COACHES BATTLE FOR BIG BUCKS
Iowa wins the overall financial battle of the assistant coaches, but Iowa State wins a couple of one-on-one comparisons.
Hawkeye coach Kirk Ferentz's 10-person staff, including strength coach Chris Doyle, averages $188,000 in guaranteed yearly salary. Cyclone assistants average $146,000. Interestingly, though, Iowa State coordinators make more than their counterparts at Iowa.
Cyclone offensive coordinator Robert McFarland's salary is $283,250, and defensive coordinator Wayne Bolt makes $257,500. Hawkeye coordinators Ken O'Keefe on offense and Norm Parker on defense earn $236,385 each. McFarland and Bolt are in their second seasons at Iowa State. O'Keefe and Parker came to Iowa with Ferentz in 1999.
LIKE FATHER, UNLIKE SON
Dave Greenwood lettered for Iowa State between 1974 and '76, during this rivalry's 42-year hiatus. His son, Brett, starts at safety for Iowa.
Dad played every position on the offensive line for head coach Earle Bruce, eventually settling at guard. Brett, a sophomore, actually hasn't participated in this game, either. Despite playing 11 of 12 games, and starting the final seven last season, an injury forced him to the sidelines for the Big Game.
CALLING THE SHOTS
So who wins the game, won 15-13 last season by Iowa State on a last-play, 28-yard field goal by Bret (Shaggy) Culbertson? Let's ask the radio "voice" of both teams - Iowa State's John Walters and Iowa's Gary Dolphin.
Iowa State 20-17, says Walters. "The Ghost of Shaggy. Former Linn-Mar of Marion prep Grant Mahoney kicks a game-winning field goal in the final minute."
Iowa 21-13, predicts Dolphin. "Iowa has a better running game. Although talented, Iowa State's playing a lot of young guys. It'll be their first time in front of a hostile environment."
FRESHMEN FACE FACTS
The Cyclones and Hawkeyes played a combined 18 true freshmen in the season's opening week. Receiver Sedrick Johnson, from Troup, Texas, was among 11 Iowa State players who made their debuts - the second-highest total nationally, behind Southern Methodist's 13. Johnson, who caught a touchdown pass against South Dakota State, and his classmates will play their first college road game at Kinnick Stadium. "I haven't had 80,000 people booing me," Johnson said. "So it's going to be a different thing."
Actually, Kinnick will hold just over 70,000.
A TELEVISION STAPLE
The Cy-Hawk rivalry will air on the Big Ten Network at 11 a.m. That makes this the seventh time in 11 years the showdown will air live on a national network. ESPN and Fox are among the networks to have telecast the game. On Sept. 17, 1977, ABC covered the series renewal after 43 seasons.
"We hope you're comfortable," play-by-play announcer Chris Schenkel told his audience. "When the ball is touched in the field in play, the clock will start, resuming a rivalry long overdue."
IT WAS A CYCLONE DECADE
Friday will mark the 10th anniversary of a watershed moment in the history of the Cy-Hawk series.
Iowa's streak of 15 straight wins over Iowa State came to an end on Sept. 12, 1998. The Cyclones, coached by Dan McCarney, won 27-9. Darren Davis rushed for 244 yards, while Iowa was held to 42 yards on the ground. "Every time I touched the ball," Davis said, "I saw 5 yards of open space."
Iowa State won seven of the next 10, including last year's 15-13 thriller.
CAN CHIZIK KEEP IT GOING?
Last year, Gene Chizik became the first Cyclone coach to win his first game against Iowa since Charles Mayser in 1915. The last time an Iowa State coach opened 2-0 against the Hawkeyes came when co-coaches Bert German and Glenn "Pop" Warner in 1895 and 1897.
