Iowa Hawkeyes Football

Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs will forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2020 NFL draft, he announced Tuesday on Instagram.

"These past 3 years have been the ride of a lifetime, getting to compete with my brothers and represent the state of Iowa is something I will hold with me forever," he wrote in his statement. "With that being said, after a lot of discussion with my mom and family, I have decided to forgo my senior season and declare for the 2020 NFL draft."

Wirfs makes it official, the former @MustangFB1 stud is declaring for the #NFLDraft #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/9v8dsBlwHS

— Zach Hanley (@ZachHanley2) January 14, 2020

In his most recent big board, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Wirfs as the No. 17 player overall and No. 3 offensive tackle behind Alabama's Jedrick Wills Jr. and Georgia's Andrew Thomas.

Since Kirk Ferentz took over as head coach in 1998, the Hawkeyes have succeeded in getting their offensive tackles on the radar of NFL scouts and executives. Brandon Scherff, Riley Reiff, Bryan Bulaga and Robert Gallery were all first-round picks, and Andrew Donnal, Kyle Calloway, Marshal Yanda, Pete McMahon and Ben Sobieski were selected in later rounds.

Those who follow Iowa football were well aware of Wirfs' pedigree entering the 2019 season. The Athletic's Bruce Feldman helped his profile grow a little more when he listed Wirfs at No. 1 in his annual ranking of the biggest physical "Freaks" in college football:

"The 6-5, 320-pound Wirfs smashed Brandon Scherff's (Freaks Class of 2014) school record in the power clean by pumping out four reps at 450 pounds. And keep in mind Wirfs only turned 20 in January. As colleague Scott Dochterman pointed out in this excellent piece on Wirfs' Herculean effort, Scherff was entering his fifth year in the Iowa program. Two seasons ago, in 2017, Wirfs became the first true freshman to start at tackle in Kirk Ferentz's Iowa tenure.

"The former state champion wrestler also vertical jumped 35 inches this offseason, which would be the second-highest jump by an O-lineman at the NFL Scouting Combine in the past seven years. On top of that, earlier this week, Wirfs set a personal record in the broad jump, going 9-5 feet."

Those numbers listed by Feldman provide enough evidence of why Wirfs is widely considered one of the best tackles in the 2020 draft class.

The junior boasts a ton of raw strength while also possessing the kind of agility that will help him move laterally to handle speedy edge-rushers off the snap.

Iowa's offensive stats don't necessarily paint a flattering picture of the line's performance. The Hawkeyes averaged only 3.9 yards per carry and allowed 23 sacks. According to Football Outsiders, the team was also 74th in standard line yards, 92nd in stuff rate and 39th in sack rate.

Following a 17-12 defeat to Penn State, Wirfs attempted to shoulder the blame even though the Hawkeyes had a 356-294 edge in total yards:

Tristan Wirfs was candid in postgame interviews. Said they’re frustrated, and he can’t pinpoint exactly why the run game has struggled so much the past two weeks. But he does know the O-line needs to get better.

— Matthew Bain (@MatthewBain_) October 13, 2019

Tristan Wirfs says OL takes blames for losses like this: “A football game starts with us. We start the play pretty much. So if we're going, then everyone else is going." Said he apologized to the defense.

— MarkEmmert (@MarkEmmert) October 13, 2019

Those comments underscored Wirfs' work ethic and desire to improve, and they probably didn't go unnoticed by NFL personnel.

Wirfs' decision to move on to the NFL comes as little surprise since he'd have little to gain draft-wise from an extra year at Iowa. Having appeared in 35 games, he leaves plenty of tape with which to evaluate his skill set, and he's likely to be a star at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Edge-rushers seemingly become more important with each passing year in the NFL, and one of college football's best is headed to the pro ranks.

Iowa Hawkeyes defensive end A.J. Epenesa declared for the 2020 NFL draft Tuesday, making the announcement on his Instagram account (h/t The Draft Network's Jordan Reid):

Per his IG, Iowa EDGE rusher A.J. Epenesa officially enters his name into the 2020 #NFLDraft https://t.co/TM16bqadPu pic.twitter.com/0rQnP87wOp

— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) January 14, 2020

Epenesa appeared destined for the NFL before he even reached college. He arrived at Iowa as a 5-star recruit and the No. 1 strong-side defensive end in the class of 2017, per 247Sports' composite rankings, with sky-high expectations for a program that isn't always in the running for 5-star players.

