Caring Is Creepy 2012: Have A Seat, Daumantas Venckus
by RossWB on Nov 17, 2011 11:01 AM CST
in Iowa Hawkeyes Football
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And, lo, a recruit did once again say "yes, I would like to be an Iowa Hawkeye." After a recruiting drought of several months, Iowa football has added another committment to the foldin the form of DE Daumantas Venckus. Like Iowa's other verbal commitment this week, Greg Mabin, Venckus is a Florida kid, hailing from Cypress Bay in Weston, FL. Rick Kaczenski has been a busy little beaver lately.
Venckus takes the term "unheralded recruit" to new levels: neither Rivals, nor Scout, nor 247 Sports, nor ESPN has a rating for him yet. I don't think he'd even been mentioned as a possibilityfor Iowa by any of the recruiting services until he verbaled to Iowa. That said, he did have offers from other D-I programs (Navy, Colorado State) and interest from a handful of others, so he's not exactly the biggest reach we've ever seen. He'll probably be a 2* recruit from all the services when they do get around to grading his film.
Beyond having a fabulous name that will undoubtedly cause Dolph no end of pronunciation woe, Venckus is intriguing because he comes at a position of immense need for Iowa: defensive end. Per Morehouse, he's put up good stats in his first year at defensive end (he was formerly a tight end, which makes him feel even more Iowa-y):
He has 70 tackles and 12 sacks through 10 games, along with three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception he returned 57 yards for a touchdown.
Unfortunately, he's almost certainly not going to be able to provide instant relief at that position. He's listed at 6-4, 200, which is not exactly Big Ten-sized. He's looking at a few years of toil in the Doyle mines before he sees the field, in all likelihood.
The more curious aspect of Venckus' recruitment is what -- if anything -- it says about the state of Iowa's recruiting this year. Adding an unheralded 2*-ish kid like Venckus is not at all uncommon for Iowa, but he's usually the sort of name that pops up in late January or early February when the coaches are trying to fill the last few slots in a class. If he's signing on now does that mean Iowa's striking out with other, more high-profile targets? Maybe, maybe not. The recruitniks still seem to think Iowa sits in decent/good shape with several quality recruits, so perhaps Venckus' commitment is just an oddly-timed aberration. But if it's not and Venckus' commitment portends a class filled out with mostly unknown 2* project-types, it might be time to get concerned. Obviously, stars aren't the be-all, end-all and Iowa's had great success with many 2* types in the past, but there's a reasonthose guys are 2* types: they're a gamble. Some of them will develop into highly productive players, but many of them will flame out. And as we've seen this year, when you have too many flameouts, it puts your football team in an incredible bind.
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I thought I saw somewhere that Venckus hasn't even been to Iowa City.
Something about him being a close friend of Rudock’s and committing as a result of Rudock’s recommendation.
I don't like the sound of that
Don’t get me wrong, I like seeing players being essentially recruited by other players, but committing before even seeing the campus, especially coming from so far away, makes me think it’s a recipe for homesickness 6 months in.
"'Contrariwise,' continued Tweedledee, 'If it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic." - Lewis Caroll, Alice Through the Looking Glass
by chitownhawkeye on Nov 17, 2011 11:35 AM CST up reply actions
Especially in January
After football season is over and the Iowa winter chills the Florida boy’s enthusiasm for Iowa.
Every word that ends in -oma is cancer. What does that tell you about Oklahoma?
throw him in the gym and don't let him leave till april
by David Starbuck Petersen on Nov 17, 2011 2:03 PM CST up reply actions
Except for trips to the hospital
and dialysis.
Too soon?
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
by HoyaGoon on Nov 17, 2011 7:52 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Apparently he made the switch to DE just this year
and made the switch so he could get looked at more for D-1 football. So, that could explain the lack of info/2*. It does say something that he was able to make the switch and work hard to be good at it in a very competitive league in Florida. So, there’s hope it’ll work out (but yeah, not for awhile to even be a factor since he needs to pack on pounds/muscle).
by Captain n Diet Coker on Nov 17, 2011 11:26 AM CST reply actions
Rivals has him at 220lbs
So maybe he has grown as a senior. He was also quoted as saying that the scouts that have watched him said they were surprised he didn’t have more offers. Of course, that’s coming from him, so who knows…
Changing positions probably has a lot to do with it. If he wasn’t an exceptional tight end, but moved to DE this year, most scouts wouldn’t have film of him at DE. Maybe, hopefully, he really DOES look like a star at DE, Kaz saw it, and he wanted to pull the trigger before someone else got their foot in the door.
BOOM 4-3 cover 2! Deal with that!
by 99playsNAblitzaint1 on Nov 17, 2011 12:55 PM CST up reply actions
You could be right about reason for concern..
