The Daily Iowan Pregame - 09.03.2021

PREGAME The Daily Iowan

Saturday, September 4 Iowa vs. Indiana Kinnick Stadium

IOWA’S NEW NO. 1 Tyrone Tracy Jr.’s competitiveness led him to the top of the Hawkeye football team’s WR depth chart.

2 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 3, 2021

Iowa Starters

MARQUEE MATCHUP

WR TE LT LG C RG RT WR QB RB FB PK

3 84 79 73 65 63 56 89 7 15 38 10

Tyrone Tracy Jr. Sam LaPorta Jack Plumb Cody Ince Tyler Linderbaum Justin Britt Nick DeJong Nico Ragaini Spencer Petras Tyler Goodson Monte Pottebaum Caleb Shudak

5-11 6-4 6-7 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-6 6-0 6-5 5-10 6-1 5-8

201 249 296 282 290 302 292 191 233 199 246 178

JR. JR. JR. JR. JR. SO. SO. JR. JR. JR. JR. SR.

LE DT DT RE LEO MLB WLB LC SS FS RC P

92 99 94 97 4 31 44 8 26 28 33 9

John Waggoner Noah Shannon Yahya Black

6-5 6-0 6-5 6-4 6-1 6-5 6-0 6-0 6-0 6-0 6-1 6-4

266 289 287 267 205 243 229 185 211 204 191 231

JR. JR. FR. SR. JR. JR. JR. SR. JR. SR. SR. SO.

Zach VanValkenburg

Dane Belton Jack Campbell Seth Benson Matt Hankins

Kaevon Merriweather

Jack Koerner Riley Moss Tory Taylor

Indiana Starters

Jenna Galligan/The Daily Iowan Iowa defensive back Riley Moss gets set for a play during a game against Purdue at Kinnick Stadium on Oct. 19, 2019. The Hawkeyes return all five of their starters in the secondary in 2021, and they’ll battle Indiana’s elite WR corps on Saturday.

STAFF

For both Iowa and Indiana, Saturday’s game will be won and lost in the air. The Hawkeyes’ defense boasts one of the most experienced secondaries in the country, while Indiana’s offense relies heavily on its quarterback-wide receiver tandem of Michael Penix Jr. and Ty Fryfogle. Penix is currently a junior, though he has dealt with one clavicle and two ACL injuries over the last three years. Fryfogle is a senior and won the Big Ten Conference Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year Award last season. In five complete games together last season, Penix and Fryfogle connected 31 times, netting 642 yards and seven touchdowns. The most inexperienced player starting in Iowa’s secondary is junior strong safety Kaevon Merriweather. Cornerbacks Matt Hankins and

Riley Moss and free safety Jack Koerner are all seniors.

Dane Belton, a junior, is also entering his third year appearing at cash for the Hawkeyes. He may also play strongside linebcker for Iowa. Last year, the group was ranked seventh in the country in pass defense and 23rd in total interceptions with 11. Iowa’s secondary will be the first Penix has faced since Nov. 28, 2020, when he tore his ACL against Maryland. At Big Ten Football Media Days in July, Penix said he will be ready for the Hoosiers’ season-opener against the Hawkeyes. At the same event, Indiana head coach Tom Allen said Penix will not participate in any contact drills prior to Indiana’s matchup with Iowa. So, the first live hit Penix will take in nearly 10 months will come against Iowa’s defense.

Publisher Jason Brummond

Managing Editors Rylee Wilson, Josie Fischels

Business Manager Debbie Plath

Executive Editor Caleb McCullough

Managing Digital Editor Kelsey Harrell

Advertising Director Juli Krause

Pregame Editor Robert Read

Photo Editor Jerod Ringwald

Production Manager Heidi Owen

Football Reporters Austin Hanson, Chloe Peterson, Chris Werner

DITV Sports Director Destinee Cook

Front design by Robert Read Front photo by Megan Nagorzanski

Questions or comments for the Pregame staff? E-mail Pregame Editor Robert Read at robert-read@uiowa.edu.

LT ­ LG C RG RT WR WR WR QB RB TE PK

77 56 50 72 76 13 7 3 9 5 86 93

Caleb Jones Mike Katic Zach Carpenter Dylan Powell Matthew Bedford Miles Marshall D.J. Matthews Jr. Ty Fryfogle Michael Penix Jr. Stephen Carr Peyton Hendershot Charles Campbell

6-8 6-4 6-5 6-3 6-6 6-4 5-11 6-2 6-3 6-1 6-4 5-9

362 312 320 310 310 212 160 205 218 215 254 175

SR. SO. SO. SR. JR. JR. SR. SR. JR. SR. SR. JR.

DE DT DT BULL LB LB

10 94 50 92 47 4 9 2 1 0 3 94

Ryder Anderson Demarcus Elliott Sio Nofoagatoto’a Alfred Bryant Micah McFadden Cam Jones

6-6 6-3 6-3 6-2 6-2 6-3 6-0 5-11 6-2 6-1 5-10 6-1

266 307 315 250 232 224 214 185 205 200 180 222

SR. SR. JR. SR. SR. SR. SR. SR. SR. SR. JR. FR.

HUSKY

CB S S CB P

Marcelino McCrary-Ball

Reese Taylor Devon Matthews Raheem Layne Tiawan Mullen Reese Taylor

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 3, 2021 - 3

4 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 3, 2021

Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan Iowa wideout Tyrone Tracy, Jr. carries the ball during the 2019 SDCCU Holiday Bowl between Iowa and USC in San Diego on Dec. 27, 2019. After a “downfall” in production last season, Tracy enters 2021 as Iowa’s top receiver.

From ‘Next Man In’ to Iowa’s No. 1 WR Tyrone Tracy Jr.’s competitiveness and football-oriented family helped prepare him to take on the role as his team’s top receiving threat.

Chloe Peterson Assistant Sports Editor A bookcase stands in the front entryway of Iowa wide receiver Tyrone Tracy Jr.’s childhood home in Camby, Indiana. But it’s not filled with books.

Instead, trophies rewarding Tyrone Sr. and Laverna Tracy’s sons’ athletic achievements don the

shelves — recognizing accomplishments from elementary school to college athletics. Plastic trophies from the boys’ Pop Warner flag football days stick out at the bottom, and medals from AAU basketball tournaments hang from the sides.

Sitting at the top is Tyrone Jr. ‘s “Next Man In” honor from Hawkeye football,

which he received his freshman year. Shaped like the Heisman Trophy, the award depicts the wide receiver running toward the end zone. Now, instead of being the next man in, Tyrone Jr. will suit up in the Hawkeyes’ starting lineup to begin the 2021 season.

