University. 2011 Rhabdomyolysis Scandal In 2011, thirteen football players ended up in University Hospital with extreme cases of rhabdomyolysis, a serious muscle condition, following an offseason workout administered by strength coach Chris Doyle. Athletic director Barta and Iowa tried to keep it under wraps, issuing a press release and state that no further comment would be forthcoming. National scrutiny rose, and later another press conference was convened. Barta, head coach Kirk Ferentz, and Doyle were not in attendance, instead letting a UI doctor and Biff Poggi, parent of injured player Jim Poggi, answer questions. Ferentz later relented and faced the media, admitting his error in a February press conference. Ferentz defended Doyle, stating he was "probably the most sought-after coach that I've ever been around," adding that "you couldn't ask for a better person to head that [strength and conditioning] up." A university conducted an internal investigation, finding that the preparation and response by the coaching staff was lacking. One of the injured players eventually sued and settled for around $15,000. Racial Bias in Iowa Football During the 2020 racial unrest in the United States after the murder of George Floyd by police, Black former Iowa football players called for changes within the program. Former Iowa offensive lineman James Daniels tweeted "If the team collectively decides to kneel, this will bring about a cultural change for both Iowa football and the state of Iowa which I believe is long overdue!!!" Two days later, Daniels followed up with a second tweet asserting “there are too many racial disparities in the Iowa football program. Black players have been treated unfairly for far too long.” Several other Iowa players added to Daniels' claims, citing Strength and Conditioning coach Chris Doyle and offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz (directly under the supervision of Barta) as two of the leading causes of racial disparities in Iowa football. Former Iowa defensive lineman Jaleel Johnson wrote on Twitter "Coach Doyle is the problem in that building. And so is Brian Ferentz.... things won't progress until those two fix themselves. They know they're a problem." An external review from the law firm Husch Blackwell corroborated the players' complaints of racial bias in the Iowa football program. "In sum, the program’s rules perpetuated racial or cultural biases and diminished the value of cultural diversity," the report read. "The program over-monitored players to the point that they experienced heightened anxiety and maintained