2008 Iowa Hawkeyes

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HawkeyeReport.com - Ferentz talks spring practice

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz met with the media on Wednesday to kickoff spring practice and the topics were pretty clear - how is he dealing with the off the field issues that have happened in the last year and the position battles on the field. Ferentz spoke at length about the off the field issues and also breaks down some of the main returning players at several key positions.

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ESPN - Rittenberg: Big Ten notebook - College Football

Iowa returned to the practice field this past Wednesday, but coach Kirk Ferentz continued to talk about what's happening off it. As expected, Ferentz addressed the rash of disciplinary problems afflicting his program.

Fourteen players have been arrested or charged with crimes since April 2007, and Ferentz, in an effort to change the culture at Iowa, wants to add a player development director who will primarily counsel first-year players. Eight of the players arrested or charged were in their first or second years.

"We've brought this upon ourselves," Ferentz said. "You have to work toward finding solutions and correcting it. If we can't do that, then it's going to continue, and we're not going to be successful in any regard."

Ferentz also announced that wide receiver Anthony Bowman has decided to transfer. Bowman and wideout Dominique Douglas were suspended last summer after being accused of credit card fraud. Douglas has since left school.

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HawkeyeReport.com - Pugh leaves the University of Iowa

IOWA CITY, IA -- Running back Jevon Pugh has decided to leave the University of Iowa and the Hawkeye football program.

The official announcement came today from Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz.

Pugh, a sophomore from Naples, FL, was the only returning Hawkeye rusher with game experience. He played in five games last year, rushed 17 times for 40 yards and scored one touchdown.

"Jevon has struggled with being away from home since he arrived," said Ferentz. "He decided during spring break that he would not be coming back to school. We were sorry to learn of Jevon's decision, but I understand his feelings and wish him success in the future."

Scout.com: O-Line Holds Key to Hawkeye Success

By Rob Howe
HN.com Senior Writer
Posted Apr 1, 2008

It's hard to imagine Iowa's offense struggling any more than it did in 2007. Iowa ranked near the bottom of the national rankings in scoring, rushing yardage and sacks allowed. The Hawkeyes were inexperienced throughout the unit, especially on the line. That group will need to improve greatly heading into the fall if the Black and Gold hopes to return to the postseason.

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ESPN - Rittenberg: Big Ten notebook - College Football

After watching the sick bay and the police blotter fill up with his players, Kirk Ferentz hopes history will soon be on Iowa's side again.

Burdened by injuries and inconsistent quarterback play, Iowa went 6-6 last fall and missed a bowl for the first time since 2000. But the team's performance off the field was an even bigger disappointment: Fourteen players have been arrested or charged with crimes since April.

Ferentz, the Hawkeyes' head coach since 1999 and an assistant there from 1981 to 1989, has seen losing and legal problems afflict the program before, only to disappear quickly.

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Rivals.com Football Recruiting - Can Ferentz right the sinking ship at Iowa? (free)

Tom Dienhart
Rivals.com College Football

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz remembers the good ol' days. Heck, it really wasn't that long ago. It only seems like an eternity.

There's Ferentz, celebrating a 2004 season-ending, 30-7 win over Wisconsin that clinched a share of the program's second Big Ten title in three years. Shrouded in late-fall darkness, not a soul had left their seat in rocking-and-rolling Kinnick Stadium. Iowa would go on to beat LSU, 30-25, in the Capital One Bowl in scintillating fashion, with a Drew Tate-to-Warren Holloway 56-yard touchdown pass on the last play of the game, sending Nick Saban out a loser in his final game as LSU coach.

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Scout.com: Preview 2008 - CFN Iowa Preview

Scout.com: 2008 Iowa Preview - Offense

Scout.com: 2008 Iowa Preview - Defense

Scout.com: 2008 Iowa Preview - Depth Chart