Since Iowa does not chase many 5 * players, I'm guessing Bobby Kennedy (Iowa. Asst. Coach) must have some connection with Okudah's coach or school. Must be some inside reason for the Hawks to go for a player in the middle of Texas, that every top school wants. Anyone have any information why we would be recruiting this 5*. instead of others of his rating??
Jeffrey Okudah 5*
- Thread starter danny14
- Start date
I would guess because the coaches feel he's a guy of character who can help the football team?
You miss every shot you don't take.....
I say good for them!
This year is big for us. If we can show that last year wasn't a fluke and win11+ this year....I think that will help a ton come next January!
I say good for them!
This year is big for us. If we can show that last year wasn't a fluke and win11+ this year....I think that will help a ton come next January!
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Agree, with the new enthusiasm in the coaching staff and a trip to the rose bowl we really need to come out and win 10-11 games and shows these recruits we can take that next step and maybe steal a B1G championship from the tO$U's or Michigans of the world. Then hopefully the big time recruits will come. If Iowa can take 3*'s to a rose bowl, imagine what we could do with a bunch of 4*'s and a few 5*'s.
I went with 11 wins....because we REALLY need a bowl win this year and with the leadership and the last couple bowls they've seen.....I expect the team to come out spitting nails.
Maybe he likes the idea of playing with the #1 DE in his class and another highly rated DLmen. If we could somehow pull off a miracle and sign him we could have a very special class just on the defensive side.
Is this a trick question?
The misconception is that Iowa does not recruit those players, but Iowa very much does. They offered six 5 star, and nearly sixty 4 star players for thus past recruiting class, but when they get turned away enough, they have to concentrate their efforts on the best that are at least minimally responsive or they can find themselves losing out and several tiers down.
On that note, how many guys here are married to perfect 10s? Most guys are limited to the girls that will bother to give them a look back, and respond when they say hello.
Just because I settled for a 9 1/2 doesn't mean the coaches can't settle for four stars.
The university has made more of a commitment by increasing recruiting staffing and finances + the new facilities + a great season has made us more attractive. But we only offer prospects who give us some indication of a reason to offer.
My original post was not anything negative about the recruiting of top rated players. We have offered 64 players and Okudah was the only 5*, so I was just curious if Iowa may have had an inside connection with him that we may not with the other 5* guys this year, and that's why we offered him. Was hopeful that the Hawkeyes might get some interest from him.
Don't underestimate the Eno Benjamin effect! He's playing in all star game after all star game and making the rounds around Texas, and he is a highly thought of kid. I think he loves Iowa and our staff and he's along our program to his Texas buddies.
2017 recruiting class is absolutely massive for Iowa football. Huge huge huge opportunity to elevate our program.
2017 recruiting class is absolutely massive for Iowa football. Huge huge huge opportunity to elevate our program.
the thought that King just was named a 1st team AA and was the Thorpe award winner doesn't open players eyes need to rethink about what IA does,
after Green was drafted IA ended up with these highly rated RB's.
Wehger
Coker
Garmon
all were 4* RB's
Harris owes no allegiance to IA as he was not from IA, but he is a ESPN top 300 4*. why did Rivals drop him from a 4* to a 3* is beyond me. even Epenesas was dropped from the 17th best player to the 27th best player,, go figure.
OL Twirff is a 4* by Scout.
so the current class looks like this
5* DE Epenesa
4* DT Harris
4* OL Twirff
3* TE/LB Coons
3* DE Kirkpatrick
not to shabby of a start to finish the class around.
after Green was drafted IA ended up with these highly rated RB's.
Wehger
Coker
Garmon
all were 4* RB's
Harris owes no allegiance to IA as he was not from IA, but he is a ESPN top 300 4*. why did Rivals drop him from a 4* to a 3* is beyond me. even Epenesas was dropped from the 17th best player to the 27th best player,, go figure.
OL Twirff is a 4* by Scout.
so the current class looks like this
5* DE Epenesa
4* DT Harris
4* OL Twirff
3* TE/LB Coons
3* DE Kirkpatrick
not to shabby of a start to finish the class around.
Perfect example of why stars don't always matter. None of the mentioned 4 star backs finished at Iowa. But I, as well, like the start we have recruiting on paper this year
My hunch is that Iowa has no shot, since on 247 he is warm on many schools, Iowa not being one. Love to be wrong. 
they fact they never finished their career at IA has no effect on their star ranking,
Coker left IA with over 2000 yards rushing in 18 games {err ran off}
Wegher left IA after helping IA win the OB and ended up being a NFL Free Agent
Garmon ended up in jail so nobody know how he would have done.
besides the examples were about who IA signed after Green was drafted. not all 4* or 5* turn out. but if you get more the ones that don't pan out are not as easily missed, past 5* recruits that didn't do much if anything because of injuries.
5* #1 OL Larson #1 overall in his class, 3 back surgeries later he gave up FB
5* LB Bone Crusher ended up at Purdue and is now in the Indiana State Pen
5* OL Doering injuries hurt him
5* TE by a couple sites Richardson Hurt but was drafted and played but again injuries as hurt his abilities
they stick out because they were the only 5* players that KF has signed, will 5* Epenesa avoid the injury bug? who knows but IA fans are excited about him and his 5* rating.
in the 2015 class although not a 4* WR Smith was a 1st Team All Stater in TX, Ogwo was a TX top 100 player by the Dallas paper.
RB Wadley was a 1st Team All State in NJ
in the 2016 class WR Darby who IA is waiting on is/was a 1st Team All State in NJ, Give me as many 1st Team All Staters from NJ and TX that will make many IA fans happy
WR Falconer from FLA was rated the 32nd best player in Central FLA by the Orlando Centinal and was a North Central All Star team member.
these don't have that 4th or 5th* but out of those players 2 of made their presence known 1 RS'd and Darby is waiting on a SAT test score. this is why I don't care about their star ratings as I alook at what they did in HS AND what they accomplished, Ogwo a JR USA Olympic 100 meter and 200 meter sprinter and TX top 100 player.
Larsen and Doering didn't pan out the way most people expected.
That being said even with moeakis injuries he was second team all big ten his junior year and first team all big ten on a top 10 team his senior year and dace Richardson was a first team all big ten player too. Drew Tate was an army all American and made first team all big ten. Clayborn, Roth, Blythe, Bulaga are prime examples among others that were heavily recruited that came to Iowa and we're all very good players. It's easy to look at heavily recruited players that came to Iowa and didn't work out but they don't mention the guys that lots of schools wanted and have panned out.
