By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Before answering questions from the media on Wednesday, Kirk Ferentz had a list of players written on a sheet of paper that he wanted to recognize.

None of them play quarterback, so it’s unlikely that all of their names would have come up during the 15-minute question-and-answer session since most of the attention was focused on the competition at quarterback.

So Ferentz made it a point to pay tribute to some of his veteran players who have made big strides during preseason practice.

The names he mentioned were offensive linemen Jack Dotzler, Michael Myslinski, Leighton Jones and Cael Winter, defensive linemen Will Hubert and Luke Gaffney, linebacker Landyn Van Kekerix, and receivers Dayton Howard and Jarriett Buie.

Those nine players are either in their fourth or fifth year in the program, but haven’t played much to this point.

“Some guys that nobody really talks about for obvious reasons, but I think you’re going to see those guys playing a lot of football for us,” Ferentz said.

Ferentz then shifted his attention to the situation at quarterback because he knew that’s what was on everybody’s mind.

But as a head coach, Ferentz is responsible for all of his players and nobody appreciates a veteran player staying the course and rising up the depth chart more than Kirk Ferentz does.

He certainly didn’t have to mention those nine players on Wednesday, but he did as a way to recognize their hard work, resolve and perseverance.

Jarriett Buie, for example, missed all of last season with what was described as soft tissue injuries.

The Florida native is now finally healthy again and has made an impression in preseason camp.

“The other guy I would mention is Jarriett Buie, who last year basically was in the witness protection program,” Ferentz said. “He had a lot of soft tissue issues and just couldn’t stay on the field.

“And since January, he’s been out there working hard and definitely is in our rotation.”

Iowa added a record 16 players from the transfer portal this offseason to help offset the loss of so many key players from last season, including eight starters on defense.

Rosters now change significantly from one season to the next as players come and go.

So the ones who have stayed the course, even without playing much, have earned Kirk Ferentz’s respect and admiration for putting the team first.

The chance to highlight those players might even be one of the reasons Ferentz met briefly with the media on Wednesday.

Will Hubert and Luke Gaffney both came to Iowa as walk-ons and have mostly been buried on the depth chart.

However, with Iowa having to replace all four starters on the defensive line from last season, Hubert and Gaffney are now in the mix for playing time. They both have waited for their chance to contribute, and now they’re being rewarded for their loyalty and patience.

Every team has star players who bask in the spotlight, but it also takes more than just star players to be successful.

Iowa’s culture is built around a team-first mentality in which every player matters as Kirk Ferentz pointed out with the names he had scribbled on a sheet of paper.

Iowa has a strong history of player retention, even in this age of the transfer portal and NIL, and so much goes into creating and sustaining that kind of stability.

Sometimes, it’s just little things that make a difference, like writing down a few names on a sheet of paper and sharing those names with the media.

It was a classy move by the head Hawk.

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Tyler Brown update: Iowa defensive back Tyler Brown is dealing with a soft tissue injury that will likely keep him from playing in the Sept. 5 season opener against Northern Illinois.

“I think it’s very iffy right now,” Ferentz said. “It’s a pretty significant soft tissue deal. So we’ll play that one by ear.”

Brown is in his first season at Iowa after transferring from James Madison where he started all 14 games at free safety last season, finishing with 80 tackles, including five for loss (one sack), one interception and six pass break-ups. The Annapolis, Maryland native also had six or more tackles in eight games.

Ferentz said Brown suffered the injury at the end of Iowa’s summer program.

“So he hasn’t been out there since spring,” Ferentz said.