He made an immediate impact with 4.5 sacks as a freshman but made an NFL-like leap from his first to second year in the Big Ten.

The Illinois native finished his sophomore season as an All-Big Ten selection with 16.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and a touchdown, cementing his spot on the NFL radar. He remained a force in his final season with 32 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks and four forced fumbles.

A.J. Epenesa had one of those have-a-day kind of days in Week 12.

Relive the @HawkeyeFootball star DE's big-time plays below. pic.twitter.com/x8TZjq4kPO

— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) November 17, 2019

The Big Ten named him Defensive Player of the Week during a November win over previously undefeated Minnesota when he finished with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. His combination of power and athleticism was on full display, and it wasn't difficult to envision the 6'6" and 280-pound pass-rusher could wreck opposing game plans at the next level.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Epenesa as the No. 10 overall player and No. 2 edge-rusher behind only Ohio State's Chase Young on his latest big board. Miller also deemed Epenesa as having the best power among all edge-rushers.

That power allows the Iowa product to bull-rush his way to the quarterback and break free of blocks to help stuff the rushing attack. He also has solid burst for his size and is a threat to knock the ball loose with every sack.

Epenesa figures to slide into a pass-rush rotation right away and make quarterbacks uncomfortable on passing downs. He should hear his name called in the first round come draft day.

Former Iowa football coach Hayden Fry died from cancer Tuesday at the age of 90, the school announced.

His family provided a statement:

"We are proud to know that our father's life had a positive influence on so many people, the players, the coaches, and the fans who played for, worked with, and supported his long and successful coaching career. His legend will live forever with the people he touched and inspired, and the programs he led to greater heights."

Fry spent 37 years as a Division 1 head coach, including 20 seasons at Iowa, 11 at SMU and six at North Texas.

The Texas native had 230 wins during his career, which ranks 13th in NCAA history.

He is best known for his time with the Hawkeyes, taking over in 1979 before turning the squad into a Big Ten power. He led Iowa to the Rose Bowl three different times and was named the conference's Coach of the Year after three seasons.

Fry was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

"Hayden Fry is a college football icon and an Iowa legend," current Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. "His Hall of Fame career is well known, but personally, he will always be the man who took a chance on me at the start of my coaching career. I was proud to coach with him and honored to succeed him when he retired."

"He has been a great mentor and a true friend," Ferentz added. "I am forever grateful to him."

Fry is survived by four sons and a daughter.

Former Iowa Hawkeyes running back Derrick Mitchell Jr. died at the age of 24 after suffering injuries in a car crash. 

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz confirmed as much during his Tuesday press conference, per Dargan Southard of Hawk Central (h/t USA Today):

"On a somber note, I think all of us are very sorry to hear about Derrick Mitchell. He was involved in an accident last Friday morning, and we knew that was a tough circumstance. Just a very tough thing, and way, way too young for something like that to happen.

"Feeling and condolences are certainly with his entire family."

Mitchell played for Iowa from 2014 through 2016 and enjoyed his best individual campaign in 2015. He finished with 162 rushing yards, 141 receiving yards and two touchdowns and helped lead the Hawkeyes to the Big Ten Championship Game.

While Iowa lost that conference title game to the Michigan State Spartans, Mitchell was his team’s leading rusher with 24 yards.

Southard noted he left the Hawkeyes in 2017 as a graduate transfer and elected to play for Incarnate Word in the Football Championship Series after initially choosing Texas Tech. He was the Cardinals’ leading rusher in 2017.

University of Iowa president Bruce Harreld said he is unsure whether the Hawkeyes will continue their rivalry game against Iowa State after members of their band said they were physically assaulted and sexually harassed by Cyclones fans earlier this month. 

"I'm not convinced at all that we should play this game again—here or there or anywhere—unless we can protect our fans, our band, and of course our athletes," Harreld told Marissa Payne of the Daily Iowan.

Iowa band members said they were accosted by unruly Iowa State fans following the Hawkeyes' 18-17 win in Ames on Sept. 14. One woman allegedly suffered broken ribs, as the Iowa band attempted to make its way through a throng of Iowa State fans.

Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard spoke to reporters Tuesday, noting that the Iowa band did not follow recommended safety protocols for their exit from the stadium: 

"Have this vision: It was 30 minutes after the game, and the only people remaining in the football stadium were the Iowa marching band and the Iowa State marching band. ... Our security personnel advised the Iowa marching band it would be best for them to exit to the East through Gate 1 like our band did and had no issues because the gate was wide open.

"For whatever reason the Iowa marching band did not do that. They chose to leave the field through the West side of the Jacobson building where there [were] thousands of people still shoulder-to-shoulder in a snail's pace trying to work through that small entry way. The Iowa marching band marched in formation playing their instruments through the back of that crowd and essentially forced their way through a crowd [where] there was no place for anybody to move to."

Pollard noted that there was some shoving between band members and fans as the band attempted to push its way through the crowd while playing their instruments. He said "misinformation" has been spread in the media about what transpired between the two parties, noting officers helped band members to safety. No police reports have been filed. 

Iowa State released surveillance footage Tuesday that showed the band attempting to exit through the crowded area of the field, but the video showed nothing resembling a melee. 

Harreld expressed confidence that the two sides would be able to "work through this." However, all parties involved said they need to do a better job at protecting students.

The University of Iowa is reopening its investigation into allegations of "verbal, physical and sexual abuse" directed at the Hawkeyes' marching band during a Sept. 14 game against the Iowa State Cyclones in Ames, Iowa, according to Vanessa Miller of The Gazette.

Iowa spokeswoman Jeneane Beck said in an email to The Gazette on Friday:

"The communication on social media made it clear we had not shared enough information with our students about the steps the university has taken to address the concerns raised by members of our marching band.

"Student safety is our number one priority and we are committed to ensuring a safe experience on game day for our students. Additionally we are continuing our investigation to ensure all of our students have the ability to share their experiences with the appropriate authorities."

Per Miller, members of the visiting Hawkeyes band said they were subjected to "racial slurs, verbal and physical sexual harassment and assault, shoves that sent one woman to the hospital, and thrown objects leaving lasting bruises." A female band member reportedly suffered fractured ribs.

Iowa trumpet player Paige Pearson told The Gazette that it "got really bad," noting that Cyclones fans were responsible for turning Jack Trice Stadium into a hostile environment. The Iowa State band, however, was reportedly welcoming and has apologized for the fans' behavior.

The schools previously issued a joint statement acknowledging "unacceptable behavior" directed at the bands at both stadiums during the rivalry series through the years. That led Iowa athletics director Gary Barta and Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard to say the universities were "committed to doing whatever is necessary to improve the environment for visiting school marching bands in the future."

Iowa defeated Iowa State 18-17 in the battle for the Cy-Hawk, marking the Hawkeyes' fifth consecutive victory in the series.

Editor's note: This article was first published on September 12, 2019.

       

IOWA CITY — He doesn't talk like one of the best football players in America. In fact, A.J. Epenesa seems almost embarrassed to be doing this interview at all. Not because his first official start at Iowa came just a few weeks ago. But because Epenesa can do without it all. The attention. The interest. The NFL mock drafts projecting him in the top 10 next spring (OK, he admits. He is slightly curious). And yes, this interview.    

He looks the part, though. That isn't up for debate as Epenesa eases his 6'6", 280-pound body—the kind of body built for taking down quarterbacks—into an office chair near his team's cafeteria. He says he models his game after J.J. Watt's, and it takes only a few seconds to understand why.

Epenesa is wearing a gray Iowa shirt, black shorts and brown sandals, with a beard that is just kempt enough. The tattoo that blankets his right arm—a magnificently detailed tribute to his Samoan heritage that, to date, has taken 15 hours to create, with more hours still left to go—dips below his sleeve and past his elbow.

Despite having reservations about publicity and the press, his answers are thoughtful. He is smooth and open—more so than most can't-miss football prospects. Yes, he has done everything possible to avoid the spotlight, but it's not because he dislikes meeting people. It's because throughout his life, he's never wanted it to be about him.

It's largely why he followed in his father's footsteps and committed to Iowa, a program that hadn't landed a 5-star football recruit in more than a decade. And after he arrived, it's why he embraced his reserve role. He grew into his role as a situational pass-rusher as a freshman. As a sophomore, he led the Big Ten in sacks.

He won't be able to avoid being the focal point of attention for long. Not when NFL scouts and execs have his name right beside that of potential No. 1 overall pick Chase Young among the top edge-rushers available in this year's draft.

