Was Brody Brecht a Bigger Disappointment in Football or Baseball?

[IowasLaw]

Honest question here about the highest touted two sport athlete to come through Iowa in the past twenty years.

FOOTBALL

Brecht came in as a highly rated 6'4, 210 lb WR prospect with offers from Kansas State, Nebraska, Iowa State, etc. He was expected to come in and make a difference right away on a roster that desperately lacked WR talent at WR. Unfortunately, after two years in the program, Brecht was perhaps best known for racking up a total of 0 yards after catch in his entire career...due to his strange habit of jumping and falling to make every catch, regardless of whether he was covered or not. It's almost like he received no coaching at all. Brecht finished his much anticipated Hawkeye football career with just 9 receptions and no touchdowns before giving it up to focus on what he hoped would be a lucrative baseball future.

BASEBALL

Brecht, with his 100+ mph fastball, was rumored to be a top draft MLB prospect coming out of high school. He is one of the highest ranked recruits ever to play baseball for Iowa's up and coming team. While he showed flashes in his first few years in the program, control was a major issue. Going into the 2024 season, however, Brecht was clocked throwing 103 mph and touted as a 1st round draft prospect in this year's MLB draft. With those kinds of accolades, he was a pre-season 1st team all-American (the nation's top pitcher) and was poised to have a breakout season. Well, we are 2/3 of the way through his final season. Surely the pre-season all American has been mowing down inferior college opponents, right? Nope. In 9 starts as Iowa's #1 pitcher, Brecht is just 0-2 with a 4.91 ERA. In 40 innings, he's given up a whopping 32 walks and 34 hits. No doubt he throws a mean fastball, but based off ERA, he's just the 7th best pitcher on Iowa's roster. More importantly, he's still waiting to notch his first win of the season vs mediocre college opponents.

To me, he was a bigger disappointment in football. The Hawks desperately needed a WR with size and he's been the only 6'4 guy out there since Brandon Smith (6'3) left in 2020.

 

[millah_22]

Probably baseball. A reasonable person can understand the risk of hurting a million dollar arm isn't worth it in a Brian Ferentz offense.

He had a stellar season last year, and this year is a bit more of a let down.

 

[DropitlikeitsHawk]

Honest question here about the highest touted two sport athlete to come through Iowa in the past twenty years.

FOOTBALL

Brecht came in as a highly rated 6'4, 210 lb WR prospect with offers from Kansas State, Nebraska, Iowa State, etc. He was expected to come in and make a difference right away on a roster that desperately lacked WR talent at WR. Unfortunately, after two years in the program, Brecht was perhaps best known for racking up a total of 0 yards after catch in his entire career...due to his strange habit of jumping and falling to make every catch, regardless of whether he was covered or not. It's almost like he received no coaching at all. Brecht finished his much anticipated Hawkeye football career with just 9 receptions and no touchdowns before giving it up to focus on what he hoped would be a lucrative baseball future.

BASEBALL

Brecht, with his 100+ mph fastball, was rumored to be a top draft MLB prospect coming out of high school. He is one of the highest ranked recruits ever to play baseball for Iowa's up and coming team. While he showed flashes in his first few years in the program, control was a major issue. Going into the 2024 season, however, Brecht was clocked throwing 103 mph and touted as a 1st round draft prospect in this year's MLB draft. With those kinds of accolades, he was a pre-season 1st team all-American (the nation's top pitcher) and was poised to have a breakout season. Well, we are 2/3 of the way through his final season. Surely the pre-season all American has been mowing down inferior college opponents, right? Nope. In 9 starts as Iowa's #1 pitcher, Brecht is just 0-2 with a 4.91 ERA. In 40 innings, he's given up a whopping 32 walks and 34 hits. No doubt he throws a mean fastball, but based off ERA, he's just the 7th best pitcher on Iowa's roster. More importantly, he's still waiting to notch his first win of the season vs mediocre college opponents.

To me, he was a bigger disappointment in football. The Hawks desperately needed a WR with size and he's been the only 6'4 guy out there since Brandon Smith (6'3) left in 2020.

He was never going to make money in football. If you blow a first round baseball draft pick you’re losing millions. Lots of fast guys. 103 fastball is different.

