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<p class="uptitle"><span style="font-weight:bold;"> IOWA FOOTBALL
RECRUITING</span></p>
<p class="maintitle"><span class="Fid_13"> Iowa hangs on to its
class of 24 </span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_11"> By Marc Morehouse,</span><span
class="Fid_12"> The Gazette</span><span class="Fid_6"> IOWA CITY
- Recruiting is like life on a fault line. Everything looks
pretty fantastic on the California coast along the Pacific
Ocean, but then there's that San Andreas Fault churning things
beneath the surface.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> Menomonie, Wis., quarterback
Nathan Stanley was Iowa's first commitment for the 2016
recruiting class,</span><span class="Fid_6"> which signed on the
dotted line when the national signing period began Wednesday.
The 6-5, 215-pounder who leads Menomonie High School basketball
in scoring and who has a 90 mph fastball said yes to Iowa all
the way back on Nov. 11, 2014.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> Stanley's first camp stop,
however, was Pittsburgh, where Paul Chryst then was head coach.
Chryst was the first to offer. Then, Stanley next went to camp
in Iowa City. His mom, Donita, is from Iowa. Donita and Jay
Stanley went to Wartburg. The family saw a fit and said yes to
Iowa.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> 'We were fortunate that he
camped here,' Iowa assistant coach Seth Wallace said Wednesday.
'We really were. It was obvious when he got here that this kid
was a big-time quarterback. Once we started learning more about
him, it became obvious that we really, really wanted Nate
Stanley.' Stanley was one of 24 high school prospects to sign a
letter of intent with the Hawkeyes on Wednesday. Iowa filled
needs with three tight ends, including Cedar Rapids Kennedy
standout Shaun Beyer, and five potential defensive ends. But</span><span
class="Fid_6"> maybe more than in a lot of recent classes, Iowa
found itself with a bunch of versatile football bodies (11
players measure 6-4 and above) that might be able to plug in
anywhere.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> Take Beyer, for instance. He's
6-5, 210 pounds. He played everything from wildcat quarterback
to running back to tight end to punter for the Cougars. At Iowa,
you can take quarterback and running back off that list, but
that's about it.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> 'Not sure what he's going to
play yet, and that's a</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_20"> </span><span class="Fid_21"></span></p>
<img src="cid:part1.08060309.09070901@gmail.com" onload="if
(this.width > 460) {this.height = this.height * 480 / this.width;
this.width = 460;}" height="70" width="50">
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_11"> Kirk Ferentz</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_14"> Iowa football coach</span></p>
<br>
<hr>
<p class="maintitle"><span class="Fid_7"> </span></p>
<p class="maintitle"><span class="Fid_8"> Injuries to recruits don't
scare off Iowa coaching staff </span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> 'Not sure what he's going to
play yet, and that's a</span><br>
</p>
<span class="Fid_5">good problem, too,' head coach Kirk Ferentz
said. 'He's one of the guys to me an athlete category-type player,
but I think tremendous growth [potential], attitude.' The earth
didn't stop moving for Iowa's class until early Wednesday morning.
Offensive lineman Alaric Jackson was set to commit to Iowa on
Monday, but received late interest from Michigan and decided to
put an announcement on hold. The 6-7, 285-pounder signed with the
Hawkeyes early Wednesday morning.</span>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_5"> 'I'm not going to say I wasn't
worried about it or concerned about it, but anything can happen
in recruiting, I realize that fully,' Ferentz said, 'but his
consistency throughout the whole process really has impressed me
a great deal and makes you feel better about him as a football
player, too.'</span><span class="Fid_5"> Iowa expected to sign
25 players, but New Jersey wide receiver Frank Darby needs to
retake the SAT on Feb. 20 before he can proceed. NCAA rules
prevent coaches from commenting on unsigned players, but Ferentz
did say there still is room in this class when asked about
Darby, who was scheduled for an SAT on Jan. 23 but a snowstorm
forced postponement.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_5"> In addition to Stanley and
Jackson, running back Toks Akinribade and tight end Noah Fant
also count as pretty terrific 'hang ons.' Akinribade, who rushed
for 1,500 yards and 16 TDs as a senior at Brownsburg (Ind.) High
School, heard a lot from Indiana, held an offer from Michigan
and lost his primary contact at Iowa when former linebackers
coach Jim Reid left for Boston College last month.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_5"> Fant, an Omaha, Neb., native,
held an offer from the home</span><span class="Fid_5"> state
Huskers and almost took a visit to Minnesota.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_5"> Akinribade or fellow running
back Toren Young (Monona Grove, Wis.) could end up seeing time
