Iowa Football: Norm Parker to Retire Following Insight Bowl

Norm Parker, beloved defensive coordinator of the Iowa Hawkeyes, has decided to call it a career. After Iowa takes on No. 14 Oklahoma in the Insight Bowl, Parker will walk away from the career he has perfected the past 48 years.

Iowa obviously wasn't Norm's only "home" as a coach. He has held positions on the staffs of Vanderbilt, Michigan State, Illinois, Minnesota, Wake Forest, East Carolina and Eastern Michigan at different times throughout his career.

However, he'll always be a Hawkeye, and we will certainly miss him.

I would be remiss to not mention that I had more or less called for his removal from the Iowa staff. I stand behind what I said, and I definitely stand behind my reasons for saying it.

Coach Parker has suffered from diabetes for a while now. It became enough of a problem that he lost a leg to the disease and had to perform his coaching duties from the press box.

At 70 years old, Parker has earned retirement. He's earned more time with his grandchildren. The older we get, the more we realize how preciously short life really is.

Parker doesn't need football. He loves it, but he doesn't need it.

What's more, his health is more important than any game, no matter how much he or we love it. I believe Parker has made the right decision for himself and his family.

He's also made the right choice for the Hawkeyes.

Parker is one of the best in the business. Despite Iowa's woes on defense the last year or two, he has consistently put together some of the best defenses in the nation.

In 2009, the Hawkeyes enjoyed a defense that was ranked 10th in the nation. In 2008, his unit ranked 12th. While those are just two examples of Parker's success at Iowa, it's typical of most years under his tutelage.

Iowa fans can't forget that; the last two years were more a case of aberrations than the norm.

Now the task will begin to find a replacement for Parker.

It can't be done—you don't replace a man like Norm Parker.

However, Iowa must name a new defensive coordinator. We all hope that new blood with new ideas will shake up Iowa's struggling defense and return it to the kind of unit we have become accustomed to.

We will certainly hope that a new face won't mean a step backward for Iowa's defense.

However, Parker leaves on his own terms, and I believe he leaves for the right reasons.

Though Iowa will move on and will hopefully find ways to get the Hawkeyes back on top, Norm will always be a part of the Iowa family. I wish him the very best.

He's earned it.