Iowa Stops Recruiting Florida

[gator996]

Ain't No Sunshine: Iowa Stops Recruiting Florida


http://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/f...uiting-florida

We're not going to shut the door in any area. We've got four young guys out of that state right now in our program. And we have hope that all four of those guys will continue to grow and do a good job and make an impact. We've definitely cut back our efforts down there the last six, seven years. It's like anything. It's where you invest. And typically, if you get to know coaches a little bit better, your chances are better.

--Kirk Ferentz, last week, on Iowa football recruiting in Florida

The initial iteration of the Ferentz dynasty, the 2001-2004 teams, were built at home and in the trenches. Ferentz mined Iowa for line talent in 1999 and 2000, and turned that raw material into the nation's best offensive line by 2002. But while Iowa was full of farmboys ready to wear black and gold in XXXL sizes, finding talent at linebacker, cornerback, and the skill positions was more difficult. The Hawkeyes' staff was primarily from the Midwest and Northeast, but when it left the Midwest, it went South. Way south. And it sent its most tenacious recruiter to the Sunshine State, a young linebackers coach named Bret Bielema.

Iowa cast a wide net in those days, but Florida was the secret weapon behind Iowa's early-decade resurgence. Florida generated a boatload of talent for Iowa's program in the early 2000's. Cornerbacks Antwaan Allen and Benny Sapp, safety Marcus Paschal, defensive tackle Colin Cole, and linebackers Abdul Hodge, Edmond Miles and Fred Barr came to Iowa from Florida and became significant contributors. So did wide receivers C.J. Jones and Mo Brown. Quarterback Brad Banks, who was recruited out of a Mississippi junior college, was originally from Florida, as well.

Soon after Bielema left, Iowa's recruiting in Florida imploded. Phil Parker, who had never scouted Florida before (and had been Iowa's connection to Michigan to that point), briefly recruited the Sunshine State and was largely unsuccessful. In 2003, Iowa added just one player from Florida, safety Chris Brevi. He spent three seasons in Iowa City while coaches tried to turn him into a linebacker before transferring to FCS Stony Brook. In 2004, Iowa signed two Floridians: Running back Damien Sims, who had a successful four years in the Iowa program as a capable backup to Albert Young, and Ettore Ewen, who spent a couple of injury-plagued years in the program before becoming Dolph Ziggler's sidekick in the WWE. The 2005 class, Parker's last as primary Florida recruiter, featured four-star fullback Kalvin Bailey and two-star defensive tackle Vernon Jackson. Bailey had grade problems and bounced around junior colleges for a while. Jackson had a promising start to his career, but suffered a career-ending injury after his redshirt freshman season. In 2006, Iowa added Troy Johnson and Lance Tillison, both two-star recruits. Johnson stayed for five seasons and made seven starts, but never rose above a utility infielder role. Tillison oddly left the program and returned as a walk-on. Of Parker's seven Florida signees, only two were significant contributors.

[exiledgator]

nm

[GatorAbe7]

Iowa's had a recent good run from '08 to '10 but since then their last great wins were over an 11-2 Michigan team in '11 and a 10-3 Missouri team in the Insight Bowl in '10.

They've got A LOT of problems to shore up before Ferentz's job is safe again. Last year's team sported the worst offense in the Big Ten. Their major ecruiting areas like Maryland and Florida have all but dried up and they've been hit with some bad recruiting flameouts over the past few years.

[your_perfect_enemy]

"The initial iteration of the Ferentz dynasty"

hahaha

[G8R92]

Ferentz parlayed flirtations with the Steelers into a huge paycheck. Good for him. Bad for Iowa.

[pinecrestgator]

He isn't in danger of losing his job. Iowa has only had two coaches in the last 35 years. They are big on continuity. Their program has ebbed and flowed under both Frye and Ferentz. I bet Iowa has another good 2 to 3 year run before Ferentz's time is up there.

[gtr2x]

Interesting, I know a Florida kid that signed there a couple of years ago. Always surprised to see Fla kids go to the frozen tundra when they have other offers. Have to ask my eye doc what the deal is. He is a disgruntled Iowa alum living in S Fla.

