Iowa Offers Class of 2025 Iose Epenesa (pronounced Yo-say)
- Thread starter Franisdaman
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If I had to bet, my money would be on Iose committing to the Hawks.
just have big brother add some $$$$$$$ to that NIL pot!
Great family. And AJ showing up is pretty damn cool.
My guess is his big brother was the surprise?
AJ sporting the Micah Hyde t-shirt is classic!
KF has got his flaws but my gosh, is there any parent out there that loves KF and Iowa football more than Eppy?
How cool is it seeing Eppy in #72 and Iose in #88?
There we go...get Eppy Eppy in his Hawkeye jersey too!
Looks like Eric has finally started to fill out a little....
Yahya's knee looks rough there. Reminds me of the turf burn we used to get playing hs football in the uni dome in the 90's
we were in KC last weekend & had a missouri booster tell me they felt good about him committing, said they have a lot of $$$$$ to throw around!
Unless something has drastically changed, your connection doesn't know anything. the 62 million dollar donation that was previously reported to have 12 million headed to NIL was shown to be factually untrue as well.
I think he's a Hawk, but this guy is connected & seemed really confidant FWIWUnless something has drastically changed, your connection doesn't know anything. the 62 million dollar donation that was previously reported to have 12 million headed to NIL was shown to be factually untrue as well.
Only thing dumber was playing tackle football on that in the 2000s without pads as a guy that has zero muscle on his body as a high school kid. We used to go play college kids at UNI. All of us would show up the next day to school with burns oozing all over. I'm sure that was super attractive to the girls...
At least I got to witness first hand what a stinger was making a tackle and landing on my boney elbow. I thought my arm was going to fall off.
How many times do we hear stories about our boosters being confident and then missing out? I wouldn't worry. He took his Iowa visit after them.
Those suck (but are a little cool at the same time). I got one hitting a RB (was a LB), and wasn't sure I HAD an arm for a little while.
Yahya Black; crazy how this is now his 5th year in the program. Time flies.
I wonder what his weight is up to now.
You really think Eppy is going to let his kid make a decision based on money? AJs in the pros and they still live in the same house. Humble family.
I'm sure money won't be a factor.
We should be able to give him enough.
There will be teams that offer more but if he's smart (which we know the family is), his money making will be in the NFL. We offer the same stable coaching staff that has made his brother millions.
I'll be shocked if he doesn't run out of the tunnels in black and gold.
Ol' Doodle sees what you did there, Mr. Hedge.
Epenesas have enough sense to stay away from the dumpster fire called Misery.
OMFG on the field that dude looks like he could step right into an NFL d line. A big big dude.
Really hope Mizzou pulled this out of the bag with Iose was there.
passing on Iowa to play at Mizzou would be like passing on a young Halle Berry so You can bang the $20 crack trick in the bad part of Town with no condom. Just sayin.
Good story from the Gazette. Iose has completed official visits at Penn State, Missouri and Iowa; Utah is this upcoming weekend; Miami is the following weekend. “And then we can evaluate all 5 of these visits and try to figure it out,” Eppy said. “If he needs to go back to anything else, we will. … And then if our son feels good about the whole thing, then we’re going to pick a school.”
The Full Story:
John Steppe
Jun. 12, 2024 12:31 pm
Iose Epenesa (center) poses for a photo with brothers A.J. (left) and Eric (right) during his official visit at Iowa. (Photo courtesy of Eppy Epenesa)
IOWA CITY — Iose Epenesa has been no stranger to Iowa football.
His father was a Hawkeye in the late 1990s. His oldest brother A.J. was a Hawkeye in the late 2010s. His other brother Eric is currently a Hawkeye.
“When we come to Iowa for me, he’s there,” Iose Epenesa’s father Eppy told The Gazette. “When we come to Iowa for A.J., he’s there. When we come to Iowa for Eric, he’s always there.”
