1981 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
American college football season
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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.[1][2] 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.[3]
| 1981 Iowa Hawkeyes football | |
|---|---|
Big Ten co-champion | |
Rose Bowl, L 0–28 vs. Washington | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 15 |
| AP | No. 18 |
| Record | 8–4 (6–2 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Bill Snyder (3rd season) |
| Defensive coordinator | Bill Brashier (3rd season) |
| MVP | Mel Cole |
| Captains |
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| Home stadium | Kinnick Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 15 Ohio State + | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 18 Iowa + | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 12 Michigan | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 0 | – | 9 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 11 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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.[4] Two Iowa players were consensus All-Americans in 1981: defensive end Andre Tippett and punter Reggie Roby.[5] 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).[6][7] King led the Big Ten with eight interceptions.[8]
Kirk Ferentz joined the Iowa coaching staff as the offensive line coach in 1981.[9]
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 12 | No. 7 Nebraska* | W 10–7 | 60,160 | [10] | |||
| September 19 | at Iowa State* | L 12–23 | 53,922 | [11] | |||
| September 26 | No. 6 UCLA* |
| W 20–7 | 60,004 | [12] | ||
| October 3 | at Northwestern | No. 18 | W 64–0 | 30,113 | [13] | ||
| October 10 | Indiana | No. 15 |
| W 42–28 | 60,000 | [14] | |
| October 17 | at No. 5 Michigan | No. 12 | W 9–7 | 105,915 | [15] | ||
| October 24 | Minnesota | No. 6 |
| ABC | L 10–12 | 60,000 | [16] |
| October 31 | at Illinois | No. 16 | L 7–24 | 66,877 | [17] | ||
| November 7 | Purdue |
| W 33–7 | 60,114 | [18] | ||
| November 14 | at Wisconsin | ESPN | W 17–7 | 78,731 | [19] | ||
| November 21 | Michigan State | No. 19 |
| W 36–7 | 60,103 | [20] | |
| January 1 | vs. No. 12 Washington* | No. 13 | NBC | L 0–28 | 105,611 | [21] | |
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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. [citation needed]
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
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 7 Cornhuskers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| • Hawkeyes | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
- Date: September 12, 1981
- Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
- Game attendance: 60,160
- Referee: John Nealon
- Sources: Box Score
| 1 | 9:16 | Iowa | Eddie Phillips 2-yard run (Olejniczak kick) | Iowa 7-0 |
| 2 | 14:55 | Iowa | Olejniczak 35-yard field goal | Iowa 10-0 |
| 4 | 11:42 | Neb | Roger Craig 1-yard run (kick) | Iowa 10-7 |
At Iowa State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawkeyes | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 12 |
| • Cyclones | 10 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 23 |
- Date: September 19, 1981
- Location: Cyclone Stadium, Ames, Iowa
- Game attendance: 53,922
- Sources: Box Score and Game Story
| 1 | ISU | Quinn 7-yard run (Giffords kick) | ISU 7-0 | |
| 1 | ISU | Giffords 48-yard field goal | ISU 10-0 | |
| 2 | ISU | Crutchfield 3-yard run (Giffords kick) | ISU 17-0 | |
| 2 | Iowa | Phillips 1-yard run (kick blocked) | ISU 17-6 | |
| 3 | ISU | Giffords 40-yard field goal | ISU 20-6 | |
| 4 | ISU | Giffords 34-yard field goal | ISU 23-6 | |
| 4 | Iowa | Blatcher 1-yard run (pass failed) | ISU 23-12 | |
No. 6 UCLA
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 6 Bruins | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • Hawkeyes | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 20 |
- Date: September 26
- Location: Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, Iowa
- Game start: 1:05 p.m. CDT
- Elapsed time: 2:45
- Game attendance: 60,004
- Referee: Glen Fortin
- Sources: Box Score
| 1 | 5:02 | Iowa | Gales 16-yard run (Olejniczak kick) | Iowa 7-0 |
| 2 | 10:47 | UCLA | Tom Ramsey 1-yard run (Johnson kick) | Tied 7-7 |
| 3 | 9:48 | Iowa | Nichol 35-yard field goal | Iowa 10-7 |
| 4 | 13:37 | Iowa | Mark Bortz recovered fumble in end zone (Nichol kick) | Iowa 17-7 |
| 6:24 | Iowa | Nichol 43-yard field goal | Iowa 20-7 | |
at Northwestern
