Monday, July 9, 2012

Top 50 Hawkeyes of the Kirk Ferentz Era: 40-31

40.  S-Brett Greenwood:  2007-2010
(qctimes.com)
Greenwood started for three and a half years.  Not to bad for a walk-on.  When he first started some people questioned why this walk-on was starting.  But, he improved and became an all-around player and more than a ball-hawk.  However, he was a nice ball-hawk as he ended his career with 12 interceptions(seems like he had a lot more).  


39.  LB-AJ Edds:  2006-2009
(hawkeyereport.com)
After playing sparingly as a true freshman; Edds started for the next three years and had a very nice career for Iowa.  Edds was recruited as a tight end but moved to linebacker and never looked back.  Edds was a tough and smart player(three time All Academic Big Ten).  He ended his career with 226 career tackles, 12.5 tackles for lost, and 7 interceptions.  Edds is currently a member of the Indianapolis Colts.  


38.  WR-Ed Hinkel-2002-2005
(bleachereport.com)
Hinkel may not have had the stats of Clinton Solomon but he was a 4 year player and a solid punt returner as well.  He was never flashy but was possibly the most dependable wide receiver Iowa has had.  "Easy" Eddie ended his career with 135 receptions and 15 touchdowns.  Hinkel, one of three Erie, PA natives on this list was recruited as a pretty high safety prospect.  

37.  DE-Howard Hodges:  2000-2003
(nationalchamps.net)
I was always a fan of Hodges.  He was part of the defense that helped turn Iowa around.      After playing as a key reserve as a freshman he missed a lot of his sophomore year due to injuries.  However, he came back as a very good starter for his junior and senior year.  He was first team All Big Ten as a junior and was on the preseason Outland Trophy list as a senior.  The Texas native ended his career with 21 sacks and 26 tackles for lost.  

36.  OL-Seth Olsen:  2005-2008
(qctimes.com)
I have to admit, it is a little harder for me to rank offensive linemen.  However, anyone that starts at OL at Iowa for three seasons is a nice player.  Olsen was a key reserve as a redshirt freshman and then moved into the starting lineup during his sophomore year.  Olsen then was a key starter for the rest of his career.  By his junior year he was Honorable Mention All Big Ten and was first team Big Ten as a senior.  He was also first team All American by Rivals as a senior.  Olsen was a fourth round draft pick by the Denver Broncos.  


35.  LB-Fred Barr:  1999-2002
(thegazette.com)  
Like Howard Hodges, this linebacker from Florida was a key part of the strong defense that led to Iowa's turnaround.  Solid player that started 36 games for his career including 6 as a freshman.  As a senior, Barr was first team All-Big Ten.  He was a tackling machine ending his career with 376 tackles and 24 tackles for loss.    

34.  DE-Kenny Iwebema:  2004-2007
(iowa.scout.com)
Iwebema just looked like a star with his 6'4/280 pound frame.  However, although he had a solid career, I often think of untapped potential when I think of him.  Iwebema had a very good sophomore year recording 7 sacks and 10 tackles for lost. He was  named All-Big Ten First team.  However, he never would have a better season as he was injured ridden during his junior year and had an underachieving senior year.  Still he had a very solid career and did play for the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL.  

33.  TE-Scott Chandler:  2003-2006
(hawkeyelocator.worldpress.com)
The 6-7 athlete out of Texas had a very solid and somewhat underrated career for Iowa.  It is hard to believe, but he was actually recruited as a wide receiver and played that as a true freshman.  However, he moved to TE as a sophomore and stayed there for the rest of his career.  He started getting more playing time as a sophomore and started for his last two years.  He ended his career with 117 receptions and 1,467 receiving yards.  After moving around a bit in the NFL he has seemed to made a home in Buffalo and is their expected starter this season.  

32.  WR-Kevin Kasper:  1997-2000
(www.kevinkasper.com)
One of the few players on this list that played for Ferentz and Hayden Fry.  By the time Kasper used up his eligibility, the former walk-on was Iowa's career leader in receptions with 157 receptions.  He is now currently third all time.  Kasper had a huge senior year with 82 receptions, 1,010 yards, and 7 touchdowns.

31.  RB-Fred Russell:  2000-2003
(bleacherreport.com)
He was just 5'8, but he played a lot bigger than that.  After being a special teams player as a freshman and a reserve as a sophomore had two huge seasons.  He became just the third Iowa Hawkeye ever to run for over a 1,000 yards in two seasons.  He combined for 2,619 yards as a junior and senior.  He was first team All-Big Ten as a junior and senior and was the MVP of the Outback Bowl as a senior.  





Top 50 Hawkeyes of the Kirk Ferentz Era: 50-41

50.  WR-Khalil Hill-1998-2001
(thegazette.com)
Khalil had a nice career for the Hawks.  He was troubled as he sat out his whole sophomore season.  He was also a very good special teams player as he returned kicks and punts.  He became the first freshman to lead the team in receptions.  Ended with 152 career receptions.  


49.  DT-Karl Klug-2007-2010
(fannation.com)
When he signed out of a tiny Minnesota school some people compared him to Chad Greenway who came from a tiny South Dakota school.  While he never became a Chad Greenway, he ended up being a very good player for Iowa.  Klug was a key reserve as a sophmore and than started two seasons.  He sometimes was underrated lining up next to the likes of Christian Ballard and Adrian Clayborn but he had a very nice career.  Klug also had a nice rookie season for the Titans last year.  


