SB Nation - Chad Geary

INPIYL2I Presents Iowa Media Day: FLUFFAPALOOZA

Hawkeye State — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:02:30 -0000

Friends Forever...Always Will Be Friends...

Tom McEvoy once said the World Series of Poker was, "hours of boredom interspersed with moments of sheer terror." The same sentiment, slightly altered, could be applied to Iowa Media Day: Hours of boredom interspersed with moments of actual news. Media Day is a Don Doxie content wet dream, a neverending string of human interest angles on college kids who are ready to prove the critics wrong and achieve greatness, all of which go out the window the moment the ball is kicked.

There were moments, though, where the media cut through the glossy Nerf bullshit and got some information on this team, nearly all from the Ferentz press conference (which included such hard-hitting questions as, "How good is Amary Spievey?" I'm not kidding.):

The Walking Wounded: Jewel Hampton is 100%. Jayme Murphy is not: the fourth-year junior "will be limited" this season due to a number of concussions. Given how the staff handled Alex Kanellis two years ago, that's essentially the end. Chad Geary's situation (torn ACL) does not look promising, nor does that of Joe Gaglione (the always-dangerous Italian shoulder). Julian Vandervelde (bicep) will likely miss a couple of weeks as he recovers from surgery.

Fun With Depth Charts: The big questions are no surprise: Running back, interior offensive line, defensive tackle, wide receiver, and backup quarterback. Running back is Hampton's to lose, though nobody seems too sure he can sustain 25+ carries per game. The rest of the depth chart is up for grabs.

Ferentz mentioned Adam Gettis and Markus Zusevics when talking about potential interior offensive linemen, though Zusevics is being groomed as a tackle and buried behind Kyle Calloway on the two-deep. Gettis also gets some fluff from the SID. Vanderverde acquitted himself well, disarming the press with wit and charm; there's clearly a graduate assistant job on this staff waiting at the end of his rainbow. As for center, it's Raf Eubanks' spot to lose. James Ferentz gets the obligatory "I'm working past my stupid mistakes of years gone by" column.

The defensive line rotation could be the most interesting part of the week one Hayden Fry lovefest/Northern Iowa game. Ferentz mentioned, in order, Klug, Hundertmark, Daniels (who "can lift a house"), and Meade at defensive tackle. There was no mention of Clayborn or Ballard moving inside (in fact, Rick Kaczenski said they aren't even discussing it), though there was plenty of discussion of the unblockability of Broderick Binns. I still can't believe he won't start.

Wide receiver, as you can imagine, is all about DJK. He's smiling, he's motivated, he's working hard, he's playing well, he's answering the questions the way he's supposed to answer the questions. We've believed his demotion was a motivational ploy all along, at least right up to the point where Stanzi praised Marvin McNutt's pass-catching ability. Given DJK's recurring fight with dropped passes, it could be that McNutt is actually that good. In other wideout news, Stephane N'Goumou did not qualify and will attend prep school, and there's still no sign of whether Keenan Davis will redshirt.

The backup quarterback spot is still up for grabs between redshirt freshmen James Vandenberg and John Wienke. With that said, Vandenberg got a lot of press. As little as that might matter, when it is combined with persistent rumors of his slight lead in the race, it's difficult to envision a scenario where Wienke is first off the bench. Barring THE HORROR in week one, we should have a far better picture by about 1:30 on September 5.

The Fluff. Oh God, the Fluff: The special teams are...special, according to UI sports information. Nobody cares about that #21 ranking in the coaches' poll. Nobody cares at all. Everyone is focused and avoiding the distractions (this is classic Doxie). The field turf looks great (that Hlas post also includes the quote of the day from KF: "It's really conceivable that we have a better team than last year, and a record that doesn't indicate that.") KOK likes the way Morehouse asks a question. Norm loses a toe "but wins big" (no, wait, THIS is classic Doxie). The coaching staff talks about how long they've been a coaching staff.

