Twelve Days of Hawkeyes: QB Ricky Stanzi

Ricky Stanzi reminded fans of his interview skills during a recent question and answer session with ESPN's Dana Jacobs.

The Iowa quarterback appeared on ESPN2's First Take, where he fielded a number of questions ranging from movie preferences to the Orange Bowl.

Jacobs started the interview off by asking Stanzi about last year's Orange Bowl. He replied that it was important, but that the team can't expect the past to provide success in the future.

"We're a new team and we've lost a lot of experience so we have to be very sure we're doing the right things right now to get ready for the season and not so much worry about what happened last year," he explained.

During the interview, Stanzi was also asked about Iowa's upcoming battle with preseason No. 2 ranked Ohio State on November 20.

Iowa Extends Ferentz's Contact Through 2020

The University of Iowa made sure to prove their loyalty to head football coach Kirk Ferentz prior to the start of the 2010 season.

In a recent press release, the University announced an extension that puts Ferentz under contract with Iowa through the 2020 college football season. "I've said publicly, and privately to Kirk, that it would be my goal to have him retire at Iowa," said Athletic Director Gary Barta.

"This contract is a statement supporting that commitment."

Twelve Days of Hawkeyes: DE Adrian Clayborn

Becoming the best football player in the Big Ten is not an easy accomplishment.

Doing so after overcoming a nerve disorder suffered at birth is downright impossible. That is, unless you're the Jason Bourne of college football like Iowa's Adrian Clayborn.

Clayborn is the undisputed leader of the Iowa defense and the most electrifying player to take the field for the Hawkeyes since Bob Sanders. You’d never guess he had to overcome a disorder like Erb's Palsy to get where he is today.

The condition known as Erb's Palsy is caused by an injury during birth to the nerves surrounding a child's shoulder.

All of the nerves in the arm are connected to a group of nerves near the neck called the brachial plexus. Those nerves are responsible for feeling and motion in a person’s fingers, hands and lower arms.  

When a baby is born feet first—known as a breech birth—excess pressure to this area of the neck can cause permanent damage. According to the website BrainandSpinalCord.org, approximately one per thousand births will have a brachial nerve injury, with larger than average babies being at an even greater risk. 

Out of Towner: Great Expectations for Hawkeye Football in 2010

Here we go again Hawkeye faithfuls.  Another 4 months of glory, heartbreak and stress-induced ulcers is upon us.  I for one couldn’t be happier.  I’ve got my tickets, my new array of Hawkeye gear, a years supply of Prilosec and a healthy disregard for other Big Ten football programs.  

First, I’d like to touch on a few hot-button issues regarding the Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa City in general.  The first and foremost on my mind is this whole Brandon Wegher issue.  Simple question, “What the hell are you thinking, Brandon?”  None of this makes a bit of sense.  I have an inside source (a relative of young Mr. Wegher who shall remain nameless to protect his identity) that says all of this boils down to the eminent arrival of a new addition to the Wegher family.  

That’s right folks, the stork is on his way (apparently flying in from Ohio or Pennsylvania if you ask me) with a baby in tow.  Now here is where the story really become convoluted.  My source also states that Wegher’s family has offered to buy Brandon and his lady a house in Iowa City so that he may be as close as possible to his new family.  However, Iowa Athletic Department rules state that Wegher must live on campus through his sophomore year.  I can see how this could be a bump in the road.

Twelve Days of Hawkeyes: QB James Vandenberg

When quarterback Ricky Stanzi went down with an ankle injury in 2009, Iowa fans panicked.

It was a scenario not many had bothered to ponder prior to that point; nobody likes reading over the disaster recovery plan when a team is 9-0 and on the brink of something truly spectacular.

After Iowa's game against Northwestern last season, the plan became required reading. The dust was quickly wiped off, and after a painful first chapter the material began to flow smoothly.  

As it turns out, Iowa's disaster recovery plan was great reading material.

