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Week 1 Depth Chart/Game Notes

Holy moses, just watched Amani Jones' tape, not sure of the level of competition but didn't matter, he flat out destroyed everyone in his path! Also played offense, couldn't be tackled. Pretty cool Nash has wanted to be a Hawk for a long time, no offer out of HS, went to IWCC in Council Bluffs, got a walk on offer and here he is.
 
Well in that spirit and with the information in tow that we underestimate our own athleticism regularly and using Cole Fisher as our guide… This is per the listing of Iowa pro day numbers at Hawkeye Nation last spring...

Cole ran a 4.78, not blistering but it's worth noting that would be an average time for an NFL linebacker and there are still NFL wide receivers that run in the high 4.6 and low 4.7s just saying...

More importantly and more indicative of explosion and quickness he had a 33 inch Vert, 4.24 shuttle, and a 6.89, 3 cone drill...

In comparison to 2 recent Alabama greats and no I'm not comparing him to them they were awesome football players Cole was a very solid football player. But it's worth noting speed isn't what makes a great football player a great football player knows what he's doing and how to do it...

Donta Hightower ran a 4.68 but a 32 in vert, 4.64 shuttle and 7.55 3-cone

Reggie Ragland...4.72 31.5 and a 4.28 shuttle... I couldn't find a three cone listed?

Now as it relates to Bo I don't know but I'll be really surprised if he doesn't run in the mid 4.7s or better and end up with pretty damn fine Pro day numbers
 
For anyone interested & for comparison AJ Hawk if memory serves Ran a 4.48 and although he's been a long time pro he's never really ever been particularly awesome just ask Packer fans what they think of him.

He's actually probably been a little under rated by them he's been solid but unspectacular but the point is... It's not the speed but rather what you do with what you've got!
 
Well in an effort to simplify things I count 8 kids from the 2015 recruiting class not counting Angelo Garbutt who had been in the mix but that also includes Daniels and Smith who played last year.

It also doesn't include walk on Brandon Snyder who is of course on scholarship now nor the fullbacks because I can't remember what year they are?
 
8 Freshmen

6 Redshirt Freshmen on 2 deep

Total Freshmen = 14

A. Nelson DE starter
Rastetter P
Ross FB
Levi Paulsen RT
Waechter LT
Reiff DE
 
Pretty sure Bower is actually better in coverage than mends....mends is a downhill "bring the hammer" type of player


And for what it's worth it probably should be mentioned that if Bower hasn't improved dramatically he will get replaced again because as good as we need our coverage to be one of Anthony Hitchens failures when he was a young linebacker was getting downhill in a hurry!

In fact some of you probably remember reading an article about Coach Reid not letting him do anything but go downhill in an effort to break him of overthinking things and getting out of position!
 
8 Freshmen

6 Redshirt Freshmen on 2 deep

Total Freshmen = 14

A. Nelson DE starter
Rastetter P
Ross FB
Levi Paulsen RT
Waechter LT
Reiff DE

I missed the punter and the fullback and I believe you missed Hockaday and Snyder
 
oops scratch that I was wrong I didn't realize Hockaday was a sophomore already, right?
 
Nope semi wrong again he is indeed a sophomore but he was in that 2015 recruiting class so these last two classes as I've always thought have been awesome...

I forgot he played last year as a true Frosh
 
Easily confused. He is a true Sophomore, so a part of that 2015 class.

Thanks, these last few classes have really fueled a resurgence and I think the most important thing is the leadership dichotomy
 
Nine others are from the 2014 class and a few of them played as true freshman
 
the lack of big stars at wide receiver and tight end, well... a little frightening

I understand we cannot have djk and dallas clark every year
 
the lack of big stars at wide receiver and tight end, well... a little frightening

I understand we cannot have djk and dallas clark every year

Well given the opportunity Id probably pick 10 past Iowa wide receivers other than DJK and from what I've seen George Kittle is a sure fire draft pick and pretty highly thought of!
 
Well given the opportunity Id probably pick 10 past Iowa wide receivers other than DJK and from what I've seen George Kittle is a sure fire draft pick and pretty highly thought of!
I like that #9 smith dude from TX, hope he does good this year, he dropped a few last year maybe he's ready to go
 
I like that #9 smith dude from TX, hope he does good this year, he dropped a few last year maybe he's ready to go

I think the wide receivers will be a little better than average and maybe even surprisingly better than...I actually am somewhat worried about tight end because we need somebody to run those two and three TE packages and they need to be able to block not just catch passes I know Our fans hate to hear that but it's an Integral part of what we do. More to the Truth they need to be able to do both reasonably well so that it's not a tell...
 
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I think the wide receivers will be a little better than average and maybe even surprisingly better than...I actually am somewhat worried about tight end because we need somebody to run those two and three TE packages and they need to be able to block not just catch passes I know Our fans hate to hear that but it's an Integral part of what we do. More to the Truth they need to be able to do both reasonably well so that it's not a tell...
yeah and GD is a big tight ends guy. and running backs always seem to find a way to get .... { oh crap don't jinx it!}
 
Not including the kickers, still could add some more Freshmen and RS Freshmen with coverage and return teams.
 
I do see this as something the players need to take personally. However, I think it is something purely to motivate some players the staff does not feel is giving everything they've got. It all goes back to the cliché, "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."
 
good to see depth at key positions!!
This. It will be nice to have this depth playing at a similar level...what I mean is it sounds like there may be not much dropoff at key spots which will keep us fresh...so hopefully we don't see the defense fade on long drives like has happened semi frequently in the past...looks like we can rotate a lot of guys in with quality depth...which is what I think we have lacked in the past...pretty exciting...can't wait to see what they can do.
 
