Ames High QB Anderson to walk on at Iowa

**weR138** · 05-06-2011, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by osclone

I think the point is a local kid who is a Cyclone fan chooses to walk on at iowa instead of his hometown favorite. I saw a stat that iowa had something like 19 former QBs on the roster and many were starting @ other positions. They find ATHLETES and get them on the field !!!! Seams to have served them well.

Well he obviously wasn't that big of a Cyclones fan if he chose to walk on there rather than here. I'm pretty sure anyone can attempt to walk on at ISU.

Good for him. I hope he's a four year starter and gets beat all four years by ISU.

**dbqhawk1952** · 05-06-2011, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by Tornado man

This is puzzling. He and his family have always been big Cyclone fans. Great size at 6' 2' and 210 lbs. Wonder if Rhoads invited him to walk on at ISU.

Ames Tribune > Ames Tribune > Sports

I have read that PR did not show any interest. It sounds like we got him by default.

**Tornado man** · 05-06-2011, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by weR138

Well he obviously wasn't that big of a Cyclones fan if he chose to walk on there rather than here. I'm pretty sure anyone can attempt to walk on at ISU.

Yeah, he is. The whole family is. However, a player tends to "walk on" at programs where they're invited to, encouraged to, and where coaches tell them their future may be bright. You know, kinda like Jesse Smith?

**nfrine** · 05-06-2011, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by CTTB78

Why would any 'big Cyclone fan' walk on at Iowa?

Easy...women and beer.

**ketelmeister** · 05-06-2011, 08:59 AM

My read of this is that he might fit into Iowa's style of offense, but not Iowa States. CPR did not want to lead him down the primrose path, only to disappoint him. If he's not a fit, then let him go elsewhere. The only reason some want him is because he is going to Iowa. That's not how to make the best decisions for Iowa State.

**Frak** · 05-06-2011, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by weR138

Well he obviously wasn't that big of a Cyclones fan if he chose to walk on there rather than here. I'm pretty sure anyone can attempt to walk on at ISU.

Good for him. I hope he's a four year starter and gets beat all four years by ISU.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that all walk-on spots are the same. Coaches only have so many "preferred walk-on" spots (guaranteed part of the 105 to report for two-a-days). If iowa offered him a preferred walk-on spot while ISU didn't, that's a clear indication that they wanted him more.

I saw AHS play a few times last year. Guess I wouldn't have thought of Anderson as a D1 player, but he did have good size and a good arm and could move around a little. Definitely more of a pro-style QB than a spread QB. The guy off that team that I would want to walk on was the Cruise kid. He was all over the field.

**weR138** · 05-06-2011, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by Tornado man

Yeah, he is. The whole family is. However, a player tends to "walk on" at programs where they're invited to, encouraged to, and where coaches tell them their future may be bright. You know, kinda like Jesse Smith?

Awww.

Nobody from ISU told him, "don't walk on here."

If the kid was a hardcore ISU fan he'd want to prove he could do it just like dozens of kids from Nebraska do at UNL every year.

Like I said, the kid wasn't that big of a Cyclones fan. Look at Brandon Sherff; by all accounts a big Cyclones fan but when UI offered, he took it even though we offered too. Guess he wasn't such a big fan.

If you must be offered preferred walk on status and be coddled to come to ISU rather than walk on at Iowa you cease to be a big ISU fan.

**weR138** · 05-06-2011, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Frak

I wouldn't go so far as to say that all walk-on spots are the same. Coaches only have so many "preferred walk-on" spots (guaranteed part of the 105 to report for two-a-days). If iowa offered him a preferred walk-on spot while ISU didn't, that's a clear indication that they wanted him more.

I saw AHS play a few times last year. Guess I wouldn't have thought of Anderson as a D1 player, but he did have good size and a good arm and could move around a little. Definitely more of a pro-style QB than a spread QB. The guy off that team that I would want to walk on was the Cruise kid. He was all over the field.

So what if Iowa wanted him more, if he were a big fan he'd want ISU more. That's all I'm saying, that he wasn't that big of an ISU fan. Good for him. I hope he starts for UI.

