Tuesday Talk -- No-shave Sash a Thorpe semifinalist

Up to Norm

Norm Parker won't make the trip with the Hawkeyes this week. He was in the pressbox last week, but he remains in Cedar Rapids going through rehabilitation for another week or so after having his right foot amputated because of diabetic complications.

When he was transported last weekend, he had a cast on his left foot.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz wants Parker, 69, involved with the team as long as Parker wants to be involved.

"All I'm going to do is encourage him to stay here, but I won't do it to the point where he feels like he's letting anyone down when he walks away," Ferentz said. "That's his decision all the way. It's kind of like a guy who gets a job offer on our stay. I'm never going to tell a guy, don't leave. That's their decision to make.

"In the meantime, Norm in any role here is what we're looking for. I think we've all agreed on that. That's how I feel. He can be here in any role."

NCAA rules dictate that football teams have nine assistant coaches. Parker would hold one of those spots if he wants to be around the players.

"I'll gladly use his spot for whatever role he wants to serve," Ferentz said. "I said this before, I told him I don't care if he goes out to the practice field. If he just sits in and and watches tape and runs meetings, meets with the players. As long as there's that interaction, that's the biggest thing."

Running with the bulls

Running off the field was a topic today.

Ferentz said it's OK to be mobbed at home, but on the road it probably means you lost. He does sort of a dead sprint as close to the sideline walls as possible. Also, he has the benefit of a SWAT team leading him off.

"Recently, I think I've had about 10 bodyguards, for whatever reason," he said. "But the best way to get out is to go right to the wall and right down. That's the best way to get out. I learned that in the '80s."

He'd sprint, but there's no room.

"If you can, [you do]. I have this entourage now, so it's almost ridiculous," Ferentz said. "I don't have to. I can't because there's so many people around."

Quarterback Ricky Stanzi's helmet takes a beating.

"It's always chaos when the fans rush the field," Stanz said. "Sometimes, they're more physical than the team, when they're hitting you on the head. It's insane."

Last Saturday, Stanzi tossed a wrist band into the crowd. A boy caught it.

"I figure we have a ton of those laying around, why can't he have one," Stanzi said. "I'll just bother the equipment manager to get a new one."

And then, just before he was up the tunnel and out of the crush, a woman grabbed him and shoved a wrist band in his hands. He took it and he's wearing it.

"She started yelling and said, 'Can you wear this for my kid,' " Stanzi said. "I said, Yeah, sure."

The band says, "Just try and ruin my day."

"I don't know what it means or who it's for, but it's on my wrist," Stanzi said. "I told her I'd wear it, so I'd feel bad if I didn't have it on."

Little big man

No, Iowa defensive tackle Mike Daniels isn't little. He's 6-foot-1, 275 pounds. The only place on the planet where that may be considered on the small side is the line of scrimmage in a major-college or NFL game.

So, the plan for an undersized lineman going up against a gargantuan O-lineman is . . .

"Hit them in the mouth early and let them know it's going to be a long day," Daniels said.

That simple?

"Yeah."

That is part of the Iowa D-line's technique. Hit, it's kind of the point of the thing.

"The technique coach K (D-line coach Rick Kaczenski) teaches is flawless," Daniels said. "It gives you confidence out there, whether you're 5-foot-11 or 6-foot-5, 240 or 300. It doesn't matter who they have going up against you. The way we're coached here, we know we can go up against anybody.

"It's like being in a street fight with somebody. You're in a street fight, you give them that first good crack. They know it's going to be a long day."

Scary moment

The last time the Hawkeyes visited Indiana, Daniels played some mop up at the end and passed out on the turf just before jogging off the field.

Medical personnel gathered around. He eventually got up and walked off under his own power.

This was when Daniels just started to see some playing time as a true freshman. It was a warm, mid-October day, too.

It was a scary moment.

"That was pretty bad," Daniels said. "I'd like to think I'm in better shape now to go out there this year."

Daniels' collapse got the attention of Ferentz, who jogged over to make sure Daniels was OK.

"It was hard to catch your breathe and it was really hot playing on turf for the first time like that in the whole college football experience," Daniels said. "That's why you're able to respect somebody like James [Morris]. He comes in as a freshman and he takes care of business like that."

No shave November

Safety Tyler Sash is participating in something called "No Shave November."

"Yes, just started two days ago," Sash said.

The topic came up following Sash's appearance on the Big Ten Network on Monday night. He discussed his lateral to cornerback Micah Hyde that eventually went for a score and shut down Michigan State.

He was a little stiff maybe.

"I was just following directions," he said. "I guess you could say I don't have a career in broadcasting. I don't think I'll have a career in broadcasting."

First career reception

WR Marvin McNutt made the jump to wide receiver in 2008 as a redshirt freshman. He caught one pass that season, an 11-yarder at Indiana.

He remembers it well.

"I remember everything about it," McNutt said. "It was a read route. I believe Jake (Christensen) threw it to me. He put me in good position and I fell right after that. I could've scored a touchdown."

Sash a Thorpe semifinalist

From UI sports info:

SASH NAMED JIM THORPE SEMI-FINALIST

IOWA CITY, IOWA – University of Iowa junior defensive back Tyler Sash has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2010 Jim Thorpe Award. The award is given annually to the nation's top collegiate defensive back. The announcement came today from the Jim Thorpe Award screening committee. It's the second straight year Sash has made the semifinal list.

Sash is a 6-1, 210-pounder from Oskaloosa, IA. He has started 32 games in his Hawkeye career, including the last 29. He currently ranks fifth in the Iowa record books with 13 career interceptions. Last week he intercepted a Michigan State pass and lateralled it back to Micah Hyde for a touchdown (total distance of 72 yards). The play came in Iowa's 37-6 win over the fifth-ranked Spartans.

Sash holds the Iowa record and ranks fourth in the Big Ten record books with 392 interception return yards. He led Iowa with six interceptions last year. He has 186 career tackles that includes 48 stops this year. He has helped Iowa's 2010 defense rank fifth nationally in rushing defense (84.5), eighth in scoring defense (14.5) and 12th in total defense (292.3).

The 2010 semi-finalists are:

Prince Amukamara, Sr., Nebraska

Tejay Johnson, Sr., TCU

Mark Barron, Jr., Alabama

Joe Lefeged, Sr., Rutgers

Chimdi Chekwa, Sr., Ohio State

Rahim Moore, Jr., UCLA

Brandon Harris, Jr., Miami (FL)

Patrick Peterson, Jr., LSU

Cliff Harris, Soph., Oregon

Tyler Sash, Jr., Iowa

The Jim Thorpe Award is one of college football's most sought after and prestigious awards. It is named after history's greatest all-around athlete, a man who excelled as a running back, passer and kicker on offense, but also was an awesome defensive back. Recognized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame simply as “The Legend”, Thorpe also played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon.

The announcement of the Jim Thorpe Award winner will be featured on The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards live on Thursday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Thorpe Award winner will be announced on the show and the official presentation will be at a formal banquet in Oklahoma City on February 7, 2011.