By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Akrum Wadley brought much joy and excitement to Iowa football fans as an electrifying running back from 2014-17.

He currently ranks fifth on Iowa’s all-time rushing list with 2,872 yards and his 28 rushing touchdowns are fourth best in program history.

Wadley was at his best in the open field where he often left defenders grabbing for air.

And yet despite all of that success, Wadley mostly was miserable during his time as a Hawkeye, and he blames it primarily on three people: Kirk Ferentz, Brian Ferentz and Chris Doyle.

Wadley shared his feelings on Monday in a commentary that was posted on the Facebook page of Robert T. Green, whose sports advisory board is helping Wadley and other former black Iowa players air their grievances.

It was sickening to read.

The amount of unhappiness and cruelty that Wadley describes is stunning and disturbing.

If we’re to believe Wadley, the culture under Kirk Ferentz revolves around racism, bullying, ridicule and mind control. And Brian Ferentz, who is Kirk Ferentz’s son and the Iowa offensive coordinator, is largely to blame, according to Wadley.

Wadley called his time as a Hawkeye a nightmare.

The line between demanding and demeaning was crossed repeatedly according to Wadley, and the New Jersey native now regrets that he chose to play for Iowa. Wadley also encourages future athletes, and their parents, to not make the same mistake that he did about college.

“My time at Iowa has done things to me that I am not going to discuss because knowing how these people treated me and other black athletes,” Wadley said. “I am done giving them power over me. But if I could do it all over again. I wish I never played for the Iowa Hawkeyes. I would not encourage any future athletes or parents to send your kid to go play for the Iowa Hawkeyes under that current coaching staff.”

Wadley said he started drinking alcohol as a Hawkeye to help cope with his sadness and frustration, and he said game day was the only day that was “somewhat of a relief” to him.

Whether you believe Wadley or not, it doesn’t really matter because the damage already has been done from a perception standpoint, and from a public relations standpoint.

Doyle already has reached a separation and moved on, while an independent review of the Iowa football program is currently being conducted by a law firm from Kansas City, Mo.

There is always the chance that Kirk Ferentz and Brian Ferentz will be cleared of any wrongdoing, but that seems highly unlikely based on the number of accusations from multiple players.

The former players clearly have the advantage right now because they already have voiced their displeasure and told their side of the story, while Kirk Ferentz has said little about specific allegations and Brian Ferentz hasn’t said anything publicly in his defense.

So yes, we’re only getting one side of the story right now, but that one side is very troubling.

Some on social media have accused Wadley of being opportunistic in this racially-charged environment, and resentful from not having made it in the NFL. They wonder why he didn’t transfer from Iowa if he was so miserable, and why he waited so long to finally tell his story.

Wadley also has made positive comments on social media, and to the media that covers the team, about his experience at Iowa.

So, why an abrupt change in attitude?

And what does Wadley hope to accomplish?

I certainly don’t have the answer to those questions, but nor do I have reason to doubt Wadley’s accusations.

Wadley has gone into much more detail than most of the other players who have spoken out, but they’ve all told similar stories about being mistreated, bullied and judged differently as black players.

They all can’t be making false accusations.

Some might have gotten swept away by the moment and exaggerated a little bit, but their message has been constant and unwavering.

To suggest that they aren’t being truthful is unfair and narrow-minded.

Kirk Ferentz has a crisis on his hands with multiple former black Iowa players now galvanized and on a mission to tell their stories about racial inequality and bullying that they say is part of the Iowa culture.

This controversy is as sad as it is disturbing.

Why didn’t Kirk Ferentz realize that so many of his former black players felt alienated in the culture that he worked so hard to build?

The Iowa roster under Kirk Ferentz has always been more than half white, and sometimes, close to three-fourths white, so it’s easy to see why some black players might feel uncomfortable adhering to the so-called Iowa way, even without being mistreated.

James Daniels has many reasons to feel content and satisfied as a former Hawkeye. He made it to the NFL in just three seasons, was picked in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, and has his degree from Iowa.

And yet, Daniels still was the first former player to speak out about racial disparities at Iowa, and that kicked the door wide open and changed Kirk Ferentz’s legacy forever.

George Floyd’s death on May 25 in Minneapolis started a national movement that paved the way for Daniels to speak out, and now that movement has engulfed the Iowa football program.

One of society’s biggest ills has seeped into the world that Kirk Ferentz has ruled for over 20 years, and that world never will be the same again.

Fair or not, Kirk Ferentz’s legacy will forever be connected to these accusations of racial disparities, while Akrum Wadley’s legacy will forever been rooted in resentment and anger for how he says he was treated at Iowa.

Brian Ferentz’s reputation also has taken a hit. To what extent will be impacted by what the independent review recommends.

This is an ugly situation that just keeps getting uglier.

Hawkeye football is under attack and much of it seems justified.