Tyrone Jr. grew up outside of Indianapolis with three

brothers — Charlie, Kenny, and Javon. For Laverna, Tyrone Jr.’s mother, a life rotating around sports seemed inevitable. For Tyrone Sr., his father and a lifelong sports fan, it seemed like a dream come true.

Tyrone Jr. has always relied on his family — throughout childhood, his recruitment, and when he’s five

hours away from home in Iowa City. With his family by his side, Tyrone Jr. developed the versatility and competitiveness that led him from the Decatur Central Hawks to Hawkeye football.

A competitive upbringing Growing up, Tyrone Jr. and his brothers easily developed

a competitive nature — in and outside of sports.

“It was always a competitive thing,” Javon, Tyrone Jr.’s younger brother, said.

“Whatever we did, it was always competitive, no matter like, if we’re going to a restaurant and we leave, we race to the cars and that sort of stuff like that. It’s always competitive around us.”

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 3, 2021 - 5

Races to cars turned into arguments about football as the Tracy children grew older. One looming question that remains in the family is who has the best football IQ. Tyrone Sr. had to think about the question, leaning back on the family couch. “[Tyrone Jr.’s] IQ is up there,” he mentioned, looking at his youngest son.

And the family competition still lingers.

“Mine is higher, but his is good,” Javon, with a smile on his face, quickly retorted.

The Tracy boys remember growing up being shuttled to countless games, practices, and tournaments across the country to improve their skills.

“You’re going from AAU basketball and then football.

It’s just, you know, you don’t have that break,” Tyrone Sr. said. “When [Tyrone Jr.] was little, we was all into just, ‘Come on, let’s go. We got to go here, and we got to go.’ We wanted to be the best.”

Every vacation the Tracy family took centered on sports. Tyrone Sr. coached

his sons Tyrone Jr. and Kenny in AAU basketball, and the family doubled the expensive national tournaments as vacations — taking trips to Louisville, Maryland, Texas, and New York.

“I kid you not, it was like every week, every weekend we would go to a different state,” Javon said. “We’ve probably been to about 35 states that was just straight sports.”

But the constant traveling paid off as three of the Tracy boys garnered multiple Division I football offers — Tyrone Jr. is entering his junior season with the Hawkeyes, Kenny will be a redshirt freshman running back at Miami (Ohio), and Javon recently committed to Miami (Ohio) ahead of his senior season at Decatur Central High School.

For the past two years, Laverna and Tyrone Sr. have spent their weekends taking road trips to Iowa City — leaving after Javon’s high school football game Friday night and returning to Camby on Sunday morning.

Jerod Ringwald/The Daily Iowan Tyrone Tracy Sr. hits the Heisman pose in front of trophies his son Tyrone Tracy Jr. earned in high school and college on Thursday, July 22, 2021.

Throughout Tyrone Jr.’s first two years playing with the Hawkeyes, his parents never missed a home game.

But now, Laverna and Tyrone Sr. have a third football schedule to contend with — Miami (Ohio).

Tyrone Sr. sat back to contemplate the family’s schedule, trying to balance the five-hour drive to Iowa City with the two-hour drive to Oxford, Ohio. While Laverna and Tyrone Sr. may not make it to all the games at Kinnick Stadium this season, he said, they’ll make the most important ones.

But the Tracy’s oldest son, Charlie, offered to attend Tyrone Jr. or Kenny’s games if their parents couldn’t make the trip. Growing up, Charlie was not interested in a future in football, and opted to go into business instead.

“They’re spoiled,” Laverna said matter-of-factly. “We’ve been to all their games, they always have someone in the audience cheering for them.”

This May, after over 20 years of traveling to watch football, basketball, and track competitions, the Tracy family finally took their first sports-free vacation to Tennessee over Memorial Day — a Mother’s Day present for Laverna. She didn’t grow up a fan of sports, instead focusing on academics.

But when she met Tyrone Sr., she knew she would be hearing about sports one way or another. Then, they had four boys just like Tyrone Sr. — athletic-minded and competitive.

Now, with three boys bound to play Division I football, Laverna has accepted sports as an integral factor in her life.

“I tell my girlfriends, I said, ‘Well, if you can’t beat them,

Jerod Ringwald/The Daily Iowan Tyrone Tracy Sr. and Laverna Tracy pose with the 2017-18 Gatorade Player of the Year trophy their son Tyrone Tracy Jr. won on Thursday, July 22, 2021. join them,’” she said. “Because, you know, we just kept having boys and boys, and more boys.”

Early potential Iowa wide receivers coach Kelton Copeland, who grew up in a tight-knit family himself, related to the Tracy family’s closeness. Copeland came to Iowa from Northern Illinois University, where he was an assistant coach and first started recruiting Tyrone to NIU in 2015. But the wide receiver already had multiple Power 5 Division I offers, so Copeland knew he didn’t stand a chance bringing him to NIU. But once Copeland joined the Hawkeyes in February 2016, he was back on the recruiting trail in Indiana for Tyrone Jr. “Right away there was a connection with the Tracy family,” Copeland said. “I would never tell Tyrone to his face, but the Tracy family in itself, they’re one of my favorite families I’ve ever had a chance to recruit.”

By the time he was a junior in high school, Tyrone Jr. received offers from multiple Power 5 schools, including Northwestern, Purdue, Illi-

nois, and Louisville.

And throughout his recruitment — even if it made him miss some offers — Tyrone Jr. stayed true to one thing: he was going to be a wide receiver.

“I love the feeling of catching a football and making people miss,” Tyrone Jr. said. “I think that was a huge thing for me, making people miss [with a juke or spin move] was something that I did in high school, I just knew I could bring it to the college level. I was watching a lot of Reggie Bush and Tavon Austin when I was in high school so that was something I was like, ‘Wow, they’re bringing all this explosiveness to the field, these electric plays to the field.’ I was like, ‘Why can’t I do that? What do I have to do to make this happen?’”

The Decatur Central Hawks football program, under the direction of head coach Kyle Enright, hosted college days for NCAA football coaches around the country. Enright coached Tyrone Jr. throughout his entire high school career, first as an assistant before a promotion to head coach in 2016.

In high school, Tyrone Jr. played all three phases of

football — wide receiver on offense, cornerback on defense, and punt returner on special teams.

Enright saw the potential for Tyrone Jr. to be an impact collegiate player before he even stepped into a high school class.

In the summer before Tyrone Jr.’s freshman year of high school, he was participating in summer workouts with the Decatur Central football team. Throughout workouts, Enright and the football coaching staff decided to put Tyrone Jr. in for a varsity snap.

“You don’t do that with very many guys, because I mean, they’re eighth graders going to be freshmen and haven’t even really been in a weight program yet,” Enright said in July. “But we wanted to see what he could do. And he caught the ball and made a spin move on somebody, a varsity player. And just from that moment, it was just electric. Tyrone was a very special player with the ball in his hands.”