"Young is more athletic by a hair and gets more hype," an NFL scout tells Bleacher Report. "But I bet Epenesa is the better pro. There's some J.J. Watt to his game"

No matter how hard he tries, Epenesa won't escape what's coming. Acclaim. Celebrity status. And mounting NFL interest.

Like the many linemen he torments, there's a lingering inevitability to what happens next.

---

Like his son, the father would prefer not to speak. He's grown tired of the calls and requests for interviews, and he knows they're not going to stop.

"No disrespect to you and your line of work," Eppy Epenesa, A.J.'s father, responds via text message. "But almost every day, someone wants info on him or wants to write a story on him. I just want him to enjoy college and learn as much as he can from those great folks in Iowa."

After a few more exchanged messages, Eppy calls out of the blue between shifts at his job. He is a supervisor for Southwest Airlines at St. Louis Airport, near their hometown of Glen Carbon, Illinois—a small town named for its coal-mining origins. It's a little past 5:30 p.m., and he's still on the clock for four more hours.

These days, Eppy spends his life largely either at work or in his car. Having four children who are passionate about sports means busy nights and weekends. His oldest, Samantha, played volleyball at Purdue. And A.J.'s younger brothers, Eric and Iosefatu, are athletes, too.

To make it to Iowa in time for games on Saturdays, Eppy is often on the road long before the sun rises.

Before Eppy walked on the football team at his son's current school, he began his life in American Samoa, a string of islands in the South Pacific. He left his home in Pago Pago to play football halfway across the world at Iowa Wesleyan, where he met his wife, Stephanie, who was on the volleyball team there. After two years at Wesleyan, Eppy walked on at Iowa. He eventually earned a scholarship, playing defensive end in 1996 and '97 under the guidance of iconic coach Hayden Fry, who nicknamed him "Repeat."

"It was the people of Iowa," says Eppy, whose given name is Epenesa, like his surname. "It reminded me of where I'm from. It's all about the people."

Eppy never pressured A.J. to play football, but his son took to it, blossoming at Edwardsville High School after overcoming a broken leg as a freshman. He was a first-team all-state selection and received All-America honors three times while helping to lead his team to a 40-6 record.

Epenesa also received All-America honors in track. He set the Illinois record in the discus as a junior and won the state title as a senior. And in basketball, he scored more than 1,000 points during his high school career and averaged a double-double as a senior.

When his former basketball teammate, Mark Smith, was recruited by some of the elite basketball programs and coaches in America, Epenesa naturally caught their eye.

"There were a lot of coaches that came to visit," Epenesa says. "They would say things like, 'I wish you weren't committed for football, because we'd want to take you for basketball.'"

In football, the sport he grew up destined to play, interest was widespread. Epenesa was ranked the No. 1 strong-side defensive end nationally in his class by 247Sports. He had offers from most of the major programs around the country, including Alabama and Ohio State.

For a while, he fell in love with Notre Dame. Then Oklahoma. But Iowa and Iowa City always had the allure—the allure of playing close to his home and for the program that ultimately changed his family's life.

"I told A.J. the same thing we told my daughter," Eppy says. "I didn't want him to go to Iowa because we went to Iowa. Go to Iowa because you love Iowa the way we love Iowa."

The best players in America don't regularly funnel to Iowa City. According to 247Sports, the last 5-star player to commit to Iowa before Epenesa came in 2005. Climate, in-state talent and Iowa's standing in the college football hierarchy all play a role. These historical obstacles were of no concern to Epenesa as he weighed his options.

"Every time I was here, I just really felt comfortable," Epenesa says. "I loved being around Iowa City. I felt like it was a place that was familiar to me. It felt like home, and I'm a big homebody. I love my family. And that feeling was what really drove me."

When he decided to commit, he didn't plan a hat ceremony or announce it on social media. His father didn't think that would be appropriate. "We wanted to do this right," Eppy says. "We wanted to do this old-school." So the entire family made the four-and-a-half-hour trek to Iowa City to tell the coaching staff in person. His oldest sister drove from Purdue and even sported an Iowa shirt for the occasion.

With Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, who took over for Fry in 1999, in attendance, the father was the first one to speak, beginning an emotional announcement before handing it over to the son.

"I think A.J. has something to tell you," he said.