 

[Heathen Raider]

the lack of improvement with His command are huge red flags , He is going to get drafted based on his velocity. Team will start Him as a SP but His future is in the bullpen

 

[ItsAllBallBearingsNowadays]

the lack of improvement with His command are huge red flags , He is going to get drafted based on his velocity. Team will start Him as a SP but His future is in the bullpen

It’s mostly red flags that the pitching coach doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s got two athletic pitchers that can’t find the zone.

He’ll get drafted and eventually will get a pitching coach that can find the solution. You can’t teach that arm, frame and athleticism. I’ll be surprised if he falls out of the first round even with his control issues.

 

[DutchyFunStar]

Can't call him a disappointment in FB. Had he stayed with the sport, who knows what his stat line would look like.

Baseball is his sport. He's still highly touted with a great career ahead of him.

 

[fearthefuture21]

He's done enough to get drafted within the first 3 rounds. Saw a mock draft yesterday that had him as the 18th best prospect in this upcoming draft.

 

[Heathen Raider]

It’s mostly red flags that the pitching coach doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s got two athletic pitchers that can’t find the zone.

He’ll get drafted and eventually will get a pitching coach that can find the solution. You can’t teach that arm, frame and athleticism. I’ll be surprised if he falls out of the first round even with his control issues.

Iowa has had numerous Pitchers improve under the same staff , BB from what i have seen in short clips has a problem repeating a very busy delivery, , I would simplify the delivery to try to minimize the 1st base fall off He shows which is a result of trying to get extra velocity . Some Guys it takes some time to get it thru their heads that 94 on the black is better than 99 in a hitters hot zone or 1 foot out of the strike zone which just stacks up un competitive pitches in a start leading to walks and high pitch counts.

 

[sober_teacher]

Iowa has had numerous Pitchers improve under the same staff , BB from what i have seen in short clips has a problem repeating a very busy delivery, , I would simplify the delivery to try to minimize the 1st base fall off He shows which is a result of trying to get extra velocity . Some Guys it takes some time to get it thru their heads that 94 on the black is better than 99 in a hitters hot zone or 1 foot out of the strike zone which just stacks up un competitive pitches in a start leading to walks and high pitch counts.

It’s a new pitching coach this year.

Nice of OP to pop up and attack another Hawkeye. Brecht was a 3* recruit in his recruiting class, and was pretty much expected to eventually switch to baseball full time given his potential. He wasnt some transcendent fb prospect that didn’t pan out.

 

[myteamcanbeatupyourteam]

 

[iahawkeyes17]

Can't call him a disappointment in FB. Had he stayed with the sport, who knows what his stat line would look like.

Baseball is his sport. He's still highly touted with a great career ahead of him.

Yep still projected to be a 1st rd pick and a multi millionaire in a few months.

He’s kind of like Nuke in Bull Durham. Gods reached down and turned his right arm into a thunderbolt but half the time he doesn’t know where the ball is going. Now he needs to learn some command. Hopefully wherever he goes has some good pitching coaches to work with him. Game is littered with prospects who could throw hard but never reach the show due to lack of control.

 

[LukaDuka]

Yep still projected to be a 1st rd pick and a multi millionaire in a few months.

He’s kind of like Nuke in Bull Durham. Gods reached down and turned his right arm into a thunderbolt but half the time he doesn’t know where the ball is going. Now he needs to learn some command. Hopefully wherever he goes has some good pitching coaches to work with him. Game is littered with prospects who could throw hard but never reach the show due to lack of control.

I'd be surprised if he hasn't had a pro pitiching coach/camp that he attends in offseason. He has millions on the line & is probably had some serious coaching. Just takes some time for the changes and control to come. tick tock, he needs to figure it out sooner than later.

 

[Heathen Raider]

It’s a new pitching coach this year.

Nice of OP to pop up and attack another Hawkeye. Brecht was a 3* recruit in his recruiting class, and was pretty much expected to eventually switch to baseball full time given his potential. He wasnt some transcendent fb prospect that didn’t pan out.

Thanks on the Staff update on the Pitching Coach , I was not aware .

 

[pistachio1999]

So he will have to work his way through the minors.

 

[sober_teacher]

So he will have to work his way through the minors.

