IowaLaw's Class of 2019 Recruiting Review

Do you basically copy and paste these year after year? Iowa getting a recruiting class full of 3* athletes with few to no 4/5* is nothing new. This is a typical Iowa recruiting class.
 
Knight - your general theme is rational. But if you have to cite an example of a kid who committed in 1998 to support your theory that the Hawks convert TEs to OTs, it probably not a very common thing. Three TE recruits in one class is an anomaly, so I guess it makes sense to come up with far fetched explanations.

To further that "general theme" you do realize that Micah Hyde was recruited as a QB and switched to DB, right? And that Drake Kulick (from my town of Muscatine) was recruited as an LB. There are dozens of recruits through the years that were recruited for one position who switched and then excelled at another. It is a theme we have had since I've been following Hawkeye football. Here's a few currently on the team (there have been many more over the years):

Barrington Wade originally recruited as a RB now a LB.
Jack Hockaday originally recruited as a S now a LB.
Michael Ojemudia originally recruited as a LB now a S/CB.
Matt Nelson originally recruited as a TE now a DE.
Ihmir Smith-Marsette recruited as a CB now a WR.
Tyler Linderbaum recruited as a DT now an OL.
Tyrone Tracy recruited as a RB now a WR.

So as you can see, I can offer more than "a kid who committed in 1998" to support my theory. You are simply blinded by your hate for the coaching staff.
 
BV - You cite UCLA as an example to emulate because they threw to their TE (therefore Iowa should forget WR recruiting and sign 3 TEs in each recruiting class)? UCLA finished 3-6 this year, one of the worst in program history after being decimated by injuries to WR. Alabama, a "pro style" offense, completed just 3 passes to their starting TE all year. The top offense in college football, Oklahoma, doesn't even play a tight end. The fact is, most schools throw to 3 or 4 highly athletic WRs each game and use their tight ends to block, if at all. Just because Iowa's check down offense includes short passes to TEs instead of getting guys like Smith and Smith Marsette more involved doesn't mean that makes for a potent offense.

Knight - I hate to pile on, because it's clear that you are making an effort. But your points are unconscionably weak. 100% of college football teams have guys who switch positions. That's not an Iowa thing. Hell, Iowa State's starting QB became a starting LB last year. Is that fact a justification for for Iowa bringing in 3 RBs in the same class and 3 TEs in the same class while completely neglecting positions of need, like DL, P, or WR? You might say yes, but most would disagree.

You then try to supplement your 20 year old Robert Gallery position switch example by citing two more players, Drake Kulick and Micah Hyde. Those are the best you got? Drake Kulick was a walk-on and not recruited to play any position at Iowa. Like all walk-ons, he played any position the coaches asked. "Micah Hyde was recruited as a QB?" Really? lol Hyde was a stud defensive recruit. So much so that he played all 13 games of his freshmen year on defense. There was no position change of any kind. He never took one snap on offense (though maybe he should have).

Perhaps your 3 examples do lend support for recruiting 3 TEs from Illinois in the same recruiting class while neglecting WR, DL, and P needs. Nah, they dont. Come on, you make it too easy for me.



You mean like UCLA and TAMU, who, despite running spread offenses, had TEs who were Mackey semifinalists?

I'm not trying to downplay the role of a WR, but TEs or the spread equivalent in H-backs are NOT afterthoughts in the football world.
 
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BV - You cite UCLA as an example to emulate? I know that you do not watch football outside Iowa, so you probably didn't realize that UCLA finished 3-6 this year. That tight end heavy offense produced one of UCLA's worst years in program history. I'm sure Rutgers uses a tight end too. What is your point? Most schools actually throw to 3 or 4 highly athletic WRs each game and use their tight ends to block. Just because Iowa's current QB prefers the safe, check down passes to TEs doesn't mean that makes for a potent offense.

