In case you didn’t know, Phil Parker is really, really good at his job. Year after year, Iowa fields one of the top defensive teams in the B1G, regardless of the “talent” remaining on the roster.

You can look at the numbers and conclude that Parker is one of the best in the business. This season, the Hawkeyes have forced 20 turnovers, they’re on a 27-game streak in holding opponents to 24 points or less and they’ve continued to shut down high-powered offenses.

As good as that is, it’s not even remotely close to describing just how good Parker is at his job.

Pro Football Focus’s Anthony Treash summed it up beautifully in just one tweet earlier this week. When you look at the recruits in Iowa’s secondary, it paints a picture of just how well Iowa, and Parker, develops talent.

Iowa’s Top 5 defensive backs were all listed as 3-star recruits or lower. Yet this group is the second-highest-graded coverage unit in college football in 2021. Here’s the breakdown:

Remarkable.

Iowa currently leads the B1G in scoring defense (13 points per game allowed), ranks second in total defense (274.2 yards per game) and third against the pass and the run. No wonder the Hawkeyes are on a 12-game winning streak.

Parker is easily one of the most underrated and undervalued defensive coordinators in the sport. Maybe this year someone will finally take notice.