400 low hurdles translation? Football success

I don't know if this is coincidence or cause and effect.

When the Hawkeyes signed Tanner Miller in February, I noted that he was the Class 2A champion in the 400-meter low hurdles. When I started working at The Gazette, I remembered, and mentioned in the story, Ames' Dustin Avey. I covered the state meet in 1996 in which he set the Iowa all-time 400 hurdles record in 50.96 seconds. He went on to have a successful career as a defensive back at Iowa State.

E-mailer Brian took that and ran with it.

He went to the IAHSAA State meet stat book and found several examples of football players, mostly Hawkeyes, who've won state titles in the 400 hurdles and went onto a degree of success in college football.

Here are the names:

Marv Cook -- Cook won the Class 2A 400 hurdles for West Branch in 1984. He, of course, went onto giant success as a tight end for the Hawkeyes and later the NFL. He's now head coach at Iowa City Regina.

Jon Filloon -- Filloon won the 2A 400 hurdles titles for Manson in 1986-87. Injuries took a bite out of his career as a wide receiver at Iowa, but he lettered in 1988 and '90-91.

Tim Dwight -- I'm not 100 percent sure on this, but I think Dwight might've run the event once and set the all-time Iowa record that Avey eventually broke. Dwight was a standout sprinter at Iowa City High, winning, among the many other titles, the 1992 4A 400 lows. He starred for Hawkeyes from 1994-97 and still holds the school record for career receiving yardage (2,271 yards). He also played as a receiver/return specialist in the NFL for 10 seasons.

Senior Derrell Johnson-Koulianos has a shot at the yards record this year. He goes into 2010 needing 401 yards to pass Dwight.

Jordan Cotton -- Cotton won the 3A 400 lows for Mount Pleasant in 2008. He'll be a redshirt freshman wide receiver for the Hawkeyes this fall.

Thanks to Brian for the post idea.

Almost forgot, senior wideout Nick Kuchel set the Kingsley-Pierson school record in the 400 lows.

If I'm missing anyone, let me know.

EDIT: Former Iowa State defensive back (I think, maybe linebacker) Nik Moser won the 400 lows for Fort Dodge in 2000, 2001.