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'This is where I want to be': Seth Wallace calling Iowa football home
TL;DR
Seth Wallace, assistant head coach for the Iowa Hawkeyes, has turned down multiple coaching opportunities from Big Ten schools to remain loyal to Iowa. He emphasizes his commitment to the program and its continuity under head coach Kirk Ferentz.
Few schools retain players like the Iowa Hawkeyes are able to do in today's world of transfer portal moves and NIL deals. Even fewer schools are able to retain the continuity among the coaching staff that head coach Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes have done.
The Hawkeyes have been able to remain steady among the coaching front lines for the most part, with the main trio of head coach Kirk Ferentz, defensive coordinator Phil Parker, and assistant head coach Seth Wallace remaining in place for over a decade.
Wallace, the youngest of the bunch, has been a rapid riser and a hot name in coaching circles, with a strong level of attraction growing from teams in the Big Ten, as they try to lure him away from Iowa. Despite opportunities from schools such as Minnesota, Purdue, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Nebraska, and Michigan State, he has always remained loyal to Iowa.
In an interview with Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register on Legends and Listeners, Wallace elaborated on why Iowa remains home for him.
"I grew up in Iowa. I wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for Iowa, if it wasn't for Norm Parker, Phil Parker, Kirk Ferentz. I grew up a coach's kid, but I watched my father do it at the Division 3 level. I admired it. I loved it.
"People ask me, 'Who did you grow up watching? What was your favorite college team?' and I told them I grew up watching my father. That was my favorite team. That was my favorite coach.
"To be in this position right here, it's not because of spotlight that shines on you, because you're at the University of Iowa versus being at Coe College. It's not the financial side of things. I was coaching Division 2 and Division 3 football for 10 years of my years in coaching.
"Me being here, this is where I want to be," Seth Wallace said about Iowa being home.
"Going back to growing up in this state, my wife is from Mount Pleasant, I am from Grinnell, her parents are around, my parents are around. We have a 15-year-old and a 10-year-old. They are going through those stages right now that I don't think you can put a price tag on the fact that they get to see their grandparents whenever that time comes.
"Be it a softball game, a dance competition, or a football game, my parents just went with my son down to Kansas City for a 7-on-7 tournament because there was a dance competition going on, and we had spring practice on Saturday. That wouldn't happen at a lot of other places.
"I think my decision to be here and do what I'm doing, when, yes, there have been some other things come my way, it's people and timing. I've kind of always looked at it that way, and it's hard to replace what Norm Parker, Kirk Ferentz, and Phil Parker mean to me and my career. Right now, I am still working with two of the three and am only here because of the other one, so it's a pretty big deal," Wallace added.
Seth Wallace has spent more than a decade with Iowa. After playing at Coe College from 1997 to 2000, he spent time coaching at Coe, Lake Forest, and Valdosta State, with one year as an Iowa GA sprinkled in there, before fully immersing himself at Iowa in 2014.
Wallace began as a defensive line assistant before working his way up the ladder from cornerbacks coach to linebacker coach to assistant defensive coordinator to his recent role of assistant head coach, which he assumed in 2024.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire : 'This is where I want to be': Seth Wallace calling Iowa football home
Q&A
Why has Seth Wallace chosen to stay with Iowa football despite offers from other schools?
Seth Wallace has chosen to stay with Iowa football due to his loyalty to the program and the strong continuity among the coaching staff.
Which schools have tried to recruit Seth Wallace away from Iowa?
Seth Wallace has received offers from Minnesota, Purdue, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Nebraska, and Michigan State.
How long have Kirk Ferentz and his coaching staff been in place at Iowa?
Kirk Ferentz and his main coaching staff, including Seth Wallace and Phil Parker, have been in place for over a decade.
What impact does Seth Wallace's loyalty have on Iowa football's stability?
Seth Wallace's loyalty contributes to the stability and continuity of the Iowa football program, which is crucial in an era of frequent coaching changes.
