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Hawkeyes Improve to 1-0 With a Win Over Tennessee Tech

2011-09-06T08:50:00.001-07:00

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2011-08-31T08:45:00.001-07:00

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2011-08-29T16:10:00.001-07:00

Hawkeye Blogger Roundtable Talks Football Recruits, PTL and Jeff Peterson

2011-06-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another edition of Hawkeye Blogger Roundtable. This week the participants are:

Mike www.thehawkeyestate.net (THS)
Eric www.fightforiowa.com (FFI)
Ed www.hawkeyekoolaid.com (HK)
Rick www.plannedsickdays.com (PSD)

Question 1: Iowa received four verbal commits last week. Two of them, Drew Ott, a two star DE/TE, and Cameron Wilson, a three star WR, are from enemy territory (Nebraska, Ohio State). Did Iowa swoop in and make a steal or are these leftovers?

HK: First, kudos to the coaching staff. As a sales guy by day, I know recruiting is one of the toughest sales jobs out there. I know some are complaining that this year’s recruiting class is not getting off to a fast enough start, but I think we’ll end up getting just the right guys when it’s said & done.

With regards specifically to Drew Ott, he has the size and attitude that Iowa likes. The fact that he would have preferred to have gone to Nebraska is great from a “chip on his shoulder” standpoint. It’s a positive that we got him and it’s a positive that he was Nebraska’s leftovers because of how Iowa’s coaching staff will tap into that through his time at Iowa to keep him motivated.

Regarding Cameron Wilson, maybe he wasn’t Ohio State caliber, but with offers from Purdue, West Virginia, Pitt, Cincy & South Florida he’s obviously not chopped liver either.What I am excited about is his height and it excites me that we continue to recruit receivers taller & bigger than the average college Corner Back which is around 5’10”.

FFI: Well, neither of these guys had offers from Nebraska or OSU so I wouldn’t say they were necessarily a steal. Both of these guys might have gotten offers later from their home state schools, but Iowa was in early enough to get the commitment. I think in Ott’s case, he probably would have been offered by Nebraska if it weren’t from the Huskers incredibly small recruiting class this year. I think they only have room for 15 kids while most years it’s probably lower twenties.

PSD: I agree with Eric. I don’t think either are a steal. Ott didn’t get an offer because Barney Cotton’s son was their top priority at the TE position. As far as DE, I assume they have other targets. I have no idea if Nebraska had plans to offer the kid, he may have been a fallback. However, Ott seems like a typical Iowa recruit. Diamond in the rough, and all the cliches.

I don’t know a whole lot about Wilson and his recruitment. He does hold offers from other Big Ten schools, but like Eric pointed out, nothing from OSU.

THS: Nebraska fans are saying that because the Husker’s recruiting class is so small this year they can only afford the creme de creme. I’m not sure if that’s because of scholarship limits or if Bo just wants a small class. Then again, Husker fans said it so it might be complete bullshit that only ends up in the statement “We have 5 National Championships and your argument is irrelevant.”

In my opinion, the fact that Ott has been called one of the best players in the state and Nebraska hasn’t offered him may actually hurt their recruiting down the line. He won’t care though. He won’t care when we turn him into an all conference selection.

Wilson definitely isn’t a steal. Like every other Ohio player, including DJK, they want to play for Ohio State. Usually, they can’t and they play for another B1G school. I don’t mind if we’re the backup school for players like Wilson because look at his list of offers. He could’ve gone anywhere in the B1G/Big East and he chose us.

Questions 2: The other two recruits are Maurice Fleming, a three star WR/DB, from the Chicago area and Connor Kornbrath, a Punter from West Virginia. A Punter, really?

FFI: I’m not sure how well that bodes for our punter from down under, Jonny Mullings. But it’s probably a good thing to have a little competition at the position. Guthrie is gone after this year and having the backup quarterback as your backup punter is probably not a good thing. Still, I think this year’s class is going to be a little smaller than last so a better route might have been a walk-on.

PSD: I’ve been trying to wrap my head around this for the last couple days. When I first posted the Kornbrath commit I considered Mullings’ age as the factor (he’s already 23). But, as Jon Miller and others pointed out on Twitter, there have been some rumblings of Mullings and a slow delivery/off time with his punting. I believe those rumblings are a result of the small Mullings sample we saw at the Spring practice. So who knows?

News articles and various tweets say Kornbrath can really boom it. I think it was ‘Bear’ Bryant that said the most important player on the team is the punter. I’m still not sure that means you need two of them on scholarship.

THS: Well, I guess. Aside from Ryan Donahue the special teams at Iowa have been a shitshow for the past few years. Now, Donahue is graduating and Kirk is probably looking for the next big thing. I don’t know about having the guy on scholarship but if that’s what Kirk wants that’s what Kirk gets. I watched some of his highlights on YouTube and he has quite the leg for kickoffs and punts. If he doesn’t work out or end up being the next big thing we’ll just have another guy on scholarship. It’s not like we can take it away. I mean, we’re not Ron Zook.

HK: Regarding punting, is there really any part of the game that is more of a buzz kill? But in a Kirk Ferentz offense, there may not be a more important person. With as much hype as Donahue got in 2010, he really disappointed in my opinion. Dude had so many punts go into the end zone.

On Maurice Fleming, I’m very excited considering he’s from the Chicago area. If Iowa can dig its heels into the Chicago area like we’ve done in New Jersey & other areas there are a lot of great kids we can get. Also - if Maurice lines up D Back I would love it, because he’s 6’1”. If he lines up at WR I like his height there, too.