Iowa has one commit at DE in Ott and has 3-5 other offers still on the table (Not counting Spence the #1 ranked player at DE whom I’m sure won’t be coming to Iowa).
I can’t imagine they will take more than 3-4 DEs and one would guess that they have a very good chance of landing Lohn, Clark, Cox and Bevins (all of which aren’t highly touted players). Especially Bevins, who is backtracking on his ISU verbal and looking at Iowa. While stars and rankings mean very little in the scope of end-product it is still a little disheartening that given Iowa’s success at placing D-line players in the NFL they can’t pull a top 50 recruit at DE.
Perhaps they see something in this kid that was overlooked and he’ll be a superstar someday but that of course will depend upon his ability to add weight as noted above. I agree with Ross that this could be s reason for concern given the amount of offers on the table and that they’re willing this early to offer a couple low-rated players back to back.
Mabin was a 3* with good measurables, so I'm not too fussed about that one.
This guy is an undersized 2* who came out of nowhere to become a new commit, which is pretty odd.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
Disheartening...
Ross, I agree Mabin could be good and is not as weak on paper as this kid but he still is not highly recruited and not a top WR prospect.
What gives with us struggling most years with recruiting?
Is it really the issue with Iowa being in the middle of BFE? Too many things suggest otherwise such as teams like OU, OSU, Neb, and so on being able to land highly-touted recruits all the while being located in complete shit holes.
Given the strength of our program to place guys in the NFL why do we struggle with getting truly great athletes? I’ve been torn to shreds before for stating this on BHGP but I think it’s the attitude of the KF program. If I was a top recruit I wouldn’t want to go to a place that doesn’t expressly state that they want to challenge for the national title every year nor a program that doesn’t want to become great not just good. You want to go somewhere that thinks of itself as top-notch, premier and so on.
I think Iowa is satisfied with being above average and this is clearly evident in the attitude of program. Until we are able to get players that can perform at a high-level with less development we will not be a top-tier football program even if our development of players is superior to other programs.
Combination of location and a lack of history
Just looking at the examples you gave, OU and OSU are two of the greatest programs in the history of the sport. OSU is also the biggest program in Ohio, which is one of the better states in terms of high school talent (it’s not at the level of Texas, Florida, or California, but it’s at the top of the next tier). OU has the advantage of being so close to Texas, which has absurd amounts of elite talent, and also offering kids from Texas who don’t go to UT an opportunity to play for a great program that’s fairly close by and will also play numerous games a year in the state. Nebraska has a similar location problem, but it also has a lot of history to draw on that we just don’t. They’re also not really that far out in front of us the last few years.
In contrast to all those schools, Iowa is located in the middle of the nowhere and doesn’t have the sort of history that allows them to sell kids on the potential to play for one of the college football elites. It’s really really hard to convince kids to give us a look, especially kids from the talent rich states in the south. It makes Iowa a tough place to win at, and it’s why we need coaches who are great at developing the talent we do get. All things considered I think we’ve actually done a really nice job recruiting the last three years or so, but we hit a big time lull in 08 and 09 for whatever reason, and that’s being reflected in the current team.
by NorseHawk on Nov 18, 2011 10:23 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I think you are way off base with some of this
a program that doesn’t want to become great not just good.
They want to be great, they want to win the B1G every single year. They have a big saying at Iowa “Break the Rock” and it is all about reaching that highest level of success. They want to do it their way, through running the gameplan they believe in and out executing opponents but don’t think for a second they have no interest in being great.
DRUNJIFORNICATION
by SaturdayMorningKegStanzis on Nov 18, 2011 10:46 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Especially because
I remember a ferentz quote about recruiting where he basically said, “you know, we have had all this success w/ kids only MAC schools are looking at, so by golly why dont we just recruit only those kids and save ourselves the trouble?” of course there is posturing in there, but still scares me.
by The KF Karate Chop on Nov 17, 2011 12:33 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
His name is pronounced Daw-man-tus
Please let him be good so we can all start wearing the mantis from Space Ghost tshirts.
Da Mantis, very 60’s Batman. When he sacks people will little dialouge bubbles come up with POW!
Battles are won with a hammer, wars are won with a scalpel
by C.I.owA on Nov 17, 2011 12:11 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
I've got my magnum condoms...
Before you respond, let me remind you: Brian Cook called me smug, which makes me the Obama of smugness. I'm basically Smugbama.
by Patrick Vint on Nov 17, 2011 1:30 PM CST reply actions 2 recs
DAMN YOU ICANHASCHEEZBURGER
Before you respond, let me remind you: Brian Cook called me smug, which makes me the Obama of smugness. I'm basically Smugbama.
by Patrick Vint on Nov 17, 2011 3:50 PM CST up reply actions
What I see
Kid’s a project, but a worthwhile one. He has great instincts and takes perfect angles almost every play in that video, reads plays quickly, and seems to either have done his homework in the film room, or just know how to play. Has a great frame, room to add a lot of bulk and end up in the 245-260 range.
