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Iowa Offers Class of 2025 Iose Epenesa (pronounced Yo-say)

Epenesa: “Missouri is one of the schools that’s been coming hard. He really loves Coach Drink and the spirit he brings. He came and sat with us last Friday night, me and Stephanie my wife and my man was bringing the juice. He was screaming ‘throw the ball to the big guy.’ He was super excited watching Iose. Every time he made a move he was slapping me saying ‘did you see that move? It was good having Coach Drink in the house."

Good Lord. Iose might not come to Iowa, but please don’t fall for that congregational hand job.
 
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kceasthawk said:
I'm sure he wants to see some of the other schools on his list. He's been to Iowa, countless times, so I wouldn't make too much of that.....
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True. That said, he may want to carve out his own path. Young man has a lot of options. Eppy is the kind of Dad who will let him make his own choice.

I'm also sure Iose remembers his brother having to wait behind guys with their KFz union card at Iowa despite being an NFL-level talent. Kids want to play..especially a highly rated kid like this.
 
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BonzoFury said:
True. That said, he may want to carve out his own path. Young man has a lot of options. Eppy is the kind of Dad who will let him make his own choice.

I'm also sure Iose remembers his brother having to wait behind guys with their KFz union card at Iowa despite being an NFL-level talent. Kids want to play..especially a highly rated kid like this.
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Are you ACTUALLY bringing up the ridiculous "union card " BS deal? Both Eppy and AJ said he was used perfectly multiple times in interviews. Dad even called out fans for being critical of his usage. Of course the fans know better, right? Jees.......
 
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BonzoFury said:
True. That said, he may want to carve out his own path. Young man has a lot of options. Eppy is the kind of Dad who will let him make his own choice.

I'm also sure Iose remembers his brother having to wait behind guys with their KFz union card at Iowa despite being an NFL-level talent. Kids want to play..especially a highly rated kid like this.
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So I'm not sure about this. We're not talking about quarterback here. There is no way that Kirk is telling Kelvin Bell and Phil Parker who plays and when on defense. We can poke fun at Kirk and the offensive staff all day long, but I have 100% faith in Phil putting everyone in the right place at the right time.
 
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kceasthawk said:
Are you ACTUALLY bringing up the ridiculous "union card " BS deal? Both Eppy and AJ said he was used perfectly multiple times in interviews. Dad even called out fans for being critical of his usage. Of course the fans know better, right? Jees.......
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Yes, I'm familiar with those comments. You'd expect nothing less from Eppy, super high character guy. That doesn't mean opposing coaches won't try to use it in recruiting. "You won't have to wait here". We know how sleazy some of these guys can be. Probably shouldn't have brought it up.

Would love to see this 4th Eppy in Black and Gold. What a great Hawkeye family.
 
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kceasthawk said:
I'm sure he wants to see some of the other schools on his list. He's been to Iowa, countless times, so I wouldn't make too much of that.....
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Yeah, at this point, and with the plethora of experience his two brothers and dad have here, combined with growing up around the program under KF the entire time, he absolutely knows who we are. This process is for him to see if he wants something else, which I get. I still absolutely think we're the team to beat and I hope he comes here. I will always be happy to have an Epenesa on the team.

At least with an Eppy raised kid, it's all above board and a commit will mean a commit to whatever program they choose. I have the utmost respect for that man and his devotion to his family. Can't say enough good things about him.
 
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BonzoFury said:
Yes, I'm familiar with those comments. You'd expect nothing less from Eppy, super high character guy. That doesn't mean opposing coaches won't try to use it in recruiting. "You won't have to wait here". We know how sleazy some of these guys can be. Probably shouldn't have brought it up.

Would love to see this 4th Eppy in Black and Gold. What a great Hawkeye family.
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Its NOT other coaches saying it. YOU were saying that he should be aware of it, and stating it as a fact. A) AJ had a lot to learn on technique. B) Parker Hesse was a damn solid experienced player who is also plying in the NFL. C) AJ was able to parlay his significant playing time into a decent draft spot even leaving a year early. D). The only reason he wasn't drafted higher is because he didn't test well at the combine. Turns out when stacked up against that level of athlete he wasn't as much of a standout as we thought. Still he's a regular rotation player for a contending team. Not much to complain about in my book....
 
I would be bummed if Iose picked any team but the Iowa - Black and Gold. I met his father at a tailgate a fews years back, Great Hawkeye!

