Iowa 2012 Recruiting

Iowa Hawkeyes 2012 Season ... Head Coach: Kirk Ferentz

Iowa Hawkeyes

2011 Record: 7-6

Sep. 3 Tennessee Tech W 34-7
Sep. 10 at Iowa State L 44-41 OT
Sep. 17 Pitt W 31-27
Sep. 24 ULM W 45-17
Oct. 1 OPEN DATE
Oct. 8 at Penn State L 13-3
Oct. 15 Northwestern W 41-31
Oct. 22 Indiana W 45-24
Oct. 29 at Minnesota L 22-21
Nov. 5 Michigan W 24-16
Nov. 12 Michigan State L 37-21
Nov. 19 at Purdue W 31-21
Nov. 26 at Nebraska L 20-7
Insight Bowl
Dec. 30 Oklahoma L 31-14

2010 CFN Prediction: 9-3
2010 Record: 8-5

Sept. 4 Eastern Illinois W 37-7
Sept. 11 Iowa State W 35-7
Sept. 18 at Arizona L 34-27
Sept. 25 Ball State W 45-0
Oct. 2 Penn State W 24-3
Oct. 9 OPEN DATE
Oct. 16 at Michigan W 38-28
Oct. 23 Wisconsin L 31-30
Oct. 30 Michigan St W 37-6
Nov. 6 at Indiana L 18-13
Nov. 13 at Northwestern L 21-17
Nov. 20 Ohio State L 20-17
Nov. 27 at Minnesota L 27-24
INSIGHT BOWL
Dec. 28 Missouri W 27-24
- Get Tickets

The Entire 2012 Recruiting Class

Top 5 Iowa Recruits To Care About
Player writeups by Scout.com

1. DT Faith Ekakitie
6-3, 275, Scout.com 13th ranked, four-star defensive tackle. Ekakitie is a fantastic athlete who is light on his feet for a bigger guy and has made the transition from linebacker to end and now is likely to grow into an interior guy. Has not always faced top competition and will have to adjust to going against bigger, stronger linemen, but did well in post-season all-star games when faced with other D1 athletes. High upside, but may need a year or two before contributing.

2. RB Greg Garmon
6-2, 200, Scout.com 15th ranked, four-star running back. Garmon may be the best home run threat amongst the running backs in the state. He is a big play back who thrives on making people miss and being elusive in the open field. He is very versatile and could play a numbers of positions at the next level. He has game changing speed and has a very high ceiling.

3. DT Jaleel Johnson
6-3, 290, Scout.com 20th ranked, four-star defensive tackle. Johnson is a big interior plugger with good strength. He ties up blockers and plays with pretty good pad level. He's not a particularly quick guy and will have to improve overall agility and conditioning.

4. OG Alex Kozan
6-4, 295, Scout.com 16th ranked, three-star guard. Is a big, thick, wide-hipped prospect that plays with a good base, uses his hands well and is a finisher. His stance keeps him leaning very far forward and is best suited in the run game, will need to get back on his heals in college to protect the passer better. Plays left tackle now but will move inside and play guard at the next level.

5. PK Connor Kornbrath
6-7, 210, Scout.com 13th ranked, three-star kicker. As a junior, led all state kickers in scoring at 4.8 points per game. Made seven of 12 field goals, including a school record 51-yarder and a state playoff record 47-yarder. Also had 19 touchbacks, again tops in the state. Earned first team All-State All-Conference 1st Team Kicker, All-Region and All-County selections.

The 2012 Class Was Heavy On... Skill players. The stars of the last two classes were on the defensive line, and this year the stars appear to be the tackles. The offense is set at quarterback for a while, and will have to be addressed next year, but the Hawkeye running back situation that always seems to be full of drama needs more options. The receiving corps might not have any superstar prospects, but there are enough decent ones to develop for 2014.

Team Concerns For 2012: Running back. With Marcus Coker dismissed and backup Jason White gone, the Hawkeyes have to find someone to take the heat off QB James Vandenberg. Iowa always find Cokers, and Shonn Greenes, and backs who can take over and make the offense shine, but the options are slimmer than normal this year. Finding a No. 1 target to replace Marvin McNutt is also a must.

