You have to like offensive line as usual. I think he may have got some good players at LB and probably one or two DBs will be good. Pretty good overall on Defense. Didnt need a lot of DL this time around. But a real lack of difference makers on the offensive side. Goodsen may turn out to be that but who else? No WRs and no other RBs or QBs look to be difference makers. maybe it will happen but sure would be nice to recruit a few more with upfront promise It will be interesting to see if any of this class or current players develops next year into a difference maker?
Pretty typical Ferentz Recruiting effort
- Thread starter longtimer
- Start date
GoHawks24
Well-Known Member
While I agree that it's tough never being able to land a game changing WR (Hutson could end up being a lot like Hakeem Butler- the size & potential are there, IMO), what about the QB recruit, Padilla? He had a Georgia offer, at least at one point. I think Georgia usually offers pretty good players. Also, you didn't even mention the 3 TE's they're bringing in. At least two of them had really impressive offer lists. Their potential really excites me. A great WR recruit would be very nice though. Maybe someday...
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I think he’s talking about skill position players. Qb’s, wideouts and running backs. His inability to pull in speedy difference makers is not only puzzling, frustrating but for the detractor camp will likely go down as the most frustrating part of the Ferentz era when it ends someday
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
Wadley and TJ don't qualify as skill position players? They play the exact positions he was talking about.
skinnykilmer17
Well-Known Member
There hasn't been enough speedy difference makers on offense in the past 20 years. Not even close. I think that was his point.
It is puzzling and frustrating and will be part of his legacy. As will his success in developing non-skilled position players.
I have said it before. Kirk seems to prefer developing players vs finding those guys with more natural God given ability. He famously admits he wanted nothing to do with high schooler David Johnson because he thought he was lazy. Quite simply maybe he just doesn't trust those players to work hard or stereotypes those players. ??
He is no Mike Gundy in this area. Can we agree on this?
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
The story I heard, and I could be wrong, is that he offered Johnson a PWO and Northern Iowa offered him a scholarship.
Look at the running backs we had between Shonn Greene and Wadley. Two of them, Jewel Hampton and Jordan Canzeri, battled injuries much their careers. About a dozen others, and that's not exaggerating, couldn't cut it for any number of reasons.
While Johnson was tearing it up at UNI, we were going with Mark Weisman.
If a player isn't Kirk's type, he isn't going to to play anyway. But I suppose that's true with all coaches.
What puzzles me is the group he had from 2002-04. Jones, Brown, Hinkel, Solomon, Holloway. He saw what that group could do to stretch a field and make their share of plays as well. And he has never come close to replicating it.
When he arrived in 1999, one of the first things he did was suspend Kahlil Hill for the season. Perhaps that was an omen for things to come.
Running backs between Shonn Greene and Akrum Wadley who flamed out.
Jewel Hampton (two serious knee injuries)
Jaymie Murphy (concussions)
Jevon Pugh (transfer)
Adam Robinson (academics, off field issues)
Brandon Wegher (off field issues)
Marcus Coker (academics?)
Greg Garmin
Mikail McCall
Deondre Johnson
Jonathon Parker
Derrick Mitchell (all transferred)
Jordan Canzeri (finally healthy enough in 2015 to have solid senior year)
Anyone know who else I'm missing?
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tksirius
HN's Love Doctor
I knew Wadley was a difference maker the moment we saw his first high step.
skinnykilmer17
Well-Known Member
Good points and interesting list. I would add two concussions next to A Rob. And KF reacted poorly to those. Overused him when unnecessary and then utter ignorance/denial and no sympathy. "Concussions are like knee injuries. Just a part of football". And the "academic indigestion" crack.
Pretty fair point here. Some coaches can handle these types of players and figure out ways to connect with and motivate them. Ferentz is not one of those coaches.
No but I thought Tim Dwight was! As i said we may find a difference maker in the bunch but it would be nice to not always rely on finding those. I dont like using Iowa state as an argument here but clearly they have recruited more potential difference makers (as recognized today) Maybe you could give us your thoughts on the next Wadley in this group
Wadley does so there’s one. He didn’t even start fulltime. We’ve been over this ad nauseum in regards to tight ends vs wideouts
Goodson looks to be a difference maker so maybe you aren't looking. Padilla was offered by Georgia.
skinnykilmer17
Well-Known Member
SamBrownlee48
Well-Known Member
Dude, you trying to summon AIRBHG or something?
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
I just thought it was comical that for a while there we were going through running backs like McDonalds goes through hamburgers. Some of them were good running backs, too.
That bunch of receivers we had in that era would not be complete without mentioning Ramon Ochoa as well.
AIRBHG had a huge roll in Iowa winning a B1G championship in 2004. Summon away!
Thanks for linking that article. I hope that Goodson is as good as some think. When Harbaugh shows up at your home on the eve of signing day, there must be something to it. And had he flipped to Michigan, people would have been up in arms over it.
ArvadaHawk
Well-Known Member
you can to a degree, because you're right, everyone else missed on him. but, when you're iowa and your program doesn't recognize the importance of the vertical passing game and you pigeon hole yourself as a running program, you take rbs. so you spend a scholly on a rb and he doesn't work out. well, we've had plenty of that in the last 10 years. why wouldn't you take an in-state kid (in-state being the key) and ask him to move on if he IS too lazy?
