Abdul Hodge Welcoming New Role with Hawkeyes

Former Iowa Linebacker in Charge of Program's Tight Ends

Abdul Hodge is coaching tight ends at Iowa, and his perspective of the position is a little different.

Hodge spent his playing career with the Hawkeyes and the NFL as a linebacker, and his college coaching career has been about working with linebackers.

Now he’s coaching a position that has been a prominent part of the Hawkeyes’ offense, producing some of the best players in program history under coach Kirk Ferentz.

“I want to be here. I want to be at the University of Iowa, coaching tight ends,” Hodge said. “I’m just enthused about the role.

“I also know the tight ends that have come through this place, so I don’t take that for granted. … It’s about the standard. There’s a high standard of coaching tight ends at Iowa. But there’s also a spirit of excellence, not just in terms of the football perspective of it, but away from the game. You’re doing things right, on and off the field.”

Hodge wants to bring a linebacker’s perspective to coaching the tight ends. It’s something he takes away from coaching linebackers at South Dakota, his previous position, when he worked with the outside linebackers.

“I think that’s a unique skill set, very similar to the tight end, where guys are rushing the passer, playing the run game, but also dropping back in coverage,” Hodge said. “And you cover a lot of tight ends. So you understand, from a ‘backer perspective, what that position group is trying to get accomplished. Obviously, being on the tight end side, coaching offense, now you know how that guy is going to play you.

“The great thing is, I’ve been on that side of the ball, so I can bring some of that experience over. Here’s how they’re trying to attack us, here’s Cover 2, Cover 3. Here’s what it means when linebackers line up in this position, so you can play the game a little ahead in terms of that.”

He's been coaching defense and played defense,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “And maybe the most pleasing thing throughout the process when I had a conversation with him was not only his willingness to consider coaching offense, but really his eagerness. And he was excited about it and gave me the right answer. I don't know if it was an answer just to give but I think he was being genuine. He sees it as a chance to grow and improve his vision of the game, which I think is smart. It's good to have experience on both sides of the football.

“So he couldn't have written a better answer. In retrospect, why would I be surprised? He typically has the right answers, at least has historically. So that was kind of that.”

Hodge was a three-time All-Big Ten linebacker during his career at Iowa that ended in 2005. He is back in a familiar spot.

“When you really look at it, I feel like I’ve been with this program dating back to 2001, when I first set foot in Iowa City,” Hodge said. “Coming from Iowa, it was always a dream to get back and coach one day. When I got the call and the opportunity to come back, I was excited.”

He is the perfect fit for Ferentz.

“Look at Abdul, his career was prolific as a player in terms of production, but the guys that I consider to be really great players, they do more than make plays, they do more than tackle guys or make yards. They just make your team better,” Ferentz said. “And Abdul was always just such a strong, dominant — in a very quiet way — but a very strong, dominant personality, if that makes sense. It's a contradiction in terms, but there was never any doubt about what he was thinking about out there on the field, his intensity, his focus, his concentration. He just had that when he walked in here. We didn't give it to him.”

“I think he felt like I would come in and put my head down and work, which I’m trying to do,” Hodge said.

Hodge said offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz has been beneficial in helping him learn the offense.

“Not just in terms of the concepts and those types of things of what we’re developing here, but more importantly, it was how this offense was built, in terms of communication, in terms of the verbiage, in terms of the formations and the personnel,” Hodge said.

Hodge said it didn’t take long after he arrived on campus to meet with his position group, which includes Sam LaPorta, who led the Hawkeyes with 53 receptions last season, and Luke Lachey, who had eight catches.

“Here comes Sam LaPorta, here comes Luke Lachey, coming into the office on the first day to meet me,” Hodge said. “Building that relationship is what it’s going to be about. Hopefully, they can feel like they have someone who can not only teach them and develop them and hold them accountable, but someone who is going to be at their side, who is going to advocate for them on their behalf throughout the season and throughout the years.”