Question 3: Do you actually buy any Preseason College Football Magazines? If so, which one(s) and why.

HK: I read every one of them at the newsstand (thank you Barnes & Noble) - I buy Phil Steele. I buy it because it’s the most comprehensive and it’s become a tradition for me. The first thing I do every year is read the Iowa write up, then I “W and L” the schedule, checking to see who Iowa’s opponents have to play before & after they take on the Hawkeyes.

I also buy Lindy’s B1G, because it has 150+ pages devoted exclusively to B1G Football. It seems to be the most comprehensive mag.

FFI: I never buy the magazines. I would definitely read them if I had one, but I’m kind of cheap when it comes to those things. I’ll do my own analysis or read stuff online.

PSD: I used to buy those, back before this invention called the Internet. They all say the same thing, at least to me. Team X lost these players on defense, here are the replacements, they won’t be as good here because of the departure of player Y, rinse, repeat.

THS: No, because those magazines still have Jim Tressel listed as the Ohio State football coach. Print media is dead. Besides, Phil Steele is the only magazine worth a shit and he puts all of his stuff online anyway.

Question 4: The PTL has tipped off. Do you think we, as bloggers and fans, read too much into the stats and whatnot? What can we take from the various reports and videos posted about pick-up basketball?

HK: If you live anywhere outside Johnson or Linn County, the PTL is pretty much not talked about. I could scour some message boards and paraphrase some garbage, but instead I’ll just punt. See - I can work football into anything.

FFI: Some people probably do take it a little too seriously. It’s kind of like stats, times, videos, etc... from recruits. They do give us some indication about the skills of the players, but are not the end all, be all.

PSD: I probably read too much into it, for sure. From all reports the fan interest in the PTL games have picked up quite a bit. I’ve read that people are flocking to Anthony Hubbard’s games. If anything it means that the passion for Hawkeye Basketball is coming back. I think people forget how much love there really is for hoops in this state. Think about this, there is a lot of buzz around this team and recruiting class. What happens when McCaffery brings in a recruiting class that isn’t ranked ninth in the Big Ten?

As far as the videos I think you can take a little bit from them. I mean I haven’t seen Hubbard shoot any kind of jumper outside of the paint area. Devyn Marble is tearing it up and Aaron White seems to play better when he is the third option. See, there I go again (to self: it’s only pick-up basketball, it’s only pick-up basketball).

THS: I’m not going to bash fans for getting overly excited about it because shit...what else are you going to do over the summer? Watch soccer? LOLz.

The problem I have with the PTL is that people watch Iowa guys play well and then think it’s an indicator of how well they’ll play during the actual NCAA season. Which isn’t true...at all. By that logic major league baseball players who do well in New England leagues would be highly successful in the regular season. As we all know, that isn’t true.

In my opinion, the only thing the PTL does is give incoming recruits and other young players the opportunity to play against D1 basketball players. Again, it won’t be an indicator of how well they play during the regular season but it will at least prepare them for what it’s like. Although I’m not sure playing against Andrew Brommer will prepare you for playing against Jared Sullinger...

Question 5: Jeff Peterson has been looking at a return to Iowa for his last shot at the dance. Scott Dochterman, of the Cedar Rapids Gazette, mentioned in he and Marc Morehouse’s On Iowa podcast that the offer to him was there. Does this happen? Where does he fit in for 2011-12?

HK: If the sun, moon & stars align and Jeff returns to Iowa I am all for it. If his presence adds depth that leads to even one more win then it’s worth it. Especially proud to hear that if he does he’d be coming in as a graduate student.

FFI: I would be surprised to see this. I don’t know that I’ve ever seem someone transfer away to another D1 school only to transfer right back 2 years later. Iowa probably does have more of an upside this year than Arkansas, but still. If he does come back, he’ll probably back up Cartwright.

PSD: I’d love to see this happen. I think Peterson adds depth at the point and allows McCaffery to go with a small lineup if necessary. Also, I think it helps Marble’s development because he can focus on his true position (SG) and not have to worry so much about point guard responsibilities if he has to relieve Cartwright.

I read at Hawk Central that Peterson recently visited Florida State and who knows,he may not be comfortable with a back-up role. He said he wants to get to the tournament and while I expect Iowa to get more W’s this year, I’m not sure 18-20 wins with this out-of-conference schedule will get them into the dance.

THS: I don’t see it happening but I’m not against it. In a legal sense what he’s doing is “forum shopping.” He’s trying to go the place that’s best for him as an individual. I mean, doesn’t that sound sort of dickish? Like, “Sorry guys but you’re terrible so I’m going to play for a team that actually has a chance at making the tournament.” I thought basketball was a team game? Barring an act of God, Iowa won’t be making the tournament next year so he’s better off going to Florida State. I’m not against his return but I have serious questions about his motive/attitude when he simply wants to transfer from school to school so that he can win. Everyone wants to win but when you commit to a school you commit to a school. It’s a commitment. It’s like marriage. For better or for worse. Not “for worse, fuck it I’m outta here.”

Hawkeye Blogger Round Table Talks OSU, NW, DJK, and Recruiting

2011-05-27T04:55:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Hawkeye Blogger Round Table II where Hawkeye Bloggers sit down and discuss what's what in Hawkeye sports. This week the participants are:

Rick from www.plannedsickdays.com
Mike from www.thehawkeyestate.net
Eric from www.fightforiowa.com
and welcome our guest for the week:
Ed from http://hawkeyekoolaid.com

We'll cut to it and get down to business:

Question 1: Tre$$elgate. What should happen to Jim Tressel?

