Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard’s health was a key topic of discussion during the Hawkeye’s 30-3 loss to Florida in the Outback Bowl Monday. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said after the game that he talked to Beathard after he injured his hamstring in a first quarter run that ended one yard from the end zone. “He’s always going to say he’s going to play. If he had a broken leg, that’s going to be his answer,” according to Ferentz.

“We’ve had a lot of tough guys come through the University of Iowa and play football — at least in my 27 years at and he’s right up there at the top. We have to look and see what it looks like. If he’s in harms way we are going to get him out of there certainly. First and foremost it’s a medical decision to be made by the doctors and trainers. So, it starts there, but if he could go, he’s allowed to go, much like last year.”

Beathard says he knew he was hurt and lobbied to stay in the game. “I told them I wanted to stay in there as much as possible. If I could do it, I was going to stay in,” Beathard says. He says he was only about 30 percent when it came to running, but says he didn’t think he was in bad enough shape to take himself out of the game. “I wasn’t going to do that no — especially in my last game — maybe in a different game possibly. That’s not who I am. If I could stay in and play the game I was going to do that,” Beathard says.

Beathard ended up with his worst game statistically as a starter, hitting just 7 of 23 passes for 55 yards and three interceptions. He did however finish his career as the quarterback with the best winning percentage who started at least 20 games, going 20-7. While Beathard talked about not wanting to come out of his last game, defensive back

Desmond King talked about his decision to return for his senior season after being a consensus All-American in his junior year.”I think the four years I have been here was fantastic…I am 100 percent with the decision that I made to come back to the University of Iowa to get my degree and to lead this team the right way,” King says. “And I felt that I put that in effect and it came out positive.”

He says being a leader on this year’s team was important. “I felt like it was a very good thing that I came back,” King says. King appeared in his 53rd game and made his 51st start — both of which are records. He made a circus-like interception in the game — which was the 14th of his career and tied him with Damien Robinson for fourth all time in Hawkeye history.

(Learfield Sports)