1979 Iowa Hawkeyes football team


The 1979 Iowa Hawkeyes football team was an American football team that represented the University of Iowa as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1979 Big Ten football season. In their first year under head coach Hayden Fry, the Hawkeyes compiled a 5–6 record, finished in fifth place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 239 to 216. Fry was hired as the head coach in December 1978 after spending the previous six years at North Texas State. Fry in 1979 hired Bill Snyder as his offensive coordinator and Barry Alvarez as his linebackers coach and recruited 18-year-old Bob Stoops to play defensive back at Iowa; all four are now in the College Football Hall of Fame and rank among the greatest coaches in modern college football history.
Tailback Dennis Mosley won the Big Ten rushing title and set Iowa single-season records with 1,267 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns, and 96 points scored. He was selected as the team's most valuable player and received second-team All-America honors. Mosley, linebacker Leven Weiss and center Jay Hilgenberg also received first-team All-Big Ten honors. The team had a strong recruiting class that included linebacker Andre Tippett, defensive tackle Mark Bortz, punter Reggie Roby, and Bob Stoops.
The team played its home games at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.

Game summaries

Indiana

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On October 22, 2016, former Indiana University coach and current ESPN College Football analyst Lee Corso described the game on College Gameday. He said at halftime he told the Hoosiers to not bother coming out for the 2nd half unless they were prepared to win the game. Indiana would then go on to win the game, 30-26, spoiling the debut of head coach Hayden Fry.
Game statisticsINDIANAIOWA
First downs2522
Total yards479389
Passing yards316227
Rushing yards143162
Penalties6–538–87
Turnovers33

At No. 3 Oklahoma

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Game statisticsOKLAHOMAIOWA
First downs2312
Total yards452202
Passing yards183139
Rushing yards26963
Penalties4–405–36
Turnovers52

No. 7 Nebraska

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For the second week in a row, the Hawkeyes faced a Big 8 opponent ranked in the top 10. Iowa led, 21-14, at the end of the third quarter, but Nebraska tied the game then recovered a fumble before kicking the winning field goal late.

Iowa State

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This game marked Hayden Fry's first win as head coach of the Hawkeyes.
Game statisticsISUIOWA
First downs1430
Total yards162429
Passing yards5651
Rushing yards106378
Penalties4–357–63
Turnovers33

At Northwestern

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Game statisticsIOWANW
First downs2516
Total yards509320
Passing yards145202
Rushing yards364118
Penalties3–354–52
Turnovers08

Minnesota

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At Wisconsin

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Dennis Mosley broke Ed Podolak's Iowa single-season rushing record and caught a 75-yard touchdown pass in the win over the Badgers.

Michigan State

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Game statisticsMSUIOWA
First downs1723
Total yards395444
Passing yards244204
Rushing yards151238
Penalties3–281–20
Turnovers23

Statistical achievements

The 1975 Hawkeyes gained 2,130 rushing yards and 1,669 passing yards. On defense, they gave up 1,881 rushing yards and 1,843 passing yards.
Tailback Dennis Mosley won the Big Ten rushing title, became Iowa's first 1,000-yard rusher, and set Iowa single-season records with 1,267 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns, and 96 points scored. He was selected as the team's most valuable player, was selected as a second-team All-American by the UPI, and received first-team honors on the 1979 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
The team's other statistical leaders included quarterback Phil Suess, Brad Reid, and linebacker Leven Weiss.
Home attendance totaled 358,245, an average of 59,708 per game.

Awards and honors

Tailback Dennis Mosley received second-team honors from the UPI and third-team honors form the AP on the 1979 All-America college football team.
Mosley was also selected as the most valuable player of the 1979 team.
The following players received recognition on the 1979 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Dennis Mosley at running back ; Jay Hilgenberg at center ; Leven Weiss at linebacker ; and Reggie Roby at punter.
The following five players were co-captains of the 1979 team: defensive end Jim Molini, defensive back Mario Pace, offensive tackle Sam Palladino, defensive back Cedric Shaw, and tight end Jim Swift.
Two players and three coaches from the 1978 team have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Three players were included on the all-time Iowa team selected by fans in 1989.

1980 NFL draft

Dennis MosleyRB9232Minnesota Vikings
Jim SwiftOT9238Seattle Seahawks