Tyrone Jr. played on Decatur Central’s varsity football team for all of his high school career. On one specific college day, Notre Dame was especially impressed with Tyrone Jr.’s cornerback skills. Tyrone Jr. visited the Fighting Irish in 2015, but Notre Dame did not extend him an offer — not that it mattered, because Tyrone Jr. could not commit to playing defense.

“He probably could have gotten even more offers, had he committed to playing corner,” Enright said. “So, at a college day [at Decatur Central], Notre Dame was there.

TRACY | Page 7

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TRACY Continued from Page 5 The Notre Dame coach said, ‘Hey, Coach, if he commits to playing corner in college, we’ll offer him right now.’

And I say, ‘Coach, he wants to play offense, and no disrespect. That’s awesome that you’re going to offer him that on defense. But he’s just got a special knack for making plays. And he wants to be an offensive player.’”

And Tyrone Jr. made waves on offense during his recruiting process. Former Hawks head coach and current Decatur Central athletic director Justin Dixson said he never saw Tyrone Jr. drop a ball during the recruitment process — a testament to his remarkable work ethic.

“He never had to have a coach push him to practice hard, never had to have a coach push him to come to work out, to work in the weight room, work on the field,” Dixson said in August. “It was all self-driven, self-motivated. And I think that’s pretty special because I think, you know, human nature. It’s not natural to push yourself as hard as he pushes himself.”

By the end of his career with Decatur Central football, Tyrone Jr.’s name littered the record book. He was the first-ever player to register more than 1,000 receiving yards in a season with the Hawks — 1,132 in his senior year and 2,643 in his career.

Tyrone Jr. also holds the school records with 72 career touchdowns, 444 total points, and 33 total receiving touchdowns.

To help with his versatility in football, Tyrone Jr. was

a three-sport athlete. He earned four varsity letters in basketball and three in track as a long jumper and sprinter.

“I think a lot of sports do bring different things to my football athletic abilities,” Tyrone Jr. said. “So, I am an explosive guy, and I like to bring that to the field. So, with me playing, running track or playing basketball, you do get to move in a different way and learn different mechanics, just from playing that sport.”

Tyrone Jr. put everything he had into football — enough that he didn’t need a secondary plan.

Even though Laverna wanted him to have a plan B in case a football career would not be an option, Tyrone Jr. refused to give up on his dream of attending a Power 5 football program and having a professional career. He didn’t need a backup plan — football would work out, he thought.

One rainy night in Camby, Laverna recalls learning once and for all the dedication her son brought to the game. Despite the rain hitting the roof, Tyrone Jr. suited up and told her he was going to train on the field.

“He told me he was going to go train. It was pouring down rain,” Laverna said. “I got in my car, knowing good and well he’s not at that school training, I’m gonna go check. And I tell you not, it was pouring down rain, and he had those big tires.

He was pushing them up and down the field. And I was just like, ‘Oh my goodness, he’s out there by himself doing it, in the rain.’ And here I am, thinking I’m going to catch him doing the wrong thing.”

Jerod Ringwald/The Daily Iowan Iowa wide receiver Tyrone Tracy Jr. poses for a picture with his family after “Kid’s Day at Kinnick” inside Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 14.

From Camby to Iowa City The Hawkeyes officially offered Tyrone Jr. a scholarship on Oct. 5, 2016, during his junior year of high school.

With Iowa known as ‘Tight End U,’ Tyrone Jr. was originally apprehensive about coming to Iowa City.

Tyrone Jr. also had offers from rival Big Ten schools: Northwestern, Purdue, and Illinois.

But throughout his recruitment, Tyrone Jr. kept circling back to the Hawkeyes. He was drawn to the environment of Hawkeye football — its work ethic, drive, and family culture. For him, it felt like home.

The Tracy family visited the Hawkeyes multiple times, and Laverna said Tyrone Jr. only had one piece of uncertainty: with Iowa’s strong tight end legacy, how would he — a wide receiver — fit into the mix?

“There was definitely hesitation,” Tyrone Jr. said.

“I had to have a talk with Coach Ferentz, Coach Copeland, and Coach Brian Ferentz, just because they didn’t throw the ball as much and I was very hesitant on committing there. But I’m hap-

py I did. They confirmed me and basically just said that they’re going to pass the ball more in upcoming years and that has come true.”

With verification the Hawkeyes offense would start utilizing the pass game, Tyrone Jr. officially committed to Iowa on April 29, 2017. And Iowa lived up to its promise. Iowa’s number of pass attempts per game has steadily risen since Tyrone Jr. joined the program, including pass attempts to wide receivers.

Tyrone Jr. joined the Hawkeyes in the summer of 2018, going through summer workouts with the team, but with then-senior Nick Easley and sophomore Ihmir Smith-Marsette entrenched as the starting wide receivers, he took a redshirt year for the 2018 season.

Easley left the team after the 2018 season, but it still wasn’t Tyrone Jr.’s time — it was then-junior Brandon Smith’s.

But Smith suffered a high ankle sprain in the middle of the season, forcing him out of the starting lineup. Tyrone Jr., second on the depth chart, took over, starting eight games in 2019.

In his redshirt freshman

year, Tyrone Jr. brought in 36 receptions for 589 yards and three touchdowns — including a 75-yard catch-and-run that brought Iowa within two points of Big Ten West foe Wisconsin in the closing minutes of a 24-22 loss.

In his sophomore year — one he called a downfall in production — Tyrone Jr. heavily relied on his family.

With Smith back from injury and Smith-Marsette as the No. 1 wide receiver, Tyrone Jr. saw limited time on the field.

Throughout eight games in 2020, Tyrone Jr. only accounted for 14 catches and 154 yards.

Although Tyrone Jr. was frustrated with his lack of time on the field, Tyrone Sr. said, he never gave up on the team or thought about transferring to a school that would give him more targets — a true sign of his son’s maturity.

Copeland also carries a lot of respect for how Tyrone Jr. carries himself, and how he worked through his downfall in production in 2020.

“Tyrone is the ultimate competitor,” Copeland said.

“So, especially early on last year when we struggled and we lost those first two games, anybody who’s a true competitor and a true team player when you’re losing, you feel like you don’t have as much impact on the game.

But like, ‘Man, if only I could do more for my team, maybe the result would be different.’ and that’s how he felt. It was not a selfish thing at all.”

And Copeland remains someone Tyrone Jr. can go to release his frustrations.

Tyrone Jr. sees Copeland as a father figure in Iowa City.

When Tyrone Jr. wasn’t playing as much as he wanted

last season, Copeland would reassure him that his time on the field was coming.

“He helped a lot,” Tyrone Jr. said. “I would talk to him numerous times. It was, it was so tough going through the game, playing all the minutes and like, not have the season that you honestly didn’t want. So, he basically helped me get through that tough time, I can’t thank him enough.”