Now, though, Iose is no longer the “tagalong guy.” The spotlight is fully on Iose — prized Hawkeye recruiting target — rather than his Hawkeye father or Hawkeye older brothers.
Iose (pronounced “yo-say”) Epenesa has a five-star rating from 247Sports, which considers him to be the 15th-best overall prospect in the country, third-best defensive lineman in the country and the top prospect in the state of Illinois. College football juggernauts from coast to coast have offered Epenesa a scholarship — literally from Washington to Miami (Fla.).
Iowa had its chance last weekend to woo the highly-touted recruit during Epenesa’s official visit to Iowa City — a visit that Eppy described as “impressive.”
“Coming this weekend was kind of confirming some of the questions he had in his head about Iowa and about what they do here,” Eppy said. “He sees the support and then he sees the love from his family and then even the coaching staff.”
Defensive line coach Kelvin Bell, defensive coordinator Phil Parker, head coach Kirk Ferentz and strength and conditioning coach Raimond Braithwaite are among the coaches who spent time last weekend with Epenesa, who was the only prospect visiting Iowa last weekend. Special teams coordinator LeVar Woods — one of Eppy’s teammates at Iowa — also had an “amazing conversation” with Iose.
“I’m proud to be a Hawkeye, the way Kirk Ferentz and his staff handled my son,” Eppy said.
Iowa had a surprise in store for Epenesa on his visit. As he was at lunch with the coaching staff at The Airliner — the Iowa City staple and one of Eppy’s “favorite places to go back in the day” — his oldest brother A.J. walked in. Iose was “super surprised,” Eppy said.
“My wife knew about it, but we (Iose and I) didn’t know anything about it,” Eppy said. “You see the passion of my older sons — both of them. They both show up at our lunch with the coaches to start our official visits. I thought it was pretty neat.”
A.J. made a point to keep the spotlight on Iose, though.
“I heard A.J. telling him, ‘I’m not here to take away any attention from you. I’m here to love on you and support you, whatever you need,’” Eppy said.
Of those 10 schools, five have official visits scheduled — Penn State, Missouri, Iowa, Utah and Miami. Those have been the “most consistent” in recruiting Epenesa.
Penn State’s opportunity to woo Epenesa was last month. Missouri’s chance was earlier this month.
“Those two programs did an amazing job, too, with my son,” Eppy said.
Now that official visits at Penn State, Missouri and most recently Iowa are complete, Epenesa has trips lined up to Utah and Miami in the next two weekends.
“And then we can evaluate all five of these visits and try to figure it out,” Eppy said. “If he needs to go back to anything else, we will. … And then if our son feels good about the whole thing, then we’re going to pick a school.”
Eppy has told his youngest son there is “no such thing as a wrong pick.”
“Every one of these schools are amazing schools,” Eppy said. “Every one of these head coaches that we visit, they’re very supportive. ‘Either come here or not coming here, we will be happy for you and your family.’”
It perhaps helps that Epenesa and his family have seen Iowa’s development of defensive linemen up close. His brother A.J., a highly-touted recruit in the 2017 class, earned first-team all-Big Ten honors after his second season on campus and was a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft after his third season at Iowa.
“They might not be starting right away, but when you come out of Kirk’s program — it’s all about the work — they know these kids will handle any other level,” Eppy said.
Then there is the legacy element of Epenesa’s recruitment. Rather than setting up just one locker for Epenesa during his official visit with a No. 88 jersey, Iowa had four. The other three: Eppy’s No. 72, A.J.’s No. 94 and Eric’s No. 39.
At the same time, Eppy said Iose “doesn’t want to follow anybody’s footsteps.”
“He’s against everything about his brothers,” Eppy said. “He wants to beat every number they created at the high school. Any records they have in any sports, he always wants to beat them.”
After all, his older siblings “never let him win” in any competition, whether it be “card games, basketball, anything, whiffle ball.”
Eppy has emphasized that Iose’s recruitment “is all about trust” — a likely advantage for Iowa after Bell’s three years of coaching and developing A.J. into an NFL-caliber defensive end.
