NU dominating Iowa in recruiting battles in recent years

[lou v]

This one was fun to put together. NU is a dominant 11-3 against Iowa in battles for prospects who got offers from both schools from the 2014 to 2019 classes. Those 11, by the way, include both Clatyon Thorson and Justin Jackson. Imagine those two in bumble-bee colors. (On second thought, don't.)

Recruiting Battles: Northwestern vs. Iowa ($)

 

[cidsports]

Iowa won 2013, 2014, 2015, but clearly the recruiting battles for CT and Jackson paid dividends in 2016. However, a senior WR in 2016 played a huge, huge role, as well.

Pat Fitzgerald has recruited well and CT and Jackson are the cream of the 11 member examples.

Iowa has an OL anchor, who made first career start, as true freshman in 2015.

Kirk Ferentz and Pat Fitzgerald are the Dean and second in seniority in the Big Ten. They have had some outstanding games.

Pat Fitzgerald played a huge role in the modern history of Northwestern football, as a player and coach.

Both coaches have done well. Both coaches have frustrated the fan base, with underperforming seasons.

The mix of assistant coaches at each school, has worked and has been under fire recently.

In 2015, the season went well. In 2016, both programs were under some criticisms.

At times, both head coaches have been criticized for being too conservative and not willing to make the right calls.

At the end of the day, both programs are lead by solid head coaches for their respective programs.

Win or lose ... the glass is more full than empty for each program.

This is not a program seeking an identity, like Nebraska right now.

 

[rk#5]

This one was fun to put together. NU is a dominant 11-3 against Iowa in battles for prospects who got offers from both schools from the 2014 to 2019 classes. Those 11, by the way, include both Clatyon Thorson and Justin Jackson. Imagine those two in bumble-bee colors. (On second thought, don't.)

Recruiting Battles: Northwestern vs. Iowa ($)

And yet on those years given, NU finished ahead in the recruiting rankings only once.

 

[lou v]

This one was fun to put together. NU is a dominant 11-3 against Iowa in battles for prospects who got offers from both schools from the 2014 to 2019 classes. Those 11, by the way, include both Clatyon Thorson and Justin Jackson. Imagine those two in bumble-bee colors. (On second thought, don't.)

Recruiting Battles: Northwestern vs. Iowa ($)

And yet on those years given, NU finished ahead in the recruiting rankings only once.

There are other guys in the classes, you know. This is just about those players who got offers from both schools.

 

[rk#5]

There are other guys in the classes, you know. This is just about those players who got offers from both schools.

Sorry didn't mean for that to sound like I'm sure you took it. You're right I was just pointing out the bigger picture...I follow Iowa recruiting pretty damn close, and some of those guys I don't ever remember being brought up. Yes, Thorson and Jackson were great gets for NU and misses by Iowa. Did AJ Epenesa really not have an offer from NU? Most of those guys are in-state guys also, which helps with some I believe.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Sorry didn't mean for that to sound like I'm sure you took it. You're right I was just pointing out the bigger picture...I follow Iowa recruiting pretty damn close, and some of those guys I don't ever remember being brought up. Yes, Thorson and Jackson were great gets for NU and misses by Iowa. Did AJ Epenesa really not have an offer from NU? Most of those guys are in-state guys also, which helps with some I believe.

Grades.

 

[lonesomedove]

Grades.

Total B.S.

 

[hdhntr1]

Sorry didn't mean for that to sound like I'm sure you took it. You're right I was just pointing out the bigger picture...I follow Iowa recruiting pretty damn close, and some of those guys I don't ever remember being brought up. Yes, Thorson and Jackson were great gets for NU and misses by Iowa. Did AJ Epenesa really not have an offer from NU? Most of those guys are in-state guys also, which helps with some I believe.

How many of the Iowa recruits that we did not go head to head could we even have recruited? IA always seems to do better with OL

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Total B.S.

Just relaying what I heard. My understanding is that his grades/test scores wouldn't have cleared NU's admissions.

 

[RhabdoWildcat]

Grades.

Total B.S.

Not saying he's a terrible student. Just did not have the grades to get admitted to NU at that time. Who knows which program he would have picked if both offered but thats the reason. Happens to NU all the time with potential recruits.

 

[rk#5]

How many of the Iowa recruits that we did not go head to head could we even have recruited? IA always seems to do better with OL

I'm guessing you're talking about grades...no idea on that really. My guess is there are more than we think on kids that could get into NU. Both teams could have offered these kids at one point, but moved on away from them, or filled up at their positions before they committed. Iowa would have taken Thorson and Jackson either way I believe, but most of the others I don't remember much of with their recruitment.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Total B.S.

