What's with the law enforcement dude all over Kirk Ferentz?

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Schnauzer

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I often see local law enforcement guys around coaches as they leave the field at half time and to shake hands after the game. I used to assume this was always local law enforcement from wherever the game was played.

However, after returning home after the wonderful Gopher victory over Iowa in November, I watched the game on the DVR and noticed what I assume to be an Iowa state trooper nearly glued to Kirk Ferentz. It certainly wasn't Minneapolis police, campus police, or a Minnesota State Trooper. Anyway, I just sort of found it strange and also a bit odd that the guy stuck so close to Ferentz when he went to shake Horton's hand (like Horton was going to pull a knife on Ferentz or something).

I didn't give it a second thought, until I watched the Insight Bowl last night. As the game ended, I noticed that same dude ALL OVER Ferentz again as the game ended and he went to shake hands. It was nearly comical. There was nobody near them but the cop dude was nearly feeling up Ferentz as he moved to mid field. He also lingered by as Ferentz was interviewed on the field.

I don't recall cops ever being assigned to Gopher coaches like it was the secret service guarding the president. Have I just missed it? Having a guy near by to watch for crazy fans is one thing. Having a fully outfited cop nearly undress the coach as he moves around the field is quite another. If it had been a motorcycle cop with jack boots instead of a Iowa State policeman, I would have sworn it was some act from the village People. It almost gave me the giggles. Is it smart decision making or is it Iowa and Ferentz taking themselves a bit too seriously?
 

Iowa has the most delusional fan base in the nation. It is probably an attempt to protect the State of Iowa's highest paid employee.
 



I think it's pretty common for the coaches to be accompanied by law enforcement from their home city/state.
 


The cops are hoping to get a tip on who is the next player from iowa to be busted for drugs.
 


Ski U Master said:
I think it's pretty common for the coaches to be accompanied by law enforcement from their home city/state.
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I don't doubt this. I just think it is funny how far this Iowa guy takes things.

I also don't think MN coaches have 'protection' like this (I could be wrong on that, just haven't noticed it. You can't help but notice the Iowa cop as he fondles his coach to midfield).
 

With the RAMPANT DRUG USE in IC I'm surprised it took the players so long to get caught with the cops all over Ferentz...
 



Funny thought:
When I jumped down onto the field after the Iowee game I ran up to Horton and patted him on the back, he was at midfield just taking it all in, shaking hands with fans etc.
Interesting difference in security if nothing else.
 

Handsome Pete said:
Iowa has the most delusional fan base in the nation. It is probably an attempt to protect the State of Iowa's highest paid employee.
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Got a point there...I can't imagine feeling so important that I would need a security detail. Then again, I don't perform my occupational duties in 80,000 seat stadiums filled with delirious/drunken/crazed/rabid fanatics where my decision-making has a direct and immediate impact on the mob's emotional state. Hmmm....I think I'd want two cops.

Go Gophers!
 

I believe it's a Johnson County Sheriffs Deputy. IIRC they've had the duty when Fry became the coach there.
 

SOP

Standard Operating Procedure.

There's nothing unusual or of note here. Been a facet of the college game for some time...I recall seeing it in the 70s for games Between the Hedges. I'm sure it dates from long before that.

What varies is whether the assigned personnel are local rather than state troopers.

Whether we like it or not, HC's are/have been/will be high profile targets and a stadium is about as open as it gets. Good precaution.

Happy Birthday Beloved Coach Warmath! Go Gophers!
 



SoMplsHawkI said:
I believe it's a Johnson County Sheriffs Deputy. IIRC they've had the duty when Fry became the coach there.
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I think that it started as a Southern thing, but it has migrated north. I think that its cheesy.
 

There was a great story on College Game Day towards the end of the season about having State Troopers protect head football coaches. If I remember correctly the "tradition" was started by Bear Bryant while he was at Alabama, I can't remember any of the other details. But the idea has moved north. I would guess that a majority Div 1-A teams have a State Trooper follow around their HC.
 

BilldGopher said:
Standard Operating Procedure.

There's nothing unusual or of note here. Been a facet of the college game for some time...I recall seeing it in the 70s for games Between the Hedges. I'm sure it dates from long before that.

What varies is whether the assigned personnel are local rather than state troopers.

Whether we like it or not, HC's are/have been/will be high profile targets and a stadium is about as open as it gets. Good precaution.

Happy Birthday Beloved Coach Warmath! Go Gophers!
Click to expand...

Note the first sentence of the OP: "I often see local law enforcement guys around coaches as they leave the field at half time and to shake hands after the game." The point wasn't about surprise over law enforcement and coaches on the college football field. It was mostly about the level in which the Iowa guy goes about his business. THAT is the unusual thing of note here.

Also, apparently it is NOT standard operating procedure at the UofM because I haven't noticed law enforcement personnel around Gopher coaches. I could be wrong on that, but I haven't personally noticed it for the Gophers.
 

mnboiler said:
There was a great story on College Game Day towards the end of the season about having State Troopers protect head football coaches. If I remember correctly the "tradition" was started by Bear Bryant while he was at Alabama, I can't remember any of the other details. But the idea has moved north. I would guess that a majority Div 1-A teams have a State Trooper follow around their HC.
Click to expand...

This sounded familiar so I did a quick Google search and found a Pat Forde column from ESPN that I remember reading a few years back. It adds in some detail to what mboiler mentions.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=2631660
 


It's probably partly an ego thing too, ya know. Make the coach feel like a really big wheel by having security or state troopers glommed onto him all the time, as if those state troopers don't have more important and relevant work to do, and as if there weren't possibly better ways in which taxpayers monies are spent. And on the flipside of that I could also see where such a thing might be considered necessary too, or at the very least a prudent precaution. Some coach goes into an enemy stadium with a bunch of liquored up fans who may or may not storm the field and possibly endanger that coach, who knows.

But yeah, it was hard to miss that in the Iowa game. I mean the guy was stuck to Ferentz like he was his shadow or something. It was probably just an over-zealous sheriff or state trooper or whatever the heck he was.
 

Do NFL head coaches demand this kind of protection?
 

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