Former Iowa running back Akrum Wadley thinks playing for the Hawkeyes drove him to drink alcohol.
Kirk Ferentz and his program have been hammered recently by multiple allegations of misconduct towards players, and strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle ended up leaving the program. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
Iowa players are sharing stories about racially charged treatment they received from strength coach Chris Doyle. Doyle is the highest paid strength coach in the country. https://t.co/KtVwvlwH9o
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) June 6, 2020
Now, Wadley has come forward with multiple comments about the culture, atmosphere and treatment of players at Iowa.
Wadley said the following in a statement released through the advisory firm of Robert T. Green:
I felt like playing for Iowa Football was a living nightmare. I never drank alcohol prior to going to college but based on my experience there it became the only thing I could rely on it seems and was what I did to cope. Game day was the only day that it was somewhat of a relief for me, but that even became difficult based on what happened during the week leading up to it. It was clear to myself and other black teammates we were targeted to the extreme regarding not making Iowa’s required weight. Trying to gain and maintain that weight in a workout after drinking pounds of Powerade and/or shakes right before working out. This made me very sick daily which included vomiting and my body aching. This was happening once a week but then went to happening everyday. I remember those that were in my group which were all Black transferred.
You can read his full statement below, which includes a claim that Ferentz would make comments about him potentially robbing stores when he’d wear a hat during cold weather.
#SportsIsNotAGame #SportsIsAllBusinessWhy we wouldn't send your #AfricanAmerican sons to play for #Iowa #Football for…
Posted by Robert T Green on Monday, June 29, 2020
I honestly don’t understand what the hell is going on at Iowa. As I’ve said many different times, the Hawkeyes were viewed as one of the most respectable programs in all of college football.
When you talked about college football programs that were run the proper way, won a lot of games and were classy, Iowa is one that would always jump right to the front of your mind.
This is a defining moment for the Iowa Hawkeye Football program: pic.twitter.com/ckEH39QVki
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) June 6, 2020
However, the program has just been getting slammed left and right recently with allegations. First, there were the allegations against Doyle, which ended in the two sides parting ways.
Now, Wadley, who played for Iowa from 2014-2017, is claiming the treatment was so bad while playing for the Hawkeyes that he had to turn to alcohol.
It’s just a never ending avalanche of bad news for the Iowa football program.
Honestly, I have no idea how Iowa bounces back from this kind of chaos. It’d be one thing if it was just one very narrow accusation.
However, that’s not the case at all. There have been tons of allegations from multiple different players. At some point, you have to wonder if the AD will just smash the reset button.
Keep checking back for more updates on the chaos engulfing Iowa as we have them!