a 23-yard touchdown pass and following the extra point
, the game headed to double overtime. Iowa had the ball first and scored on a Jevon Pugh one-yard run, giving the Hawkeyes their own seven-point lead. However, the Spartans were unable to score and Iowa won, 34–27. The win was Iowa's first overtime victory in Kinnick Stadium history.
On November 3, Iowa defeated Northwestern
, 28–17, after trailing, 14–0, in the first quarter. The Wildcats took a 17–14 on a third quarter field goal after the Hawkeyes tied the game at 14, but Sims ran for two fourth quarter touchdowns to seal the Iowa victory. Christensen threw for 299 yards for Iowa, who came back from a 14-point deficit in the second straight game. Later, on November 10, Iowa defeated Minnesota, 21–16, to reclaim the Floyd of Rosedale
trophy. With one home game remaining against Western Michigan
, Iowa held a three-game winning streak and a 6–5 overall record. But the Hawkeyes lost to the Broncos, 28–19, and gave up 489 yards in the process. Western Michigan took a 19–0 second quarter lead before Iowa scored 13 straight points to make it a six-point game. But the Hawks would get no closer and eventually lost by nine. Soon thereafter, Iowa was not selected for a bowl game, ending a six-year streak in which the Hawkeyes played in a bowl and rumors about the firing of Kirk Ferentz were rampant.
coach Les Miles
was widely believed to be Michigan's top choice for the job, but any chance of that happening likely ended when LSU extended Miles' contract through 2012. Ferentz's relationship with Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman may have contributed to the rumor, as Coleman was the president at Iowa when Ferentz was hired. However, indications that the rumor was false were revealed when Iowa's sports information director, Phil Haddy, reported that Michigan had not asked for permission to talk with Ferentz. It was a point reiterated by Gary Barta
, Iowa's athletic director
. Ferentz's contract has a clause requiring him to contact Barta when talking to other schools, which indicates that he was not a candidate to become Michigan's next head coach. On December 16, West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez
was hired as Carr's successor at Michigan.
Soon thereafter, Ferentz was once again rumored for a coaching job, this time for the Baltimore Ravens
. Ferentz was an assistant head coach at Baltimore for six years, and became a "respected assistant" in his time there. However, when asked about the Baltimore job, Ferentz said, "I've got a great job here, and with that being said, I'm sure Baltimore will get a top-notch coach." Ferentz also cited wanting to see his son James – who is slated to be a freshman at Iowa in 2008 – play every weekend. The Ravens eventually hired Philadelphia Eagles
secondary coach John Harbaugh on January 18, 2008.
recruit. The other 23 players are all high school
seniors
. James Ferentz, Kirk's son, is among the players committed to play for Iowa in 2008.
, and Iowa State, followed by a road game versus Pittsburgh. The game will mark the first of four meetings between Pittsburgh and Iowa. The teams will meet in Iowa City in 2011 and 2015, and in Pittsburgh
in 2016. Pitt closed the 2007 season with an upset victory over second-ranked West Virginia
. Had the Mountaineers won, they would have likely played in the national championship game
.
Following the conclusion of the non-conference portion of their schedule, the Hawkeyes will begin Big Ten play with a home game against Northwestern, and will open October with road games against Michigan State and Indiana. Iowa was 1–1 against the Spartans and Hoosiers in 2007, winning, 34–27, over MSU while losing, 38–20, to IU. Following the two road games, Iowa will play at home against Wisconsin. Iowa lost, 17–13, to the Badgers in 2007. Following a bye week, the Hawkeyes will play at Illinois, in what will be Iowa's third road game in five weeks. However, Iowa follows this with two home games, against Penn State and Purdue. Iowa lost to both teams in 2007 by 20 points or more. A week following the Hawkeyes' final home game against Purdue, Iowa will play Minnesota in the Gophers' home finale. Minnesota will look to take back the Floyd of Rosedale trophy a year after Iowa won it for the sixth time in seven years. The game will likely also be Minnesota's last at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
.
Two of Iowa's games – vs. Northwestern and at Michigan State – have been scheduled for 11:05 a.m. starts. The season finale against Minnesota has been set for a 6:00 p.m. start time.
