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Fastest Iowa player in history?

JerseyCityHawki

JerseyCityHawki

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Not sure on this one but I know there’s been many. ISM has to rate right up there as he has legit afterburners and back in the day l think Quinn Early was a fast as hell and of course you had Timmy Dwight and Tavian Banks .. anyone else have any ideas on whom might be the fastest? And lets stick to the 40 times.. as then it gets more complicated adding the 100 etc..
 
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Robert Smith was fast in the 1980s. Bashir Yamini was a track star who also played football in late 90s.

For open-field speed, I’d give ISM the nod over everyone. Dwight and Sanders could maybe accelerate quicker from the line of scrimmage, but in the open, neither would catch ISM.
 
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GoUIowa said:
Robert Smith was fast in the 1980s. Bashir Yamini was a track star who also played football in late 90s.

For open-field speed, I’d give ISM the nod over everyone. Dwight and Sanders could maybe accelerate quicker from the line of scrimmage, but in the open, neither would catch ISM.
Click to expand...

ISM is fast and a great player, but Tim Dwight would blow his doors off in a 200 Meter Dash.
 
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Bashir Yamini was on the track team. Couldn't catch a football but he was fast. Two fun facts that I just learned:
1- his middle name is Jihad? That is unsettling.
2- He actually played 6 games for the Titans.

Other mention is Dimond Powell. Couldn't overthrow that guy.
 
For the old-timers, Willie Fleming and Bob Jeter on Evy's Rose Bowl teams were pretty fast. And some of you may remember that Jeter, who went on to a long and successful NFL career as a DB, held the Rose Bowl rushing record for about 50 years . . . something like 194 yards on NINE carries.
 
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It would be interesting to see a straight sprint/dash race versus something in pads where maybe you started in the backfield and got to the edge and turned upfield for fifty or something like that.
 
I am in agreement with those differentiating fastest in shorts on a track.... vs fastest in pads. Some guys also play faster because instincts and the ability to know where the play is going, and taking better angles etc. Sanders was blazing fast, built like a tank, and had those instincts and propensity for good angles. Overall I think Banks was fastest in a track meet, but Dwight played faster, or was able to run faster once pads were on. One thing I always wanted to see during
'94-'97, was Dwight take a few hand offs at RB, play some safety, and for Banks to line up at WR for a few snaps a game.... Oh well, one of those things that gets the fans fuming, if by freak occurrence, someone gets hurt while lining up at their non-traditional position. It would have been fun to see them come to the line of scrimmage, then swap positions... Maybe it happened, but I don't recall seeing it.
 
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bman546 said:
I am in agreement with those differentiating fastest in shorts on a track.... vs fastest in pads. Some guys also play faster because instincts and the ability to know where the play is going, and taking better angles etc. Sanders was blazing fast, built like a tank, and had those instincts and propensity for good angles. Overall I think Banks was fastest in a track meet, but Dwight played faster, or was able to run faster once pads were on. One thing I always wanted to see during
'94-'97, was Dwight take a few hand offs at RB, play some safety, and for Banks to line up at WR for a few snaps a game.... Oh well, one of those things that gets the fans fuming, if by freak occurrence, someone gets hurt while lining up at their non-traditional position. It would have been fun to see them come to the line of scrimmage, then swap positions... Maybe it happened, but I don't recall seeing it.
Click to expand...

Yes, this should have been utilized more.

I recall one occasion where Tavian lined up wide and got matched up with a safety or linebacker. Tavian smoked the defender and was open by a MILE for an easy TD but Sherman dumped it off underneath. To this day, that is one of the biggest disappointed groans I've ever heard on a hawkeye gameday.
 
I don’t know about fastest - timed runs Are a moment in time...you can have a great day or an off day.

My opinion is Dwight was the most dangerous player Iowa has had in a long time. He was pure football player and had incredible first step burst and great spatial awareness.

Banks could outrun you once he got going, but in no way could he start things off like Dwight could. When Dwight got the ball, especially in the return game, everyone in the stadium had an “Oh Shit” moment at the same time. Collectively. Both sides.