**CYKOFAN** · 05-06-2011, 10:13 AM

Sounds like a few people on here know the family, and I'm wondering if his dad was the same Anderson that played with Fred at Ames High and went on to play at UNI I think.

**ketelmeister** · 05-06-2011, 11:55 AM

If Iowa offered him a preferred walk on status and Iowa State didn't, the choice is easy for the kid. Plus if he's a pro style QB and not spread, even makes more sense. Saying he's not a good ISU fan for leaving is garbage. It's called opportunity.

**isuno1fan** · 05-06-2011, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by ketelmeister

If Iowa offered him a preferred walk on status and Iowa State didn't, the choice is easy for the kid. Plus if he's a pro style QB and not spread, even makes more sense. Saying he's not a good ISU fan for leaving is garbage. It's called opportunity.

If he were a real Cyclone, he'd bypass the opportunity to play CFB if he couldn't play at ISU.

**acgclone** · 05-06-2011, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by hawkeyeh8r

id rather walkon at some place like wartburg or simpson (not central though) before id go to iowa

Spoken like someone who has never had the opportunity to make a choice like that...

**twistedredbird** · 05-06-2011, 12:21 PM

who knows his reasons? literally, who knows them?

maybe there is more in his life than football....like maybe he wants to go to Iowa because he wants to get out of Ames for a while, or maybe he wants to go to Iowa for a particular degree, maybe his girlfriend is there.

So, I say stop speculating, and leave the kid alone, stop blaming CPR and staff for the situation; again, if no one knows the facts, drop it.

**tazclone** · 05-06-2011, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Dopey

Another athletic, former high school qb, walkon goes to Iowa. Does this sound familiar? Yet we don't care. Someday we'll learn.

No it doesn't sound familiar. Please clue us in.

Originally Posted by acgclone

I'm not saying I'm worried about it, but we probably don't want to turn down walk-ons that Iowa is interested in.

First, CPR has been outscored 70-10 in his first two outings against Iowa.

Second, Iowa does a great job of developing talent and finding guys that might not be 4 or 5 stars coming out of HS but making them produce in college like they are. More or less, CPR is trying to emulate Ferentz's strategy here as well.

Third, Iowa has had a lot of success with HS walkons over the past decade.

I think people really blow the 'iowa developes something from nothing' line of thinking out of proportion. iowa is good at developing NFL players but it isn't as far of a reach as people make it. Look at the guys they put in the NFL and most of them(I said most not all) are high 3 star guys or better. That means they are like Shontrelle Johnson, Leonard Johnson, etc. It isn't too far fetched to think that a high rated 3 star guy will make the NFL. Heck, ISU has guys on our team like that and we expect those guys to have a shot at the NFL.

iowa does a great job of taking that TE/LB/athlete and turning them into a DL or OL. That is about the only place they really "develop". Guys like Klug, King, Kroul. Otherwise that just recruit good players. Look at this years draft. I thnk all were high 3 star are better except Klug.

iowa might take a walk on or two and make them a good player but I can't remember the last time they put a walk on into the NFL or even made them all conference. It is possible that I am having a memory blank but I don't think it has happened for a long time. ISU has put a walk on inthe NFL...Carstens. And another all confernce...Smith. They put a low rated DL in the NFL...Tuba...who was converted from the OL. Not much difference when it comes to "developing players.

People really need to look back at iowa's recruiting classes the last 10 years. They are better than you think and that is a big reason for their success

**bellzisu** · 05-06-2011, 12:58 PM

Damn... Another reason to LOVE Dan McCarney and not Paul Rhoads. Dan would of had this kid.. Blah blah blah...

Tornadoman... if this kid turns out to be a starter then we let one get away. But if he sits on the bench and doesn't see a minute. Well who cares???

Maybe our other walk ons were better??

Maybe Paul didn't see a true spot for him??

When they bring walk ons in they usually have a plan for them. A position for them to play at. Maybe just maybe they didn't see a spot for him??

Let's not bring some logic into this conversation.