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1981 Iowa Hawkeyes football team

American college football season

American college football season

FieldValue
year1981
teamIowa Hawkeyes
sportfootball
conferenceBig Ten Conference
short_confBig Ten
CoachRank15
APRank18
record8–4
conf_record6–2
head_coachHayden Fry
hc_year3rd
off_coachBill Snyder
oc_year3rd
def_coachBill Brashier
dc_year3rd
mvpMel Cole
captainTracy Crocker
captain2Pete Gales
captain3Bruce Kittle
captain4Andre Tippett
captain5Brad Webb
stadiumKinnick Stadium
championBig Ten co-champion
bowlRose Bowl
bowl_resultL 0–28 vs. Washington

The 1981 Iowa Hawkeyes football team was an American football team that represented the University of Iowa in the Big Ten Conference during the 1981 Big Ten football season. In their third season under head coach Hayden Fry, the Hawkeyes compiled an 8–4 record (6–2 in conference games), tied with Ohio State for the Big Ten championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 260 to 129. Iowa received the Big Ten's spot in the 1982 Rose Bowl, losing to Washington. It was Iowa's first winning season since 1961 and its first Rose Bowl since the 1958 season. They were ranked No. 15 in the final UPI poll and No. 18 in the final AP poll.

The team limited opponents to only 79.7 rushing yards per game and 2.4 yards per carry, both of which remain Iowa single-season records. Two Iowa players were consensus All-Americans in 1981: defensive end Andre Tippett and punter Reggie Roby. Seven Iowa players received first-team honors on the 1981 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Tippett (AP-1, UPI-1); Roby (AP-1, UPI-1); defensive lineman Pat Dean (AP-1, UPI-1); guard Mark Bortz (AP-1, UPI-1); linebacker Mel Cole (AP-1, UPI-1); guard Ron Hallstrom (AP-2, UPI-1); and defensive back Lou King (AP-1). King led the Big Ten with eight interceptions.

Kirk Ferentz joined the Iowa coaching staff as the offensive line coach in 1981.

Schedule

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In 1981, Iowa played eight conference games, missing one opponent. The government of Iowa mandated that they resume their series with Iowa State.
Iowa did not play Ohio State in 1981; OSU was also 8-3 and 6-2 in the Big Ten to tie for the conference title. The Buckeyes won their bowl game, the 1981 Liberty Bowl over Navy, and finished at 9-3. Iowa was awarded the Rose Bowl berth because it had not been to Pasadena since the 1958 season, while Ohio State went two years earlier.

Rankings

Game summaries

No. 7 Nebraska

At Iowa State

No. 6 UCLA

at Northwestern

Indiana

At No. 5 Michigan

The Hawkeyes won 9-7 at #5 Michigan, their third victory over a top ten team during the 1981 season. It was Iowa's first victory over the Wolverines since 1962.

Minnesota

At Illinois

Purdue

The 33-7 win was Iowa's first over the Boilermakers since 1960, and secured the Hawkeyes' first winning season since 1961.

At Wisconsin

Michigan State

Iowa earns first Rose Bowl since 1958 with Michigan's loss to Ohio State, which was announced with 6:14 left in the first quarter.

Statistics

  • Phil Blatcher 27 Rush, 247 Yds

vs. No. 12 Washington (Rose Bowl)

  • Sources:

Main article: 1982 Rose Bowl

Roster

  • Bill Snyder – Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
  • Bill Brashier – Defensive coordinator
  • Kirk Ferentz – Offensive line
  • Carl Jackson – Running backs
  • Del Miller – Offensive assistant
  • Dan McCarney – Defensive line
  • Barry Alvarez – Linebackers
  • Don Patterson – Defensive Backs
  • Bernie Wyatt – Defensive ends/recruiting coordinator
  • Bill Dervich – Strength and conditioning

Statsitical achievements

Iowa tallied 2,153 rushing yards and 1,422 passing yards in 1981. On defense, they held opponents to 953 rushing yards and 1,834 passing yards. The team limited opponents to only 79.7 rushing yards per game and 2.4 yards per carry, both of which remain Iowa single-season records.

The team's individual statistical leaders included:

  • Gordy Bohannon completed 72 of 142 passes (50.7%) for 999 yards, six touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a 113.9 passer rating. Freshman Chuck Long completed one pass for 15 yards.
  • Phil Blatcher led the team with 737 rushing yards on 145 carries for an average of 4.9 yards per carry. Blatcher ranked second on the team in soring with 48 points.
  • The team's leading receivers were Dave Moitz (17 receptions for 390 yards) and Jeff Brown (20 receptions for 301 yards).
  • Kicker Tom Nichol led the team in scoring with 59 points on 11 field goals and 26 extra points.
  • Linebacker Mel Cole led the team with 94 total tackles.
  • Defensive back Lou King led the team with eight interceptions. His eight interceptions remains tied for the Iowa single-season record.

Total attendance at home games was 360,381, an average of 60,063 per game. It was the first team Iowa drew an average of at least 60,000 spectators per game.

Awards and honors

Two Iowa players were selected as consensus first-team All-Americans. Defensive end Andre Tippett, a team captain, set Iowa's all-time record in 1980 with 20 tackles for losses totaling 153 yards and received the consensus All-America recogniation in 1981. Punter Reggie Roby broke the NCAA record with an average of 49.8 yards per punt and also received consensus All-America recognition. Roby averaged 55.8 yards per punt against Nebraska on September 12, 1981.

