Derrick Mitchell, Jr is the 'surprise of the Spring'

[ihawkeye]

Yes McNutt too, along with a good number of offensive linemen that switched from other positions.

A blind squirrel finds a McNutt every now and then.

 

[Xerxes]

Question: Derrick Mitchell was listed on the 2014 roster as a Soph running back, if he is looking good now just 4 months after the bowl game smashdown why didnt this offensive coaching staff run him last season.

I dont get it, was he a receiver last season or a running back. Whatever he was he didnt play as a soph. I thougnt he looked really good at Valley High two weeks ago, what is this coaching staff looking at?

Mitchell didn't play RB last year. He was RS FR last season & played WR but only saw the field on special teams. He will be a SO this fall.

It sounds like you're looking at the roster on Hawkeyesports.com. That says 2014 Fall Roster but the players and positions have been updated to present. For whatever reason they haven't updated the year listing. For example CJ is listed as a JR which he will be in the fall, he was a SO in 2014. You have to consider that Iowa's official website is probably the worst sports team website going today and its not unusual to see inaccuracies on that website's "official roster".

 

[SteveGarvey]

I hope he's on KF's good side.

He probably just needs to show up on time, keep his mouth shut and work hard to achieve that.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

I wouldn't mind that, as I think Mitchell could be a Damon Bullock with power and explosiveness (things Bullock lacked). Last year if we brought in Weisman for 3rd and 3, it was a run, and if it was Bullock it was a pass.....we have to be less predictable, and having a guy that is actually a threat running the ball as well as catching the ball would be a great thing.

I don't think Bullock was ever the same after the injury against UNI in 2012...but he was always good out of the backfield.

 

[CPHAWK82]

He's a playmaker. He played like 6 positions on his high school team including quarterback. Also read he played some defense in high school which tells me he's not afraid of contact. Had some amazing leaping catches in high school. I was curious about him all of last year as I thought he was going to push for time at WR. Not sure what happened there but I'm definitely happy to hear he's emerging as a tailback.

 

[PCHawk]

They are good at this, I would point out Dallas Clark as a good example of the coaches putting players in the right spot. He started out as a walk on linebacker.

Bob Sanders. I don't think he switched positions but he was a diamond in the rough 15 years ago.

 

[DBAHawkFan]

He's a playmaker. He played like 6 positions on his high school team including quarterback. Also read he played some defense in high school which tells me he's not afraid of contact. Had some amazing leaping catches in high school. I was curious about him all of last year as I thought he was going to push for time at WR. Not sure what happened there but I'm definitely happy to hear he's emerging as a tailback.

What happened is one of our tailbacks thought he was playing basketball on a kickoff and was moved out of that spot.

 

[RocknRollface]

Providing unpredictability to opposing offenses and defenses hasn't exactly been a strong suit for this coaching staff.

The fact that we have a coach in place that has been ok with such predictability as the norm is just depressing.

 

[HawgEyeState]

Wow, I post one positive note, just to see the reaction.
And, like clockwork, you have the Negative nellies swaming like sports journos at
a Cincy Reds presser.

Nick......thanks for your very calm and rational posts. A lot of the others has me about ready to go
Bryan *****g Price on this thread.

Just kiddng girls........

GO HAWKS!!!

 

[brhawks18]

According to a very nice article by Chad Leistikow at HawkeyeCentral.com, Greg Davis said that
Derrick Mitchell, the 6-1", 212 lb RB, converted from WR has really shined this spring, for the
Hawkeyes.

That can only be good news for an offense, that last year, desperately needed a
Playmaker.

Anything Greg Davis says doesn't exude any confidence with this fan what so ever.

 

[SpecialKHawk]

It's just hype. I always thought Willies was the real deal, and that's what we were left to believe at the end of Spring football last year. Then, in the Fall - we saw nothing, at least, not much, because he hardly ever played, leaving us all to wonder what the heck, and then, he was gone. I like to looks of Mitchell - he certainly looks the part. But will he end up like Willies, or be the Hawks next 1000 yard rusher? Who knows, I'm just not putting much credence into the whole "surprise of the spring" thing.

I want to point out that more than a few were excited and anticipating a potential player with talent and ability coming into last spring. Labeling Willies as a surprise because he lit up the open scrimmages and spring game was not a surprise to some of us.

Then he played sparingly in the first two games but made 2 big plays. The first was a 30 yard catch that set up a TD late against UNI. Had the ball been on the money from Jake it would have been a long TD. The very next game he caught the game deciding TD during the late rally against Ball St. After all of those performances, he essentially was relegated to obscurity until he quit. The next game against ISU he hardly played. Meanwhile Vandenburg dropped a key slant pass that might have scored or set up a TD.
A big hidden play that cost us dearly.

So I disagree with the notion that Willies was hype or a surprise.

 

[RocknRollface]

Nick, please make an honest attempt at a credible argument by using a slightly more relevant example. At least McNutt switched within the last 7 years.

News flash....he's a troll doing a bit.

A really obvious one.

 

[RocknRollface]

He probably just needs to show up on time, keep his mouth shut and work hard to achieve that.