Kirk Ferentz will be in his tenth season as head coach at Iowa in 2008, and he has a 61–49 record entering the season. Ferentz came to Iowa in 1999, following an assistant coaching job for the Baltimore Ravens
and a heading coaching job at Maine. Earlier in his career, Ferentz was an assistant coach under Hayden Fry
at Iowa. From 1981–1989, Ferentz was Iowa's offensive line coach. From there, Ferentz took the heading coaching position at Maine, and followed that by taking an assistant position in Baltimore. He was named Iowa's 25th head football coach on December 2, 1998.
Norm Parker, Iowa's defensive coordinator
, will also be in his tenth year at Iowa. The same can also be said for Ken O'Keefe
, Iowa's offensive coordinator
. Under Parker, Iowa's rushing defense has nationally ranked in the top 10 in three seasons. Parker has also coached several linebacker
s now playing in the NFL, including Chad Greenway
, Abdul Hodge
, and LeVar Woods
. Before coming to Iowa, Parker coached 12 seasons at Michigan State, five at Minnesota, and three at Illinois. Under O'Keefe, Iowa has had the top scoring offense in the Big Ten twice, in 2001 and 2002, and 14 offensive players coached by O'Keefe have been drafted
into the NFL. Before coaching at Iowa, O'Keefe was the head coach at Allegheny College
, where he won a Division III national title in 1990. He was also head coach at Fordham University
for one year before coming to Iowa.
Tom Busch. The rest of the offense, including the offensive line and wide receiver
positions, are intact going into 2008. On the defense, up to seven starters may return, but the Hawkeyes lose linebackers Mike Klinkenborg
and Mike Humpal along with defensive end
s Kenny Iwebema
and Bryan Mattison
. Cornerback
s Adam Shada
and Charles Godfrey
are also done with their playing days at Iowa. Godfrey, who completed 2007 with five interceptions, was regarded as a possible third- to sixth-round draft pick in the 2008 NFL Draft
before being picked in the third-round. Another Iowa player, Devan Moylan, is seeking for another year after missing most of 2007 with an injury.
Returnees on offense include Jake Christensen
, who succeeded Drew Tate
at the quarterback
position. Christensen threw for 2,269 yards and 17 touchdown
s in his sophomore
season, while throwing only six interceptions. Also returning are 11 true freshmen and 20 redshirt freshmen
who saw playing time in 2007. With 31 total freshmen receiving playing time, the Hawkeyes ranked third in the country in that category, behind North Carolina
and Florida
, who played 38 and 33 freshmen respectively.
class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;">
Iowa Opp
Punts-Yards
51-2088
76-3034;
Avg per Punt
40.9
39.9
Time of Possession/Game
31:31
28:29
3rd Down Conversions
65-159
67-194
4th Down Conversions
7-14
9-16
Touchdowns Scored
48
17
Field Goals-Attempts
19-24
17-23
PAT-Attempts
45-47
14-16
Attendance
491186
288216
Games/Avg per Game
70169
57643
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
and the Iowa Hawkeyes football
Iowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
program in the 2008 college football season
2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2...
. Coached by Kirk Ferentz
Kirk Ferentz
Kirk James Ferentz is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Iowa, a position he has held since 1999. From 1990 to 1992, Ferentz was the head football coach at the University of Maine. He has also served as an assistant coach...
, the Hawkeyes played their seven home games in Kinnick Stadium
Kinnick Stadium
Kinnick Stadium, formerly known as Iowa Stadium, and known in the area simply as Kinnick, is a stadium located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the home stadium of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, in the sport of college football...
.
Previous season
Northern Illinois Huskies
The Northern Illinois Huskies are the athletic teams that represent Northern Illinois University. The Huskies are a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Mid-American Conference...
in a game played at Soldier Field
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
in Chicago, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Hawkeye running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
s Albert Young and Damian Sims ran for 144 and 110 yards rushing respectively, while Iowa's defense held the Huskies to just 21 yards rushing. The Hawkeyes won, 16–3, and ended the four-game losing streak that comprised the final four games of Iowa's 2006 season
2006 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
The 2006 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa during the 2006 college football season. The Hawkeyes played their home games at Kinnick Stadium and were coached by Kirk Ferentz...
