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Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker prefers football with hitting and tackling
Parker is 40 years removed from playing in one of the more-memorable games in Kinnick Stadium history … for the visiting team
Aug. 13, 2025 6:00 am
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IOWA CITY — Questions and answers with Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker. entering his 27th season on the Hawkeyes’ football staff:
What’s the first thing you ask high school recruits?
“I like to find out if they like the game of football and how many years they’ve been playing. Because I think the more years they’ve been playing, they’re more invested.”
Who are the best offensive coordinator and quarterback that you’ve coached against?
“I’ve always thought in the Big Ten, the guy I thought was always a challenge to defend was Paul Chryst at Wisconsin. The things they did in their offense, the misdirections, the leverage and trying to get you out-leveraged. I think he’s probably been the best.
“Every quarterback gives me troubles. Really, they all give me troubles any time they can throw the ball. You know, there's a lot of good players out there.”
Your team has had a pick-6 (an interception return for a touchdown) 17 years in a row. Do you know who’s got a longer streak? There’s one team that does.“
“I don’t even keep track of that.”
(It’s Utah, with 21 straight seasons.)
“What do you remember about playing here in 1984 and 1985?
(A three-time first-team All-Big Ten safety for Michigan State, Parker’s Spartans won 17-16 in 1984 and lost 35-31 in 1985, with both games in Kinnick Stadium. They barely kept Iowa quarterback Chuck Long from converting a 2-point conversion with 44 seconds left in ’84, then saw Long score on a 2-yard keeper for the win with :27 left in ’85.)
“The Chuck Long ’85 bootleg, is that what you want me to say? That’s the one that I kind of remember. I happened to be on the sideline on the Chuck Long bootleg, next to Norm.
“It was kind of weird, because that was like the first time me and Norm were strategizing.”
(Norm Parker was Michigan State’s defensive coordinator from 1983 to 1994. Phil Parker was Norm Parker’s defensive backs coach at Iowa from 1999 until Norm retired after the 2011 season).
The year before, do you remember what happened?
“What happened? I don’t know.”
Your team stopped Long inches from the goal line.
“Oh, that’s right. I think Coach (Hayden Fry) thought he scored or something like that.
“They’re two great games.”
Who’s the most-famous person from Lorain, Ohio?
“Besides Reese Morgan?”
(Like Parker, former Iowa assistant football coach Morgan grew up in Lorain, a half-hour west of Cleveland. Some in Lorain might suggest the better answer is the late Toni Morrison, who was awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature, a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom).
Is football the best game?
“I think it's an interesting game because it takes 11 guys on each side to try to operate. And I think that's the important thing about it.
“But I think it’s getting to be more of an entertainment business. People want points on the board, and if you don't have points on the board you don't get advertisers. And you’ve got to keep people interested in the stands and stuff like that instead of just going out and playing the old-school football and you’re allowed to hit guys and tackle guys.”
You’re 62, right?
“Yeah, I think so.”
You're eligible for Social Security. Are you going to wait to draw it?
“I don't know. I really haven't talked to my financial guy about that. I did talk to my wife about it, but I don't think we (really) talked about it. I was going to ask (Bill) Belichick or Kirk (Ferentz) or Pete Carroll. I was going to see if they started drawing theirs. I mean, they’ve been on Social Security since, what, 62, 63, and they’re 70, 74?
“I don't know if it's the right time, but let me know if I should.”
Are you related to Sarah Jessica Parker?
“Serrica?”
Sarah Jessica Parker.
“Where does she live?”
New York.
“I don’t think so.”
How many passes did Army throw in the Cherry Bowl?
(In 1984, Army defeated Parker’s Michigan State team, 10-6, in the inaugural Cherry Bowl in Pontiac, Mich.)
“I think two.”
Correct.
“And do you know the other story to that? Fifty percent of the passes they threw were intercepted.”
Who got the pick?
“Can’t tell you that.”
So it wasn’t you?
“It could be.”
If it were you, wouldn’t you remember that?
“I don’t remember that. Look it up.”
It was him.
Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com
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