Trick or Treat: Iowa is 8-0 after 31-15 win over Maryland ... CFP is two months off on 12/31/15

Iowa City, IA -- The #10 Iowa Hawkeyes (8-0, 4-0 B1G West) may being putting a scare into the College Football Playoff picture, after a 31-15 win over Maryland (2-6, 0-4 B1G East) to remain undefeated and in the hunt for the Big Ten Championship, which could lead to a remarkable date in the College Football Playoff. College Football is two months away from New Years Eve and the semi-final games.

Two happy Hawkeye fans, as Iowa AD Gary Barta enjoys a chat with PGA
golfer Zach Johnson, who enjoyed the role of honorary captain for today's game.

With the victory over Maryland, Iowa junior QB C.J. Beathard moves to 9-0 as a Hawkeye starter, after replacing departed QB Jake Rudock in the starting lineup in 2015. Beathard is 4-0 at home, 5-0 on the road, as the Hawkeyes hit the road @ Indiana (4-4, 0-4 B1G East) next Saturday, in Bloomington. The Hoosiers enjoyed a bye week today, ahead of the B1G game with Iowa.

PGA golfer and Iowan Zach Johnson enjoyed serving as honorary captain, as
the Hawkeyes took care of business on the Kinnick Stadium field with a 31-15
win over Maryland to move to 8-0 on the season.

Iowa Kirk Ferentz commented after the game, how a sports commentator compared the 2015 Iowa Football team to the play of Zach Johnson on the PGA. Iowa has never hit the heights of Augusta or The Open Championship, but in two months, four programs will kickoff on New Year's Eve, in this year's College Football Playoff. At 8-0, the Iowa Hawkeyes are on a path, if they can win out in Big Ten play, with four more regular season games. If Iowa wins out and wins the Big Ten Championship, they may hit the heights of Zach Johnson on the gridiron.

Enjoy Iowa Football, but remember to 'Think Before You Drink'

"Our fans are the nation's best--they are enthusiastic and respectful of others.
Many of our fans consume alcohol on game days, and they do so responsibly.
However, a small minority drink too much and cause problems for themselves and
others. To those folks, we say, `Please think before you drink. Don't put a
black eye on the black and gold.'" ~ Gary Barta, U of Iowa AD

The initiative means that UI Police and other officers will be enforcing some new rules and stepping up enforcement of others:

• Consumption of alcoholic beverages in UI parking lots and ramps will be allowed for only one hour after each game, and all tailgating activities must end two hours after the game. In addition, no after-game consumption of alcohol will be allowed for the Oct. 2 night game against Penn State.
• After the game, police will be emphasizing impaired driving enforcement, which may include vehicle safety checkpoints, increased road patrols, and OWI enforcement teams.
• The UI encourages all drivers to be safe and sober on their way home.
• Iowa City's open container ordinance will be strictly enforced. That law prohibits people from carrying open beer, wine and "hard" lemonades on public sidewalks and roads.
  Police will have no tolerance for persons urinating in public.

UI unveils new football game day initiative - ‎UI The Daily Iowan
With the Iowa football season less than three ... event for everyone who comes and enjoys the Hawkeye football games."

Iowa's new tailgating rules set to 'focus on the knuckleheads' ‎ - USA Today

University of Iowa police to crack down on unruly drinking at ... ‎ - WQAD

New Iowa Football Game Rules Clamp Down on Drinking ‎ - KCRG

Hawk Fans Urged to 'Think Before They Drink' - University of Iowa

The message boards have gone back and forth on the proposals. Will it impede on one's Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness that fans of the Black & Gold thrive for on Iowa GameDay? Most of the items on the list are common sense. For an 11:00 am start, not sure why rushing fans out, who want to continue to eat and be merry is necessary, but time will tell.

peace

Iowa welcomes the Fran McCaffery era of Hawkeye Basketball for 2010-11

Athletic director Gary Barta introduced Siena head coach Fran McCaffery as the new head coach of the Iowa Hawkeye basketball program. Video of today's media conference introducing the new coach.

Talk about a 'good fit' for Iowa basketball in the introduction of Fran McCaffery. He received a six year contract starting at $1.1 million that will move to $1.35 million, with incentives and escalation clauses.

He has more experience recruiting in the State of Iowa and playing at Carver-Hawkeye Arena than his two predecessors had entering the Iowa job.

peace

It's Great to be a Hawkeye: Iowa City will soon welcome Fran McCaffery to Iowa Basketball

News is that Gary Barta, Iowa's AD, has extended the Iowa basketball position to Fran McCaffery, who has been head coach the past five seasons at Siena College, a Jesuit university.

