Ferentz at 20: All Ferentz Era Defense

As we head into the 20th season with Kirk Ferentz at the helm of the Iowa football program, the summer months provide us with a good time to look back at the last twenty years.

We start our journey with our All Ferentz Era team on the defensive side of the ball. Kirk Ferentz isn’t a defensive oriented guy and during his tenure he has two outstanding defensive coordinators. He made wise selection when he hired veteran Norm Parker to lead the defense until 2011 when he retired from coaching.

Ferentz then hired his replacement and didn’t have to look far to do it. Phil Parker (no relation) took over the defense in 2012 and the Hawkeyes haven’t missed a beat. Both Parker’s have built their defense around playing solid fundamental football, not giving up big plays, and stiffening near the goal line.

Along the way, there have been numerous outstanding football players for the Hawkeyes on the defensive side of the ball. Numerous All Americans, All Big Ten performers, and national award winners. From Bob Sanders to Josey Jewell, Iowa has continued to play high level defense each and every year of the Ferentz era.

Here is your All Ferentz Era Defense

DE: Matt Roth, Aaron Kampman

DT: Mitch King, Colin Cole

DT: Jonathan Babineaux, Mike Daniels

DE: Adrian Clayborn, Howard Hodges

Iowa has had a heck of a run of defensive lineman and the top four would be an outstanding group in any era.

Matt Roth and Adrian Clayborn were clearly Iowa’s two best defensive ends during the Ferentz era. Roth is a bit of a cult hero among Iowa fans. Heck, he ripped the facemask off Robert Gallery for gosh sakes. He was also incredibly productive with 30 sacks in his Iowa career, the highest total of any player in the Ferentz era. Roth was named first team All Big Ten twice in his career and 2nd team All American in 2004. If Roth owned the early to mid 2000’s, Clayborn did the same in the late 2000’s at defensive end. He finished his Iowa career with 37.5 tackles for loss, including 19 sacks. One of his most memorable plays was the blocked punt return for a touchdown in 2009 at Penn State. He was a consensus All American in 2010 and 1st team All Big Ten in 2009-10. Clayborn was also named Orange Bowl MVP in Iowa’s victory over Georgia Tech.

As good as the defensive ends are, the tackles are just as good. Mitch King as a flat out force of nature at defensive tackle in his Iowa career. He came to Iowa as a linebacker and made his home at defensive tackle, eventually earning national recognition along the way. The Burlington native was named 2nd team All American and defensive lineman of the year in the Big Ten in 2008. He was also named 1st team All Big Ten in 2007 and 2008, finishing his Iowa career with an amazing 52.5 tackles for loss and 228 total tackles. Jonathon Babineaux might be the most underappreciated player of the Ferentz era. Like King, he came to Iowa playing a different position, fullback, and found a home at defensive tackle. In 2004, he led the Big Ten with 11 sacks and had a stunning 25 tackles for loss. He was named 1st team All Big Ten in 2004.

The second team is a pretty salty bunch as well, led by defensive tackles Colin Cole and Mike Daniels. Cole was one of the foundation blocks of the early Ferentz era on the defensive line. The Florida native had 145 tackles and 23 sacks in his career, earning 2nd team All American and 1st team All Big Ten honors in 2002. Daniels might be the most powerful defensive tackle in the Ferentz era. What he might have lacked in size, he made up for in strength. Daniels finished his Iowa career with 15.5 sacks and 27 tackles for loss. At defensive end, Aaron Kampman made his mark in the early years of the Kirk Ferentz era. Kampman moved from linebacker to end and that led to a great NFL career. In his senior year in 2001, he earned 1st team All Big Ten honors with 9 sacks and 17 for loss. Like Babineaux, Howard Hodges is probably a bit underappreciated in his Iowa career. He had 142 tackles, 21 sacks, and 26 tackles for loss, earning 1st team All Big Ten honors in 2002.

Here's a trip down memory lane with Matt Roth firing up the Iowa fans, Clayborn doing his thing, and Mitch King trying to top Roth at a Hawkeye Huddle.

MLB: Josey Jewell, Pat Angerer

WLB: Chad Greenway, Anthony Hitchens

OLB: Christian Kirksey, A.J. Edds

Iowa has been blessed to have a lot of really good linebackers during the Ferentz era. Heck, the middle linebacker position alone had at least four very worth first team options.

