Darby Decommited
- Thread starter funnyfletcher
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Not sure what to make of this. Was he still not in good academic shape with Iowa? I would not be surprised to see Frank end up at Rutgers.
Rutgers or Temple is what his coach told us.
Darby re-opens his recruiting
Blair Sanderson | Editor
Frank Darby will not be enrolling at Iowa this fall.
Rivals.com
Iowa wide receiver recruit Frank Darby did not sign with the Hawkeyes in February because he still had some more work to do academically. After improving his SAT score, the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Darby visited Iowa City this weekend to discuss the next step in his recruitment. Instead of finalizing things however, the two-star prospect will now be opening it back up again, according to Jersey City Lincoln head coach Robert Hampton.
“First of all, classy people at Iowa,” said Hampton, who traveled to Iowa City with Darby this weekend. “We loved them, but they thought he needed more academic seasoning and suggested he should go to prep school this fall.”
“He doesn’t want to do that,” Hampton continued. “He feels like he’s qualified academically and wants to compete now, so he’s going to open it up and be recruited again and they understood that.”
Hampton expects Rutgers and Temple to be two possible options for Darby, but others could emerge this spring. As a senior, Darby earned first team all-state honors last fall after finishing the season with 34 catches for 1,015 yards and 11 touchdowns for Lincoln.
Darby re-opens his recruiting
Blair Sanderson | Editor
Frank Darby will not be enrolling at Iowa this fall.
Rivals.com
Iowa wide receiver recruit Frank Darby did not sign with the Hawkeyes in February because he still had some more work to do academically. After improving his SAT score, the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Darby visited Iowa City this weekend to discuss the next step in his recruitment. Instead of finalizing things however, the two-star prospect will now be opening it back up again, according to Jersey City Lincoln head coach Robert Hampton.
“First of all, classy people at Iowa,” said Hampton, who traveled to Iowa City with Darby this weekend. “We loved them, but they thought he needed more academic seasoning and suggested he should go to prep school this fall.”
“He doesn’t want to do that,” Hampton continued. “He feels like he’s qualified academically and wants to compete now, so he’s going to open it up and be recruited again and they understood that.”
Hampton expects Rutgers and Temple to be two possible options for Darby, but others could emerge this spring. As a senior, Darby earned first team all-state honors last fall after finishing the season with 34 catches for 1,015 yards and 11 touchdowns for Lincoln.
It's in the link in the OP. Iowa wanted him to attend prep school. Darby said thanks but no thanks.
I'm curious if he didn't qualify or what. Link says they wanted him to go prep school route, but also says he did what was necessary academically. If he can get in at Iowa, I don't get not taking him. He fills a need. Iowa has taken kids that have qualified and needed a ton of academic work in the past. What's different here?
Could it be a numbers thing? Where is Iowa at in regards to the 85 limit? I would assume some summer attrition unless they have those spoken for and promised already.
Sounded to me like his coach thought he did what he needed to academically but Iowa admissions said it wasn't enough. If this is true, it is hard to believe he could still get into Rutgers but not Iowa. Apparently Rutgers has lower academic standards. But why fly him all the way out when they could see his test scores and knew he wasn't going to get in? Maybe the coaches knew that but wanted to keep him and so they thought getting him on campus and talking to him in person they could convince him to go to prep school? Lots of speculation here, obviously, because it just seems odd.
Could be they now feel good with Boyle at WR and/or development of others and think he is still a risk so they are politely passing (by seeing what he could do in Prep school)? I don't know? I just think this is a VERY good sign for the confidence the staff has in the current WRs!!!
Or, maybe it's exactly what it is - a player felt ready and wanted to play now; but in trying to do what they though would be best for the prospective player, the Iowa coaches felt that he might not be ready academically to handle the full load of both university athletics and academics simultaneously yet; and maybe they cared more about the man and his future than they did about his potential football production. His coach said "Classy people at Iowa...We loved them." Sounds about right to me. Best of luck to young Mr. Darby. Glad to have coaches with integrity.
Disappointing.
kirk must be needing the grad rate bonus.
Iowa basically had been taking anyone who made it thru the Clearinghouse in most cases.
I think it totally was academics related. I think their was significant concern he would struggle at not make it. Wish him well but hope he doesn't end up at Rutgers.
yup damn Kirk for not thinking about the fans 1st rather than some player.
Not true, Iowa has one of the best graduation rates in the country. They have brought in high character and solid academic students for the most part.
In recent years, academics has been of greater importance. Feel bad for Frank but Iowa would not have asked for him to go the prep school route if they felt he was on solid footing.
Feel bad for the kid. Sounds like he really wanted to come to Iowa. If Iowa is telling him he is best served academically to go to a prep school for a year, he should probably listen. If admissions didn't think he could get qualified they he won't be going to Rutgers either. Plus if he goes to a prep school for a year he might have more options.
I don't think Darby has been cleared by Clearinghouse, simply because he is not graduated yet. I get feeling his course work may be borderline and while coach said he made grades, the year is not over yet.
Kirk and Iowa staff work with kids so they do get the graduation rate. This is a positive of the program.
1. There just might not be a scholarship for him any longer. It is a numbers game.
2. Even with a qualifying test score, he may still need to learn to be a good student. The program probably knows better than most the track records of borderline qualifiers.
3. Boyle may have just filled the vacancy in the WR pool.
2. Even with a qualifying test score, he may still need to learn to be a good student. The program probably knows better than most the track records of borderline qualifiers.
3. Boyle may have just filled the vacancy in the WR pool.
An interesting question you raised: Does Rutgers have lower academic (I think you mean admission, specifically) standards than Iowa?
Disclaimer: I don't know this kid, and don't work for UI.
Based on my 5 min of internet searching, it appears that the answer to the question may be "yes".
For starters, Rutgers is a state school and Mr. Darby is from NJ, so he'd be considered an in-state prospect. Per Rutgers web site, their list of pre-requisites includes certain classes (math, english, etc) but no pre-requisite test scores (ACT or otherwise).
http://admissions.rutgers.edu/applynow/moreforfirstyearapplicants/EntranceRequirements.aspx
Per UI website, they specifically state different requirements for out-of-state prospects vs in-state prospects:
- "Meet the Regent Admission Index (RAI) score requirement of 245 or higher for Iowa residents, 255 or higher for residents of other states."
The RAI score includes ACT or SAT score in its determination.
Based on my interactions with UIFB coaching staff, and UI academic counselors, I would say that what has been reported is likely accurate. Why posters are extrapolating the reports to conclude that something other than a weaker academic standing than normal is at play, is beyond me.
Iowa has never followed the RAI for admissions for athletes from out of state.
As stated above - it was if you made it thru the Clearinghouse you were in.
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Maybe. The 2016 class had 2 WRs according to ESPN and our current roster isn't loaded with WR bigshots.. But then again a couple guys were listed as athletes and maybe Kirk felt he needed discipline and thus the prep route.
Didn't DJK qualify late? That could be an argument in favor of the young man or against depending on your viewpoint.
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