The Athletic's B1G Recruiting Confidential

[CP87]

https://theathletic.com/4517588/202...n-programs-coaches/?source=emp_shared_article

Some good tidbits in here. I will share a few:

From a Nebraska HS coach talking about the best asst coach recruiters:

(Special teams coach) LeVar Woods, the assistant that recruits out area (from Iowa), is my absolute favorite recruiting coach. He’s unreal. … As people, (the Iowa coaches) are as wholesome as it comes. They’re cut differently than the rest. It doesn’t seem like they’re businessmen out there trying to sell you something. (Offensive coordinator) Brian (Ferentz) is such an acquired taste. Of all these coaches that come around here, he’d be one the first to say, “Let’s go bounce to the sports bar and have a beer.”

From that same coach, answering, "If you had a son going to play football in the B1G, which coach would you want him to play for?"

"If I had to pick one, I would pick Iowa. But if he was a quarterback, his ass ain’t going to Iowa."

 

[Chickenlounge]

Yes, Brian inviting an 18-year-old kid to a sports bar for a beer seems spot on...

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Yes, Brian inviting an 18-year-old kid to a sports bar for a beer seems spot on...

I think the hypothetical offer to grab a beer would be directed at the high school coach that was being interviewed. I don't think this anonymous coach was suggesting that Iowa's OC is dumb enough to take a high school kid to a bar to recruit him.

The overall point seems to be that Iowa recruits differently than most schools. They don't sell bullshit, they build relationships. I like that.

And, after McNamara wins the Heisman this year, this anonymous coach is going to send his non-existent QB son to play at Iowa. Mark it down.

 

[CP87]

Also of note from the article: coaches from Ohio and NJ mentioned that Iowa has no presence in their areas. Iowa has gotten notable kids from those states (e.g. Kaleb Johnson, Luke Lachey, Joe Labas from OH as HS recruits), but they must be pretty selective with offers that are outside of what they consider their core areas.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Iowa's core area clearly seems to be Iowa, Eastern Nebraska, Illinois and adjacent areas. Its not an overly wide net, but Iowa is a developmental school so there are plenty of 3 star kids in that region. After that it is much more selective because you don't have the resources to connect with the HS coaches necessary to build a network. So, no shock that Ohio and East of OHIO are not areas Iowa focuses on. I like what we are doing in Florida. Wish we would do more in Texas. It will be interesting to see if California comes into play with the two LA schools coming on line.

 

[Fryowa]

I've said for years on this board, LeVar Woods should be OC for 3-4 years and then HC for the next 30.

If we don't keep him someone else will take him, and he's going to win titles.

Write that down.

 

[NCHawker]

I have a feeling (has nothing to do with the last two years) that at Iowa, once you're on the staff you don't have to feel like your head is on the chopping block all the time. The coaches exude a confidence and genuineness ...knowing they're not right for everyone...a longer term focus. There are companies / employers that instill that sense as well. There are companies and employers who are the opposite

 

[Hawkfnntn]

I've said for years on this board, LeVar Woods should be OC for 3-4 years and then HC for the next 30.

If we don't keep him someone else will take him, and he's going to win titles.

Write that down.

He's not just really damn good at his job(s) from over the years. But everyone universally likes and respects him. Meaning he'd easily be able to hire a really good staff of guys around him when he does eventually get to be an HC. It really really sucks these last 5 yrs or so that Iowa's been trying to groom BF for the job he can't have instead. If we miss this boat on Woods we'll regret it.

 

[Fryowa]

If we miss this boat on Woods we'll regret it.

Truest thing ever said on this board.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

I've said for years on this board, LeVar Woods should be OC for 3-4 years and then HC for the next 30.

If we don't keep him someone else will take him, and he's going to win titles.

Write that down.

For a guy that spends half his time on this Board noting that every hiring decision is a coin toss at best for whether it will work out, and therefore, if you have a good thing going don't mess it by firing a really good coach hoping to find a transformational coach, you sure are stating your opinion with unusual certainty. The man has never ran an offense, called a play or ran an entire complex organization. Coach Woods certainly looks like a head coach in the making, but where he lands and what headwinds are in front of him could dictate success or failure. Not sure I am betting my mortgage payment on him winning titles someday, but it certainly would not be surprising if he does.