Looking Ahead To The 2012 Season: It could be another down year with a slew of new starters needing to play huge roles. Iowa lost star running back Marcus Coker, top receiver Marvin McNutt, and NFL-bound tackle Riley Reiff, so how is the attack going to be more consistent? It’s probably won’t be, even though QB James Vandenberg returns and Keenan Davis is ready to fill the role of a No. 1 receiver. Only two starters are back on a shaky offensive line, while the underwhelming defensive front has to replace three starters including tacle Mike Daniels and end Broderick Binns. Leading tackler James Morris returns, but corner Shaun Prater and SS Jordan Bernstine have to be replaced.

The 2011 Class Was Heavy On … Defensive linemen. The controversy off the field didn’t make much of an impact in recruiting as Kirk Ferentz and his staff came up with one of the program’s better classes in a while. The lines got tremendous help with guard Jordan Walsh a special prospect and Austin Blythe a good-looking guard. Darian Cooper has all the talent to be the team’s next great defensive lineman, while Riley McMinn and John Raymon are strong pass rushers. Iowa also loaded up on tight ends, getting three nice once including 6-5, 230-pound pass catcher Ray Hamilton.

2010 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 36. That Class Was Heavy On ... Defensive linemen. After a mediocre class last year, Iowa came up with a strong haul of talent this recruiting season starting with several great prospects for the defensive line. Carl Davis is one of the bigger tackles the defense has had in a while, checking in at 300 pounds, while ends Mike Hardy and Louis Trinca-Pasat have good size. On the offensive side, tackle Andrew Donnal is the key to the class with NFL size and the frame to get a lot bigger. The openings will be there among the skill players to step up and shine next ear, and tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz could be too good to keep off the field.

2009 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 71. That Class Was Heavy On ... receivers. Keenan Davis was one of the Big Ten’s best wide receiver recruits and might be needed sooner than later. There weren’t any other major stars, but Jordan Cotton and Josh Brown will be factors by 2011 and three tight ends, led by Anthony Schiavone, were brought in. Iowa does a great job of developing tight ends.

Insight Bowl
Oklahoma 31 … Iowa 14
- CFN Thoughts on the Insight

Oklahoma: Landry Jones completed 16-of-25 passes for 161 yards and a score with a pick … QB Blake Bell led the team with 51 yards and three touchdowns on ten carries. … Kameel Jackson made three catches for 45 yards. … P Tress Way averaged 50.3 yards per kick on six attempts with one put inside the 20. … Jamell Fleming tied for the team lead with seven tackles with a pick and three broken up passes while helping to keep Iowa’s Marvin McNutt to just 46 yards on four catches.

Iowa: James Vandenberg completed 23-of-44 passes for 216 yards and two scores with a pick. … Jordan Canzeri ran 22 times for 59 yards and led the team with six catches for 28 yards and a score. … LB Tyler Nielsen made eight tackles, while DT Mike Daniels made five tackles with two sacks and three tackles for loss.

(AP) TEMPE, Ariz. -- Blake Bell ran for three touchdowns to help No. 19 Oklahoma survive a late rally and a crashing camera to beat Iowa 31-14 in the Insight Bowl Friday night.

Oklahoma (10-3) didn't get a particularly great game from quarterback Landry Jones and wasn't effective on the ground, either. Once considered national-title contenders, the Sooners grinded it out against the gritty Hawkeyes, ending a difficult year that included the death of linebacker Austin Box in the offseason.

Jones threw for 161 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and Bell put the game away with a 21-yard touchdown run with 45 seconds left.

"It means a lot; these guys persevered," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. "(They) came out here tonight and played an excellent game."

Iowa (7-6) fell into a 21-0 hole before rallying behind two touchdown passes from James Vandenberg. The Hawkeyes came up just short and dodged a potential disaster when an overhead camera crashed to the field next to receiver Marvin McNutt in the closing minutes. McNutt became tangled in the wire after the camera landed a few yards behind him, but wasn't hurt. The game was delayed 5 minutes while the camera was dragged off the field.

