Who got the rock in the face?

1hawkeye1

1hawkeye1

Well-Known Member
On another thread there is some discussion of just which Iowa player it was that got hit in the face with a basketball.
If you remember, back in the Tom Davis era, Iowa had a ferocious full court press. Indiana was having a terrible time in-bounding the ball. Legend has it that Robert Montgomery Knight told the Hoosier in-bounder to hit the Iowa defender in the face with the ball and they would back off.
Some say the defender was Lohaus.
Some say Kent Hill. (And Hill responded by punching the in-bounder.)
I say Kevin Boyle.
I'm starting to think this happened to more than one guy.

Can anyone shed light on this?
 
I am about 90% sure it was Ed Horton. I was a kid then, but I remember watching that game, and I seem to remember Horton throwing a punch and being ejected?
 
bighawkeyedaddy said:
Looks like maybe I was wrong.

Feb. 21, 1987 - Brad Lohaus, during game with Indiana. The linked article mentions an earlier incident that season but doesn't mention the opponent or the Iowa player.

The Telegraph-Herald - Google News Archive Search

March 12, 1988 - Kent Hill hit in the face by a ball thrown by Indiana's Todd Jadlow. Hill was ejected when he retaliated by poking Jadlow in the face.

The Telegraph-Herald - Google News Archive Search
Click to expand...

Good find, daddy. I will assume the un-named player was Boyle so I can feel good about myself.:D
 
1hawkeye1 said:
On another thread there is some discussion of just which Iowa player it was that got hit in the face with a basketball.
If you remember, back in the Tom Davis era, Iowa had a ferocious full court press. Indiana was having a terrible time in-bounding the ball. Legend has it that Robert Montgomery Knight told the Hoosier in-bounder to hit the Iowa defender in the face with the ball and they would back off.
Some say the defender was Lohaus.
Some say Kent Hill. (And Hill responded by punching the in-bounder.)
I say Kevin Boyle.
I'm starting to think this happened to more than one guy.

Can anyone shed light on this?
Click to expand...

Lohaus got smacked in the face with an inbound pass vs Indiana... there were probably others as this was Knight's strategy vs that defense.
 
Great point by Coach Davis... ``The question I would have is this: ``If it`s legal to inbound the ball and hit the player in the face . . . if that is a legal play, then what about when the play is going on and the player just takes the ball and fires it right at the face of the guy guarding him? Also a legal play? Or should that be whistled for a foul of some kind?`` Davis said.
 
1hawkeye1 said:
On another thread there is some discussion of just which Iowa player it was that got hit in the face with a basketball.
If you remember, back in the Tom Davis era, Iowa had a ferocious full court press. Indiana was having a terrible time in-bounding the ball. Legend has it that Robert Montgomery Knight told the Hoosier in-bounder to hit the Iowa defender in the face with the ball and they would back off.
Some say the defender was Lohaus.
Some say Kent Hill. (And Hill responded by punching the in-bounder.)
I say Kevin Boyle.
I'm starting to think this happened to more than one guy.

Can anyone shed light on this?
Click to expand...

Hill and Lohaus. Those two most definately. Not sure if someone preceded Lohaus
 
1hawkeye1 said:
On another thread there is some discussion of just which Iowa player it was that got hit in the face with a basketball.
If you remember, back in the Tom Davis era, Iowa had a ferocious full court press. Indiana was having a terrible time in-bounding the ball. Legend has it that Robert Montgomery Knight told the Hoosier in-bounder to hit the Iowa defender in the face with the ball and they would back off.
Some say the defender was Lohaus.
Some say Kent Hill. (And Hill responded by punching the in-bounder.)
I say Kevin Boyle.
I'm starting to think this happened to more than one guy.

Can anyone shed light on this?
Click to expand...


I know this happened more recently too, I'm thinking Jess Settles, Kingsbury, or someone from about that timeframe was smacked in the face on an inbounds pass. Not too sure it wasn't against Indiana or Purdue. If memory serves the guy that hit him in the face was a redhead that I couldn't stand - a Keady coached team.
 
Koch and Jacob Jaacks took a few off the face as well.
Otherwise the Hawkeyes could become the Black Eyes this week. Iowa, which likes to harass inbounds passers as part of their full-court press, have had two players drilled in the face on inbounds plays in recent games.

First J.R. Koch took a ball in the face against a Northwestern passer. Then Jacob Jaacks was served a Spalding by Indiana's Michael Lewis.

Big Ten Circus Back In Town - Chicago Tribune
 
mark444 said:
I know this happened more recently too, I'm thinking Jess Settles, Kingsbury, or someone from about that timeframe was smacked in the face on an inbounds pass. Not too sure it wasn't against Indiana or Purdue. If memory serves the guy that hit him in the face was a redhead that I couldn't stand - a Keady coached team.
Click to expand...

Now I'm thinking JR Koch got hit in the face by Brian Cardinal. Couldn't stand Cardinal for some reason. Pretty sure it was Cardinal, but only 90% that it was Koch.
 
tx for the links to some fascinating articles reporting on a "legal" strategy to defeat the Iowa press over the 13 years Mr. Davis Davis coached Iowa BB.

So what is your thought? Is it a legal play to fireball a BB to the head of the player guarding/standing within a few feet from the in-bounds line?

Is it sportsman like... let alone moral? Should then any player be allowed to do this with a 5 second violation running down?
 
As a quick follow-up... imagine engaging Bobby Knight somewhere, challenging the man he can't play defense.. setting him up as he assumes the proper defensive set and then firing a basketball at his face.
 
H8IAST8 said:
Koch and Jacob Jaacks took a few off the face as well.
Otherwise the Hawkeyes could become the Black Eyes this week. Iowa, which likes to harass inbounds passers as part of their full-court press, have had two players drilled in the face on inbounds plays in recent games.

First J.R. Koch took a ball in the face against a Northwestern passer. Then Jacob Jaacks was served a Spalding by Indiana's Michael Lewis.

Big Ten Circus Back In Town - Chicago Tribune
Click to expand...



I remember the Jaacks incident. Not sure, but I thought the IU player was reprimanded after the game?? It was obvious that it was meant as a low-class act intending harm. The guy just leaned back, swung and let it fly in his face. Not cool...
Didn't realize Jaacks was still playing pro ball overseas until last year. The dude should have some serious coin from that.
 
Didn't Sam Okey get a ball to the face as well? I faintly remember an opposing player falling out of bounds and rifling the ball at Okey's face to save possession and it was a legal play. Either Wisconsin or Indiana. I could be wrong. It's been years since I've thought of it.
 
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