That all said, I do like Woods and believe he is on a path of ascension. Perhaps they could give him an Associate Head Coach title. BF is going to get his 25 points a game this season, so he aint going anywhere. Do what you can I guess.

 

[HuckFinn]

For a guy that spends half his time on this Board noting that every hiring decision is a coin toss at best for whether it will work out, and therefore, if you have a good thing going don't mess it by firing a really good coach hoping to find a transformational coach, you sure are stating your opinion with unusual certainty. The man has never ran an offense, called a play or ran an entire complex organization. Coach Woods certainly looks like a head coach in the making, but where he lands and what headwinds are in front of him could dictate success or failure. Not sure I am betting my mortgage payment on him winning titles someday, but it certainly would not be surprising if he does.

That all said, I do like Woods and believe he is on a path of ascension. Perhaps they could give him an Associate Head Coach title. BF is going to get his 25 points a game this season, so he aint going anywhere. Do what you can I guess.

Please correct your use of ”ran” and “run”. Fingernails on a chalkboard…

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Please correct your use of ”ran” and “run”. Fingernails on a chalkboard…

I will ran that up the old flagpole and get back to you....

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

I know we talk about the same shit over and over on here, but I've been curious how one element with Woods would play out.

Say Kirk steps down thinking there is a good chance Brian will be hired. Maybe not that Kirk has a guarantee, but that he thinks he can at least put his finger on the scale enough to make it happen.

But that as part of the process, Woods gets an interview and impresses the right people and ends up getting the position.

Does Woods keep Brian on staff? Does he offer him a job but not as OC? Does he decide Brian has had too much influence for too long, and a clean break is needed? If that occurs, what kind of relationship does retired Kirk have with Iowa, Woods, and other former assistants who stay on staff?

 

[okeefe4prez]

For a guy that spends half his time on this Board noting that every hiring decision is a coin toss at best for whether it will work out, and therefore, if you have a good thing going don't mess it by firing a really good coach hoping to find a transformational coach, you sure are stating your opinion with unusual certainty. The man has never ran an offense, called a play or ran an entire complex organization. Coach Woods certainly looks like a head coach in the making, but where he lands and what headwinds are in front of him could dictate success or failure. Not sure I am betting my mortgage payment on him winning titles someday, but it certainly would not be surprising if he does.

That all said, I do like Woods and believe he is on a path of ascension. Perhaps they could give him an Associate Head Coach title. BF is going to get his 25 points a game this season, so he aint going anywhere. Do what you can I guess.

Different sport, but I remember one time in basketball where we hired some assclown who sucked and then the world found out his assistant was the glue. Mr. Woods could certainly be the glue at Iowa. Dude has been with the program for awhile (including stints as the position coach for our best units) and let's face facts, our defense is salty as shit. We have a developmental program. Guys get their start playing special teams which means Levar is the guy working with them first. And during his tenure special teams have been pretty damned good but even more impressive is how good guys are by the time he has to turn them over to the defense.

Maybe Woods ain't the next Bill Belichick or Nick Saban, but I wouldn't be surprised if we lost him as ST coach and took an absolute shit on ST and then defense for the next few years.

 

[HuckFinn]

I know we talk about the same shit over and over on here, but I've been curious how one element with Woods would play out.

Say Kirk steps down thinking there is a good chance Brian will be hired. Maybe not that Kirk has a guarantee, but that he thinks he can at least put his finger on the scale enough to make it happen.

But that as part of the process, Woods gets an interview and impresses the right people and ends up getting the position.

Does Woods keep Brian on staff? Does he offer him a job but not as OC? Does he decide Brian has had too much influence for too long, and a clean break is needed? If that occurs, what kind of relationship does retired Kirk have with Iowa, Woods, and other former assistants who stay on staff?

Yet another enigma wrapped in a mystery.

 

[Northside Hawk]

I think the hypothetical offer to grab a beer would be directed at the high school coach that was being interviewed. I don't think this anonymous coach was suggesting that Iowa's OC is dumb enough to take a high school kid to a bar to recruit him.

The overall point seems to be that Iowa recruits differently than most schools. They don't sell bullshit, they build relationships. I like that.

