Either your signature or your brains will be on that contract...
The Dotted Line. After months of indifference consternation, Kirk Ferentz finally signed his contract extension, continuing the current agreement through 2015 (he actually signed it more than a month ago; it took Sally Mason 35 days to sign, probably because it got lost in a box of FERPA-protected documents). Morehouse has the contract here, but essentially Ferentz's salary and bonus opportunities remain unchanged. Strangely, the most reported change in the contract (probably because there aren't that many) is 35 hours per year of access to a private jet. Frankly, given his standing in the University community and the fact that recruiting is precisely as easy as pimping (read: ain't), I always assumed he had some access to a plane before.
This is likely the final sign that Ferentz is here for the long haul; he will turn 54 next month, his son is here for the next 3 years, and NFL coaching is a young man's game. But, in case you were wondering, it doesn't look like they've included a coach buyout; essentially, Ferentz can leave at any time without penalty. The University buyout for terminating the contract without cause would be about $2.25M for each season remaining.
The Big Unit. We've finally hit the home stretch of the offseason - fall camp opens in 17 days - so it's time for that final orgiastic surge of list posts. That's right, folks: It's unit ranking time!
Brent, who is writing a blog for the Big Ten Network (and who is certainly working under a pseudonym) has ran through his top 5 at all the skill positions. An Iowa player has made every list: SDS is #5 at quarterback, Hampton is #3 at halfback, DJK is #3 at receiver, and the Flyin' Hawaiian is #4 at tight end. Next up, I'm assuming, is the offensive line, so expect a few more Iowa names to be called. In other unit ranking news, Athlon Sports ranked the Hawkeye offensive line #4 in the nation, behind only USC, Texas, and Georgia.
Caring is Creepy. Iowa City High quarterback A.J. Derby is discussing his list of offers (again):
Iowa City High quarterback A.J. Derby compiles football scholarship offers like others his age collect football cards.
Derby, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound senior, has scholarship offers from Florida, Louisiana State, Alabama, Florida State, Michigan, Miami, Nebraska and several others — "I can’t list them all off but it’s a lot," he said. Iowa also feverishly has targeted him.
"It’s just kind of wide open right now," Derby said. "I plan on taking all of my official visits. So I’m going to wait until the school year, then narrow it down to five and decide where I’m going to take my officials.
"It’s wide open. I’m still talking to everyone."
I get the feeling that, if Derby was going to commit to Iowa, it would have already happened. He's a running quarterback (he threw for 1200 and ran for 1000 last year), and it's telling that every time he lists his offers Florida comes first. Yes, his dad played at Iowa, his family lives here, and his brother plays on the team (at least for the moment), but I think he's already gone.
In other creepiness, The Daily Gopher is now giving Seantrel Henderson, the nation's #1 recruit, the Pedro Gomez treatment. Iowa is still officially in the running, but it looks like the big names might be pulling ahead:
Here is the latest twist in the recruitment of Cretin-Derham Hall's Seantrel Henderson. ESPN has reported (follow the link, scroll down or search for "Seantrel") that Florida, Ohio State and USC are going to be Henderson's finalists because they compete for championships and put offensive linemen in the NFL.
Iowa, of course, has one of those two things (which is more than you can say for half of his suitors), but Henderson remains somewhat of a longshot. TDG correctly surmises that Henderson will hold out until Signing Day, so there's no reason to get excited. Of course, all of this stalking analysis is interspersed with some of the best comedy writing on the internet, much of it a variation on the "Minnesota has a chance of landing the top recruit in the country despite the fact that our coach can't complete a sentence!" Really, it's quite humorous.
Footnotes:
- Penn State backup receiver James McDonald is charged with DUI. He did it the conventional way: in a car.
- The Smells Like Teen Spirit-Never Gonna Give You Up mashup, courtesy of one Mr. Will Leitch. That sound you hear? That's Kurt Cobain rolling over in his grave.
- On the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, Wezen-Ball correctly points out that the entirety of Armstrong & Aldrin's time on the big block of cheese took place within the confines of a standard baseball diamond. The flag is in perfect position to field a bunt down the third base line.