Recruiting Crisis in BIG West!

[ColumbusHawk]

http://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sp...ning-day-big-ten-west-gerry-dinardo/23046759/

The problem isn't the coaching staff. The problem is it's Iowa. A pretty scary article.

 

[lightning1]

That would be more believable if Mizzou and Notre Dame didn't have good classes. If our recruiting woes were distance related, that same problem would be evident for all midwest schools. Not "some" midwest schools. It might have some effect but it's a very, very small part of KF's recruiting problems.

 

[ryno]

That would be more believable if Mizzou and Notre Dame didn't have good classes. If our recruiting woes were distance related, that same problem would be evident for all midwest schools. Not "some" midwest schools. It might have some effect but it's a very, very small part of KF's recruiting problems.

There could be something to this. Notre dame and missouri really don't apply i don't think. Notre Dame is a completely different animal. Always has been, always will be. Missouri is part of the SEC now. The SEC is a completely different animal when it comes to recruiting( i.e. legal or illegal). If unofficial visits are as important as some are saying, would i rather be texas where there are probably 500 recruits within 3 hours drive or iowa where there may be 20?

 

[hawkeyebob62]

That would be more believable if Mizzou and Notre Dame didn't have good classes. If our recruiting woes were distance related, that same problem would be evident for all midwest schools. Not "some" midwest schools. It might have some effect but it's a very, very small part of KF's recruiting problems.

Um, Notre Dame is what, 90 minutes or 2 hours from Chicage? And Mizzou is how far from St. Louis and KC, not to mention it's very easy to drive there on multiple interstates. Iowa City has exactly one interstate in/out.

 

[ColumbusHawk]

There could be something to this. Notre dame and missouri really don't apply i don't think. Notre Dame is a completely different animal. Always has been, always will be. Missouri is part of the SEC now. The SEC is a completely different animal when it comes to recruiting( i.e. legal or illegal). If unofficial visits are as important as some are saying, would i rather be texas where there are probably 500 recruits within 3 hours drive or iowa where there may be 20?

Virtually anywhere in Ohio you can get to Columbus & back home on less than a full tank of gas. The Columbus metropolitan area is over 2.3 million people. Probably, well over half the population is within 30 minutes of Ohio Stadium. How many people are within 30 minutes of Kinnick?

Just blame Ferentz and not recognize the realities of the situation!

 

[drew003]

I think this is very much a problem for the Big West. We, perhaps, sit is the worst geography for Power 5 college football recruiting in the country. Of the following states, only Illinois can even be considered an above-average state: Nebraska, Iowa, The Dakotas, Minnesota,Wisconsin, and Illinois. Illinois is primarily driven by an over-rated Chicago prep scene which is subject to fierce competition (and geographic centrality) to most of the BIG East schools and Notre Dame as well.

Outside of Chicago, Minneapolis, KC, STL, and Indianapolis are at least 5 hours from Iowa City and only Minneapolis resides in a geography with another BIG West school. So not only are there few close population bases, the ones that are close, BIG West is a secondary thought in those markets (especially KC and STL). To the extent we want to recruit Texas, Florida, or the East Coast, its virtually impossible to compete with SEC, Texas schools, or even BIG East schools for kids from their geography because we have no way of getting them to campus until August of their senior year (which isn't even a realistic time given that's when the team starts training camp and preparing for the season).

Iowa desperately needs the NCAA to permit official visits during the summer of the prospect's junior year. Perhaps move the date to May 1 rather than August. That would allow Iowa to at least compete for a kid who wants to commit before his senior year starts that is not from our geographic footprint. Absent a rule change, we will have to wait until December/January to see what kids from Texas/Southeast aren't being recruited by their local schools and try to recruit them.

 

[guffus]

For crying out loud, just learn to spell out Big Ten West or use an abbreviation that makes sense like B10 West.

You know there actually is a Big West Conference and a Big East Conference.

 

[HuckFinn]

Great thread! Although I have been fully aware of the recruiting problem in smaller states like Iowa, I had never really thought about the entire midwestern footprint being in deep trouble for recruitment. I don't make excuses for Iowa, but this article really points out an important impediment to our recruiting success. I guess I would use Wisconsin, as much as I dislike the "other rodents", as an example of a team that at least for the past few years has been pretty competitive; but I am not sure that will last.

 

[SpecialKHawk]

Dinardo says a lot of stuff. I wish someone was keeping stats on how much of what he says becomes/is true. Hyperbole USA.

 

[lightning1]

Um, Notre Dame is what, 90 minutes or 2 hours from Chicage? And Mizzou is how far from St. Louis and KC, not to mention it's very easy to drive there on multiple interstates. Iowa City has exactly one interstate in/out.

The premise of the thread is based on cost of travel for unofficial visits. It might cost an addition $60 to travel and extra 120 miles to get to Iowa City. It has no bearing for the purposes of unofficial visits. More excuses.