Where as most coaches will just play who ever is the most talented regardless of personal bias.

 

[RocknRollface]

Anything Greg Davis says doesn't exude any confidence with this fan what so ever.

He has no say in anything anyway.

 

[uihawk82]

I want to point out that more than a few were excited and anticipating a potential player with talent and ability coming into last spring. Labeling Willies as a surprise because he lit up the open scrimmages and spring game was not a surprise to some of us.

Then he played sparingly in the first two games but made 2 big plays. The first was a 30 yard catch that set up a TD late against UNI. Had the ball been on the money from Jake it would have been a long TD. The very next game he caught the game deciding TD during the late rally against Ball St. After all of those performances, he essentially was relegated to obscurity until he quit. The next game against ISU he hardly played. Meanwhile Vandenburg dropped a key slant pass that might have scored or set up a TD.
A big hidden play that cost us dearly.

So I disagree with the notion that Willies was hype or a surprise.

^^ Exactly. A lot of hawk receivers make 10-20 catches a year and I really noticed the two catches you reference above because they were huge. Willies missed a hot read by the goalline in the Purdue game and not sure if that had something to do with his continued lack of play after the first two games last year. Then he was said to be nicked-up and before you know it he was gone.

You could see his potential and if there were no other real impediments to him playing then shame on the coaches for not having him play 15+ plays a game at least, mainly passing plays. Willies may have burned some bridges by saying some things internally before he quit and we wont know all the circumstances.

 

[CP87]

Where as most coaches will just play who ever is the most talented regardless of personal bias.

I don't think it comes down to personal bias so much as trying to establish a team atmosphere. As the great John Wooden said, "The bench is a tool." Coaches can scream and holler to try to influence player behavior, but eventually that just becomes white noise. One definite tool they have to modify someone's practice habits or focus during games is playing time.

If player A is talented but is allowed to get by with mental mistakes and lack of effort, he will never reach his true potential. Furthermore, other players on the team will see the standard that he is NOT being held to, and they will say, "If player A doesn't have to work hard in practice, why do I have to work hard in practice?" Thus, player A is not only holding himself back, but the team as a whole back.

On the flip side of the argument, if player A is really good, then perhaps teammates want him on the game field even though they know he cuts corners. That puts the coach in a tough position with no great solutions. He kind of owes it to the team to do everything in his power to help win, but he might be doing some long-term damage to the team and the player in the process.

It should also be noted that some staffs may be better at reaching a kid at a very personal level, making the connection that allows player A to see the ways his behavior affects the team, even while letting him taste that carrot of playing time.

I have no idea if Willies was a player A or not, just saying that talent is not the ONLY consideration.

 

[STILLBUSTER]

News flash....he's a troll doing a bit.

A really obvious one.

Oh, I realize that. It's just that, sometimes, OK4P gets a little lazy with his Nick-shtick and gets so obvious that it takes the fun out of it.

 

[homes]

I want to point out that more than a few were excited and anticipating a potential player with talent and ability coming into last spring. Labeling Willies as a surprise because he lit up the open scrimmages and spring game was not a surprise to some of us.

Then he played sparingly in the first two games but made 2 big plays. The first was a 30 yard catch that set up a TD late against UNI. Had the ball been on the money from Jake it would have been a long TD. The very next game he caught the game deciding TD during the late rally against Ball St. After all of those performances, he essentially was relegated to obscurity until he quit. The next game against ISU he hardly played. Meanwhile Vandenburg dropped a key slant pass that might have scored or set up a TD.
A big hidden play that cost us dearly.

So I disagree with the notion that Willies was hype or a surprise.

I suppose the operative phrase is "some of us", because until last Spring, most people weren't aware of Willies' talent. So, when he had a good Spring, I think he could be fairly labeled a "surprise". However, that wasn't really my point, rather, what is said in the Spring means diddly-squat and is not necessarily transferable to the Fall. Whether that's due to the player or the coaches, it doesn't really matter.

 

[Hawknick]

Wait, what? I use no alts on here there is no reason to.

 

[SpecialKHawk]

^^ Exactly. A lot of hawk receivers make 10-20 catches a year and I really noticed the two catches you reference above because they were huge. Willies missed a hot read by the goalline in the Purdue game and not sure if that had something to do with his continued lack of play after the first two games last year. Then he was said to be nicked-up and before you know it he was gone.

You could see his potential and if there were no other real impediments to him playing then shame on the coaches for not having him play 15+ plays a game at least, mainly passing plays. Willies may have burned some bridges by saying some things internally before he quit and we wont know all the circumstances.

I also recall one of our other receivers dropping a TD pass in the back of the end zone. One hot read mistake and you are out I guess never mind dropped TDs and other passes.

I can understand that there may have been more behind the curtains than we know with Willies but this is a bottom line results business. This coming years attendance, 70 dollar consession give aways, lack of students, etc., etc. point just to that. When you allow your talent level to sag so badly then you have little margin to run any player with abilities. I wish it were not the case, but this still points back to the ruler of the program. Not playing a guy like Willies and running him hurts very badly. It may be too late now to get serious.