Linebacker Mel Cole, the team's leading tackler, was selected as the team's most valuable player.

Hayden Fry was selected by the media for the Big Ten Coach of the Year award. He was the first Iowa coach to receive the honor.

Seven Iowa players received first-team honors from the Associated Press (AP) or United Press International (UPI) on the 1981 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Tippett (AP-1, UPI-1); Roby (AP-1, UPI-1); defensive linemen Pat Dean (AP-1, UPI-1); linebacker Mel Coe (AP-1, UPI-1) guard Mark Bortz (AP-1, UPI-2); guard Ron Hallstrom (AP-2, UPI-1); and defensive back Lou King (AP-1).

The team had five co-captains: defensive back Tracy Crocker; quarterback Pete Gales; offensive tackle Bruce Kittle; defensive end Andre Tippett; and defensive end Brad Webb.

1982 NFL draft

Main article: 1982 NFL draft

References

References

  1. "1981 Iowa Hawkeyes Schedule and Results". Sports Reference LLC.
  2. "2022 Iowa Football Media Guide". University of Iowa.
  3. 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 196.
  4. 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 267.
  5. (2016). "Football Award Winners". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] (NCAA).
  6. Joe Mooshil. (December 1, 1981). "Eason Edges Schlichter on All-Big Ten". The Argus-Press, Owosso, Michigan (AP story).
  7. Randy Minkoff. (November 25, 1981). "Name All Big Ten". The Bryan Times (UPI story).
  8. "1981 Big Ten Conference Year Summary". Sports Reference LLC.
  9. 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 8.
  10. (September 13, 1981). "Hawkeyes embarrass Nebraska". Columbia Daily Tribune.
  11. (September 20, 1981). "Cyclones 'kick' Hawks, 23–12". The Des Moines Register.
  12. (September 27, 1981). "Hawkeyes stun UCLA". The Sioux City Journal.
  13. (October 4, 1981). "Hawkeyes devastate Northwestern, 64–0". The Post-Crescent.
  14. (October 11, 1981). "Iowa zaps Indiana". Dayton Daily News.
  15. (October 18, 1981). "Iowa boots Michigan". The Tampa Tribune-Times.
  16. (October 25, 1981). "Gophers upset No. 6 Iowa 12–10". Star Tribune.
  17. (November 1, 1981). "Defense leads Illini over Iowa". Chicago Tribune.
  18. (November 8, 1981). "Purdue foiled, 33–7, by stingy Hawkeye D". Dayton Daily News.
  19. (November 15, 1981). "No roses for the Badgers". Green Bay Press-Gazette.
  20. (November 22, 1981). "The reward is roses for Hawkeyes' victory". Wisconsin State Journal.
  21. (January 2, 1982). "Washington blanks Iowa, 28–0". The Lincoln Star.
  22. "1981 Iowa Hawkeyes Schedule and Results".
  23. "Iowa 1981 AP Football Rankings".
  24. (September 13, 1981). "Iowa Upset Nebraska, 10-7". The New York Times.
  25. (September 20, 1981). "Iowa State 23, Iowa 12". [[The New York Times]].
  26. (September 27, 1981). "U.C.L.A. Is Upset By Iowa". The New York Times.
  27. (September 28, 1981). "Iowa's Performance Surprises Its Coach". The New York Times.
  28. (October 4, 1981). "64-0!". [[Chicago Tribune]].
  29. (October 11, 1981). "'Surprise' get Iowa untracked". [[Chicago Tribune]].
  30. (October 18, 1981). "3 Iowa Field Goals Stop Michigan, 9-7". The New York Times.
  31. (October 18, 1981). "Iowa Defeats No. 5 Michigan". Washington Post.
  32. (October 25, 1981). "Minnesota kicks Iowa back down". [[Chicago Tribune]].
  33. (October 27, 1981). "Iowa linebacker Mel Cole is a contradiction on a football team making a lot of noise this fall". [[United Press International.
  34. (November 1, 1981). "Illinois turns to defense". [[The Pantagraph]].
  35. (November 8, 1981). "Iowa 33, Purdue 7". The New York Times.
  36. (November 15, 1981). "Wisconsin's odor is not of roses". [[Chicago Tribune]].
  37. Eugene Register-Guard. 1981 Nov 22.
  38. Iowa Hawkeyes athletics website.
  39. (November 22, 1981). "Iowa Wins Trip to Rose Bowl". The New York Times.
  40. (November 22, 1981). "Iowa Goes to Rose Bowl as Michigan Loses". [[The Washington Post]].
  41. (November 22, 1981). "Hawkeyes make Iowa sick with Rose Bowl fever". [[Chicago Tribune]].
  42. (January 2, 1981). "Iowa flat embarrassed by Washington romp". [[Chicago Tribune]].
  43. (January 2, 1981). "Washington Wilts Iowa's Rose, 28-0". [[The Washington Post]].

  44. 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 160.

  45. 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 267.
  46. "1981 Iowa Hawkeye Stats". Sports reference LLC.
  47. (November 24, 1981). "Blatcher is player of week". The Gazette.
  48. 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 279.
  49. 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 280.
  50. 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 265.
  51. 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 260.
  52. 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 204.
  53. 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 265.
  54. 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 222.
  55. 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 202.
  56. (December 1, 1981). "Six Hawks on all-Big Ten 1st team". Iowa city Press-Citizen.
  57. (November 25, 1981). "5 Hawks on UPI 1st team". The Gazette.
  58. 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 220.
  59. "1982 NFL Draft".
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