“Especially A.J., he loves Coach Bell,” Eppy said. “Has lots of respect for Coach Bell for what he’s done for him and his career at Iowa.”
As for Iose Epenesa’s time in Iowa City last weekend, the trip to a place with so much meaning for his family fittingly ended with a family meeting at his brother Eric’s house.
“(Iose) was thanking his brothers for supporting him right at the end in a sincere way,” Eppy said. “Which tells me it was a good day.”
Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com
www.thegazette.com
The Full Story:
Iowa football hosted ‘impressive’ official visit for 5-star recruit Iose Epenesa. What’s next in his recruitment?
Hawkeye family roots evident during highly-touted recruit’s official visit to Iowa City
Jun. 12, 2024 12:31 pm
Iose Epenesa (center) poses for a photo with brothers A.J. (left) and Eric (right) during his official visit at Iowa. (Photo courtesy of Eppy Epenesa)
IOWA CITY — Iose Epenesa has been no stranger to Iowa football.
His father was a Hawkeye in the late 1990s. His oldest brother A.J. was a Hawkeye in the late 2010s. His other brother Eric is currently a Hawkeye.
“When we come to Iowa for me, he’s there,” Iose Epenesa’s father Eppy told The Gazette. “When we come to Iowa for A.J., he’s there. When we come to Iowa for Eric, he’s always there.”
Now, though, Iose is no longer the “tagalong guy.” The spotlight is fully on Iose — prized Hawkeye recruiting target — rather than his Hawkeye father or Hawkeye older brothers.
Iose (pronounced “yo-say”) Epenesa has a five-star rating from 247Sports, which considers him to be the 15th-best overall prospect in the country, third-best defensive lineman in the country and the top prospect in the state of Illinois. College football juggernauts from coast to coast have offered Epenesa a scholarship — literally from Washington to Miami (Fla.).
Iowa had its chance last weekend to woo the highly-touted recruit during Epenesa’s official visit to Iowa City — a visit that Eppy described as “impressive.”
“Coming this weekend was kind of confirming some of the questions he had in his head about Iowa and about what they do here,” Eppy said. “He sees the support and then he sees the love from his family and then even the coaching staff.”
Defensive line coach Kelvin Bell, defensive coordinator Phil Parker, head coach Kirk Ferentz and strength and conditioning coach Raimond Braithwaite are among the coaches who spent time last weekend with Epenesa, who was the only prospect visiting Iowa last weekend. Special teams coordinator LeVar Woods — one of Eppy’s teammates at Iowa — also had an “amazing conversation” with Iose.
“I’m proud to be a Hawkeye, the way Kirk Ferentz and his staff handled my son,” Eppy said.
Iowa had a surprise in store for Epenesa on his visit. As he was at lunch with the coaching staff at The Airliner — the Iowa City staple and one of Eppy’s “favorite places to go back in the day” — his oldest brother A.J. walked in. Iose was “super surprised,” Eppy said.
“My wife knew about it, but we (Iose and I) didn’t know anything about it,” Eppy said. “You see the passion of my older sons — both of them. They both show up at our lunch with the coaches to start our official visits. I thought it was pretty neat.”
A.J. made a point to keep the spotlight on Iose, though.
“I heard A.J. telling him, ‘I’m not here to take away any attention from you. I’m here to love on you and support you, whatever you need,’” Eppy said.
Who Iowa is battling in recruiting Iose Epenesa and what’s next in his recruitment
The Hawkeyes have formidable competition for the 6-foot-4 defensive end from Edwardsville, Ill. Epenesa’s top 10 schools are Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Miami, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Penn State, Texas and Utah.Of those 10 schools, five have official visits scheduled — Penn State, Missouri, Iowa, Utah and Miami. Those have been the “most consistent” in recruiting Epenesa.
Penn State’s opportunity to woo Epenesa was last month. Missouri’s chance was earlier this month.
“Those two programs did an amazing job, too, with my son,” Eppy said.
