Iowa Related
Ames Tribune - Black and gold suits Ballard quarterback Austin Vier
This is a good article about Iowa's only offensive commit so far, Austin Vier. It sounds like the kid is very excited to be a Hawkeye. He says, "I think Kinnick is one of the best stadiums in the nation. The fans are just awesome there." I'm glad to have him on board.
The Harlan Tribune - Matt Hoch commits to Hawkeye football
Another good article about recent Hawkeye commit. Matt Hoch, from Harlan, IA joined the 2010 recruiting class for Iowa last week. He was drawn to Iowa because of the coaching staff and particularly likes strength and conditioning coach, Chris Doyle.
At least it's college football related
Florida's arrests under Meyer
Much like Iowa, people love to focus on all the arrests at Florida. Former Gator Drew Miller gives us an insider's point of view on the situation.
Not even college football related
Tiger Woods - AT&T National
Roger Federer - Wimbledon
Both Tiger Woods and Roger Federer are cruising today. There's no question there are the two most dominate athletes at there sport right now. But who's the best? Plenty has been said already about this and really, who cares? It's just fun to watch these guys play.
To Die For Blueberry Muffins
In yesterday's Links For Iowa I posted about Bagel Heads as it was the 100th phrase on Google Trends. Today the 100th ranked phrase is "blueberry muffins." I like blueberry muffins, but I'm not sure why so many people are searching for them.
Archive page 131
Recruiting Needs - Defense Edition
Recruiting for the 2010 class is off to a great start of the Iowa Hawkeyes. There have already been 8 commits and I keep hearing rumblings about a few more that will be announced soon. The class is about half full already so I thought it would be a good time to take a lot at how recruiting is coming.
The Defensive Line
Current Situation:
1 Senior – DT Chad Geary*
4 Juniors – DE Christian Ballard, DT Cody Hundertmark, DE Adrian Clayborn, DT Karl Klug
4 Sophomores – DE Lebron Daniel, DT Thomas Nardo, DE Broderick Binns, DT Mike Daniels
3 RS Freshman – DT Steve Bigach, DE Jason Semmes, DE Joe Gaglione*
2 Freshman – DE Tyler Harrell, DE Scott Covert
The Hawkeyes look set on the defensive front for the next 2 years. All the starters from the upcoming season should be back for 2010. The defensive end position is particularly strong with juniors Christian Ballard and Adrian Clayborn and sophomore Broderick Binns.
2010 Commits:
DE Matt Hoch – Harlan, IA
DE Mike Hardy – Kimberly, WI
DE Luois Trinca-Pasat – Chicago , IL
DT Anthony Ferguson, Jr. – Baltimore, MD
The 2010 class already has 4 defensive lineman. With 3 ends, it’s likely that one will move inside to tackle. I think Mike Hardy at 6' 4", 255 lbs would be a good choice to make the move. He’s not as quick as Matt Hoch and Louis Trinca-Pasat doesn’t seem like a tackle to me.
Notable Other Possibilities:
DT Beau Allen - Minnetonka, MN
DT Bruce Gaston - Chicago, IL
Though there are 4 defensive line commits already I could see another tackle signing on. Beau Allen and Bruce Gaston are the highest rated by Scout that show interest in Iowa. Both sounds like they might be more interested in Notre Dame (boo...), but they live closer to Iowa City. Both are big guys, 6'2" pushing 300 lbs and would be a good addition to this class.
Neediness:
Low – at most 1 more DT commit
The defensive line looks pretty set for the next few years with the relatively young roster and the 4 commits. The Hawkeyes are better off at defensive end than tackle, but both position should be fine. I would be surprised if anyone from the 2010 class sees the field as a true freshman, but there should be some opportunities in 2011. By 2012, I fully expect to see a couple of these guys as starters.
