“C.J. Jones…See. You. Later.” Words that will forever remind Hawkeye fans of a glorious moment from the 2003 Orange Bowl.  Jones transferred to the Hawkeyes from Garden City Community College where he was an Elite 16 Junior College All-American as a Sophomore after being named 1st Team All-American as a return specialist as a Freshman. Jones played in every regular season game his first season with the Hawkeyes. His senior year, Jones was a big part of the magical 2002 season that was led by his cousin, Brad Banks. Jones would garner Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors as well as being named the co-Offensive MVP of the team.  But the play that will live on for Jones, was the opening kickoff of the 2003 Orange Bowl against USC. Jones would go undrafted after finishing his Hawkeye career, but would sign a free agent contract with the Cleveland Browns. Jones was with the Browns for the 2003 & 2004 seasons before heading over to NFL Europe to play with the Cologne Centurions for the 2005 season. He returned stateside briefly the following year and joined the Seattle Seahawks for a short time before being released. He went back to NFL Europe and played that season with the Berlin Thunder. He made his way to the New England Patriots for the 2007 & 2008 seasons, spending the first year on the practice squad before making the final roster in ’08. He was eventually released and the following season signed with the Kansas City Chiefs briefly before making his way to the Denver Broncos, where he was released right before the 2009 season began. This season, Jones has signed as a free agent with the Florida Tuskers of the UFL.

Bulaga was a heralded recruit out of the state of Illinois when he joined the Hawkeyes. He played immediately for Iowa and ended up starting the final 5 games of his Freshman season. He started every game his Sophomore season and became a force on the Offensive Line, being voted 2nd Team All-Big Ten by the Coaches after his 2nd go round in Iowa City. His Junior season, Bulaga would miss 3 games of the season due to a thyroid condition, yet he still managed to end up as the 6th Hawkeye to be named Big Ten Conference Lineman of the Year as well as being named 1st Team All-Big Ten, Sporting News First Team All-American and AP 2nd Team All-American. Bulaga decided to leave school early and enter the 2010 NFL Draft after his Junior year, only to be rewarded by the Green Bay Packers with the 23rd selection overall. He signed a 5 year contract on July 30th, 2010 and has been working out at both Left Guard & Left Tackle positions in camp.

Angerer came to the Hawkeyes out of Bettendorf, Iowa and put on the redshirt his first season. He only saw limited action his Freshman season but that increased his Sophomore season when he played in 4 games. Unfortunately, he only accumulated one assisted tackle in that limited time. That all changed the following season, leading the team in tackles his Junior season and being named 2nd Team All-Big Ten by the Coaches. His Senior season at Iowa, Angerer ranked 4th in the Nation in tackles per game, a stat that contributed to him being named AP 2nd Team All-American as well as 1st Team All-Big Ten by the Coaches & Media. He currently ranks 25th overall in career tackles with 258, while his 145 tackles during his Senior season  rank 5th highest for a single year. Angerer was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2nd Round of the 2010 NFL Draft with the 63rd pick overall. On July 29th, 2010 Angerer signed a 4 year contract with the Colts.

Spievey took a redshirt his first year on campus with the Hawkeyes, only to not qualify academically the following season. He transferred to Iowa Central Community College in order to improve his grades. While there, he was named a Junior College All-American and after regaining his standing academically, rejoined the Hawkeye program for his Sophomore season. He was named 2nd Team All-Big Ten by the Coaches after starting every game and finishing the year 2nd on the team in tackles. He would again start every game his Junior year, finishing the year as a 1st Team All-Big Ten Cornerback by the Coaches. Considered one of the better Cornerbacks in the country, Spievey decided to test the waters of the NFL Draft and was selected in the 3rd Round by the Detroit Lions with the 66th pick overall. He signed a 3 year contract on June 30th, 2010 but has been hampered by injuries throughout training camp. Spievey has switched positions before the 2010 seasons gets under way, moving over to Safety after playing all through college as a Cornerback.

