Amani J
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Adam
Well-Known Member
Ya it wouldn't have helped him physically, but certainly the intangible mental aspect of being the MLB for a 4-3. What's done is done though and I expect a strong career from the kid any position he plays at. I have come to this decision upon meeting Dillon several times starting at age 8. The kid has always been amazingly mature and well put together. He gives the impression of someone who has realized their destiny and then applied intense focus towards making it happen. More so I see this in Dillon than say your average recruit.
Adam
Well-Known Member
I've read it. It was for obvious reasons one of your more substantial and in depth recruiting stories. It did help to confirm what I had formulated as an opinion though.
I'm glad that you see big potential as well though. We are going to look pretty smart over the next few years.
IowaLawWasRight
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry, but the fact that a small town Iowa true freshmen who's next best offer was Northern Illinois is being mentioned as the potential savior at MLB is a really bad sign for the state of the program. Did we have that many recruiting misses at LB for this to be an issue?
If he was not the strength coach's son, no one would know who the kid is. I hope a few years down the road Dillon develops into a stud like Jewell or Greenway did, but it is far too premature to be thinking of inserting him as the "quarterback of the defense." Even if he was a 5 star, can't miss recruit who turned down big time programs to come to Iowa it would be a stretch...but if Dillon's dad weren't at Iowa, he likely would have been playing at South Dakota this year...not in the mix for starting LB at a Big 10 school.
If he was not the strength coach's son, no one would know who the kid is. I hope a few years down the road Dillon develops into a stud like Jewell or Greenway did, but it is far too premature to be thinking of inserting him as the "quarterback of the defense." Even if he was a 5 star, can't miss recruit who turned down big time programs to come to Iowa it would be a stretch...but if Dillon's dad weren't at Iowa, he likely would have been playing at South Dakota this year...not in the mix for starting LB at a Big 10 school.
BigD
Well-Known Member
Adam
Well-Known Member
If Dillon's dad wasn't at Iowa then Dillon wouldn't understand our defense the way he does. Or be physically ready to play.
I guess small town Iowa Freshman James Morris was a scrub. Or that worthless sack of bones Pat Angerer. Man Iowa sure has fallen from landing 5 star MLB's. We will never be good with dumb white Iowa kids.
I don’t necessarily agree with your assumptions about Doyle getting a hand up because of your dad, but “small town” Iowa LBs have been incredible at Iowa. James Morris and Josey to start with.
I have to trust the Iowa coaches when it comes to identifying LBs. Look at their string of starting MLBs at Iowa
Hodge 2003-2005
Klinkenborg 2006-2007
Angerer 2008-2009
Morris 2011-2013
Jewell 2014-2017
You're talking about 3 of the best defensive players in the KF era and none of the 3 were highly recruited kids. 2 were small town Iowa kids.
Klink and Morris were pretty good too but were part of some down years in the program.
I will say that KF needs to figure out a way to avoid the 2014 and 2018 scenarios when they are replacing all 3 LBs in the same season. That proved to be a disaster in 2014. Hopefully it won't be this year.
Adam
Well-Known Member
It's not necessarily true for all scenarios, but I promise that Dillon has as significant advantage as any true freshman that we have ever had.
I'm not talking about favoritism. I mean specifically that Dillon has been learning technique, studying Iowa film and molding his body for the position under the tutelage of a master for at least 2 years. This is all prior to stepping foot on campus. On top of that he was an early enrollee which gave him yet another advantage.
If these major points don't represent an advantage to you, then please explain your reasoning.
RobHowe
Administrator
I see this as a narrow view based on assumptions.
homes
Well-Known Member
I think Jones was too amped up and was trying to do too much right out of the blocks. Maybe that's wishful thinking, but it's hard to imagine he would have been slotted as the starter since last spring, been a feature of their Break The Rock videos, and receiving such strong support from the staff if they didn't see him as being capable and ready to be the MLB. Granted it was at the end of the game, but he seemed to be reading and reacting better when he went back in. Let's see how he does against ISU.
Doyle might end up being a really good LB for Iowa, but to see him as anything but a backup this year is wishful thinking.
