Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker wins Broyles Award, which recognizes best assistant coach in college football

IOWA CITY — Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker is the 2023 recipient of the Broyles Award, which recognizes the best assistant coach in college football.

Parker is the first Iowa coach to win the award. The late Norm Parker, Phil Parker’s predecessor, was a finalist in 2004 and 2005, but that was the closest Iowa was to having a coach win the award.

“It’s an honor,” Phil Parker said on the KATV broadcast of the award ceremony. “You don’t do it for the awards. You do it for the people, the kids that you’re coaching.”

Phil Parker has been Iowa’s defensive coordinator since 2012 and its defensive backs coach since 1999.

Iowa’s defense has thrived under Parker’s leadership. The Hawkeyes rank second in the country with 3.99 yards allowed per play after ranking first the year before in the statistic. Since 2009, Iowa has an NCAA-best 234 interceptions.

“Phil Parker is an incredible football coach, and I am extremely pleased that he has been recognized for his career success by the Broyles Committee,” Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz said. “We simply would not have achieved the success we have as a program without Phil’s dedication and leadership.”

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