Most productive hawkeye in the Ferentz era?

[tvandam]

Lots of great players to choose from here obviously. For the record we are only referring to their time at Iowa not the success or lack thereof in the pros.
Sanders
Clark
Banks
greenway
Hodge
Clayborn
Daniels
Greene
Sash
Stanzi
Yanda
Gallery
Reiff
Scherff
Fant
Epenesa
Dwight

I know I am missing some names those were just some of the names I thought of to throw in the hat. Id love to hear everyones thoughts on this

To me I think it has to be Banks or Greene. I would probably go with Banks just because of the success of the program during his tenure.

If you had me pick a defender I would say Sanders for sure but I would also like to throw it out there that over the next year and a half Epenesa has a chance to be the greatest defender in the Ferentz era.

 

[tvandam]

Also an under the radar player that I always thought had a great career was Gallery. Little disappointing pro career but was a legend for the Hawks

 

[ichawk24]

Hard to call one-year players (Greene and Banks) the "most productive". I'd have to go with a multi-year starter, at a minimum.

Gallery, Greenway, Hodge, Clayborn, McNutt.

I think I may pick McNutt.

 

[HawkAlum2002]

I'd have to go with Gallery because he started for four years. From starting TE to begin his freshman year to best lineman in the country, he literally developed without ever having to backup anywhere along the way. Bob Sanders would be runner up for me because he did make an impact for all four years as well. But being in the same class, Gallery was catching passes in the game at Nebraska before Bob "arrived" vs MSU two games later, so that slight edge goes to Gallery. But it's really a tossup.

Ed Hinkel deserves to be on the list too. From DB recruit to starting WR for four years and returning punts.

 

[HemiHawk]

I loved the way Greenway dominated on D and special teams.

 

[funnyfletcher]

I'd go with Bob Sanders

 

[soybean]

Gallery.

 

[HawkIDrummer]

Tim Dwight didn't play a down under KFz.

Great list of impact players...but nobody changed the game more than Bob Sanders.

 

[soybean]

Mark Weisman deserves consideration for any such list as well. IIRC he scored over 30 touchdowns in his career.

 

[HoustonHawkeye]

Bob Sanders should be the unanimous answer. Gallery/Greenway second choice. Desmond King should also be on this list.

 

[OILCHECKER]

I don't believe Dwight ever played for Ferentz.

Also, surprised no one has given Fred Russell any consideration.

 

[tvandam]

Tim Dwight didn't play a down under KFz.

Great list of impact players...but nobody changed the game more than Bob Sanders.

I was thinking his senior season was under ferentz but I stand corrected.

 

[Harbinger273]

I do declare it an abomination of egregious magnitude that Josey Jewell was not on the OP's list. Stanzi and Tate were also productive. McNutt has to be top 5.

 

[HawkIDrummer]

I don't believe Dwight ever played for Ferentz.

Also, surprised no one has given Fred Russell any consideration.

Love Freddie, but his success was largely (pun intended) a by product of that offensive line.

 

[ichawk24]

Sanders finished his college career with 348 tackles, 30 pass breakups, 16 tackles for loss, and seven interceptions. Three times he was named first-team All-Big Ten, twice he was Iowa's most valuable player, and after the 2003 season, was named permanent team captain. Sanders was a second-team All-American by The Associated Press in 2003.

 

[HemiHawk]

Mark Weisman deserves consideration for any such list as well. IIRC he scored over 30 touchdowns in his career.

Yep, Wiseman amassed 2,602 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns.

 

[ichawk24]

Weisman: 599 carries, 2602 yards, 4.3 ypc, 32 TD
Freddie: 523 carries, 2760 yards, 5.3 ypc, 17 TD

Weisman pedestrian ypc, but great on the goal line.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

Yep, Sanders.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

Yep, Wiseman amassed 2,602 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns.

There are posters on here that make fun of KF because he played him. Pretty good stats for a guy that should have been playing fullback.

 

[El Simbolo]

Career or single season? Single season is definitely Greene

 

[LetsGoHawks83]

There are posters on here that make fun of KF because he played him. Pretty good stats for a guy that should have been playing fullback.

Loved watching Weisman. Just frustrating when we'd try to run him on a sweep or toss play. That wasn't where he was going to be effective. North and South with him... Pretty effective. Never forget him running over 3 Nebraska defenders on his was to a TD.... An awesome play!

