Iowa Hawkeyes Football

The Jacksonville Jaguars and head coach Urban Meyer have been subpoenaed in connection to the hiring and quick resignation of former Iowa strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle.

Garry Smits of the Florida Times-Union reported the subpoenas are part of a civil lawsuit filed against Iowa by eight former members of the Hawkeyes football team.

"We respect and will cooperate with the legal process as required," the Jaguars said in a statement. "However, the Jaguars have no information that would be relevant to the lawsuit between student-athletes and the University of Iowa."

According to Smits, the plaintiffs are looking for a separation agreement between Doyle and the team, his resume, and any communication between Doyle and team officials since January 2021, among other documents.

The school reached a separation agreement with Doyle in June 2020 after he faced allegations of mistreating players.

Former defensive back Emmanuel Rugamba alleged Doyle told a player once during a weightlifting session that he'd "put you back on the streets."

Former linebacker Terrance Pryor said Doyle once suggested he should take up rowing before adding, "Oh wait, Black people don't like boats in water do they??"

Iowa commissioned an investigation into the program by the law firm Husch Blackwell. The scope of the investigation expanded beyond Doyle and into the wider culture the coaches had cultivated.

"In sum, the program's rules perpetuated racial or cultural biases and diminished the value of cultural diversity," the firm said. "The program over-monitored players to the point that they experienced heightened anxiety and maintained a culture that allowed a small group of coaches to demean players."

That led many to criticize the Jaguars for bringing Doyle onto the staff. He had never worked in an NFL coaching role, either, which was another point of contention.

The Fritz Pollard Alliance said Meyer's explanation for the hire "reflects the good ol' boy network that is precisely the reason there is such a disparity in employment opportunities for Black coaches."

Statement from the Fritz Pollard Alliance on the ‘Failure of Leadership by the Jacksonville Jaguars’: pic.twitter.com/Hcz9NHYh1z

— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) February 12, 2021

Doyle resigned in February, one day after accepting the job of director of sports performance.

Meyer also addressed the situation in March and told reporters he "saw the impact of the decision and the distraction it caused."

Iowa announced head football coach Kirk Ferentz has tested positive for COVID-19 in a release sent out Friday.

The Hawkeyes' season-ending game against Michigan was already canceled amid a COVID-19 outbreak for the Wolverines. 

It is unclear if Ferentz will coach in Iowa's bowl game. The Big Ten requires a 10-day quarantine period for coaches who test positive, which would keep Ferentz out into the bowl season. Iowa is likely to play in the Duke's Mayo Bowl on Dec. 30, making Ferentz eligible to return by then.

The Hawkeyes went 6-2 in the regular season and were one of three schools (Penn State and Rutgers) to play eight games in 2020. Ferentz has led Iowa to eight straight winning seasons, and this will be the school's 18th bowl appearance of his tenure.

"We have been fortunate this season to have played eight games and to have very few positive cases," Ferentz said in a statement. "When the team returns to practice on Tuesday, I will participate via Zoom and our collective focus will be on preparing for the bowl game."

Five Big Ten coaches (Wisconsin's Paul Chryst, Purdue's Jeff Brohm, Mayland's Mike Locksley and Ohio State's Ryan Day) have had confirmed positive COVID-19 tests during the 2020 season. 

Iowa wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette appeared to suffer a lower leg injury after front-flipping into the end zone to cap a 53-yard touchdown catch and give the Hawkeyes a 20-7 lead over Wisconsin on Saturday:

🔥 @_ihmirr_ always puts on a show for @HawkeyeFootball pic.twitter.com/AdpeqyGnKt

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 12, 2020

Per Scott Dochterman of The Athletic, Smith-Marsette was seen with a walking boot on his left ankle on the sidelines and missed the remainder of the game. He departed with 1:23 remaining in the third quarter after catching seven passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns.

Smith, a senior playing his last-ever game at Iowa's Kinnick Stadium, told reporters he was fine and that he had no regrets.