---

For Ferentz, the moments are still so vivid. As he cycles through more than 40 years of coaching, reciting some of the truly spectacular players he has worked with, it's as if they just left.

Over his right shoulder, outside the window in his office, the finishing touches are being made to the north end zone at Kinnick Stadium a month before the season begins. Ferentz, now 64, is the longest-tenured coach in college football.

In that time, he has recruited and developed a number of extraordinary players. Like quarterback Brad Banks, who led the Hawkeyes to the Orange Bowl and finished as the runner-up in the Heisman race in 2002. And linebacker Chad Greenway, who became a fixture of the Minnesota Vikings defense for 10 years and made the Pro Bowl twice. And safety Bob Sanders, who was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2007 for the Colts. Not to mention his most recent departures, tight ends T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant, both of whom were selected in the first round of the 2019 draft.

But many of these players were not considered extraordinary as freshmen. Unlike Epenesa, the majority of Ferentz's NFL success stories were with players who weren't wildly coveted out of high school.

Those players flourished after they arrived, which has fueled Iowa's success over the past two decades. Epenesa's recruitment and eventual arrival was far different.

"He could have gone anywhere in the country," Ferentz says. "Everybody in the world was knocking his door down.

"There was a particular Big Ten school that hired a recruiting guy who was Samoan or Polynesian. Just coincidentally hired him, and he was on the hotline down to Edwardsville.

"There's no way we get A.J. if it weren't for his mom and dad and the strong ties to the program."

Upon arrival, it was clear early that Epenesa was different than most true freshmen. But as is often the case at Iowa, Epenesa was not given an abundance of reps right away. He still flashed promise, finishing with 4.5 sacks during his first season.

As a sophomore, Epenesa once again didn't start. His role increased, however, and he led the Big Ten in sacks with 10.5 despite coming off the bench. He also finished with 16.5 tackles for loss.

At Iowa, his career path has become a running joke of sorts. A young player blessed with NFL potential is trying to crack the starting lineup. Ferentz has heard it plenty over the past few seasons, although he takes the criticism with a smile.  

"He's probably the most talked-about player ever in the history of Iowa football who hasn't started a game," Ferentz says. "Everybody has him as the fourth pick of the draft and all that, and I think he's almost embarrassed by it in some ways. I just want to make sure he doesn't feel like he has to be something that's been created, the legend of A.J. Epenesa."

To Ferentz, this is all part of a process—one that routinely grooms Iowa players into NFL draft picks. But many highly regarded players would not look favorably on this approach. Often these situations can become uncomfortable and lead to drama, discomfort or, increasingly, a transfer.

"You have a highly recruited guy who's extremely talented. But he's also humble and cares about other people," says former Iowa defensive line coach Reese Morgan, who retired over the offseason. "A lot of times, those guys have egos. That is absolutely not the case here."

Epenesa didn't come to Iowa to leave. That was never part of the plan. Sure, there were moments when he wanted to see the field more over the past two seasons, but he found success through gradual growth.

"I always had the mindset of my time will come," Epenesa says. "Everyone who wants to be good at football wants to play, but I tried to stay patient. Now it's my time to let loose."

---

Epenesa's first showing of real, deep emotion comes 37 minutes in. After gliding through discussion of his deep, unconditional love for his family, and of everything that has led him to this point in his life, he finally stumbles when asked about the art of bull-rushing.

His body shifts. His eyes flicker and widen. His hand gestures become far more pronounced. While every defensive lineman has his trademark move to apply pressure, Epenesa is almost giddy as he explains just how much he enjoys lifting an offensive lineman from his feet and into the air.

"It's the most satisfying feeling when 320 pounds feels weightless," Epenesa says. "If you can successfully put a bull rush on the table on the first rep, that's it. It's like, 'Dude, you're in for it. You're going to let me do that right now? You're going to have some problems today.'"

Power is without question Epenesa's greatest asset. But at 280 pounds, he also generates enough speed and burst to make himself a menace chasing quarterbacks.

"I'm confident that I could successfully pass-rush against anybody," Epenesa says. "But I know there are also a lot of things I could work on."

The part that has NFL personnel most curious is the unknown. Because the exposure of Epenesa has been more natural and gradual than it is for many draft prospects, there are still questions as to what he will look like fully developed—not just as a starting defensive lineman, but as a star who will regularly battle double-teams and be schemed against differently every week.

