I'm going to miss Ak

Its not just how awesome he was on the field, it was his demeanor in interviews etc. Just have a special place for this kid.

For fans under the age of 35 or so who never got the chance to see Ronnie Harmon play, Akrum was a pretty good comparison. Watching those highlights reminded me of some of Ronnie's open field moves.

I'm not going to compare the two, but I do think Akrum had more speed to the edge.

They were both oustanding in their own ways. Ronnie created a niche for himself in the NFL as a third down back and Akrum may do the same.
 
It wasn't like Akrum was some 5 star spoiled brat coming in. He was a 2 star nobody really knew him kid that was behind some pretty good other guys for awhile. He also struggled to gain weight (an issue I am quite familiar with myself) He fumbled early a few times was in the dog house and just kept grinding. Coaches must absolutely love being able to point at him and say look that's what we want. He could have quit and went back closer to home a few times and never did. He represented the school as well as anybody could in his shoes. Not to mention he played his arse off and was as versatile of a RB as we've ever had. I think he gives Ronnie Harmon a run for his money in that regard. I think we barely scratched the surface of finding creative ways to use him. He was as dynamic and elusive in the open field as anyone. He'll be missed and always remembered here too.
 
For fans under the age of 35 or so who never got the chance to see Ronnie Harmon play, Akrum was a pretty good comparison. Watching those highlights reminded me of some of Ronnie's open field moves.

I'm not going to compare the two, but I do think Akrum had more speed to the edge.

They were both oustanding in their own ways. Ronnie created a niche for himself in the NFL as a third down back and Akrum may do the same.

IMO Wadley is the best player to play at Iowa since Harmon. What sets them apart is their ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and breathtaking acceleration and quickness.
 
IMO Wadley is the best player to play at Iowa since Harmon. What sets them apart is their ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and breathtaking acceleration and quickness.
Two of the best, but just out of curiosity would you include Tim Dwight in that picture?
 
Two of the best, but just out of curiosity would you include Tim Dwight in that picture?

Yes, I think Dwight's top speed was better than both but he didn't have the side to side wiggle of either. I would love to see the 3 of them compared in a 10 yard sprint. This is where I think Wadley and Harmon separate themselves.

Dwight was unlucky. He was born 20 years too soon. He started off as a RB, went to WR but really wasn't a traditional WR but still was a fantastic college player and good role player in the NFL.

In today's football, he would have been a slot WR killing teams over the middle and all around utility player taking snaps, running the wildcat, carrying the ball on jet sweeps, etc.
 
Yes, I think Dwight's top speed was better than both but he didn't have the side to side wiggle of either. I would love to see the 3 of them compared in a 10 yard sprint. This is where I think Wadley and Harmon separate themselves.

Dwight was unlucky. He was born 20 years too soon. He started off as a RB, went to WR but really wasn't a traditional WR but still was a fantastic college player and good role player in the NFL.

In today's football, he would have been a slot WR killing teams over the middle and all around utility player taking snaps, running the wildcat, carrying the ball on jet sweeps, etc.
Like those guys the Patriots keep coming up with who every time you look up are catching touchdowns or making big plays in postseason games.
 
IMO Wadley is the best player to play at Iowa since Harmon. What sets them apart is their ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and breathtaking acceleration and quickness.
I would also add his vision to be able to see when to make some of the cuts he'd make. He wasn't guessing out there he was able to read the angles tacklers were taking at him and pull Barry Sanders like moves on them in a split second. And often he put together a couple moves consecutively. Almost like he was out there playing tag against 8 yr olds. That Michigan game last yr may have been one of his most impressive in that regard.
Now his strait line speed at the combine was like an unimpressive 4.6 something. But his acceleration and quickness as you mentioned is what sets him apart. Some of those 4.4 and faster guys take 25-30 yards to get to their top speed. Football rarely is about how strait line fast you are. It sure doesn't hurt (Tim Dwight and Tavian Banks can attest to that) but how fast can you get going within your first 3 to 5 steps of taking the hand off is what separates the good from great backs.
 
Amazing, Wadley finished with 35 TD's. Just 1 TD short of the Iowa all time record of 36.

If Wadlley had not been flagged for high stepping against Nortth Texas, he might have broken the record.
1) Because he had his 1 TD run taken away by the flag
2) he played very little against North Texas after that flag because of an "ankle sprain"
 
Harmon was the better back. Not only had elusiveness but ran with more power. Enjoyed watching both.

Hopefully someone will step up and feel the gap.
 
