Derrick Willies

[hawkster03]

Watching a little NFL on Sunday and about shat myself when I heard the name Derrick Willies.

I don't remember the story but too bad he didn't stick around as a Hawkeye. If I remember correctly, he had a difficult upbringing.

Sorry if this has already been discussed.

 

[TouchdownMyPants]

He broke team rules and was given a plan to get back into good graces. He chose to transfer rather than follow the plan.

 

[Wadzinator]

He is with the Browns had 3 catches for 61yrds glad he made a roster

 

[Freyvet]

Watching a little NFL on Sunday and about shat myself when I heard the name Derrick Willies.

I don't remember the story but too bad he didn't stick around as a Hawkeye. If I remember correctly, he had a difficult upbringing.

Sorry if this has already been discussed.

Are their that many people out there like this? Certainly has to be 1 person with 20 different screen names? I feel I've read this post 30 times each for Oliver Martin, Ross P. and Eno. And they all start out the same... "don't know if this has ever been brought up..."

 

[Fan In Black]

Dont know if this has ever been brought up but...what went wrong here - was it his fault or the coaches fault?

 

[Hawks2405]

Another interesting player situation under Ferentz. Willies had a break out performance in the Spring game and led the team in receiving yards if I am not mistaken. He looked like one of the more talented prospects we had at the WR position since McNutt. Of course, for some reason he barely plays at the beginning of the year but when he does he scores a touchdown in one of the early games. He gets pissed off about the lack of playing time, which was totally understandable, and the next thing you know he is in the Ferentz doghouse and never digs his way out. He doesn't show up for practice or something, they put stipulations on his return that he chooses not to fulfill and the next thing you know he is headed to Trinity Valley Community College in Texas. He ends up dominating there and goes on to play for Texas Tech where he is good enough to make an NFL roster. There are times where this staff doesn't seem to play the most talented player at the position and it drives you nuts. I understand that they have the union card and they want things done the right way but some guys are just gamers and need to be on the field. Especially at wide receiver given our lack of production at the position over the last decade or so.

 

[CAhawki]

He quit on his team... i guess props to him for getting to the NFL

 

[Pepperman]

I think if both Willies and the Iowa staff were being honest, they'd each tell you the situation wasn't handled appropriately.

Willies quit on the team. Remember CJB was fairly vocal at the time too - some vague quotes that could be interpreted any way you'd like. Anyway, he was given the chance to return as long as he did certain things and he didn't want to do those things.

Meanwhile, the staff under-utilized Willies. I don't know if they thought he wasn't ready or didn't know the full playbook, or if they didn't think he was a good enough blocker or what... the fact is he was a very good wide receiver (and we've had others like him that didn't get the snaps) but for some reason they didn't want to put him on the field.

 

[mikesright]

Iowa didn’t underutilize Willies. He didn’t set the world on fire at Texas Tech for gosh sakes. In college the kid never seemed to act like a professional and take full advantage of his physical gifts. Hopefully for his own sake Derrick does so
with the Browns. But this is not something to bash this staff over.

 

[nu2u]

He gets pissed off about the lack of playing time, which was totally understandable,

WTF? Wilies played in 4 of the first 6 games that he was eligible as a freshman. Ahead of him as starters were Iowa's all-time leading pass catcher, Martin-Manly, and junior Tevuan Smith. Senior wide-out Damond Powell was getting a lot of time also. Sophomore Matt VendeBerg had a good freshman season and had earned a a couple starts. Sophomore Jacob Hillyer had earned a spot on the 2-deeps. Riley McCarron and Jay Scheel were fighting for time also.

Willies was a lazy blocker and had ran the wrong route a couple times - one of which resulted in a QB sack which earned him a place on the bench. HE QUIT THE TEAM.

Nobody is claiming he wasn't talented enough to play early. HE DID. Willies apparently wanted to play ahead KMMM, Smith, VandeBerg, Powell, and Hillyer right away. But his routes were sloppy and his blocking was subpar. You have to earn your time at Iowa.

