So Uh...Why Do We Have All of Our LB Eggs in One JUCO's Basket

[IowaLawWasRight]

I get that we offered a JUCO LB, which is standard operating procedure on a team that started the same 3 LBs every down for 3 years and rarely played its subs. But what happens if we whiff on the guy we offered? Why don't we have offers out to 5 top JUCO LBs? It's not like we don't have 3 holes to fill anyway? It makes no sense to have all of our eggs in one basket when the kid has offers from virtually all of the top schools in the surrounding states? It's not like he's a lock to come to Iowa. What's plan B, C, and D??

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

We've brought in two additional JUCO LBs also...I believe they are walking on, right? I think they have offered a few others too. My guess is that it's depth they are looking for...and maybe someone who may be special in the middle.

We have some talent and I don't think we have whiffed as you say...just deeping the room with some additional talent.

"Iowa added a preferred walk-ons in Iowa Western linebackers Nick Anderson and Colton Dinsdale on Tuesday." They spoke with HN about it:

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Wow.

 

[eveningnewsteam]

Iowa does have good young LBs on the roster with more game experience in the Big Ten than the JUCO. If he comes great, if not whatever.

 

[David79]

Yeah just offer Juco's whether you think they are good or not. Sounds like a good plan.

 

[DDThompson]

Yeah just offer Juco's whether you think they are good or not. Sounds like a good plan.

Plan E? Take all JUCOs you can.

 

[Caddy]

If Kirk was confident in the young guys he has, then he wouldn't be offering JUCO players. The fact he is, says a lot about the ability of the guys on the team already at LB.

 

[Kennyfromminne]

If Kirk was confident in the young guys he has, then he wouldn't be offering JUCO players. The fact he is, says a lot about the ability of the guys on the team already at LB.

Exactly. We're a developmental program, this speaks volumes

 

[David79]

If Kirk was confident in the young guys he has, then he wouldn't be offering JUCO players. The fact he is, says a lot about the ability of the guys on the team already at LB.

Player. Singular. One JUCO LB. And many considered the best JUCO LB in the country.

 

[thetrza]

Obvious desperation from the staff on display here.

 

[archiehawk]

So our backup plan after losing Honus was a 2 star LB that had committed to SDS? Not good.

 

[MPLSHawk88]

Yeah man 2* LB... How dare Iowa take a chance on a kid... Well we might as well complain and bash his ranking or what school he was committed to... That's the Hawkeyenation way now right?

 

[IowaLawWasRight]

Are posts like this a joke? You believe the coaches had good foresight recruiting when three starting LBs graduate because they allowed some JUCO LBs that no one else wanted to walk on? That's how you plug a hole? That's simply bad planning. A blunder big enough to get a corporate executive fired.

Rather than bringing in recruits ready to plug the hole, it sounds like we stole an 18 yr old LB from South Dakota who had no other D1 offers. I'm sure he'll be able to come in next year and fill in for the graduating seniors right away.

For those who point to the super rare 2 star kids like Josey Jewell who defy all odds to justify recruiting misses, here are Iowa's other 2 star commits who are scheduled to be seniors next year...

**Eric Graham
**Nick Wilson
**Garret Janson
**Michael Ojemudia
**Adrian Falconer
**Justin Jinning
**Brady Reiff

But sure, praise every two star we get as the next Josey Jewell...not the next Adrian Falconer.

We've brought in two additional JUCO LBs also...I believe they are walking on, right? I think they have offered a few others too. My guess is that it's depth they are looking for...and maybe someone who may be special in the middle.

We have some talent and I don't think we have whiffed as you say...just deeping the room with some additional talent.

"Iowa added a preferred walk-ons in Iowa Western linebackers Nick Anderson and Colton Dinsdale on Tuesday." They spoke with HN about it:

 

[MPLSHawk88]

Are posts like this a joke? You believe the coaches had good foresight recruiting when three starting LBs graduate because they allowed some JUCO LBs that no one else wanted to walk on? That's how you plug a hole? That's simply bad planning. A blunder big enough to get a corporate executive fired.

Rather than bringing in recruits ready to plug the hole, it sounds like we stole an 18 yr old LB from South Dakota who had no other D1 offers. I'm sure he'll be able to come in next year and fill in for the graduating seniors right away.

For those who point to the super rare 2 star kids like Josey Jewell who defy all odds to justify recruiting misses, here are Iowa's other 2 star commits who are scheduled to be seniors next year...

**Eric Graham
**Nick Wilson
**Garret Janson
**Michael Ojemudia
**Adrian Falconer
**Justin Jinning
**Brady Reiff

But sure, praise every two star we get as the next Josey Jewell...not the next Adrian Falconer.

I don't think anyone here is trying to argue with you and also don't think every 2* recruit is going to be the next Josey or Josh Jackson. Simply finding 2* recruits to fit your narrative though can be used against your argument...

2*
Meier
Bullock
Lowdermilk
Canzeri
Koehn
Vandy
Josey
Jackson
Wadley
Adam Robinson
Mike Daniels

UNRANKED
McCarron
Croston
Lowery
Weisman
Tobin

The list of guys going back the last 10 classes is littered with guys who were supposedly "better prospects". The whole point of this is that recruiting is an imperfect science. Iowa tends to do a good job with underrated guys who fit their culture. I was livid with the poor planning at LB and the fact that they missed on Honas. I also get frustrated that Iowa cant attract some of the top HS LB's. Moving to more of a 4-2-5 may change that? Being more aggressive? NOT BEING BORING? Aggressive defensive scheme seems to be the sell that we are missing.

