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#Iowa football accused of treating black players ‘unfairly’

Iowa football accused of treating black players ‘unfairly’

June 6, 2020 | 1:02pm

The voices of its former black players are forcing the Iowa football program to take a look in the mirror.

Bears offensive lineman James Daniels, who was drafted out of Iowa in 2018, got the conversation started Friday night with a tweet.

“There are too many racial disparities in the Iowa football program,” Daniels wrote. “Black players have been treated unfairly for far too long.”

Many former Hawkeyes tweeted or texted their own experiences back to Daniels.

“I remember whenever walking into the facility it would be difficult for black players to walk around the facility and be themselves,” wrote former Iowa safety Amani Hooker, who was drafted by the Titans in 2019. “As if the way you grew up was the wrong way or wasn’t acceptable & that you would be judge[d] by that and it would impact playing time.”

“I remember when I used to wear my tank tops in the facility, I used to get called in the coaches office because I had too much tattoos and it wasn’t the ‘Iowa culture’ or the ‘Iowa Way,’” tweeted former defensive back Marcel Joly.

The comments came as Black Lives Matter protests continue to engulf the country following the death of George Floyd.

Iowa
James Daniels playing for Iowa in 2017AP

In a tweet that he has since deleted, running back Toren Young said black players at Iowa had to learn to “conform to white culture” when inside the football facility, according to ESPN.

“I stand with my fellow Hawkeye Brothers advocating for a cultural shift in the Iowa Football Program,” former defensive back Jordan Lomax tweeted. “We were disproportionately represented as a result of black players leaving prematurely due to either double standards or the inability of the coaching staff to relate with our culture. I have much respect for KF [Kirk Ferentz] and other coaches on the staff as men of great integrity, principles, & morals and I am confident they have the ability be a part of the solution. As my brother @Faith_Joseph already mentioned, “the change starts in the weight room.”

The 64-year-old Ferentz, who has been the head coach at Iowa since 1999, issued a statement Friday night as the responses kept piling up, pledging to have conversations with those players and hear their concerns.

“I am saddened to hear these comments from some of our former players,” Ferentz said. “While I wish they had reached out to us directly, I am thankful that these players decided to share their experiences now. As I said earlier this week, the best way to affect change is by listening. I have started reaching out to them on an individual basis to hear their stories first hand.

“Making change that matters involves an open dialogue and possibly some tough conversations. I am glad to have the opportunity to do just that. As a staff and as leaders, we will listen and take to heart the messages we hear.”

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