Rick (PSD) - Fired, no question.

Mike (THS) - He should be fired. He lied to the NCAA and then lied about lying. I mean, at what point does the NCAA say enough is enough?

Ed (HK) - I know it seems unpopular, but I guess I would say no he shouldn’t be fired. My day job is in sales, and all they really care about it is me “hitting my numbers”. And Tre$$el is hitting record numbers as far as Alumni donations, Big Ten dominance and in beating Michigan. So I would say, as long as the NCAA doesn’t demand he be fired, from the standpoint of the university, no he should not be fired; after all he is “hitting his numbers.”

Eric (FFI) - He should man up and resign. The evidence just keeps mounting against OSU and it doesn’t sound like that’s going to end anytime soon.

What will happen?

Mike (THS) - At the very worst the NCAA will suspend him for a year and they’ll be forced to vacate some wins. Maybe they’ll lose a few scholarships. At the very least they’ll accept Ohio State’s bitch ass recommendation. I figure they’ll settle somewhere in the middle and suspend him for 3/4ths of the 2018 season or something. You know they aren’t very fast at their jobs.

Rick (PSD) - There is a rumor (on Bucknuts.com) about a Sports Illustrated article that will hit the newsstands next Tuesday (5/31). If the rumors are true and the article includes stories of money, cars, and hookers, maybe it will be the end of the vest.

Ed (HK) - Without looking much into it, I will say nothing will happen to Tre$$el in 2011. He will serve the suspension, etc. However, what will probably occur is that the Luckeyes will have a down year and he will then be “Hot-Seat Adjacent” in 2012. Another down year in 2012 and then these violations become a great EXCUSE to give him the boot going into the 2013 season.

Eric (FFI) - I do think he will ultimately resign. Sports Illustrated is supposed to be dropping a bomb next Tuesday and with everything that has already come out, that seems pretty plausible. Then in August the NCAA will be laying down the law. I think it’ll come to a point resign or be fired, and Tressell will step down.

Hypothetically, if Tressel isn’t fired, is it safe to say that he has a lifetime pass to do anything at tOSU?

Mike (THS) - Yes. Jim Tressel can do whatever he wants. He could literally kill a guy and get away with it. Apparently the only way you can get fired as the head coach at Ohio State is by bitch slapping a player from the other team. And Tressel probably wouldn’t even get fired if he did that.

Rick (PSD) - Scary, yeah.

Ed (HK) - No. Any employee is only as valuable as their usefulness. If he stops “Hitting his numbers”, he stops generating fan & alumni support, which slows the money train, which gets him or anyone in his position fired.

Eric (FFI) - I don’t think so. If he isn’t fired, he would have to be on a very, very short leash. Every little thing would need to be monitored and any infraction should result in termination.

Question 2: There’s the usual amount of press surrounding Michigan football despite the team going 7-6 and getting embarrassed by Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl. Do you think incoming coach Brady Hoke can turn the program around or is this just another year of hype for a powerhouse that’s past its prime?

Mike (THS) - I’m really in awe about all of the circle-jerking that’s been going on at Michigan. It’s as simple as this. RichRod attempted to bring the spread to Michigan. Anyone who wasn’t batshit crazy knew that his idea of the spread wouldn’t work in the Big Ten. Turns out, it didn’t work in the Big Ten. The problem for Brady Hoke is that he still has all of RichRod’s players. He has a spread QB, a spread RB, spread WRs and so on. Now, Hoke wants to come in and turn Michigan into a pro-style team. They’re completely different schemes with completely different requirements. It’s going to be a rough year.

Did I mention that Michigan finishes out the season with this schedule: @Iowa, @Illinois, vs. Nebraska and vs. Ohio State? Yeah...Michigan could finish the season on a four game losing streak. That wouldn’t make Hoke much different than RichRod now would it?

Ed (HK) - I can’t see any new B1G coach coming in facing a tough B1G Schedule and going better than 6-6 or 7-5. Regarding the “usual press” surrounding the Maize & Blue it’s warranted, considering their large alumni base’s appetite for info on the team and their rich history.

Rick (PSD) - I’m not sure the press is unusual. If college football were a retail store Michigan would be top selling merchandise. I understand why the coverage exists, it’s supply and demand. If people didn’t tune in to the ESPN shows or buy the magazines that constantly cover the Michigan story (and I think the winningest program in CFB history having down years is a story) the coverage would move elsewhere.

Eric (FFI) - I could see a fairly significant improvement from Michigan this year. Really the team was a mediocre defense away from a 10-win season. I can’t imagine the new coaching staff being anywhere near as inept at running a defense. I think they’ll find a way to use Denard Robinson, even if it’s in a more traditional offense, that the Wolverines will put points on the board.

Do you see Hoke returning Michigan to its glory days anytime soon? If so, how long will it take?

Mike (THS) - There’s no reason why Michigan shouldn’t turn back into its former self. They have the recruiting, the tradition and a great head coach. Then again...you could say all of those things about the laughable shitshow located in South Bend, Indiana. BTW, why isn’t Brian Kelly being brought up on manslaughter charges? Serious question.