Assume the Position 2009: Defensive End

Hawkeye State — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:00:11 -0000

It's about that time again. For the next three months, BHGP will be previewing this year's Iowa Hawkeyes, position-by-position. Naturally, as the earth revolves around the sun, things will change. Therefore, we're starting with the position where we are most certain, and ending with the position of which we are least certain. To date:

1. Quarterback
2. Offensive Tackle
3. Safety
4. Linebacker
5. Tight End
6. Running Back

Tonight: Defensive End

Matt Hasselbeck had a bad day

I know what you're thinking: Where is the uncertainty at defensive end? On its face, it is a valid question. Adrian Clayborn and Christian Ballard are both returning starters who had top-notch first seasons, phenomenal athletic ability, and no history of significant injury. They are both guaranteed starting spots until the day they graduate.

The only question is where those starts will be. The three most experienced returning defensive linemen (Clayborn, Ballard, Binns) are all defensive ends, and both Clayborn and Ballard tip the scales at a higher weight than any defensive tackle on the two-deep. Considering the imporatance of the interior pass rush to the Iowa defense and the "best four players" mentality of Ferentz, Parker, and staff, we're almost certain one of the returning ends will move inside in August.

The Starters, Somewhere

Adrian Clayborn (#94, 6'3", 285, Junior) - After an inauspicious debut in rotation work as a freshman, Clayborn hit the Big Ten like the Cloverfield monster in his first full season as a starter. He finished his year with 50 tackles, including 8 tackles for loss and 2 sacks. The numbers were excellent in and of themselves, but it was Clayborn's ability to disrupt blocking schemes and spring his teammates loose that endeared him to the staff and fans. After dominant performances in the non-conference season, Clayborn became the target of double teams throughout the Big Ten campaign, leading in large part to Mitch King's best season as a Hawkeye.

What Clayborn lacked in experience, he more than made up for in pure athleticism; Ken O'Keefe reportedly told an I-Club gathering that the offense doesn't have an athlete like Adrian Clayborn (and the offense has Bryan Bulaga). It certainly didn't hurt that Clayborn lined up across from Bulaga every day in practice.

Clayborn hasn't been shown much in the way of preseason accolades; he inexplicably was omitted from Phil Steele's four preseason all-Big Ten teams (PDF), and is missing from Athlon's three all-conference teams. Let there be no doubt; he might not be there before the season begins, but he'll be there when it ends.

Christian Ballard (#46, 6'5", 285, Junior) - The more likely choice to move inside for a number of reasons, Christian Ballard had an equially stellar first season as a starter. After turning down offers to play tight end from such programs as Oklahoma, Michigan, and Georgia, Ballard recorded 15 tackles in his first year at Iowa. He inherited Bryan Mattison's spot on the right side and ran interference as a run-stuffing end. He finished the season with 40 tackles, including 4 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

So why is Ballard more likely to move inside? For starters, he played primarily on the right; the designated pass rush spot on the left was mostly Clayborn's. Second, Broderick Binns (the most likely replacement starter) is listed as his backup, which in theory means nothing but in practice indicates who the staff thinks might make the move. Third, Ballard's body (shorter arms than Clayborn, in particular) is better suited for the interior line. I think the move is a foregone conclusion, especially on passing downs. Regardless of where he lines up, expect another step forward from Ballard.

The Non-Starter Starter

Broderick Binns (#91, 6'2", 255, Sophomore) - Broderick Binns is the wildcard. If his freshman year was any indication, there's nothing keeping him off the field. Binns, a 3-star recruit out of vaunted Cretin Durham-Hall (St. Paul, MN; school of a certain Googlestalk victim), racked up 22 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 pass breakups, and a fumble recovery in spot duty last season. You could actually watch the defensive coaches gain confidence in his abilities as the season progressed. He showed an uncanny ability to get to the quarterback and, when he couldn't record the sack, get his hands up and deflect passes or change the quarterback's throwing motion. He peaked against Purdue, when a pass tipped by Binns was picked off deep in Iowa territory, stopping the Boilers from closing within 5 (they would do it on the next possession). He also recorded 4 tackles in that game, and cemented his place in the defensive end rotation that Norm Parker has favored for the past two seasons.