 

[Stanzi]

Wisconsin and Nebraska recruit just fine. Mizzu is only about 120 miles closer to the Lou than Iowa City. Chicago is a whopping 3 hours from Iowa City. I don't buy the distance argument at all.

 

[ColumbusHawk]

The premise of the thread is based on cost of travel for unofficial visits. It might cost an addition $60 to travel and extra 120 miles to get to Iowa City. It has no bearing for the purposes of unofficial visits. More excuses.

Keep your head buried in the sand with your anti-Ferentz bias. It is a reality.

 

[lightning1]

Wisconsin and Nebraska recruit just fine. Mizzu is only about 120 miles closer to the Lou than Iowa City. Chicago is a whopping 3 hours from Iowa City. I don't buy the distance argument at all.

Exactly. If unofficial visits are the reason for poor recruiting, and that is based on distance to travel, it doesn't make sense that any other midwest program would have success. The ONLY difference between Notre Dame and Iowa is that Notre Dame won't tolerate mediocrity. They WILL fire you for it! They have standards and expectations. They also share their in state talent base with 2 other Power 5 conf schools and they share the state of Ill with 2 other power 5 conf schools.
We at little ol' Iowa, will tolerate mediocrity. We don't have standards or expectations. THAT'S the only difference.

 

[MoseSchrute]

Great thread! Although I have been fully aware of the recruiting problem in smaller states like Iowa, I had never really thought about the entire midwestern footprint being in deep trouble for recruitment. I don't make excuses for Iowa, but this article really points out an important impediment to our recruiting success. I guess I would use Wisconsin, as much as I dislike the "other rodents", as an example of a team that at least for the past few years has been pretty competitive; but I am not sure that will last.

Wisconsin still has about 40% more local talent to pick from as we do, just going by population. Also no little brother to compete with. Minnesota would be similar.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Recruiting should be a better as we should typically be in the 30-45 range. But Iowa will always need development to make the difference, as noted in this thread.

There are other issues for sure, but anyone that believes Iowa doesn't have bigger recruiting challenges than most are simply not accepting reality. NOW, that said, when you are losing to Iowa State, struggling with Ball State, and giving up 10+ point leads, it's not just recruiting.

 

[STILLBUSTER]

I don't know anything about this class except that it's ranked pretty low in the BTT and most 'round these part are not happy with it. Frankly, I've crossed the bridge to not even really giving a crap.

I do know that Iowa has had more than adequate talent to perform better than it has for many seasons.

It's not been a matter of not getting enough talent. It's been a matter of hindering them with a mismatched scheme, limiting their opportunities for success during the game and / or squandering them on the sideline.

It's only now, as people speculate how bad this class is because of its low ranking, that they want to rationalize it's been the reason why Iowa has underperformed for many years. Maybe it will be more of a factor going forward -- low talent + der KirkFer / G.d.G.D.-- but it was hardly the factor in the past.

Nice try, tho a bit desparate.

 

[Rosebowler]

Fortunately Kurt doesn't really care about recruiting.

 

[HawkeyeTech]

As I've said before, please don't let your hate for Ferentz alter your perception of reality.

 

[lightning1]

As I've said before, please don't let your hate for Ferentz alter your perception of reality.

and just what is reality? Is this a top 25 recruiting class?

 

[HuckFinn]

I really don't mean to be argumentative, but I have to take issue with a couple of comments. I would suggest that using Notre Dame or Nebraska as examples when it comes to recruiting would not be a very good argument. First, they have had, for decades, a "brand name" in the college football world and have had a recruiting footprint nation wide. Iowa is not in this category. Secondly, how have they been doing lately? I don't think it would be unreasonable to suggest that both of these programs are shadows of their former selves, at least for now. Could it be that distance has become more of an issue for them in recruiting?

It is true that Wisconsin and Minnesota have more population to draw from. However, the biggest two cities in Wisconsin (where I reside) are Madison and Milwaukee, and there certainly have not been very many high level players come out of either place. In fact, that has been a source of frustration in Wisconsin for some time.

The distance issue, some on this thread argue, only amounts to 60-100 miles. Last time I looked at a map, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, are all somewhat further away. And, those are the states where the majority of the 4 and 5 star athletes seem to come from. So, would it not make sense that driving from Orlando to Gainsville would be a little easier than Orlando to Iowa City? Also, why do you think Iowa is making a much bigger deal out of "Junior Day?" Why is Iowa reaching out to Indianapolis and St. Louis to establish camps? Junior Day may get some additional recruits into Iowa City and the satellite camps reach into areas that could become sources for good players.

I guess I just think that, on its face, recruitment would be more difficult when you are after a kid from a long ways away. Time, money, family, homesickness, fear of the unknown, all work against you. Remember, these kids are only 17 or 18 years old and live with Mom and Dad.