My updated All-Kirk Ferentz team
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Maybe the only thing harder than making the All-Kirk Ferentz team at Iowa is picking it.
I had done it before, so I knew it wouldn’t be easy, considering the cast of stars from which to choose. But this time, it went beyond being hard.
Ferentz is entering his 18th season as the Iowa head coach. That covers a lot of territory and includes a long list of star players who are worthy of consideration.
In some cases, including both the offensive and defensive lines, it is close to impossible to pick a best player for each position.
It still bothers me that offensive tackles Riley Reiff and Bryan Bulaga and defensive lineman Jonathan Babineaux didn’t make the team because you could argue that each is deserving.
But who would drop from the team?
The two tackles ahead of Reiff and Bulaga – Robert Gallery and Brandon Scherff – both won the Outland Trophy as fifth-year seniors in 2003 and 2014, respectively.
How do you top that?
It came down to Babineaux and Aaron Kampman for the final spot on the defensive line. You wouldn’t be wrong picking either player. Kampman gets the slightest edge because his supporting cast wasn’t as solid as Babineaux’s and because Kampman helped lead the initial resurgence under Ferentz.
I tried mostly to pick by position, which explains why first-team all-Big Ten cornerback Micah Hyde didn’t make the final cut. It came down to Hyde, Jovon Johnson and Desmond King for the two cornerback positions.
Johnson edged Hyde for the second spot, largely because of one notable statistic. Johnson had 17 interceptions as a Hawkeye, ranking second on the school’s all-time list behind Nile Kinnick and Devon Mitchell, who both had 18.
Quarterback came down to Brad Banks and Drew Tate with Banks getting the nod, largely because he finished runner-up for the 2002 Heisman Trophy in his only season as a starter. Banks has been the most versatile of all the quarterbacks under Ferentz, a true dual-threat behind center.
Tate’s career also ended on a down note in 2006 as Iowa lost six of its last seven games. The 2006 season unraveled to the point where Ferentz coined the phrase “fat cats” in reference to his team.
On the other hand, there were a few no-brainers, including Nate Kaeding as the kicker, linebackers Abdul Hodge and Chad Greenway and defensive backs Desmond King and Bob Sanders.
King has the distinction of being the only current player to make the team. He is also the only Jim Thorpe Award winner to return to college.
Sanders has the distinction of being arguably the most inspirational player under Ferentz, along with the most feared. He was to receivers what a fly swatter is to flies.
Ladell Betts and Shonn Greene fill the top two spots at running back, but under different circumstances. Betts was given sort of a lifetime achievement award, whereas Greene was honored for having one record-breaking season in 2008.
I was reluctant to put Marshal Yanda at one of the guard spots because he only played two years in the program and because he never made first-team all-Big Ten. But considering the way in which Ferentz raves about Yanda and that Yanda now ranks as one of the greatest guards in NFL history, he seems deserving.
An interesting note about the offensive linemen is that three of them came to Iowa as tight ends – Eric Steinbach, Robert Gallery and Bruce Nelson. Steinbach, who is from New Lenox, Ill., is the only offensive lineman from out of state to make the team.
Clark and Nelson are the only players on the team who came to Iowa without being on scholarship.
There also are 10 Iowa natives on the team, while Missouri has the second most players with three.
My All-Kirk Ferentz Team
Offense
WR – Marvin McNutt, St. Louis, Mo., 2008-11, Iowa’s all-time leading receiver with 2,861 yards and 28 touchdowns on 170 receptions.
WR – Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Campbell, Ohio, 2007-10, second behind McNutt with 2,616 receiving yards on 173 receptions; also excelled as a kicker returner.
OT – Robert Gallery, Masonville, Iowa, 2000-03, won the 2003 Outland Trophy.
OT – Brandon Scherff, Denison, Iowa, 2011-14, won the 2014 Outland Trophy.
C – Bruce Nelson, Emmetsburg, Iowa, 1999-00, first-team all-Big Ten in 2002.
OG – Eric Steinbach, New Lenox, Ill., 1999-2002, Big Ten Lineman of the Year in 2002; received numerous All-America accolades.
OG – Marshal Yanda, Anamosa, Iowa, 2005-06, started both seasons after attending junior college, second-team all-Big Ten honors as a senior.
TE – Dallas Clark, Livermore, Iowa, 2000-2002, won the John Mackey Award as a junior in 2002; skipped senior season to enter the NFL Draft.
QB – Brad Banks, Belle Glade, Fla., 2001-02, finished runner-up to USC quarterback Carson Palmer for the Heisman Trophy in 2002.
RB – Ladell Betts, Blue Springs, Mo., 1998-01, Iowa’s second leading rusher with 3,686 yards gained all those yards despite running behind some over-matched and inexperienced offensive lines early in his career.
RB – Shonn Greene, Sicklerville, N.J., 2005-06-08, he did almost all of his work in one record-breaking season in 2008, rushing for a school-best 1,850 yards and winning the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top collegiate running back.
Defense
DE – Adrian Clayborn, Webster Groves, Mo., 2007-10, named consensus All-America in 2010 and twice made first-team all-Big Ten in 2009 and 2010.
DE – Matt Roth, 2000-03, Villa Park, Ill., a quarterback’s worst nightmare, earned second-team All-America honors in 2004 and twice made first-team all-conference in 2003 and 2004.
DL – Aaron Kampman, 1998-01, Kesley, Iowa, played his first season at linebacker under Hayden Fry in 1998 before becoming a star on the defensive line under Ferentz.
DT – Mitch King, Burlington, Iowa, 2005-08, the converted linebacker twice made first team all-Big Ten in 2007 and 2008.
LB – Abdul Hodge, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 2002-05, a three-time all-Big Ten selection, including first-team as a junior in 2004.
LB – Chad Greenway, 2002-05, Mount Vernon, S.D., made first-team all-Big Ten as a junior and senior and second-team as a sophomore.
LB – Pat Angerer, 2006-09, Bettendorf, Iowa, emotional leader who made first-team all-Big Ten in 2009.
CB – Jovon Johnson, 2002-05, Erie, Pa., his 17 interceptions rank second on Iowa’s all-time list.
CB – Desmond King, 2013-16, Detroit, Mich., won the 2015 Jim Thorpe Award and tied Iowa’s single-season record with eight interceptions last season.
FS – Tyler Sash, 2008-10, Oskaloosa, Iowa, made first-team all-Big Ten in 2009 and 2010 and had a knack for making big plays.
SS – Bob Sanders, 2000-03, Erie, Pa., a ferocious hitter who set the tone for the defense with his toughness and grit.
Special teams
K – Nate Kaeding, 2000-03, Coralville, Iowa, won the Lou Groza Award as the top collegiate kicker as a junior in 2002.
P – Ryan Donahue, 2007-10, Chicago, Ill., a four-year starter who was steady and sometimes spectacular.
KR – Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, returned kicks for touchdowns against Ohio State and Minnesota.
PR – Desmond King, ranked second in the Big Ten and seventh nationally in punt returns last season with a 14.2 average.