Tag: Phil Parker

Phil Parker updates Iowa football’s preseason defensive health status exiting 2024 camp

Phil Parker updated Xavier Nwankpa and Koen Entringer’s health statuses.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are in good shape on the health front defensively as the 2024 college football season nears.

In his Tuesday meeting with the media, Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker updated the statuses of junior safety Xavier Nwankpa and sophomore safety Koen Entringer.

“Koen’s been practicing the last couple days. He’s doing a good job. I think he’s back. We’re just limiting some of his reps and watching so we don’t overload him. Xavier, it looks like he’s back at it. He should be. I thought he was going to practice here today a little bit, but I think he should be back in the next couple days,” Parker said.

Entringer suffered a knee injury during Iowa’s Citrus Bowl loss versus Tennessee. It required surgery over the offseason.

Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz was optimistic about Entringer’s progress ahead of the Hawkeyes’ annual Media Day, but Entringer was held out of Kids’ Day at Kinnick and seen wearing a boot.

“One thing I’m pretty sure of, everybody is different in terms of their healing capacities, pace, all that stuff. He’s broken every record. He’s practicing. We’re not letting him tackle anybody or anything like that. But he’s practicing. He did tweak his ankle this morning, so I don’t know if he’ll practice tomorrow or not, but doing a really good job.

“We’re going to try to be really smart because it takes, what I also know or have learned, when guys get cleared, it takes a while for them to get their confidence back. He’s really kind of running around like there’s no problem, but try to protect him from himself a little bit,” Ferentz said of Entringer at Iowa Media Day.

Nwankpa didn’t participate in Kids’ Day at Kinnick either. It sounds like Iowa is just being cautious with Nwankpa ahead of the season opener against Illinois State on Aug. 31.

“There’s injuries and then there’s pain, you know what I mean? So, what’s the difference? Do you have pain, or is it truly an injury and you’ve got to take care of it? I think that everybody kind of knows the difference of that.

“Sometimes when you’re going out here and practicing in preseason like we are, you get banged up a little bit, hitting each other, stuff like that, so there’s soreness but there’s nothing more. We’re pretty healthy here on defense I think right now,” Parker said.

Parker said Iowa’s defense has no other health issues at the present moment. The longtime Hawkeye DC also hasn’t minded the opportunities it’s provided for younger Iowa players.

“We try to manage them during the preseason here where we need some younger guys to step up. I like to see some of them third-team guys, making sure they’re getting developed. It was a good opportunity for them to understand the defense.

“Some of these guys are really experienced and the experience that Jay and Nick have at the linebacker position and Fisher, I mean, these guys are just like a coach out there on the field and they’re coaching the younger guys. Until you get out there and do it yourself, I mean, I think that’s what the younger guys need,” Parker said.

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247Sports has one ominous thought for the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2024

This could flip Iowa upside down.

While the Iowa Hawkeyes have been facing turbulence with their offense and offensive coaching staff, their defense and defensive coaching staff have seemed the one steadying force.

Phil Parker and his defense seem to be unbothered by whatever is happening with the offense. It is what makes them so great and helps Iowa win games. It is also what makes Phil Parker a hot commodity as one of the best defensive coordinators in America.

The proposition of his future at Iowa is among 247Sports’ 50 thoughts for the 2024 college football season.

Hard to imagine Phil Parker staying at Iowa past 2024

Heading into his 12th season as the Hawkeyes’ secretary of defense, Phil Parker is worth his weight in gold to Kirk Ferentz. The 2023 Broyles Award winner, Parker’s unit often faces bad situations given Iowa’s ineptitude offensively and still, the Hawkeyes finished near the top of the country in ample categories defensively. At some point, there’s going to be an offer that makes Parker think a bit and that should come later this year. – Brad Crawford, 247Sports

Could Phil Parker actually leave Iowa? No one can know what that answer would be for certain aside from Parker himself. He received a raise last year and makes $1.9 million per year coaching Iowa’s defense.

Sure, it is a healthy salary, but it is not one that would shy away some of the top programs in the country if they wanted Parker. They could give Parker an offer that would be almost impossible to turn down. Can Kirk Ferentz keep his guy?

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16 names to watch for LSU’s open defensive coordinator role

These 16 names could make a good fit for LSU’s next defensive playcaller.

After months of speculation, it finally happened.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] announced that LSU defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag], along with defensive assistants [autotag]Robert Steeples[/autotag], [autotag]Kerry Cooks[/autotag] and [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag], would not be retained.

Both coordinator positions are open now, but much of the spotlight will be directed at the defensive side given how bad that unit was in 2023.

Before House, Kelly had a good record of hiring DCs. Its a list that includes Mike Elko, Marcus Freeman and Clark Lea. All are now Power Five head coaches, and Elko and Lea are in the SEC.

The expectation should be for Kelly to make a hire closer to that than what we saw with House.

Here are 16 names Kelly should pursue.

Phil Parker details how Vols’ offense will not change with Nico Iamaleava

Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker details how Tennessee’s offense will not change with Nico Iamaleava.

Tennessee freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava will make his first career start versus Iowa in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day (1 p.m. EST, ABC).