Vandenberg overcame an early interception to throw for 216 yards, but had two interceptions while the Hawkeyes rushed for just 76 yards to end a school-record three-game bowl winning streak.

Oklahoma's return trip to the desert wasn't expected, at least not this early in the bowl season.

Coming off a rout of Connecticut in last year's Fiesta Bowl, the Sooners were ranked No. 1 in the preseason, with hopes of a second national title under Stoops.

Those aspirations were gone after a string of injuries -- All-American receiver Ryan Broyles' torn ACL was the big one -- and two losses in the final three games, including a 44-10 rout by Bedlam rival Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship game.

The frustrating run knocked Oklahoma out of not only the national championship chase, but out of a BCS bowl and into the Insight Bowl.

Instead of making a statement in the desert, the Sooners seemed to stand still in the first half, gaining yards in little bits instead of their usual chunks. Oklahoma had just 89 yards on 27 plays in the half, but led 14-0 thanks a pair of 4-yard runs by Bell -- one set up by an interception and another on the Sooners' only sustained drive.

The Sooners finally started to click in the second half.

Oklahoma drove inside Iowa's 10 on its opening drive, though that ended with an acrobatic tip-and-catch interception by Iowa defensive lineman Broderick Binns.

The Sooners kept rolling after that, marching down on their next drive for a 3-yard, play-action touchdown pass from Jones to Trent Ratterree -- breaking a streak of eight straight TDs by Bell -- to go up 21-0.

The Hawkeyes fought back.

Iowa overcame the suspension of its top running back and a favored opponent to win last year's Insight Bowl, beating Missouri 27-24. The Hawkeyes did it behind Marcus Coker, who ran for 219 yards and two touchdowns after replacing suspended starter Adam Robinson.

This time it was Coker who had to watch. The sophomore, who ran for 1,384 yards and 15 touchdowns during the regular season, was suspended for violating the university's student-athlete code of conduct.

Without Coker, Iowa would have to rely on a group of unproven running backs -- none had more than 18 carries -- and lean even more on Vandenberg.

No one was particularly effective in the first half.

Vanderberg was off-target early and had a pass intercepted by Jamell Fleming at Iowa's 31-yard line in the first quarter, then exacerbated the miscue by being called for a late-hit penalty. Bell scored his first touchdown two plays later.

Iowa had just one sustained drive in the first half, but that petered out; the Hawkeyes lost three yards on a fourth-and-1 from Oklahoma's 6-yard line.

Their running game ineffective, the Hawkeyes bumbled around most of the next two quarters before finally moving the ball again late in the third quarter. Vandenberg completed seven of his eight passes on a 75-yard drive, the final an across-his-body throw for a 5-yard touchdown to C.J. Fiedorowicz that cut Oklahoma's lead to 21-7.

Vandenberg then got the Hawkeyes within seven with 7 minutes left, hitting Keenan Davis to convert on a fourth-and-10 to set up a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Canzeri on a screen.

That was it, though.

Oklahoma's Mike Hunnicutt followed a 35-yard field goal with just over 4 minutes left and Bell added his final scoring run after the falling camera nearly took out McNutt.

Nov. 25 at Nebraska 20 … Iowa 7
CFN Analysis: The Hawkeyes couldn’t get the offense going with any semblance of consistency against a jacked up Husker defense on a mission. The O couldn’t get Marvin McNutt involved in the attack early on, and Marcus Coker couldn’t find a groove until it was way too late. Once again, the offense struggled to manufacture points against a decent D. … The team never got a hold of the game. The offense couldn’t keep the chains moving converting just 2-of-12 third down chances, and it only held on to the ball for just over 22 minutes. … The TicketCity Bowl is most likely, but the Meineke Car Care Bowl is still on the table. 