So, Tyrone Jr. kept working in the weight room and on the practice field, preparing for his junior year.

Now, ahead of this season, Tyrone Jr. has his chance — he’s listed as the No. 1 wide receiver on Iowa football’s preseason depth chart. And this young athlete and his family from Camby, Indiana, have high hopes for his junior season, including recording 1,000 receiving yards.

In Iowa’s season opener against Indiana Saturday, Tyrone Jr. will be playing in front of thousands of his fellow Indianans — whether they watch on the Big Ten Network or at Kinnick Stadium.

With Miami (Ohio) opening its season on the road, Tyrone Jr. ‘s two biggest fans will be sitting at Kinnick Stadium — the perfect place for Laverna and Tyrone Sr. to cheer on their son as he kicks off his junior season in the Black and Gold.

“He adores football, passion,” Tyrone Sr. said. “I mean, he just loves that football. He’ll do anything, but it’s positive. And he, you know, he’ll work at it. It’s not just, ‘Imma say I’m gonna be the best,’ he worked so hard to be the best.” chloe-peterson@uiowa.edu

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IOWA

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Danbury, CT Oskaloosa, IA Morton, IL Milwaukee, WI Southlake, TX Odebolt, IA Indianapolis, IN Tampa, FL Chicago, IL Englewood, OH Brecksville, OH Bellevue, NE Mobile, AL San Rafael, CA Lewisville, TX Greenwood Village, CO Melbourne, Australia Olathe, KS Council Bluffs, IA Decatur, IL Cedar Rapids, IA Ames, IA Vernon Hills, IL Ankeny, IA Largo, FL St. Louis, MO Suwanee, GA Humboldt, IA Deerfield, IL Belleville, MI Cedar Rapids, IA Rolling Meadows, IL Iowa City, IA Kentfield, CA Waukesha, WI Des Moines, IA Madison, WI Plainfield, IL Erie, PA Burlington, IA North Liberty, IA Altoona, IA Belleville, MI Chicago, IL West Des Moines, IA Des Moines, IA Oak Lawn, IL Frankfort, IL Cedar Rapids, IA Cedar Falls, IA Sedalia, CO Franklin, WI Ankeny, IA Grimes, IA Indianapolis, IN Eden Prairie, MN Delafield, WI Farnhamville, IA Larchwood, IA Glen Carbon, IL Frankfort, IL Britt, IA

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LB TE/FB LB LB LB LS DL P LB LB DL TE DL TE LS DT DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL TE DE WR TE DL TE TE DL DL TE TE DL TE WR DL DL DL DL K LS DL DL DL

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Urbandale, IA Glen Ellyn, IL Story City, IA Iowa Falls, IA Sioux Falls, SD Neenah, WI Fort Wayne, IN Kingsley, IA Jewell, IA Algona, IA Urbandale, IA Cedar Rapids, IA Cedar Rapids, IA West Des Moines, IA Ankeny, IA LaGrange Park, IL Palatine, IL Waukon, IA Jacksonville, FL Council Bluffs, IA Clinton, IA Pella, IA Williamsburg, IA Winthrop, IA Bettendorf, IA Indianapolis, IN Coggon, IA Solon, IA Waverly, IA Lena, IA Norwalk, IA Blue Springs, MO Luck, WI Glenview, IL Cedar Rapids, IA Byron, IL Cedar Rapids, IA Leawood, KS Green Bay, WI Peoria, IL Waukon, IA Raytown, MO Olathe, KS O’Fallon, MO Highland, IL Columbus, OH Orion, IL West Branch, IA Greendale, WI Royse City, TX Lena, IL Cedar Falls, IA East Haven, CT Barrington, IL Des Moines, IA Marshall, MN Council Bluffs, IA Muskego, WI Chicago, IL Zeeland, MI Van Meter, IA Aurora, IL

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 3, 2021 - 9

. INDIANA HOOSIERS

0 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 20 21 22 22 23 23 24 25 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 33 33 34 35 36 36 37 39 39 40

INDIANA

Raheem Layne DB Donaven McCulley QB Camron Buckley WR Devon Matthews DB Jacolby Hewitt WR Reese Taylor DB Ty Fryfogle WR Tiawan Mullen DB David Baker WR Cam Jones LB Juwan Burgess DB Stephen Carr RB Dexter Williams II QB James Head Jr DL Christopher Keys DB D.J. Matthews Jr WR/RS James Miller LB Jaquez Smith WR Marcelino McCrary-Ball DB Michael Penix Jr QB Ryder Anderson DL David Ellis RB/KR Da'Shaun Brown WR Lem Watley-Neely DB Jaren Handy OLB Miles Marshall WR Larry Tracy III DB Jack Tuttle QB Zack Merrill QB Larry Smith III DB Srant Sremel QB Jordan Srier DB Jonathan Haynes DB Jordyn Williams WR Jonathan King DL Javon Swinton WR Malachi Holt-Bennett WR Josh Sanguinetti DB Tim Baldwin Jr RB Joseph Daniels Jr DB Noah Pierre DB Davion Ervin-Poindexter RB Maurice Freeman LB Trent Howland RB Jaylin Williams DB Bryson Bonds DB Will Jontz QB Deland McCullough II DB Gabe Cohen DB Xavier Trueblood LB Charlie Spegal RB Liam Zaccheo DB Jordan Jusevitch DB Bryant Fitzgerald DB Connor Hole DB David Holloman RB Chase Washington DB DeKaleb Thomas DB Chris Childers RB Nicholas Srieser DB Ty Wise LB Ryan Barnes TE Patrick Finley DB Cameron Williams LB

6-1 6-5 6-2 6-2 6-1 5-11 6-2 5-10 6-3 6-3 6-1 6-1 6-1 6-5 6-0 5-11 6-2 6-1 6-0 6-3 6-6 6-1 6-2 6-0 6-6 6-4 5-11 6-4 5-11 5-11 6-3 6-0 5-11 6-1 6-3 6-2 6-3 6-1 6-0 5-8 5-11 5-11 6-0 6-3 6-0 6-1 6-3 6-1 6-1 5-11 5-10 6-0 6-1 6-0 5-11 6-0 5-11 6-0 6-0 6-0 6-2 6-4 6-0 6-3

200 200 198 205 198 185 205 180 195 224 199 215 213 262 185 160 223 200 214 218 266 214 180 180 255 212 182 212 208 175 200 193 205 184 252 187 180 185 211 192 182 190 200 230 182 201 224 202 212 215 219 188 193 208 177 215 180 185 220 187 226 244 188 218

