Iowa football: Which four Hawks make up Mount Rushmore?

Honorable Mention

There were so many guys that were considered for our version of the Iowa football team’s Mount Rushmore, but only four could be selected. Here are a few guys that we considered.

Alex Karras – Karras was a two-time All-American defensive tackle for the Iowa football team in the mid-’50s.

Cal Jones – The late Cal Jones was an outstanding guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes earning consensus All-American honors twice in his career and winning the 1955 Outland Trophy. He was inducted into the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame in 1971 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980. Jones passed away in 1956 when he was on board a flight that crashed in Canada.

Dallas Clark – Dallas Clark was an integral figure in helping Kirk Ferentz bring the Iowa football team back to prominence. He was a consensus All-American and the John Mackey Award winner in 2002. The Big Ten honors Clark now by naming the Tight End of the Year Award after him, which TJ Hockenson won this year.

Ricky Stanzi – Ricky Stanzi is third all-time in Iowa history in passing yards and passing touchdowns and fourth in career QB rating. What’s more impressive is that he led the Hawks to three bowl victories in his three years as a starter while compiling 27 career wins.

Andre Tippett – Tippett was a two-time All-Big Ten selection and an All-American defensive end for the Iowa Hawkeyes in the early-’80s. He is also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Marv Cook – Cook is one of the first great tight ends in Iowa’s rich tight end history. He is first in Iowa football history for tight end receiving yards and second in tight end catches.

Bob Sanders – Last but not least is Bob Sanders, another instrumental figure in the rise of the Hawkeyes under Kirk Ferentz. The three-time All-Big Ten player developed a reputation for destroying offensive players with massive hits. He went on to have a successful, yet short NFL career.