Despite quitting the team at mid-season, Ferentz offered a route back to the team. He refused. Nothing the coaches did made him leave the team. That was all on Derrick Willies.

 

[HawkAlum2002]

Willies caught four passes at Iowa and dropped 3 passes, that speaks for itself. He had a good Des Moines practice here, and afterwards Kirk specifically said he was glad he caught the ball because he'd been having problems with that. He played quite a bit the first couple games, long catch vs UNI and winning TD vs Ball State. Still not sure why he quit, he got PT vs Purdue (the game Beathard started for the injured Ruduck) and proceeded to drop two of the three passes Beathard threw to him. Then he quit the team and didn't accept his offer to come back during bowl season practice. After a great JUCO year, Willies went to Texas Tech and gradually dropped down the depth chart. He was a backup as a junior, started as a senior and then was was benched the last half of his senior year (keep in mind they start FOUR receivers there and he was still benched). He did get put in in largely blocking situations though (thanks Kirk!). He was a very unproductive D1 player at two different schools, so that reflects poorly on him in those situations. But kudos for him to making it to the NFL, maybe focusing just on football is what he needed all along. I didn't expect Riley McCarron to make the NFL either, sometimes you just need to find the right spot.

 

[kceasthawk]

WTF? Wilies played in 4 of the first 6 games that he was eligible as a freshman. Ahead of him as starters were Iowa's all-time leading pass catcher, Martin-Manly, and junior Tevuan Smith. Senior wide-out Damond Powell was getting a lot of time also. Sophomore Matt VendeBerg had a good freshman season and had earned a a couple starts. Sophomore Jacob Hillyer had earned a spot on the 2-deeps. Riley McCarron and Jay Scheel were fighting for time also.

Willies was a lazy blocker and had ran the wrong route a couple times - one of which resulted in a QB sack which earned him a place on the bench. HE QUIT THE TEAM.

Nobody is claiming he wasn't talented enough to play early. HE DID. Willies apparently wanted to play ahead KMMM, Smith, VandeBerg, Powell, and Hillyer right away. But his routes were sloppy and his blocking was subpar. You have to earn your time at Iowa.

Despite quitting the team at mid-season, Ferentz offered a route back to the team. He refused. Nothing the coaches did made him leave the team. That was all on Derrick Willies.

Cmon nu2u, don't slow the "staff doesn't play talent" roll these guys like to get on. The guy quit on the team, and did bubkus at a pass happy school like TT, but lets not let the facts get in the way huh fellas. Next we'll be digging up Benny Sapp sightings.........

 

[Frosty7130]

Willies was notoriously bad at studying his playbook. He was constantly asking KMM what his route was on any given play. Couple with the aforementioned blocking issues and bad attitude, he gone.

He couldn't even stay a starter at TTU, where the basic route tree is "go deep or run a quick hitch". He got benched about halfway through his SR year.

He only made the NFL on physical attributes.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

Some of the revisionist history posted on this board is insane.

 

[JupiterHawk]

For what it’s worth - Willies basically didn’t finish out the season at TT. Didn’t play the last 6 games including the bowl game. This was after having a great fall camp and being named as a starter to start the season.

I guess Kingsbury punches the same union card as Ferentz?

 

[scotthawk1964]

WTF? Wilies played in 4 of the first 6 games that he was eligible as a freshman. Ahead of him as starters were Iowa's all-time leading pass catcher, Martin-Manly, and junior Tevuan Smith. Senior wide-out Damond Powell was getting a lot of time also. Sophomore Matt VendeBerg had a good freshman season and had earned a a couple starts. Sophomore Jacob Hillyer had earned a spot on the 2-deeps. Riley McCarron and Jay Scheel were fighting for time also.

Willies was a lazy blocker and had ran the wrong route a couple times - one of which resulted in a QB sack which earned him a place on the bench. HE QUIT THE TEAM.