. The next week, Iowa defeated Syracuse in the Hawkeyes' home opener, 35–0. Jake Christensen threw for 278 yards and four touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s as the Hawkeye defense held the Orange to just five first downs and 103 yards of total offense in Syracuse's worst defeat since a 51–14 loss to Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
in the 2004 Champs Sports Bowl
Champs Sports Bowl
The Champs Sports Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that is played in Orlando, Florida, at the Citrus Bowl. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group which also organizes the Capital One Bowl and Florida Classic...
. Iowa took a quick 28–0 lead with 9:55 left in the second quarter, and the Hawkeye defense sacked Syracuse six times while holding the Orange to 24 rushing yards. Following the first two games – which saw the Iowa defense give up only three points – the Hawkeyes traveled to Ames
Ames, Iowa
Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately north of Des Moines. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, to play 0–2 Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones football
The Iowa State Cyclones football team represents Iowa State University in college football. The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. ISU started playing football in 1892, however, it did not become an official sport until 1894...
on September 15. The Cyclones began the season with losses to Kent State and Northern Iowa, but had won six out of the last nine games against the Hawkeyes, including three of the last four played at Jack Trice Stadium
Jack Trice Stadium
Jack Trice Stadium is a stadium, in Ames, Iowa, United States. It opened on September 20, 1975 making it the newest stadium in the Big 12 Conference...
. Iowa fell behind by 12 at half-time
Half-time
In some team sports such as association football and rugby, matches are played in two halves. Half-time is the name given to the interval between the two halves of the match...
, and lost, 15–13, starting yet another four-game losing streak. Placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Bret Culbertson scored all of Iowa State's points on five field goals
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
, the last coming with one second remaining.
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
on October 6, which was preceded by losses to Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
and Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
, the Hawkeyes returned to Kinnick Stadium for a game against Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini football
The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51...
, who was coming into the game after home victories over Penn State and Wisconsin. Christensen threw for 182 yards and the game's only touchdown – a 20-yard pass to Brandon Myers in the third quarter which gave the Hawkeyes a 10–6 lead. However, it appeared that Illinois had taken a 12–10 lead on an 83-yard Eddie McGee touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter, but it was called back due to a penalty. The Illini were forced to punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
, but got the ball back with 2:28 remaining. McGee threw passes of 28 and 24 yards to Arrelious Benn
Arrelious Benn
-External links:**...
, putting the Illini at the Iowa 12-yard line. However, Brett Greenwood intercepted a McGee pass at the goal-line, sealing the win and snapping an eight-game Big Ten losing streak for Iowa heading into a road game at Purdue. But Iowa lost to the Boilermakers a week later, 31–6, to put the Hawkeyes' record at 3–5 with only four games remaining. Curtis Painter
Curtis Painter
Curtis Jeffrey Painter is a quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers.-High school career:...
threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns for Purdue, who had lost to the Hawkeyes, 47–17, only a year earlier. In Iowa's next game against Michigan State, the Hawkeyes entered half-time down by 14 points only to take a 20–17 lead with 10:05 remaining in regulation. The game was destined for overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
when Michigan State's Brett Swenson
Brett Swenson
Brett Swenson is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Michigan State University.-Early life:...
hit a field goal with four seconds remaining, and the Spartans quickly garnered a seven-point lead following a Jehuu Caulcrick touchdown in the first overtime. Down by a touchdown, Christensen found wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Paul Chaney for a 23-yard touchdown pass and following the extra point
Extra Point
Extra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
, the game headed to double overtime. Iowa had the ball first and scored on a Jevon Pugh one-yard run, giving the Hawkeyes their own seven-point lead. However, the Spartans were unable to score and Iowa won, 34–27. The win was Iowa's first overtime victory in Kinnick Stadium history.
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
, 28–17, after trailing, 14–0, in the first quarter. The Wildcats took a 17–14 on a third quarter field goal after the Hawkeyes tied the game at 14, but Sims ran for two fourth quarter touchdowns to seal the Iowa victory. Christensen threw for 299 yards for Iowa, who came back from a 14-point deficit in the second straight game. Later, on November 10, Iowa defeated Minnesota, 21–16, to reclaim the Floyd of Rosedale
Floyd of Rosedale
Floyd of Rosedale is the name of a bronze pig trophy that is awarded to the winner of the annual college football game between the Universities of Iowa and Minnesota...
trophy. With one home game remaining against Western Michigan
Western Michigan Broncos football
The Western Michigan Broncos football program represents Western Michigan University in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I and the Mid-American Conference . Western Michigan has competed in football since 1906, when they played three games in their inaugural season...