Knight - I hate to pile on, because it's clear that you are making an effort. But your points are unconscionably weak. 100% of college football teams have guys who switch positions. That's not an Iowa thing. Hell, Iowa State's starting QB became a starting LB last year. Is that fact a justification for for Iowa bringing in 3 RBs in the same class and 3 TEs in the same class while completely neglecting positions of need, like DL, P, or WR? You might say yes, but most would disagree.

You then try to backtrack on your 20 year old Robert Gallery position switch example by citing two more players to support signing 3 TEs in the same class but no P or WR with D1 offers, Drake Kulick and Micah Hyde. Those are the best you got? Drake Kulick was a walk-on and not recruited at all. Like all walk-ons, he was willing to play any position the coaches asked. "Micah Hyde was recruited as a QB?" Really? lol Hyde was a stud defensive recruit. So much so that he played all 13 games of his freshmen year on defense. There was no position change of any kind. He never took one snap on offense (though maybe he should have).

Perhaps your 3 examples do lend support for recruiting 3 TEs from Illinois in the same recruiting class while neglecting WR, DL, and P needs. Nah, they dont. Come on, you make it too easy for me.
Glad to see you missed the point of my post entirely. Never change IowaLaw, it's too fun thinking circles around you.
 
Knight - I hate to pile on, because it's clear that you are making an effort. But your points are unconscionably weak. 100% of college football teams have guys who switch positions. That's not an Iowa thing. Hell, Iowa State's starting QB became a starting LB last year. Is that fact a justification for for Iowa bringing in 3 RBs in the same class and 3 TEs in the same class while completely neglecting positions of need, like DL, P, or WR? You might say yes, but most would disagree.

You then try to supplement your 20 year old Robert Gallery position switch example by citing two more players, Drake Kulick and Micah Hyde. Those are the best you got? Drake Kulick was a walk-on and not recruited to play any position at Iowa. Like all walk-ons, he played any position the coaches asked. "Micah Hyde was recruited as a QB?" Really? lol Hyde was a stud defensive recruit. So much so that he played all 13 games of his freshmen year on defense. There was no position change of any kind. He never took one snap on offense (though maybe he should have).

Perhaps your 3 examples do lend support for recruiting 3 TEs from Illinois in the same recruiting class while neglecting WR, DL, and P needs. Nah, they dont. Come on, you make it too easy for me.

You can look at Micah Hyde's 247 page and see that he is rated as a QB. He came in and immediately switched positions.

Drake Kulick got a PWO status as a LB, which his 247 page states is his position. He came in and immediately switched positions.

And thank you for making MY point. "100% of college football teams have guys who switch positions." Just because a player is recruited for a position doesn't mean he ends up playing that position.... including a TE.

And just for the record, we brought in 3 TEs and 1 WR in 2016, just like we did this year.
 
While Hyde was never ever recruited as a QB and Kulick was not recruited at all, you are correct that Iowa brought in 3 TEs and just 1 WR in 2016.

Because 3 TEs were recruited in that class, we had a 1st team all-Big 10 TE noticeably riding the bench in critical situations this year. The 3rd TE in that class has virtually never seen the field in 3 years at Iowa, and likely wouldn't again next year if the other two TEs ahead of him didn't leave the program early.

If you are arguing that recruiting just 1 WR in 2016 has led to successful WR play, or that we should continue the trend, I respectfully disagree. The 1 WR you speak of, Devonte Young, has 0 catches in his career (Devonte Young), and has just switched to DB. In other words, we brought in 0 WRs in 2016 and just 1 in 2019...a guy who had zero other D1 offers.

Not only does that show a lack of foresight on the part of the coaches and whiffing on WR recruiting...but it also shows that the staff isn't even trying.


You can look at Micah Hyde's 247 page and see that he is rated as a QB. He came in and immediately switched positions.

Drake Kulick got a PWO status as a LB, which his 247 page states is his position. He came in and immediately switched positions.

And thank you for making MY point. "100% of college football teams have guys who switch positions." Just because a player is recruited for a position doesn't mean he ends up playing that position.... including a TE.

And just for the record, we brought in 3 TEs and 1 WR in 2016, just like we did this year.
 
