I attribute our recruiting momentum to:

[AreWeThereYet]

I think when our "bend but don't break d" is good (2004, 2008, 2009), we dictate exactly to the offense what it can do. The defense takes away the run, takes away the big play, and dictates to the offense that it must complete 5-7 yard short passes all the way down the field without throwing incomplete passes, holding calls, interceptions, sacks, ect...

Now when the "bend but don't break d" is not good, it doesn't dictate that nearly as well. But average/poor defense never dictate anything, so that's besides the point.

The defense has generally been good with some shortcomings due to approach. Norms defensive philosophy depended on having the right kind of players. When we didn't have a good mix of players it was back to a predictable soft zone.

I would say:
Very good in 2004, 2009, 2003, 2008
Good in 2002, 2007,
Good at the end of the year in 2005
Decimated by injury 2006, 2010
Not so good 2011, 2001
Terrible 2000, 1999

We'll see where is goes from here. I think it is another fairly weak defense this year based on the personnel we have.

 

[ohhawk]

1) Forced to follow the trend being set in 2013 by many of the more noteable programs trying to get a jump on each other earlier than ever.

2) Some new younger personnel being positioned within the recruiting team.....people with "sales abilities". Ferentz has made some structural changes to allow more focus on this part of the team's operations.

3) see #1

To say Iowa is doing a better job recruiting because they have more verbals at this point is a bit of a misnomer. Alot of programs have record setting verbals this year at this point. It's a new ballgame in recruiting. I don't think because we're getting earlier verbals necessarily means these are better players than some previous years. I would like to think that but no proof of that at this point.

The question as we near Feb/2013 may not be so much of who we are bringing aboard but more of who is staying aboard for the entire haul. With more time on their hands in the second half of the recruiting year more staffs will be spending time trying to "convert" or "defend". As one player may decide to switch programs in the closing innings it will just start a domino effect for others to replace their loss with someone else's verbal.

 

[rjbaustian]

So because our recruits don't have offers from other schools means they are bad?

 

[Tmoney12]

So because our recruits don't have offers from other schools means they are bad?

It's elementary, Dr. Watson! No stars, no offers, no good!

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

You mean our sweet recruiting class that outside of one player having an offer from Nebraska... none of the others have offers from Nebraska, Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan St., Penn St., or Ohio St.

Real impressive.

I forgot about that requirement for a recruit...if you don't have an offer from teams we've been successful against over the past 3-4 years, well, they must suck. I'll let the guys who do it for a living decide if they are happy with the players they are signing. You sir, can wallow in your negative crapswirl.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

or maybe we're just due an "up" cycle after the pathetic void in 2007 and 2008 that left us so thin the last couple of years.

 

[Howler]

Two pages in and Brian Ferentz's name hasn't even been mentioned. I think he's been a critical component in Iowa's recruiting revival.

 

[Hawkguy712]

You could add that the defensive coordinator for the eagles has a son that currently plays for Iowa (Castillo), and the defensive coordinator for michigan also had his son come to Iowa (Mattison)

When guys that know this much about football & coaches have their kids go to that school the phrase "actions speak louder than words" comes to mind...

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

Two pages in and Brian Ferentz's name hasn't even been mentioned. I think he's been a critical component in Iowa's recruiting revival.

Agreed, I think he has probably done the most to invigorate the recruiting trail. Coming from New England...played the position...and comes with the pedigree and a little attitude. I cannot wait to see the OL under his control. I think the nasty meter gets turned up a little.

 

[HawkeyeGold]

As of right now we are just sitting outside of a top 25 class. Those MAC players that everyone always knocks end up being solid NFL players. Gerry DiNardo has been tweeting pretty solid reviews about our commits. I have faith in our player development