The 6-foot-6, 206-pound freshman signal-caller appeared in four games for Tennessee during the 2023 regular-season.

Iamaleava completed 16-of-26 passing attempts for 163 yards and one touchdown. He recorded 44 rushing yards on five attempts.

Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker met with media on Friday. He discussed the Hawkeyes facing Iamaleava and the Vols’ offense.

“I don’t think the offense is going to change,” Parker said. “It’s been very similar to what he’s done in the past, but I think we have about 54 snaps on him. They are running the same offense, but he is a little bit different in style. Probably runs maybe a little bit better. I’m sure they have got some other things up their sleeve of what they want to do with them, but it’s going to be a challenge for us and we are going to be have to to be able to match their talent outside with the wide receivers they have and the ability to stop the run.

“I think that’s the most important thing that we have to do in any game. You have to make sure you stop the run and try to make them pass it, which, you know, they have a lot of explosive plays and one of our goals is making sure that we don’t give up explosive plays, so it’s definitely a challenge in that way.”

Joseph Cress/USA TODAY Network

Phil Parker captures FootballScoop’s Defensive Coordinator of the Year award

Phil Parker was recognized as the FootballScoop Defensive Coordinator of the Year.

The brilliance of Phil Parker is rightfully being recognized in 2023.

After recently capturing the Broyles Award at the beginning of the month, the Iowa Hawkeyes‘ longtime defensive coordinator has tracked down another major honor. Parker was named the FootballScoop Defensive Coordinator of the Year.

Parker won out over fellow finalists Manny Diaz of Penn State, Adam Fuller of Florida State, Jesse Minter of Michigan and Scott Symons of SMU. Finalists were selected based off of nominations by coaches, athletic directors and athletic department personnel.

From there, previous winners of the award chose Parker as this year’s recipient.

Parker’s unit ranks among the tops nationally in a number of key categories. Heading into the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl versus Tennessee, Iowa ranks fourth nationally in scoring defense, surrendering just 13.2 points per game. The Hawkeyes rank No. 5 in total defense, allowing 274.8 yards per game.

Iowa was sensational at limiting explosive plays this season. The Hawkeyes allowed just 18 gains of 20-plus yards this season. That is 11 plays better than No. 2 Michigan and bested Alabama (20) for the fewest big gains allowed over a 13-game season since at least 2010.

Incredibly, Iowa has allowed just one rush of 20-plus yards through the regular season and the Big Ten Championship game and none longer than 30 yards. Per FootballScoop, if the Hawkeyes keep Tennessee without a 30-yard carry in the Citrus Bowl, Iowa would become the first FBS unit to not allow a single 30-yard carry over the course of an entire season since at least 2010. That’s the earliest year that FootballScoop has records for.

Iowa is second in the nation at 3.99 yards per play allowed. It’s worst yards per play day this season came in a 26-16 win over Michigan State where the Hawkeyes surrendered 4.59 yards per play. That 4.59 yards per play figure would have ranked eighth nationally.

Iowa shutout Rutgers and held four other opponents to 10 points or less this season.

The Hawkeyes have one final chance to impress in the Citrus Bowl versus a Tennessee team that is set to start five-star signee Nico Iamaleava in his starting debut.

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Iowa Hawkeyes DC Phil Parker named AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year

In what may be his best performance yet, Phil Parker keeps adding to the list. He has been named the named AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year.

Whatever Phil Parker’s paycheck is, it isn’t enough. The Iowa Hawkeyes need to give him a blank check, and a black pen, and tell him to write his number he needs never to leave the black and gold.

Phil Parker has built Iowa’s defense into a unit that isn’t just good each year but is among the best in the country and known for the stingy play in making life hard for opponents. In 2023, Parker made life almost impossible for Iowa’s opponents to the tune of a measly 13.23 points per game allowed.

His work won him the Broyles Award, a trophy given to the top assistant in America each year. He has now also been named the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year.

Part of what makes Phil Parker’s defensive success so unique is that he does it without the huge recruits that some of the other top defenses get every year. Sure, he can recruit, and at this point, if you are good at defense, you should want to come to Iowa for the robust pipeline of talent they ship to the NFL.

Parker succeeds with often-overlooked recruits that he gets every single ounce of talent out of. He teaches fundamentals, responsibilities, and playing as a unit as opposed to as a singular talent. His work at Iowa deserves every ounce of recognition and award there is.

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Iowa Hawkeyes defensive coordinator Phil Parker named to 247Sports All-Assistant Team

Iowa Hawkeyes defensive coordinator Phil Parker has been named a member of the 247Sports All-Assistant Team.

On the heels of winning the Broyles Award, a trophy given out to the nation’s top assistant each year, the Iowa Hawkeyes defensive coordinator continues to receive more recognition for his defensive prowess.

Phil Parker has most recently been named a member of the 247Sports All-Assistant Team for the 2023 college football season. He was chosen as the top defensive coordinator as they built out a staff of the nation’s best coordinators and position coaches.