Who will be the next Hawkeye basketball coach? - The Gazette
Several media reports confirm Siena Coach Fran McCaffery has accepted the Iowa coaching job ...

Report: McCaffery to Iowa ‎- WNYT
Iowa is expected to announce the move Monday in Iowa City, Iowa. McCaffery will replace Todd Lickliter, who was fired two weeks ago after the Hawkeyes' ...

Like Dr. Tom Davis, who coached at Iowa for 13 years, McCaffery brings a strong East Coast resume to Iowa City. Like Dr. Tom, McCaffery has been a head coach previously at three other schools. McCaffery has eleven years of coaching in the Midwest, as an 11 year assistant at Notre Dame. McCaffery lead Lehigh, UNC-Greensboro and Siena all to the NCAA Tournament, including three straight trips at Siena.

He may not have the doctorate, like Dr. Tom, but he has an Ivy League education on his resume, from Penn. We would imagine that Fran McCaffery knows a little about teaching young men the game of basketball and about life. Always an important skill for an Iowa head basketball coach. Always important at the 28 Jesuit universities found the USA.

Dr. Tom and Coach Fran were head coaches at Jesuit universities. Dr. Tom at Boston College, while McCaffery has been the past five seasons at Siena. Jesuit universities have great history in college basketball, from Georgetown to Gonzaga. Creighton is the closest Jesuit university to Iowa City.

Ironically, Iowa could have hired a Jesuit coach from Creighton (Dana Altman) three years ago, but settled for Butler's Todd Lickliter. Iowa's two previous coaches, Licklter and Steve Alford, had only coached at one Division I university previous to becoming the head coach at Iowa.

Coach Fran, like Dr. Tom, has coached at three universities in the past prior to coming to Iowa City. Of course, nothing is official yet, but multiple sources from The Gazette's article have confirmed, 'Fran is the Man' for the University of Iowa's basketball position.

We are excited about the choice, after reports that Dayton's Brian Gregory were heard. It appears that Iowa's AD Gary Barta didn't want to lose on the opportunity to hire Fran McCaffery, who was mentioned for other jobs opening in 2010, as the two articles below highlight.

Coaching carousel chatter ‎ESPN (blog) - Andy Katz
Iowa was extremely interested in Gregory, so this move is odd for them if he's truly the top choice. Iowa has talked to McCaffery and he remains a finalist ...

Skinner to St. John's in a holding pattern ‎Boston Globe
McCaffery, meanwhile, may be out as a possibility at St. John's since he has emerged as the leading candidate for the opening at the University of Iowa, ...

We look forward to the official announcement on Monday that Fran McCaffery will be the University of Iowa's next head men's basketball coach. The rebuilding job will be McCaffery's who brings a strong resume to the table for the Hawkeyes men's program. Official announcement with Media is Monday.

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What's up in Iowa City with the head men's basketball position and the 2010-11 basketball roster?

Who will replace coach Todd Lickliter in Iowa City?

Many fans want a big name, such as former Iowa assistant and current Tennessee head coach, Bruce Pearl. Others suggest that Pearl is not realistic, but maybe his #2 assistant, originally from Lone Tree, Iowa, would be?

Who will remain and make up the 2010-11 Iowa basketball roster after the new coach is signed?

Payne: Players likely to return - Iowa Press -Citizen

Spring Break has just ended for both the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa.

When rumors began flying around that coach Todd Lickliter was not going to be retained for his fourth season at Iowa, two names were mentioned. The first was a former Iowa graduate and current Providence coach Keno Davis. The other is leading his team into the Sweet 16 and resides just up the road (80 miles) at the University of Northern Iowa, coach Ben Jacobsen.

Iowa athletic director Gary Barta has his work cut out for himself. Firing an Iowa coach, even after a poor 10-22 season, when four more years remain on his contract, doesn't fly real well in Iowa City. There is a lot of speculation to the reasons why?

The bottom line is Iowa needs a fresh start, with a new head coach in men's basketball. As the women face #1 seed Stanford in the second round tonight of the women's NCAA Tournament, many Hawkeye fans will be interested to know, what is Gary Barta going to deliver for a men's basketball coach in 2010?

peace

University of Iowa looking into return trip to Chicago's Soldier Field

The Iowa vs. Northern Illinois game over Labor Day weekend in 2007 was a great game for the fans. Iowa's AD Gary Barta apparently is eyeing a return to Chicago and Soldier's Field, if the right regional opponent can be secured for 2010.

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