Ed (HK) - I completely feel Brady Hoke will revitalize the toughness of Michigan’s Defense and will be able to convert this team back into a Pro-Style-Offense powerhouse. @Not_KOK you don’t need to get nervous quite yet, as Michigan won’t return to glory in 2011. It’s 2012, 2013, etc that we all will need to worry about.

Rick (PSD) - I do. Last year I was kinda hoping that the Wolverines could lure Harbaugh to the Big Ten. Hoke may be Harbaugh lite? A good Michigan team is good for the Big Ten. It may take a year, especially since they are trying to plug a square peg into a round hole (moving Denard from a spread option to an I-form QB). They also are still seeing deflections from the Rich Rod era too. The addition of Mattison as the D coordinator will help and he seems to already be paying dividends on the recruiting trail.

Eric (FFI) - They have the talent and have been landing big recruit after big recruit this offseason. I don’t think this is the year, but they will be competing for the B1G crown in the next 2 or 3 years.

Question 3: The primetime game against Northwestern was just announced. It’s early, but could this finally be the year that we take down those asshats?

Rick (PSD) - Man, do I hope so. I don’t hate on NW as much as some fellow Hawk fans. Don’t get me wrong, I hate that they have Iowa’s number, but my father-in-law is a former fullback at NW so the purple cats aren’t at the top of my most hated list.

We are planning a pretty big party in Iowa City for this one. My brother-in-laws are travelling from Chicago and haven’t been to a real tailgating scene like in Iowa City. So yeah, my wife and I were pretty excited when they announced this was a night game. I just hope that when the fourth quarter ends that 1.) Iowa’s best player hasn’t suffered a serious injury and 2.) Iowa is ahead on the scoreboard.

Mike (THS) - Any year could be the year that Iowa beats Northwestern. Right up until Jimmy V goes down with a vicious knee injury, Marcus Coker breaks an ankle or Shaun Prater’s head explodes like that guy in Scanners. I think Iowa finally understands that they should take Northwestern seriously. I know I do. The major advantage that Iowa has this year is Northwestern playing three night games three weeks in a row (I think). Hopefully, that somehow messes with their mojo and we’re able to deal out a beating of epic proportion. But, knowing Fitzgerald, they’ll lose every other night game and beat us by 10. Fucking wizard...

Ed (HK) - First, I’d like to address the fact that it’s Iowa’s “primetime” game this year. In my opinion that’s a REALLY good thing. It indicates outside expectations for Iowa are down this year (a good sign) Also, it means that the players will not look past Pat ‘Satan’ Fitzgerald and his purple asshats, because it’s a night game in primetime. Iowa gets the W this year, but doesn’t cover the point spread (see Iowa Gambling Trend Revealed). I see Iowa winning by some odd score. Something like 23 to 18 and I think Iowa needs a Special Teams TD or Defensive TD to get the W. A la the Iowa vs Iowa State game in 2008.

Eric (FFI) - It’s going to be tough. I think it helps that it’ll be a home (even though Iowa has lost the last 3 in Kinnick) and at night. Still, Persa... I think having Norm back will be helpful. Though Iowa gave up a bazillion yards against Missouri, Norm made adjustments and it was ultimately a defensive play that won the game. Against NW last year, without Norm, the D never adjusted and allowed a late TD. I don’t see that happening this year.

Question 4: Aside from Purdue and Indiana, every team in the Big 10 has at least two football commitments. Iowa only has one. Is this is a cause for concern? What could explain the slow start in recruiting? Is Rhabdogate to blame? Dennis Dodd? Is there negative recruiting going on in the Big Ten? All of that “drug related” stuff?

Rick (PSD) - I think there will be coaches that use Rhabdo to do a little negative recruiting. Overall, I’m not concerned. On this same date last year Iowa had a total of two commits, per Rivals. They were Marcus Grant, a WR from Massachusetts, and Austin Blythe, an in-state recruit from Williamsburg.

If you look at the link provided from Rivals Iowa went on to add nine more recruits before the end of summer for a total of eleven. High School kids are finishing up the school year and starting to make the trips for Summer camps and visits. Iowa’s camp is June 12th-14th. I suspect that Iowa, much like last season, will get a commitment or two out of their camp and finish the summer with eight or more commits.

Mike (THS) - I feel like Kirk doesn’t care about getting recruits early. If you build it they will come. Just because a player is committed to a program doesn’t mean he’ll actually sign the LOI a year later. If I’ve learned anything from recruiting it’s that a kid’s “word” doesn’t mean shit and he’ll do whatever he feels like. But, I can guarantee that there is some negative recruiting going on in the B1G because of what happened with Rhabdogate. And I’m sure NAME REDACTED and that fat, ankle tattoo’d bastard living to the northeast knows exactly what I’m talking about.

Ed (HK) - I’m not a recruitnik so I just kind of trust that the coaches are going to get the kids they need to get and I am not at all concerned about it. As far as Dennis Dodds and Rhabdo go, any National Publicity is good in my opinion. “Talk about me good, talk about me bad, just fu$%ing talk about me!”

Controversy, drugs, and a few bad eggs... it’s just a part of College Football today. You have to take chances on kids if you expect to compete. Now could there be some negative recruiting going on within the B1G regarding these things? Sure there probably is. But that’s just political jockeying. I’m sure Iowa is doing the same thing to Ohio State right now considering their problems. These things blow over like the weather.

Eric (FFI) - It’s still pretty early, so I’m not too worried. It should start picking up here with high school over for the summer. Kids will visit campus and attend summer camps. That’s where I think Iowa does best with its recruiting efforts. You see a lot of guys commit right after a visit.