, Iowa held a three-game winning streak and a 6–5 overall record. But the Hawkeyes lost to the Broncos, 28–19, and gave up 489 yards in the process. Western Michigan took a 19–0 second quarter lead before Iowa scored 13 straight points to make it a six-point game. But the Hawks would get no closer and eventually lost by nine. Soon thereafter, Iowa was not selected for a bowl game, ending a six-year streak in which the Hawkeyes played in a bowl and rumors about the firing of Kirk Ferentz were rampant.
Coaching rumors
Following Michigan's loss to Appalachian State, rumors about the possibility of Ferentz becoming Michigan's head coach began to circulate. LSULSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
coach Les Miles
Les Miles
Leslie Edwin "Les" Miles, nicknamed "The Mad Hatter", is an American college football coach and the current head coach of the Louisiana State University football team. Prior to holding that position, he was head coach at Oklahoma State...
was widely believed to be Michigan's top choice for the job, but any chance of that happening likely ended when LSU extended Miles' contract through 2012. Ferentz's relationship with Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman may have contributed to the rumor, as Coleman was the president at Iowa when Ferentz was hired. However, indications that the rumor was false were revealed when Iowa's sports information director, Phil Haddy, reported that Michigan had not asked for permission to talk with Ferentz. It was a point reiterated by Gary Barta
Gary Barta
Gary Barta, born September 4, 1963, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the current athletic director at the University of Iowa. He succeeded Bob Bowlsby on August 1, 2006, when Bowlsby stepped down after 15 years as Iowa's athletic director to take the same position at Stanford University...
, Iowa's athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
. Ferentz's contract has a clause requiring him to contact Barta when talking to other schools, which indicates that he was not a candidate to become Michigan's next head coach. On December 16, West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez
Rich Rodriguez
Richard A. "Rich" Rodriguez is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arizona. Rodriguez previously served as the head football coach at Salem University , Glenville State College , West Virginia University , and the University...
was hired as Carr's successor at Michigan.
Soon thereafter, Ferentz was once again rumored for a coaching job, this time for the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. Ferentz was an assistant head coach at Baltimore for six years, and became a "respected assistant" in his time there. However, when asked about the Baltimore job, Ferentz said, "I've got a great job here, and with that being said, I'm sure Baltimore will get a top-notch coach." Ferentz also cited wanting to see his son James – who is slated to be a freshman at Iowa in 2008 – play every weekend. The Ravens eventually hired Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
secondary coach John Harbaugh on January 18, 2008.
Recruiting class
The Hawkeyes had 24 verbal commitments for the 2008 recruiting class. One of the players, Nate Guillory, is a junior collegeJunior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
recruit. The other 23 players are all high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
seniors
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
. James Ferentz, Kirk's son, is among the players committed to play for Iowa in 2008.
Schedule
The Hawkeyes will open the 2008 season with three home games against , Florida International2008 FIU Golden Panthers football team
The 2008 FIU Golden Panthers football team represents Florida International University in their 4th season of NCAA Division I FBS football and their 7th season overall. The team is coached by Mario Cristobal and play their homes games at the on-campus FIU Stadium.-Regular season:The 2008 season...
, and Iowa State, followed by a road game versus Pittsburgh. The game will mark the first of four meetings between Pittsburgh and Iowa. The teams will meet in Iowa City in 2011 and 2015, and in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
in 2016. Pitt closed the 2007 season with an upset victory over second-ranked West Virginia
2007 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2007 West Virginia Mountaineers football team began play on September 1, 2007. The team was coached by Rich Rodriguez until he announced on December 16, 2007 that he was leaving West Virginia to coach the Michigan Wolverines. The head coaching position remained vacant after his announcement,...
. Had the Mountaineers won, they would have likely played in the national championship game
2008 BCS National Championship Game
The 2008 Allstate BCS National Championship Game was played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, January 7, 2008, and featured the #1 and #2 college football teams in the United States as determined by the BCS Poll to decide the BCS National Championship for the 2007...
.
