This video made Kirk Ferentz age five years
Updates since yesterday's post:
One in, one out. At this point, Iowa's board has two columns: Players who are holding offers and haven't committed, and players who are basically certain to commit if they get a call today. We aren't entirely certain how many offers are still on the table as Signing Day breaks, but we have a pretty good handle on what happened in the last 18 hours.
Massachusetts-based linebacker recruit and longtime Iowa verbal commit Mike Orloff surprised everyone when he accepted an invitation to visit UCLA this weekend, then shocked the three people paying attention when he accepted an offer from Slick Rick yesterday. Orloff has committed to Iowa in July, and there were no outward signs of him wavering on that commitment until about a week ago. So goes the fickle thought process of a teenager. Iowa responded by offering a spot to Philadelphia linebacker Marcus Collins, who had previously committed to Army. Collins accepted late last night, so join me in thanking him for leaving those commies from Army behind and joining a truly American program.
The Annual Sacrifices to AIRBHAG. Iowa's stockpiling running backs, and for good reason (we don't need to detail that good reason; suffice it to say, these guys are all totally screwed). The Hawkeyes already received prior commitments from Rodney Coe and Mikail McCall, both Illinois halfbacks with the kinds of offer lists that give Rob Howe a woody. Last night, Iowa added two of the other variety: Completely under-the-radar smallish speedsters Jordan Canzeri (who you might remember from such films as the one above) and Damon Bullock. We talked Bullock yesterday, a 6'0" 195 lb. Texan who has a little shift and more ability to run over defenders than his frame would have you believe. Canzeri is the opposite of every recent Iowa halfback target: At 5'9" and 177 pounds, he's not a between-the-tackles guy, and he doesn't break a tackle in the first five minutes of his highlight video, but holy crap can the boy run. He got three stars from Scout (only two from Rivals) despite having an offer sheet of I-AA and low-level MAC fodder before this afternoon, so there could be something there.
DeMatha: It's French for "The Matha" Of the three Iowa targets remaining at Maryland's DeMatha Catholic, one entered the fold yesterday (DB Jordan Lomax, see below). One sent some pretty strong signals that Iowa's out of the picture (OL Cyrus Kouandjio, whose high school coach basically admitted he's down to Alabama and Auburn). The third player, though, will likely be the biggest domino to drop on Signing Day: Defensive Tackle Darian Cooper (3* from everyone), who will decide between Iowa, MSU, Michigan and Georgia Tech. Cooper's set to announce his decision around noon EST, though he might have it made before then for him; rumor is that Michigan State has one defensive tackle offer out to Cooper and a couple other prospects, and the first to accept gets to play for Sparty, beat up some nerds, and commit about seven "zero tolerance" violations without repercussion.
The Rest of the Dominos. At this point, even the stalker class doesn't know who's still in play and who isn't: Rivals lists PA DT Delvon Simmons as an Iowa interest, Scout has Iowa out of the running. Scout includes PA LB Branden Jackson, while Rivals says it ain't happening. There's MO LB Videl Nelson, who somehow got three stars from Rivals and hasn't committed while Scout has him going to Northern Iowa. What we're saying is some names could come out of the woodwork tomorrow and in the few days following, as the last few scholarships are doled out.
Where To Go. The program has its own blog this year, providing a bio on each recruit as paperwork rolls in. ESPNU is running a Signing Day Extravaganza all day, with the incomparable Rece Davis manning the controls. BTN's Signing Day Special goes live at 3:30 CST. And the stalker sites and message baords will be doing their usual thing. So you can go there, or you can stay with us in the open thread and mock these people. The only rule -- and we're serious about this -- is please don't do something that could actually be used against you on To Catch a Predator. That means you should refrain from talking about the hotness of seventeen year olds, no matter how OMG SHIRTLESS they might be. Otherwise, standard rules apply. You know what to do.