Nov. 19 Iowa 31 … at Purdue 21
CFN Analysis: It took way too much work to put the Boilermakers away. The Hawkeyes dominated, and came up with one of their better defensive performances, but it was still a fight. Even so, after the loss to Michigan State, it was a good bounceback game to lock up a decent bowl bid with a trip to Nebraska up next. … The defensive line was terrific with Broderick Binns and a sack finishing with seven tackles and Mike Daniels adding eight stops and two sacks. … James Vandenberg threw for 273 yards and three scores, Marcus Coker ran for 139 yards and a score on 30 carries, and Marvin McNutt caught nine passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns. This is how it’s supposed to work, but it’s supposed to be an easier win.  

Nov. 12 Michigan State 37 … at Iowa 21
CFN Analysis: Just when it seems like Iowa has a handle on things, especially at home, it comes out flat and got its doors blown off in the first half. This is closer to the real Hawkeye defense this year than the one that held firm against Michigan. There were too many breakdowns and too many problems in the secondary. … Marcus Coker couldn’t get established, running for just 57 yards on 21 carries, but he got his chances early on and was stuffed. MSU had him targeted. … Iowa isn’t good enough to be -3 in turnover margin. … The Hawkeyes have to show they can produce on the road after going 0-3. Purdue is playing well and Nebraska is Nebraska. It’s going to take far better play from the defensive front to avoid going 6-6. 

Nov. 5 at Iowa 24 ... Michigan 16
CFN Analysis: It might have taken a little bit of good fortune and a late stand to finally stop Michigan, but Iowa’s defense got the job done. Jordan Bernstein made 15 tackles and Tyler Nelsen made 13 tackles with a sack and a forced fumble, keeping Denard Robinson under wraps as the defense bounced back after a rocky finish against Minnesota. The offense didn’t get too much out of the passing game, but James Vanderberg was solid, and Marvin McNutt helped balance things out with nine catches for 101 yards. But this was Marcus Coker’s game, rushing for 132 yards and two scores as the workhorse for an offense that needed him to take over. It wasn’t a perfect game, but there’s no slide after the Gopher gaffe. With the Michigan State showdown coming up next, Iowa is still in a position to win the Legends. With this victory, and with the Spartans and Nebraska still to play, it’s all there for the taking if the defense can put together a full sixty minutes like this for the next three games.  

Oct. 29 at Minnesota 22 … Iowa 21
CFN Analysis: Uhhhh, Iowa. What was that? Just when it seemed like the Hawkeyes were going to make a move in the Legends, with home games against Michigan and Michigan State up next, they came up with this bizarre brain cramp. Marcus Coker was amazing, running 32 times for 252 yards and two scores, and James Vanderberg wasn’t bad, but the offense stalled way too often and the defense was stunningly mediocre against the normally non-existent Gopher ground game. James Morris made 14 tackles, but the run defense was too soft in the fourth quarter. Was this just an aberration or are the Hawkeyes this mediocre? It was probably a little of both, but the season can turn around quickly by beating the Wolverines. To do that, though, the linebackers will have to handle Denard Robinson better than they dealt with MarQueis Gray. 

Oct. 22 at Iowa 45 … Indiana 24
CFN Analysis: James Vandenberg was nearly perfect, Marcus Coker ran wild, and Marvin McNutt was tremendous as Iowa’s triplets came through against the miserable Indiana defense. Vandenberg completed 12-of-16 passes, Coker ran for 139 yards and two scores, and McNutt caught six passes for 184 yards and three scores in the easy win. Christian Kirksey made 12 tackles and Tanner Miller and James Morris each came up with ten stops, but the run defense was lousy and got shoved around a bit too much, but that’s nitpicking on a day when everything clicked for the offense. With Minnesota up next, the Hawkeyes will be 6-2 with Michigan and Michigan State at home. The team might not be playing well, but it’s in the hunt still for the Big Ten title if the O line played like it did against IU and if the defense can find some semblance of consistency.  

