Hawkeye Chuck Long: Iowa Time Machine February 18, 1963

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On February 18, 1963, legendary Iowa Hawkeye Quarterback Chuck Long was born. Long led the Hawks to a No. 1 ranking in 1985, while also posting a 35-13-1 record and an outright Big Ten title.

Arriving in Iowa City after playing his high school ball in Illinois, Iowa coach Hayden Fry went on record suggesting Long was “destined for greatness.” After starting a season-opening loss against Nebraska during the 1982 season, Long rode the bench for a game before leading Iowa to a win over Arizona in the season’s third game. Long never looked back and went on to start racking up accolades and records.

Over his career, Long amassed 10,461 passing yards on 782 completions and 74 touchdowns. The best completion percentage of any college quarterback ever with more than 1,000 career passes, Long became the first Big Ten player to reach 10,000 passing yards. Under Long’s leadership, the Hawkeyes put together memorable seasons and ranked as high as No. 1 in 1985.

A seventh-place finisher for the Heisman Trophy during his junior year, Long finished second to Bo Jackson as a senior in one of the closest ballotings in the award’s prestigious history. Long captured the 1985 Maxwell Award, given to the nation's top player, and the Davey O'Brien Award, given to the nation's top quarterback. Drafted No. 12 overall by the Detroit Lions in the 1986 NFL Draft, Long’s best pro season took place in 1987 when he threw 2,598 yards and 11 touchdowns. #Iowa #OTD #History #Hawkeyes #CollegeFootball