"Do I regret the flip? No. Would I do it again? Yeah," Smith-Marsette said per Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register.

"I'm just happy we got the win. Everyone was having fun. My senior year, never going to play in Kinnick again...got to go out with a bang."

Iowa ended up taking down Wisconsin 28-7 to finish its regular season at 6-2, good enough for second place in the Big Ten's West division. Smith finished first on the team with 345 receiving yards.

Eight former Iowa football players are going to move forward with a lawsuit against the school.

Per the Associated Press, attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons informed the Iowa solicitor general and university’s general counsel in a letter dated Tuesday the group will move ahead with a racial discrimination lawsuit. 

The eight players include Akrum Wadley, Aaron Mends, Jonathan Parker, Marcel Joly, Maurice Fleming, Reggie Spearman, Kevonte Martin-Manley and Andre Harris. 

Last month, Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register obtained a copy of a certified letter from the players in which they demanded $20 million in compensation and the firing of head football coach Kirk Ferentz, assistant coach Brian Ferentz and athletic director Gary Barta. 

In the same report by Leistikow, Carroll Reasoner, general counsel for the University of Iowa, told Solomon-Simmons they "respectfully decline your monetary and personnel demands."

According to the AP, Solomon-Simmons said he has withdrawn their settlement demand. 

Per Nathan Ford of The Gazette, "at least 55 former Iowa football players and one current player" made allegations against the program about a pattern of racist and bullying behavior. 

Chris Doyle, the Hawkeyes strength and conditioning coach since 1999, reached a separation agreement with the program in June. He was placed on administrative leave earlier in the month after multiple former players accused him of making racist comments. 

Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette apologized to his family, football teammates and supporters following his arrest on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

"I had a lapse of judgment, which resulted in me making a critical mistake that I wholeheartedly regret," he said while revealing he is looking ahead to the rest of the season:

🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/TCblfcrRxy

— Ihmir Smith-Marsette (@ihmirsm) November 10, 2020

On Nov. 1, The Gazette reported Smith-Marsette was arrested hours after the Hawkeyes lost to Northwestern in a Big Ten game.

The Iowa City Police Department said the wide receiver was driving 74 mph in a 30 mph zone and had bloodshot eyes and impaired speech. The officer who pulled him over said Smith-Marsette admitted to drinking and failed a preliminary breath test.

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said Smith-Marsette was suspended for Saturday's victory over Michigan State.

"His availability for future games will be determined as he goes through the University of Iowa Student Athlete Code of Conduct process, which includes counseling and other department protocols," Ferentz said.

Smith-Marsette appeared in losses to Northwestern and Purdue and led the team in receiving yards in 2019.

The Hawkeyes are at the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Friday, and the receiver's statement suggests he will be ready to go for that game.

Iowa wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette has been suspended for Saturday's game against the Michigan State Spartans after being arrested for operating a vehicle under the influence Sunday morning, head coach Kirk Ferentz announced.

Smith-Marsette suspended for Michigan State game at least. Coach Kirk Ferentz statement #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/f8qUYNjbDB

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) November 1, 2020

Ferentz noted Smith-Marsette's availability beyond the Michigan State game has yet to be determined.

According to ESPN's Tom VanHaaren, an Iowa City police officer pulled Smith-Marsette over for driving 70 mph, 40 mph over the posted speed limit. The police report said he had "bloodshot eyes, impaired speech and smelled of alcohol" while talking to the officer.

Smith-Marsette had a 0.130 blood alcohol content level on a breath test at the scene.

He wasn't placed into custody because COVID-19 protocols allow for impaired drivers to be taken home by another person.

The Newark, New Jersey, native, who's in his senior year with the Hawkeyes, has played in each of the team's first two games in 2020. Iowa opened with a 24-20 loss to Purdue before falling 21-20 to Northwestern on Saturday.

