The Iowa RB position is cursed

[knapplc]

Iowa running back Barkley Hill suffered some type of knee injury during a scrimmage yesterday afternoon. Hill could not place any weight on the leg after the injury and was taken via a cart into the locker room for treatment.

 

LINK

 

It's starting to look like the Hawkeye RB position is cursed. How else do you explain all of these offseason issues?

 

De’Andre Johnson has already been indefinitely suspended for a couple of run-ins with the law (although he'll probably be reinstated - it's not like he robbed a bank).

 

Greg Garmon busted for drug paraphernalia.

 

Walk-on Marcus Binns was charged with theft.

 

Jordan Canzeri lost for the year to a torn ACL.

 

Marcus Coker left the team.

 

Mika’il McCall left the team.

 

 

At this rate they're going to be hitting up Camps Rec for kids to walk on to the program just to find a RB.

[Blackshirts007]

This is great news, honestly we can joke around that they lost all of these RB's but seriously how are they going to have a running game? there will most likely be a true freshman starting, who is small and not very good at all.

[Decked]

Iowa running back Barkley Hill suffered some type of knee injury during a scrimmage yesterday afternoon. Hill could not place any weight on the leg after the injury and was taken via a cart into the locker room for treatment.

 

LINK

 

It's starting to look like the Hawkeye RB position is cursed. How else do you explain all of these offseason issues?

 

De’Andre Johnson has already been indefinitely suspended for a couple of run-ins with the law (although he'll probably be reinstated - it's not like he robbed a bank).

 

Greg Garmon busted for drug paraphernalia.

 

Walk-on Marcus Binns was charged with theft.

 

Jordan Canzeri lost for the year to a torn ACL.

 

Marcus Coker left the team.

 

Mika’il McCall left the team.

 

 

At this rate they're going to be hitting up Camps Rec for kids to walk on to the program just to find a RB.

 

De'Andre Was booted off the team already http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/02/deandre-johnson-dismissed-iowa-arrested_n_1731448.html

[knapplc]

Good gravy. Who's going to run the ball for the Hawkeyes?

 

 

@BTNTomDienhart

#Iowa announced that freshman running back Barkley Hill and freshman defensive back Ruben Lile have suffered season-ending injuries. #B1G

[GSG]

This is just getting sad.

[The Dude]

Yesterday they said on College Football Live that Iowa has three running backs on the roster, including two Freshmen.

 

Looks like they're down to one guy.

[The Dude]

Nevermind, looks like one of those season ending injuries was a defensive back. They still have two guys, they're good to go.

[knapplc]

Here's what their current roster lists at RB. Not sure if this includes incoming Freshmen.

 

Barkley Hill - done for the season

Greg Garmon - busted for drug paraphernalia. Freshman. No stats

Andre Dawson - 58-year-old former Cubs outfielder? (OK, OK - he's a JUCO transfer) 263 yards on 45 carries last year in JUCO.

Damon Bullock - Sophomore, 20 yards on 10 carries last year

Jordan Canzeri - Lost for the year (torn ACL)

Nate Meier - Freshman, listed as LB/RB, no stats

 

That is a MASH unit of a RB corps. Good luck, Hawkeyes.

[mrandyk]

They've lost 7 running backs in the last year? And their leading (only) returning running back has 20 yards? Even with their easy schedule things are going to be rough for them.

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

They've lost 7 running backs in the last year? And their leading (only) returning running back has 20 yards? Even with their easy schedule things are going to be rough for them.

Gonna be a long year for vandenberg! Anyone see them using a scat back and running some sort of run and shoot up tempo like Oregon. Run solely delays and draws or end arounds out of 4 WR sets. Try and protect their QB.

[knapplc]

I'd say Dawson is likely to be their #1 guy.

 

 

Also:

 

@BobbyBigWheel

I don't know how else God is going to show Kirk Ferentz that He prefers an empty backfield.

[Lil' Red]

It sounds like Garmon won't be facing any suspension from his drug paraphernalia so he is the probable starter.

[Caven]

We do have a senior fullback that will likely be used quite a bit as a RB this year.

