Phil Parker, who served as defensive backs coach at the University of Iowa for 14 seasons, is in his 12th season as defensive coordinator in 2023, the longest tenured coach at that position in the nation… Iowa is 7-2 this season and leading the Big Ten West Division… Iowa has won 15 of its last 16 games in November and is 12-3 overall in its last 15 games played dating back to last season…ranked 13th nationally in red-zone defense, sixth in passing efficiency defense, eighth in scoring defense, 22nd in passing yards allowed and 23rd in total defense in 2023… three defenders have been named to midseason All-America team: DB Cooper DeJean (Associated Press, ESPN, The Athletic, FOX); LB Jay Higgins (Associated Press, Sporting News, FOX); Sebastian Castro (Associated Press)…Iowa has 226 interceptions since the start of the 2009 season — tied with Alabama for the most nationally in that span…Iowa’s defense has allowed 400 yards or less in 22 straight games dating back to the 2021 season — the longest active streak nationally…An Iowa defender has registered a pick-six in each of the last 16 consecutive seasons, including 2023. The streak is the second longest active streak in the country (Utah)… the Hawkeyes have top-six scoring defenses nationally in three of the past four years. The scoring defense has ranked in the top 20 in the nation in each of the last eight years… has had five players win the Big Ten Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year since 2012: Micah Hyde, 2012; Desmond King, 2015; Josh Jackson, 2017; Amani Hooker, 2018; Riley Moss, 2021)… last year (2022) LB Jack Campbell was the recipient of the Dick Butkus Award and the William V. Campbell Trophy…Iowa’s 3.986 yards per play during the 2022 season were the lowest by any team at the FBS level since Florida State’s 3.853 in 2012… aprinciple of Parker’s defense is to limit explosive plays, forcing the offense to sustain a drive. Iowa surrendered just 15 explosive plays out of 883 defensive snaps over 13 games during the 2022 season…the Hawkeye defense was well represented in the 2023 NFL Draft. Van Ness (Green Bay) and Campbell (Detroit) were first-round selections. In addition, Moss was a third-round selection of the Denver Broncos. Benson (Denver) and defensive back Kaevon Merriweather (Tampa Bay) each signed free agent contracts immediately following the draft.