Nobody is claiming he wasn't talented enough to play early. HE DID. Willies apparently wanted to play ahead KMMM, Smith, VandeBerg, Powell, and Hillyer right away. But his routes were sloppy and his blocking was subpar. You have to earn your time at Iowa.

Despite quitting the team at mid-season, Ferentz offered a route back to the team. He refused. Nothing the coaches did made him leave the team. That was all on Derrick Willies.

This...........Also, even if the kid got in Kirk's doghouse it didn't have to be permanent, See Akrum Wadley.

 

[ichawk24]

Willies QUIT THE TEAM because he couldn't handle not starting as a freshman.

Willies then went to TTU, where he was 8th on the team in catches as a junior, and 6th on the team in catches as a senior.

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

"Quit for lack of playing time/Which is totally understandable". LOL He quit not even half way though his freshmen season when he took more snaps than any other freshmen on the team at that point. Nice talent but he was no more ready than ISM was a frosh. Had he stuck it out at Iowa no question he would have developed into a main target. Hard to say if the move was better for him going to a pass happy offense where he was not a main target or would he have been better off in a pro style offense where he most likely would have developed into a main target. He had 18 receptions in both his Jr. and Sr. seasons at Texas Tech, hard to imagine he would not have received more targets had he not quit the team at Iowa.

 

[Pepperman]

Iowa didn’t underutilize Willies.

I argue that they did. People can say he had some drops, and people can say he didn't block well, or he didn't run "crisp" routes. I can't deny that stuff happened. What I can say with certainty is by using my own eyes, he was a very talented WR. I don't know how that can even be argued considering he is currently PLAYING in the NFL whereas many of the others that were ahead of him aren't. Clearly, he has the talent and I think he had the talent while in a Hawkeye uniform. I completely understand why he was frustrated as a Hawk, but I also get that this is just my opinion and nobody else needs to agree.

 

[Frosty7130]

I argue that they did. People can say he had some drops, and people can say he didn't block well, or he didn't run "crisp" routes. I can't deny that stuff happened. What I can say with certainty is by using my own eyes, he was a very talented WR. I don't know how that can even be argued considering he is currently PLAYING in the NFL whereas many of the others that were ahead of him aren't. Clearly, he has the talent and I think he had the talent while in a Hawkeye uniform. I completely understand why he was frustrated as a Hawk, but I also get that this is just my opinion and nobody else needs to agree.

Sure he has talent, but talent means jack shit when you're not on the same page as the QB or can't buy in enough to be bothered to block.

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

I argue that they did. People can say he had some drops, and people can say he didn't block well, or he didn't run "crisp" routes. I can't deny that stuff happened. What I can say with certainty is by using my own eyes, he was a very talented WR. I don't know how that can even be argued considering he is currently PLAYING in the NFL whereas many of the others that were ahead of him aren't. Clearly, he has the talent and I think he had the talent while in a Hawkeye uniform. I completely understand why he was frustrated as a Hawk, but I also get that this is just my opinion and nobody else needs to agree.

Then you must also feel he was VASTLY underutilized at TTech and he must been even MORE frustrated there. Heck, in 5 games this season Easley has pretty much matched his Jr. and Sr. year seasons at TTech.

 

[HawkOn15]

"Quit for lack of playing time/Which is totally understandable". LOL He quit not even half way though his freshmen season when he took more snaps than any other true freshmen on the team at that point. Nice talent but he was no more ready than ISM was a frosh. Had he stuck it out at Iowa no question he would have developed into a main target. Hard to say if the move was better for him going to a pass happy offense where he was not a main target or would he have been better off in a pro style offense where he most likely would have developed into a main target. He had 18 receptions in both his Jr. and Sr. seasons at Texas Tech, hard to imagine he would not have received more targets had he not quit the team at Iowa.

