'This is my tribe': Jay Norvell speaks about Iowa football return
Jay Norvell is back with Iowa football and spoke about what it means to him on Friday.
After nearly 40 years away from the program, Jay Norvell has returned to his alma mater. Norvell played at Iowa from 1982-85 and then spent a few years as a graduate assistant with the Hawkeyes before starting his coaching journey at Northern Iowa . He's spent years as a positional and head coach around the country, honing his craft and earning plenty of respect along the way.
Now, he's made his way back home to join Kirk Ferentz's staff. Norvell will serve as the running backs coach for the Hawkeyes in 2026, working with one of the strongest position groups on the roster. On Friday, he spoke to the media about what it means to return to Iowa and coach at his alma mater.
"I had chances to be a coordinator, I had a chance to be a head coach again. It just wasn't the right situation for me, it wasn't the right people for me. This is my tribe," Norvell said on Friday.
"This is my tribe. " @CoachJayNorvell on returning to Iowa š¤ pic. twitter.