Were there people thinking he wouldn’t be doing that anyways?

People always seem to forget MLB players nearly always spend at least a couple years in the minors.

 

[pistachio1999]

Were there people thinking he wouldn’t be doing that anyways?

People always seem to forget MLB players nearly always spend at least a couple years in the minors.

Yep. Lots of college players have to go that route. Start out in Low A and work on up.

 

[BurgHawk87]

The day slaw starts a thread that isn't also a disappointment will be a first.

 

[Franisdaman]

Honest question here about the highest touted two sport athlete to come through Iowa in the past twenty years.

FOOTBALL

Brecht came in as a highly rated 6'4, 210 lb WR prospect with offers from Kansas State, Nebraska, Iowa State, etc. He was expected to come in and make a difference right away on a roster that desperately lacked WR talent at WR. Unfortunately, after two years in the program, Brecht was perhaps best known for racking up a total of 0 yards after catch in his entire career...due to his strange habit of jumping and falling to make every catch, regardless of whether he was covered or not. It's almost like he received no coaching at all. Brecht finished his much anticipated Hawkeye football career with just 9 receptions and no touchdowns before giving it up to focus on what he hoped would be a lucrative baseball future.

BASEBALL

Brecht, with his 100+ mph fastball, was rumored to be a top draft MLB prospect coming out of high school. He is one of the highest ranked recruits ever to play baseball for Iowa's up and coming team. While he showed flashes in his first few years in the program, control was a major issue. Going into the 2024 season, however, Brecht was clocked throwing 103 mph and touted as a 1st round draft prospect in this year's MLB draft. With those kinds of accolades, he was a pre-season 1st team all-American (the nation's top pitcher) and was poised to have a breakout season. Well, we are 2/3 of the way through his final season. Surely the pre-season all American has been mowing down inferior college opponents, right? Nope. In 9 starts as Iowa's #1 pitcher, Brecht is just 0-2 with a 4.91 ERA. In 40 innings, he's given up a whopping 32 walks and 34 hits. No doubt he throws a mean fastball, but based off ERA, he's just the 7th best pitcher on Iowa's roster. More importantly, he's still waiting to notch his first win of the season vs mediocre college opponents.

To me, he was a bigger disappointment in football. The Hawks desperately needed a WR with size and he's been the only 6'4 guy out there since Brandon Smith (6'3) left in 2020.

 

[Heathen Raider]

So he will have to work his way through the minors.

Yep. Lots of college players have to go that route. Start out in Low A and work on up.

i would bet He doesnt get an A Ball assignment out of the draft and goes to the drafting Teams complex to fix his mechanics with the minor League pitching Staff then once the changes are cemented in starts in high A the following Season. His mechanics are really bad and He is not repeating His delivery or driving with balance and his release point is not consistent, Those things need cleaned up both for His command and to avoid injury . The arm and athleticism are real .

 

[jonesy5960]

Honest question here about the highest touted two sport athlete to come through Iowa in the past twenty years.

FOOTBALL

Brecht came in as a highly rated 6'4, 210 lb WR prospect with offers from Kansas State, Nebraska, Iowa State, etc. He was expected to come in and make a difference right away on a roster that desperately lacked WR talent at WR. Unfortunately, after two years in the program, Brecht was perhaps best known for racking up a total of 0 yards after catch in his entire career...due to his strange habit of jumping and falling to make every catch, regardless of whether he was covered or not. It's almost like he received no coaching at all. Brecht finished his much anticipated Hawkeye football career with just 9 receptions and no touchdowns before giving it up to focus on what he hoped would be a lucrative baseball future.

BASEBALL

Brecht, with his 100+ mph fastball, was rumored to be a top draft MLB prospect coming out of high school. He is one of the highest ranked recruits ever to play baseball for Iowa's up and coming team. While he showed flashes in his first few years in the program, control was a major issue. Going into the 2024 season, however, Brecht was clocked throwing 103 mph and touted as a 1st round draft prospect in this year's MLB draft. With those kinds of accolades, he was a pre-season 1st team all-American (the nation's top pitcher) and was poised to have a breakout season. Well, we are 2/3 of the way through his final season. Surely the pre-season all American has been mowing down inferior college opponents, right? Nope. In 9 starts as Iowa's #1 pitcher, Brecht is just 0-2 with a 4.91 ERA. In 40 innings, he's given up a whopping 32 walks and 34 hits. No doubt he throws a mean fastball, but based off ERA, he's just the 7th best pitcher on Iowa's roster. More importantly, he's still waiting to notch his first win of the season vs mediocre college opponents.