Oct. 15 at Iowa 41 … Northwestern 31
CFN Analysis: Oh yeah, the running game. Iowa might have been dominated statistically, but Marcus Coker kept control of the game when the offense actually had the ball running 22 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns. The Tanner Miller 98-yard pick six set the tone, and the James Vandenberg touchdown passes to Keenan Davis and Marvin McNutt helped make up for the other problems on offense, but it was Coker who provided the steadying force. The defense couldn’t get off the field as the Wildcats kept the chains moving and almost rolled up 500 yards, but a fourth quarter burst saved the day. After the Penn State game, the team needed a little bit of offensive pop.  

Oct. 8 at Penn State 13 ... Iowa 3
CFN Analysis: Iowa had a great opportunity to make a lot of noise and come up with a big run, but the offense went nowhere thanks to an offensive front that got beaten up by the Penn State defensive front. James Vandenberg didn’t get a ton of time to work, Marcus Coker couldn’t find a rhythm, and three turnovers were a killer for an attack that was solid on third downs, but couldn’t keep the ball. With Northwestern, Indiana, and Minnesota up next, a 4-0 Big Ten start was on the table before hosting Michigan, but the Hawkeyes aren’t going anywhere unless the pass rush picks up the pace and the offense can be more consistent.

Sept. 24 at Iowa 45 ... ULM 17
CFN Analysis: The Hawkeyes liked the way the no-huddle worked late against Pitt, so they kept it rolling against ULM and it worked to near perfection. James Vandenberg stayed hot from last week completing 21-of-32 passes for 270 yards with three touchdown passes as Iowa was never threatened. Marcus Coker and the running game also had few problems with several big dashes. Going into the game, ULM was great against the run keeping both Florida State and TCU in check, but Iowa didn’t have any issues. The offense perked up just in time with two weeks to work and tweak on the no-huddle before going to Penn State.
 
Sept. 17 at Iowa 31 … Pitt 27
CFN Analysis: Is this what finally wakes up the Hawkeyes? It took the greatest comeback in team history to avoid a disastrous start to the season, and now James Vandenberg becomes an Iowa legend. All he did was wing it around the yard for 399 yards while showing off the type of gunslinger mentality in a game quarterbacks dream about. Any passer worth his salt wants to be able to bomb away, but it took a lousy first three quarters for Vandenberg and the Hawkeyes to get it going. There were too many penalties, too many misfires, and too many defensive breakdowns in the first 45 minutes, but Vandenberg was jaw-dropping while Keenan Davis and Marvin McNutt destroyed the Pitt secondary. ULM isn’t a total cupcake, and it’ll be a nice tune-up for the Big Ten opener against Penn State.  

Sept. 10 at Iowa State 44 ... Iowa 41 OT
CFN Analysis: Iowa is supposed to be in a bit of a rebuilding season, but the defense was supposed to be better than this. The offense worked out just fine, with James Vandenberg throwing for 207 yards and two scores and Marcus Coker running for 140 yards and two scores on a tough 35 carries, but too many drives stalled. The Hawkeyes could’ve put the game away, but settled for Mike Meyer field goals. The defense was the bigger problem, failing to stop Steele Jantz in key moments, and now it’s rallying time. The Hawkeyes are better than Pitt and ULM, and they need to show it in the next two home games before starting out Big Ten play against Penn State. The key, again, will be converting drives and taking advantage of opportunities. 

Sept. 3 at Iowa 34 … Tennessee Tech 7
CFN Analysis: Tennessee Tech is nothing more than a tune-up game, but there wasn’t much to take from the layup win considering the problems with the rain. James Vandenberg was fine, completing 13-of-23 passes, but the running game was average and the defense struggled against Dontey Gay, who ran for 108 yards and a score. Marvin McNut was terrific, catching six passes for 140 yards and two scores, but No. 2 man Keenan Davis only made two catches for 30 yards. Again, the conditions were lousy, so there’s no need to get too hung up on any problems going into the rivalry date with Iowa State. 

The 2011 Recruiting Class Is Heavy On … Defensive linemen. The controversy off the field didn’t make much of an impact in recruiting as Kirk Ferentz and his staff came up with one of the program’s better classes in a while. The lines got tremendous help with guard Jordan Walsh a special prospect and Austin Blythe a good-looking guard. Darian Cooper has all the talent to be the team’s next great defensive lineman, while Riley McMinn and John Raymon are strong pass rushers. Iowa also loaded up on tight ends, getting three nice once including 6-5, 230-pound pass catcher Ray Hamilton. 

