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Assumption grad gets special attention

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By Don Doxsie | Thursday, April 17, 2008 11:46 PM CDT | () comments

IOWA CITY — Last year, it was Jayme Murphy. The year before that, it was Bettendorf’s Zach Gabelmann. Before that, it was Chigozie Ejiasi.

It seems as if the University of Iowa football team always has one player — usually a walk-on, often from Eastern Iowa — who throws his body around on special teams, catching the eye of coaches and

capturing the affection of Hawkeyes fans.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz wouldn’t be at all surprised if this year’s model is former Assumption athlete Joe Conklin.

“Joe Conklin might be next year’s guy who will jump out on special teams,’’ Ferentz said Wednesday in a news conference previewing Saturday’s spring game at Kinnick Stadium.

Conklin is listed as the backup to Bradley Fletcher at left cornerback, but Ferentz said he doesn’t

foresee him playing much at that position.

But even last fall, when Conklin was forced to sit out after transferring from Iowa State, Ferentz saw Conklin display the sort of focus and intensity he loves.

“He sat in the back of the room at every meeting like a West Point cadet with eyes straight ahead,’’

Ferentz said. “He never missed a meeting. He practices the same way.’’

Conklin wasn’t the only Quad-Citian Ferentz singled out for praise Wednesday.

In talking about young players who have impressed him in workouts this spring, Fletcher and former Pleasant Valley star Brett Greenwood were the first two names he mentioned.

“At safety, Greenwod really has elevated his performance above the others,’’ Ferentz said.

And Bettendorf’s Pat Angerer, who has had a nondescript college career since arriving with big expectations, appears set to finally see significant playing time. He and heralded Jacody Coleman are dead even in the battle for the starting middle linebacker job.

“Pat had a tough fall with a lot of injuries,’’ Ferentz said. “He started with mono right off the bat, but he looks like the old Pat Angerer again.’’

Don Doxsie can be contacted at (563) 383-2280 or ddoxsie@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at Hawkmania.com.