However he needs a lot of work in the weight room and on fundamentals to play in the B1G. Comes out of his stance slow, comes out way too high, doesn’t initiate contact with authority. Even against HS competition there were a few plays where he almost toppled over backwards. I have a feeling that there were more than a few plays omitted from that video where he would have been blown off the ball at the point of attack. Kid needs to learn how to bring it from the moment the ball is snapped, and he could be a good one. That, or he might even project as a LB in the Greenway/Edds mold. Seems to have decent footspeed, if he can learn to cover in space and move laterally.
"If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull." - W.C. Fields
yeah, he definitely looks to have the nose for the ball and aggression that can't be taught.
Good size, but doesn’t look overly athletic…seems to be still “growing into his body”, looks like he’s always flat footed and doesn’t have that initial explosion…but all of those things can be taught. That’s my amateur recruiting take lol
Thats one thing that I noticed
Every snap he just comes out of his stance and stands up and then reads the play. I don’t think he looks good at all. Hes small and has bad technique
A baseball park is the one place where a man's wife doesn't mind his getting excited over somebody else's curves
by waterboy31321 on Nov 17, 2011 3:36 PM CST up reply actions
exactly
A baseball park is the one place where a man's wife doesn't mind his getting excited over somebody else's curves
by waterboy31321 on Nov 17, 2011 3:36 PM CST up reply actions
Eh, so did the B1G's leading rusher until recently.
"Pursue happiness... with diligence."
by Bucketochicken on Nov 17, 2011 4:37 PM CST up reply actions
Daumantas Venckus sounds like a Gladiator's name
You know, like Maximus Maximus Decimus Meridius or Biggus Dickus?
Centurion: Well, no, sir. Umm, I think it’s a joke, sir… like, uh, ‘Sillius Soddus’ or… ‘Biggus Dickus’, sir.
Pontius Pilate: [guard chuckles] What’s so funny about "Biggus Dickus? "
Centurion: Well, it’s a joke name, sir.
Pontius Pilate: I have a vewy gweat fwiend in Wome called ‘Biggus Dickus’.
BOOM 4-3 cover 2! Deal with that!
by 99playsNAblitzaint1 on Nov 17, 2011 4:11 PM CST reply actions
He has a wife you know
She’s called… ‘Incontinentia’… Incontinentia Buttocks
Every word that ends in -oma is cancer. What does that tell you about Oklahoma?
I'm just glad to see life
In our recruiting class! Kid looks great to me. I’ll happily steal a guy away from Navy all-day long… A guy named Adrian Clay… something wasn’t really heavily recruited…
Welcome to the Hawkeye Nation, Daumantas Venckus!! (I did copy and paste the name and do need to hear it before I attempt to pronounce it correctly…)
Let’s Go Hawks!! Here’s one for the new Guy!!
by Harrison Cougars on Nov 17, 2011 4:27 PM CST reply actions
Uh...
Clayborn was a 4* prospect out of HS with offers from Illinois, Indiana, MSU, Mizzou, Nebraska, and Texas Tech according to Rivals
Those may not be elite programs, but that’s not exactly a lightly recruited offer sheet.
by The Mexican't on Nov 17, 2011 4:43 PM CST up reply actions
EVERY GOOD PLAYER IOWA HAS EVER HAD WAS 2* WITH ONLY MAC OFFERS
DO NOT RUIN THE NARRATIVE
I heard we offered Daumantas
to get the inside track on a Centaur that he’s friends with. It’s a big risk, but if we can land the ever-elusive Centaur to anchor the center of the D-Line, we’ll be in good shape.
I hear this guy’s 6"4 and weighs about 385. He’s ready to go as a freshman. He also can stretch to be ~11 feet tall when he stands on his hind legs, so it gives us an advantage for Field Goal blocking.
BOOM 4-3 cover 2! Deal with that!
by 99playsNAblitzaint1 on Nov 17, 2011 4:40 PM CST reply actions
Can we have him play multiple positions?
Clearly he would be an excellent linebacker. But I can see him as a bruising running back, or even a wide receiver who could outrun anyone. And don’t even get me started on kick.punt returns…
Iowa recruiting under Ferentz uses the "clitoral" technique
which means it is impossible to figure out. I’ve studied it for years and basically we just prod and mash everywhere in the nation, and sometimes we produce a whimper of hope.
Seriously, though, is there a website that tracks Iowa players recruited (by stars) to how successful they were?
Not a positive sign, IMO
Again, article nailed it. I don’t mind a signing like this in late January but a little scary in November.
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