Not that it matters but he was a redshirt freshman

 

[Pepperman]

Then you must also feel he was VASTLY underutilized at TTech and he must been even MORE frustrated there. Heck, in 5 games this season Easley has pretty much matched his Jr. and Sr. year seasons at TTech.

I honestly didn't follow him much after Iowa. I saw once or twice some discussion on this board where people were slamming him for being the 6th or 7th WR at TTU, but I have no idea if that's true or not. If it is true, then I wonder if those other 5-6 better WRs are playing in the NFL.

I actually had no clue he was even in the NFL until I saw some video of him catching a pass this past weekend.

So, it isn't something that eats away at me at all. I just think he was extremely talented and under-utilized, and I'm not asking anybody to agree with me. I also agree with the poster above that stated talent doesn't mean as much if it is unwilling to work hard / understand the scheme / etc.

 

[Suterman]

Another interesting player situation under Ferentz. Willies had a break out performance in the Spring game and led the team in receiving yards if I am not mistaken. He looked like one of the more talented prospects we had at the WR position since McNutt. Of course, for some reason he barely plays at the beginning of the year but when he does he scores a touchdown in one of the early games. He gets pissed off about the lack of playing time, which was totally understandable, and the next thing you know he is in the Ferentz doghouse and never digs his way out. He doesn't show up for practice or something, they put stipulations on his return that he chooses not to fulfill and the next thing you know he is headed to Trinity Valley Community College in Texas. He ends up dominating there and goes on to play for Texas Tech where he is good enough to make an NFL roster. There are times where this staff doesn't seem to play the most talented player at the position and it drives you nuts. I understand that they have the union card and they want things done the right way but some guys are just gamers and need to be on the field. Especially at wide receiver given our lack of production at the position over the last decade or so.

This is complete and total nonsense.

 

[kceasthawk]

This...........Also, even if the kid got in Kirk's doghouse it didn't have to be permanent, See Akrum Wadley.

No doubt. Anyone ever heard of a guy named Derrell Johnson-Koulianis? He was in Kirks doghouse so much there was a DJK wing added on, and yet he ended up being the leading receiver in Iowa history, yes? Kind of doesn't support the narrative, does it?

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

To the above posters who are of the "Iowa really missed out" just maybe Derrick really missed out more. Derrick quit his home state team in 2014, while he Juco in 2015 Iowa was playing a B1G championship game (would he have been enough of a difference maker to take Iowa to playoffs? never no) and a Rose Bowl trip. 2016 maybe not a special season for Iowa but a nice Florida bowl trip while Derrick stayed home, playing on a team beaten by Iowa State 60-10 where he caught 2 passes for 7 yards. My gosh you have a team QB'd by Patrick Mahommes and you managed 18 catches for the SEASON? I think Derrick missed out on staying home more than Iowa missed Derrick.

 

[iahawks10]

I met Powell a couple of times and he seemed like a nice young man. It wasn’t in a Hawkeye type setting and nobody knew who he was.

I asked him: “you played under Rudock and Beathard, who did you prefer?” Powell said “Beathard, no question. The guy’s a risk taker.”

 

[kceasthawk]

To the above posters who are of the "Iowa really missed out" just maybe Derrick really missed out more. Derrick quit his home state team in 2014, while he Juco in 2015 Iowa was playing a B1G championship game (would he have been enough of a difference maker to take Iowa to playoffs? never no) and a Rose Bowl trip. 2016 maybe not a special season for Iowa but a nice Florida bowl trip while Derrick stayed home, playing on a team beaten by Iowa State 60-10 where he caught 2 passes for 7 yards. My gosh you have a team QB'd by Patrick Mahommes and you managed 18 catches for the SEASON? I think Derrick missed out on staying home more than Iowa missed Derrick.

I think DW actually played in Illinois in high school, NO?

 

[iahawks10]

I think DW actually played in Illinois in high school, NO?

Rock Island from what I remember. But I thought he had transferred in HS too??

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

I think DW actually played in Illinois in high school, NO?