I do think Rhabdogate will have some negative impact. While we know what came of the situation and the investigation, I’m guessing most people outside of Iowa do not. They probably just heard about it from the national media, which was largely negative. I don’t think the drug related stuff will have any impact though.

Question 5: Speaking of drug related stuff, do you see DJK ending up on an NFL roster (NOT a practice squad)? Of course, that’s assuming that we even have an NFL season.

Rick (PSD) - Here are Derrell’s Pro Day stats: 4.5 40 yard dash, 6.92 cone drill, and 21 bench press reps. If he were invited to the NFL combine those numbers would have him in the middle for 40 time, slightly less than the middle of the pack in the cone drill, and third most bench reps for a wide receiver. AJ Green was the number four pick in the draft by the Bengals. He put up a 4.48 40 yard dash, 6.91 cone drill, and 18 bench reps. But of course Green is almost 6’4” and 210 pounds.

I don’t have any doubts he signs a free agent contract and makes a team roster, assuming there is an NFL season. Where? I’m not sure. He’s worked out for the Lions but they drafted Titus Young to play the slot, the position where I imagine DJK will break into the league.

I think the knock on DJK, in addition to the off the field stuff, is his height. He stands just short of six feet. His Pro Day numbers aren’t too far off of Green’s, of course Green is 6’4”. Usually shorter slot guys have world class speed, DJK is fast but not world class fast. DJK can get separation off the ball and will run the route across the middle.

He’s a tough wide receiver and fits into a possession type role for the league. His toughness and willingness to run whatever route the play calls for will get him a spot somewhere.

With the lockout and zero free agent movement it’s impossible to even analyze NFL rosters and guess what teams need wide receiver help, at least for me. Maybe he’ll get lucky and get to stay in Chicago and play for the Bears.

Mike (THS) - If he gets his shit together I think he’ll make a squad. Either that or he’ll end up like Charles Rogers. Except poor.

Ed (HK) - Two things I know about DJK are 1) he wants to prove the world they were wrong not to draft him and 2) he’s extremely talented. So with that said, here’s what will happen. A team with good talent evaluation will pick him up (i.e. New England) and he will flourish because he’s got a lot to prove. Then, he’ll get a nice payday and he’ll flounder because he’ll no longer be motivated to prove anyone wrong. So in the end the “Hollywood in him” will hurt him, it’ll just be 5 or 6 years from now. He will make a great slot receiver in the meantime though, like a Brandon Stokely. Like Stokely, DJK is also 6 feet tall.

As an aside, I can totally see him as a Fantasy Football Sleeper if he gets in the right system. Can’t you just see guys outside of B1G country going, “Derrell Johnson Koulianos, who the F is that?”

Eric (FFI) - Eh, I’m not convinced he’s good enough to overcome his baggage. His numbers over his career were very good, obviously as the record-holder, but he never had a really spectacular season. For every great play he made, he had one he took off. I realize there are a lot of guys in NFL like that, so who knows.

Question 6: Ron Guenther, the Illinois athletic director and arguably Ron Zook’s greatest supporter recently announced his retirement. How long before NAME REDACTED gets canned?

Mike (THS) - It’s as simple as this: if Ron Zook doesn’t win 8 games this year he’s getting fired. It’s been a long time coming for the Zooker and the only thing that saved him was his AD that was more loyal than Joseph Goebbels. Now, he’s gone. Don’t fear the reaper Ron.

Rick (PSD) - I wanted to say that Zook wouldn’t make it to the end of the season but that was before I took a look at the Illini’s schedule. Arkansas State, South Dakota State, Arizona State, and Western Michigan gets them through September. They play NW and Indiana in their first two Big Ten games, they could be 4-2 or better. It’s the rest of the schedule were they will begin to fall apart, starting with Ohio State. Zooker loses his team again and this time loses his job after a loss to Minnesota to end the season.

Ed (HK) - I hope it’s not for a long, long time. Zooker you just keep winning 6-8 games a season for the next 15 years so Iowa can continue to pillage the state of Illinois for talent. Can you do that for me buddy?

Eric (FFI) - He’ll probably out-survive Tressell, which nobody would have predicted a couple of months ago. I think he’s going to have a hard time with the new divisions. Illinois is probably going to finish behind OSU, PSU, and Wisconsin most years. I don’t know that being consistently 4th in the Leaders division will be enough to keep his job.

Hawkeye Blogger Round Table Talks ARob, Coe, Mass Transfers and Hoops

2011-05-20T04:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome to what we hope is the first of many Hawkeye blogger round table sessions where we talk about various topics in the world of Hawkeye sports. Today's participants are: Eric, of FightforIowa.com, Mike, of the Hawkeye State, HawkMike aka @Hawkize, and myself, PlannedSickDays.

With the Big Ten holding spring meetings us Hawkeye fans were given a few nuggets of news this week. Those topics include Adam Robinson's official dismissal from the team, Rodney Coe's test scores, and potential locations for the Big Ten Championship game. We bloggers sat down and gave our opinions on what was what in the world of Hawkeye sports.

**Warning: There may be some colorful language, after all, Dennis Dodd's name was brought up.**

Question 1: Adam Robinson’s dismissal isn’t a surprise, it was Hawk Central, or more specifically his mom, that kept the door open, at least for the general public. What do you think happened there to close the door for good? Care to speculate?