To me, he was a bigger disappointment in football. The Hawks desperately needed a WR with size and he's been the only 6'4 guy out there since Brandon Smith (6'3) left in 2020.

Highly rated football prospect? By who? I don't think I'd call the 100th ranked wide receiver prospect highly rated. Just being tall doesn't mean you're Calvin Johnson, or Brandon Smith for that matter. He was as raw as you could get. Add to that the fact that Iowa has probably had the worst wide receiver production in all of FBS over the past several years and I'd hardly call Brecht a disappointment in football. He just looked like everyone else.

 

[Gary-Waterloo]

Stupid question. When he was recruited for football, it was known that this was a distinctive possibility and the fact that he split sports and didn't immediately excel in football is a nothing burger.

You are closer in baseball and it has not been the year we wanted for Iowa. However, he will still be a high pick. It isn't uncommon to see a guy with great stuff figure it out in the minors with professional coaching and a more routine schedule.

But even more disappointing are your posts. A poor reflection of Iowa the law and we are all dumber for having read them

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

the lack of improvement with His command are huge red flags , He is going to get drafted based on his velocity. Team will start Him as a SP but His future is in the bullpen

Closer type?

Come in, throw heat and try to shut the door?

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

i would bet He doesnt get an A Ball assignment out of the draft and goes to the drafting Teams complex to fix his mechanics with the minor League pitching Staff then once the changes are cemented in starts in high A the following Season. His mechanics are really bad and He is not repeating His delivery or driving with balance and his release point is not consistent, Those things need cleaned up both for His command and to avoid injury . The arm and athleticism are real .

So our pitching coaches all need fired?.........

 

[General Tso]

 

[intrepodor]

Iowa has had numerous Pitchers improve under the same staff , BB from what i have seen in short clips has a problem repeating a very busy delivery, , I would simplify the delivery to try to minimize the 1st base fall off He shows which is a result of trying to get extra velocity . Some Guys it takes some time to get it thru their heads that 94 on the black is better than 99 in a hitters hot zone or 1 foot out of the strike zone which just stacks up un competitive pitches in a start leading to walks and high pitch counts.

Where's Susan Sarandon when you need her? Kevin Costner too for his expertise with young pitchers. Look what she did for Luke.

 

[shanksit44]

He’s had opportunities on the mound and hasn’t been able to dial in his control issues, as of yet. Ya can’t teach 100+ but he darn well needs to find the zone before he gets that chance to make it to “The Show”.

Football………… bad timing has as much to do with his lack of production as anything considering the abysmal Offensive output Iowa has put on the field the last 6 years in particular. Pitiful O-line play affected pitiful QB play and the trickle down ended up at the WR position. ZERO consistency in all aspects on O doesn’t usually make for many positive outcomes.

 

[Heathen Raider]

Where's Susan Sarandon when you need her? Kevin Costner too for his expertise with young pitchers. Look what she did for Luke.

So our pitching coaches all need fired?.........

I have just seen game tape and the flaws in the delivery and release point are loud, the arm and athleticism as I said are real, His floor is a late inning reliever but a drafting Team will be taking Him as a SP and will try to clean up His delivery and get it more efficient and repeatable. I pitched in College and had the Reds minor League pitching Coach Harry Dorish put a minor league contract on My table so I am critiquing from the vantage of having played the position thru 2 Years of College long Ago , I have zero knowledge on the Iowa Staff to make any opinions on the Pitching Coach

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

i would bet He doesnt get an A Ball assignment out of the draft and goes to the drafting Teams complex to fix his mechanics with the minor League pitching Staff then once the changes are cemented in starts in high A the following Season. His mechanics are really bad and He is not repeating His delivery or driving with balance and his release point is not consistent, Those things need cleaned up both for His command and to avoid injury . The arm and athleticism are real .