In a typical year, only about 20% of high school players recruited to BCS/FBS programs would qualify for NU admissions.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

I'm guessing you're talking about grades...no idea on that really. My guess is there are more than we think on kids that could get into NU. Both teams could have offered these kids at one point, but moved on away from them, or filled up at their positions before they committed. Iowa would have taken Thorson and Jackson either way I believe, but most of the others I don't remember much of with their recruitment.

I don't think this is true.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Sorry didn't mean for that to sound like I'm sure you took it. You're right I was just pointing out the bigger picture...I follow Iowa recruiting pretty damn close, and some of those guys I don't ever remember being brought up. Yes, Thorson and Jackson were great gets for NU and misses by Iowa. Did AJ Epenesa really not have an offer from NU? Most of those guys are in-state guys also, which helps with some I believe.

Epenesa was always going to Iowa as he was a legacy. Niemann was always very likely Iowa too and we offered way too late to be a factor. Rambuga (sp) was the guy we should have offered as we had an excellent shot at him. We whiffed there as he is a good player.

The last guy that we "battled" over that I can recall was Cam Green. I always thought we had an edge for him as he fit our scheme way better than yours unless you were convinced he was going to be a WR and not grow out if the position. He he didn't commit here he was going to MSU and I personally think Iowa was third in that one.

The 2019 TE from IL had a NU offer, but you locked him up before he even visited. Very few of your players from IL had a NU offer.

Not sure why you are so defensive. You have got plenty of good players that we never recruited and the facts are we have more than held our own in head to head battles.

 

[DodgerHawki]

Epenesa was always going to Iowa as he was a legacy. Niemann was always very likely Iowa too and we offered way too late to be a factor. Rambuga (sp) was the guy we should have offered as we had an excellent shot at him. We whiffed there as he is a good player.

The last guy that we "battled" over that I can recall was Cam Green. I always thought we had an edge for him as he fit our scheme way better than yours unless you were convinced he was going to be a WR and not grow out if the position. He he didn't commit here he was going to MSU and I personally think Iowa was third in that one.

The 2019 TE from IL had a NU offer, but you locked him up before he even visited. Very few of your players from IL had a NU offer.

Not sure why you are so defensive. You have got plenty of good players that we never recruited and the facts are we have more than held our own in head to head battles.

Epenesa was Iowa's to lose. It helped that Iowa went 12-0 in 2015, it gave some credence to the program when the other offers were from the likes of Oklahoma, USC, Michigan, etc. I'm not sure why Iowa fans are taking offense to this, most of the guys who go to P5 schools wouldn't be admitted at Northwestern. If Iowa and Northwestern are among the final choices for a players, it's obvious that academics are playing a big role in the decision for the player. Maybe not the biggest role, but a role. Each program recruits players that fit their profile (academics, work ethic, style of play, etc.)

 

[Nihilist Rodgers]

Good work.. but I took some issue.. when u compare head to head vs a Mich, PSU, or tOSU u are neglecting looking at
1) high-end players that wouldn't consider NU if u threw in 4 hookers and an SUV
2) good players that NU can't recruit as they are not up to NU academic standards.

Thus it is just kind of a fluff piece.. u are also neglecting to acct for players who chose NU who were not choice 1a 1b or even 2a for the team u beat out a kid for..

If Thorson (whom I like) is 1a at PSU he is prob playing at PSU or UM or tOSU

It is a bit more effective vs teams that recruit in the 30+ ranking range

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Good work.. but I took some issue.. when u compare head to head vs a Mich, PSU, or tOSU u are neglecting looking at
1) high-end players that wouldn't consider NU if u threw in 4 hookers and an SUV
2) good players that NU can't recruit as they are not up to NU academic standards.

Thus it is just kind of a fluff piece.. u are also neglecting to acct for players who chose NU who were not choice 1a 1b or even 2a for the team u beat out a kid for..

If Thorson (whom I like) is 1a at PSU he is prob playing at PSU or UM or tOSU

It is a bit more effective vs teams that recruit in the 30+ ranking range

What does Mich, PSU or OSU have to do with the article? It is comparing results of NU versus Iowa head to head. It also should be noted that NU makes far less offers than everyone in the B1G, so there is less fluff than you project.

 

[DaCat]

What does Mich, PSU or OSU have to do with the article? It is comparing results of NU versus Iowa head to head. It also should be noted that NU makes far less offers than everyone in the B1G, so there is less fluff than you project.

