Advisory Committee Of Former Players Formed

11 ex-Hawkeyes will work to help bring changes within the program.

Kirk Ferentz said the advisory committee of former Iowa football players formed in the wake of allegations of racial disparities within the program was a popular idea.

Eleven ex-Hawkeyes are on the committee, chaired by NFL veteran Mike Daniels, but Ferentz said he wasn't ready to announce the names of the rest of the members yet.

But the committee could have been a much larger group.

"We picked 11 guys," Ferentz, Iowa's head coach, said "It could have been 111. I’m so appreciative."

It was the allegations from former players on social media that set off much discussion about what was going on inside of the program. Strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle, the focus of many of the allegations, was placed on administrative leave as an independent review is being conducted.

That spurred Ferentz into putting together a group of former players who could voice their opinions about what needed to be changed.

"It’s all about assessing where we’re at right now, and where we can give more leeway, more trust," Ferentz said. "Listen to things."

Ferentz, who talked to many of the players who made comments on social media, said he met face-to-face with four former players early last week.

"What they said was meaningful," he said. "It was powerful. It came from the heart. It was genuine. It was encouraging. It does mean a lot."

Ferentz said the formation of the advisory committee was just the beginning.

"The guys want to help," he said. "Everybody wants to help. We all have the same idea."