next season at running back, Wallace said.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_5"> Defensive end prospects Romeo
McKnight and Austin Schulte suffered torn ACLs after they
committed to Iowa. This has happened in the past and Ferentz and
Iowa have never backed out of the commitment.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_5"> 'Once we make an offer, a
commitment to a player and they make a commitment to us, it's a
two-way street,' Ferentz said. 'That's just something we believe
in ... We just tried to do our best to make sure they're getting
good medical care, and when they get here if they need to go
through the rehab process with our people, that'll start in
June.'</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span class="Fid_4">
Comments: (319) 398-8256; <a
href="mailto:marc.morehouse@thegazette.com"><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:marc.morehouse@thegazette.com">marc.morehouse@thegazette.com</a></a><br>
</span></p>
<p class="maintitle"><span class="Fid_18"> <b><big>IOWA SIGNEES </big></b></span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Toks Akinribade</span><span
class="Fid_16"> RB 6-0 205 Fr. Brownsburg, Ind. Brownsburg</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Cole Banwart</span><span
class="Fid_16"> OL 6-4 280 Fr.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_16"> Ottosen, Algona</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Shaun Beyer</span><span
class="Fid_16"> TE 6-5 210 Fr. Shellsburg, Cedar Rapids Kennedy</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Lance Billings</span><span
class="Fid_16"> DB 6-0 176 Fr.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_16"> Lorain, Ohio Clearview</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Cedric Boswell</span><span
class="Fid_16"> DB 5-11 175 Fr. Beverly Hills, Mich. Groves</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Noah Fant</span><span class="Fid_16">
TE 6-5 220 Fr.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_16"> Omaha, Neb. Omaha South</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Chauncey Golston</span><span
class="Fid_16"> DE 6-5 227 Fr. Detroit, Mich. East English
Village</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> T.J. Hockenson</span><span
class="Fid_16"> TE 6-5 230 Fr. Chariton, Iowa Chariton</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Amani Hooker</span><span
class="Fid_16"> DB 6-0 203 Fr.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_16"> Minneapolis, Minn. Park
Center</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Alaric Jackson</span><span
class="Fid_16"> OL 6-7 285 Fr.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_16"> Detroit, Mich. Renaissance</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Amani Jones</span><span
class="Fid_16"> LB 6-0 215 Fr.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_16"> Chicago, Ill. Phillips</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Cedrick Lattimore</span><span
class="Fid_16"> DE 6-5 260 Fr. Redford, Mich. East English
Village</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Romeo McKnight</span><span
class="Fid_16"> DE 6-5 235 Fr. Crystal Lake, Ill. Crystal Lake
Central</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Nick Niemann</span><span
class="Fid_16"> LB 6-4 220 Fr.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_16"> Sycamore, Ill. Sycamore</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Emmanuel Rugamba</span><span
class="Fid_16"> DB 6-0</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_16"> 172 Fr. Naperville, Ill.
Naperville Central</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Austin Schulte</span><span
class="Fid_16"> DE 6-4 250 Fr.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_16"> Pella, Pella</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Brandon Simon</span><span
class="Fid_16"> DE 6-1 236 Fr. Newark, N.J. Don Bosco Prep</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Nathan Stanley</span><span
class="Fid_16"> QB 6-5 212 Fr. Menomonie, Wis. Menomonie</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Kyle Taylor</span><span
class="Fid_16"> LB 6-2 220 Fr.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_16"> Silver Springs, Md. Gonzaga,
Washington D.C.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Barrington Wade</span><span
class="Fid_16"> LB 6-1 210 Fr. Skokie, Ill. Niles North</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Kristian Welch</span><span
class="Fid_16"> LB 6-3 220 Fr.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_16"> Iola, Wis. Iola-Scandinavia</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Spencer Williams</span><span
class="Fid_16"> OL 6-3 290 Fr. Cedar Falls, Cedar Falls</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Devonte Young</span><span
class="Fid_16"> WR 6-0 195 Fr. Waldorf, Md. North Point</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_6"> •</span><span
style="font-weight:bold;"> Toren Young</span><span
class="Fid_16"> RB 5-11 220 Fr.</span></p>
<p class="abody"><span class="Fid_16"> Madison, Wis. Monona Grove</span></p>
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