Rick (PSD) - I recall Coker stating that he wanted him back. That seemed to start a little bit of a shit-storm on the message boards but what did anyone really expect him to say? I think the team moved on, and I’m 99% sure Ferentz moved on back in January.

Mike (HS)- I feel like it went one of two ways. Either Kirk was just leading us on and said “Yeah we’ll see where it goes” or he was being honest and A-Rob didn’t hold up his end of the bargain. I’d hate go into some long conspiracy theory here but didn’t finals wrap up last Friday? Did Kirk get the results from A-Rob’s exams a few days after they ended? Possibly. I’m sure Kirk Ferentz has special privileges but I doubt it happened. Furthermore, even if Kirk was being honest I think that the grades he was expecting from A-Rob were in the 4.0-5.0-6.0 perfect human being summa cum laude range. And no offense to A-Rob but uh…no. That didn’t happen. The moment the press conference was called at the Parrish Law Firm was the moment that Adam Robinson was done at Iowa.

Mikehawk : I’m going to go ahead and say it went the first way that Mike wondered - Kirk Ferentz was grinning through his sugarfree bubbalicious-chewing teeth when he said “We’ll see where that goes.” Kirk was never letting Robinson back on the team. Sorry, Southside Hawks. Back to Tasty Tacos for you, A-Rob.

Eric (FightForIowa) - I think while Robinson was still on scholarship, Ferentz was just kind of stringing us along. He never really gave us any indication that he was seriously thinking about giving Robinson a second chance and also gave us the “nothing changed” answer. My guess is A-Rob decided to leave after the semester and Ferentz thought that was a good idea.

What impact do you think that has on the 2011 Hawkeyes, if any?

Rick (PSD) - Hey! I love Tasty Tacos and I think you really mean Henry J’s.

I re-watched the Iowa at Michigan game again yesterday and think Iowa may miss ARob’s receiving skills out of the backfield. He may have been the best receiving option since maybe Albert Young. I hope they find a player that can fill that role this fall. Maybe Iowa can develop De’Andre Johnson into a receiving back?

Mike (HS)- Little to none. I doubt there was anyone in the program who honestly expected him back. We were making contingency plans in late December and those will carry into next fall.

Mikehawk - I honestly believe the impact is positive - and here’s why - hear me out. Coker is the future at Iowa, and Ferentz’s big flaw is his loyalty to players even when there’s someone better in the passenger seat. Coker is a Big 10-type back and without Robinson, OHMIGOSH IM GOING TO SAY IT, stealing carries from him, he’s going to get the exposure he needs to become the next wrecking ball.

Eric - No doubt Robinson was good and he would have contributed. I think he would have kept if starting spot if he was never suspended from the bowl game and never subsequently kicked off the team. At worst he probably would have been in a rotation with Coker kind of like he was with Wegher 2 years ago. As far as the announcement this week though about A-Rob officially transferring...no impact.

Any thoughts on where he ends up?

Rick (PSD) - We had a little bit of a discussion about this on Twitter about this the other night. I think he stays in-state, UNI maybe? He was an undisclosed major so no clues there. I thought for a second there was another Lincoln alum at UNI, LJ Gamblin. Gamblin played at Lincoln with Bernstine and Robinson and went on to UNI. I remember Iowa recruited him a little bit as a linebacker. A little research led me to a UNI site that said Gamblin transfered to ISU so, heh, nevermind.

Mike (HS)- I doubt it will be anywhere in Iowa. I’d figure he’d feel shunned out of the state so it will probably be Illinois, Wisconsin or Missouri.

Mikehawk - It won’t be UNI. There is no good weed in Cedar Falls since Johnny Gray left.

Eric - I think his mom said something about getting into school for summer classes. If he was going to another FBS school and had to sit a year I don’t think he’d rush to go to summer school. So I’m guessing FCS and since he’s from Iowa, UNI makes sense.

Question 2: There were rumors about Coe that seemed to stem from comments Eric Johnson made at an I-Club event. Those were confirmed by Morehouse Tuesday when Ferentz commented that he still has work to do. It seems he needs a better ACT/SAT score to qualify. He was a big get for Iowa and on paper was to factor into the running back mix this Fall. If he doesn’t qualify what impact does that have, if any?

Rick (PSD)- You have to wonder if Iowa didn’t win out recruiting him because of the qualification situation. I imagine the coaches have already discussed a plan or options with Coe if he doesn’t qualify. He was told to be ready to play, I mean with the storied history of the Angry Running Back Hated God. With three other running backs coming in and Johnson and maybe White? the Hawks should be okay without him.

Mike (HS)- I’ll say this and regret it in October: if we don’t have Rodney Coe we’ll be OK because of the depth at running back. Yep, probably gonna be kicking my own ass for that sometime down the line. Regardless of what happens it won’t make a different. Please God…I hope I’m right.

Mikehawk - Rodney Coe really got a bad wrap in that LA Riot beating. That’s who we’re talking about, right? He’s a little old to play football, but whatever.

Eric - It’s hard to say...I think he could have been 3rd or 4th string running back, so the immediate impact probably wouldn’t be too large. Depth is always a major concern at the position though, so I hope he gets his test scores up up.

What are his options? Kirkwood? ICCC?

Rick (PSD) - Coe wouldn’t be the first Hawkeye to have to enter a JC for a year to qualify. Andre Tippett, Shonn Greene, Clinton Soloman. The last two were a little different stories since they actually stepped foot on campus before heading to JC to work their way back. Nick Bell was a Prop 48 and sat out his true freshman year to work on academics. It’s happened before, not a huge deal. Let’s just hope it doesn’t turn into another ‘Bonecrusher’ type situation, that’s the alternative I guess.