The Linebackers
Current Situation:
2 Senior – MLB Pat Angerer, OLB A.J. Edds
4 Juniors – OLB Jeremiha Hunter, OLB Jeff Tarpinian, OLB Troy Johnson, MLB Jacody Coleman**
2 Sophomores – OLB Tyler Nielsen, LB Bruce Davis
1 RS Freshman – LB Cameron Olson
1 Freshman – LB Terrance Pryor, MLB Marty Hopkins
Iowa's linebacker corps is quite veteran. Two of the expected starters for 2009, Pat Angerer and A.J. Edds, will be seniors and the other, Jeremiha Hunter, will be a junior. After that though, there are not many linebackers in the waiting with only 2 sophomores and 2 freshman.
2010 Commits:
MLB Jim Poggi - Baltimore, MD
MLB Austin Gray - Warren, MI
OLB James Morris - Solon, IA
The 3 commits at linebacker are very exciting. It is expected that Jim Poggi will play on the outside, though Scout has him listed as a MLB. Poggi, along with Gray and Morris, all have had good high school careers so far and have made a lot of tackles (Poggi had 131 tackles last year).
Notable Other Possibilities:
OLB Ishmael Thomas - Detroit, MI
MLB Trey Millard - Columbia, MO
A fourth linebacker wouldn't hurt for the 2010 class, but there is not a whole lot out there. Ishmael Thomas has Iowa in his top 6 right now and Trey Millard sounds like a very versatile athlete that could help Iowa at linebacker or somewhere else.
Neediness:
Low – 1 more commit would be good, but not necessary
Though the linebacker position is mostly made up of juniors and seniors, the starting spots are fairly secure for the next 2 seasons. And, if Coleman does end up redshirting this year, then even 2011 looks okay. I fully expect Poggi, Morris, and Gray to see the field by then. I actually wouldn't be the bit surprised if at least 2 of them are on the 2-deeps next year.
The Defensive Backfield
Current Situation:
2 Senior – CB Chris Rowell, DB Taylor Herbst
5 Juniors – DB Justin Greiner, DB Jordan Bernstine, DB Amari Spievey, DB Joe Conklin, FS Brett Greenwood
4 Sophomores – SS Tyler Sash, DB Shaun Prater, SS David Cato, DB Tom Donatell
4 RS Freshman – DB Greg Castillo, DB Collin Sleeper, DB Nick Nielsen, FS Jack Swanson
Like the defensive line, the backfield should be set for 2009 and 2010. Three of the four starters are juniors and most of the second string guys are sophomores. However, in the 2009 class there were no real defensive backs so that could create some depth issues in the future.
2010 Commits:
None
Notable Other Possibilities:
S/DB James Manuel - Indianapolis, IN
S Isaiah Lewis - Indianapolis, IN
James Manuel attends Warren Central High School in Indianapolis and was teammates with current Hawkeye Jewel Hampton. Hopefully that connection can help sway Manuel towards Iowa. Isaiah Lewis is another player from Indianapolis and has Iowa near the top of his list.
Neediness:
High - a couple of capable defensive backs will be necessary
Cornerback and safety are the only positions that Iowa hasn't received a 2010 commit for on defense. While the starting 4 spots will probably not be available until 2011 and maybe even 2012, it will be important to get some guys in the program, especially considering the lack of DBs in the 2009 class. Also, with the larger amount of pass-happy teams in the Big Ten lately, Norm Parker has been throwing in more than 4 DBs at a time with some nickel and dime packages.
Projected starters in bold.
*Both Geary and Gaglione suffered injuries during the spring that may keep them out this year, so there is a possibility of a medical redshirt.
**Jacody Coleman was considering transferring from the program, but instead plans on redshirting during the 2009 season so will have 2 years of eligibility left for 2010 and 2011.