Moeaki cam to the Hawkeyes as a highly sought after recruit but will most likely be remembered unfortunately as injury plagued. It didn’t take him long to find the field, seeing minimal action in both his Freshman & Sophomore seasons. His Junior season he was listed as the starter to begin the season  and was living up to the hype that surrounded him before he was injured in the Wisconsin game.  After that season-ending injury, Moeaki sought and was granted a medical redshirt. His 2nd chance at a Junior season began with Moeaki being named to the preseason Mackey Award list, given out to the Nation’s Best Tight End. Unfortunately, Moeaki was injured during the season and the year didn’t turn out like many had hoped. His Senior season, Moeaki finally managed to remain healthy for the majority of the year and he was named 1st Team All-Big Ten by the Coaches. He was praised throughout his time with the Hawkeyes by Head Coach Kirk Ferentz as one of the best blocking Tight Ends he had ever coached. Moeaki would be rewarded for his healthy season by being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 3rd Round of the 2010 NFL Draft with the 93rd selection overall. On July 22nd, 2010 Moeaki signed a 4 year contract and is currently nursing a minor ankle injury in camp while trying to impress his new coaching staff.

Edds found the field early & often for the Hawkeyes. He played immediately as a Freshman including starting one game during the 2006 season. His Sophomore season Edds was the starting Outside Linebacker and by his Junior season, both the Coaches & Media voted him Honorable Mention All-Big Ten.  The 2009 season would be Edds best with the Hawkeyes, ranking 4th on the team in tackles and 2nd on the team in interceptions.  He was voted 2nd Team All-Big Ten by the Coaches and his performance helped him to be selected in the 4th Round of the 2010 NFL Draft after the Miami Dolphins traded up to select him with the 119th pick overall. Edds signed a 4 year contract on June 24th, 2010 but was unfortunately placed on Injured Reserve on August 4th, 2010 when he tore his ACL before his rookie season even started.

Bob Stoops, or Bobby as he was known when he came to the Hawkeyes was the 1st in a trio of Stoops brothers to don the Black & Gold. Stoops was an effective play maker at Safety for Iowa and currently sits 16th overall with 8 interceptions throughout his career. He also sits 38th overall after compiling 230 tackles in his career. His senior season he was the team captain as a Defensive Back and along with being named team MVP, was chosen 1st Team All-Big Ten.  He immediately went into coaching, beginning as a graduate assistant with Iowa in 1983 and held the same position the following year. In 1985 he became a volunteer coach, holding that position through the duration of the 1987 season. He left for Kent State to become an Assistant Coach from 1988-1989 and then joined the staff at Kansas State, working on the staff of Bill Snyder, a former Hawkeye Offensive Coordinator. From 1989-1990 Stoops was the Defensive Backs coach and then in 1991 he took over as Co-Defensive Coordinator through the 1995 season. He left Kansas State and joined the Florida staff from 1996-1998 as an Assistant Head Coach & Defensive Coordinator.  In 1999 many expected Stoops to be named the next coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes, but Stoops elected to take the Oklahoma Sooners top spot while the Hawkeyes would go on to hire Kirk Ferentz. Stoops won a National Championship in his 2nd season with the Sooners and would also be named the Walter Camp National Coach of the Year, AP National Coach of the Year, the Home Depot Coach of the Year and also win the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award. In 2003 Stoops would again be named the Walter Camp National Coach of the Year and has currently won 6 Big XII Championships. He has compiled a record of 117-29 while at Oklahoma.

Bret Bielema came to the University of Iowa as a walk-on and by the end of his first season he had earned himself a scholarship.  A hard working and tough Hawkeye was born & he epitomized what the Iowa style was all about. Bielema finished his collegiate career as a 4 year letter winner and was named team captain in 1992, his senior season.  He signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks but never made the team.  He returned to the Midwest and signed with the Milwaukee Mustangs of the Arena League.  While his playing career had come to an end, coaching was calling and Bielema became a graduate assistant with the Hawkeyes for the 1994 & 1995 seasons. He took over as Linebackers Coach for the 1996 season and held that position through 2001. He left the Hawkeyes to join the staff of Kansas State under their Head Coach Bill Snyder, a former Hawkeye Offensive Coordinator. Bielema took over as the Co-Defensive Coordinator in charge of Linebackers for 2002-2003. He left KSU and went to work for another former Hawkeye in Barry Alvarez, who was the Head Coach at Wisconsin. Bielema took charge as the Defensive Coordinator & Linebackers coach for 2004 & 2005, although it was somewhat expected that he was being groomed to replace Alvarez as Head Coach. In 2006 that became a reality & he remains the Head Coach of the Badgers as they head into the 2010 season. Bielema has compiled a 38-14 record overall in his 4 years running the Wisconsin program.

