Can we update the Recruiting boards? Since the 'Go IOWA Awesome' change the recruiting news has been lacking a bit. Would love more recruiting content.
Recruiting Board
- Thread starter juliolara
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Recruiting doesn’t matter here. We’re a developmental program.
Sorry ... but that's a stupid, snarky comment.Recruiting doesn’t matter here. We’re a developmental program.
Even if a player has plenty of talent ... that talent will be wasted if they don't focus on improving every day. That is the spirit of Iowa's "developmental" program ... to have guys never get complacent and have them instead focus upon improving through every day.
Cooper DeJean is an athletic freak ... but that matter's little if he didn't also embrace Phil Parker's school of defensive backs ... essentially giving him a "master's-level" understanding of DB-play. Of course, that's where Cooper's high football IQ came in handy too ... playing a QB in high school left him well-equipped to be able to see the game of football in the bigger picture.
Same thing goes for Higgins ... another really smart player ... but what he brings to the table doesn't matter if he's not trying to learn all he can from the guys who were ahead of him ... guys like Campbell, Jacobs, and Benson. However, by all reports ... Higgins has embraced Iowa's developmental approach ... and he continues to demonstrate improvement through each year!
One of my favorites is Noah Shannon ... dude started off his career at Iowa demonstrating "flashes" ... but he lacked in consistency. The flashes he demonstrated were a nose for the football and a Mike Daniels-like ability to get low, bulldoze, and split-through the offensive line. What we saw last year was a culmination of him continuing to grow as a player and improve his consistency. Here's his progression ...
'20 season: Probably our #4 DT, playing through 8 games
11 total tackles, 0.5 TFLs, 0.5 sacks, 1 break-up
'21 season: Probably our #2 DT, a starter, playing through 14 games
47 total tackles, 2 TFLs, 2 sacks, 2 qb hurries
'22 season: Probably our co-#1 DT, a starter, playing through 13 games
44 total tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 break-up, 3 qb hurries
It's also relevant to recognize that Shannon has been increasing his productivity, all while our DT depth talent and/or experience has continued to grow and improve. Every guy on our DL gets spelled A LOT ... because of the depth that Coach Bell has developed at the position. Thus, the productivity is pretty darn impressive given the fact that the snaps are getting spread out over a bunch of guys.
Anyhow, I look for Noah to continue his progression.
The point being ... the talent matters ... of course it does! However, it also matters that the guys are invested in improving too.
As Jack Campbell has rightly recognized ... some programs rely upon a talent-acquisition model ... and some guys play at a high-level from pretty early on ... but they don't always improve a lot through college. The issue there is that the guys don't invest in continued improvement.
Iowa continues to "punch above our weight class" ... because the coaches find really talented guys ... AND they coach 'em up too!
Weisskopf probably gets a look first at LB ... however, he's a long, athletic dude. I don't thing that it is a stretch to imagine that he could project at TE too ... at least if the need arises.
However, all that said ... in the short term, we'll be seeing Jackson and Higgins graduating sooner rather than later ... so reloading at LB still ought to be a continued priority.
I don't know why those 5 stars won't leave Florida and Georgia and come to Iowa City.Recruiting doesn’t matter here. We’re a developmental program.
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