 

[IowaLawWasRight]

MPLS - the thing is, I did not "find recruits to fit my narrative." I listed each and every 2* recruit in the 2015 class. You responded by cherry picking the top 1% of 2* recruits over the past 10 or 15 years. Perhaps it is you with a "narrative."

We can continue my list to the next class, as here are all of the 2* recruits from the following year:

**Cedric Boswell
**Devonte Young

Big contributors thus far? Point being not that 2 star recruits are the worst thing in the world, but that you simply can't count on them to jump in and contribute right away. When you've got major holes to fill on a team, like Iowa does at LB and WR, you can't expect to magically get better than mediocrity by bringing in 2 star kids and assuming they will be the next Bob Sanders. It virtually never happens that way.

Like fans, Ferentz could see from a mile away that we need talent at WR and LB in 2018. He probably knew that 2 years ago. Unfortunately, he showed zero foresight and did nothing to resolve the situation.

I don't think anyone here is trying to argue with you and also don't think every 2* recruit is going to be the next Josey or Josh Jackson. Simply finding 2* recruits to fit your narrative though can be used against your argument...

2*
Meier
Bullock
Lowdermilk
Canzeri
Koehn
Vandy
Josey
Jackson
Wadley
Adam Robinson
Mike Daniels

UNRANKED
McCarron
Croston
Lowery
Weisman
Tobin

The list of guys going back the last 10 classes is littered with guys who were supposedly "better prospects". The whole point of this is that recruiting is an imperfect science. Iowa tends to do a good job with underrated guys who fit their culture. I was livid with the poor planning at LB and the fact that they missed on Honas. I also get frustrated that Iowa cant attract some of the top HS LB's. Moving to more of a 4-2-5 may change that? Being more aggressive? NOT BEING BORING? Aggressive defensive scheme seems to be the sell that we are missing.

 

[MPLSHawk88]

MPLS - the thing is, I did not "find recruits to fit my narrative." I listed each and every 2* recruit in the 2015 class. You responded by cherry picking the top 1% of 2* recruits over the past 10 or 15 years. Perhaps it is you with a "narrative."

We can continue my list to the next class, as here are all of the 2* recruits from the following year:

**Cedric Boswell
**Devonte Young

Big contributors thus far? Point being not that 2 star recruits are the worst thing in the world, but that you simply can't count on them to jump in and contribute right away. When you've got major holes to fill on a team, like Iowa does at LB and WR, you can't expect to magically get better than mediocrity by bringing in 2 star kids and assuming they will be the next Bob Sanders. It virtually never happens that way.

Like fans, Ferentz could see from a mile away that we need talent at WR and LB in 2018. He probably knew that 2 years ago. Unfortunately, he showed zero foresight and did nothing to resolve the situation.

First off I apologize if the "narrative" comment offended you...

Truthfully I think we are each off on our own argument here. I agree that for every 2* recruit that pans out there are 6 that miss. Same could be said for all the 3* guys we bring in and so on. Point being is with all the stars, high rankings, and combine all-stars Iowa recruits, there are going to be hits and misses each and every year. Iowa is not the only school that goes through this, its just more glaring being Iowa fans during each recruiting cycle. Another site had a great article on "Why it is so difficult for Iowa to recruit defensive stars?" I really don't think any of us have the answer and I highly doubt the coaches aren't trying to get guys. Poor planning for LB, sure hope not, but it is looking more and more like it as the finishing touches are being put on this class. For every Boswell, Falconer, and Graham that missed there is a Doering, Larson, and Bain... Can't miss guys that never panned out. Its an imperfect science that even the so called "experts" can't figure out.

 

[archiehawk]

View attachment 2993

Yeah man 2* LB... How dare Iowa take a chance on a kid... Well we might as well complain and bash his ranking or what school he was committed to... That's the Hawkeyenation way now right?

Time will tell. Get back to me when this 2 star becomes a starter.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

Man...tough room. I think people are a little out of their element in evaluating talent and should leave it to people who actually do the work. Iowa has been in on this kid for a while and it appears he has the measurables to play in the Big Ten. 210 pounds coming out of HS and running 4.62 isn't too shabby. He will be faster in a year with 15 pounds of muscle. The real question is does he have the toughness and instincts to play at this level. The athleticism is there.

Do you really think there is a huge difference between this kid and Dillon Doyle...yet know one is pissing his pants over Doyle. The fact that Iowa was in early with this kid tells me something.

The whole two star analysis about who made it is irrelevant and flat out stupid. Who do you think Jining, Ojemudia, Reiff, etc are playing behind. A couple of All-Americans at corner (King and Jackson) and a few really good defensive ends (AJ, A. Nelson, and Hesse) who have pushed Reiff inside to get playing time.

 

[CP87]

The NFL trend has been to spend money on the defensive backfield and DL/edge-rushers, and to fill in with what you can get for LB. I wonder if Iowa is taking a similar tack with recruiting resources? They really seem to be killing it with the DBs and DL lately.

 

[#1DieHardHawk]

The whole "star rating" debate is tiring. There are, and always will be, misses regardless of star rankings.

The best way to look at it is as a measure of probability - the more stars you have, the higher probability you will be a solid contributor. That's it. Debating it is pointless.