Stoops followed his brother Bobby to the Hawkeyes and literally followed in his footsteps while playing at Iowa. Mike would redshirt his first season with the Hawkeyes and then play sparingly at Safety his Freshman and Sophomore seasons while being stuck behind his brother on the depth chart. He took over the starting job in 1983 and wound up as a 1st Team All-Big Ten selection while leading the team as well as the Big Ten in interceptions with 6, a feat which currently ties him for 6th best in a season for the Hawkeyes. His senior season he was again named 1st Team All-Big Ten as well as an AP Honorable Mention All-American. He finished his career with 9 interceptions which is still tied for 12th best in the Hawkeye record books. Stoops would sign as a free agent with the Chicago Bears in 1985 before being cut prior to the season starting. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons the next season but met with the same fate. He would then become a graduate assistant with the Hawkeyes for the 1986 and 1987 seasons. During the 1987 season, Stoops played in the inaugural season of the Arena Football League for the Pittsburgh Gladiators. He briefly played for the Chicago Bears that same season while the NFL was on strike, but returned to the Hawkeyse as a volunteer assistant for the 1988-1991 seasons. Stoops would leave his alma mater and head to Kansas State to take the Defensive Ends coaching position during the 1992-1995 seasons under former Hawkeye Offensive Coordinator, Bill Snyder. In 1996, Stoops took over the Co-Defensive Coordinator position with the Wildcats through the 1997 season. He then took on the responsibility of Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach for the 1998 season. In 1999 he took the same job for Oklahoma under his brother Bob. He held that job until the end of the 2003 season when he was hired as Head Coach of the Arizona Wildcats where he is currently entering his 7th season.  Stoops record with the Wildcats is 25-34 overall.

One of the most iconic Hawkeyes of all time, Chuck Long is still remembered fondly in Iowa City.  The lightly recruited Long would redshirt his first year on campus for the Hawkeyes but the next season would mark the beginning of greatness, as his 64.2% completion percentage his Freshman season was a school record at the time. By the time he left the Hawkeyes, Long held all but one of the school’s passing records. Currently he holds the most attempts in a career (1203), most completions in a career (782) as well as consecutively (22), the highest completion percentage in a season (67.1) as well as in a career (65.0), most passing yards in a career (10,461) on top of most yards of total offense in a career (10,254), most touchdowns in a season (27) to go with the career (74) mark as well. Some of his records were broken by Chuck Hartlieb after Long graduated, but he still sits 3rd overall in yards per game with 4,614 as well as 2nd overall in yards per season with 3,297. Long was the team captain in 1985 as well as the Team MVP in 1983 & 1985. He was voted 1st Team All-Big Ten in 1983, 1984 & 1985 . In Long’s Junior season of 1984, he finished 7th overall in the Heisman Trophy voting only to come back for his Senior season and finish runner-up to Bo Jackson in what was the closest Heisman vote ever, a mark which stood until the 2009 trophy ceremony. He did however win the Maxwell Award in 1985 for the Nation’s Outstanding Football Player Award as well as the Davey O’Brien Award for the Nation’s Best Quarterback.  Long would be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999. He would go on to be drafted #12 overall by the Detroit Lions in 1986, but his career never turned out like many had foreseen.  He was eventually traded to the Los Angeles Rams after the 1989 season and played in L.A. for one season before returning to Detroit to play his final season in 1991 for the Lions.  He would eventually head back to Iowa under Hayden Fry to coach the Defensive Backs, a title he held through the 1997 season before moving to his area of expertise while becoming the Quarterbacks Coach for the 1998-1999 seasons. Long left in 2000 to join the Oklahoma coaching staff under former Hawkeye Bob Stoops. He coached the Quarterbacks through 2001 before becoming Offensive Coordinator from 2002-2005.  In 2004 Long was a finalist for the Broyles Award which is given out annually to the Nation’s Top Assistant.  He left in 2006 after earning his first Head Coaching position at San Diego State to attempt to revive the football program.  But, after the 2008 season Long was fired after compiling a 9-27 record through 3 seasons.  He took a year off of football and returns heading into the 2010 season as the new Offensive Coordinator for the Kansas Jayhawks under new Head Coach Turner Gil.