Smith-Marsette has caught seven passes for 84 yards so far. His 722 receiving yards and eight touchdowns were highest on the team in 2019. He's also averaging 29.4 yards on kick returns over his four-year career. USA Today listed him to its 2020 preseason All-America second team as a returner.

Civil rights attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons released a statement Monday on behalf of eight Black former Iowa football players after the school rejected an offer to settle their racial discrimination allegations out of court, according to Eric Olson of the Associated Press.

The Hawkeyes program refused to pay the group a $20 million settlement or fire head coach Kirk Ferentz, offensive line coach Brian Ferentz and athletic director Gary Barta. The program also released a confidential letter sent on behalf of the players detailing their complaints to the school.

"It appears Iowa released our confidential letter to the media with the sole intention of trying to shame and intimidate our courageous clients," Solomon-Simmons said. "It did not work. In fact, Iowa's move has not only strengthened the resolve of our clients to continue to stand up for their rights and the rights of their teammates."

The former players involved are Akrum Wadley, Aaron Mends, Jonathan Parker, Marcel Joly, Maurice Fleming, Reggie Spearman, Kevonte Martin-Manley and Andre Harris.

Their $20 million settlement would have included $10 million for pain and suffering and loss of opportunities and earning capacity, as well as $10 million to set up a fund to compensate other Iowa athletes who've dealt with discrimination at the school, according to Olson.

Solomon-Simmons previously said the players would file a joint lawsuit against the school if the settlement proposal was rejected. In his statement Monday, he said:

"Our monetary demand for our clients and the over 100 other impacted African-American athletes may be shortsightedly characterized as a money-grab by some. But our demand is just because the need for vindication and accountability is just. The need for meaningful change, and not mere administrative shuffles of Black employees for the sake of public relations, is just."

In July, an independent review of the football program by law firm Husch Blackwell in Kansas City, Missouri, found it "perpetuated racial or cultural biases and diminished the value of cultural diversity" and allowed for a "small group of coaches" to demean players, per Robert Read of the Daily Iowan.

"I have read the report, and it is clear that the climate and culture must and will change within our football program," school president Bruce Harreld said. "Our student-athletes must have the ability to be true to themselves, and we cannot and will not tolerate a systemic process that inhibits authenticity."

Strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle parted ways with the program in June following allegations of bullying players and differential treatment based on race.

The Hawkeyes are scheduled to open the 2020 season Saturday when they visit Ross-Ade Stadium to take on Purdue.

Eight former University of Iowa football players have demanded $20 million in compensation and the firing of athletic director Gary Barta, head coach Kirk Ferentz and assistant coach Brian Ferentz.

In a letter sent to the university Oct. 5, the former Hawkeyes players say that Barta and the Ferentzes were responsible for "intentional racial discrimination" during their tenures, according to Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register.

The players, who worked with civil rights attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons to send the letter, are running back Akrum Wadley, wide receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley, defensive back Maurice Fleming, wide receiver Andre Harris, running back Marcel Joly, linebacker Aaron Mends, running back Jonathan Parker and linebacker Reggie Spearman.

All of the former players who sent the letter are Black.

Other demands outlined by the former players in the letter include the addition of a "Black male senior administrator position" as part of Iowa athletics, anti-racist training for athletics staff, a board of advisers that includes Black players and tuition waivers for any Black athlete who did not graduate during Ferentz's time as head coach.

In response to the letter, University of Iowa general counsel Carroll Reasoner said that while the school has made attempts to satisfy some of the demands already, "We respectfully decline your monetary and personnel demands."

Ferentz issued a statement in response to the letter, noting he is "deeply committed" to helping everyone who joins the Iowa football program reach their full potential, both on and off the field:

Kirk Ferentz statement: pic.twitter.com/kmGqnCK51v

— Keith Murphy (@MurphyKeith) October 19, 2020

The Iowa football program parted ways with strength coach Chris Doyle in June after he spent 21 years in that position. The decision was made after dozens of former players said that he was among those within the program who mistreated Black players.

