On Iowa by Marc Morehouse
Recruiting board reaches 16
Posted on Oct 01, 2009 by Marc Morehouse.
Yes, Arkansas State gets its helmet taped to the weightroom door, too. (Sorry, I couldn't find a picture I could use of any of these guys.)
On week 2 of Miami (Fla.) Monsignor Pace’s football season, running back D’Andre Johnson suffered a torn ACL. The 5-foot-8, 210-pounder immediately noticed a change in the voices of the college recruiters on the other end of the phone.
“They called and asked how I did that week,” said Johnson, who rushed for 1,121 yards and 10 TDs last year. “I’d tell them, ‘Coach, I didn’t do too well. I tore my ACL on the third play of the game.’ Their tone changed to ‘Woooowwww, really?’ ”
Iowa assistant coach Rick Kaczenski, the Hawkeyes’ primary recruiter in Florida, didn’t blink when Johnson said he tore his ACL.
“Coach Kaczenski called me the day after the injury,” Johnson said. “I told him and he said, just get back to me and let me know how you’re doing. His voice was basically the same. He said, ‘Really? That’s like a broken finger. We’ll treat it like a broken finger and let it heal.’
“He was the only coach who said that.”
It came down to Iowa and Minnesota. Johnson picked Iowa after last weekend’s victory at Penn State and canceled a visit to Minnesota. Last spring, Johnson won the Florida High School Athletics Association Class 2A shot put title with a throw of 54-10.
Johnson committed over the weekend. Cornerback B.J. Lowery picked the Hawkeyes over an offer from Akron on Tuesday.
Lowery, a 5-11, 175-pounder, plays quarterback for Cincinnati (Ohio) Hughes High School. He turned down a recent offer to visit Michigan to pick the Hawkeyes. He made one visit, stopping in Iowa City for the Hawkeyes’ season opener against Northern Iowa.
“I loved everything about Iowa City,” Lowery said. “Iowa coaches were big on education. I liked that.”
According to ESPN.com, wide receiver Stephane N’goumou, a Maryland native, has re-committed to the Hawkeyes. The 6-4, 200-pounder signed with Iowa in February but didn’t make it through NCAA qualifying and is enrolled at Milford Academy, a prep school in New Berlin, N.Y.
Iowa now has 16 commitments for the 2010 class. The national signing period begins Feb. 3, 2010.
Coaches aren’t allowed to comment on specific recruits. During his Tuesday news conference, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said Iowa plans to sign in the neighborhood of 20 recruits.
“We really feel good about the guys who are interested in us,” he said. “They’re our kind of guys.”
James Morris, LB, 6-2, 215, Solon High School
Austin Gray, LB, 6-2, 220, Fitzgerald High School (Warren, Mich.)
Jim Poggi, LB, 6-2, 215, Gilman School (Baltimore, Md.)
Anthony Ferguson, DT, 6-2, 280, Gilman School (Baltimore, Md.)
Louis Trinca-Pasat, DE, 6-3, 235, Lane Tech (Chicago)
Austin Vier, ATH, 6-7, 220, Ballard High School
Mike Hardy, DL, 6-5, 260, Kimberly High School (Appleton, Wis.)
Matt Hoch, DE, 6-5, 230, Harlan High School
Brandon Scherff, OL, 6-6, 295, Denison-Schleswig High School
Andrew Donnal, OL, 6-7, 285, Anthony Wayne High School (Whitehouse, Ohio)
Marcus Coker, RB, 6-1, 222, DeMatha Catholic High School (Hyattsville, Md.)
Don Shumpert, ATH, 6-2, 185, Hazelwood (Mo.) East High School
Christian Kirksey, ATH, 6-2, 200, Hazelwood (Mo.) East High School
D’Andre Johnson, RB, 5-8, 210, Monsignor Pace High School (Miami, Fla.)
B.J. Lowery, CB, 5-11, 175, Cincinnati (Ohio) Hughes High School
Stephane N’goumou, 6-4, 200, Wootton (Md.) High School/Milford Academy (New Berlin, N.Y.)
bucketochicken
01. Oct, 2009
Caring is Creepy, but I have to say this looks like an awesome class – very much our type of guys. Screw stars, we want the guys who fit – who are "Iowa guys" – and who want to be here. I love KF's recruiting strategy. I'll take that over what Zook & BREWSTERTRYFIGHTWINGOEFFORT!!! do every time, stars & hype be damned.
Marc_Morehouse
01. Oct, 2009
Is there a vote of confidence out on Brewster already? I think I read that coming out of Minnesota last week.
Please, Gophs, we need Play4Brew.
Marc_Morehouse
01. Oct, 2009
Caring is creepy, but think of it this way — it's free agency, trade deadline and the draft wrapped into one. It's talent acquisition. It's way too hyper early in these kids' lives, but that's what drives the interest.
Hawk_Transplant
01. Oct, 2009
I like that Iowa has the integrity to stick to their commitment (offer) when a prospect gets injured. I think honesty and integrity goes a long way, maybe not with every recruit, but it does with the kind of kids we are trying to sign. Unless something crazy happens, D'Andre Johnson isn't likely to play as a true freshman, so he really has almost two years to get healthy.
