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Hawkeyes 2010 recruiting class is off and running
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The decision of highly-coveted in-state recruit, Matt Hoch (Harlan, IA), to play football at the University of Iowa furthers the notion this could be one of the better recruiting classes Kirk Ferentz and his staff have pieced together – especially concerning the defensive side of the ball.
Hoch’s verbal commitment this week makes eight players who have already chosen to play at Iowa, seven of which will begin their careers on defense. To put that into perspective, Iowa had only one verbal commitment at this time last year, and didn’t receive its eighth pledge until the end of October.
At 6-5, 230 pounds, Hoch - who had narrowed his choices down to Missouri and Iowa - projects as a defensive end in college. He becomes the third future defensive end of the 2010 class, as he’s joined by Louis Trinca-Pasat (6-3, 235, Lane Tech, Chicago, IL) and Mike Hardy (6-5, 260, Kimberly High School, Appleton, WI), although Trinca-Pasat could play tight end and Hardy could also excel as an interior lineman.
Iowa has also received verbal commitments from a trio of talented linebackers, all of whom share great similarities in physical measurements. James Morris (6-2, 215, Solon), Austin Gray (6-2, 220, Fitzgerald High School, Warren, MI) and Jim Poggi (6-2, 215, Gilman School, Baltimore, MD) aspire to be the next superb set of Iowa linebackers. The group turned down a litany of offers from premier schools, including Penn State, Ohio State, Tennessee and Auburn.
The seventh defensive member of the 2010 class is Anthony Ferguson, a 6-2, 280-pound defensive tackle who is currently high school teammates with Poggi at Gilman. Ferguson’s mammoth size makes him a particularly intriguing prospect, as he will enter Chris Doyle’s strength and conditioning program at roughly the same size All-Big Ten tackles Mitch King and Matt Kroul exited it.
The eighth commitment is a gifted athlete who projects at multiple positions. At 6-7, 220 pounds, it will be interesting to see where the Iowa coaching staff places Austin Vier (Ballard). He played quarterback for his team last fall, and he wouldn’t be the first 6-7 player to take snaps under Ferentz – Nathan Chandler was also 6-7. But he more than likely will end up at either tight end or offensive tackle, depending on how his speed and agility is affected by added weight.
The Iowa coaching staff expects to add 18 scholarship players with this recruiting class, meaning those spots could very well be locked up long before the February signing date.