[The Dude]

Starting to seem real? It's real alright:

 

AIRBHG is an acronym, which stands for 'Angry Iowa Running Back Hating God'. It's existence was first noted by the sports blog Black Heart, Gold Pants. Running backs who have played for the Iowa Hawkeyes during the Kirk Ferentz era have had a surprising, if not shocking string of bad luck. The only plausible explanation is that of an otherworldly force at play. Enter AIRBHG

 

The following Chronology was begun at The Hawkeye Lounge, but several revisions have been required to attain complete accuracy.

 

2001

1) Ladell Betts, after logging hundreds of carries over his first three seasons which do not result in a winning record, makes it through his 'payoff' senior year only to miss his final game, due to injury. This is the first time where AIRBHG strikes, but it's unattributable due to it being the first occurrence.

2) Replacement Aaron Greving rushes for over 100 yards in the Alamo Bowl, raising expectations for 2002.

 

2002

1) Greving, the projected starter is injured and abruptly quits mid way through the season.

2) Justice Hariston fails to qualify, goes to prep school and then to Purdue where he has a decent, injury free, career.

3) Jermelle Lewis has a very good year backing up Fred Russell; AIRBHG takes note.

4) Russell has one of the most productive rushing seasons in Iowa history

 

2003

1) Lewis tears ACL in the spring, misses first half of season but is not the same back upon his return

2) Promising freshman Albert Young breaks leg on kickoff return, out for year.

3) AJ Johnson lasts a semester before getting kicked out.

4) Russell escapes the wrath of AIRBHG, likely due to his being 5-feet-6 inches tall and hiding behind gargantuan Left Tackle Robert Gallery

5) Champ Davis starts at fullback for Iowa in season opening win against Miami, becoming the first true freshman to start on offense under Kirk Ferentz at Iowa. AIRBHG is not amused and takes note.

 

2004

1) Shonn Greene fails to qualify out of high school

2) Russell leaves early for the NFL, thumbs nose at AIRBHG. However, he goes undrafted

3) In a move designed to confuse AIRBHG, Champ Davis moves from fullback to tight end during 2004 spring practice before moving back to fullback during the season

4) Lewis tears other ACL

5) Albert Young tears ACL misses second full season.

6) Marques Simmons misses several games with a high ankle sprain

7) Marcus Schnoor tears ACL

8) Champ Davis misses final four games of 2004 due to injury

9) Sam Brownlee leads Iowa in rushing with 227 yards.

NOTE: Iowa overcomes AIRBHG and shares the Big Ten title with Michigan, despite one of the worst rushing attacks in college football. Iowa finishes the year 10-2 after a 2-2 start, concluding with Drew Tate hitting Warren Holloway as time expired on a bomb in the 2005 Capital One Bowl. AIRBHG attempted to influence the outcome in this one by distorting Offensive Coordinator Ken O'Keefe and Head Coach Kirk Ferentz's clock awareness, but the players were able to rise above and emerge victorious. However, AIRBHG is unamused.

 

2005

1) Ferentz tricks AIRBHG by briefly moving Damian Sims to corner. As of 2012, Sims remains is the only scholarship running back to go four years without a major injury.

 

2006

1) Kalvin Bailey - flunked out after one year

2) Corey Robertson - flunked out after one year

3) Albert Young, having sacrificed two years to AIRBHG, is rewarded with a complete season in which he gains over 1,000 rushing in conference play alone. He remains the last scholarship Iowa running back to reach his senior season while still enrolled at the University of Iowa.

 

2007

1) Shonn Greene ineligible

2) Dana Brown assaults girlfriend and is kicked off the team during the great purge of '07.

 

2008

1) Jevon Pugh - left school after one year

2) Jeff Brinson - injured and redshirts

3) Nate Guillory, a Juco transfer, leaves in fall camp. Rumors abound that he saw an apparition resembling AIRBHG whilst chanting 'Bloody Mary' in the football training room with the lights off and left town without bringing along any of his personal effects. This is unconfirmed, however.

4) Paki O'Meara #2 on depth chart throughout season.

5) Greene, having surrendered two years to AIRBHG, is rewarded with the best season running the ball in Iowa history and wins the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back.

 

2009

1) Just days into 2009, Greene comes across a collection of long lost Irish sayings which includes 'May you be in the NFL one season before AIRBHG knows you're out of Iowa City' and decides to turn professional with one year of eligibility remaining. He is presently unharmed and walks without the aid of crutches or a knee brace.

