I am pretty pumped to see this kid play and hopefully this year. He has all the tools and definitely looks ready with the eyeball test..
Jayden McDonald
- Thread starter Hawkeyeinsoutherncalifornia
- Start date
Iowa's LBs are so assignment based a redshirt wouldn't be a bad thing plus a year under Doyle then unleash Him. JMO .
My memory may serve me wrong but I think James Morris started half the season in 2010??
True, but thankfully we're not nearly in that position currently. James was not ready, and he took a beating on the field, and from Hawk fans. If Macdonald or Doyle play significant minutes this season, they will have earned it, or we have had a crazy run of injuries.
Yes, the original MIKE was slated to be Tarpinian. He got injured pretty early on. Bruce Davis went down to a season ending injury too. With those guys down, our 3rd stringer, Troy Johnson ended up being our starting MIKE. Somebody got dinged against PSU, presumably Troy, and consequently Morris saw a ton of quality snaps in that game.
From then on, Morris would play extensively, but he wasn't officially listed as a starter until the Michigan State game. Hunter was previously dinged ... and the coaches may have had issues with Troy's play vs Wisconsin. Whatever the reason, for the MSU game, our starting LBs were Nielsen, Morris, and Shane DiBona.
Nielsen then got injured, so the following week vs Indiana the starting LBs were a dinged Hunter, a RS FR in DiBona, and Morris (a TR FR). The next week, against Northwestern, we finally got Tarp back, but we had him starting at LEO. Tarp got injured again, so for the game against Ohio State, our starting LBs were Troy Johnson, Morris, and Hunter. Against Minny, the line-up remained the same. However, against Missouri, in the bowl, Tarp got the nod as a starter. Hunter still played, but he was likely less than 100%.
Regardless, hopefully that gives folks some idea of the turmoil that we experienced at LB through the season.
Pretty sure Larry Station started at a LB position as a true frosh for Iowa back in the Chuck Long era.
If Iowa keeps on recruiting & getting kids with the physical gifts and abilities of a Jayden McDonald we will begin to see Freshmen LB’s play..
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Well at some point, that freshman is going to have to beat out an All American to get playing time, so maybe not. It all good........
Well at some point, that freshman is going to have to beat out an All American to get playing time, so maybe not. It all good........
yes keyword is at some point. We aren't in that position quite yet.
I have thought that one of the freshmen linebackers will see the field in more than special teams role this year (I have no idea who it might be). The guys ahead of the freshmen at this point have so little game experience that I wouldn't be shocked if one of the freshmen forces his way on the field if they flash in August camp.
I also believe James enrolled early (also was around Iowa football his whole life) and really struggled that first year compared to his next 3 years- this is true for Bo Bower as well, people never really moved on from his 1st year starting when he was a bit over his head.
Well at some point, that freshman is going to have to beat out an All American to get playing time, so maybe not. It all good........
When Iowa has 3 all Americans at LB then it will be all good
until then a Jayden McDonald type will get a crack early on! And who knows, he may be quicker to turn into an AA! If Iowa can turn walk ons to AA’s what will they do with kids like Jayden?!?! I’m excited about the outlook!Nick Niemann and Amani Jones seem like they're pretty poised to contribute - likely in a starting capacity.yes keyword is at some point. We aren't in that position quite yet.
I have thought that one of the freshmen linebackers will see the field in more than special teams role this year (I have no idea who it might be). The guys ahead of the freshmen at this point have so little game experience that I wouldn't be shocked if one of the freshmen forces his way on the field if they flash in August camp.
A MIKE LB is the quarterback of the front 7 ... perhaps the whole D. Consequently, it would be exceedingly rare for a TR FR to actually start at MIKE. Morris may have done it to some extent in 2010 ... but he had the benefit of being on the D from the spring, he was also an exceedingly good student, AND he wasn't the best MIKE that year anyhow. As I recall, at the start of 2011 the LEO was Nielsen, the MIKE was Morris, and the WILL was Kirksey. However, ultimately, Nielsen slid inside to the MIKE spot, Morris slid over the WILL, and Kirksey found his permanent home at LEO.
McDonald could definitely work himself into a position to contribute at WILL ... however, there will be plenty of competition. Guys competing for the remaining spot will be Welch, Hockaday, Colbert, and McDonald. Of course, that's assuming that Niemann and Jones will have their respective spots "locked down."
While I'm very excited about the potential of McDonald AND I think that an instinctive LB like him definitely has a chance to contribute beyond special teams as a TR FR ... I'm still doubtful that he'd win a starting spot so early in his career. But yeah ... I am saying that there's a chance .... (queue the dumb and dumber meme)
I'm pretty sure that Larry Station was starting by the middle of his freshman year (1982). Certainly by the latter part of the season.
Edit: Didn't see NevadaHawk's post.
The interesting thing is that you never know when the guy you land is going to a be a special talent .... like a Larry Station ... a Chad Greenway ... an Abdul Hodge ... a Pat Angerer ... a Christian Kirksey ... or a Josey Jewell.
Which is the reason college football is so special!
Even the University of Northern Iowa has a chance to recruit an NFL Hall of Fame player.
Before a guy hits the gridiron in college - it's premature to call anybody better or worse All I can say is that I'm exceedingly happy that Jayden is a Hawk ... and I hope the very best for him!
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