All of the eight former players who sent the letter have made specific allegations regarding how Black players and personnel have been treated unfairly at the University of Iowa.

Wadley said he had his meal-card privileges revoked at one point, and Martin-Manley tweeted about what he felt was the unfair forcing out of former wide receivers coach Erik Campbell in 2012:

https://twitter.com/KMM_11/status/1287770524118953984

The 65-year-old Kirk Ferentz is about to start his 22nd season as head coach of the Hawkeyes and owns a career record of 162-104.

Ferentz guided Iowa to Big Ten titles in 2002 and 2004, and the Hawkeyes have played in 17 bowl games during his tenure.

In June, Ferentz admitted that he had a "blind spot" in terms of not seeing the mistreatment of Black players in the Iowa football program.

As part of the letter, it was stated that the eight former players are prepared to pursue a lawsuit against the school if their demands are not met by Oct. 19.

The University of Iowa released a report by law firm Husch Blackwell into the internal culture of the Hawkeyes football program.

The firm wrote that it spoke with 111 people as part of the investigation, including 74 current and former Iowa football players:

"Players and coaches uniformly agreed that the Iowa football program is based on a foundation of discipline and accountability. Several current and former players shared the view that some coaches have used those values to create and perpetuate an environment that bullies and demeans athletes, especially Black athletes. Moreover, recognizing that college athletes typically experience some degree of stress associated with their training and performance, several interviewees shared that the program’s stringent rules promulgated under the name of discipline place significant, heightened stress on players of all races."

The report stated that concerns about specific coaches were raised but that "most players commented positively about head coach Kirk Ferentz and his leadership of the program."

Ferentz issued a statement ahead of a scheduled press conference later in the day: "I want to apologize for the pain and frustration they felt at a time when I was trusted to help each of them become a better player and a better person."

Kirk Ferentz statement on external review which was released this morning.

He will meet with the media during a press conference today at 1:00 p.m. CT: pic.twitter.com/H65uttRiLc

— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) July 30, 2020

Concerns arose in June when former players discussed their difficult experiences at Iowa.

There are too many racial disparities in the Iowa football program. Black players have been treated unfairly for far too long.

— James Daniels (@jamsdans) June 6, 2020

pic.twitter.com/C6KCYhKitC

— CJ (@cjboswell98) June 6, 2020

pic.twitter.com/Wn25Td7gpz

— Emmanuel Rugamba (@BooRadd_) June 6, 2020

I remember whenever walking into the facility it would be difficult for black players to walk around the facility and be themselves. As if the way you grew up was the wrong way or wasn’t acceptable & that you would be judge by that and it would impact playing time.

— Amani Hooker (@amanihooker37) June 6, 2020

Time for the truth: pic.twitter.com/aBeVbtfvc4

— Terrance Pryor (@Tpryor51) June 6, 2020

I got so many stories I can talk about and experiences I had and other teammates but this was one of them. pic.twitter.com/CfK3Ss1TcM

— Akrum Wadley (@akrum_wadley) June 6, 2020

Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson wrote June 6 that strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle "is the problem in that building" and criticized offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, who's the son of the head coach.

Chicago Bears offensive lineman James Daniels responded that he "wouldn't be in the league" without Doyle or Brian Ferentz but that "change needs to start with those two."

The Husch Blackwell report cited a coach who said Iowa isn't a "racist program," but instead, "one or two coaches had too much power."

Iowa finalized a separation agreement with Doyle in June, while Brian Ferentz remains on the staff.

Thursday's report outlined "strong disparities in witness perceptions of football program culture, especially with respect to race" within the program:

"Two current White players conveyed to investigators that people have confused a 'discipline culture' with a 'racist culture.' In contrast, other players of various races expressed serious concerns about the racial climate. One former player explained: 'Being an Iowa football player was a daily struggle for black players. We were punished for no apparent reason, singled out by coaches, and threatened and ridiculed every day. It is hard to explain how difficult it was. Think about being under pressure every day for 4 years solely because of your race. That is how it was for me and my black teammates.'"