Following the conclusion of the non-conference portion of their schedule, the Hawkeyes will begin Big Ten play with a home game against Northwestern, and will open October with road games against Michigan State and Indiana. Iowa was 1–1 against the Spartans and Hoosiers in 2007, winning, 34–27, over MSU while losing, 38–20, to IU. Following the two road games, Iowa will play at home against Wisconsin. Iowa lost, 17–13, to the Badgers in 2007. Following a bye week, the Hawkeyes will play at Illinois, in what will be Iowa's third road game in five weeks. However, Iowa follows this with two home games, against Penn State and Purdue. Iowa lost to both teams in 2007 by 20 points or more. A week following the Hawkeyes' final home game against Purdue, Iowa will play Minnesota in the Gophers' home finale. Minnesota will look to take back the Floyd of Rosedale trophy a year after Iowa won it for the sixth time in seven years. The game will likely also be Minnesota's last at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
.
Two of Iowa's games – vs. Northwestern and at Michigan State – have been scheduled for 11:05 a.m. starts. The season finale against Minnesota has been set for a 6:00 p.m. start time.
Coaches
| 2008 Iowa Hawkeyes football coaches | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Offensive Coaches
Defensive Coaches
---- Source: HawkeyeSports.com |
|||||||
Kirk Ferentz will be in his tenth season as head coach at Iowa in 2008, and he has a 61–49 record entering the season. Ferentz came to Iowa in 1999, following an assistant coaching job for the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
and a heading coaching job at Maine. Earlier in his career, Ferentz was an assistant coach under Hayden Fry
Hayden Fry
John Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10...
at Iowa. From 1981–1989, Ferentz was Iowa's offensive line coach. From there, Ferentz took the heading coaching position at Maine, and followed that by taking an assistant position in Baltimore. He was named Iowa's 25th head football coach on December 2, 1998.
Norm Parker, Iowa's defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
, will also be in his tenth year at Iowa. The same can also be said for Ken O'Keefe
Ken O'Keefe
-External links:*...
, Iowa's offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
. Under Parker, Iowa's rushing defense has nationally ranked in the top 10 in three seasons. Parker has also coached several linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
s now playing in the NFL, including Chad Greenway
Chad Greenway
Chad Greenway is an American football player who plays linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 2002 to 2005....
, Abdul Hodge
Abdul Hodge
Abdul Raheeda Hodge is an American football linebacker and a member of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, and LeVar Woods
LeVar Woods
LeVar Woods is an American football linebacker. He was originally signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2001, played for a season and a half with the Detroit Lions , and finished his career with the Tennessee Titans...
. Before coming to Iowa, Parker coached 12 seasons at Michigan State, five at Minnesota, and three at Illinois. Under O'Keefe, Iowa has had the top scoring offense in the Big Ten twice, in 2001 and 2002, and 14 offensive players coached by O'Keefe have been drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
into the NFL. Before coaching at Iowa, O'Keefe was the head coach at Allegheny College
Allegheny College
Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...
, where he won a Division III national title in 1990. He was also head coach at Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
for one year before coming to Iowa.
Players
Returning for the Hawkeyes in 2008 are nine starters on offense, and as many as 18 total starters could be back for Iowa. Senior running back Young is gone, along with fellow running back Damian Sims and fullbackFullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Tom Busch. The rest of the offense, including the offensive line and wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
positions, are intact going into 2008. On the defense, up to seven starters may return, but the Hawkeyes lose linebackers Mike Klinkenborg
Mike Klinkenborg
Mike Klinkenborg, born January 19, 1985, is a starting middle linebacker for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes football team. Born and raised in a farm near Rock Rapids, Iowa, Klinkenborg is an elementary education major at Iowa and has 145 career tackles...
and Mike Humpal along with defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
s Kenny Iwebema
Kenny Iwebema
Kenny Iwebema is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes.-Early years:...
and Bryan Mattison
Bryan Mattison
Bryan Mattison is an American football guard for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Iowa....
. Cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
s Adam Shada
Adam Shada
Adam Shada was an American football player for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes football team. He graduated with the class of 2008, after starting for three years....
and Charles Godfrey
Charles Godfrey (American football)
Charles Godfrey is an American football safety/nickelback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
are also done with their playing days at Iowa. Godfrey, who completed 2007 with five interceptions, was regarded as a possible third- to sixth-round draft pick in the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
before being picked in the third-round. Another Iowa player, Devan Moylan, is seeking for another year after missing most of 2007 with an injury.