 

[citizenHawk]

Nate Kaeding should be in there somewhere.

 

[unoHawkeye]

I realize there’s a nostalgia factor with some of these players but come on... Desmond King has been mentioned exactly once in this thread despite being a 4 year starter, 2 time all American (1 1st, 1 2nd), Thorpe Award winner, and game changer on special teams. He also tied Nike Kinnick for most picks in a season - who many regard as the GOAT.

He and Sanders are 1a and 1b in either order

 

[hawk_a_holic]

Also an under the radar player that I always thought had a great career was Gallery. Little disappointing pro career but was a legend for the Hawks

Dwight was only with Hayden. In fact, Hayden said once that he promised TD and Tavian Banks he would be there thru their careers. Both were done following the 97 season. KF of course started in 1999.

 

[hawk_a_holic]

Weisman: 599 carries, 2602 yards, 4.3 ypc, 32 TD
Freddie: 523 carries, 2760 yards, 5.3 ypc, 17 TD

Weisman pedestrian ypc, but great on the goal line.

And he was an angry, punishing runner. How many LB's got their bell rung by the bruiser?

 

[Quintana]

the guy who supplies the gum for kf?

 

[iowa12]

Mark Weisman deserves consideration for any such list as well. IIRC he scored over 30 touchdowns in his career.

Couldn’t disagree more

 

[iowa12]

Nate Kaeding should be in there somewhere.

Kickers aren’t football players

 

[Daggerfoot]

Sanders...he impacted the game more as a single player than anyone I have ever seen at any level. I've watched every single football game ever played...

 

[Hawkfan_08]

Nate Kaeding should be in there somewhere.

That was my vote.

 

[Btowngold]

There are posters on here that make fun of KF because he played him. Pretty good stats for a guy that should have been playing fullback.

I talked to Weisman in the DFW airport a few years ago right after the Outback bowl, and he was no fullback. He was not nearly big enough, IMO.

 

[JupiterHawk]

I realize there’s a nostalgia factor with some of these players but come on... Desmond King has been mentioned exactly once in this thread despite being a 4 year starter, 2 time all American (1 1st, 1 2nd), Thorpe Award winner, and game changer on special teams. He also tied Nike Kinnick for most picks in a season - who many regard as the GOAT.

He and Sanders are 1a and 1b in either order

Also King didn't miss many games (if any) due to injury, I felt that he was a main catalyst for the 12-0 start. Had huge games against Pitt and Wisc. Iowa St too

 

[TouchdownMyPants]

Steinbach

 

[unoHawkeye]

Also King didn't miss many games (if any) due to injury, I felt that he was a main catalyst for the 12-0 start. Had huge games against Pitt and Wisc.

Yep, the best (Jewell could have an argument made as I think most here would agree he was pretty overlooked nationally for his last couple years) player on the team that finally got back to the Rose Bowl should count for something as well

 

[wanderer85]

Sanders finished his college career with 348 tackles, 30 pass breakups, 16 tackles for loss, and seven interceptions. Three times he was named first-team All-Big Ten, twice he was Iowa's most valuable player, and after the 2003 season, was named permanent team captain. Sanders was a second-team All-American by The Associated Press in 2003.

Sanders is the easy choice. In fact, it took a couple years after he left until our defense was right again.

 

[AMAYS]

I'd go with Bob Sanders

Bob Sanders is the only 3-time First Team All Big Ten Player for Iowa in the Ferentz era. Hard to be more productive than that.

 

[greenelite]

DJK on the WR front

 

[Stormn Norman]

I do declare it an abomination of egregious magnitude that Josey Jewell was not on the OP's list. Stanzi and Tate were also productive. McNutt has to be top 5.

Thanks Stephen A Harb! Lol speaking of Lb’ers Kirk & Hutch were pretty darn good too..

 

[millah_22]

Paki

 

[unoHawkeye]

Another guy who put in a pretty productive four year Hawkeye career under Ferentz, but is often forgotten (probably because he played on some forgettable teams), is James Morris. 3 straight 100+ tackle seasons and 70 as a freshman is pretty impressive, even if he was forced into action before he was ready. It’s especially impressive when you consider that he was sharing the field with a couple future solid NFL LBers

Hitchens and Kirksey (not exactly scrubs) arguably passed him up by senior year, but Morris is another guy who I would say had an extremely productive Hawkeye career... Man I miss that 2013 LB corps.