Big Ten foes share thoughts on Iowa's protected rivalries, Cade McNamara, Kinnick environment

INDIANAPOLIS — When Luke Reimer walks into Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium, “it means something” that he can see the Heroes Trophy there.

“It’s a huge honor to have,” Reimer said of the Iowa-Nebraska traveling trophy. “We don’t like Iowa. They don’t like us. We respect the crap out of them. They’re a good program with a great culture. … We enjoy the rivalry.”

The Nebraska-Iowa football rivalry is protected as part of the Big Ten’s “Flex Protect Plus” scheduling plan through at least 2025. The coaches from the other two schools Iowa has protected rivalries with — Minnesota and Wisconsin — had different thoughts on the importance of the rivalry.

Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck said holding onto the Floyd of Rosedale rivalry with Iowa, along with the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe with Wisconsin, is “incredibly important for our fan base.”

“It's important for our tradition, the pageantry of college football,” Fleck said. “The Big Ten got it right when you're protecting those rivalries.”

As for the Heartland Trophy game, the Big Ten discussed protected rivalries in one of Wisconsin Coach Luke Fickell’s first conference-wide meetings with the other head coaches.

“I didn’t say a word,” Fickell said. “I’m a first-year guy.”

His lack of tenure aside, Fickell considers himself a “traditionalist” as someone who grew up watching the Big Ten.

“But I also recognize and understand that the evolution of the things that we're doing,” Fickell said. “I still think it's a little bit tricky to say that you keep two and so-and-so keeps one and so-and-so keeps none.”

Iowa has three — Nebraska, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Wisconsin has two — Iowa and Minnesota. Penn State does not have any.

“To some people, they’re incredibly important,” Fickell said. “To some people, obviously they’re not.”

High praise for Cade McNamara from former coach

Cade McNamara’s move from Michigan to Iowa has not dampened Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh’s "great love“ for his former quarterback.

Harbaugh recalled the time Michigan was trailing Rutgers by 17 points in 2020. McNamara replaced Joe Milton III, who had been 5-of-12 to start the game. McNamara was 27-of-36 with four touchdowns and no interceptions.

“He went into the game, and it was just like the spark — throwing the ball with no conscience and just playing free,” Harbaugh said. “From that moment on that was the player he was.”

Harbaugh still is “pulling hard for Cade, praying for Cade.”

“He would be one of those great Michigan men,” Harbaugh said in his extended, nontelevised news conference. “Now he’s a Hawkeye, but that love hasn’t changed.”

Illinois sometimes ‘knew what was coming’ from Iowa’s offense

Unlike fellow first-year coaches Luke Fickell and Matt Rhule, Purdue’s Ryan Walters has some recent familiarity with Iowa from his time as defensive coordinator at Illinois.

His Illini held the Hawkeyes to only six points in 2022.

“There were just certain moments in the game where, formationally or tendency-wise, we kind of knew what was coming,” Walters said.

Illinois’ players “embraced the adverse moments in that game” as well, Walters said.

The first-year Purdue head coach also has plenty of respect for Kirk Ferentz, who is approaching his 25th season as head coach at Iowa.

“To maintain that level of success and be able to field teams that compete at that level year in and year out has been remarkable,” Walters said.

Kinnick trash talk

The Kinnick Stadium crowd, along with its proximity to the opposing sidelines, has developed a reputation with opposing players.

Minnesota tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford recalls how the fans “can call you out by name.”

“Let’s say you drop something on the sidelines,” Spann-Ford said. “What are you doing, 88? How did you drop that?”

Trash talk aside, Spann-Ford called the Iowa Wave “one of the best traditions in college football.”

“The Wave is extremely cool to be a part of that,” Spann-Ford said.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com