Returnees on offense include Jake Christensen
Jake Christensen
Jake Christensen, born August 15, 1986 in Lockport, Illinois, is a quarterback for the Dresden Monarchs football team, in the German Football League. His father is former nine-year NFL veteran Jeff Christensen, who played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, and Cleveland Browns during...
, who succeeded Drew Tate
Drew Tate
Drew Tate is a professional American and Canadian football quarterback for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Iowa....
at the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
position. Christensen threw for 2,269 yards and 17 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s in his sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
season, while throwing only six interceptions. Also returning are 11 true freshmen and 20 redshirt freshmen
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
who saw playing time in 2007. With 31 total freshmen receiving playing time, the Hawkeyes ranked third in the country in that category, behind North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
and Florida
2008 Florida Gators football team
The 2008 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2008 college football season...
, who played 38 and 33 freshmen respectively.
Maine
Florida International
Iowa State
Pittsburgh
Northwestern
Michigan State
Indiana
Wisconsin
Illinois
Penn State
Purdue
Minnesota
Team
| class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;"> | ||
| Iowa | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Scoring | 394 | 169 |
| Points per Game | 30.3 | 13.0 |
| First Downs | 269 | 215 |
| Rushing | 146 | 68 |
| Passing | 108 | 129 |
| Penalty | 15 | 18 |
| Total Offense | 4815 | 3787 |
| Avg per Play | 5.8 | 4.4 |
| Avg per Game | 370.4 | 291.3 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 20-13 | 17-9 |
| Penalties-Yards | 53-446 | 65-604 |
| Avg per Game | 34.3 | 46.5 |
Scores by quarter
Rushing
| Name | GP-GS | Att | Yds | Avg | TDs | Long | Yds/G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shonn Greene | 13-13 | 308 | 1850 | 5.9 | 20 | 75 | 142.3 |
| Jewel Hampton | 11-0 | 89 | 450 | 5.01 | 7 | 22 | 40.9 |
| Paki O'Meara | 6-0 | 21 | 62 | 3.0 | 2 | 17 | 10.3 |
| Jake Christensen | 7-3 | 17 | 30 | 1.8 | 1 | 11 | 4.3 |
| Andy Brodell | 12-11 | 3 | 24 | 8.0 | 0 | 24 | 2.0 |
| Ricky Stanzi | 13-10 | 56 | 20 | 0.4 | 0 | 20 | 1.5 |
| Jayme Murphy | 2-0 | 7 | 7 | 1.0 | 0 | 4 | 3.5 |
| Derrell Johnson-Koulianos | 12-12 | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 | 0.5 |
| Trey Stross | 10-10 | 1 | 4 | 1.0 | 0 | 4 | 0.4 |
| Jared Oberland | 2-0 | 3 | 2 | 0.7 | 0 | 5 | 1.0 |
| Marvin McNutt | 2-0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Total | 13 | 508 | 2468 | 4.8 | 30 | 75 | 189.4 |
| Opponents | 13 | 397 | 1479 | 3.1 | 7 | 29 | 94.0 |
Passing
| Name | GP-GS | Effic | Att-Cmp-Int | Pct | Yds | TD | Lng | Avg/G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ricky Stanzi | 13-10 | 134.8 | 254-150-9 | 59.1 | 1956 | 14 | 59 | 150.5 |
| Jake Christensen | 8-3 | 117.2 | 63-36-1 | 57.1 | 396 | 2 | 40 | 56.5 |
| Marvin McNutt | 2-0 | -5.3 | 3-1-1 | 33.3 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 5.0 |
| Total | 13 | 82.3 | 320-187-11 | 58.4 | 2362 | 16 | 59 | 181.7 |
| Opponents | 13 | 98.3 | 463-256-23 | 55.3 | 1222 | 9 | 52 | 197.3 |
Receiving
| Name | GP-GS | No. | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | Avg/G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derrell Johnson-Koulianos | 13-10 | 44 | 639 | 14.5 | 3 | 59 | 49.2 |
| Andy Brodell | 12-12 | 36 | 533 | 14.8 | 4 | 45 | 41.0 |
| Brandon Myers | 13-13 | 34 | 441 | 13.0 | 4 | 28 | 33.9 |
| Allen Reisner | 13-0 | 11 | 200 | 18.2 | 1 | 38 | 15.4 |
| Tony Moeaki | 9-1 | 13 | 144 | 11.1 | 1 | 48 | 16.0 |
| Trey Stross | 11-2 | 13 | 109 | 8.4 | 1 | 20 | 9.9 |