This year, he should get increased playing time, especially if the coaching staff realizes the obvious and moves Ballard inside on passing downs to give him some space. That should be enough for us to get a better idea of the limitations of his talent, if they exist.

Should See the Field

Lebron Daniel (#58, 6'2", 250, Sophomore) - Anyone else see the marketing potential in a guy named Lebron from Cleveland?

Daniel (2* Scout, 3* Rivals, ignored by ESPN) comes to Iowa from Glenville High (Cleveland, OH), and was coached by Ted Ginn Sr. He was the second member of the 2007 class to come from Glenville; Bruce Davis, previously chronicled at linebacker, was part of his graduating class. For obvious reasons, Glenville is generally considered an Ohio State feeder school; Daniel drew interest but no offer from OSU (as well as Michigan and Notre Dame), and turned down offers from Wisconsin, Purdue, and Duke to come to Iowa. He then bulked up and moved from linebacker to defensive end. He featured primarily on special teams last season, recording a sole tackle against Maine. By the end of spring, he had replaced the injured Chad Geary as Clayborn's backup on the left side, and has held that line since. Barring injury, expect spot duty and garbage time reps.

Won't See the Field

Chad Geary (#98, 6'3", 262, Senior) - The former walk-on from Tipton is likely finished, and in the cruelest of ways. Geary showed signs of life in 2007, after Ken Iwebema went down injured and Geary stepped into the left end spot, recorded 4 tackles in a loss at Purdue in his first career start, then went down injured the next week against Michigan State. He entered 2008 in the backup spot and never emerged, recording 15 tackles in rotation duty. Entering spring practice, Geary was a legitimate contender for either a defensive tackle spot or the rotation end that Binns will inevitably be. Then he tore his ACL. Barring a medical redshirt that is highly unlikely for a fifth-year senior walk-on, Geary won't play again. The end is a whimper for a player that, for one brief moment, looked to be on the verge of a bang.

The Coach's Best Friends, Part I

Oops Pow Surprise — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:24:20 -0000

Let's face it, there's little that blows a coach's skirt up quite like the kind of player who can afford the team more flexibility, whether through personnel or play-calling. Here's one.

Chad Geary: Given that the staff probably (definitely) doesn't think that they've got two clear starters at defensive tackle, especially with Daniels and Klug both hovering around 260 pounds--yikes) and will want a rotation of some sort, either three or four guys, it's safe to say that they'd be happiest with one of the two 280+ lb. defensive ends shifting to the inside. At the same time, defensive end is no Murderer's Row, either; after Clayborn and Ballard, there's Broderick Binns, who's probably not at every-down status yet, and... that's about it.

That's where Chad Geary would be perfect; he spelled Clayborn for extended periods throughout the course of last year, doing such a good job that he earned the "Next Man In" award on defense in 2008.

Were Geary to line up at end, Ferentz could confidently switch Clayborn inside and establish the following rotations:

DT: Clayborn, Klug, Hundertmark, Daniels
DE: Ballard, Geary, Binns, Daniel

That's a lot of flexibility, especially considering that Clayborn and Ballard (and maybe even Geary or Klug) can ably play any of the four positions on the line, if need be.

Fate is a cruel, nasty bitch, however. Geary tore his ACL and is out until, in all likelihood, the middle of the season (Ferentz is relieved that it's a "clean" tear, which wins the Small Consolation Award for the week). Binns, meanwhile, seemed like less of an every-down end and more one who excels in situational play, like a slightly less athletic Ken Iwebema.

So now, Ferentz probably doesn't have the flexibility to put Clayborn on the inside full-time, meaning they absolutely must be hoping Hundertmark recovers fully from the shoulder injury that kept him out of spring practice. Otherwise, it's a constant, play-by-play juggling act of plugging Ballard and Clayborn in wherever the line needs them the most. Good for the sake of leadership and being a good teammate... not so good for getting into a rhythm and consistently exploiting matchups.

And that, people, is someone who changes a scheme. More later.