Played at Burlington as a Jr then transferred to Rock Island Sr. year I believe

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

There are times where this staff doesn't seem to play the most talented player at the position and it drives you nuts. I understand that they have the union card and they want things done the right way but some guys are just gamers and need to be on the field.

Follow team rules. Show up every day. Work hard. Win your position. Play on Saturday. It’s that simple. Iowa isn’t Miami. You can’t flash some gold and ego your way into the lineup. And I’m glad about that. People make plenty of assumptions about talented players not seeing the field but we aren’t privy to what happens in practice or during team meetings either.

 

[ichawk24]

He transferred from Texas to Rock Island while in high school.

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

He transferred from Texas to Rock Island while in high school.

Maxpreps shows him playing football and basketball at Burlington HS 2011-12.

 

[Hawkeyeinsoutherncalifornia]

Who cares? What does this have to do with Iowa right here and now? Dude played 4 games and then he gone...if my aunt had balls she would be my uncle

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

Who cares? What does this have to do with Iowa right here and now? Dude played 4 games and then he gone...if my aunt had balls she would be my uncle

Well I care more about it than Stanley Jackson's haircut I'll tell you that much.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

The problem with Willies was one of the few times I think the coach was wrong. I don't remember who were the other receivers but they were terrible, really terrible. Willies wasn't just a little better, he was a lot better than the guys on the field.

Only the second time I've thought KF played too tough with a kid and/or played a clearly inferior player. The other one was Scott Mullen. McCann was fragile. Boetcher (was that his name) was a dick but he was a superior option when McCann was injured.

Given the common thread appears to be a bad attitude I'm willing to bet Willies was also a dick about whom KF just did not care. With hundreds of success stories I think the coach gets the privilege of running off a couple of talented malcontents.

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

The problem with Willies was one of the few times I think the coach was wrong. I don't remember who were the other receivers but they were terrible, really terrible. Willies wasn't just a little better, he was a lot better than the guys on the field.

Only the second time I've thought KF played too tough with a kid and/or played a clearly inferior player. The other one was Scott Mullen. McCann was fragile. Boetcher (was that his name) was a dick but he was a superior option when McCann was injured.

Given the common thread appears to be a bad attitude I'm willing to bet Willies was also a dick about whom KF just did not care. With hundreds of success stories I think the coach gets the privilege of running off a couple of talented malcontents.

The other receivers were Teavon Smith, Kevonte Martin Manly, Matt VandeBerg, Damond Powell, and Jacob Hillyer. I don’t think a “really, really terrible” group. I think this group is better than 2016 and 2017 group. All that physical talent and Willies and the only player Willies was able to outproduce on that list was the blocking WR Hillyer. I guess you feel KF should have made an exception in team rules and treated Willies “special”. Had Willies stuck it out hard for me to see I guy with his talent not producing more than 18 catches for 300 yards on the 2016 and 17 teams. He made an NFL team as an undrafted free agent because of his physical talent as it sure wasn’t his 2 years production at TT. Hindsight now but he made a real bad move but I don’t blame KF one bit for not treating him special.

 

[TheRealHerky]

Willies QUIT THE TEAM because he couldn't handle not starting as a freshman.

Willies then went to TTU, where he was 8th on the team in catches as a junior, and 6th on the team in catches as a senior.

Guess he just needs to get paid to perform at a high level. Good for him for making the NFL.

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

The problem with Willies was one of the few times I think the coach was wrong. I don't remember who were the other receivers but they were terrible, really terrible. Willies wasn't just a little better, he was a lot better than them.

Can you say exactly what happened with Willies behind the scenes? Were you at practice? You think Ferentz was wrong but you don’t have any idea what happened.

 

[General Tso]

Watching a little NFL on Sunday and about shat myself when I heard the name Derrick Willies.

I don't remember the story but too bad he didn't stick around as a Hawkeye. If I remember correctly, he had a difficult upbringing.

Sorry if this has already been discussed.

You should see a GI doctor