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • No. 18 Hawkeyes | 30 | 0 | 20 | 14 | 64 |
| Wildcats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Date: October 3, 1981
- Location: Dyche Stadium, Evanston, Illinois
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. CDT
- Game attendance: 30,113
- Referee: Otho Kortz
- Sources: Box Score and Game Story
| 1 | 13:39 | Iowa | Phillips 12-yard run (Nichol kick) | Iowa 7-0 |
| 11:29 | Iowa | Granger 6-yard run (Nichol kick) | Iowa 14-0 | |
| 8:52 | Iowa | King blocked punt for a safety | Iowa 16-0 | |
| 6:39 | Iowa | Phillips 15-yard run (Nichol kick) | Iowa 23-0 | |
| 4:43 | Iowa | Webb 29-yard interception return (Nichol kick) | Iowa 30-0 | |
| 3 | 13:15 | Iowa | Brown 24-yard pass for Bohannon (Nichol kick) | Iowa 37-0 |
| 11:34 | Iowa | Moritz 26-yard pass for Bohannon (kick failed) | Iowa 43-0 | |
| 2:40 | Iowa | Gill 20-yard run (Nichol kick) | Iowa 50-0 | |
| 4 | 6:58 | Iowa | Buggs 2-yard run (Nichol kick) | Iowa 57-0 |
| 4 | 5:46 | Iowa | Brown 74-yard punt return (Nichol kick) | Iowa 64-0 |
Indiana
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoosiers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| • No. 15 Hawkeyes | 14 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 42 |
- Date: October 10
- Location: Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, Iowa
- Game start: 1:05 p.m. CDT
- Elapsed time: 3:11
- Game attendance: 60,000
- Referee: Tom Quinn
- Sources: Box Score
| 1 | 13:14 | Indiana | Gunn 58-yard pass from Laufenberg (Greenstein kick) | Indiana 7-0 |
| 8:27 | Iowa | Granger 2-yard run (Nichol kick) | Tied 7-7 | |
| 0:54 | Iowa | Jones 51-yard pass from Bohannon (Nichol kick) | Iowa 14-7 | |
| 2 | 10:40 | Indiana | Roggeman 1-yard run (Greenstein kick) | Tied 14-14 |
| 10:24 | Iowa | Granger 99-yard kick return (Nichol kick) | Iowa 21-14 | |
| 8:41 | Iowa | Hufford 21-yard pass from Bohannon (Nichol kick) | Iowa 28-14 | |
| 6:04 | Iowa | Blatcher 1-yard run (Nichol kick) | Iowa 35-14 | |
| 3 | 13:05 | Indiana | Gunn 71-yard pass from Laufenberg (Greenstein kick) | Iowa 35-21 |
| 11:08 | Iowa | Hufford 11-yard pass from Bohannon (Nichol kick) | Iowa 42-21 | |
| 4 | 3:12 | Indiana | Hines 2-yard run (Greenstein kick) | Iowa 42-28 |
At No. 5 Michigan
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • No. 12 Hawkeyes | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
| No. 5 Wolverines | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
- Date: October 17
- Location: Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Game attendance: 105,915
- Sources: Box Score and Game Story
| Q1 | IOWA | Tom Nichol 20-yard field goal | IOWA 3–0 | |
| Q1 | Iowa | Nichol 36-yard field goal | IOWA 6–0 | |
| Q2 | MICH | Anthony Carter 17-yard pass from Steve Smith (Haji-Sheikh kick) | MICH 7–6 | |
| Q3 | IOWA | Nichol 30-yard field goal | IOWA 9–7 | |
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
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Golden Gophers | 0 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| No. 6 Hawkeyes | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
- Date: October 24
- Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
- Game attendance: 60,000
- Television network: ABC
- Sources: Box Score and Game Story
| 2 | Minn | Gallery 52-yard field goal | Minn 3-0 | |
| 2 | Minn | Gallery 31-yard field goal | Minn 6-0 | |
| 2 | Minn | Gallery 33-yard field goal | Minn 9-0 | |
| 3 | IOWA | Nichol 34-yard field goal | Minn 9-3 | |
| 3 | IOWA | Blatcher 2-yard run (Nichol kick) | IOWA 10-9 | |
| 4 | 2:22 | Minn | Gallery 27-yard field goal | Minn 12-10 |
At Illinois
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #16 Hawkeyes | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • Fighting Illini | 3 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
- Date: October 31, 1981
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
- Game attendance: 66,877
- Sources: Box Score and Game Story
| 1 | Illinois | Bass 27-yard field goal | Illinois 3-0 | |
| 2 | Illinois | Burgard fumble recovery in end zone (Bass kick) | Illinois 10-0 | |
| 2 | Illinois | Williams 56-yard pass from Eason (Bass kick) | Illinois 17-0 | |
| 2 | Iowa | Brown 12-yard pass from Bohannon (Nichol kick) | Illinois 17-7 | |
| 4 | Illinois | Williams 4-yard pass from Eason (Bass kick) | Illinois 24-7 | |
Purdue
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boilermakers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| • Hawkeyes | 17 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 33 |
- Date: November 7