Sr Fr Sr Sr Jr Sr Sr Jr #Fr Sr Sr Sr #Fr Sr #Fr Sr Jr Fr Sr Jr Sr Jr Soph #Fr Jr Jr Soph Jr Soph Fr Soph Fr Sr Fr Jr Soph Fr Soph Soph Jr Jr Jr Fr Fr Sr Soph Soph Soph Sr #Fr #Fr #Fr Jr Sr #Fr Fr Sr Jr Jr Soph #Fr Jr #Fr Soph

Deland, FL Indianapolis, IN Cedar Hill, TX Jacksonville, FL Cordova, TN Indianapolis, IN Lucedale, MS Fort Lauderdale, FL Indianapolis, IN Memphis, TN Tampa, FL Gardena, CA Macon, GA Miami, FL Collins, MS Jacksonville, FL Tampa, FL Fairburn, GA Roswell, GA Tampa, FL Katy, TX Clinton Township, MI Racine, WI Harper Woods, MI Hattiesburg, MS Lilburn, GA Indianapolis, IN San Marcos, CA Hobart, IN Jacksonville, FL Noblesville, IN Ellenwood, GA Benoit, MS Albany, GA Tampa, FL Stafford, VA Birmingham, AL Lauderdale Lakes, FL Nokesville, VA Johns Creek, GA Hialeah, FL Merrillville, IN Norfolk, VA Joliet, IL Memphis, TN Crowley, TX Brighton, MI Bloomington, IN Sloatsburg, NY Bloomington, IN New Palestine, IN Jensen Beach, FL Lowell, IN Indianapolis, IN Jamestown, IN Auburn Hills, MI Bloomington, IN Jeffersonville, IN Matteson, IL New Castle, IN Carmel, IN Noblesville, IN Fort Wayne, IN Merrillville, IN

41 42 43 44 45 45 46 47 48 49 49 50 50 52 52 53 54 55 55 56 58 59 60 61 62 63 66 67 67 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 79 80 80 82 83 83 84 85 85 86 87 88 89 90 92 92 93 94 94 95 95 96 97 98 99

Beau Robbins D.K. Bonhomme Matt Hohlt Thomas Allen Andrew Turvy Trey Walker Aaron Casey Micah McFadden James Bomba Sam Daugstrup Brett Wethington Zach Carpenter Sio Nofoagatoto'a Shamar Jones Joshua Sales Jr Vinny Fiacable Brady Feeney Luke Lane C.J. Person Mike Katic Chris Bradberry Gavin McCabe Dalton Davis Ricky Tamis Cameron Knight Andy Buttrell Aidan Rafferty Kahlil Benson Christian Love Peter Schulz Luke Haggard Randy Holtz Dylan Powell Tim Weaver Nick Marozas Luke Wiginton Matthew Bedford Caleb Jones Charlie O'Connor Connor Delp Chris Freeman Christian Harris Eli Jochem Asher King Aaron Steinfeldt McCall Ray Khameron Taylor Peyton Hendershot Michael Ziemba AJ Barner Matt Bjorson Jared Smolar Alfred Bryant Chase Wyatt Charles Campbell Demarcus Elliott James Evans Antoine Whitner Jr Sean Wracher Caleb Murphy Jake Wellmann Cooper Jones Weston Kramer

DL OLB LB LB LB TE LB LB TE TE LB OL DL DL OL OL OL OL DL OL OL DL DL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL WR K WR WR P TE WR TE TE OLB TE TE K OLB P K DL P DL LS DL LS DL DL

6-5 6-3 6-2 6-3 6-2 6-5 6-2 6-2 6-6 6-5 6-0 6-5 6-3 6-1 6-6 6-4 6-4 6-3 6-3 6-4 6-6 6-4 6-1 6-3 6-3 6-5 6-6 6-6 6-0 6-2 6-7 6-7 6-3 6-6 6-5 6-5 6-6 6-8 6-2 5-10 6-2 6-3 6-1 6-2 6-5 5-11 6-4 6-4 6-3 6-6 6-3 5-11 6-2 5-11 5-9 6-3 6-1 6-5 6-4 6-4 6-1 6-6 6-2

260 235 220 240 230 245 228 232 255 230 210 320 315 264 319 318 320 322 292 312 306 291 262 301 281 295 298 319 288 251 305 340 310 315 279 310 310 362 303 170 190 176 180 208 245 192 261 254 260 245 241 221 250 196 175 307 222 305 200 270 225 270 290

Soph Jr Fr Sr Fr Soph Jr Sr Fr #Fr #Fr Soph Jr Jr Fr Fr #Fr Soph Soph Soph Sr Jr Soph Soph #Fr #Fr Jr #Fr Jr Soph Sr #Fr Sr Soph Jr #Fr Jr Sr Jr Fr #Fr Sr Fr Soph Fr Soph Sr Sr Sr Soph Sr Sr Sr Soph Jr Sr Fr Soph Jr #Fr #Fr Fr Sr

Carmel, IN Ottawa, Canada Sreenwood, IN Tampa, FL Carmel, IN Winnetka, IL Douglasville, GA Tampa, FL Bloomington, IN Cleveland, OH Thorntown, IN Cincinnati, OH Ili'ili, American Samoa Johnstown, PA Brownsburg, IN Fort Wayne, IN St. Louis, MO Lebanon, OH Montgomery, AL Gibsonia, PA Rancho Cucamonga, CA Oak Lawn, IL Noblesville, IN Miami Beach, FL Noblesville, IN Argyle, TX Kensington, MD Southaven, MS Detroit, MI Franklin, MI Petaluma, CA Fort Wayne, IN Hannibal, MO Hellertown, PA Chicago, IL Fort Wayne, IN Cordova, TN Indianapolis, IN Western Springs, IL Sreenwood, IN Zionsville, IN Wheaton, IL Gibsonia, PA Westfield, IN Bloomington, IN Bedford, IN Alachua, FL North Salem, IN Sanford, FL Aurora, OH Hinsdale, IL Valparaiso, IN Fresno, TX Noblesville, IN Jackson, TN Garden City, KS Auckland, New Zealand Bradenton, FL Akron, OH Campbellsburg, IN Indianapolis, IN Valparaiso, IN Naperville, IL

10 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 3, 2021

Two ranked Big Ten matchups in the first week of the season? Sign me up.

ROBERT READ

robert-read@uiowa.edu

NO. 4 OHIO STATE @ MINNESOTA

1

OHIO STATE

2

WISCONSIN

3 4

Well, this one was easy.

The Badgers should be Iowa’s main competition in the West.

IOWA

Big Ten West or bust for the Hawkeyes?

INDIANA

Still feels weird to rank the Hoosiers this high.

5

PENN STATE

6

NORTHWESTERN

7

Last season was a fluke for the Nittany Lions, right?

The Wildcats are being doubted. Here we go again.

MICHIGAN

I refuse to overrank the Wolverines in the preseason.

