Big 12 Recruiting Roundup: Iowa State
8 comments so far
February 15, 2008 by
If there’s one team in the Big 12 North that distanced itself from the rest on signing day, it was Iowa State. The bad news for Cyclone fans, however, is that it was in the wrong direction.
ISU’s recruits are mostly two-star prospects with the lone four-star a wide receiver from Texas that came in on signing day. There were eight other players netting three-star rankings from either Rivals.com or Scout.com. To their credit, the Cyclones avoided the temptation to load up on junior college players. Only a single scholarship went to a juco kid. ISU took a dozen juco players a year ago.
The most glaring omission from this class is a speedy running back. The Cyclones have four seniors at the position and then just a pair behind them on the depth chart. The 248-lbs. fullback in the class might be considered a running back, but even as the lone back in single back formations, he’d seem to be a situational player at best. ISU may have to recruit three to four backs next season, and then throw them right onto the playing field. Beyond that the class is fairly balanced and seems to address their major needs.
Head coach Gene Chizik can be commended for avoiding the quick fix and building for the long term. A quick count of the overall numbers suggest that most of these players will redshirt and that should give them the maximum time to develop in ISU’s system. However, with that being the same strategy adopted by Missouri, Kansas, and now Nebraska, the seemingly inferior talent going to Iowa State would suggest that the Cyclones did little to close the gap between them and the rest of the division even if they’ve made a step forward over where they were a year ago.
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Grant Feb 15 08
Worth mentioning...the WR from TX has asked for, and I believe was granted, a releas from his LOI and has sent one into aTm instead. Apparently some concerns of his mothers. Don't know the details, but definitely a blow as this kid was a highly touted recruit.
Grant Feb 16 08
Backtracking...just read today that recruit who asked for the release, was NOT granted one. NCAA ruled since he was 18, the contract must be honored. So...ISU keeps this highly touted WR, for now.
Jason Feb 18 08
Some ISU fans are discussing this article over here.
Although it seems instead of discussing their recruiting efforts, they decided to have a nice debate on if Nebraska is the armpit, belly button or mullet of the nation.
doombob Feb 18 08
This is cracking me up. You guys are getting linked to all over the place from opposing teams fan forums and blogs. Other than tell it like you see it, what did you do to tick all these people off?
Grant Feb 18 08
Read the blog. Truely don't have the words to respond. Even if I did...I'd chose not too. With the exception of the phrase "pot calling the kettle black"...just not worth it.
bnahusker Feb 19 08
Amazing! The column closes with praise for Head coach Gene Chizik playing for a future, and all the Clone fans want to pee on Steve, and probably the rest of us. If the Huskers suck so much, why do so many stadiums have their attendance records set during NU games?
I've stated this before, but if they can say that their team has only two losing seasons in their lifetimes (I'm 46) I won't ask them to just shut up.
GBR
Bob
Greg Feb 26 08
I have a comment regarding the article about the 2008 Iowa State recruiting class. You talk about a glaring hole at running back. Does Alexander Robinson or Bo Williams ring a bell. One is a redshirt freshman transfer and the other a sophmore. Both are young and very talented, top those two off with a potential power fullback in Jerimiah Schwartz. My opinion is that we're in real good shape at running back.
Greg
Steve Feb 26 08
Greg,
No position takes more of a beating than the running back. You are pretty much guaranteed to need three just to get through a season (you'll use two in every game, and then you can count on at least one of your top two missing time to injury). You don't need to get that unlucky with injuries before you're playing your fourth guy. ISU wouldn't have four seniors at running back if someone didn't think you needed that many.
It's puzzling that ISU didn't grab one, even if they had designs on moving them do DB or wanted to use them to return kicks. I'd count on two things for 2009: One, ISU's recruiting class will have at least three backs. And two, they will be forced to play at least one of them (if not more).
Grabbing one more back would mean they wouldn't need so many next year for recruiting and that they wouldn't have to rely on a true freshman to contribute right away.