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BINGO! Have you heard? There was a Hawkeye Football press conference this week! Sure, you've discussed it. You can read it the transcript or watch the video.
There's program departures. Reggie Spearman is one. Colin Goebel and Riley McMinn are two others. Ferentz said he spoke with both quarterbacks about last week's decision to list C.J. Beathard #1 on the depth chart. Ferentz also said he'd talk with others. That means, perhaps, there's more attrition. Both fifth-year seniors Bud Spears and Dean Tsopanides aren't in the two-deeps at DE. Instead, replaced by red-shirt freshmen.
That's potentially a lot of roster fall-out. And the timing, well, it's no mistake Ferentz chose Wednesday afternoon to talk about his tenure, the facilities and assure he'll try hard to right the ship. The football recruiting dead period ended Thursday and Ferentz and his staff now have a lot of work to do. It remains to be seen if Iowa can be successful with these last few weeks of the recruiting period. Iowa now has 4-6 slots to fill. If not more.
The time has passed for instant-impact JUCO prospects. Most signed in December. Still, this could be the most important month of football recruiting in Ferentz's last 15 years. Iowa hosts "Junior Day" this weekend and then will host several 2015 targets the following week.
Iowa has 17 recruits committed now. Rivals ranks this class ahead of only Purdue and Michigan in the conference. With 25 signees, by sheer numbers, Iowa could finish closer to the middle than the bottom. The Hawks do have three of this class starting right away.
The #Iowa #Hawkeyes have 3 freshmen enrolling early this semester - Brady Reiff, James Daniels & Brett Waechter - http://t.co/QuirWCGMtU
— Blair Sanderson (@BlairRIVALS) January 14, 2015
BARTA SPOKE TOO. Here's audio embedded in this On Iowa post. Per Barta,There is no timetable, no ultimatum. What I hope to see a year from now is a program that has regained its momentum,'' He's hoping we come back. If not, Barta said, "We're going to say thank you. If somebody chooses not to come back, my response is, we can't wait to get you back as soon as possible."
Barta was also asked if he was trying to run away, er, put his name in for another gig. He says it was just the case of someone throwing his name out there.
BRANDON SCHERFF GOT HIS TROPHY. Scherff was in Omaha to for a banquet for the Outland Trophy. Besides the trophy, he added an agent.
Brandon Scherff will get this tonight. pic.twitter.com/5xFwM4xK9S
— Rick Brown (@ByRickBrown) January 15, 2015
Brandon Scherff has hired an agent ...Neil Cornrich. Same agent as Kirk Ferentz.
— Rick Brown (@ByRickBrown) January 16, 2015
HOW ABOUT SOME HOOPS? Jarrod Uthoff is, um, good.
Via @stats_cbk, Iowa's Jarrod Uthoff is the only Division I player to have 25+ 3-pointers, 25+ blocks, and 20+ steals. #Hawkeyes
— Iowa Basketball (@IowaHoops) January 15, 2015
So is Aaron White. With 10 rebounds Saturday against Ohio State, White would join Acie Earl and Greg Stokes as the only Hawkeyes in Iowa's all-time top 10 in both scoring and rebounds.
WE COULD BE TALKING MORE THAN JUST A PLAY-IN GAME. Joe Lunardi, ESPN bracket-guy, has Iowa as an eight seed in his latest bracket thingy. Lunardi has Iowa State a four seed and in the same South region.
HEY LADIES. Lisa Bluder's team got another conference win over Northwestern Wednesday night and there's video highlights. Bethany Doolittle dropped a career high 29 points in the 83-70 win over the jCats.
OTHER LINKS:
- Video: Hawkeye coach Tom Brands
- Sorensen Seizing Opportunity
- Match Notes: #1 Iowa vs. #11 Illinois
- Brown: Change, challenges ahead for Ferentz
- Hlas: Iowa women's basketball team wins, entertains
- Iowa offensive coordinator Davis to return
- 2014 PFF All-Sophomore Team (Micah Hyde)
- Changes for Iowa? Only Kirk Ferentz knows
- Hlas: "We needed to talk," said Ferentz
- Two-Star Hawkeye Podcast: Kirk's Presser, Sally Mason, and Hawkeye Hoops
- Ferentz: Everything is on the table to improve Hawkeyes
- Bohnenkamp column - Ferentz ‘needed to talk,' but he just wants his space
- TaxSlayer Bowl Study Hall: Tennessee 45, Iowa 28
- Iowa volleyball program scores 'big-time' transfer
- Former Iowa RB Brandon Wegher Now NFL Draft Sleeper