"Where Are They Now?" vol. 1

As part of our Iowa Hawkeye and Big Ten coverage, we, the writers of The Hawkeye Compulsion, will periodically visit with icons from Big 10 history and see how their lives have changed since college football.

Our first visit is with former Iowa quarterback Brad Banks.


Brad Banks burst onto the scene in 2002 with a scintillating senior campaign with the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Belle Glade, Florida native quarterbacked the Hawkeyes to their first 8-0 Big Ten season ever as well as a berth in the Orange Bowl. Banks finished second in the Heisman race to USC standout Carson Palmer that year.

Since his graduation from the UI, Banks has parlayed his fame into a successful career in politics. During the 2004 election, his Capitol Hill activism led to widespread campaign finance reform, and he is believed to be among the front-runners for the Presidential seat in 2016, his first year eligible for nomination.

We were unable to get the "Busy B," as he's known among politicos, in for a sitdown interview. Luckily, we contacted him by phone at 515-244-5611, and here's our conversation:

OPS: Hey, Brad! Welcome to the interview from a fellow Hawkeye!

Brad: There are many areas of care that set Mercy apart. One is our 24-hour staffing of pediatric specialists in our emergency center. If your child or other family member has a need, we're ready to help--no matter what, no matter when. On behalf of the thousands of compassionate professionals who call Mercy home, we're proud to be Iowa's health care leader in delivering health care excellence, every day, in every way.

Female voice, probably Brad's secretary or something: The current time is 8:41. The current temperature is 81. Thank you for calling!

We lost our connection with Brad after that, so it looks like one minute is all he's got to spare! Still, it's wonderful to hear that health care is at the forefront of the issues he's tackling. Brad Banks: lifelong Hawkeye, lifelong champion.