- Location: Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, Iowa
- Game attendance: 60,114
- Sources: Box Score and Game Story
| 1 | Iowa | Nichol 42-yard field goal | Iowa 3-0 | |
| 1 | Iowa | Blatcher 1-yard run (Nichol kick) | Iowa 10-0 | |
| 1 | Iowa | Bohannon 12-yard run (Nichol kick) | Iowa 17-0 | |
| 2 | Iowa | Crocker recovered blocked punt in end zone (kick failed) | Iowa 23-0 | |
| 2 | Iowa | Bohannon 7-yard run (Nichol kick) | Iowa 30-0 | |
| 3 | Iowa | Nichol 48-yard field goal | Iowa 33-0 | |
| 4 | Purdue | Feulner 1-yard run (Clark kick) | Iowa 33-7 | |
The 33-7 win was Iowa's first over the Boilermakers since 1960, and secured the Hawkeyes' first winning season since 1961.[35]
At Wisconsin
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Hawkeyes | 3 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Badgers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
- Date: November 14
- Location: Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, Wisconsin
- Game attendance: 78,731
- Television network: ABC Sports
- Sources: Box Score and Game Story
| Q1 | 6:48 | IOWA | Tom Nichol 35-yard field goal | IOWA 3–0 |
| Q2 | IOWA | Phil Blatcher 1-yard run (Tom Nichol kick) | IOWA 10–0 | |
| Q2 | IOWA | Phil Blatcher 2-yard run (Tom Nichol kick) | IOWA 17–0 | |
| Q4 | Wisc | IOWA 17–7 | ||
Michigan State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spartans | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • Hawkeyes | 16 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 36 |
- Date: November 21
- Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
- Game attendance: 60,103
- Game weather: Mid-60s°F
- Sources: Box Score and Game Story
| 1 | Iowa | Blatcher 9-yard run (Nichol kick) | IOWA 7-0 | |
| 1 | Iowa | Safety, blocked punt through end zone | IOWA 9-0 | |
| 1 | Iowa | Phillips 1-yard run (Nichol kick) | IOWA 16-0 | |
| 2 | Michigan St | Hodo 1-yard pass from Clark (Andersen kick) | IOWA 16-7 | |
| 3 | Iowa | Nichol 26-yard field goal | IOWA 19-7 | |
| 3 | Iowa | Blatcher 1-yard run (Nichol kick) | IOWA 26-7 | |
| 4 | Iowa | Nichol 23-yard field goal | IOWA 29-7 | |
| 4 | Iowa | Campbell 9-yard pass from Gales (Nichol kick) | IOWA 36-7 | |
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.[37]
Statistics
- Phil Blatcher 27 Rush, 247 Yds[38]
vs. No. 12 Washington (Rose Bowl)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Huskies | 0 | 13 | 0 | 15 | 28 |
| Hawkeyes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Date: January 1, 1982
- Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
- Game attendance: 105,611
- Referee: Rich McVay
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen
- Sources:
| 2 | UW | Robinson 1-yard run (Nelson kick) | UW 7-0 | |
| 2 | UW | Coby 1-yard run (pass failed) | UW 13-0 | |
| 4 | UW | Robinson 34-yard run (Pelluer pass to Skansi) | UW 21-0 | |
| 4 | UW | Cowan 3-yard run (Nelson kick) | UW 28-0 | |
Roster
| 1981 Iowa Hawkeyes football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Statistical 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.[44] 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.[45]
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.[46]
- Phil Blatcher led the team with 737 rushing yards on 145 carries for an average of 4.9 yards per carry.[46] He was selected as the UPI Midwest Offensive Player of the Week after tallying 247 rushing yards against Michigan State.[47] Blatcher ranked second on the team in soring with 48 points.[46]
- The team's leading receivers were Dave Moitz (17 receptions for 390 yards) and Jeff Brown (20 receptions for 301 yards).[46]
- Kicker Tom Nichol led the team in scoring with 59 points on 11 field goals and 26 extra points.[48]
- Linebacker Mel Cole led the team with 94 total tackles.[49]
- Defensive back Lou King led the team with eight interceptions. His eight interceptions remains tied for the Iowa single-season record.[50]
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.[51]
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.[52] Roby averaged 55.8 yards per punt against Nebraska on September 12, 1981.[53]
Linebacker Mel Cole, the team's leading tackler, was selected as the team's most valuable player.[54]
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.[55]
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).[56][57]
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.[58]
1982 NFL draft
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ron Hallstrom | Guard | 1 | 22 | Green Bay Packers |
| Andre Tippett | Linebacker | 2 | 41 | New England Patriots |