Possible reasons for KF 3.5 listing freshmen in the 2 deep:
  • They are truly talented
  • Motivation for other players
  • Recruiting buzz....if you play freshmen, it let's the high school kid who thinks he is a stud think they have a chance of over taking an upperclassman.
  • Injuries have held back others
  • We lacked talent in the program
 
Better get the kicking game figured out quick. Iowa needs a solid kicker to win all the close games that they will be in.
 
Possible reasons for KF 3.5 listing freshmen in the 2 deep:
  • They are truly talented
  • Motivation for other players
  • Recruiting buzz....if you play freshmen, it let's the high school kid who thinks he is a stud think they have a chance of over taking an upperclassman.
  • Injuries have held back others
  • We lacked talent in the program



Yes....in the Spirit of pumping the brakes a bit, those are all legitimate reasons. As a quick aside the KF 2.0, 3.0, 3.5 meme is cute but we have had seasons before where we played plenty of true Frosh, Honestly I don't see a ton different other than some of our approaches, KF being more accessible and the team all lock step with each other. We have always thrown down field more than the fans remember, (didn't complete many sometimes..doh!) we weren't as "conservative" as people remember either but I do think we might be a tick more agressive and oddly enough I think KF is less stressed and having more fun. Of course winning does that...

Now back on track I think this team was initially more talented and deeper than some of those other years when we played a bunch of Frosh. I think Lattimore was out of need and so is Young, but Lber and CB in my opinion are 2 of our deepest and most talented positions on the field so that is intriguing news to see them show there.

Here is where I got excited...To start with I purposely ratchet things way, way, way down now becasue I'm to old to cry like a baby when we lose. I don't read and speculate at all like I used to. So when I saw Brady Reif show on a depth chart I was really surprised becasue it sounded like a true Frosh or two was going to "have" to show there and all of a sudden there he is. Thats a good thing..

At DB I'd had great feelings and heard awesome stuff about how much the Staff and others loved Rugumba, but I also know they love Jackson and Ojemudia so again, thats huge. Throw in the seeming love of Boswell and our DB recruiting per usual is very good.

At WR we needed some love there and I really did have good feelings about both Young and Darby (unfortunate) and he appears to have the requisite ability.

Amani Hooker and Amani Jones I loved coming in and there they are at positions where we typically have NFL type players so again huge. Welch who I though was a great athlete but I hadn't heard much and so he was a real shocker, because although I think we have a ton of talent at Mike and Will I think Leo is sketchy behind Niemann.

A couple other awesome things in my mind, the last 4 classes have really showed up big and in fact the outgoing class (2012) has the least amount of 2-deepers with 6 if I count right. A few graduated last year that played as Frosh.

I'm super excited about the Nelson boys and was really surprised to see Anthony on top based on how much they seem to like Matt. Injuries likely played a role but all the same..

Jack Hockaday is another that I have been very excited about since his signing and nice to see he has battled through injuries.

Amani Jones was a huge get in my mind and there he is...kind of forgotten on the recruiting trail but he is a stud.

I know many desperately wanted Mends to start and I'll confess I'm a fan and wanted to split up the classes on our starting units. With that said the fact that Bower, stayed engaged, worked hard, dug in and won that job back is HUGE! Its honestly super suggestive of what THIS team and Sports for that matter is about and should be. Hard work, desire and staying with it. He is also a way, better athlete than his detractors assume.

And seeing some of these O-line guys from the previous couple classes start showing on depth charts is also huge for the program in my mind.

Only 3 surprises negatively and that is I've been really, excited to see what Slater could do and it seems he is still on the outside looking in.

Is Angelo Garbutt hurt because I read several twitter accounts by Hawkeye Gamefilm among others that he was a super stud in waiting..

Mends is a sensational athlete I hope he too stays engaged because we will need him...
 
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Holy moses, just watched Amani Jones' tape, not sure of the level of competition but didn't matter, he flat out destroyed everyone in his path! Also played offense, couldn't be tackled. Pretty cool Nash has wanted to be a Hawk for a long time, no offer out of HS, went to IWCC in Council Bluffs, got a walk on offer and here he is.

I also just watched Amani Jones highlights and I can now understand why KF said "he's our kind of guy." He wants to punish people. Very Bob Sanders-like. I also saw that in the video I watched of I think that Kallenberger guy from Bettendorf.
 
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And for what it's worth it probably should be mentioned that if Bower hasn't improved dramatically he will get replaced again because as good as we need our coverage to be one of Anthony Hitchens failures when he was a young linebacker was getting downhill in a hurry!

In fact some of you probably remember reading an article about Coach Reid not letting him do anything but go downhill in an effort to break him of overthinking things and getting out of position!

This. I wouldnt be worried about Bower in coverage, I'd be worried against the run. The WLB position in this defense plays in the box most of the time, and will have to make plays against the run (see Anthony Hitchens).
 
Possible reasons for KF 3.5 listing freshmen in the 2 deep:
  • They are truly talented
  • Motivation for other players
  • Recruiting buzz....if you play freshmen, it let's the high school kid who thinks he is a stud think they have a chance of over taking an upperclassman.
  • Injuries have held back others
  • We lacked talent in the program
I think part of it is the 10-11 scholarship players we have lost through attrition since the end of last season. That hurts and I am sure a few of those guys would have been in the 2 deeps this season.
 
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