[geauxgator1]

Why would anyone go to Iowa, when they can play in Florida, or close by if given the choice? If it's your only option, of course you go. Kudos to the coaches that recruited talent from Florida and got the kids to go. They must have presented an excellent sales pitch. Or maybe something else was involved? ($$$)

[exiledgator]

Originally Posted by geauxgator1

Why would anyone go to Iowa, when they can play in Florida, or close by if given the choice? If it's your only option, of course you go. Kudos to the coaches that recruited talent from Florida and got the kids to go. They must have presented an excellent sales pitch. Or maybe something else was involved? ($$$)

An affinity for corn-fed ladies?

[ncgatr1]

Originally Posted by geauxgator1

Why would anyone go to Iowa, when they can play in Florida, or close by if given the choice? If it's your only option, of course you go. Kudos to the coaches that recruited talent from Florida and got the kids to go. They must have presented an excellent sales pitch. Or maybe something else was involved? ($$$)

Have you ever been to Iowa and met the people? I'm originally from Cedar Rapids, my parents left there for sunny florida when I was 2. They are probably some of the nicest people you will ever meet and Iowa women can be pretty hot, especially down in Iowa City. I have been to that campus and was amazed at the talent there.

[StrangeGator]

Originally Posted by geauxgator1

Why would anyone go to Iowa, when they can play in Florida, or close by if given the choice? If it's your only option, of course you go. Kudos to the coaches that recruited talent from Florida and got the kids to go. They must have presented an excellent sales pitch. Or maybe something else was involved? ($$$)

Toured almost a dozen college campuses over the past two years before sending my kids off to college this past fall. The University of Iowa was one of the most impressive visits we made. Iowa City is a little small, but truly one of the nicest college towns I've ever seen. The campus is gorgeous, kind of like a miniature U of Wisconsin. The academics and academic support was outstanding. Was actually more impressed with Iowa than Wisconsin which we had just toured the day before. U of Iowa ended up being her second choice. She never even considered UF.

One thing I did notice and even asked the young man giving us the tour, and this is very telling. I saw one African American student the entire day. The response; "The racial makeup of the university represents the racial makeup of Iowa and Minnesota (they have in-state reciprocity with Minnesota). They have to recruit outside of their state to fill their needs at skill positions. Granted, you don't have to go to Florida. Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana have much more diversity, but there's a lot of competition for the best skill players in those states.

[NoahBeanBizzel]

Originally Posted by gtr2x

Interesting, I know a Florida kid that signed there a couple of years ago. Always surprised to see Fla kids go to the frozen tundra when they have other offers. Have to ask my eye doc what the deal is. He is a disgruntled Iowa alum living in S Fla.

It's not like Iowa ever got players the big three (Us, FSU and Miami) were after. We would consider a lot of prospects they signed to be "Plan B" types (also known as leftovers), and Ferentz and his staff did a good job of developing some players who probably never would've sniffed a start at an SEC school, and they turned them into All-Big 10 players.

Ten-fifteen years ago, it only made sense for a kid to sign with a school like Iowa, Wisconsin, Marshall, West Virginia, etc...if he wasn't being recruited by any of the instate powers, and had a desire and the talent to play division one ball.

This news doesn't effect us at all. It only reinforces the notion that Iowa's program is about to drift into a perpetual state of mediocrity under Ferentz.

[oxymoron]

The way it's going every friggin college in Fla is going to have a football team.

[jsc28]

Originally Posted by pinecrestgator

He isn't in danger of losing his job. Iowa has only had two coaches in the last 35 years. They are big on continuity. Their program has ebbed and flowed under both Frye and Ferentz. I bet Iowa has another good 2 to 3 year run before Ferentz's time is up there.

I actually think they would have already fired him,but it's too expensive.

[geauxgator1]

Originally Posted by ncgatr1

Have you ever been to Iowa and met the people? I'm originally from Cedar Rapids, my parents left there for sunny florida when I was 2. They are probably some of the nicest people you will ever meet and Iowa women can be pretty hot, especially down in Iowa City. I have been to that campus and was amazed at the talent there.

