Iowa football's defensive coordinator Phil Parker has been nominated for the Broyles Award, which is given to the best assistant in the country.

After what he's done with the Hawkeyes' defense year after year, it's about damn time.

This is what the Broyles Award website had to say regarding why Parker was listed as one of the 15 nominees for the prestigious award: "Phil Parker, who served as defensive backs coach at the University of Iowa for 13 seasons, is in his 10th season as defensive coordinator in 2021, the longest-tenured coach at that position in the nation. Throughout his tenure at Iowa, Hawkeye football has been one of the most successful programs in the nation, while featuring one of the top units in the nation on an annual basis. Along with winning the final six games of the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Iowa opened the 2021 season with six straight wins. Iowa’s defense has 83 interceptions since 2017, most in the nation. Iowa won 47 games between 2015-19, most in school history."

Plenty of solid reasons.

A few they may not have mentioned include the fact that Iowa's defense has scored 28 total points this season -- from four defensive touchdowns and two safeties -- and the fact that they allow just 3.8 yards per play. That's the fewest by an FBS defense since Alabama did it in 2011.

Not only that, but per 247Sports and HawkeyeInsider.com, "The Hawkeye defense has held seven opponents to 10 points or less this season, including three with three or fewer points. It is the first time since 1991 that the defense has held seven opponents under 10 points."

Parker has every reason to be considered and to win the award this year.

We discussed Parker's candidacy for the award (and why it's another reason Brian Ferentz needs to be fired) on this week's episode of Cornstalks and Sports Talk:

There are currently 52 other nominees that are in the running for the award. Others in the Big Ten include Ryan Walters (Illinois), Jesse Minter (Michigan), Joe Rossi (Minnesota), Jim Knowles (Ohio State), Manny Diaz (Penn State), and Joe Harasymiak (Rutgers). The defensive coordinator at Iowa State, John Heacock is also a nominee.

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