Bowlsby brings up ex-Hawks Greenway and Sanders during his Big 12 defense

FRISCO, Texas — Big 12 Conference Commissioner Bob Bowlsby dipped into his University of Iowa athletics director past during one of the many times in which he defended the national perception of his league.

“Since we (the Big 12) went to 10 members, last year was the first time anybody went through the season undefeated in the conference season,” he said of league-unbeaten Oklahoma. “So as I say, it gets a little tiresome (warding off critics), because I know we play at a very high level.

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One of the last teams we had at Iowa, when I was there — we didn't have anybody on the team that was a four-star recruit — but it's Chad Greenway, who was recruited by South Dakota and Iowa and plays 13 years in the NFL. It was Bob Sanders, who was recruited by Kent State and Iowa, and was the defensive player of the year in the National Football League. Those guys didn't have any stars by their names.

“I know our guys are recruiting. I know they're coaching them up. I think we've got a tremendous balance of quality veterans and quality new guys. We’re an easy target, and I think it's a perception, not a reality.”