All Parker does is develop top-tier defenses at Iowa, and in 2023 he may have coached his best yet. The Hawkeyes’ top-five defense was the program’s best since 2008, and it earned him honors with the Broyles Award and 247Sports’ Defensive Coordinator of the Year. His defense carried one of the nation’s worst offenses to transform Iowa into a 10-win team despite ranking 130th nationally in scoring.

Iowa’s defense allowed only 15 touchdowns in 13 games while holding opponents to 13.2 points per game (No. 4 nationally). Despite the Hawkeyes’ offense struggling to score points and stay on the field, Parker’s defense allowed only 18 plays of 20-plus yards on 896 snaps, the best mark in the country. – Brandon Marcello, 247Sports

Phil Parker didn’t simply have to keep Iowa in games this year. More often than not, his defensive unit had to be the reason that the Hawkeyes outright won games this year.

Parker’s defense is exceptionally fundamental, doesn’t make mistakes, rarely commits penalties, and as previously stated, doesn’t get hurt by the big play very often. He also has coached them to be opportunistic. When the ball is tipped in the air or loose on the ground, the Hawkeyes have gained a sixth sense to come away with it under Phil Parker.

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Phil Parker wins 2023 Broyles Award ahead of Citrus Bowl against Vols

Iowa’s Phil Parker wins the 2023 Broyles Award ahead of matchup with Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl.

Iowa defensive coordinator and secondary coach Phil Parker was named the winner of the 2023 Broyles Award on Tuesday.

The Broyles Award is presented annually to the top assistant coach in college football.

“Phil Parker is an incredible football coach, and I am extremely pleased that he has been recognized for his career success by the Broyles Committee,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “We simply would not have achieved the success we have as a program without Phil’s dedication and leadership. Since 1999, we have benefited from Phil’s expertise and tenacity.

“Phil is an exceptional coach and teacher. He has helped develop hundreds of student athletes into better football players on the field and prepared them to be better men off the field. He is one of a kind, and I am so happy that he has been by my side in this program throughout the past 25 years.”

No. 23 Tennessee (8-4, 4-4 SEC) will play No. 17 Iowa (10-3, 7-2 Big Ten) in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1, 2024.

Kickoff between the Vols and Hawkeyes is slated for 1 p.m. EST. ABC will televise the matchup in Orlando, Florida.

Parker has served on Iowa’s coaching staff under Ferentz since 1999. He has served as the Hawkeyes’ defensive coordinator since 2012.

Iowa Hawkeyes Phil Parker wins Broyles Award as nation’s top assistant coach

Iowa Hawkeyes defensive coordinator Phil Parker has been named the winner of the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach.

A fact that Hawkeye fans already knew to be true got reinforced today. Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker is one of the nation’s finest assistants.

Matter of fact, in 2023, Parker is the country’s finest assistant. Parker was awarded the Broyles Award presented annually to the nation’s top assistant coach.

Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz was one of the first to voice is happiness and provide congratulatory words for Phil Parker as soon as the news broke.

“Phil Parker is an incredible football coach, and I am extremely pleased that he has been recognized for his career success by the Broyles Committee.”

We simply would not have achieved the success we have as a program without Phil’s direction and leadership. Since 1999, we have benefited from Phil’s expertise and tenacity.”

“Phil is an exceptional coach and teacher. He has helped develop hundreds of student athletes into better football players on the field and prepared them to be better men off the field. He is on of a kind and I am so happy that he has been by my side in this program throughout the past 25 years.

Congratulations Phil!” – Kirk Ferentz

Phil Parker’s defense put on one of their finest acts during the 2023 season. Iowa ranks No. 5 in total defense with 274.8 yards allowed per game, No. 3 with just 15 touchdowns allowed in 13 games, No. 4 in scoring defense with 13.23 points allowed per game, No. 2 in rushing touchdowns allowed with just two ground scores given up, and No. 1 in yards per completion allowed.

Phil Parker was forced to put on a defensive masterclass each week for Iowa to hang around and win games. Parker is the main reason Iowa won 10 games this season and due to that, the Broyles Award is going to its rightful home.

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Breaking down the candidates for The Broyles Award

Iowa’s Phil Parker is up for the Broyles Award. Who all comprises the full list of finalists and how does Parker stack up?

The Broyles Award is going to be one of the most hotly contested awards this college football season. The Broyles Award is awarded yearly to the top assistant coach in college football. Named after former Arkansas coach and administrator Frank Broyles, the award was established in 1996.

Since its inception, the award has had plenty of notable winners. Kirby Smart, Pat Narduzzi, Lincoln Riley, Brent Venables, Joe Brady, and Steve Sarkisian are all recipients of the award. The solid bronze trophy is overseen by a committee of notable former coaches.

The five finalists for the award were announced on Monday, and it is a stacked class. The finalists are Michigan‘s Sherrone Moore, Georgia‘s Mike Bobo, Oregon‘s Will Stein, LSU‘s Mike Denbrock, and Iowa‘s Phil Parker.

Five assistants who lead elite units on their respective sides of the ball, including one who assumed head coaching duties for two top-10 wins. That’s an extremely competitive field. Here is a breakdown of the finalists for The Broyles Award.