—Submitted Photo southeast valley graduate aaron graves stands with his wife Aubrey and son Grayson after winning the Hayden Fry Award.

IOWA CITY — Grayson Graves might not remember his first Iowa football game, but it will be a memory his proud father, Aaron, won’t soon forget.

When the Hawkeyes face Vanderbilt in the Reliaquest Bowl on New Years Eve, Grayson will be a little over a month old. The infant will also be in the stands for his dad’s final game as a Hawkeye.

“My wife (Aubrey) and Grayson will both be at the bowl game,” Graves said. “He will have his little earmuffs on (to quell the noise).

“I have a great support system. It will be a lot of fun.”

Grayson, who was expected to arrive much closer to bowl season, had a plan of his own and was a part of the growing Graves family by Thanksgiving.

“It was a pretty cool couple of days when Grayson was born,” Graves said. “It happened and I got a chance to hang out with Aubrey and Grayson and then play in the Nebraska game (on Black Friday).

“It was an emotional 48 hours. It was something I’ll never forget. I’ll be able to tell him all about it one day.”

Graves made his commitment to Iowa and head coach Kirk Ferentz as a freshman standout at Southeast Valley. That decision is one that changed his life and carved a path for his future.

“It’s pretty crazy that it is coming to an end. Four years have flown by,” Graves said. “Iowa football has given me so much. If it wasn’t for Iowa, I wouldn’t have met my wife and so many amazing people in my life.

“The defensive line was at my wedding and my son was born — all within a few months. It’s been pretty insane.”

In high school, Graves was a specimen on the field for Southeast Valley, leading the Jaguars to a state championship his senior year.

There was no question where he would continue his career, as he committed to Iowa and Ferentz after his freshman year in Gowrie.

“I’m so grateful and appreciative for what Iowa has given me these four years,” Graves said. “I’ve had a great coaching staff, outstanding teammates, incredible people and leaders.

“If I needed to look to someone for advice, they would shoot me straight.”

During the recruiting process, Graves found an instant connection with Iowa defensive line coach Kelvin Bell.

“Coach Bell was very honest from the start,” Graves said. “I wasn’t going to Iowa with false expectations, and when I got here, it was exactly what I expected.

“From the coaching standpoint and culture, it was what I thought I would get coming out of high school.”

When Graves committed, he remembered a specific question Ferentz asked.

“Coach Ferentz point blank asked me if there was any situation where I would decommit,” Graves said. “I told him other than you retiring, which would sway my choice, that would be it.”

Ferentz was a big reason that Graves wanted to play football for the Black and Gold.

“Other than just wanting to play for Iowa, Coach Ferentz was the biggest reason I wanted to go to Iowa,” Graves said. “He just has that consistency and leadership. It’s incredible. He’s a Hall of Fame coach and an even better person.

“You can go through any conversation and know he is a good person and doesn’t view himself as too big.”