(July 15, 2008) "Touchdown, Iowa."

Those two words may seem simple enough, but to hear Gary Dolphin in his patented baritone voice make the call is music to Iowa fans listening to Hawkeye football games on the radio each Saturday during the fall.

In an era dominated by television coverage, play-by-play broadcasters on radio rarely receive as much recognition as their television counterparts.

Still, there is something about Dolphin and his on-air prowess that gives him celebrity status in the state.

Being the radio voice for both Iowa football and men's basketball, Dolphin is no doubt a part of Hawkeye athletics. At the same time, he is a man of the people, acting as a bridge to connect fans with their beloved Hawkeyes.

"Gary is a tireless ambassador for the university and the Iowa Hawkeyes," Iowa Associate Athletics Director Rick Klatt said. "We couldn't be more appreciative of how he works on the air."

That kind of praise is commonplace when the conversation turns to the Voice of the Hawkeyes. What is interesting to note is that Dolphin almost didn't get what he calls "the job I've always wanted to do."

He almost missed out on being Iowa's play-by-play commentator simply because he was hesitant to apply for the position 12 years ago, when Learfield Sports acquired the exclusive rights to broadcast Hawkeye football and basketball. Prior to that, Hawkeye football games were broadcast on a variety of radio stations from across the state, creating a trio of fan-favorite broadcasters Jim Zabel, Bob Brooks, and Ron Gonder. Most people familiar with the situation figured the job would go to one of those three men. Dolphin was of the same mind set.

"I didn't make a call, I didn't apply for the job, I didn't do anything," he said. "I wasn't going to go after it, because I just assumed, like everybody else, that they would give it to one of the big three."

After Learfield Sports let it be known that it would not select one of the big three to be Iowa's radio voice for Hawkeye football and men's basketball, Dolphin received a phone call from a member of the search committee asking why he had not applied for the position.

At this point, Dolphin said, he was all over it.

"I went from not even applying for it, thinking I didn't have a shot at it, to applying for it and getting the job," he said.

That was in 1996. While it's impossible to please every fan out there, he has made the transition to Iowa's play-by-play man smooth and in an unassuming manner.

"Gary assumed a very difficult position several years ago when we asked him to replace numerous living legends, and to his credit, I think those three guys also had a professional respect for him," Klatt said. "They knew he was very good at his trade, and as much as they were disappointed they were no longer were doing it, I think they all respected Gary for his skill."

Growing up in Cascade, Iowa, a town of only around 1,000 people, Dolphin enjoyed listening to sports on the radio. However, he didn't get the idea of going into broadcasting until his senior year in high school.

"I was your typical 17- or 18-year-old growing up in the '60s, figuring I would get drafted and end up in Vietnam," he said. "College quite honestly was the furthest thing from my mind."

After learning that his draft number was not going to be called, Dolphin began thinking about plans after high school. His guidance counselor, Father Don Bruggeman, actually took a road trip to Minneapolis, with Dolphin to survey Brown Institute, the broadcasting school he eventually attended.

In a state that has no major professional sport teams to speak of, Dolphin is often at the crux of some of the most important sporting events Iowa has to offer. Yet, he has the character to never flaunt the success he enjoys.

Rather, he realizes how lucky he is to have his dream job.

"Radio is my first love," Dolphin said. "Play-by-play is my second. The University of Iowa and this job is the job I've always wanted."