On the surface, Iowa’s “Swarm” concept and Minnesota’s “Row the Boat” mantra don’t appear to be all that similar. But a closer look shows us that both programs value togetherness and culture while sharing very similar values stylistically.
“The Swarm means so much to me,” defensive end Joe Evans said. “It’s not only you and your brothers out there — it’s everyone from the past, too, so it’s really bringing everyone together, which is something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
“I think our entrance is one of a kind, just showing that we’re together,” Cooper DeJean said. “Locking hands, running on the field as a whole team.”
“We’re just out there together. I’m thinking we’re about to go into battle,” Sebastian Castro said. “The guys that I’ve been training with busting my [butt] for.”
“Personally, I think the Swarm is the greatest entrance in college football,” quarterback Deacon Hill said. “You show up together, you leave the field together. It really shows what kind of team this is. What this program’s about is about family and pulling through together.”
“As long as I’m here, that’s going to continue and it is important,” head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “We swarmed really poorly in ’04 in Tempe, Arizona. And it’s funny how things work, you know, it’s about how we played, too. We couldn’t even swarm right — couldn’t take a team picture in 1999. Went back and redid that on a Saturday night during camp. It’s funny little things sometimes can really carry over to bigger things.”
Both Big Ten West opponents battle it out for the Floyd of Rosedale trophy. P.J. Fleck has yet to “Row the Boat” into Kinnick Stadium and come out with the pig. Iowa’s won each of the last six matchups against Fleck and company.
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