Navajo college football player inspires

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2002

Ira Vandever is one of the top-ranked college football players in Iowa but the Navajo tribal member doesn't plan on a career in the NFL.

Instead, the Drake University senior plans on a career in media. He hopes to start a Native-oriented magazine. And with his grandfather being one of the Navajo Code Talkers, he jokes about a "real" movie describing their contributions to World War II.

Vandever grew up on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico. He turns 22 on Friday.

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