Now that official visits at Penn State, Missouri and most recently Iowa are complete, Epenesa has trips lined up to Utah and Miami in the next two weekends.
“And then we can evaluate all five of these visits and try to figure it out,” Eppy said. “If he needs to go back to anything else, we will. … And then if our son feels good about the whole thing, then we’re going to pick a school.”
Eppy has told his youngest son there is “no such thing as a wrong pick.”
“Every one of these schools are amazing schools,” Eppy said. “Every one of these head coaches that we visit, they’re very supportive. ‘Either come here or not coming here, we will be happy for you and your family.’”
How Iowa’s Epenesa legacy could impact the recruitment
Iose Epenesa poses for a photo during his official visit to Iowa. (Photo courtesy of Eppy Epenesa)
It perhaps helps that Epenesa and his family have seen Iowa’s development of defensive linemen up close. His brother A.J., a highly-touted recruit in the 2017 class, earned first-team all-Big Ten honors after his second season on campus and was a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft after his third season at Iowa.
“They might not be starting right away, but when you come out of Kirk’s program — it’s all about the work — they know these kids will handle any other level,” Eppy said.
Then there is the legacy element of Epenesa’s recruitment. Rather than setting up just one locker for Epenesa during his official visit with a No. 88 jersey, Iowa had four. The other three: Eppy’s No. 72, A.J.’s No. 94 and Eric’s No. 39.
At the same time, Eppy said Iose “doesn’t want to follow anybody’s footsteps.”
“He’s against everything about his brothers,” Eppy said. “He wants to beat every number they created at the high school. Any records they have in any sports, he always wants to beat them.”
After all, his older siblings “never let him win” in any competition, whether it be “card games, basketball, anything, whiffle ball.”
Eppy has emphasized that Iose’s recruitment “is all about trust” — a likely advantage for Iowa after Bell’s three years of coaching and developing A.J. into an NFL-caliber defensive end.
“Especially A.J., he loves Coach Bell,” Eppy said. “Has lots of respect for Coach Bell for what he’s done for him and his career at Iowa.”
As for Iose Epenesa’s time in Iowa City last weekend, the trip to a place with so much meaning for his family fittingly ended with a family meeting at his brother Eric’s house.
“(Iose) was thanking his brothers for supporting him right at the end in a sincere way,” Eppy said. “Which tells me it was a good day.”
Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com
Iowa hosted ‘impressive’ official visit for 5-star recruit Iose Epenesa
Iose Epenesa’s Hawkeye family roots were evident during his recent official visit to Iowa. His father discusses his recruitment and what’s next for the five-star defensive end.
www.thegazette.com
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I think he's ours. I know, not shocking and not that Eppy would ever force a son to go anywhere but we all know he's about as proud as any former player to be a Hawkeye and his kids absolutely have grown up idolizing the school, like a lot of us have (I certainly did with my dad's obsession for his alma mater, to which, later became mine and my brothers). I personally think Iose knows this is the school to beat but is smartly considering all options.
Considering the connection is extraordinarily strong with the Epenesas and Iowa, it's going to have to take one hell of a paycheck and visit to take him away. Considering how Eppy raised his kids, I just don't think short term money is going to be a major factor.
Considering the connection is extraordinarily strong with the Epenesas and Iowa, it's going to have to take one hell of a paycheck and visit to take him away. Considering how Eppy raised his kids, I just don't think short term money is going to be a major factor.
You know Kirk probably has a keytar in the back of some closet, but at least has the decency to never pull it out.
That photo...wow. Doubt Kirk has anything musical in his closet. Strikes me as the type of guy who couldn't carry a tune in a bucket.You know Kirk probably has a keytar in the back of some closet, but at least has the decency to never pull it out.
The funny thing is, if you can crop out the party in the back, it's his hair cut now (albeit a tad thinner and more gray).You know Kirk probably has a keytar in the back of some closet, but at least has the decency to never pull it out.
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