The Defensive Line
Current Situation:
1 Senior – DT Chad Geary*
4 Juniors – DE Christian Ballard, DT Cody Hundertmark, DE Adrian Clayborn, DT Karl Klug
4 Sophomores – DE Lebron Daniel, DT Thomas Nardo, DE Broderick Binns, DT Mike Daniels
3 RS Freshman – DT Steve Bigach, DE Jason Semmes, DE Joe Gaglione*
2 Freshman – DE Tyler Harrell, DE Scott Covert
The Hawkeyes look set on the defensive front for the next 2 years. All the starters from the upcoming season should be back for 2010. The defensive end position is particularly strong with juniors Christian Ballard and Adrian Clayborn and sophomore Broderick Binns.
2010 Commits:
DE Matt Hoch – Harlan, IA
DE Mike Hardy – Kimberly, WI
DE Luois Trinca-Pasat – Chicago , IL
DT Anthony Ferguson, Jr. – Baltimore, MD
The 2010 class already has 4 defensive lineman. With 3 ends, it’s likely that one will move inside to tackle. I think Mike Hardy at 6' 4", 255 lbs would be a good choice to make the move. He’s not as quick as Matt Hoch and Louis Trinca-Pasat doesn’t seem like a tackle to me.
Notable Other Possibilities:
DT Beau Allen - Minnetonka, MN
DT Bruce Gaston - Chicago, IL
Though there are 4 defensive line commits already I could see another tackle signing on. Beau Allen and Bruce Gaston are the highest rated by Scout that show interest in Iowa. Both sounds like they might be more interested in Notre Dame (boo...), but they live closer to Iowa City. Both are big guys, 6'2" pushing 300 lbs and would be a good addition to this class.
Neediness:
Low – at most 1 more DT commit
The defensive line looks pretty set for the next few years with the relatively young roster and the 4 commits. The Hawkeyes are better off at defensive end than tackle, but both position should be fine. I would be surprised if anyone from the 2010 class sees the field as a true freshman, but there should be some opportunities in 2011. By 2012, I fully expect to see a couple of these guys as starters.
The Linebackers
Current Situation:
2 Senior – MLB Pat Angerer, OLB A.J. Edds
4 Juniors – OLB Jeremiha Hunter, OLB Jeff Tarpinian, OLB Troy Johnson, MLB Jacody Coleman**
2 Sophomores – OLB Tyler Nielsen, LB Bruce Davis
1 RS Freshman – LB Cameron Olson
1 Freshman – LB Terrance Pryor, MLB Marty Hopkins
Iowa's linebacker corps is quite veteran. Two of the expected starters for 2009, Pat Angerer and A.J. Edds, will be seniors and the other, Jeremiha Hunter, will be a junior. After that though, there are not many linebackers in the waiting with only 2 sophomores and 2 freshman.
2010 Commits:
MLB Jim Poggi - Baltimore, MD
MLB Austin Gray - Warren, MI
OLB James Morris - Solon, IA
The 3 commits at linebacker are very exciting. It is expected that Jim Poggi will play on the outside, though Scout has him listed as a MLB. Poggi, along with Gray and Morris, all have had good high school careers so far and have made a lot of tackles (Poggi had 131 tackles last year).
Notable Other Possibilities:
OLB Ishmael Thomas - Detroit, MI
MLB Trey Millard - Columbia, MO
A fourth linebacker wouldn't hurt for the 2010 class, but there is not a whole lot out there. Ishmael Thomas has Iowa in his top 6 right now and Trey Millard sounds like a very versatile athlete that could help Iowa at linebacker or somewhere else.
Neediness:
Low – 1 more commit would be good, but not necessary
Though the linebacker position is mostly made up of juniors and seniors, the starting spots are fairly secure for the next 2 seasons. And, if Coleman does end up redshirting this year, then even 2011 looks okay. I fully expect Poggi, Morris, and Gray to see the field by then. I actually wouldn't be the bit surprised if at least 2 of them are on the 2-deeps next year.