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You then cite Golston and Linderbaum as DTs waiting in the wings? Linderbaum didn't take to DT and switched to Center, so that's not happening, and Golston is a DE.
So a few days ago I mentioned Golston was an option at DT because he had played some inside. @IowaLawWasRight said that wasn’t the case and Golston was only a DE. Here is what KF had to say.

What does it look like in terms of reserves at defensive tackle right now?

KF: Same guys we have had. Tyler didn’t really play very much, so it’s not a big deal there. You have (Cedrick) Lattimore, (Brady) Reiff, and Chauncey (Golston) who can move in there. He has played well inside, too.

So again you were wrong, but what else is new.
 
While Hyde was never ever recruited as a QB and Kulick was not recruited at all, you are correct that Iowa brought in 3 TEs and just 1 WR in 2016.

Because 3 TEs were recruited in that class, we had a 1st team all-Big 10 TE noticeably riding the bench in critical situations this year. The 3rd TE in that class has virtually never seen the field in 3 years at Iowa, and likely wouldn't again next year if the other two TEs ahead of him didn't leave the program early.

If you are arguing that recruiting just 1 WR in 2016 has led to successful WR play, or that we should continue the trend, I respectfully disagree. The 1 WR you speak of, Devonte Young, has 0 catches in his career (Devonte Young), and has just switched to DB. In other words, we brought in 0 WRs in 2016 and just 1 in 2019...a guy who had zero other D1 offers.

Not only does that show a lack of foresight on the part of the coaches and whiffing on WR recruiting...but it also shows that the staff isn't even trying.

No, I'm saying you're a broken record. You continue to complain about recruiting, yet you can do nothing about it but complain. While we haven't been world beaters, Iowa has had only three losing season in the Ferentz era. How many other schools can say that? (Hint: It's a short list) In the Fry era, we had five. In 40 years, only 8 losing seasons. Of course, we would do much better if you were the recruiting director, right? (/sarc)
 
No, I'm saying you're a broken record. You continue to complain about recruiting, yet you can do nothing about it but complain. While we haven't been world beaters, Iowa has had only three losing season in the Ferentz era. How many other schools can say that? (Hint: It's a short list) In the Fry era, we had five. In 40 years, only 8 losing seasons. Of course, we would do much better if you were the recruiting director, right? (/sarc)

4 losing seasons.

Regarding the 3 TE talking point.
ESPN lists:
one as a WR
one as a TE
one as a DE

Not saying they will be used that way, but I think it would benefit the team if they were.
 
4 losing seasons.

Regarding the 3 TE talking point.
ESPN lists:
one as a WR
one as a TE
one as a DE

Not saying they will be used that way, but I think it would benefit the team if they were.
Athletes. Get them on the bus, then figure out what to do with them.

Not to mention TE is a need now, with Coons, Fant, and possibly Hockenson leaving this year, and Cook and Wieting next.
 
I guy with a tight end's build can play a lot of different positions in football. Not a big deal at all to recruit a bunch of them. I would unrealistacally like iowa to recruit better everywhere, but that's just not going to happen (meaning actual talent, not star rankings). Wide receiver is the only truly bad recruiting position.
 
And our last minute commit this year is...ANOTHER tight end?

Not a game changing WR. Not a much needed punter. Not a DT who can fill a void...but to a THIRD ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOL TE. A guy who was going to go to Bowling Green before Iowa offered.

Regardless of whether Hock opts for the NFL, recruiting three TEs in the same class makes zero sense. TEs virtually never have an impact right away anyway.

Just when you try to apply logic to this glaring tactical error, you remember that this is the same coaching staff that brought in three soph RBs to cannibalize each other for playing time, daring one to transfer next year. I can't say that I've ever seen 3 soph RBs on any team share time (not only is it unfair to the 3, but it kills any chance at a RB in the class behind them getting any carries.
Bump.

Here is IowaLaw bitching about the Iowa staff signing LaPorta. Boy did that age poorly.
 

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