Mike (HS)- Why not? The thing that really concerns me about Coe is that Rivals reported him as having a 2.5 GPA in high school. In high school. Now, he could be taking his high school education not so seriously or he could actually have difficulty in the classroom. Regardless, if he’s going to succeed at Iowa he needs to either get his shit together or take full advantage of the tutoring services we offer.

Mikehawk - If you can’t go to college, go to Coe. Or if your name is Coe and you don’t qualify, just go to Kirkwood. It worked for Ali Farokmanesh.

Eric - I don’t know what schools are in Illinois but he may stay closer to home. Iowa has had some success with kids going the JUCO route, but it seems like more often they never make it back once they don’t qualify.

Question 3: If ARob and Coe are out, how do you see the running back position shaking out in the fall?

Mike (HS)- Coker, White, McCall and Johnson is my depth chart. Coker is the obvious superstar. Johnson should be the next guy in line but it seems like something always goes wrong. He’s like the Jordan Bernstine of the offense. I’ve only heard great things about White all year and I honestly believe he’ll be the #2 guy in the fall. McCall is the perfect size for a #3…and then Johnson. With our luck every one of these guys will start at one point or another.

Rick (PSD) - Coker, Johnson, White start the year on the depth chart but McCall eventually becomes the number two guy. With four (potentially, Coe?) running backs in this class I think two play for sure and the other two (Bullock, Canzeri) redshirt. If McCall is the guy right out of camp maybe he gets a load of carries early, against weak competition. It’ll depend on what kind of camp De’Andre Johnson has.

Mikehawk - Coker, Wegher, and Robinson. Wait. What?

Eric - Coker’s the obvious 1. After that I think the coaches go with seniority, at least to start the season, so White #2 and Johnson #3. Like Coker last year, I think a true freshman will get a chance to see more reps as the season progresses. It sounds like McCall would be the likely choice there. I think the two speedy guys, Bullock and Canzeri, are more likely to start on special teams and work their way into the running back position over time.

Question 4: Ferentz told Morehouse that Brad Rogers’ heart condition is improving but that Coach can only be optimistic or hopeful of his return over the summer. Is Ferentz being overly optimistic? Will we see Rogers in the backfield come this fall or does this ailment sound career threatening?

Rick (PSD) - His status has worried me for awhile. At this point, even if he is cleared you have to wonder how well he will perform this fall seeing as he hasn’t worked out, at all, since his diagnosis with the heart problem. I imagine his cardiovascular fitness is way behind that of the other fullbacks on the roster.

As an exercise science major I’ve learned a little about stress tests but not enough to speculate on any sort of illness I imagine that if he is completely shut down, as in no exercise, there may or may have been a condition related to oxygen delivery to the heart (muscle). It’s a tough deal for the kid but at the same time you have to consider him lucky to have this diagnosed before something tragic happened.

Going back to the Michigan replay, he started that day. He gave us Hawk fans a lot of hope about the fullback position for the next three years. I really didn’t think anyone stood out in the Spring scrimmage and am not sure what Iowa does at the fullback position if he is ruled out. I think Gimm is the leader, on paper? Hopefully someone will emerge.

Mike (HS) - I’m definitely concerned. I’m no doctor but anytime I hear “heart condition” or “heart ailment” I assume the worst. I don’t see how someone can even play sports when they’re having heart problems. I know Fred Hoiberg did it but he’s the god damn Mayor. It really boils down to the general public not knowing exactly what Brad’s problem is. Since we can’t be too sure it isn’t safe to speculate. But again, when it deals with the heart I always assume the worst. That being said it wouldn’t surprise me if we never see Brad Rogers on the football field again.

Eric - From everything I’ve heard nobody has a clue what is going on. That might be a good thing if the doctors have eliminated all the serious conditions, but who really knows. The longer this goes on, the less likely I think he is to play this fall. He hasn’t even practice at this point since before the bowl game.

Question 5: Ferentz told Morehouse that Willie Lowe won’t transfer after all, but he will give up football. Where are the Mass Transfers? What does that mean, if anything, for the defensive backfield?

Mike (HS)- The mass transfers are all in Dennis Dodd’s head. The thought actually developed after he suffered an aneurysm due to excessive auto-erotic asphyxiation. True story. Look at his picture on Dodds and Ends. It was taken right after he choked himself with a belt and was paralyzed in his chair. Seriously.

All horribleness aside, I don’t know how things would’ve worked out in the secondary. Simply put: it’s a clusterfuck back there. Aside from Shaun Prater it looks like anyone could have their position switched at any given time. Lowe only had one career start, in 2009, and didn’t start/was injured in 2010. It would be convenient for me to say “well he didn’t start in 2010 because he isn’t that talented” but that’s bullshit. We don’t know what would’ve happened if Phil Parker had Lowe for his senior season. Just look at what he did with Bradley Fletcher.

Rick (PSD) - I’m not sure if Lowe was going to get much more than spot duty as far as playing time. Gavin Smith, the walk-on JC kid, will probably pick up any PT Lowe was going to get. If he doesn’t get beat out by a true freshman.

Ferentz, in his way, has made it clear that he wasn’t happy with how certain members of the media reported the Rhabdo story. I wonder if guys like Dodd get the Jim Rome treatment and vice versa.

