Josh Sash’s arrival at Iowa brings back Tyler Sash memories for Kirk Ferentz

WEST DES MOINES — As Kirk Ferentz drove from Iowa City to West Des Moines and entered a room across the corridor from the Marriott’s banquet hall, he smiled and shook hands with a familiar face.

The designated media room ahead of a Polk County I-Club event doubled as a reunion spot for Iowa’s 26-year head football coach and Josh Sash — one of Iowa men’s basketball’s new assistant coaches and, more notably for Ferentz, the brother of his former player Tyler Sash.

That brought back a few memories for Ferentz of the former Hawkeye defensive back standout who died tragically at age 27 in 2015. The first memory might be the one that comes to mind for many Hawkeye fans.

“I still go back to that Indiana game,” Ferentz said earlier this month.

The fourth-ranked and undefeated Hawkeyes were trailing Indiana, 21-7, in the third quarter. Indiana, with third-and-goal from the 2-yard line, appeared to be poised to take a three-possession lead.

Then came the turning point. Linebacker A.J. Edds applied pressure and got his hand on the ball. It then took several bounces — “that’s a pinball,” the ESPN color commentator exclaimed as he saw the replay — before Sash caught the interception and ran it for an 86-yard touchdown.

“We were in trouble,” Ferentz said. “We were in serious trouble in that game. And that’s the craziest play maybe I’ve ever seen in my life. ... All of a sudden, looks like we’re going to lose a game and Tyler’s running down for a touchdown.”

Ferentz’s other memory goes back to long before the late Sash became an all-Big Ten defensive back.

Josh Sash thinks Tyler was in “probably sixth grade” at the time. Ferentz’s “guess” was that he was in seventh grade. His exact age aside, what happened next was undoubtedly memorable.

“They were playing in some little tournament; I think it was in Sigourney,” Ferentz said. “Our son James was playing against Tyler’s team. And I went back to work on Monday, and I told our guys, ‘I think I saw the next Steve Alford in seventh grade.’”

Sash faced some significant competition other than just James Ferentz, an eventual three-year starter on Iowa’s offensive line in the early 2010s.

“James’ teammate was Matt Gatens — obviously was a pretty good basketball player,” Ferentz said. “There was a first-round draft pick in baseball on that team and James — three guys that ended up having pretty good careers.”

But Sash’s team won, with the future Hawkeye playing a starring role.

“And on the other team, Tyler’s team, they beat James’ team, 39-35, I think,” Ferentz said. “I think Tyler had like 35 of the 39 points. So I was like, ‘Who is this guy?’ I thought he could be a basketball phenom. Little did I know five years later we were going to be recruiting him as a football player.”

The Oskaloosa native became a three-year starter (and a 2009 Associated Press third-team All-American) for Ferentz’s program. He set program records for career and single-season interception yards — records that still stand today — before leaving for the NFL following the 2010 season.

“He was a special athlete all the way around,” Josh Sash said of his brother minutes before the informal reunion with Ferentz.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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