Never been to Iowa, but I've been to the Dakotas in the winter..it's ridiculous... If they went in the winter and came to back Florida, they would kiss the ground when they got off the plane. yes, nice people, but like my father said, they live up there because they don't know any better.

[gatorev12]

Originally Posted by geauxgator1

Why would anyone go to Iowa, when they can play in Florida, or close by if given the choice? If it's your only option, of course you go. Kudos to the coaches that recruited talent from Florida and got the kids to go. They must have presented an excellent sales pitch. Or maybe something else was involved? ($$$)

Yes, the massively rich Iowa boosters pay B and C-list players from the state of Florida to go there...

Couldn't possibly be the fact that Iowa's coaching staff has a pretty consistent record of taking 2 and 3 star recruits and sending them to the NFL...

[geauxgator1]

Originally Posted by gatorev12

Yes, the massively rich Iowa boosters pay B and C-list players from the state of Florida to go there...

Couldn't possibly be the fact that Iowa's coaching staff has a pretty consistent record of taking 2 and 3 star recruits and sending them to the NFL...

Oh brother.. there's enough money at U of Iowa or any state institution to take care of a few kids. Have you been watching Auburn the last 2 decades? All you need is a couple of rich alumni to take care of that type of bidness. How about Ole Miss? Are they a "rich" school? Something's going on there, or are they all of a sudden attracting 4 and 5 star kids that never considered going there before? I don't put it past any school these days especially with so much money at stake, and careers in the balance, to do what they think they must.

[GatorPrincess8]

That's dumb. Florida is the national recruiting bed.

[gtr2x]

Originally Posted by NoahBeanBizzel

It's not like Iowa ever got players the big three (Us, FSU and Miami) were after. We would consider a lot of prospects they signed to be "Plan B" types (also known as leftovers), and Ferentz and his staff did a good job of developing some players who probably never would've sniffed a start at an SEC school, and they turned them into All-Big 10 players.

Ten-fifteen years ago, it only made sense for a kid to sign with a school like Iowa, Wisconsin, Marshall, West Virginia, etc...if he wasn't being recruited by any of the instate powers, and had a desire and the talent to play division one ball.

This news doesn't effect us at all. It only reinforces the notion that Iowa's program is about to drift into a perpetual state of mediocrity under Ferentz.

I'd say Iowa football has been mediocre for awhile. No problem with your analysis, but the kid I know was also recruited by UM and there were no extra benefits received from Iowa. I think it was simply a matter of liking their offensive style and their coaches. BTW, Iowa is ok academically, but UM is superior to Iowa. Florida kids don't go to Iowa for a superior education.(no offense to any Iowa grads that may be lurking).

[IowaGator]

A few comments since I hear about that program a bit from time to time

Bielema was the conduit to Florida. I think he Kept that going through his time at Wisconsin and will expand it at Arky I am sure.

Ferentz would be fired if it was up to the fans. Money is an issue. The AD gave him something like a 10 contract after the Orange Bowl a few years ago. He is the highest paid coach in the country w/o a MNC 3.65 million. His buyout is somewhere around 18-20 million. The department is paying off a MBB coach right now and is not as profitable as other programs.

There are less than a half a dozen Florida kids on the roster. Probably twice that many at Iowa State.

A few years ago the undergrad population was about 1/3 from suburban Chicago and about 50% from Illinois. It has a major alcohol and drug issue. The minority student population is primarily foreign and Hispanic. There are very few AA's in Iowa and at the U.

Ferentz has the rep of his kids making the league. He, as someone else said, takes kids and puts them in the league. The staff had been very stable until the last couple of years and that has changed. Overall the program is struggling big time and if it were not for the buy-out I think he would be gone. The U president is currently in the hot seat and she may be history soon. When she goes the AD may not be too far behind--they were the worst athletic program in the little 10 last year and in the bottom 2-3 the last few years. Maryland may save them that embarrassment in the future but with a new president there might be wholesale changes in the department.