Former Hawkeyes RB details mistreatment at Iowa: 'A living nightmare'

Another former Iowa Hawkeyes football player has spoken out about his negative experiences playing for head coach Kirk Ferentz and his staff.

Akrum Wadley, a Hawkeyes running back from 2014-17, detailed numerous incidents from his Iowa tenure in a lengthy Facebook post on Monday.

"I felt like playing for Iowa Football was a living nightmare," Wadley wrote. "I never drank alcohol prior to going to college, but based on my experience there it became the only thing I could rely on, it seems, and was what I did to cope."

Wadley is the fourth-leading rusher in school history, but he wrote that he and other Black players found they were being unfairly targeted regardless of their on-field accomplishments.

"I remember those that were in my group, which were all Black, transferred. As this was happening, as I was trying my best to deal with this to help my teammates, I was threatened by Kirk Ferentz that my meal card would be taken away and I will not eat nor be able to sit with my teammates during eating sessions."

Wadley said Ferentz followed through on the threat; his meal card was later declined when he tried to use it.

"I had to call my mother from New Jersey at 10 or 11 p.m. at night because I was hungry to order Domino's Pizza for me. Or I would have to go to a fan's house earlier at night to eat because there was no way I was going to be able to make through the next day vomiting, being weak and be able to make it through school and practice that day."

Wadley also recalled an instance in which offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, who was the running backs coach at the time, made racist comments when Wadley donned a team-issued wool cap after practice. He wrote that Ferentz hollered, "Hey Akrum, are you going to rob a gas station?" and "Akrum, are you going to rob a liquor store?"

Wadley wrote that he sought out a therapist because no one in the football program was willing to help or listen. But after one meeting with the therapist, he could no longer find or contact her. No one told him where she went and no replacement was brought in.

"I wish I never played for the Iowa Hawkeyes," Wadley wrote.

He added: "My hope is my story and those of my teammates save others from the experiences, truths, and mistake of playing under and for a coaching staff at Iowa that did and said nothing to stop the bullying and racism from happening to us under Chris Doyle, Brian Ferentz, and Kirk Ferentz."

Wadley's statement comes after several other former and current players said they experienced unfair treatment and racism while playing at Iowa.

The school placed strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle on administrative leave earlier in June after dozens of former players accused him of making belittling and racist remarks. Doyle was subsequently dismissed. Ferentz, the longest-tenured coach in the FBS, has since faced questions about the culture within his program.