I always enjoy his gameday posts with him and the family and/or pics. with past players. I don't blame Iose for looking at all his options - smart move. Hopefully the pull to Iowa city wins out in the end.

It is great to be a Hawk!
 
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And who knows how long Drink will be at Mizzou before taking his talents to an Auburn or other type of program. I’m sure they are comfortable with Iowa’s stability in coaching staff but can’t say if KF will be here another five years.
 
TnT_Hawks said:
I believe several members of the Walton clan (Waltons, Kroenkes, Luries) are involved, so I think they’re in a pretty good place.
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I’ll assume this is true.

Now I can claim every kid who chooses MIZZOU over Iowa from until forever only did it for the money. Even if it comes out they don’t even have an NIL.
 
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BonzoFury said:
True. That said, he may want to carve out his own path. Young man has a lot of options. Eppy is the kind of Dad who will let him make his own choice.

I'm also sure Iose remembers his brother having to wait behind guys with their KFz union card at Iowa despite being an NFL-level talent. Kids want to play..especially a highly rated kid like this.
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And if you recall, Dad said that was great. They had high praise for Kirk and Phil. And also look at their snap counts when AJ was there. He may not have played some first snaps, but he was in there just as much as anyone else was.
 
GunnerHawk said:
I would be bummed if Iose picked any team but the Iowa - Black and Gold. I met his father at a tailgate a fews years back, Great Hawkeye!

I always enjoy his gameday posts with him and the family and/or pics. with past players. I don't blame Iose for looking at all his options - smart move. Hopefully the pull to Iowa city wins out in the end.

It is great to be a Hawk!
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Yep
Good dude.
Issue is also the fire brian crap coming from the stands last year. He realizes alot of the idiots on here are clown and bugeaters but that happening in kinnick has soured alot of players, former players and coaches.
 
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DogBoyRy said:
Yep
Good dude.
Issue is also the fire brian crap coming from the stands last year. He realizes alot of the idiots on here are clown and bugeaters but that happening in kinnick has soured alot of players, former players and coaches.
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I wish we could blame those fans and their behavior on Nebby and ISU, but unfortunately, I think we just have a lot of really misinformed, emotionally inept people in this fan base.

One of them is in this thread touting Missouri as a 'strong' program while crapping on Iowa and suggesting that AJ was somehow wronged by the Iowa coaching staff. Let's break down just how stupid that really is lol.

Here are Missouri's last five seasons:

2023: 11-2
2022: 6-7
2021 : 6-7
2020: 5-5
2019: 6-6

So that's a 34-27 record over the last five years (Drinkwitz has been there since 2020). Iowa is 44-18 during the same time.

Also, they've had 12 draft picks since 2019 with zero first rounders - compared to Iowa's 19 picks with six being first rounders.

So basically, take away their one 11-win season and a win vs tOSU's second and third string guys, and Missouri football is dog shit when compared to Iowa.

Now let's take a look at AJ's career at Iowa, which was only three seasons:

-2× first-team All-Big 10
-Finished tied for 4th on Iowa's career sacks list (in only three seasons)
-2nd round draft pick (54th overall)

I'd say going to Iowa worked out okay for him, but I am sure if he went to Missouri he would have been #1 overall pick!
 
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DogBoyRy said:
Yep
Good dude.
Issue is also the fire brian crap coming from the stands last year. He realizes alot of the idiots on here are clown and bugeaters but that happening in kinnick has soured alot of players, former players and coaches.
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Based on everything I've read I think that family is too smart/wise to base a decision like this on the 20% of jackasses in the stands who exist in *check's notes* every single fan base.
 
BonzoFury said:
True. That said, he may want to carve out his own path. Young man has a lot of options. Eppy is the kind of Dad who will let him make his own choice.

I'm also sure Iose remembers his brother having to wait behind guys with their KFz union card at Iowa despite being an NFL-level talent. Kids want to play..especially a highly rated kid like this.
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Anthony Nelson and Parker Hesse were better at that time than an inexperienced AJ. I bet even Eppy would agree with that. They have both had decent NFL careers.
 
DogBoyRy said:
Yep
Good dude.
Issue is also the fire brian crap coming from the stands last year. He realizes alot of the idiots on here are clown and bugeaters but that happening in kinnick has soured alot of players, former players and coaches.
Click to expand...
Seriously... were the fans chanting this wrong? I mean we were a national punch line for the past 2 years. It was bad. Brian needed to go after 2022. Loyalty is one thing, production is another.
 
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