Harty: Mark Kallenberger about to join a special group
IOWA CITY, Iowa – No disrespect to the other 49 states or the District of Columbia, but when it comes to producing big, sturdy and dependable offensive linemen, my home state does just fine.
There is nothing quite like an offensive lineman from Iowa who gets to live his dream by playing for the Hawkeyes. They both feed off each other, player and program, one helping to make the other better.
Bettendorf junior Mark Kallenberger is the latest homegrown offensive lineman to pledge to the Hawkeyes.
Kallenberger certainly looks the part, standing 6-foot-6 and carrying 250 pounds on a frame that should easily handle another 50 to 75 pounds in college.
He is one of seven players committed to Iowa’s 2017 class, five of whom are from in state.
Kallenberger is the second offensive lineman from in state to commit to Iowa’s 2017 class, joining Mount Vernon’s Tristan Wirfs.
Seven of the nine offensive linemen listed on Iowa’s 2016 spring depth chart are from Iowa. The only exceptions are Ohio native Sean Welsh and Illinois native Ryan Ward.
No other position on the team is dominated as heavily by Iowans as the offensive line.
That’s why fans shouldn’t worry when Iowa fails to attract the nation’s top offensive linemen because more times than not, the situation in the trenches seems to work itself out.
It’d be fun from a recruiting standpoint if Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz had his choice of offensive linemen from coast to coast. But that’s not the world we live in and it never will be.
Ferentz lands a five-star big fish like Dan Doering or Bryan Bulaga every now and then. But most of the offensive linemen who have played under Ferentz are in the three-star-or-lower range, a group that includes Outland Trophy winners and Iowa natives Brandon Scherff and Robert Gallery.
Most of the offensive linemen who come to Iowa are considered developmental players that need one, two or maybe even three years of self-improvement before they’re ready for the big stage.
Some are even bigger long shots than that. They first have to prove that they’re even worthy of a scholarship. So they come as walk-ons, determined to show they belong.
And let’s not fool ourselves, high school offensive linemen from Iowa also suffer from a perception problem because, well, they’re from Iowa. Few outside the state of Iowa truly appreciate the level of talent when it comes to Iowa high school football.
And that’s probably a good thing because the last thing Ferentz needs is for a school like Alabama to parachute in even earlier to land a key prospect. It’s hard enough prevailing over the blue bloods when they come in late for a star recruit.
As for Kallenberger, I’ve seen him play three times in person, the first time when he was a sophomore at Bettendorf. Right away, I noticed how well he moves and bends for somebody his size. He also plays through the whistle and has a mean streak.
Kallenberger seems to have all the intangibles needed to be an Iowa offensive lineman. I rarely pay any attention to the star rankings when it comes to an offensive lineman because they often are misleading as evidenced by Doering failing to live up to his five-star hype.
It’s no secret that Iowa falls short of other states when it comes to producing skill players on a regular basis.
But when it comes to producing offensive linemen, the state of Iowa does a respectable job, enough to form the foundation of the Iowa offensive line in most seasons.
Recruiting still is an inexact science because teenagers develop at different speeds and with different motivational tactics.
Marshal Yanda had to attend junior college before he could be an offensive lineman at Iowa. The Anamosa native has since gone from being an afterthought in Iowa’s heralded 2005 recruiting class, which was highlighted by Doering’s presence, to one of the greatest offensive guards in NFL history.
Yanda should serve as inspiration for every kid from Iowa who aspires to play on the Iowa offensive line. There is a pride factor that only the Iowa natives can truly appreciate.
Combine that with all the tough, hard-nosed kids from Iowa who grow up to be big and strong and you have a recipe for success.