The Defensive Backfield
Current Situation:
2 Senior – CB Chris Rowell, DB Taylor Herbst
5 Juniors – DB Justin Greiner, DB Jordan Bernstine, DB Amari Spievey, DB Joe Conklin, FS Brett Greenwood
4 Sophomores – SS Tyler Sash, DB Shaun Prater, SS David Cato, DB Tom Donatell
4 RS Freshman – DB Greg Castillo, DB Collin Sleeper, DB Nick Nielsen, FS Jack Swanson
Like the defensive line, the backfield should be set for 2009 and 2010. Three of the four starters are juniors and most of the second string guys are sophomores. However, in the 2009 class there were no real defensive backs so that could create some depth issues in the future.
2010 Commits:
None
Notable Other Possibilities:
S/DB James Manuel - Indianapolis, IN
S Isaiah Lewis - Indianapolis, IN
James Manuel attends Warren Central High School in Indianapolis and was teammates with current Hawkeye Jewel Hampton. Hopefully that connection can help sway Manuel towards Iowa. Isaiah Lewis is another player from Indianapolis and has Iowa near the top of his list.
Neediness:
High - a couple of capable defensive backs will be necessary
Cornerback and safety are the only positions that Iowa hasn't received a 2010 commit for on defense. While the starting 4 spots will probably not be available until 2011 and maybe even 2012, it will be important to get some guys in the program, especially considering the lack of DBs in the 2009 class. Also, with the larger amount of pass-happy teams in the Big Ten lately, Norm Parker has been throwing in more than 4 DBs at a time with some nickel and dime packages.
Projected starters in bold.
*Both Geary and Gaglione suffered injuries during the spring that may keep them out this year, so there is a possibility of a medical redshirt.
**Jacody Coleman was considering transferring from the program, but instead plans on redshirting during the 2009 season so will have 2 years of eligibility left for 2010 and 2011.
Links For Iowa - July 2, 2009
Not much going on the college football world today. Anyway, here's a couple of links in case you're bored.
Iowa Related
ESPN - Top Big Ten Rivalries
This is just a short 30 second clip of ESPN's excellent Big Ten blogger Andy Rittenberg stating that the top two "rivalry" games to watch for 2009 are OSU vs. PSU, and Iowa vs. PSU.
At least it's college football related
UNI Lineman Arrested
University of Northern Iowa's offensive lineman Austin Steichen has been arrested and changed with assault. Though coach Mike Farley has not made a decision yet on any disciplinary action I'm going to go out on a limb here and say he won't be playing on September 5th in Kinnick Stadium. Steichen is one of 4 seniors who was expected to start on the offensive line and one of 9 returning starters on offense.
Not even college football related
Bagel Head
Ummm...I'm not sure what to say about this. "Bagel Head" was the 100th most searched phrase on Google today so I thought I'd check it out. Yeah...
Iowa Related
ESPN - Top Big Ten Rivalries
This is just a short 30 second clip of ESPN's excellent Big Ten blogger Andy Rittenberg stating that the top two "rivalry" games to watch for 2009 are OSU vs. PSU, and Iowa vs. PSU.
At least it's college football related
UNI Lineman Arrested
University of Northern Iowa's offensive lineman Austin Steichen has been arrested and changed with assault. Though coach Mike Farley has not made a decision yet on any disciplinary action I'm going to go out on a limb here and say he won't be playing on September 5th in Kinnick Stadium. Steichen is one of 4 seniors who was expected to start on the offensive line and one of 9 returning starters on offense.
Not even college football related
Bagel Head
Ummm...I'm not sure what to say about this. "Bagel Head" was the 100th most searched phrase on Google today so I thought I'd check it out. Yeah...
Links For Iowa - July 1, 2009
Iowa Related
Big Ten preseason picks
Some kind of loosely formed conglomeration called the "Big Ten Bloggers" (I need to get in on that some how) made same general picks about the 2009 football season. The one thing I wanted to point out was the over at Zombie Nation, the Must See Game of the Year is Iowa at Penn State. Apparently the sting of Iowa's victory at Kinnick last year still burns. "Ohio State didn't ruin Penn State's national title hopes for 2008... IOWA DID. REMEMBER THAT."