I am not arguing with you, as I really don't know how his mechanics are working. But I am flabbergasted that after 3 years in a D1 college program that there hasn't been marked improvement via coaching and repetition, etc.

This sounds very similar to a report a couple years back where the FB team announced that Spencer P was going to attend some sort of QB school in the summer to work on his mechanics. This after him being on the team for 3 or 4 years at that point.

Iowa athletic coaches are some of the most highly compensated public employees in the state...can they not, in 3+ years time, help otherwise gifted athletes learn basic technique? I don't get it, this would seem like a fundamental thing that would get nailed down in the first few weeks of practice...not be a big limiter after 3 years of competition.

 

[Heathen Raider]

I am not arguing with you, as I really don't know how his mechanics are working. But I am flabbergasted that after 3 years in a D1 college program that there hasn't been marked improvement via coaching and repetition, etc.

This sounds very similar to a report a couple years back where the FB team announced that Spencer P was going to attend some sort of QB school in the summer to work on his mechanics. This after him being on the team for 3 or 4 years at that point.

Iowa athletic coaches are some of the most highly compensated public employees in the state...can they not, in 3+ years time, help otherwise gifted athletes learn basic technique? I don't get it, this would seem like a fundamental thing that would get nailed down in the first few weeks of practice...not be a big limiter after 3 years of competition.

the technology is so more advanced than when i played, using overlays, computer generated graphics , measuring data it is incredible what MLB Teams have at their disposal, 1 inch variations in arm angles to pre scout to find pitchers tipping with mechanics , with pitch patterns , where a guy stands on the rubber small variations in glove height to placement pre pitch , foot landing and drive distance , so much that was not around years ago but the few constants are the truly Elite Pitchers can repeat the delivery and are always in synch and rhythm which reduces the violence of delivery , Brody is very talented , none of this is a slam on the Kid , if Isee it Scouts and opposing Teams see it as well , all is fixable.

 

[Muscles1989]

Disappointment in baseball? Would’ve probably benefited from just going pro instead of spending time at Iowa. His frame and velocity will get him drafted, his stat line will be overlooked.

 

[sober_teacher]

I am not arguing with you, as I really don't know how his mechanics are working. But I am flabbergasted that after 3 years in a D1 college program that there hasn't been marked improvement via coaching and repetition, etc.

This sounds very similar to a report a couple years back where the FB team announced that Spencer P was going to attend some sort of QB school in the summer to work on his mechanics. This after him being on the team for 3 or 4 years at that point.

Iowa athletic coaches are some of the most highly compensated public employees in the state...can they not, in 3+ years time, help otherwise gifted athletes learn basic technique? I don't get it, this would seem like a fundamental thing that would get nailed down in the first few weeks of practice...not be a big limiter after 3 years of competition.

To be fair, he did show improvement from freshmen to sophomore years. For whatever reason it’s gone sideways this year.

Some of that can just be the randomness that is pitching at times but sounds like something went wonky with mechanics as well.

 

[IowasLaw]

Highly rated football prospect? By who? I don't think I'd call the 100th ranked wide receiver prospect highly rated. Just being tall doesn't mean you're Calvin Johnson, or Brandon Smith for that matter. He was as raw as you could get. Add to that the fact that Iowa has probably had the worst wide receiver production in all of FBS over the past several years and I'd hardly call Brecht a disappointment in football. He just looked like everyone else.

Jonesy doesn't think Brecht was a high enough rated WR prospect for Iowa and believes Brecht met expectations in football. I have to ask...how many other WRs on Iowa's roster had Brecht caliber pedigree with offers from schools like Kansas State, Nebraska, and Iowa State? Better look hard because the pickins are slim.

Wetjen, in the two deeps, had zero offers from any D1 program. Seth Anderson, in the two deeps, had zero offers from any D1 program. Dayton Howard? Iowa was his only college offer. Buie? He was looking at Bryant, Mercer, and Richmond as his home before Iowa offered.