"The thing I'm most excited about is that his best football is clearly in front of him," Ferentz says. "He's played good football for us and made really good plays, but he's still a really young guy who's just learning and developing. And he's got a great attitude about it. It's everything you want in the player."

On Saturday, in his second game as a starter, his full catalog of ability was on display against Rutgers. He sacked the opposing quarterback by almost leaping over him. The next series, he hit the quarterback's arm and forced an interception.

While Epenesa officially logged only one sack in the team's suffocating 30-0 victory, his impact on the game was far greater—a punishing, unrelenting force that disrupted the opposition's rhythm from the beginning.

Over the coming weeks and months, Epenesa will be the centerpiece of Iowa's defense. It will begin Saturday when the Hawkeyes travel to Iowa State in perhaps the most significant game of Week 3. From there, they'll head to Michigan and later Wisconsin—games that promise to be rife with scouts and NFL eyes.

If Epenesa continues to perform, his likelihood of being an early draft selection will only increase. His profile will continue to blossom. His celebrity status will grow.

And yes, the spotlight will only intensify, whether he or his father want it to or not.

          

Adam Kramer covers college football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @KegsnEggs.

Iowa tight end Noah Fant announced Friday that he will forgo his senior season and enter the 2019 NFL draft.

Fant made it official with the following letter on Twitter:

Thank you Hawkeye Nation!!!! It truly has been my pleasure!!!! #GoHawks pic.twitter.com/Ee1y1uuMZN

— Noah Fant (@nrfant) November 30, 2018

On his latest big board, published Friday, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Fant as the No. 1 tight end and No. 11 overall prospect in the 2019 draft class.

Fant has registered 39 receptions for 519 yards and seven touchdowns this season, resulting in his selection as a member of the All-Big Ten first team.

As a sophomore in 2017, Fant made 30 grabs for 494 yards, and he tied for the national lead in touchdowns receptions by a tight end with 11.

Miller noted that this year's tight end class is likely stronger than the wide receiver class, as the top-rated wideout on his board is Arizona State's N'Keal Harry at No. 28.

In a draft that looks to be heavy on defensive talent, Fant is Miller's No. 1 offensive player ahead of Alabama offensive tackle Jonah Williams at No. 12.

Fant's entry into the NFL draft leaves Iowa's tight end situation for 2019 in question.

Fellow Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson has put up big numbers this season as a redshirt sophomore (46 catches for 717 yards and six touchdowns) and was named the Big Ten's top tight end.

Hockenson could return next season and net an even higher share of the targets, but he is also eligible to enter the NFL draft.

Hayden Hurst was the only tight end selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft, while O.J. Howard, Evan Engram and David Njoku all come off the board in the 2017 first round.

There is perhaps enough talent at tight end to replicate what happened in 2017, but Fant is the early leader to get picked first among them given his production at Iowa and ability to stretch the field.

The start of the 2018 college football season also meant the return of one of the sport's greatest traditions.

Prior to the second quarter of Saturday's game between Northern Illinois and Iowa, fans, players and officials in Kinnick Stadium turned to deliver the "Iowa Wave" to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital.

The hospital, which opened last year, overlooks the stadium and has a special section on the top floor where patients and their families gather to watch the Hawkeyes.

Per Sports Illustrated's Emily Caron, the wave began last year after the first quarter of the season opener against Wyoming when the public address announcer asked fans in attendance to wave at the fans watching from the hospital.

The fans in Kinnick Stadium and the Stead Family Children's Hospital were treated to a 33-7 Iowa victory over Northern Illinois.

Iowa defensive lineman Brady Reiff was arrested for public intoxication Saturday and didn't even cause the police officers to do much work in the process.

According to Kat Russell of the Gazette, the football player approached a University of Iowa police car and attempted to get in before asking the officers for a ride home. The police report states that Reiff believed the car was an Uber.

"He thought that was our job," the report stated, referring to giving him a ride home.

A breathalyzer test showed Reiff had a blood alcohol content of 0.204.

The 22-year-old is heading into his fourth year in the Iowa program. He redshirted in 2015 and played only one game in 2016, but he earned a bigger role last season with 13 tackles and an interception while appearing in eight games.

The South Dakota native is expected to play an even larger role in 2018 and was listed as a starter in the team's spring depth chart.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz already announced Reiff will be suspended for the team's season opener against Northern Illinois, according to Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register.