2) Jewel Hampton tears ACL in fall camp

3) Brinson still injured has one carry

4) Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher do a nice job but usually one or both is hobbled

5) Paki again a staple on depth chart. Rumors suggesting Paki was a frequent visitor to the Black Angel in an Iowa City cemetery are as of yet unfounded.

 

2010

1) Brinson leaves before spring ball

2) Wegher chooses not to play football for Iowa following an 11-2, Orange Bowl winning season.

3) Marcus Coker - breaks collarbone in August camp

4) Hampton - torn ACL by game three, transfers prior to bowl

5) Robinson - concussions, then academics, not in good standing, then marijuana arrest, kicked off team

6) Paki apparently also injured.

7) Brad Rogers misses 2010 Insight Bowl with heart condition

 

2011

1. Mika'il McCall was the talk of camp and goes off in the first quarter of the first game, then suffers a broken ankle after nine carries

2. Rogers misses the first half of the season with the heart condition, then is cleared to play

3. McCall is cleared to play but doesn't see action against Minnesota and Michigan. Gets two carries at Purdue, fumbles and is benched. Suspended for the season shortly thereafter for undisclosed reasons

4. Coker somehow escapes AIRBHG for the regular season, but is suspended for the 2011 Insight Bowl for a violation of the student code.

5. Jordan Canzeri starts and plays well in bowl game, AIRBHG notices.

NOTE: Hampton has a breakout year for Southern Illinois, gaining 1,121 yards and scoring 17 touchdowns. He elects to turn professional with one year of eligibility remaining.

 

2012

1. McCall transfers in January of 2012

2. Coker transfers to Stony Brook in January of 2012 after rushing for nearly 1,400 yards as a sophomore at Iowa, which was good for the second best total in the Big Ten in 2012

3. Indiana Brownlee tries to end the curse of AIRBHG

4. Canzeri suffers knee injury in March of 2012 during the third practice of spring drills and also the first day in pads. Canzeri's father confirms to HawkeyeInsider.com that it was a tear of the ACL and that Jordan will likely redshirt in 2013.

5. Incoming running back Greg Garmon openly mocks AIRBHG on March 30th

6. Garmon retweets curious item from 'Weed Tweets' on May 12th

7. Incoming running back Greg Garmon arrested for marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia in early June.

7a. 7/26/12: Ferentz announces that Garmon will not be suspended as this falls within the student code of conduct and first violation parameters, per Ferentz.

8. 7/26/12: De'Andre Johnson, who was listed as the #2 back heading into fall camp per Iowa's 2012 media guide, cited for Disorderly House

9. 7/28/12: De'Andre Johnson charged with speeding on a motorcycle (60 in a 25) in University Heights as well as briefly evading police, per the police report.

10. 7/29/12: Ferentz releases statement: “I was very disappointed to learn of the situation involving De’Andre Johnson Saturday evening. As a result, De’Andre has been suspended immediately from all team activities.”

11. 8/1/12: De'Andre Johnson dismissed from team. “I am disappointed that things didn’t work out better for De’Andre,” said Ferentz. “We wish him all the best moving forward.”

12. 8/18/12: Freshman running back Barkley Hill injures left knee on final play of the scrimmage. Personnel on the field were reported saying they heard a 'pop'. Hill was taken off the field on a cart. Nothing official has been reported as of yet.

[NUance]

Big Ten Thursday mailbag

Aug. 23, 2012, by Brian Bennett, www.espn.com

 

Joe from Denver writes: Hey, Brian, can you please pass this message on to my fellow Hawkeye fans who are so worried about the running game? CALM DOWN! Let's looks at a little history. Last year the team had just short of 1,800 yards rushing. In 2010, just shy of 2,000 yards rushing and a letdown of a season many would say. In 2009, nearly 1,500 yards and a historic year for the Hawks. Prior to 2009, the Hawks had solid years rushing each season. But my point, and one I would think most Hawkeye fans would remember very clearly, is. 2004. The year of the catch. And what is it that the Hawkeyes lacked that year? A running game! For the entire 2004 season the team, overall, had less than 900 yards rushing. The team pulled off one of the most magical seasons in the teams history with nobody running the ball. So please let hawkeye nation know that the team has been successful without a running game before so keep hope alive.

LINK

No worries then. Iowa doesn't need to run the ball.

 

 

Well, okay.