Let's face it...Iowa recruits WRs at the level of Loras. Getting a high 3 star like Brecht with Power 5 offers was a pretty big deal under Brian Ferentz. Having a highly rated WR (for Iowa) like that come in and manage just 9 total receptions and zero touchdowns in his career, despite the cupboards being bare at the position, would be a disappointment to any fan who followed Brecht's recruiting except for @jonesy5960

 

[jonesy5960]

Jonesy doesn't think Brecht was a high enough rated WR prospect for Iowa and believes Brecht met expectations in football. I have to ask...how many other WRs on Iowa's roster had Brecht caliber pedigree with offers from schools like Kansas State, Nebraska, and Iowa State? Better look hard because the pickins are slim.

Wetjen, in the two deeps, had zero offers from any D1 program. Seth Anderson, in the two deeps, had zero offers from any D1 program. Dayton Howard? Iowa was his only college offer. Buie? He was looking at Bryant, Mercer, and Richmond as his home before Iowa offered.

Let's face it...Iowa recruits WRs at the level of Loras. Getting a high 3 star like Brecht with Power 5 offers was a pretty big deal under Brian Ferentz. Having a highly rated WR (for Iowa) like that come in and manage just 9 total receptions and zero touchdowns in his career, despite the cupboards being bare at the position, would be a disappointment to any fan who followed Brecht's recruiting except for @jonesy5960

Iowa can't recruit receivers and Jonesy thinks that Brecht looked like almost every other WR recruit that's come to Iowa over the last 6 years. Low rated (100+) and underwhelming offer list. And that's exactly what he was. Underwhelming. Kansas State, Nebraska and Iowa State weren't exactly high caliber programs. By any measure, Bostick could be seen as a comparable player. He was actually a higher ranked recruit with a similar offer list. Keegan Johnson, Arland Bruce, and even Tyrone Tracy were much better recruits as well. Give me a break.

 

[DropitlikeitsHawk]

Jonesy doesn't think Brecht was a high enough rated WR prospect for Iowa and believes Brecht met expectations in football. I have to ask...how many other WRs on Iowa's roster had Brecht caliber pedigree with offers from schools like Kansas State, Nebraska, and Iowa State? Better look hard because the pickins are slim.

Wetjen, in the two deeps, had zero offers from any D1 program. Seth Anderson, in the two deeps, had zero offers from any D1 program. Dayton Howard? Iowa was his only college offer. Buie? He was looking at Bryant, Mercer, and Richmond as his home before Iowa offered.

Let's face it...Iowa recruits WRs at the level of Loras. Getting a high 3 star like Brecht with Power 5 offers was a pretty big deal under Brian Ferentz. Having a highly rated WR (for Iowa) like that come in and manage just 9 total receptions and zero touchdowns in his career, despite the cupboards being bare at the position, would be a disappointment to any fan who followed Brecht's recruiting except for @jonesy5960

That in no way makes your argument he was highly rated comparing him to our trash at WR.

 

[pistachio1999]

the technology is so more advanced than when i played, using overlays, computer generated graphics , measuring data it is incredible what MLB Teams have at their disposal, 1 inch variations in arm angles to pre scout to find pitchers tipping with mechanics , with pitch patterns , where a guy stands on the rubber small variations in glove height to placement pre pitch , foot landing and drive distance , so much that was not around years ago but the few constants are the truly Elite Pitchers can repeat the delivery and are always in synch and rhythm which reduces the violence of delivery , Brody is very talented , none of this is a slam on the Kid , if Isee it Scouts and opposing Teams see it as well , all is fixable.

Amazing the information collected. Spoke with a Twins employee at a minor league game here in Iowa. Informed me of the monitors/cameras they use even in A ball to collect all the data you speak of and even all kinds of stuff on the rest of the players and how they react on the field during plays. Of course you probably know in A ball it is really the cameras calling the balls and strikes. It is relayed basically instantaneously to the umpire to formalize the call on the field.

 

[TouchdownMyPants]

Honest question here about the highest touted two sport athlete to come through Iowa in the past twenty years.

FOOTBALL

Brecht came in as a highly rated 6'4, 210 lb WR prospect with offers from Kansas State, Nebraska, Iowa State, etc. He was expected to come in and make a difference right away on a roster that desperately lacked WR talent at WR. Unfortunately, after two years in the program, Brecht was perhaps best known for racking up a total of 0 yards after catch in his entire career...due to his strange habit of jumping and falling to make every catch, regardless of whether he was covered or not. It's almost like he received no coaching at all. Brecht finished his much anticipated Hawkeye football career with just 9 receptions and no touchdowns before giving it up to focus on what he hoped would be a lucrative baseball future.