48.  DT-Matt Kroul-2005-2008
(thegazette.com)
Kroul was never a star but was a solid player.  His most impressive stat was that he started all 50 games of his career which was an Iowa record.  Along with Mitch King, Kroul was a very nice DT tackle combination.  Ended career with 238 tackles and was on the team's leadership team every year.  Kroul is now a member of the New York Jets as an offensive lineman.  He will try to make the team this year.  

47.  DB-Charles Godfrey-2004-2007
(hawkeyesports.com)
Godfrey started for his junior and senior years but was a key contributor throughout his career on defense. He was a key special teams player throughout his career as well.  He was the team's top special team player as a sophomore.  As a senior he had 5 interceptions.  He has made a nice career for himself as a Carolina Panther. 

46.  DE-Bryan Mattison-2004-2007
(cstv.com)
Mattison had a very nice career for Iowa.  He was a three year starter for Iowa and was a key reserve as a freshman as well.  Mattison ended his career with 20 sacks.  As a senior he was 2nd team All-Big Ten.  Mattison has played for the Ravens and the St. Louis Rams as an offensive lineman.

45.  OT-Marshal Yanda-2005-2006
(nfldraftexpert.blogspot.com)
Yanda started for both years that he was a Hawk after transferring from a junior college.  He played both guard and tackle for Iowa.  Yanda has had a nice career for the Baltimore Ravens.   Yanda was a Pro Bowler last year for the Ravens.   

44.  TE:  Tony Moeaki-2005-2009
(blackheartgoldpants.com)
Moeaki may be the most talented TE to play for Iowa but he struggled to stay healthy.  Moeaki had a very nice senior year earning first team All-Big Ten honors.  Moeaki caught 30 receptions for 387 yards as a senior.  Moeki had a nice rookie season for Kansas City but missed all of his second year due to injuries.  

43.  DL-Christian Ballard-2007-2010
(thegazette.com)
Three year starter for Iowa.  He played both DE and DT for the Hawkeyes during his career.  Ballard ended up his career with 12.5 sacks.  Ballard was part of a very good defensive line along with the likes of Adrian Clayborn, Broderick Binns, Mike Daniels, and Karl Klug.   Ballard now plays for the Minnesota Vikings.    

42.  WR-Clinton Soloman-2002, 2004-2005
(http://hawkeyelocator.wordpress.com/)
Soloman had a very nice career for Iowa.  He only played 3 years for Iowa as he missed his sophomore year due to academics and played at junior college.  In three years though, he had a very nice career with 118 receptions, 1,864 yards(7th best in school history), and 14 touchdowns.  His best year was his junior year when he caught 58 passes for 905 yards.  

41.  P-Ryan Donahue-2007-2010
(www.hawkcentral.com)
It may seem weird to have a punter but he was a key weapon for Iowa throughout his career.  He had a nice leg but also was good at kicking inside the 20 and avoiding touch backs.  Iowa had some nice defensive teams during his tenure at Iowa and having a punter like Donahue backing up opposing offenses made Iowa even tougher.  Donahue made the roster of the Detroit Lions last year as a rookie free agent.  

Top 50 Position Breakdown:

QB:  3
RB:  4
WR:  6
TE:  3
OL:  8
DL:  12
LB:  5
CB:  4
S:  3
K: 1
P: 1

Right now I have no current players in the top 50.  There are a few who could enter it with a good year:
QB:  James Vanderberg
WR:  Keenan Davis
TE:  CJ Fiedorowicz
C: James Ferentz
OL:  Brandon Scherff
LB:  James Morris
LB:  Christian Kirksley
DB:  Micah Hyde
CB:  BJ Lowery

Top 50 Kirk Ferentz Era Iowa Hawkeyes: Honorable Mention

LB-Mike Klinkenborg
S-Sean Considine
OT-David Porter
OL: Dace Richardson
LB Grant Steen
LB Tyler Nielson
RB-Marcus Coker
LB Mike Humpal
DB Bradley Fletcher
C Rob Bruggerman
DE Broderick Binns
DT Mike Daniels
TE Brandon Myers
DT Jared Clauss
TE-Allen Reisner
WR/PR-Andy Brodell
OL Adam Gettis
OL-Brian Ferentz  
CB-Antwan Allen
LB-LeVar Woods
DT-Anthony Herron
OL-Julian Vandervelde
For me Klinkenborg and Considine were the toughest to leave out.  I was a huge fan of Klinkenborg who had a solid career.  He had to replace Abdul Hodge which was not an easy thing to do.  Sean Considine was another tough one to leave out.  To bad Dace Richardson had so many injuries as he could have been special.  Some people forget he was a first team All Big Ten in 2009.  

Friday, July 6, 2012

2012 Schedule(home games in bold):

9/1/12:  at Northern Illinois (Soldier Field) 2:30 PM-ESPN U

9/8/12:  Iowa State 2:30 PM-BTN


9/15/12:  Northern Iowa 2:30 PM-BTN


9/22/12:  Central Michigan TBA


9/29/12:  Minnesota 11:00-TBA


10/13/12:  at Michigan State 11:00 AM BTN or ESPN 2

10/20/12:  Penn State 7:00 PM-BTN

10/27/12:  at Northwestern 11:00 AM-BTN or ESPN 2

11/03/12:  at Indiana TBA

11/10/12 Purdue TBA

11/17/12 at Michigan TBA

11/23/12 Nebraska 11:00 AM-ABC