| Colin Sandeman | 13-0 | 6 | 76 | 12.7 | 2 | 25 | 5.8 |
| Shonn Greene | 13-13 | 8 | 49 | 6.1 | 0 | 23 | 3.8 |
| Brett Morse | 12-9 | 5 | 40 | 8.0 | 0 | 13 | 3.3 |
| Paki O'Meara | 10-0 | 3 | 33 | 11.0 | 0 | 20 | 3.3 |
| Wade Leppert | 11-4 | 5 | 22 | 4.4 | 0 | 8 | 2.0 |
| Ben Evans | 2-0 | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 0 | 12 | 10.0 |
| Paul Channey Jr. | 5-0 | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 0 | 11 | 3.8 |
| DeMarco Paine | 2-0 | 3 | 16 | 5.3 | 0 | 12 | 8.0 |
| Marvin McNutt | 3-0 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 | 3.7 |
| Don Nordmann | 1-0 | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 | 10.0 |
| Total | 13 | 187 | 2362 | 12.6 | 16 | 59 | 181.7 |
| Opponents | 13 | 256 | 2565 | 10.0 | 9 | 52 | 197.3 |
Defense
| Name | GP | Tackles | Sacks | Pass Defense | Interceptions | Fumbles | Blkd Kick |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | Ast | Total | TFL-Yds | No-Yds | BrUp | QBH | No.-Yds | Avg | TD | Long | Rcv-Yds | FF | |||
| Pat Angerer | 13-11 | 46 | 61 | 107 | 6.5-21 | 1.0-3 | 3 | 3 | 5-34 | 6.8 | 0 | 14 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | |||||||||||||||
Special teams
| Name | Punting | Kickoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Yds | Avg | Long | TB | FC | I20 | Blkd | No. | Yds | Avg | TB | OB | |
| Total | |||||||||||||
| Name | Punt Returns | Kick Returns | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | No. | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | |
| Total | ||||||||||
Team players in the NFL
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL Club |
| Shonn Greene Shonn Greene -New York Jets:On April 26, 2009 the New York Jets traded up 12 spots to select Greene in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. On August 30 Greene made an appearance in the Jets preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. He rushed twice for six yards as well as catching an 85-yard pass... |
Running Back | 3 | 65 | New York Jets 2009 New York Jets season The 2009 New York Jets season was the 50th season for the club and the 40th season in the National Football League and the last season at Giants Stadium. While they did not improve their 9–7 record from 2008, this time the team headed to the playoffs. The Jets fired head coach Eric Mangini on... |
| Bradley Fletcher Bradley Fletcher -External links:*... |
Cornerback | 3 | 66 | St. Louis Rams 2009 St. Louis Rams season The 2009 St. Louis Rams season is the 72nd season for the St. Louis Rams, and the 15th in St. Louis. Due to the Rams winning only against the Detroit Lions, they finished with the NFL's worst record at 1–15, earning the first overall selection in the 2010 NFL Draft in Steve Spagnuolo's first season... |
| Seth Olsen Seth Olsen Seth Olsen is an American football guard for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He played college football at Iowa... |
Guard | 4 | 132 | Denver Broncos 2009 Denver Broncos season The 2009 Denver Broncos season was their 40th season in the NFL and 50th season overall. The Broncos matched their 8–8 regular season record from 2008 but did not make the playoffs. The Broncos welcomed many new defensive players signed during free agency, including veteran Eagles safety Brian... |
| Brandon Myers Brandon Myers Brandon Myers is an American football tight end for the Oakland Raiders. He was drafted by the Raiders in the 6th round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Iowa.-References:... |
Tight End | 6 | 202 | Oakland Raiders 2009 Oakland Raiders season The 2009 Oakland Raiders season is the 50th season for the original American Football League team, and its 40th in the NFL. On September 6, 2009, The Raiders traded a 2011 draft pick to the New England Patriots for 5x Pro Bowl Defensive Lineman Richard Seymour. With their loss to Dallas on November... |