C.J. Fiedorowicz = HAWKEYE!!
What a phenomenal catch for Iowa! Take that Zooker! Absolutely love all the reasons he said for his decision. 6'7" 245 pounds. That will do.
http://yourseason.suntimes.com/football/1905604,112509-cj-fiedorowicz-iowa-illinois.article
Happy Thanksgiving to the BHGP nation!
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Comments
What a weird fucking recruitment that was
Good to have him aboard though. This probably finishes out Iowa’s 2010 class, and it should be a Top 25 one with CJ on board.
Wait
So you’re telling me he doesn’t want to play for the Zookah??
"I don't know. I don't know. [waves hand dismissively] First, you'd have to tell me what a 'BCS' is. I don't know."
Retired years ago
plays softball in a men’s league in SoCal now.
"I think it's safe to say our concerns are many." -- Kirk Ferentz
We're not offering him as a RB anymore, or recruiting him all that hard
He’s going to wind up somewhere else. Barring something really crazy like Henderson deciding to commit, this class is done.
Best Part of that Story
I wasn’t happy with what is going on at Illinois
He then goes on to talk about why he chose to go to Iowa:
Tony Moeaki is in on every play. I hung out with him on Saturday night. He loves the Iowa program. He said there is no better school that he’d rather go to. He feels a part of the offense.
Perhaps the best quote of all, talking about why he chose Illinois as his initial committment and then decided to change his mind:
At the time, I felt it was the right choice. But I guess it wasn’t.
They took the bar, the whole fucking bar!
by recoveringfratguy on Nov 26, 2009 6:46 PM CST reply actions
Who knows where he'll get drafted, but if he's healthy, he'll be there.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
So has anyone heard anything on Seantrel Henderson?
I had heard he was at the Iowa game. Imagine if Henderson commits, and we get Andrew Donnal and him in the mix right away, we will have prolly the best line in the country
No more of that talk or I'll put the fucking leeches on you, understand? Raoul Duke
He was there on an unofficial
We still have no shot. He’s going to USC.
There's no way...
I think he has renewed interest… but there’s no way.
/O'Keefe'd.
by Smokin Herb Grigsby on Nov 27, 2009 3:54 PM CST up reply actions
Hearing his name on the PA is gonna be awesome.
Think Scott Chandler meets Timmy D. :D
/O'Keefe'd.
by Smokin Herb Grigsby on Nov 27, 2009 3:55 PM CST reply actions
I watched every game he ever played at Iowa.
I think “really fucking good” is a bit of a stretch. He was a good player, but he was no one to write hosannas about.
He was basically our only reliable offensive weapon in the days of Herb Grigsby
He was productive his last couple years, the final one with Broken Drew Tate and Christensen throwing to him. He didn’t block especially well, but he was a really good receiver who could create a lot of match-up problems with his size. I actually think he’s a good comparison for Fiedorowicz, I just though the “crossed with Timmy D” part was funny (although that might have been a joke about how people immediately anointed Wegher as a superstar and the next Tim Dwight)
The problem with the Human Consant
Is the same problem with Chandler, though to a much lesser extent. As far as a receiving TE goes, then CJ is a fucking godsend. The real issue is his ability in the blocking game. With his height and relative lack of size (read: build) he can’t get the necessary leverage to be an effective blocker. All you have to do is look at Moeaki to see how important this is. Moeaki is a GREAT blocking TE, but not limited to just be a blocker and his athleticism allows him to be a true dual-threat when it comes to being a TE (obviously). I’m a bit worried that CJ doesn’t have the right build for that and will be relegated to a catch-only TE. Not that this is a bad thing, just that it limits his effectiveness, especially in the Iowa offense. With CJ in, if this is true, then opposing defenses will know that it is a presumed passing play (especially true with Austin Vier on the team, who I believe is projected as a TE as well, same height, same lack of build). This would be less of a problem/issue if Iowa didn’t run a traditional, pro-style offense where the TE is supposed to be a blocker first, or at least equally adept in the blocking game as receiving. Don’t get me wrong, I am THRILLLED we got him, I’m just a little wary that he won’t be as effective in our offense as his innate ability would tend to indicate.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Expectations are certainly going to be high...
But people need to remember that this kid doesn’t fit into the system too well right now, like HoyaGoon said. And with Reisner firmly set as the starting TE next year and Brad Herman likely the second TE (both who fit the blocking TE scheme at least decently), Fiedorowicz will need a change of creativity on the part of KOK in order to see the field a lot.
I only made the comment about him being a Chandler/Dwight hybrid because he’s super tall and athletic, but also super fast and a big play receiver (in HS; see his 20+ YPC avg). I guess the point is that’s easy to get excited about his measurables.
/O'Keefe'd.
by Smokin Herb Grigsby on Nov 28, 2009 4:16 AM CST up reply actions
There was a comment on a pro football game I saw this year
where they discussed how FEW players over 6’ 6" tall have EVER been very good receivers. They claimed that tall receivers (and they were including TEs) cannot move well enough to be great. They they listed Harold Carmichael and asked rehetorically, who else is there?
"I think it's safe to say our concerns are many." -- Kirk Ferentz
Well, the aformention Chandler, at least in college.
As for them being rare, I there are two things. One, there just aren’t a lot of guys over 6’6" in general. Two, there could be a bit of selection bias here because most guys who are that big and extremely athletic decide to focus on basketball early on rather than football (CJ, by the way, had several fairly big basketball offers). There have been several good receivers in the 6’5" range, I find it kinda hard to believe that there’s something magical about that next inch that renders guys totally unable to play the position.