It cracks me up when other fans come on the NU forum and get worked up about this. This is purely from our point of view on our board, about a topic that some of us find interesting. Just move along, and get off our lawn!

 

[PaCat]

Good work.. but I took some issue.. when u compare head to head vs a Mich, PSU, or tOSU u are neglecting looking at
1) high-end players that wouldn't consider NU if u threw in 4 hookers and an SUV
2) good players that NU can't recruit as they are not up to NU academic standards.

Thus it is just kind of a fluff piece.. u are also neglecting to acct for players who chose NU who were not choice 1a 1b or even 2a for the team u beat out a kid for..

If Thorson (whom I like) is 1a at PSU he is prob playing at PSU or UM or tOSU

It is a bit more effective vs teams that recruit in the 30+ ranking range

Actually Thorson was a high priority offer for Penn State. That year Penn State offered him early and made very few other QB offers. Anyway, I don’t know what any of this has to do with Iowa.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Good work.. but I took some issue.. when u compare head to head vs a Mich, PSU, or tOSU u are neglecting looking at
1) high-end players that wouldn't consider NU if u threw in 4 hookers and an SUV
2) good players that NU can't recruit as they are not up to NU academic standards.

Thus it is just kind of a fluff piece.. u are also neglecting to acct for players who chose NU who were not choice 1a 1b or even 2a for the team u beat out a kid for..

If Thorson (whom I like) is 1a at PSU he is prob playing at PSU or UM or tOSU

It is a bit more effective vs teams that recruit in the 30+ ranking range

I am not sure what makes it a "fluff" piece when the consideration set is players who had offers from both schools. Iowa is a good comp because there is a LOT of overlap in our recruiting in Illinois (though we do not offer a lot of kids from the state of Iowa) and we have been equals on the field for the past decade or sur classes tend to be pretty similar in ranking.

Now when it comes to going head to head with Michigan and OSU, they eat our lunch. How many A-list OT have chosen UM or OSU over us? Too many for me to count. WRs are another area where we are also ran vs. these schools. But I would posit that Iowa also fares similarly when going head to head with OSU and UM. Guys good enough to get offered by the mega powers typically don't have Iowa or NU in their short list.

 

[EvanstonCat]

I've rode on two RAGBRAIs. Iowa vs. Chicago? No contest. As long as we are competitive, there is absolutely no reason we shouldn't regularly outrecruit Iowa. However, that we've been hammering them head to head is damning of our staff's ability to develop and coach the team to win on the field relative to Iowa's track record. Especially the fricking OL.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I've rode on two RAGBRAIs. Iowa vs. Chicago? No contest. As long as we are competitive, there is absolutely no reason we shouldn't regularly outrecruit Iowa. However, that we've been hammering them head to head is damning of our staff's ability to develop and coach the team to win on the field relative to Iowa's track record. Especially the fricking OL.

You do realize both teams gets recruits where the other doesn't offer, right?

 

[Nihilist Rodgers]

I am not sure what makes it a "fluff" piece when the consideration set is players who had offers from both schools. Iowa is a good comp because there is a LOT of overlap in our recruiting in Illinois (though we do not offer a lot of kids from the state of Iowa) and we have been equals on the field for the past decade or sur classes tend to be pretty similar in ranking.

Now when it comes to going head to head with Michigan and OSU, they eat our lunch. How many A-list OT have chosen UM or OSU over us? Too many for me to count. WRs are another area where we are also ran vs. these schools. But I would posit that Iowa also fares similarly when going head to head with OSU and UM. Guys good enough to get offered by the mega powers typically don't have Iowa or NU in their short list.

Good points.. I was referring to the prior piece vs PSU.. it seemed more like a fanzine piece

 

[EvanstonCat]

You do realize both teams gets recruits where the other doesn't offer, right?

Of course. But, when you pound a program 11-3 in recruiting battles, you should expect that we have a recruiting advantage of some sort and we should also expect far better results on the field that 10-10 in our last 20.

 

[DaCat]

Of course. But, when you pound a program 11-3 in recruiting battles, you should expect that we have a recruiting advantage of some sort and we should also expect far better results on the field that 10-10 in our last 20.

Too simplistic. In a given year, you might have 15-25 recruits. So even if we win the majority of the head-to-head battles, there is still a huge pool of recruits out there that we can't even touch because of our academic restrictions, and other teams can tap into. So it is essential that we win these head-to-head battles, but it is not an indicator of future success, unless all these wins are for the top tier A recruits.