BASEBALL

Brecht, with his 100+ mph fastball, was rumored to be a top draft MLB prospect coming out of high school. He is one of the highest ranked recruits ever to play baseball for Iowa's up and coming team. While he showed flashes in his first few years in the program, control was a major issue. Going into the 2024 season, however, Brecht was clocked throwing 103 mph and touted as a 1st round draft prospect in this year's MLB draft. With those kinds of accolades, he was a pre-season 1st team all-American (the nation's top pitcher) and was poised to have a breakout season. Well, we are 2/3 of the way through his final season. Surely the pre-season all American has been mowing down inferior college opponents, right? Nope. In 9 starts as Iowa's #1 pitcher, Brecht is just 0-2 with a 4.91 ERA. In 40 innings, he's given up a whopping 32 walks and 34 hits. No doubt he throws a mean fastball, but based off ERA, he's just the 7th best pitcher on Iowa's roster. More importantly, he's still waiting to notch his first win of the season vs mediocre college opponents.

To me, he was a bigger disappointment in football. The Hawks desperately needed a WR with size and he's been the only 6'4 guy out there since Brandon Smith (6'3) left in 2020.

Brandon Smith has apparently been suffering from shrinkage since he went to the league…

Brandon Smith Stats, News and Video - WR | NFL.com

Latest on WR Brandon Smith including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on NFL.com

www.nfl.com

 

[Heathen Raider]

Amazing the information collected. Spoke with a Twins employee at a minor league game here in Iowa. Informed me of the monitors/cameras they use even in A ball to collect all the data you speak of and even all kinds of stuff on the rest of the players and how they react on the field during plays. Of course you probably know in A ball it is really the cameras calling the balls and strikes. It is relayed basically instantaneously to the umpire to formalize the call on the field.

Cubs pitch lab in Arizona is incredible , Guy throws a session inside and they overlay every delivery and ball patch, The goal of course is for it to look like 1 delivery and the same pitch until the pitch type alters teh ball path , spin rates , MPH , lbs per square inch on the rubber to track push off and on and on.

 

[IowasLaw]

Iowa can't recruit receivers and Jonesy thinks that Brecht looked like almost every other WR recruit that's come to Iowa over the last 6 years. Low rated (100+) and underwhelming offer list. And that's exactly what he was. Underwhelming. Kansas State, Nebraska and Iowa State weren't exactly high caliber programs. By any measure, Bostick could be seen as a comparable player. He was actually a higher ranked recruit with a similar offer list. Keegan Johnson, Arland Bruce, and even Tyrone Tracy were much better recruits as well. Give me a break.

You list Johnson (18 catches as a frosh), Bruce (25 catches as a frosh), and Tracy (36 catches as a frosh)...all of whom exponentially outperformed Brecht's entire career in their true freshmen seasons...which again proves the point you are (for some reason) trying to argue against...that Brecht's football career was a huge disappointment.

 

[sober_teacher]

You list Johnson (18 catches as a frosh), Bruce (25 catches as a frosh), and Tracy (36 catches as a frosh)...all of whom exponentially outperformed Brecht's entire career in their true freshmen seasons...which again proves the point you are (for some reason) trying to argue against...that Brecht's football career was a huge disappointment.

All of whom were also higher rates that Brecht, and weren’t playing multiple sports. He also battled injuries his freshman year.

 

[jonesy5960]

You list Johnson (18 catches as a frosh), Bruce (25 catches as a frosh), and Tracy (36 catches as a frosh)...all of whom exponentially outperformed Brecht's entire career in their true freshmen seasons...which again proves the point you are (for some reason) trying to argue against...that Brecht's football career was a huge disappointment.

Its like you have some kind of mental block. Those guys were highly regarded recruits. Brecht wasn't a disappointment because he wasn't even a highly regarded recruit. He was the 11th rated recruit in the state of Iowa for Chrissakes. Wasn't even in the top 100 of receivers and when he arrived he showed why. The guy couldn't even track a football in the air.