But Ak didn't have four fumbles in the Rose Bowl. Or Pinstripe Bowl for that matter.
The first one was the killer, first and goal inside the ten, and the most suspicious.

I believe at least two others would have been overturned with modern Instant Replay. They were borderline. Give UCLA credit for spotting something in the films, just like they did with all that misdirection counter to Eric Ball.

But yeah, the dropped TD. And the half back option pass to the trombone player. Then the news, months later, that Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom were snooping around. A very polarizing debate after that game, was he or wasn't he?

I was a sophomore that year and my neighbor in the dorm was a student manager. My opinion is that something went down. Just don't know how much. You'd have to be naive not to suspect something.
 
But Ak didn't have four fumbles in the Rose Bowl. Or Pinstripe Bowl for that matter.

OMG don’t remind me of that!!! I still get pissed over that. I was talking about his running ability when I was comparing him to AW. There was no excuse for his sudden “butterfingers syndrome” he had in the Rose Bowl. I want to remember hearing that he had one fumble the whole season. In the Rosebowl at least once it looked like he just dropped the ball before he was even hit. Yep, the stench from that will stay with him the rest of his life.
 
The first one was the killer, first and goal inside the ten, and the most suspicious.

I believe at least two others would have been overturned with modern Instant Replay. They were borderline. Give UCLA credit for spotting something in the films, just like they did with all that misdirection counter to Eric Ball.

But yeah, the dropped TD. And the half back option pass to the trombone player. Then the news, months later, that Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom were snooping around. A very polarizing debate after that game, was he or wasn't he?

I was a sophomore that year and my neighbor in the dorm was a student manager. My opinion is that something went down. Just don't know how much. You'd have to be naive not to suspect something.
I wonder how much that had to tear at his soul... I mean imagine his teammates and coaches after that maybe even to this day how they still feel about it. If I were a player on that team and he sold the team out like that on me/us.... I mean it's the reason why you don't do it. Screw the rules or even the laws. How about just the fact your selling out all your teammates & coaches you went to battle with the whole season/career with. It's pretty much unforgivable to me anyway...
 
I wonder how much that had to tear at his soul... I mean imagine his teammates and coaches after that maybe even to this day how they still feel about it. If I were a player on that team and he sold the team out like that on me/us.... I mean it's the reason why you don't do it. Screw the rules or even the laws. How about just the fact your selling out all your teammates & coaches you went to battle with the whole season/career with. It's pretty much unforgivable to me anyway...
If he was in with those agents, or worse owed them or their henchmen money, he probably didn't have a soul left to tear. Norby and Lloyd were some bad apples. Don't want to even think about their henchmen. Tyler Cook better have a good head on his shoulders if/when those grim reapers come knocking.

IIRC, Iowa was favored in the game. If Ronnie had bad intentions, they still could have won without covering. Unless the lynch mob played UCLA to win straight up. OK, done. The more I think about it the more it turns my stomach. It was to football equivalent of 1987 UNLV. We were still in the picture for the Natty in 1985-86 Rose Bowl.
 
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AK was/is a special one...the Harmon comparison is pretty good. The moves and elusiveness were something to watch. Dwight was a great one too...but more a simple burner.

As for the infamous Harmon Rose Bowl episode...I'm still torn on it. It was no secret that Harmon...an east coast guy...had a little attitude toward the "simple" people of the Midwest. He was a city boy through and through. So I could see him rationalizing it. (curiously, his little brother Kevin was much more accessible and humble despite similar upbringings.)

On the other hand, a number of UCLA defenders have said they saw on film that Harmon was vulnerable to fumbles the way he carried the ball and they went after the ball by design. He had similar issues with the Bills. (that doesn't explain the dropped pass of course). But I'm sure guys were going after the ball all season and he didn't fumble like that.

I dunno. If he was open to being bought, you almost have to ask how did he end up at IOWA...which opens a can of worms none of us want to consider.

BUT...Wadley was a great one. And I think his big plays will be sorely missed this fall.
 
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Amazing, Wadley finished with 35 TD's. Just 1 TD short of the Iowa all time record of 36.

If Wadlley had not been flagged for high stepping against Nortth Texas, he might have broken the record.
1) Because he had his 1 TD run taken away by the flag
2) he played very little against North Texas after that flag because of an "ankle sprain"
Ankle SPRAIN??? Waay waay underused.Used to say Split Mr.Akrum wide.Crack the 6 man front.Don Patterson said same thing.Game breaker,ran inside Ronnie Harmon comparison.WAAY underused.Oh his interviews.Odd but waay cool.
 

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