8 9 10 11

MINNESOTA

Can the Gophers return to their 2019 heights? Eh, probably not.

PURDUE

They still have David Bell, though.

MICHIGAN STATE Mel Tucker better hope year two is better than year one.

MARYLAND

Not going to lie, haven’t watched the Terrapins in a while.

12

ILLINOIS

13

RUTGERS

14

Better than Nebraska.

Also better than Nebraska.

NEBRASKA

Anybody have an extra help wanted sign?

Thursday | 7:00 p.m.

Line: OSU -13.5 | O/U: 63

Minnesota boasts one of the most experienced rosters in the country, but that may not help much against Ohio State.

MICHIGAN STATE @ NORTHWESTERN Friday | 8:00 p.m.

Line: NU -3.0 | O/U: 46

Northwestern is looking to repeat after its Big Ten West title, and Michigan State is just hoping to show any signs of improvement.

TEMPLE @ RUTGERS

Thursday | 5:30 p.m.

Line: RUTG -14.5 | O/U: 52.5 Year No. 2 in stint No. 2 of the Greg Schiano in New Jersey era is now underway. Time to see if there’s a jump in quality.

WESTERN MICHIGAN @ MICHIGAN Saturday | 11 a.m.

Line: MICH -17.0 | O/U: 67

Could be a make-or-break year for Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. This game probably won’t say much about how good the Wolverines are.

NO. 17 INDIANA @ NO. 18 IOWA Saturday | 2:30 p.m.

Line: IOWA -3.0 | O/U: 46

Fans back at Kinnick, alchohol sales, a top-20 matchup — this is going to be quite the atmosphere.

WEST VIRGINIA @ MARYLAND Saturday | 2:30 p.m.

Line: WVU -3.0 | O/U: 57

More of a basketball matchup, but this will work too. Maryland is seeking its first winning season since 2014.

FORDHAM @ NEBRASKA

OREGON STATE @ PURDUE

Savor this, Nebraska fans. Seems unlikely that the Huskers will be favored much this season.

Is David Bell about to catch three touchdown passes in Week 1 again on Saturday?

NO. 19 PENN STATE @ NO. 12 WISCONSIN Saturday | 11 a.m.

Line: WISC -5.5 | O/U: 50

UTSA @ ILLINOIS

Saturday | 11 a.m.

Line: n/a

Probably the Big Ten’s marquee Week 1 matchup, even though both of these prorams are coming off down years.

Saturday | 6 p.m.

Line: PUR -7.0 | O/U: 69

Saturday | 6:30 p.m.

Line: ILL -5.0 | O/U: 49 Bret Bielema could be in line for a 2-0 start to his Illinois career if the Fighting Illini can down the Roadrunners.

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 3, 2021 - 11

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12 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 3, 2021

WITH IOWA PUNTER TORY TAYLOR The Aussie special-teamer spoke with Daily Iowan Football Reporter Chris Werner at Iowa Football Media Day in August.

Chris Werner Sports Reporter The Daily Iowan: Obviously, you had a lot of success last season. What are you working on this offseason, and how much better do you think you can be next year?

Tory Taylor: I mean, I wouldn’t say there’s really a ceiling on anything for anyone on the team. I know obviously last year things were obviously different with COVID-19. I know, for me, I kind of got here in late August, I was kind of still finding my bearings, and then the season came around and it all happened pretty quickly. Everyone’s just trying to improve every day, I know it’s a cliche saying but that’s really just the truth. Everyone’s working really hard, like camp’s been a really important stepping stone for me and I’m sure everyone else because, I think it was spring ball, coach Ferentz said, ‘Put your hand up if you’ve never done a spring ball’ and I don’t know how many but the majority of the team put their hand up just because last year spring ball didn’t happen. So, this was really the first spring ball for me and first summer and winter conditioning, as well, back in January and February, so everyone’s just

working really hard to get better. I know, for me and the rest of the specialists, we’re doing everything we can and just adding little things here or there just to help us get better so we’re all really excited for the season.

DI: Going back to the spring ball, is it safe to say you’re not going to kick a ball off the ground again?

Taylor: Yeah, now I know you can’t. I don’t think that’ll be happening.

DI: If you weren’t a punter and you were on offense or defense, what position would you play?

DI: Just talking about special teams in general, and obviously, you and Ryan [Gersonde] are both from Australia, is there kind of a brotherhood within the specialists?

Taylor: Absolutely, I mean, there’s 10 of us and we’re all really close.

You’ll find that everyone on the team is really close, like, it’s just a massive brotherhood. I’ve never really been anywhere else but I can’t imagine that anyone’s as close as we are. And in terms of the specialists, we’re all really close. No one thinks that they’re better than anyone else, everyone’s trying to push one another. No matter what happens. So yeah, there’s a really strong brotherhood happening in the special teams room at the moment and I mean, the stats don’t lie, it’s a stats game, special teams here has been a major component for success in the last few years and that’s really just a massive credit to coach [LeVar] Woods.

Taylor: Oh, see a lot of people say, ‘Oh you’re built like a tight end or you’re built like a linebacker,’ so I’d say one of those. But, honestly, I wouldn’t really know what’s happening most of the time so I can promise you, I won’t be stepping foot on the field as a linebacker or a tight end.

Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan Iowa punter Tory Taylor kicks the ball during a football game between Iowa and Michigan State in Kinnick Stadium on Nov. 7, 2020.

DI: Last season, we touched on this already, you had a lot of success, did you expect that? I would assume you didn’t really expect anything because your first American football game was at Purdue.

Taylor: [The awards and accolades] really don’t mean anything to me. No disrespect to anyone else, but I really just play for my family and my teammates and my coaches.

They’re the ones close to me and they’re the ones that I guess I’m trying to make proud of me. Obviously, all the Hawkeye fans and, like yourself as well, all the media guys also mean a lot to all of us and we really appreciate it but yeah, like I said, I play for my family and play for my friends and all my teammates. All that success, I feel like, if you start worrying about that, it never really happens.

DI: Do you maybe see the NFL in your future, and do you look up to any people in that league?

Taylor: Absolutely.

There’s guys that I chat to quite regularly in the NFL and that’s obviously the end goal but, I mean, the NFL is not going to define me as a person or anything like that. I know they say the NFL is not for long, so I know that’s not gonna be my entire life, and there’s so much more important things in my life than just football. Not so much at the moment because that’s

my main priority, obviously school and football, but like I said, like, the most important things to me are my friends and family.

DI: Guilty pleasure song, food, and TV show?

Taylor: I like “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John.

I like a lot of the Chicago shows like Chicago Fire and things like that. I’m more of a crime and action type of person. Favorite food?

Probably steak and fries.

DI: One Australian thing that you think they should have over here, and one thing that you’ve seen over here that you want back in Australia?

