Former Iowa running back Akrum Wadley detailed several allegations of mistreatment by current and former Hawkeyes coaches on Monday, writing that “playing for Iowa football was a living nightmare.”
Wadley, who played for Iowa from 2014 to 2017, mentioned head coach Kirk Ferentz, offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz and former strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle, posted on Facebook by Robert T. Green, in the allegations. Sports consulting firm is working with several former Iowa players to express their experiences with the program.
Iowa has hired the Husch Blackwell law firm to conduct a review of the program after a large group of former black players spoke about the alleged mistreatment earlier this month. On June 14, Iowa reached a separation agreement with Doyle, who led Kirk Ferentz’s 21-year soccer strength and conditioning program.
Wadley alleges that Brian Ferentz, the son of Kirk Ferentz and an Iowa assistant since 2012, repeatedly asked him if he planned to rob a liquor store or gas station every time he saw Wadley wearing a wool cap issued by the team. He also alleges that Iowa confronted him and other black players for not gaining weight during the season, leading him to consume shakes before practice and get sick.
“Kirk Ferentz threatened that my meal card would be taken away and that I would not eat or sit with my teammates during meal sessions,” Wadley writes in his statement. “She followed through on her threat. I went to use my food card and she was turned down. I had to call my mother from New Jersey at 10 or 11 at night because I was hungry to order Domino’s Pizza for me. Or I would
Wadley writes that he asked Broderick Binns, Iowa’s director of player development, to find him as a therapist “because no one on the soccer show would help us or listen to what we had to say.” After meeting with the therapist once, Wadley writes that “she disappeared.”
“No one told me where he went and no one was put in his place after that,” Wadley writes. “I didn’t want to ask too many questions because they would punish us for anything.”
Wadley writes that he turned to alcohol to deal with it because of his Iowa experience. He led the Hawkeyes in each of his past two seasons and finished his career with 2,872 yards rushing in 43 games.
Iowa did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wadley’s allegations. Athletic director Gary Barta, on June 15, reiterated his support for Kirk Ferentz to continue to lead the program, but said additional staff actions could be taken after the independent review. Brian Ferentz reports directly to Barta due to the school’s anti-nepotism policy.
“My time in Iowa has done things to me that I’m not going to discuss because knowing how these people treated me and other black athletes,” Wadley writes. “I’m done giving them power over me now. But if I could do it again. I wish I would never play for the Iowa Hawkeyes. I wouldn’t encourage any future athlete or parent to send their son to play for the Iowa Hawkeyes.” under that current technical body. “
.
