FootballScoop is proud to announce that Phil Parker (Iowa) is the recipient of the 2023 FootballScoop Defensive Coordinator of the Year presented by AstroTurf as selected by prior winners.
With a lesser defense, Iowa would've struggled to make a bowl game. Iowa, however, did not have a lesser defense. The Hawkeyes' unit was once again among the very best in college football, and as a result Iowa won the Big Ten West and will play in a New Year's Six bowl game.
For starters, no defense did a better job of limiting explosive plays -- and it wasn't even close. In 13 games to date, Iowa allowed just 18 gains of 20-plus yards. That figure stands 11 plays better than No. 2 Michigan, and bested 2011 Alabama (20) for the fewest big gains allowed over a 13-game season in all of FBS since at least 2010.
Of 452 pass attempts to date, opponents have converted only 17 throws into 20-plus yard gains -- the best mark in the nation. But that number, impressive as it is, pales in comparison to how historically stingy Iowa was on the ground. Through the regular season and the Big Ten Championship, Iowa defended 444 runs. Only one gained 20 yards or more, and none went longer than 30. This Hawkeyes unit stands to become the only FBS defense not to allow a single 30-yard carry over the course of an entire season since 2010, the earliest year in which records are available.
With an steel lid on the top of the defense, Iowa put opposing offenses in a vise on a down-to-down basis. The Hawkeyes are eighth in the nation at three yards per carry allowed, with a national-best four touchdowns surrendered.
Through the air, opponents are completing 56 percent of their passes for 5.0 yards per attempt (second nationally) with 10 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
Overall, Iowa is second in the nation at 3.99 yards per play allowed; the Hawkeyes' worst day on a per-play basis (4.59 in a 26-16 win over Michigan State) would have still ranked eighth in FBS if spread across the entire season.
Iowa's 13.2 points against average is once again a top five national figure. Five foes notched 10 points or fewer, and 11 of 13 to date were held below 20.
Iowa also boasted a top-20 defense on third downs and in the red zone. In just 28 tripes (fifth fewest nationally), Iowa allowed only 11 touchdowns -- good for a 39.3 conversion rate that is second in FBS. Across 215 third downs, Iowa permitted just 68 conversions (31.6 percent, 18th).
Cornerback Cooper DeJean was the star of Iowa's stellar unit, becoming one of just 14 players to earn unanimous All-American honors while also winning the Tatum-Woodson Award as the Big Ten's top defensive back. Joining DeJean on the All-Big Ten First Team was linebacker Jay Higgins.
Parker himself won the Broyles Award as the top overall assistant coach in the country.
A standout defensive back in his own right at Michigan State in the mid 1980s, Parker entered coaching as a GA on a Michigan State staff that guided the Spartans to a Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl triumph. He coached defensive backs for 11 seasons at Toledo prior to joining Iowa in 1999 as an original member of Kirk Ferentz's staff. Ferentz promoted Parker to defensive coordinator in 2012.
The FootballScoop Coaches of the Year awards presented by AstroTurf are the only set of awards that recognize the most outstanding position coaches in college football. The finalists (Manny Diaz [Penn State], Adam Fuller [Florida State], Jesse Minter [Michigan], Scott Symons [SMU] and Parker]) were selected based off of nominations by coaches, athletic directors, and athletic department personnel. The prior winners selected this year's winner.
Previous winners of the Defensive Coordinator of the Year award are Nick Holt (USC, 2008), Kirby Smart (Alabama, 2009), Vic Fangio (Stanford, 2010), John Chavis (LSU, 2011), Bob Diaco (Notre Dame, 2012), Pat Narduzzi (Michigan State, 2013), Brent Venables (Clemson, 2014), Don Brown (Boston College, 2015), Jim Leavitt (Colorado, 2016), Kevin Steele (Auburn, 2017), Bob Shoop (Mississippi State, 2018), Phil Snow (Baylor, 2019), Mike Hankwitz (Northwestern, 2020), Jim Knowles (Oklahoma State, 2021) and Jesse Minter (Michigan, 2022).
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