The recovery plan was none other than backup quarterback James Vandenberg. For fans who didn't know much about him before the game against Ohio State, the reading material proved to put their minds a bit more at ease.

During his high school career Vandenberg became the most productive passer in Iowa history. The red-shirt sophomore holds several different Iowa high school passing records, including career passing yards (7,709), total career touchdown passes (93), and total single season touchdown passes (49).

Former Iowa QB Drew Tate Contributing for Stampeders

Good news from Canada: Drew Tate is starting to see more playing time.

Tate is now in his fourth year of action in the Canadian Football League. He plays on the Calgary Stampeders as backup to a 12-year-veteran named Henry Burris. Burris has thrown for 32,926 yards and 199 touchdowns in his career, and Tate plays a supporting role to the veteran.

Until this year, Tate had only thrown 11 passes in the CFL. 

This year things are starting off on a different note for Tate.  The CFL opened its regular-season on July 1, and Tate is already making the most of his time.

Twelve Days of Hawkeyes: LT Riley Reiff

Sophomore Riley Reiff is one of several Hawkeye players to receive praise in publications this season.

Reiff is Iowa's starting left tackle heading into the first game of the 2010 season. It's a job he's already experienced, and is comfortable with, thanks to Bulaga's three-game absence last season. 

As Marc Morehouse of the Cedar Rapids Gazette puts it, "left tackle is a big deal. It’s a money position in the NFL." And it's a position Reiff appears to have a knack for. 

Reiff is arguably Iowa's most indispensable player. With a somewhat unproven offensive line, standout performers like Reiff are vital— especially when he covers the quarterback’s blindside.

Second Hand Notes from Ferentz's Eastern Illinois presser

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz got the 2010 weekly press conferences started today with a comprehensive update on  the football team.  Ferentz spoke with  local, regional and national members of the media about Saturday's home opener against the Eastern Illinois Panthers. 

To get things started, Ferentz thanked the fans for their support.  He genuinely seems excited for the season to begin.

The head coach then named the captains for the week: seniors Adrian Clayborn, Karl Klug, Ricky Stanzi and Julian Vandervelde.

After the captains came the injury updates.  Ferentz provided updates on linebacker Jeff Tarpinian, cornerback Shaun Prater, center Josh Koeppel and running back Marcus Coker.

Tarpinian has a fracture in his hand, but should be ok to play. Prater is week by week. Coker is rehabbing his shoulder but has started running in practice; his future status is a bit unclear. 

Koeppel is recovering well after a truck recently hit him while he was riding his moped around campus.  It isn't likely to see action this weekend.

National Football Post Grades Four Hawkeye NFL Prospects

A few Hawkeye players are already having their NFL stock analyzed.

The National Football Post is a website where news, information and insight comes "through the voices of experienced NFL executives, agents, and current and former NFL players."  One of the site authors, Wes Bunting, is in the process of writing a series where he breaks down the top senior prospects from each conference, using the new NFP grading scale.  

His post today was on the Big Ten, and graded four Iowa Hawkeye seniors who could be ready for the NFL.

Defensive end Adrian Clayborn received a grade of 6.9, the highest rating for a Big Ten prospect.  The grade is given to a prospect who possesses physical attributes that will create mismatches against most opponents.  

Quick Look at Iowa's Two-Deep Against Eastern Illinois

Iowa released its two-deep chart for the opening game against Eastern Illinois last Friday.

The two-deep will evolve on a weekly basis as the season swings into high gear, but does help to draw a map of what to look during the game. The chart shows the veteran depth that Iowa has in some positions, and areas where the Hawkeyes are a little green.

A quick glance of the chart reveals nothing shockingly out of the ordinary. A closer look at the two-deep hints at a few interesting things to keep an eye on.

One very noticeable omission from the chart is cornerback Shaun Prater. The junior from Omaha, Nebraska suffered a small hamstring injury prior to Iowa's open scrimmage earlier this summer.