Dwight was unbelievably dangerous on the field. Perhaps underutilized, but he was a missile and could put the fear of God into you when he strode out.

He was a walking 6 waiting to happen.

JMO.
 
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Why didn’t Dwight have better stats as a wr? I don’t recall if it was limitations of the QB or what. Only average about 700 yards per season, which is good but doesn’t stick out.
 
Brok85 said:
Why didn’t Dwight have better stats as a wr? I don’t recall if it was limitations of the QB or what. Only average about 700 yards per season, which is good but doesn’t stick out.
Click to expand...

Dwight was a serviceable receiver, but nothing extraordinary and his numbers there are nobody’s fault. He wasn’t a natural receiver. That wasn't his thing.

He was a gifted and natural returner, a two time First Team All American.

Great special teams guys like that make a coach and team wet their pants, because most guys on special team HAVE to be out there in order to earn their bones and get a starting or rotating spot on O or D.

Dwight WANTED to be out there, already got time on O, and was the best of all 22 on the field when in that returning spot.
 
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Drinkin Buddy said:
Dwight was a serviceable receiver, but nothing extraordinary and his numbers there are nobody’s fault. He wasn’t a natural receiver. That wasn't his thing.

He was a gifted and natural returner, a two time First Team All American.

Great special teams guys like that make a coach and team wet their pants, because most guys on special team HAVE to be out there in order to earn their bones and get a starting or rotating spot on O or D.

Dwight WANTED to be out there, already got time on O, and was the best of all 22 on the field when in that returning spot.
Click to expand...
Dwight's numbers mainly reflected Hayden's underutilization of him in the offense. Even though he was a stellar return guy, he wouldn't have lasted as long as he did in the NFL if he wasn't a decent 3rd or 4th receiver.
 
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Brok85 said:
Why didn’t Dwight have better stats as a wr? I don’t recall if it was limitations of the QB or what. Only average about 700 yards per season, which is good but doesn’t stick out.
Click to expand...

A few thoughts on this:

-Iowa ran a very vanilla scheme during the Dwight years, and a receiver's stats are reflective of his opportunities. He may have have more yards in a more inventive offense.

-There were times he was WIDE open and Sherman didn't see/missed him.

-Had good but not great hands.

-Drew a lot of attention and coverage by defenses.

-Let's not overlook his (lack of) height.

-Due to heavy use in the return game, I always felt he looked winded in the 3rd and 4th quarters, later in the season. Maybe he was asked to do too much.
 
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Hayden conceded many years later that his biggest regret at Iowa was underutilizing Timmy D. Hayden just couldn't get past the idea that Timmy could get hurt carrying 25-30 times a game, and yet Dwight was as strong and powerful--in addition to his speed--as just about any back you'd ever want to see.

Dwight had mediocre, small hands, so he was definitely playing out of position as a WR. But when he got the ball, it's true that six points was always a possibility. What an athlete, especially coming from Iowa City.
 
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I completely agree that Hayden underutilized him, but let’s not get into revisionist history. The game is way different today, which I think we can all agree upon.

There are 46 active players on an NFL roster, and the guys who tend to stick around the longest outside of a starting spot are those who add value in multiple areas. Yes, Dwight could be a decent receiver, but he wouldn't have had the professional career he enjoyed without special teams. He had 3x as many yards on ST than he did as a receiver.

NFL roster spots are valuable and limited. Look at Taysom Hill with New Orleans. He’s a reserve QB who secured a roster spot because he can be multiple and plays ST. Very rare. But, extremely valuable.

JMO
 
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JerseyCityHawki said:
Not sure on this one but I know there’s been many. ISM has to rate right up there as he has legit afterburners and back in the day l think Quinn Early was a fast as hell and of course you had Timmy Dwight and Tavian Banks .. anyone else have any ideas on whom might be the fastest? And lets stick to the 40 times.. as then it gets more complicated adding the 100 etc..
Click to expand...
Damond Powell has my vote for pure speed. ISM and Dwight for how well they use it.
 
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