A December 2018 report about former Iowa tight end George Kittle from The Athletic's John Middlekauff alluded to how the culture issues may not have been strictly along racial lines. 

Scott Dochterman of The Athletic shared an excerpt from the report that said Kittle fell to the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round of the 2017 draft in part because Iowa coaches "crushed his football character at the school."

Yep, here’s what we reported about how the primary Iowa NFL contact ripped Kittle before the draft. pic.twitter.com/enHDjOBM7X

— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) July 28, 2020

The Husch Blackwell report painted a wider picture of the problem. Two players told investigators Iowa coaches conveyed unflattering portrayals of them to NFL teams, and one coach was alleged to have blackballed players "whom he did not like."

The allegation was voiced by multiple players and one coach.

A number of Black former Iowa Hawkeyes football players have spoken out against the Kirk Ferentz's program in recent months, and on Monday former All-Big Ten cornerback Amari Spievey said that program wanted its Black athletes to be like "white Iowa kids." 

"We couldn't wear earrings, we couldn't wear hats, we had to dress a certain way," he told Adam Rittenberg and Michele Steele of ESPN. "They wanted us to be white Iowa kids. [They] wanted us to fit that mold. We couldn't be us. We had to be like them." 

"There's been a systematic issue there. Whether they've known about it, or whether or not how deep these accusations are, there are truths to all of them," former wide receiver Marvin McNutt added. "The Black players feel [coaches and staff] didn't always have our backs, and they didn't really understand our culture, or like it. I'm glad to see some of these things could actually have a voice at a time it needed one."

In June, as marches and demonstrations happened around the United States and the world in protest of systemic racism and police brutality, a number of former players came forward on social media and shared examples of unfair treatment against Black members of the Hawkeyes:

From my former teammate Anthony Gair pic.twitter.com/IRVoeakB7Z

— James Daniels (@jamsdans) June 6, 2020

Former teammate Maurice Fleming pic.twitter.com/3YQpYt4LNK

— James Daniels (@jamsdans) June 6, 2020

https://twitter.com/GenoStone22/status/1269341472966479873

I got so many stories I can talk about and experiences I had and other teammates but this was one of them. pic.twitter.com/CfK3Ss1TcM

— Akrum Wadley (@akrum_wadley) June 6, 2020

These stories are new to everyone but for the players we have heard/seen these far too many times. Trust me this is the last thing we want to be doing. To many really good players that have never touched the field on Sat. because of how they were treated around facility.

— Amani Hooker (@amanihooker37) June 7, 2020

"I've talked with guys and they talked about how they were made to conform to what Coach Ferentz wanted or what they expected white players to be like," former offensive lineman Dace Richardson told Rittenberg and Steele. "We had a lot of guys on our team that had personalities and they weren't allowed to be their natural selves. I never had issues with that because I kind of just conformed to what the team wanted."

The issues reportedly extend beyond the football culture. According to the Race and Equity Center at the University of Southern California, the school's 40 percent graduation rate for Black athletes ranked 60th out of the 65 Power 5 schools and last in the Big Ten between 2014 and 2018.

And while 30 percent of the football program is comprised of Black athletes, just 3.3 percent of the school's population is Black. Additionally, Ferentz has only had two Black assistants in 11 of his seasons and has never had a Black offensive or defensive coordinator in his 21-year tenure, per ESPN. 

And between 2009-19, only 10 Black players represented the school at Big Ten Media day, fewer than any other school in the conference.

"It was almost like they were trying to portray the perfect white guy that represented Iowa football," former cornerback Jordan Lomax said on the Washed Up Walkons podcast (h/t Rittenberg and Steele). "Guys were like, 'If I want to go to Big Ten media days ... I've got to at least dress different or act different or be different, because I'm trying to get to that level.' We see that. We're like, 'Why can't one of us go? Why can't more of us go?'

"It's just a constant theme. And that kills guys psychologically."