Crippling Recruiting Miss: 6 WRs in 2013

[PCHawk]

Apparently you haven't read much of Mike's stuff on here?

Actually I have and that's how I know I'm right on that one.

 

[deanvogs]

Eeeek. All reports out of the open practice this weekend point to our WRs getting absolutely no separation and having no playmakers. Nearly 1/3 of our 2013 recruiting class was invested in creating a "speedy" "playmaker" receiving corp that Big shot Texas offensive coordinator demanded to turn Iowa into an athletic, exciting offense. Now fans like me desperate for some signs of progress on the offense are crossing our fingers for true freshmen WRs to come in and make a splash because no one else is turning heads. What have we been doing with WR recruiting? Even the true freshmen were mostly 2 stars with no other major offers.

We couldn't convince a single JUCO all american or 4 star high school kid to come in and start right away? Who do we have out there recruiting? I guarantee you that the 8th string WRs at Mich, OSU, PSU, MSU, etc. would start on our team. Why aren't we selling playing time???

LOL if you think Iowa is gonna be beating out Blue Bloods for WR recruits.....HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, do you even watch Iowa football??

 

[CPHAWK82]

There was one WR at the Valley High scrimmage, didnt know who he was so he wasnt T Smith or Vandeberg or Hillyer or scheel, who looked pretty decent, who looked like he was getting open some. Anybody else know who I might be thinking of?

I think Vandeberg can be above avg as he made some good catches especially in the second half of last year. T Smith can have a big year and should be targeted often. Stone and Mccarron could be nice slot receiver and possession type WRs. The Off Line needs to come together on pass blocking and CJ can be pretty accurate and really good if he can be let to just play, not overthink all of GDs routes

I didn't make it to the one this year but I was at last year's valley scrimmage and Andre Harris and Derrick Mitchell Jr. were making all kinds of plays down field. Kirk seemed ****** after the practice and said it was defensive breakdowns so who knows. In person though, I thought they looked the part and was excited about the season. I even remember hearing about Jon Gruden watching them in bowl prep and his comments he said (jokingly) to Kirk about why aren't these kids playing? None of it ever came to fruition. Heck their #1 WR Tevaun Smith barely saw balls come his way last year. I'm holding out hope that Beathard can get more out of this offense this year. That's all I have at this point....hope, with very little excitement.

 

[GVGiant44]

Have you not seen Vandeberg play? He's got #1 WR written all over him.

Perhaps. And I sure would love to see it, as we need someone like that.

But bluntly, up to now, he could not have disappointed me more, especially being from South Dakota, which has produced such studs as Chad Greenway. The one thing I heard about this kid was that he was catching EVERYTHING in practice. So what happens? He gets into games and is more noted for dropping passes than anything. That has got to stop.

If it does, who knows what we'll see. But my hope that he could be one of our best "possession-type" receivers has already long passed.

 

[Hawknick]

I have actually been impressed with Matt Vanderberg. He came in and played well as a true freshman. That shows he had a good grasp of the system. His touchdown catch in the bowl game was a spectacular. I think we will see more of that this year from him.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Iowa has never recruited the WR position well. I remember Hayden Fry saying towards the end of his tenure that one of the things that frustrated him the most during his time as HC was how difficult it was, year in and year out, to recruit speedy, dynamic WRs to Iowa. And with the exception of the DJK, McNutt years Ferentz has taken WR recruiting to a new low. The OP singled out Greg Davis, but seventeen years into a coaching tenure the blame belongs to Kirk Ferentz and Kirk Ferentz only.

What frustrates me more than our lack of talent at WR is how thin we appear to be on the o-line. Given our history at that position that's unacceptable!!!

Just to back up your point and to put into perspective where Iowa has been historically with WR's. Iowa's all time record receivers in the program (for catches, yards & TD's) couldn't even stick on an NFL roster, not even contribute at that level. That tells you how inept it's been at Iowa, the best in the program's history can't make it in the NFL.

 

[Hawknick]

Historically Iowa has had other receivers who have done well in the AFL/NFL. Karl Noonan, Quinn Early and Tim Dwight all had very successful careers. Joe Laws was a HB but he lined up as a receiver in a lot of sets too. So they have had their successes. I think some of the young men on this team have the same potential.