And, after McNamara wins the Heisman this year, this anonymous coach is going to send his non-existent QB son to play at Iowa. Mark it down.

Or the parents of the athlete.

As for a coach selling bullshit we see a pretty good example it from a certain bald coach four hours to our north.

 

[CP87]

I've said for years on this board, LeVar Woods should be OC for 3-4 years and then HC for the next 30.

If we don't keep him someone else will take him, and he's going to win titles.

Write that down.

We don't have much evidence that he would be an effective OC, but more importantly, I don't think there is any compelling reason to go that route. If you think he has great leadership/executive abilities, then have the guts to put him in that leadership/executive role without the necessity of "proving himself" as an OC or DC first. KF was never a coordinator, and he has been a great executive for a couple decades.

You throw Woods into an OC role that he is not prepared for (didn't play offense, never called plays, has only coached one position on that side of the ball), there is a good chance he struggles, and fanbases love to hate the OC even in the best of times. You think you are going to be able to sell that as the next HC? Just name him Associate HC right now, train him up on the logistics of the role, and aim for a 2025 transition.

 

[RobHowe]

Iowa often shifts its out-of-region recruiting based on assistants.

With Hodge and Betts having connections in Florida, it makes sense to have them there. When Iowa had Davis and Kennedy, made sense to be in Texas. Foster helped in the South when he was here. KOK was connected in New England and Penn. Chris White helped in NJ. Polasek has a Wisconsin background. Woods has built up bonds in Western Iowa, Nebraska, STL, TX and KC. Parker does well in Michigan and Ohio. Bell has ties in Indy. Niemann has had mixed results taking the lead in state from Morgan. Iowa got knocked around a bit in the '23 class but has bounced back in '24.

BF really doesn't recruit much comparatively. He's got part of Chicago/Illinois with Wallace. I think KF prefers not to have his OC and DC recruit a lot. BF does handle QB recruiting as did KOK and GD. I think both of BF's predecessors were more involved in recruiting, however.

The Hawkeyes lean a lot on relationships grown over time in recruiting.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

We don't have much evidence that he would be an effective OC, but more importantly, I don't think there is any compelling reason to go that route. If you think he has great leadership/executive abilities, then have the guts to put him in that leadership/executive role without the necessity of "proving himself" as an OC or DC first. KF was never a coordinator, and he has been a great executive for a couple decades.

You throw Woods into an OC role that he is not prepared for (didn't play offense, never called plays, has only coached one position on that side of the ball), there is a good chance he struggles, and fanbases love to hate the OC even in the best of times. You think you are going to be able to sell that as the next HC? Just name him Associate HC right now, train him up on the logistics of the role, and aim for a 2025 transition.

Exactly. Its a huge leap to assume someone who is a good teacher and great recruiter is also an effective playcaller, especially in one of the least creative and free offensive environments in college football. There is no way to know, of course, but I don't see Woods as a slam dunk successful OC at Iowa. As a matter of fact, given Iowa's approach to offense under KF, the smart money would be against him lighting the world on fire as Iowa's OC. Would he be better than Brian? Maybe, but what is that saying?

Regardless, I don't see KF firing his son, especially after he slays the dragon of averaging 25 points a game with Parker spotting him 5-6 points per game.

Associate Head Coach is a great title. It is the title given to coaches in waiting. It might keep him on the line for a few more years hoping things break his way. Iowa hiring football coaches happens about as often as England changes monarchs, but I think nearly all of us would bet that the next HC at Iowa is an existing or former coach at Iowa.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I've said for years on this board, LeVar Woods should be OC for 3-4 years and then HC for the next 30.

If we don't keep him someone else will take him, and he's going to win titles.

Write that down.

I have boys the same age as his son and they have competed in youth sports together, including on a couple of the same football teams up to JH. I've spoken with him in passing at games and he and his wife and familty are truly genuine. There is absolutely no "used car salesman" vibe to him. He's down to earth and I think recruits and parent's see that. And as mentioned above they don't sell bullshit at Iowa, they sell opportunity for any kid that wants to work hard.

I hope Iowa does figure out a way to keep him. I think they have at least two more years as their son will be a junior this coming year. After that, who knows what opportunity may present itself to him.

Do it right IOWA!