At least it's college football related
BCS to be reviewed by Congress
Congressman Orrin Hatch from Utah is bringing forth the case against the BCS to the Senate's antitrust panel next Tuesday. The Sherman Antitrust Act prohibits contracts, combinations or conspiracies designed to reduce competition. It’s hard not to buy the argument that the BCS does exactly that (minus the conspiracy part). There's a lot more too it though (legal stuff I don't understand), and ultimately I don't think the government will really do anything to change the college football post season.
Not even college football related
The Red Sox can't count
I've seen this happen before, but it's still pretty funny. Last night, in the sixth inning the Red Sox walk off the field despite the fact that there are only 2 outs.
Butter Michael Jackson
Are you going to the Iowa State Fair this year? Well, maybe you should to check out the butter Michael Jackson along side the famous butter cow. Apparently the sculpture will be of MJ moonwalking, which is pretty awesome. Making it possibly even more awesome, is that the butter MJ will be incorporated into a tribute to the 40th anniversary of the Neil Armstrong's original moon walk (good pun usage by the butter people).
Big Ten preseason picks
Some kind of loosely formed conglomeration called the "Big Ten Bloggers" (I need to get in on that some how) made same general picks about the 2009 football season. The one thing I wanted to point out was the over at Zombie Nation, the Must See Game of the Year is Iowa at Penn State. Apparently the sting of Iowa's victory at Kinnick last year still burns. "Ohio State didn't ruin Penn State's national title hopes for 2008... IOWA DID. REMEMBER THAT."
At least it's college football related
BCS to be reviewed by Congress
Congressman Orrin Hatch from Utah is bringing forth the case against the BCS to the Senate's antitrust panel next Tuesday. The Sherman Antitrust Act prohibits contracts, combinations or conspiracies designed to reduce competition. It’s hard not to buy the argument that the BCS does exactly that (minus the conspiracy part). There's a lot more too it though (legal stuff I don't understand), and ultimately I don't think the government will really do anything to change the college football post season.
Not even college football related
The Red Sox can't count
I've seen this happen before, but it's still pretty funny. Last night, in the sixth inning the Red Sox walk off the field despite the fact that there are only 2 outs.
Butter Michael Jackson
Are you going to the Iowa State Fair this year? Well, maybe you should to check out the butter Michael Jackson along side the famous butter cow. Apparently the sculpture will be of MJ moonwalking, which is pretty awesome. Making it possibly even more awesome, is that the butter MJ will be incorporated into a tribute to the 40th anniversary of the Neil Armstrong's original moon walk (good pun usage by the butter people).
Iowa football single game tickets
Single game tickets for the 2009 Iowa Football Season go on sale next week. So, if you are like me and can't afford season tickets/the multi-game packs, get ready on July 9 at 6 AM as tickets go on sale to the general public online. Here's the information from hawkeyesports.com:
The single game tickets increased in price $2 from last year, up to $52. The Arizona game and Michigan game are considered "premium" and will be $65 and $70 respectively. So check out the schedule and find the games you want to attend before next week and I'll see you at Kinnick (in less than 10 weeks!).
- Iowa Hawkeye Football Mini-Season Ticket Packages are on-sale now. Create a three-, four-, five-, or six-game mini-season ticket package.
- Single game tickets for UNI, Arizona, Arkansas State, Indiana, Northwestern and Minnesota go on-sale starting July 6, 2009 at 6:00AM.
- July 6 - Kinnick Society and Champion Hawk I-Club Members.
- July 7 - Golden Hawk and Silver Hawk I-Club Members.
- July 8 - All other I-Club Members and non-I Club season tickets holders.
- July 9 - General Public.
The single game tickets increased in price $2 from last year, up to $52. The Arizona game and Michigan game are considered "premium" and will be $65 and $70 respectively. So check out the schedule and find the games you want to attend before next week and I'll see you at Kinnick (in less than 10 weeks!).