IN PHOTOS: Broyles Award winner Phil Parker poses for snaps with his family in the Clinton Presidential Center Oval Office

The longtime defensive coordinator for the Iowa Hawkeyes, Phil Parker, won the prestigious Broyles Award on December 5 in Downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. This annual honor recognizes the top assistant coach in college football.

The award ceremony took place on Tuesday afternoon at the Statehouse Convention Center. The event was scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CST and was broadcast by KATV.

The Broyles Award recognizes coaches who exhibit the same level of coaching excellence as former football coach Frank Broyles, for whom the award is named.

Social account of The Broyles Award on X (formerly Twitter) posted:

“First stop, win the Broyles Award. Next stop, Oval Office! @HawkeyeFootball #Phil4President.”

On the occasion, Phil Parker, 60, was photographed with his family in the Oval Office at the Clinton Presidential Center. The post captures the family’s radiant smiles as they look directly at the camera.

The Broyles Award official Instagram account wrote:

“We are honored to present the 2023 #BroylesAward winner Coach Phil Parker, Defensive Coordinator / S at @uiowa! He exemplifies the legacy of Coach Broyles and his #coachingexcellence. Congratulations to Coach Parker and his family and go #Hawkeyes!”

DC Parker is only the second Iowa assistant coach to be named a finalist for the Broyles Award, following in the footsteps of Norm Parker in 2004 and 2005.

The key things behind Broyles Award winner Phil Parker

The Iowa Hawkeyes have benefited from Phil Parker’s coaching abilities, as they have finished the season ranked in the top 20 for three consecutive years.

Despite losing several key players from last year’s team, including NFL Draft picks Lukas Van Ness and Jack Campbell, Iowa’s defense remained strong, ranking fourth in scoring defense, second in yards per play allowed, and fifth in total defense nationally.

This year, the Hawkeyes stood as one of the most dominant defensive outfits in the collegiate ranks. Iowa led the country in interceptions, a feat they have achieved multiple times since 2015 when Parker took over as defensive coordinator.

The No. 17 Hawkeyes, who finished the season with a record of 10-3 and a Big Ten West division title, will play against the No. 23 Tennessee Volunteers (8-4, 4-4 SEC) in the Citrus Bowl on January 1.