Taylor: Oh, meat pies, I would really love a meat pie. It’s like an apple pie but it’s got like beef mince in it and some ketchup. I’d love to have that over here.

And in terms of things that I wish were back home in Australia, definitely the cereal. I’m a big cereal person.

DI: Favorite cereal?

Taylor: Cinnamon Toast Crunch. No doubt about it.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

christopher-werner@uiowa.edu

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 3, 2021 - 13

Bold predictions for Iowa’s 2021 football season The Daily Iowan football staff throws out big takes ahead of the Hawkeyes’ season-opener against the Hoosiers.

Jack Campbell earns Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Robert Read Pregame Editor You want bold? Here’s bold.

Jack Campbell made quite the impression when he finally saw the field in 2020.

Originally Read from Cedar Falls, Campbell missed the first three games of his sophomore season last year with mononucleosis. He appeared in the final five games of the shortened season. And he excelled.

This season, he’s going

to win the conference’s defensive player of the year award.

Campbell recorded 29 tackles, 3.5 for loss, a sack, and an interception a year ago — all while splitting reps at middle linebacker. The “mike”

that are, I’d doubt many are as quick from sideline-to-sideline and in coverage as Campbell.

I think Campbell, now healthy and a solidified starter, will take the jump that other Hawkeyes like Daviyon Nixon and Josh

He [Campbell] will go from a solid, impact player to being the standout defender in the Big Ten. spot is all Campbell’s this year. And he could very well be the next great Iowa linebacker.

There aren’t many 6-foot-5, 243-pound linebackers. And among those

Jackson have made lately.

He will go from a solid, impact player to being the standout defender in the Big Ten.

robert-read@uiowa.edu

Keagan Johnson will replace Nico Ragaini as the No. 2 wide receiver Chloe Peterson Assistant Sports Editor There’s only one lock at wide receiver: Tyrone Tracy Jr. Barring injury, Tracy will remain the Hawkeyes’ No. 1 wide receiver for the entirety of the 12-game season.

Who will suit up in the starting lineup on the opposite side of the offensive Peterson line, however, is up for grabs.

Right now, junior Nico Ragaini is listed as the Hawkeyes’ other starting wide receiver. Ragaini had a down year in 2020 behind

former Hawkeyes Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Brandon Smith (who are both now pursuing NFL careers).

He recorded 18 catches for only 191 yards.

ed from high school early to participate in the Hawkeyes’ spring practice.

With a head start to his college football career, Johnson has high potential

With a head start to his football career, Johnson has high potential for his freshman year.

As a four-star recruit out of Bellevue, Nebraska, Keagan Johnson is currently the second-string wide receiver behind Ragaini — one of two true freshmen listed on the Hawkeye football depth chart.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound wide receiver graduat-

for his freshman year. As he already made it to the two-deeps of the Hawkeye football depth chart, expect to see Johnson taking on a starting role for Iowa sometime this season.

chloe-peterson@uiowa.edu

Kicker Caleb Shudak will not miss inside of 45 yards this season Chris Werner Football Reporter Iowa kicker Caleb Shudak has been surrounded by excellence ever since he arrived at Iowa in 2016 as a walk-on.

He was behind Keith Duncan in 2016, then Miguel Recinos took Werner the job from Duncan in 2017 and 2018 before Duncan finished out his career with two stellar seasons in 2019 and 2020.

Now, in his sixth year

Shudak hasn’t attempted a field goal inside of 45 yards in his Hawkeye career, which also means he hasn’t missed one in that range. He’s perfect. with the program, it’s Shudak’s time. Although Shudak has been no stranger to the field, handling all of the kickoff duties in 2019 and 2020, this season will mark his first as the team’s primary field goal man.

Shudak has attempted just one field goal in the Black and Gold, hitting the right upright and missing from 52 yards last year

against Northwestern as time expired in the first half. Shudak made his only collegiate PAT attempt in 2018 against Illinois.

Shudak hasn’t attempted a field goal inside of 45 yards in his Hawkeye career, which also means he hasn’t missed one in that range. He’s perfect.

chris-werner@uiowa.edu

Spencer Petras will be benched in favor of Alex Padilla Austin Hanson Sports Editor One thing has been consistent on each of the three depth charts Iowa football has released this offseason: Junior Spencer Petras is the Hawkeyes’ starting quarterback, and sophomore Alex Padilla is his backup.

Petras may Hanson be the starter now, but if he struggles like he did last season, he won’t stay on the field very long.

It’s difficult to predict when exactly Padilla will make his first appearance.

But when Petras is benched, Padilla won’t relinquish control of the Hawkeyes’ offense.

According to The Athlet-

ic, Padilla narrowed the gap between himself and Petras this offseason. With little separating Petras and Padilla, perhaps Kirk Ferentz will be less hesitant to make a change at quarterback if Petras struggles.

It seems unlikely that Fer-

Iowa to a victory, there will be no going back to Petras at QB. The momentum both Padilla and the Hawkeyes would gain from a comefrom-behind Padilla win would make it impossible to go back to Petras, barring an injury.

With Petras bound to struggle eventually, count on Padilla taking command of the Hawkeyes’ offense and becoming Ferentz’s full-time starter at some point this season. entz would make a change at quarterback in-between games. If Petras stumbles during a game, however, Ferentz may keep him on a short leash and turn to Padilla midgame to spark Iowa’s offense.

If Padilla takes over in the middle of a game and leads

With Petras bound to struggle eventually, count on Padilla taking command of the Hawkeyes’ offense and becoming Ferentz’s full-time starter at some point this season.

austin-hanson@uiowa.edu

14 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 3, 2021

ROBERT READ PREGAME EDITOR

VS.

IOWA

Can’t wait to see the burrito lift with fans in the stands.

WISCONSIN

VS.

VS.

IOWA

Indiana is still a basketball school.

WISCONSIN

I hate games that kick off at 11 a.m. on FOX.

TEXAS

LOUISIANA

I’m not very confident in this pick.

Clemson will come to Kinnick when the Alliance forms.

STANFORD

VS.

SPORTS EDITOR

We’re getting spoiled with all these Week 1 ranked matchups.

CLEMSON

VS.

AUSTIN HANSON

Inadvertently just gave someone Rose Bowl flashbacks.

Louisiana > Iowa State > Texas.

GEORGIA

Dabo said he’d retire if athletes got NIL rights, yet he’s still here.

KANSAS ST.

Isn’t ex-Hawkeye Julius Brents a Wildcat now?

CHLOE PETERSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

INDIANA

I just want chaos.

WISCONSIN

Even Danny Vanden Boom could stop the 2020 Nittany Lions.

TEXAS

Everything is bigger in Texas.

CLEMSON

No Trevor Lawrence? No problem.

STANFORD

Reminder that Stanford isn’t in the Ivy League.