Doyle might end up being a really good LB for Iowa, but to see him as anything but a backup this year is wishful thinking.
Is it possible though that big schools felt like he was going to Iowa anyway so they didn't put effort into recruiting him.
Small town Iowa linebackers have been some of Iowa's best linebackers. Josey was one of the best to ever suit up for the hawks and he was headed to a D3 school before Iowa offered. Plus Didn't Dillon Doyle play in the highest HS football class in Iowa?
Small town Iowa linebackers have been some of Iowa's best linebackers. Josey was one of the best to ever suit up for the hawks and he was headed to a D3 school before Iowa offered. Plus Didn't Dillon Doyle play in the highest HS football class in Iowa?
Adam
Well-Known Member
Yup 4A.
IowaLawWasRight
Well-Known Member
To say that because Morris and Jewell beat the odds and turned out good therefore this true freshmen with no other offers will automatically be good is irrational logic.
In the time period you site (2003 - 2017), Iowa has probably had 50 other LB recruits that did not pan out. In fact, over a recent 5 year span, LBs like Martin Hopins, Shane Dibona, Tyler Harrel, Jake Reisen, Jim Poggi, Austen Grey, Marcus Collins, John Kenny and Laron Taylor all came in as difference maker LB recruits. None turned out to be starting LBs.
Point being that for every diamond in the rough Josey Jewell story, there are a dozen more Laron Taylors and Austen Greys. Our current LBs likely would not be starting on many Big 10 teams and Doyle's son would not be in the discussion anywhere else.
In the time period you site (2003 - 2017), Iowa has probably had 50 other LB recruits that did not pan out. In fact, over a recent 5 year span, LBs like Martin Hopins, Shane Dibona, Tyler Harrel, Jake Reisen, Jim Poggi, Austen Grey, Marcus Collins, John Kenny and Laron Taylor all came in as difference maker LB recruits. None turned out to be starting LBs.
Point being that for every diamond in the rough Josey Jewell story, there are a dozen more Laron Taylors and Austen Greys. Our current LBs likely would not be starting on many Big 10 teams and Doyle's son would not be in the discussion anywhere else.
Did Dillon go to any of those camps where kids go to 'showcase' themselves for the ever so powerful powers that be that do the star rankings for those websites to 'grade' him out? Kids like him who's dad is who he is aren't going to get that closely looked at because there's no drama to be had with his recruitment. He had a Tiger hawk on his crib I bet. He dominated the top level of HS football Iowa offers. He started with the team back in January I believe. So I would bet he's more ready to play at this point than what Morris was when he had to step in. Thankfully we don't have to find that out and he can watch and learn for awhile but if injuries hit Hockaday and or Jones doesn't figure it out.... Then the young Doyle may get his feet more than wet out there.
It's absolutely the case. Tristan Wirfs went through a similar recruitment, he simply didn't entertain or report any offers/interest he received after committing to Iowa. I read somewhere that Alabama made a late push for him, and he basically told them thanks but no thanks.
HawkeyeWalker
Well-Known Member
tons of misses at LB for Iowa over the last 18 years.... the NFL has been full of them. Yeah, losing 3 NFL caliber, 3+ year starters at once was always going to be a challenge...
Criticize the coaches for not preparing better for that gap...fine...but I'd say the historical success of LBs overall trumps your hot take.
Its very irrational logic but I didn't say that. I said I trust the coaches because based on nearly 20 years of evidence they often find someone to play MLB at a pretty high level.
Now you make a fair point, they've completely missed on plenty of LBs and they need to address building depth and particularly finding ways to keep the 2nd team guys invested so they don't transfer out when they aren't starting and to avoid 2014 and 2018 scenarios. But that's way easier said then done. And no Doyle shouldn't be in the starting discussion because there should be guys already in place to keep him developing on RS.
But when you look at the last 2 multi-year LB groups at Iowa. Morris, Hitch, & Kirksey and then Jewell, Niemann, and Bower. Thats 4/6 guys who are in the NFL. 2 of them start and Kirksey is borderline great. I'm not sure how Iowa fans can complain about what Iowa is doing at the LB spots.
