Kirk Ferentz on how Iowa’s breakthrough success in 2001 helped launch 2002 team to greatness
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – To fully understand the 2002 Iowa football team’s improbable rise to Big Ten co-champion, it helps to start in 2001.
Or more specifically, with the sixth game of the 2001 season when Iowa defeated Indiana 42-28 at Kinnick Stadium.
Iowa finally had cleared the Hoosier hurdle by figuring a way to defeat a team led by dynamic dual-threat quarterback Antwaan Randel El.
Indiana had won the previous three games in the series, thanks largely to the electrifying Randle El, so the breakthrough victory in 2001 was a significant step in Kirk Ferentz’s rebuilding plan.
Iowa would go on to finish 7-5 in 2001, capped by a 19-16 victory over Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl.
Iowa all-America kicker Nate Kaeding made a 47-yard field goal with 44 seconds left to play, and then a rising star named Bob Sanders sealed the win by intercepting a pass in the end zone on the final play of the game.
“Like it or not, (2001) was really a pivotal year,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz in late July. “Every step was important. There were so many things that could have gone in the other direction.
“The game that really stands out in my mind was Indiana and Randel El, like you know, this isn’t good. And if we can’t find a way to contain this guy we’re not going to beat these guys and that ain’t good. So, I thought that was a huge win for us.”
Asked if the breakthrough success in 2001 helped to launch the 2002 team to greatness, Kirk Ferentz said:
“No question, because yeah, we can do this. “And the guys just carried it.”
Kirk Ferentz isn’t big on self-promotion or making bold predictions.
But he made sort of an exception in the moments after the 2001 Alamo Bowl by telling the fans over the loudspeaker in the Alamodome that the Hawkeyes were back.
Because Ferentz knew.
He knew that his returning roster was loaded with top-notch talent and with experience on both sides of the line scrimmage.
Replacing Ladell Betts at running back would certainly be a challenge, but Iowa fans would learn quickly in 2002 that Fred Russell was more than capable of meeting that challenge.
Iowa also had to replace Kyle McCann at quarterback in 2002, but fans would also learn quickly in this case that Brad Banks was more than capable of doing it as a dual-threat quarterback.
Banks sort of mirrored the 2002 team in that he had shown glimpses in 2001 as McCann’s backup, but then Banks really took off in 2002.
His rise from backup quarterback in 2001 to the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2002 is one of the greatest individual success stories in program history.
Banks was surrounded by a wealth of talent on offense, and that combined with his dual-threat skills made the Iowa offense explosive and fun to watch.
Some might find that hard to believe given Iowa’s current situation on offense. But Banks and his offensive cohorts, which included All-America tight end Dallas Clark, were an overpowering bunch.
They were also resilient because they had to be after losing to Iowa State 36-31 at Kinnick Stadium in the second game of the season.
Iowa blew a 24-7 halftime lead, largely due to Banks losing two fumbles in the second half.
Banks stood before the glare of the media spotlight after the devastating loss and made no excuses. He also vowed to learn from the loss and use it as motivation moving forward.
“A tough, tough loss and then we got back on our feet and Brad embodied the grit on that team,” Kirk Ferentz said. “I was probably the dumbest guy in the state that night and then he was the second worst, or maybe it was a toss-up.
“But he came back and won that game at Penn State two weeks later in overtime. Same scenario, blow and a big lead and then he leads us back.”

