Iowa Football: Hawks seize locker room fodder

IOWA CITY - The transcript of Northwestern Coach Pat Fitzgerald's weekly news conference is making the rounds in the Iowa football program.

Although Fitzgerald didn't say anything too inflammatory, the questions caught the eye of Iowa players, including cornerback Shaun Prater.

One question reads, “On the potential of posting a statement win vs. Iowa ...” Prater said the words “statement win” have founds their way throughout the locker room.

“We have quotes hanging up in the bathroom and in our locker,” Prater said. “It's hanging up all over the place.

“I'm not sure who puts it up. It's probably Coach (Chris) Doyle (Iowa's strength and conditioning coach).”

Northwestern has beaten Iowa four of the last five years. Fitzgerald did nothing but compliment Iowa's program in his news conference. Still those words resonate with players like Prater.

“It shows how much they care about beating us and knocking us off and trying to keep on making it a tough game year after year,” Prater said. “They're a smart physical team, and they pride themselves on giving us the toughest game possible.”

Robinson to return

Sophomore running back Adam Robinson is set to return after missing Saturday's game with an apparent concussion.

“As far as I know, he's practicing today and he's training; ran on Sunday, lifted and all that stuff,” Coach Kirk Ferentz said. “So he's fine to go.”

Ferentz declined to describe Robinson's injury saying “He was injured. He's fine.”

Freshman Marcus Coker started Saturday and gaining 129 yards on 22 carries.

Parker eases back

Norm Parker is easing himself back in the daily football grind after nearly two months of health-related issues for Iowa's defensive coordinator.

“He's been in this week on a very limited basis right now and he's going through therapy,” Ferentz said.

Parker, 69, was hospitalized Sept. 10 with diabetes-related complications and later had his right foot amputated.

Ferentz said it's possible Parker could attend Saturday's game at Northwestern.

“I don't know if he'll make the trip or not,” Ferentz said. “There's a chance of that, and it's very limited but it's a great first step, certainly.”

Tight ending

One week after tight ends combined for seven of Iowa's 11 catches, that position was nearly invisible in the statistics sheet against Indiana.

Allen Reisner caught one pass for no yards he the only tight end to catch a pass. Reisner said the opportunities were limited because Iowa was running the ball.

“I think that's just how it happened,” Reisner said. “I think we ran the ball pretty well there, so we were just going with the flow I think at the time.

“They were really keying on the checkdowns and stuff like that, which a lot of my routes come off of. That's just how the game plan worked out last week.”