Make room on the Drew Tate bandwagon for NFL veteran quarterback Doug Flutie.
Flutie shared his thoughts about Iowa's star quarterback on Friday while appearing at Tim Dwight's youth football camp at City High.
"I gave him one of my votes for the Heisman because I love the way he plays," Flutie said of Tate, who will be a junior this fall. "I always have a sentimental favorite somewhere in my Heisman voting, and he was it this year."
Flutie gets to vote for the Heisman Trophy after winning the award in 1984 as a quarterback for Boston College.
He said Tate was invaluable to Iowa last season. Tate made first-team all-Big Ten and led the Hawkeyes to a 10-2 record despite having the second worst rushing offense in the nation.
"A lot of times when I look at the Heisman voting, I look at a guy, 'What would his team be without him?'" Flutie said. "USC had five quarterbacks that could have stepped in, and they were going to win no matter what.
"And there are guys that are out there playing with a team and they make the difference and allow their team to be competitive and be a top-20 team and go to a bowl game. I love seeing guys that make the guys around them better."
Dwight has helped to make Flutie a fan of both Tate and the Iowa football team. Dwight played at Iowa from 1994-97 and was an all-America return specialist and star receiver.
"He likes Tate a lot," Dwight said. "I mean he's like, 'Ooh, I like that kid. That kid moves around in the pocket. He's got a nice touch.'
"And Iowa's winning, and that helps, too."
Iowa's success in football, which includes a 31-7 record over the past three seasons under coach Kirk Ferentz, has Dwight feeling good about his alma mater.
"You're so excited about it, sometimes you wish like you could maybe have one little year with that team," Dwight said. "If I could get to one January 1 bowl game.
"It's pretty amazing where they started from and where they've ended up now. I've always been excited to be a Hawk. But it's nice going through an NFL locker room like, 'Yeah, Iowa is 10-1. What's up?'"
Tate, meanwhile, has drawn comparisons to Flutie because of his lack of size -- Tate is listed at 6-foot in the Iowa media guide -- and because of his ability to deliver in the clutch.
That was never more apparent than when Tate threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to Warren Holloway that beat LSU on the final play of the 2005 Capital One Bowl.
The play drew comparisons to Flutie's legendary pass that beat Miami (Fla.), in the closing seconds in 1984.
"That was more of a standard play," Flutie said of the Tate-to-Holloway miracle. "They played the three-deep coverage and he hit him up the seam.
"That was a great play."
As for his now-famous pass, Flutie said people still bring it up nearly 21 years later.
"There must have been 500,000 people at the game, because everybody was there," Flutie said. "I've met every person that was in the stadium, or at least they saw it on TV.
"It was one of those moments that kind of define a career. I think people will always say it's never over until it's over. Because of that game and because of the style I play, it kind of embodied the 'Don't give up. You never know. There's always hope.'"
• DWIGHT'S FUTURE: Dwight will turn 30 next month. He would like to play in the NFL for at least three more seasons.
That would give him 10 years in the league.
As for his life after football, Dwight has some ideas.
"I don't know, maybe like coaching track," Dwight said. "I think coming back (to Iowa City) when I'm maybe in my late 30s or 40 and doing that.
"I would like to help out a track team and see if I've got what it takes, day in and day out."
Dwight said he is intrigued by the thought of someday coaching the Iowa track team. He was a standout sprinter and long jumper for the Hawkeyes.
"The tough thing is I'd like to spend some time in (California) and (Lake) Tahoe and spend some time here in the fall, because I'll tell you what, I cannot wait to spend time here in the fall when I retire," Dwight said. "I'm just going to chill and hang out and go to Iowa (football) games."
Flutie shared his thoughts about Iowa's star quarterback on Friday while appearing at Tim Dwight's youth football camp at City High.
"I gave him one of my votes for the Heisman because I love the way he plays," Flutie said of Tate, who will be a junior this fall. "I always have a sentimental favorite somewhere in my Heisman voting, and he was it this year."
Flutie gets to vote for the Heisman Trophy after winning the award in 1984 as a quarterback for Boston College.
He said Tate was invaluable to Iowa last season. Tate made first-team all-Big Ten and led the Hawkeyes to a 10-2 record despite having the second worst rushing offense in the nation.
"A lot of times when I look at the Heisman voting, I look at a guy, 'What would his team be without him?'" Flutie said. "USC had five quarterbacks that could have stepped in, and they were going to win no matter what.
"And there are guys that are out there playing with a team and they make the difference and allow their team to be competitive and be a top-20 team and go to a bowl game. I love seeing guys that make the guys around them better."
Dwight has helped to make Flutie a fan of both Tate and the Iowa football team. Dwight played at Iowa from 1994-97 and was an all-America return specialist and star receiver.
"He likes Tate a lot," Dwight said. "I mean he's like, 'Ooh, I like that kid. That kid moves around in the pocket. He's got a nice touch.'
"And Iowa's winning, and that helps, too."
Iowa's success in football, which includes a 31-7 record over the past three seasons under coach Kirk Ferentz, has Dwight feeling good about his alma mater.
"You're so excited about it, sometimes you wish like you could maybe have one little year with that team," Dwight said. "If I could get to one January 1 bowl game.
"It's pretty amazing where they started from and where they've ended up now. I've always been excited to be a Hawk. But it's nice going through an NFL locker room like, 'Yeah, Iowa is 10-1. What's up?'"
Tate, meanwhile, has drawn comparisons to Flutie because of his lack of size -- Tate is listed at 6-foot in the Iowa media guide -- and because of his ability to deliver in the clutch.
That was never more apparent than when Tate threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to Warren Holloway that beat LSU on the final play of the 2005 Capital One Bowl.
The play drew comparisons to Flutie's legendary pass that beat Miami (Fla.), in the closing seconds in 1984.
"That was more of a standard play," Flutie said of the Tate-to-Holloway miracle. "They played the three-deep coverage and he hit him up the seam.
"That was a great play."
As for his now-famous pass, Flutie said people still bring it up nearly 21 years later.
"There must have been 500,000 people at the game, because everybody was there," Flutie said. "I've met every person that was in the stadium, or at least they saw it on TV.
"It was one of those moments that kind of define a career. I think people will always say it's never over until it's over. Because of that game and because of the style I play, it kind of embodied the 'Don't give up. You never know. There's always hope.'"
• DWIGHT'S FUTURE: Dwight will turn 30 next month. He would like to play in the NFL for at least three more seasons.
That would give him 10 years in the league.
As for his life after football, Dwight has some ideas.
"I don't know, maybe like coaching track," Dwight said. "I think coming back (to Iowa City) when I'm maybe in my late 30s or 40 and doing that.
"I would like to help out a track team and see if I've got what it takes, day in and day out."
Dwight said he is intrigued by the thought of someday coaching the Iowa track team. He was a standout sprinter and long jumper for the Hawkeyes.
"The tough thing is I'd like to spend some time in (California) and (Lake) Tahoe and spend some time here in the fall, because I'll tell you what, I cannot wait to spend time here in the fall when I retire," Dwight said. "I'm just going to chill and hang out and go to Iowa (football) games."