Five Iowa Recruits You Should Care About
Player writeups by Scout.com

1. OG Jordan Walsh
6-3, 275, Scout.com’s 2nd ranked guard. Quick off the ball from his offensive tackle position, Walsh keeps good pad level coming off the ball and engaging a defender. Plays with a high motor and takes pride in finishing off his blocks all the way to the ground. Uses his hands well and rarely lets a defensive linemen disengage from one of his blocks. Does a good job of chopping his feet and keeping himself between his defender and the quarterback on pass blocks.

2. LB Rodney Coe
6-3, 240, Scout.com’s 6th ranked outside linebacker. A running back in a defensive end's body, Coe takes a step to get moving, but runs with surprising speed in the open field with his long strides. He uses his long reach well when running the ball by steering would be tacklers to the ground via a well developed stiff arm. Sets up his blocks well and runs with good patience. Tough to knock off his feet despite playing high, because of his strength and balance.

3. DT Darian Cooper
6-1, 290, Scout.com’s 16th ranked defensive tackle. A high motor 300 pounder is a treasured commodity, and Cooper can frequently be seen hustling down field after plays that have gone to the wide side of the field. Cooper has quick feet to get by or steer his blockers, but his compact frame hinder his ability to get off of them. Quick enough off the ball that he sometimes lines up at end for his DeMatha team

4. QB Jacob Rudock
6-2, 185, Scout.com’s 29th ranked quarterback. Rudock is a more of a pro style QB that has the athleticism to move around in the pocket and pick up some yards with his feet. He is very cerebral, consistently making excellent reads, and can deliver the ball accurately and in rhythm to all levels of the field. He has the height at 6'3, now he needs to start filling out his frame. He possesses great touch when throwing down the field.

5. OG/DT Austin Blythe
6-3, 275, Scout.com’s 23rd ranked guard.

2011 Entire Recruiting Class
Quinton Alston LB 6-1 220 Sicklerville, N.J. (Timber Creek Regional)
Austin Blythe OL 6-3 285 Williamsburg, Iowa (Williamsburg)
Damon Bullock RB 6-0 195 Mansfield, Texas (Mansfield)
Torrey Campbell DB 5-11 183 Naples, Fla. (Barron Collier)
Jordan Canzeri RB 5-9 172 Troy, N.Y. (Troy)
Rodney Coe RB 6-3 238 Glen Carbon, Ill. (Edwardsville)
Marcus Collins LB 6-0 215 Yeadon, Pa. (Monsignor Bonner)
Darian Cooper DL 6-2 280 Elkridge, Md. (DeMatha)
Jake Duzey TE 6-4 224 Troy, Mich. (Athens)
Cole Fisher DB 6-2 195 Omaha, Neb. (Millard North)
Marcus Grant WR 6-3 195 North Carver, Mass. (Lawrence Academy)
Ray Hamilton TE 6-5 235 Strongsville, Ohio (Strongsville)
Dan Heiar OL 6-5 285 Charlotte, Iowa (Northeast (Iowa Western CC))
Jacob Hillyer WR 6-4 195 Somerset, Texas (Somerset)
Henry Krieger-Coble TE 6-4 210 Mount Pleasant, Iowa (Mount Pleasant)
Nico Law DB 6-1 180 Clinton, Md. (Bishop McNamara)
Jordan Lomax CB 5-10 185 Upper Marlboro, Md. (DeMatha)
Mika'il McCall RB 6-0 215 Dolton, Ill. (Thornridge)
Riley McMinn DE 6-7 219 Rochester, Ill. (Rochester)
John Raymon DE 6-5 240 Richboro, Pa. (Council Rock North)
Jake Rudock QB 6-3 185 Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Melvin Spears LB 6-2 224 Allen, Texas (Allen)
Jordan Walsh OL 6-4 260 Glendale Heights, Ill. (Glenbard West)