B.J. Lowery could be another diamond in the rough. I am feeing pretty good about this year's class, but I would feel really good if we can sign A.J. Derby. All Iowa can do is keep winning games. I know A.J. was watching the Penn state game and he had to be moved by the stirring win.
Marc_Morehouse
01. Oct, 2009
I think it's 50-50 on Derby, but I think Iowa likes its chances.
Jeebus
01. Oct, 2009
Twenty, huh? I didn't think Iowa had that many schollies left.
Marc_Morehouse
01. Oct, 2009
There might be some non-renewals coming up. I don't see how there can't be.
aaob9e
01. Oct, 2009
5'8 210 who won a state shot put title? I'd say this guy will be like a bowling ball when he gets on the field. Intriguing prospect.
Marc_Morehouse
01. Oct, 2009
Isn't that crazy? I looked that up and couldn't believe it. I'll bet that was a site to see, this squatty fella throwing the iron ball farther than a bunch of giants.
mikethenderson
01. Oct, 2009
That's good N'goumou's still committed. Milford academy, isn't that where Shonn Greene went to get his stuff in order too? Or maybe I'm thinking someone else…
Both these RBs seem to have some pretty impressive HS resumes, but with two RBs in the class already (and aren't we going to have 4 in the soph class next year with Jewel's RS?), I'm curious if that pulls the Andre Dawson(Cedar Rapids kid) offer? Or maybe someone is going to defense? It's nice to get the best players in state anyway if you can. Derby's another one I hope they can land.
All in all, looks like a nice class. Really nice to have so many commits this early.
Paul Nus
01. Oct, 2009
Wasn't it Greene who said of Milford, "…went a boy and came out a man"…
Anyways, Fred Russell also went to Milford along with Julian Smith. Here is a list of running backs Milford has cranked out. Pretty impressive.
http://www.milfordacademy.org/athletics-runningba...
Marc_Morehouse
01. Oct, 2009
Yes, Fred and Shonn went to Milford. That's where Shonn started lifting and went from 190 to 225.
jimurphy
02. Oct, 2009
Didn't Jermel Lewis go there, also? Man, I shudder to think how good he could have been without the injuries. He and Vernon Rollins…
shutdownshada
01. Oct, 2009
I've heard they're recruiting Dawson as an "athlete" (which I would assume means linebacker or safety for him), but I have no idea if there's anything to that, or if it's something he'd be willing to do. We're already pretty young and deep at RB once Jewel gets health, so I can't imagine adding a third to such a small class. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he goes to ISU, which kinda sucks.
Marc_Morehouse
01. Oct, 2009
Ship has sailed on Dawson, I think. I think he ends up at Illinois.
AussieHawk
01. Oct, 2009
Have a cousin who works with his mom…says they (she) really likes Wisconsin. Heard this weeks ago, though….
high_steppin
01. Oct, 2009
Rumor has it that Derby will be announcing he's a hawk soon.
enatlanta
01. Oct, 2009
Attrition is a tough part of things. Remember last year at this time, many were penciling in Jacody Coleman and Diaunte Morrow as key cogs to this year's defense. One of the things we've seen with Ferentz is they have the ability to identify guys beyond their high school achievements. It's fair to say, many times guys are playing 'out of position' (but thriving) in high school. I think Marc's comment about free agency, salary cap, etc all wrapped in one is apt. Just like there shouldn't really be a serious regard for 'pre-season' polls until about now 4 weeks in… the recruiting stories don't really have meaning until 2 years after signing day.
Marc_Morehouse
01. Oct, 2009
Hearing A.J. Derby is a done deal to Iowa.
high_steppin
01. Oct, 2009
source?
Marc_Morehouse
01. Oct, 2009
Two pretty good ones, one connected to John Derby. We're going to practice. We'll see if he's ready to talk about it.
CityHawk02
01. Oct, 2009
Doesn't Iowa have a pretty good o lineman from Ames this year? Any news on him? I think it's pretty important for Iowa to be strong in the homefront.
HawkStang
01. Oct, 2009
Derby always said he was going to wait until after the season and after he took all his visits. Has he taken all his visits? I wonder if a combination of the Penn State game and scholarships filling up quickly had any influence in him announcing a decision now… though I think Kirk would have held on to a scholarship just for him regardless.
Always figured he'd be a Hawk though, and a good one to boot.
Paul_W1
01. Oct, 2009
I'll bet John's happy.
Good for AJ and great for the Hawks! I hope he can make it QB. But the kid will do well at whatever position he lands in.
Marc_Morehouse
01. Oct, 2009
Maybe Stang, but I think Iowa would've gone to February for A.J. They really want him and they want him as a QB.
This has been sort of in the air since summer. When Iowa pulled its scholly offer from Hutson Mason, I think that was a strong message from Iowa to the Derbys that they wanted him as a QB. I think the comfort level grew from there.
Marc_Morehouse
01. Oct, 2009
Iowa recruited him as a QB. I think he redshirts next year and then competes in '11.
HawkStang
01. Oct, 2009
I always thought he would make a great Tight End or H-Back, he seems like he could be a Dallas Clark type of player that could really thrive in our offense and give him the best shot at getting to the NFL. Regardless, it's good that he's on board.