Rowell sees why Iowa is unique
Tom Kakert | Editor
Class of 2017 prospect Jordan Rowell visited Iowa City this past weekend.
The recruiting process that Matt Bowen went through back in 1995 is very different than the one he is helping guide one of his high school players through in the new age of college football.
For Bowen, who played for Iowa in the late 90’s, the process really began in earnest during his senior year of high school. For Jordan Rowell, a prospect in the Class of 2017 that he helps coach at Immaculate Conception in Elmhurst, IL, the process is already well underway during his junior year of high school.
This past Sunday, Bowen, who was a second team All Big Ten performer in 1999 and went on to a seven year career in the NFL, brought Rowell back to his alma mater for Iowa’s Junior Day.
The Hawkeyes have already extended a scholarship offer to Rowell, a 6-foot-2 and 190 pound athlete, and Bowen was proud to show him where he learned and grew as a player for the Hawkeyes.
“It’s very rewarding to be coaching a young man that is being recruited by a Big Ten school. It means a lot for Iowa to offer him and I was very proud to take him out there for a visit being that it is my alma mater,” Bowen said. “He knows how I feel about Iowa and he loved it. He hadn’t been out there, so it was important for him to see what a Big Ten University was like and what it can provide him. We walked around campus a little bit and for a high school kid is a lot to take in. It was a great experience for him to see the campus, see the facilities, and see everything that Iowa City and the University of Iowa has to offer.”
The visit included spending time at the new practice facility that opened last year. For Bowen, it was a trip down memory lane thinking about the new facility that just opened back in 1995 when he arrived at the University of Iowa.
“They (the facilities) were new in 1995 when I first got to Iowa and I thought it was the greatest thing in the world. Now, you could fit that one into this one a couple of times. I think the facilities at Iowa are the best in the country," he said. "What they provide to the student-athlete is unbelievable, starting with the weight room facilities."
Iowa has offered Rowell and he has been receiving interest from Wisconsin, Purdue, Missouri, and Nebraska, along with many other schools. While he has played running back, Bowen feels that he could develop into a very good player at a number of positions and that’s why Iowa is very interested in him.
“I think they want him as a football player and that’s the best thing that can happen to him. I told him that I went to Iowa as a quarterback and played seven years in the NFL as a safety. What position you play right now doesn’t matter. He’s 17 years old, so he’s still developing and where that ends up, we don’t know. He might be a linebacker or a free safety or a running back,” Bowen said. “I just know he’s one of the most talented kids I’ve ever seen at that age in terms of functional athletic ability and the things he can do on a football field. Then if you add in a Big Ten strength staff and his development will take off. He has the frame to play a lot of positions and the athletic ability and toughness on the football field to do just about anything you need on either side of the ball.”
At this point, Rowell has no other unofficial visits played and isn’t scheduled attend any camps this spring. That will come as they move forward with the recruiting process. Right now he is taking things slow and there is no pressure being applied to commit.
“Coach Ferentz and staff didn’t put any pressure on him to commit and there’s no pressure to pick a specific position,” Bowen said. “I think they want him to be comfortable. He knows the offer is there and it will be up to him and his family to decide what the best place is for him. I know Iowa is high on his list and how could it not be once you go out there and see what Iowa have to offer.”
For Bowen this visit was a trip down memory lane. It’s rare in today’s college game where you can go back 17 years later and see many of the same people coaching that were there many years ago. According to Bowen that’s what makes Iowa a special place.
“The fact that I can go back 17 years later and pick right up with Coach Ferentz, Coach Doyle, Brian Ferentz, LeVar Woods and everyone else is special to me and I believe that Jordan saw that today. He got a glimpse of what makes Iowa a unique and special place.”
Tom Kakert | Editor
Class of 2017 prospect Jordan Rowell visited Iowa City this past weekend.
The recruiting process that Matt Bowen went through back in 1995 is very different than the one he is helping guide one of his high school players through in the new age of college football.
For Bowen, who played for Iowa in the late 90’s, the process really began in earnest during his senior year of high school. For Jordan Rowell, a prospect in the Class of 2017 that he helps coach at Immaculate Conception in Elmhurst, IL, the process is already well underway during his junior year of high school.
This past Sunday, Bowen, who was a second team All Big Ten performer in 1999 and went on to a seven year career in the NFL, brought Rowell back to his alma mater for Iowa’s Junior Day.
The Hawkeyes have already extended a scholarship offer to Rowell, a 6-foot-2 and 190 pound athlete, and Bowen was proud to show him where he learned and grew as a player for the Hawkeyes.
“It’s very rewarding to be coaching a young man that is being recruited by a Big Ten school. It means a lot for Iowa to offer him and I was very proud to take him out there for a visit being that it is my alma mater,” Bowen said. “He knows how I feel about Iowa and he loved it. He hadn’t been out there, so it was important for him to see what a Big Ten University was like and what it can provide him. We walked around campus a little bit and for a high school kid is a lot to take in. It was a great experience for him to see the campus, see the facilities, and see everything that Iowa City and the University of Iowa has to offer.”
The visit included spending time at the new practice facility that opened last year. For Bowen, it was a trip down memory lane thinking about the new facility that just opened back in 1995 when he arrived at the University of Iowa.
“They (the facilities) were new in 1995 when I first got to Iowa and I thought it was the greatest thing in the world. Now, you could fit that one into this one a couple of times. I think the facilities at Iowa are the best in the country," he said. "What they provide to the student-athlete is unbelievable, starting with the weight room facilities."
Iowa has offered Rowell and he has been receiving interest from Wisconsin, Purdue, Missouri, and Nebraska, along with many other schools. While he has played running back, Bowen feels that he could develop into a very good player at a number of positions and that’s why Iowa is very interested in him.
“I think they want him as a football player and that’s the best thing that can happen to him. I told him that I went to Iowa as a quarterback and played seven years in the NFL as a safety. What position you play right now doesn’t matter. He’s 17 years old, so he’s still developing and where that ends up, we don’t know. He might be a linebacker or a free safety or a running back,” Bowen said. “I just know he’s one of the most talented kids I’ve ever seen at that age in terms of functional athletic ability and the things he can do on a football field. Then if you add in a Big Ten strength staff and his development will take off. He has the frame to play a lot of positions and the athletic ability and toughness on the football field to do just about anything you need on either side of the ball.”
At this point, Rowell has no other unofficial visits played and isn’t scheduled attend any camps this spring. That will come as they move forward with the recruiting process. Right now he is taking things slow and there is no pressure being applied to commit.
“Coach Ferentz and staff didn’t put any pressure on him to commit and there’s no pressure to pick a specific position,” Bowen said. “I think they want him to be comfortable. He knows the offer is there and it will be up to him and his family to decide what the best place is for him. I know Iowa is high on his list and how could it not be once you go out there and see what Iowa have to offer.”
For Bowen this visit was a trip down memory lane. It’s rare in today’s college game where you can go back 17 years later and see many of the same people coaching that were there many years ago. According to Bowen that’s what makes Iowa a special place.
“The fact that I can go back 17 years later and pick right up with Coach Ferentz, Coach Doyle, Brian Ferentz, LeVar Woods and everyone else is special to me and I believe that Jordan saw that today. He got a glimpse of what makes Iowa a unique and special place.”