We start in the middle where it was an extremely tough choice between Josey Jewell, Pat Angerer, and Abdul Hodge. It feels terrible leaving one of them off. We went with Jewell on the first team after his outstanding senior season. Jewell was a unanimous All American, won the Big Ten defensive player of the year, and the Jack Lambert Award in his senior season and was 2nd team All Big Ten the previous two seasons. He finished his career with 437 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and 6 interceptions.

At the weakside linebacker, there was really only one choice for the top spot and that was Chad Greenway. He was a second team All American in 2004 and 2005 and All Big Ten three straight years, including earning first team honors twice. He finished his Iowa career with 416 stops, 31 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, and 4 interceptions. At outside linebacker it’s a pretty good debate and we sided with Christian Kirksey. The St. Louis native had 315 career tackles, 13.5 for loss, 5.5 sacks, and 4 interceptions. He was also a team captain in his final two years at Iowa.

The second team selections are very good, led by Pat Angerer. It was a tough choice between Angerer and Hodge, but the deciding factor came down to Angerer being named 1st team All American in 2009 by two services. Angerer was also a 1st team selection in 2009 and 2nd team in 2008. He finished his career with 248 tackles, 11.5 for loss, 2 sacks, and 6 interceptions. Anthony Hitchens gets the nod at the weakside linebacker spot. He was had 270 career tackles, 19 for loss, 3 sacks, and 1 interception. He was named 2nd team All Big Ten in 2013. Rounding out the 2nd team is A.J. Edds, who was a three year starter at outside linebacker. Edds had 225 tackles, 12.5 for loss, a pair of sacks, and 7 interceptions. He earned 2nd team All Big Ten honors in 2009.

Here's some Josey, Greenway, and Angerer videos to enjoy!

S: Bob Sanders, Brett Greenwood

S: Tyler Sash, Sean Considine

CB: Desmond King, Micah Hyde

CB: Josh Jackson, Jovon Johnson

We wrap up the defensive side of the ball for the All Ferentz Era team with the defensive backs and it’s a star studded group that includes the most impactful player in the last 20 years of Iowa football. One note, at safety, we simply went with safety and not strong or free safety.

Leading off the safety group is Bob Sanders. Of course he is leading the way because he is the one player who many believe changed the course of Iowa football. Sanders wasn’t the biggest man on the field, but it was his physical style of play that made an impact on and off the field. Sanders moved into the starting lineup during his freshman year and when he was healthy, he was on the field changing the game. Sanders finished his Iowa career with 348 tackles, which is the highest total for any defensive back in Hawkeye history. Sanders also had 7 interceptions. He was named 2nd team All American in 2003 and first team All Big Ten in 2002 and 2003.

Joining him at safety is Tyler Sash, who more than anyone else in the defensive backfield in the past 20 years, always seemed to find his way to the football. Sash was a 1st team All Big Ten selection in 2009 and 2010 and had 217 career tackles, along with 13 interceptions.

At cornerback, the selections of Desmond King and Josh Jackson were pretty easy. King is easily the best cornerback of the Ferentz era. He moved into the starting lineup early in his first year on campus and never left the lineup. King had 13 career interceptions and 263 tackles, which is the highest in school history for a cornerback. King won the Thorpe Award as a junior and was a 1st team All American in his final two years at Iowa. He was also named defensive back of the year in the Big Ten in his junior year.

Joining King at cornerback was Josh Jackson, who came out of nowhere in his fourth year at Iowa to earn consensus All American honors. Jackson went from battling for a spot in the spring to superstar status after intercepting 8 passes, including taking a pair back for touchdowns. Jackson was also named the Big Ten defensive back of the year last season.

The second team is filled with a group of strong players. At safety we have selected Brett Greenwood and Sean Considine. Greenwood was a rock solid safety for the Hawkeyes and those who played with him will tell you he was one of the reasons Iowa football reached the heights it did in the late 2000’s. Greenwood had 12 interceptions and 229 tackles in his Iowa career and was 2nd team All Big Ten in 2008 and 2009. He is joined at safety by Sean Considine, who was again, a player who simply made plays in his Iowa career. The former walk-on made his mark on special teams and in the secondary. He had six career interceptions, 157 tackles, and four fumble recoveries.

At the cornerback position, the 2nd unit consists of Micah Hyde and Jovon Johnson. Hyde earned playing time early in his career and was named the defensive back of the year by the Big Ten in his senior season. He had 8 career interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, and 240 tackles. Johnson was another one of the outstanding players from Erie, PA and had 17 career interceptions as a Hawkeye, returning one for a score. He was a second team All Big Ten selection in 2004.

Here's Bob Sanders destroying people, Tyler Sash Trick or Treat, and Desmond King doing his thing.