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Campbell, LaPorta and Merriweather Set to Attend 2022 Big Ten Media Days

Apr 8, 2003
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Campbell, LaPorta and Merriweather Set to Attend 2022 Big Ten Media Days

IOWA CITY, Iowa –
University of Iowa seniors Jack Campbell (linebacker), Sam LaPorta (tight end), and Kaevon Merriweather (defensive back), along with Moon Family head football coach Kirk Ferentz will travel to Indianapolis for the 2022 Big Ten Football Media Days on July 26 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Campbell (6-foot-5, 243-pounds) was a second-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and Phil Steele in 2021. In addition, he earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and was second in the Big Ten with 143 tackles – the fifth-most ever in a single season at Iowa. He earned Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors following a career-best performance with 18 tackles in Iowa’s 24-14 win over Colorado State. A native of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Campbell was the recipient of Iowa’s Roy Carver Most Valuable Player (Defense) award last season and served as a permanent team captain. He has also been named to the Athlon Sports 2022 preseason All-Big Ten First Team, as well as being named a preseason first-team All-American by Phil Steele, Athlon Sports, and Sporting News.

LaPorta (6-4, 249) was voted second-team All-Big Ten by Phil Steele and third-team by league coaches in 2021. The Highland, Illinois, native was named to the Mackey Award Preseason Watch List last season. As a junior LaPorta led the Hawkeyes in catches and yards, hauling in 53 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns. The Hawkeye tight end has been named to the Athlon Sports 2022 preseason All-Big Ten First Team, and third-team on Phil Steele’s preseason All-America team.

Merriweather (6-0, 211) notched 42 tackles and an interception, appearing in all 14 games last season. He was named to the 2021 Wuerffel Trophy Preseason Watch List and won the Duke Slater Golden Gavel Award, presented by Iowa media. The Belleville, Michigan, native received Iowa’s Coaches Appreciation Award. Merriweather was named preseason fourth-team All-Big Ten by Athlon sports.

The Hawkeyes open the season with three straight nonconference home games, each featuring a different start time. The season-opener Sept. 3 against South Dakota State is slated for an 11 a.m. (CT) kickoff on FS1. The annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series game against Iowa State will follow on Sept. 10, with a 3 p.m. start time on BTN. Iowa’s final nonconference contest is an evening game against Nevada beginning at 6:30 p.m. (BTN).

Questions concerning the purchase of 2022 football tickets, including general public and UI faculty/staff, should be directed to the UI Athletics Ticket Office. UI student season tickets are sold out. The office telephone number is 1-800-IA-HAWKS and ticket information is available at hawkeyesports.com/footballtickets.

All tickets to 2022 home games will be mobile. Fans may access tickets via the Hawkeye Sports App, a link via email, or account login at hawkeyesports.com/myaccount. These tickets are optimized for display on your smartphone device and should not be printed. Fans can review additional information on mobile tickets by visiting hawkeyesports.com/mobiletickets.

The Hawkeye Sports app helps manage, purchase, download, transfer and scan tickets and parking. The app is located at https://hawkeyesports.com/mobileapp/.
 
I'm kinda surprised that Moss isn't in that group. He's an All American and a leader back there and a great interview.
Maybe had a conflict with dates or just didn't want to. If I had a choice I would do a hard pass on going to it.
 
I'm kinda surprised that Moss isn't in that group. He's an All American and a leader back there and a great interview.

Maybe had a conflict with dates or just didn't want to. If I had a choice I would do a hard pass on going to it.

FWIW Moss said last week he was surprised and a little bummed he wasn't going, but not a big deal overall.
 
Merriweather is considered great with the media and a leader so not surprised he was chosen over Moss. Campbell and LaPorta were pretty much automatic to go.
I get what you're saying but Moss was arguably the MVP of the team last year along with being an All American. The defense and special teams carried the team and will likely do so again thanks in part to Moss deciding to play another year. The defense simply was not the same when he was out with the injury. No one could argue over him being there over any of the other 3, particularly Laporta or Merriweather.
 
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It definitely would not look good for the program to not have some diversity in the players representing the University.
Exactly. We discussed this topic about a month or so ago. Most guys came up with the three guys listed for exactly that reason.......
 