Ferentz was referring to Iowa’s 42-35 victory at Penn State in the Big Ten opener, which came two weeks after the loss to Iowa State, and one week after a 48-7 victory over Utah State.
Iowa built a huge early lead before Penn State stormed back in the second half, only to fall short in overtime.
The win at Penn State served notice that the 2002 team might have a chance to be special, and it was also part of what became a nine-game winning streak as Iowa undefeated in conference play (8-0) for the first time in 80 years.
Iowa will pay tribute to the 2002 team during the Michigan game on Saturday to mark the 20-year anniversary of one of the greatest teams in program history.
But the 2001 team also deserves some credit for helping to pave the way.
Bob Sanders was only halfway through his Hawkeye career when he intercepted Cliff Kingsbury’s pass in the end zone to secure the win in the 2001 Alamo Bowl.
Iowa fans had seen enough of Sanders by then to know that he was a transcendent player.
But there was so much more to come, from Sanders, and from his team.
“I don’t know if pivotal is the right word, but it was a real important step for us to take and the way we won it with Kingsbury throwing the ball down in the end zone and the shortest guy on the field comes out with the ball,” Kirk Ferentz said of the 5-foot-8 Sanders.
It seems fitting that Michigan will be the opponent on Saturday when the 2002 team is honored because when ranking its 11 wins that season, the 34-9 beat-down in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the ninth game is arguably No. 1 on the list.
It was stunning how Iowa overpowered the Wolverines that late October day behind a combination of speed, power and finesse.
Few teams recruit better than Michigan does, but it was hard to tell on that day because Iowa dominated every phase of the game.
Iowa outgained Michigan 399-177 in total yards, and the Iowa defense sacked Michigan quarterback John Navarre five times.
Navarre also completed just 14-of-33 passes for 112 yards.
Iowa won the toss and elected to receive because Kirk Ferentz believed that his high-powered offense could set the tone early.
And that’s exactly what happened as the Hawkeyes marched down the field on their opening drive and scored a touchdown on a 39-yard receiver screen to speedy senior C.J. Jones, who is Banks’ cousin.
Backup running back Jermelle Lewis also had a breakout performance by rushing for over 100 yards.
Lewis was thrust into the spotlight that day due to Russell being hampered by an injury.
Michigan had homefield advantage and had won four straight heading into the 2002 game against Iowa.
But it didn’t matter as Iowa dominated from start to finish.
The last time the Wolverines had lost that badly at home was a 34-0 defeat to Michigan State on Oct. 14, 1967, two years before Bo Schembechler became the Michigan head coach.
“It was embarrassing,” said Michigan running back Chris Perry, who was held to 14 yards in nine carries in the 2002 game.
Iowa scored 21 straight points after Markus Curry fumbled a punt return in the third quarter, just after the Wolverines had cut the deficit to 10-9.
Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said that play was the game’s turning point.
“After that, it was tough sledding,” Carr said.

Iowa followed the win at Michigan with lopsided victories over Wisconsin (20-3), Northwestern (62-10) and Minnesota (45-21) to complete the regular season.
That set the stage for a matchup with the University of Southern California in the 2003 Orange Bowl.
USC was led by senior quarterback Carson Palmer, who edged Banks for the Heisman Trophy that season.
The game started in spectacular fashion as C.J. Jones returned the opening kick 100 yards for a touchdown.
The score was knotted at 10 at halftime, but then USC pulled away in the second half, winning, 38-17, behind a balanced offense that produced 303 passing yards and 247 rushing yards.
And though it was sad ending for the Hawkeyes, the season as a whole was an overwhelming success.
Kirk Ferentz had gone from losing 18 of his first 20 games as the Iowa head coach in 1999 and 2000 to winning a share of the Big Ten title and 11 games just two years later.

The Iowa program has been solid ever since, suffering just two losing seasons since 2002.
The players on the 2002 team are now in their late 30s and early 40s, while Kirk Ferentz is now 67 years old and the longest tenured FBS coach in the country with this being his 24th season as the Iowa head coach.
Most of the key players on 2002 team were lightly recruited in high school, and some were recruited to Iowa by previous head coach Hayden Fry, including offensive guard Eric Steinbach, who came to Iowa in 1998 as a tight end from Illinois, while Dallas Clark came as a walk-on under Fry.
That just added to the team’s appeal.
Kirk Ferentz has coached some great teams at Iowa, but a strong case could be made for the 2002 squad being his best.
The roster included some of the best players in program history and Iowa was rock-solid in all three phases as Nate Kaeding won the Lou Groza Award that season as the nation’s best kicker.
Dallas Clark and Eric Steinbach both earned consensus All-America honors in 2002, while Bob Sanders was well on his way to becoming a Hawkeye legend.
It was a team, and a season, that Kirk Ferentz will cherish forever.
“What a great group of guys,” Kirk Ferentz said. “And Brad is one of the great all-time stories and a great guy. Lot of great memories with that group. That was a fun team to be with,”