The glaringly obvious one for me is
That-Indiana-Receiver-That-Must-Not-Be-Named. Some sources list him as 6’5", but either way, the dude was a monster and still could become one in the pros.
The point SMA made about most 6’6" players not being fast enough to produce is the important part though… guys like Fiedorowicz (at least according to his current measurables and sprint times), meaning Hardy, last year’s Mackey winner Chase Coffman, 2007 winner Matt Spaeth, 2005 winner Marcedes Lewis, etc etc… all of them are/were physical anomalies. Not very many players like this come around that are able to do what they do because it’s so rare to find such a wild combination of physical attributes an abilities. I think the basketball point also makes some sense, especially with lanky kids like CJ.
Ultimately, we know nothing until he steps foot on the field. But he could easily compare to these anomalies at the end of his tenure with the Hawkeyes because he compares to them in physicality, and is theoretically/according to scouts able to do what those guys have done physically.
/O'Keefe'd.
by Smokin Herb Grigsby on Nov 28, 2009 1:24 PM CST up reply actions
Vincent Jackson is a premier deep threat at 6'5"
Luck is probability taken personally, clutch is probability attributed to individuals.
by shake n bake on Nov 28, 2009 3:25 PM CST up reply actions
Caring is Creepy For. The. Win.
“Last weekend, I was talking to Iowa fans and they knew all about me. You could tell they care about their football over there.”
He'll be an O-Lineman
by his redshirt sophomore year…this is what we do with 6’7" 245 pounders
"An out of context quote to support my world view." -Some Dead Guy
Not ones who can run like he does
He’s not a good blocker, and he has great hands. This isn’t anything like Gallery.
In addition, he's coming to Iowa with the idea that he's going to play TE
Unless you think the coaches straight up lied to him (which I highly doubt), he’s going to get a fair shot there. The biggest reason he’s coming to Iowa is because of how involved TEs are in our offense, he wouldn’t be talking that aspect of the team up if the coaches had given him the impression that he was going to move to the offensive line.
I'll be the first to admit I know little to nothing about developing college football players.
However, at 6’7", 245…if he can run as fast as this thread makes it seem…he’d be an awfully nice compliment to McNutt, no? Is there a chance this kid ends up as a wide receiver if he can’t learn the blocking scheme Iowa’s offense requires?
Black and Gold Blood: Cubbie Blue Heart
Follow me on Twitter: @MattLaCasse
I don't know why everyone is obsessed with the idea of moving him
Iowa’s coaching staff can win with more than one type of player. Clark and Chandler were not especially great blockers, and both had a lot of success at TE for Iowa. There’s no reason this kid can’t do the same, with a better blocker (Herman?) rotating in when the situation calls for it
Not obsessed with moving him
As I said…I have no idea about developing football talent at the PeeWee level, much less D-I. All I’m saying is that if the kid doesn’t fill out, and can’t block…why waste his hands? Kirk & Co. long ago earned my trust (not that it’s worth anything) on putting a guy on the field where he will be the most successful; both in terms of the team and for himself.
Black and Gold Blood: Cubbie Blue Heart
Follow me on Twitter: @MattLaCasse
by MissouriHawk on Nov 30, 2009 9:07 AM CST up reply actions
This whole blocking issue seems a little overblown to me.
It’s not like blocking can’t be taught. He may never become Moeaki or Myers-level proficient at it, but we’ve made do with average blocking in the past from the TE position (Clark or Chandler as NorseHawk pointed out). He has the size, speed, and (presumably? hopefully?) the hands to be a match-up nightmare for opposing defenses… I think it’s most likely the coaches try to take advantage of those attributes and minimize any problems with his blocking.
Upon further review
I tend to agree with this statement. After all, it’s not like Chandler suffered for playing time despite being less than spectacular as a run-blocker. With CJ’s size, speed and athleticism, I can’t see the coaches being so foolish as to not get him on the field early and often, especially in the red zone.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
How do we KNOW he isn't a good blocker?
I mean, so far, all we have to go on is his highschool career. His high school coach would have had to have been just plain high to not use a kid that’s 6’7" and 240+ lbs as something other than just another blocker. He had a mismatch with damn near anyone he lined up against. So he doesn’t have a lot of experience blocking. So what? It’s not like he won’t pick it up from the best coaching teaching staffs in the country. The guy was also a major basketball and track recruit (and was an excellent receiver), so he knows how to use his body to his advantage and should have good footwork (which is a major part of blocking). It’s not like he’s just a fast Opie Taylor (lankey type), and besides, Doyle will beef him up (it would be nice if TMo could stick around to show him some pointers, but it isn’t a perfect world).
by Eyeheartfreedumb on Nov 30, 2009 12:14 PM CST reply actions
No can say the word "block" or "blocking"
for 24 hours.
"I think it's safe to say our concerns are many." -- Kirk Ferentz
Or what? We'll be "blocked" from posting
hahaha! I’ll be here all week. Tip your waitress and try the veal!
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Say block again, motherfucker

"For me the game wasn’t grounded in reality. It was about the uniform you put on that turned you into a warrior. It was about the mythology of the battle, the victory, the defeat, the struggle." - Mike Reid, PSU '69
This made me chuckle, good timing.
It's not that I'm lazy, Bob, it's that I just don't care

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