Mikehawk - I’m going to say this -. The next big stain on the Iowa football program will have nothing to with #MASSTRANSFERS. It will be the one I leave on the couch after Iowa cockstomps Nebraska in Lincoln on Black Friday. Mark it down, bitches.

Eric - While I think the Rhabdo thing was more serious than KF & Co have made it out to be, it was clearly not as serious of some nation media members said it was. I’m pretty sure Lowe was hardest hit of any other players, so if he transferred it wouldn’t have been shocking. It sounds like he just wants to take off some time from football though and still like Iowa. I don’t think his absence will have much if any effect on the secondary. He was maybe the 5th corner (if you still include Hyde as a corner) and probably would have seen most of his playing time on special teams.

Question 6: It sounds like both Indianapolis and Chicago made their pitch to the Big Ten for the future Championship games. Indoor or outdoor, Indy or Chi-town, which do you prefer?

Rick (PSD) - I’m biased towards Chicago. It’s easy for me to get there and I have in-laws in the area that I can stay with, etc. The Big Ten has a chance to be unique and play the game outside.

Mike (HS)- I’m know I’m not the only Iowan that is infatuated with Chicago and considers Wrigleyville his personal Graceland. But, I’ve also considered the logistics. I’ve been to Chicago in December and it’s nothing nice. To sit at Soldier, right off of the lake, for hours on end doesn’t sound too appetizing. A stronger point is the field conditions. Soldier’s turf will be absolute shit come December. Wasn’t it the playoff game against Seattle last year where the field was absolutely embarrassing? I love everything about Chicago but as a practical matter I have to go with Indy. Well, Indy, on the condition that Marvin Harrison isn’t in the immediate area.

Mikehawk - I love Chicago - but Soldier Field is a fucking mess in the winter, and Northwestern can suck on my thing. I vote for the title game to be at the UNI-Dome

Eric - While I think Indianapolis would be a better venue, Chicago is the better choice for Iowa. When Iowa gets to the B1G championship game one of these years, playing outdoor better suits Iowa’s style of play (unless they are playing Wisconsin). It also is an easy drive for most Iowans so the support there would be greater.

Question 7: Switching to Hawkeye hoops, what’s your take on Fran’s first real recruiting classs?

Rick (PSD) - I like the focus on athleticism. I think Olaseni will be a benefit on the defensive end and could result in more pressing defense when he is on the floor. I still think he is a third option behind Brommer and Archie but he might earn more minutes as the season progresses.

I’m not sure about Oglesby, hopefully he is the shooter everyone says he is. I think Iowa lacked a three point threat last year and it hurt them late in-games.

Hubbard is the wild card in my mind. If he can be the slasher and scorer that he was in JC the Hawks will get the boost offensively they need. I hope that he becomes a leader and a score on the court. The kind of player that just makes everyone else on the floor better.

Mike (HS)- I love it. I really didn’t like the type of kids that Todd Lickliter recruited. I’m not going to name any names but I will say that he brought in a few guys that probably shouldn’t be on a Big Ten basketball team. I realize that sounds awful but c’mon…we’ve been awful for a while now.

Oglesby sounds like the second coming of Matt Gatens. He’s a perimeter shooter and great off of the screen. Some of the highlight reels I’ve seen make him look like Ray Allen. The only problem is that he’s a tall drink of water. I’m sure he’ll bulk up in a year or two. I haven’t seen any film on White but at 6’7 he’s tall enough to be a combo forward. I’m sure he’ll be great.

Olaseni is a British center with an awesome accent. How could this go wrong?

Then there’s Anthony Hubbard. I think we’ve all written or read multiple pieces about how this is going to work out. It’s a gamble and Fran knows that. But, I trust Fran until he gives me reason to doubt him. Hubbard is undoubtedly a great basketball player but has “character issues.” Well, actually I don’t think “character issues” properly describes it. How about: Anthony Hubbard has wheelman issues. That’s better.

Mikehawk - I hope Hubbard doesn’t kill anyone. This year, anyway.

Eric - I haven’t looked too far into the recruits. I’ve tried to watch any film I could find on youtube (there isn’t much), but that’s about it. Oglesby is probably the most exciting kid to me. He goes to my alma mater (CR Washington), plus he can shoot lights out.

Question 8: Iowa hosts Clemson in the ACC/B1G challenge on Nov. 29th. Think the Hawks will win this one?

Rick (PSD) - Hawks win! Hawks win! I really don’t know and it’s way too early. I thought I read that Clemson lost a lot from last years team and the students will be back from Tgiving break, so I hope that Carver is rockin’.

Mike (HS)- I didn’t even know there were other teams in the ACC not named Duke or North Carolina. I took a look at Clemson’s record over the past 5 years and it’s been impressive. However, I believe they lost their two leading scorers to graduation. It’s too early but I think it depends on the kind of start that Iowa gets off to.

Mikehawk - I’m more looking forward to the Crieghton game in Des Moines. Why? Beer. That’s why.

Eric - I too read somewhere (probably on twitter) that Clemson lost a lot of starters and will be a relatively inexperience team next year. It bodes well for Iowa that the year will be near the beginning of the year. I don’t see any reason why Iowa can’t win the game, especially at home. Let’s call this a W for the B1G.

Thanks for reading, we hope to hold these every couple of weeks and perhaps weekly once the football season kicks off. If you are interested in participating in the round table feel free to let us know via Twitter. If you have your own opinion on anything we discussed leave a comment below.

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2011-05-12T10:17:00.000-07:00

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