Leroy Smith Iowa All American Pass Rusher

[Iowa Hog]

One of my favorite Hawkeye players was Leroy Smith. He was not a massive defensive end but a small quick pass rusher. Iowa's pass rush has often been weak the last few years with slow defensive ends, as good pass rushers are hard to recruit. I would like Iowa to look at some of our smaller quicker players from other positions
and switch them to defensive end.

 

[Freyvet]

One of my favorite Hawkeye players was Leroy Smith. He was not a massive defensive end but a small quick pass rusher. Iowa's pass rush has often been weak the last few years with slow defensive ends, as good pass rushers are hard to recruit. I would like Iowa to look at some of our smaller quicker players from other positions
and switch them to defensive end.

13 of 14 games pretty darn good defense this year! I love what we have going! Be Happy!

 

[theVoicefromtheTomb]

I believe that was a different defensive scheme than the one we employ today. That was a 5-2 and we play a 4-3.

 

[wneff]

I agree with the OP's sentiment. Specifically, with regard to RB's, there have been years that they have been very scarce due to you know who/what, but there have been people like Barkley Hill (there was another in his era whose name escapes me) that I would like to see us try to get some sort of value from. And along those lines, I think I came out once in favor of Shonn Greene to LB (pre-Kirkwood) based on his special teams play. So, may still be an inexact science.

Of course, it is incredibly naïve (including me in that camp) to think that the coaching staff doesn't think about these things.

 

[hexumhawk]

I remember the game against OSU after the shootings as a kid. They literally could not block him that day. If someone wants to look it up go for it, but seemed like he had about 4-5 sacks that day.

 

[soybean]

This might help jog some memories...

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

Are Bower and Mends on passing downs not utilizing smaller speed rushers? Hmmm...should we put Vandenburg and Parker out there?

 

[theVoicefromtheTomb]

Loved the video clip. Noticed at the end of the game a couple of rolls of toilet paper came flying by. I suspect the younger fans do not recall the tradition of throwing toilet paper, particularly after the first touchdown of the game.

 

[Iowa Hog]

13 of 14 games pretty darn good defense this year! I love what we have going! Be Happy!

Freyvet apparently forgot about the bad pass rush against Stanford. 13-2, Freyvet should not post before he watches the Rose Bowl

 

[Kurt Warner]

He started out as a running back I believe. Yes Leroy Smith was one of the best pass rushers ever. Still remember him making many many big plays, one of my favorite players. I like the idea the op has.

 

[Freyvet]

Freyvet apparently forgot about the bad pass rush against Stanford. 13-2, Freyvet should not post before he watches the Rose Bowl

Freyvet no forget. Freyvet good memory. Freyvet say good defense 13 of 14 games. That's darn good! Check out other elite programs - find 1 that doesn't give up a lot of points/yards for 1 game during the season?

 

[iavagabond]

I believe that was a different defensive scheme than the one we employ today. That was a 5-2 and we play a 4-3.

Exactly......I, too, was a huge LS fan but in a 4-3 you just need more bulk to play DE IMHO.

 

[SPGroth]

I met Leroy Smith during the summer I stuck around Iowa City. He was a great person and would always stop by to talk. He was on campus to help mentor some youth group kids.

As for the highlites of the OSU game.....remember that game well, as it was the day after the shootings in Iowa City........the football team stripped their helmets in honor of the victims.