By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa Athletic Department recently announced its 2025 Hall of Fame class, which consists of seven former student-athletes and former athletic director Bob Bowlsby.

Each of the seven former student-athletes are well deserving, and Bowlsby certainly left his mark on UI athletics during his time as athletic director from 1991 to 2006.

But once again there seems to be at least one oversight, and it’s been that way for nearly two decades now as Sedrick Shaw continues to be passed over despite being Iowa’s all-time leading rusher in football and the only player in program history to rush for at least 4,000 yards in his career.

Shaw finished his career in 1996 with 4,156 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns.

The closest anyone has come to his breaking his record is Ladell Betts, who compiled 3,686 rushing yards from 1998 to 2001 to rank second all time at Iowa.

All Iowa athletes who have earned at least one varsity letter at Iowa are eligible for the Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame. Athletes must have completed their eligibility 10 years and coaches/administrators five years prior to their induction.

That means Shaw has been eligible since 2006, and yet there seems to be no push to get the Austin, Texas native into the Iowa Hall of Fame.

The reason is probably because Shaw never earned All-America accolades, and some would argue that there has to be a cut-off line or too many former players would have a case for being inducted, causing the honor to lose some of its prestige.

Okay. Fair enough.

But can’t there also be a few exceptions?

Former Iowa running back Shonn Greene was part of Iowa’s 2024 Hall of Fame class despite only ranking 12th on Iowa’s all-time rushing list with 2,228 yards.

Greene certainly made the most of his only season as a full-time starter in 2008 when he rushed for a UI single-season record 1,850 yards. He would also go on to win the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back in 2008.

Greene basically earned his way in the Iowa Hall of Fame thanks to one record-breaking season, because if you take away that one season, he only rushed for 378 yards as a Hawkeye.

This is meant as no disrespect to Greene because he truly was spectacular in 2008 as he basically put the offense on his broad shoulders and paved the way to a nine-win season after a 3-3 start.

But in Shaw’s case, his body of work deserves special consideration because it sets him apart from every other Iowa running back.

Shaw also had to share the rushing load with Tavian Banks for two seasons in 1995 and 1996, but that still didn’t stop Shaw from going where no other Iowa running back has gone before with over 4,000 career rushing yards.

Shaw was at his absolute best on Oct. 7, 1995 when he shredded Michigan State for 250 rushing yards on a whopping 42 carries in a 21-7 victory in East Lansing, Michigan.

Iowa’s 1995 squad had a lot of offensive weapons, including the electrifying Tim Dwight, and yet, Hayden Fry still called Shaw’s number 42 times in a single game.

Shaw ran with both power and elusiveness as a Hawkeye,  and he was also tough and durable.

A player doesn’t rush for over 4,000 yards in college without being tough and durable.

Shaw’s highest honor as a Hawkeye was making first-team All-Big Ten as a senior in 1996 when he rushed for 1,116 yards.

But his best season as a Hawkeye was 1995 when he rushed 1,477 yards and scored 15 touchdowns.

Despite those numbers Shaw didn’t make first or second-team All-Big Ten in 1995 as the conference was loaded with star running backs that season, most notably 1995 Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George from Ohio State. Darnell Autry from Northwestern also made first-team All-Big Ten in 1995, while Mike Alstott from Purdue and Michigan’s Tim Biakabutuka made second-team.

Shaw only played briefly in the NFL, but that shouldn’t matter when considering him for the Iowa Hall of Fame.

This call for Sedrick Shaw to be in the Iowa Hall of Fame will almost certainly fall on deaf ears, but it’s still worth highlighting whenever Iowa announces a Hall of Fame class.