Marc Morehouse

Hi, I'm Marc Morehouse. I've covered sports for more than 15 years, mostly in Eastern Iowa. I've had Hayden Fry [...]
Updated: 26 June 2012 | 3:00 pm in Hawkeye Football, On Iowa by Marc Morehouse

Ferentz: Recruiting sprint a national phenomenon

Iowa already has 15 commits


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Mildred quarterback Nic Shimonek (9) is chased by Cisco defensive lineman Clifton Massey (66) and linebacker Hayden Lewis (11) during the fourth quarter of the Loboes' 35-28 win in the Class 2A state semifinal playoff game on Friday, Dec. 9, 2011, at Vernon Newsom Stadium in Mansfield. (Thomas Metthe/Abilene Reporter-News)

In a nine-day stretch, Iowa’s list of football commitments for the 2013 recruiting class grew from eight to 15.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said Tuesday that it’s not anything Iowa is doing.

The Hawkeyes new offensive coordinator Greg Davis comes from Texas, where recruiting annually wraps up in July. Is that it?

“No correlation there,” Ferentz said. “Greg made some suggestions evaluation-wise that I think were helpful, but they’re [Texas] is in a whole different world.”

New blood on the coaching staff? No, outside of assistant coach Eric Johnson focusing his time on recruiting coordinator, nothing has changed in Iowa’s approach.

Ferentz chalked it up to the life recruiting stories have been given with the industry that covers it, which includes Rivals.com, Scout.com and ESPN.com.

“I think everything is moving faster and kids are making their minds up quicker,” Ferentz said. “Everything is driven by the recruiting industry right now. The awareness for younger people, it’s continually growing.”

Iowa’s scholarship count for 2013 leaves room for 15 incoming freshmen. Iowa now has 15 commitments. Ferentz has said he believes Iowa’s final number for ’13 will be near 20.

“I still think there will be more than a handful of good players left in December and January,” Ferentz said. “Things are moving faster, so you have to pick up the pace a little bit.”

In 2011, Iowa had a lot of prospects through campus in June, Ferentz said. This year, that shifted to April and May. So, the decision making has adjusted correspondingly.

“At the end of the day, you just hope after their senior years, they’re the same guy or even better,” Ferentz said.

Ferentz dispelled the thought that Iowa is hurrying recruiting to be able to allow the coaches to focus their attention on the field this fall, particularly with two new coordinators.

“I think that’ll be a good byproduct, but that just means we’ll be shifting more quickly to juniors, we’ll be scrutinizing them more,” Ferentz said. “Also, we’ll have to continue to recruit the guys who are committed because that is non-binding. I wish I could say that was the case.”

Recruiting creeps onto the calendar during the season. There is no offseason as far as recruiting goes, Ferentz said.

“It’s just ongoing now,” Ferentz said. “That was my thought process when we reassigned Eric [Johnson]. He’s done a fantastic job. Maybe this will free him up for a little more football.”

____________________________________________

David Kenney, DE, 6-2, 250 Pike High School (Indianapolis, Ind.) ****

Derrick Willies, WR, 6-3, 190 Rock Island (Ill.) High School ***

Delano Hill, FS, 6-1, 190 Cass Tech High School (Detroit, Mich.) ***

Colin Goebel, OL 6-4, 275 Naperville (Ill.) North High School ***

Nathan Bazata, DT, 6-2, 270 Howells (Neb.) High School ***

Brant Gressel, DT, 6-2, 283 Centerville (Ohio) High School ***

John Kenny, LB, 6-2, 210 Caramel (Ind.) High School ***

Nic Shimonek, QB, 6-4, 205 Mildred (Corsicana, Texas) High School ***

Malik Rucker, CB, 6-0, 175 Cooper (New Hope, Minn.) High School ***

Derrick Mitchell, Jr., WR, 6-0, 185 Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) High School ***

Andre Harris, WR, 6-1, 170 Kirkwood (Mo.) High School (unrated by Rivals.com)

Sean Welsh, OL, 6-3, 275 Springboro (Ohio) High School ***

Ike Boettger, TE, 6-5, 220 Cedar Falls High School (unrated by Rivals.com)

Trevon Young, DE, 6-4, 220 Lincoln (Des Moines) High School (unrated by Rivals.com)

Solomon Warfield, 6-0, 170 St. Edwards (Cleveland, Ohio) ***

* = Rivals.com’s star rating

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Ferentz: Recruiting sprint a national phenomenon
  1. “Iowa’s scholarship count for 2013 leaves room for 15 incoming freshmen. Iowa now has 15 commitments. Ferentz has said he believes Iowa’s final number for ’13 will be near 20.”

    Need a little clarity. If there’s room for 15 and Iowa already has 15 commits, how can they get to 20?

    • Breakage. Kids transfer, get the boot, unexpected departures. That sort of thing. Seniors not getting a fifth year.

      Not sure how much wiggle room there is. The official scholarship count is a moving target.

  2. Interesting.

    If Ferentz believes the final number will be near 20, then he must have some idea that around 5 guys are going to “break.” That seems pretty specific to me.

    Plus, I didn’t know there were seniors who didn’t get a fifth year unless, of course, they didn’t redshirt. If they graduate and don’t stay, that’s one thing, but has the staff ever asked a senior who has been with the program to not come back?

    • It’s happened, but not for a long time. Also, Barta and Ferentz have said scholarships will be honored for four years.

      No one is getting run off at Iowa or in the Big Ten. The conference made a big deal out of that around signing day.

      Plus, KF said that number in the spring. It was more of a guess than an exact. Iowa’s class always seems to be around 20.

      The few decisions I know of with a fifth-year not coming back for that final season it was a mutual decision for the most part.




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