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Hard to believe Campbell is a Senior already...
I know. It seems like just yesterday I was watching him play at state with the basketball team and saying he looks pretty athletic. Was really going out on a limb there. 🤣
 
C'mon-get it right: Moon Family Head Coach Kirk.
Probably one of those deals where Kirk won't even address a question unless you address him as such, or like a Nascar driver he angles in that term whilst answering the question while donning a Iowa's Largest Truck Stop trucker cap. I would love that.
 
I'm kinda surprised that Moss isn't in that group. He's an All American and a leader back there and a great interview.

FWIW Moss said last week he was surprised and a little bummed he wasn't going, but not a big deal overall.
In all honesty, I would have been more surprised had Merriweather NOT been the choice from the secondary. Moss might be a damn fine player, but Merriweather has long been recognized for his leadership qualities on the team. Merriweather and Campbell are easily 2 of the top choices for the team. The question is who should be the 3rd? As others have noted ... the leaning would likely be someone to speak on behalf of the O. The most obvious pick probably SHOULD have been Petras. However, I believe that not choosing him was likely a small mercy ... so the next most logical choice was LaPorta. Frankly, I would have thought that Pottebaum likely could have been in the convo too ... however, I don't know as much about his status as a leader on the team compared to Sam (the problem with we, as fans, looking from the outside in).
 
Attention tight end recruits.

LaPorta (6-4, 249) was voted second-team All-Big Ten by Phil Steele and third-team by league coaches in 2021. The Highland, Illinois, native was named to the Mackey Award Preseason Watch List last season. As a junior LaPorta led the Hawkeyes in catches and yards, hauling in 53 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns. The Hawkeye tight end has been named to the Athlon Sports 2022 preseason All-Big Ten First Team, and third-team on Phil Steele’s preseason All-America team.
 
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If one of moss laporta or Campbell were black they would have gone. Do you actually question that?
Yes (I completely question your statement). I've never heard about Moss's leadership being on the same level as Merriweather's. In fact, I believe it was this past spring ... Moss or Phil explicitly mentioned how continuing to grow as a leader is something that is expected of Moss (something that is essentially on his "to do" list).

In so many regards Merriweather is viewed as a team leader ... for him, he needs to continue to grow as a player in order to make it harder for Phil to pull him off the field.

On top of all that, Merriweather has accolades for how he represents the Hawks. How could you NOT put that guy forward as an ambassador of your team?

I don't think that some of you guys even realize what a disservice you're paying to Merriweather by suggesting that this choice was simply about optics.
 
I wonder if KF replaced Petras with LaPorta after Spencer "threw shade" at USC/UCLA last week?
I don’t even think it’s a 100% given that Spencer starts at QB1, especially if he can’t do better than the annual public “Spring Practice”, with upcoming August camp (no matter what kind of long ball he can throw with no pressure)….
 
Sad that we think skin color sets diversity.
One other way that Kaevon is diverse is what his Mama mentioned.

"Rep for all the Michigan players in Iowa". There has been a pipeline of great players from SE Michigan that Phil has cultivated that flows to this day.
 
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Yes (I completely question your statement). I've never heard about Moss's leadership being on the same level as Merriweather's. In fact, I believe it was this past spring ... Moss or Phil explicitly mentioned how continuing to grow as a leader is something that is expected of Moss (something that is essentially on his "to do" list).

In so many regards Merriweather is viewed as a team leader ... for him, he needs to continue to grow as a player in order to make it harder for Phil to pull him off the field.

On top of all that, Merriweather has accolades for how he represents the Hawks. How could you NOT put that guy forward as an ambassador of your team?

I don't think that some of you guys even realize what a disservice you're paying to Merriweather by suggesting that this choice was simply about optics.
I can't judge anything that isn't shown off the field as I'm not behind the scenes.
I'd say moss clearly has a great head on his shoulders when he prioritizes his time towards football and the team over money. Sounds like a great leader to me?
 
I don't think they did any or all of the I club gatherings this summer like they usually did in the past either. I don't recall seeing any notice for one locally as in the past.
 
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