CHRIS WERNER FOOTBALL REPORTER

IOWA

I hope nobody here picked Indiana.

PENN STATE

No jumping around.

LOUISIANA

The Ragin’ Cajuns beat Iowa State in last year’s opener. Why not?

CLEMSON

I will never not pick Clemson.

STANFORD

Work smarter, not harder.

DESTINEE COOK DITV SPORTS DIRECTOR

IOWA

Hoosier? I hardly know her.

WISCONSIN

Penn State is ranked?

TEXAS

“We’re baaack” (for real this time... they hope).

GEORGIA

Let’s hope Georgia doesn’t fumble yet again.

STANFORD

Does Andrew Luck have another year of eligibility?

JOHN BOHNENKAMP SPORTS WRITING COACH

IOWA

I’m going to miss parking right next to Kinnick Stadium.

WISCONSIN

You have to walk about two miles from the media parking at Camp Randall.

TEXAS

Sorry, Texas, it’s not LSU you’re playing ... for now.

CLEMSON

Tigers will be in the CFP, starting right now.

KANSAS ST.

A matchup of future Pac-12 foes?

JASON BRUMMOND PUBLISHER

IOWA

651 days since fans at Kinnick. Our nightmare is over.

PENN STATE

B1G West interests find Iowa fans in the difficult spot of rooting for PSU.

TEXAS

Great SEC prep. Louisiana is basically LSU.

GEORGIA

This game is almost impossible to disappoint, like Nebraska hiring Frost.

KANSAS ST.

Not enough time has passed since the Rose Bowl disaster.

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 3, 2021 - 15

Kid Captain excited to welcome fans back to Kinnick Alongside a handful of surgeries, Drew Hennigan was diagnosed with an adrenal deficiency at two. During the first game at Kinnick Stadium at full capacity in over a year, he will cheer on the Hawkeyes as a Kid Captain.

Eleanor Hildebrandt News Editor Drew Hennigan is ecstatic to be the first Kid Captain for the 2021 Hawkeye football season “It’s kind of cool because even my jersey says No. 1 and I’m the first game,” he said. “... It’s going to be cool to walk out on the field, even if that’s the part I’m the most nervous about.”

Even Drew’s favorite color is fitting for the occasion: gold, like the color on the jersey he will wear on Saturday.

Drew was born in Coralville before his family moved to West Des Moines, where they currently reside. The 8-yearold will drive to Iowa City with his parents, Gregg and Nikki, and his older sister Harper to be on Duke Slater Field for the Iowa vs. Indiana game. Drew is the first Kid Captain since the last game of the 2019 season, because the tradition was altered last season because of the pandemic.

Drew was born at a University of Iowa hospital. Gregg said the majority of Drew’s big procedures, including the amputation of both of his lower legs because of missing fibulas, and separating his thumb from his fused fingers, happened in the first two years of Drew’s life. He also had a procedure on his eyes

Jerod Ringwald/Daily Iowan Iowa kid captain Drew Hennigan answers questions during an interview with ABC during “Kid’s Day at Kinnick” inside Kinnick Stadium on Aug. 14. as a toddler.

Since the move, the Hennigans return to the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital multiple times a year for regular checkups regarding Drew’s health and adrenal insufficiency.

“Countless doctor’s appointments, dozens upon dozens,” Gregg said, “If someone told me we’ve been to the hospital more than 100 times for Drew, I don’t think I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Drew said his doctor, Dr. Luiska Pesce, cares about him and is always kind, so he doesn’t mind the checkups.

However, he doesn’t like get-

ting his blood drawn.

Pesce said Drew has mild abnormalities with his thyroid hormone levels including low cortisol levels, which requires consistent medication. Drew has been Pesce’s patient for six years. “[As a kid] He was noted to have a small optic nerve and those can be associated with the pituitary gland not working properly,” she said.

“His cortisol level was pretty low when I started taking care of him… He receives hydrocortisone to replace that hormone and he needs to get a stress dose anytime he gets sick. If he’s not able to keep

the medication down, that is very dangerous.”

As Drew grows up, Pesce said she will continue to watch carefully for other hormone deficiencies, but he’s too young to predict much of what his care could look like in the future.

Because Drew’s adrenal insufficiency means his immune system doesn’t fight off infections as well as it should, Nikki said Drew will be first in line if the Food and Drug Administration approves a COVID-19 vaccine for children under the age of 12. She said Drew’s older sister is already vaccinated and Drew

was jealous that she was able to get vaccinated before him.

Although he dislikes getting his blood drawn, Drew said he is ready to get the COVID-19 vaccine whenever he can.

“I’m still excited to be vaccinated,” he said. “Plus I take a shot every night so I’ll be OK.” Drew has been passing out the game cards the hospital made for this year’s Kid Captains to all of his friends in his third grade class, he said, and he’s excited for his classmates to see him on the field — in person or on TV. Pesce said Drew is a patient who is always joyous and humorous. As he’s gotten older, she said his curiosity has grown about his condition and his health.

“He’s very happy and he’s always making jokes,” she said. “He likes to tell stories and he only gives you joy when you see him … As he grows older, I’ve seen that evolution of how he’s becoming more interested in and asking questions and knowing more about what’s going on.”

Drew spends his free time playing video games and watching YouTube. He enjoys visiting Target to shop in the store’s electronics section and wants to be a video game designer when he grows up.

Drew also enjoys cooking mac and cheese and Chicago-style pizza with his parents.

As Hawkeye fans prepare for the first game of the season, Gregg said he’s excited to be with Drew on the field of Kinnick Stadium again.

“On a personal level, for 15 years, I’ve had season tickets to football games with my dad,” Gregg said. “So I’ve seen almost every home Kid Captain come out on the field. It’s always been cool, and once Drew was born, it meant a little bit more, it was extra special. To have Drew get that opportunity is just amazing and we’re really happy to recognize the children’s hospital and what they do for kids.”

Nikki said the community support has been heartwarming, and she’s ready for Drew to be a part of another Hawkeye tradition.

“With the community and the hospital and everyone reaching out, congratulating Drew, and all of these people who have been a part of his journey along the way, there’s been a lot of people rooting for Drew for a long time,” she said. “It’s been fun to see and hear from all of those people.”

eleanor-hildebrandt@uiowa.edu

16 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 3, 2021

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Whistler 416 E Iowa Avenue • First Floor Lounge Area w/Full Wet Bar • Roof Top Grilling Area • Fully Furnished • Big Screen Smart TV Included • Cable & Internet Included

Breckenridge 707 S Dubuque Street

• First Floor Lounge Area • Roof Top Grilling Area • Fully Furnished • Big Screen Smart TV Included • Cable & Internet Included

J Michael Real Estate

608.233.4440 | www.iowa-city.apartments