ESPNMAG.com - Coaches in demand

Good news, Iowa fans: Football in your state is doing so well, everyone around the country is talking about it.

The bad news? Everyone around the country is talking about it -- and that means, both Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz and ISU coach Dan McCarney probably will be linked to every big-time job opening that figures to spring up, both college and pro.

Kirk Ferentz & Dan McCarney
Hottest property in Iowa since Ray Kinsella's field.
But, before everyone starts expecting them to both bolt the state, know this: it won't be that easy.

Ferentz had his deal sweetened three months ago, which now runs through June, 2009. He has a base salary of $510,000 and will make $910,000 annually with income from camps, endorsements and radio and TV shows. Of course, that's not such a huge deal that somebody couldn't blow him out of the water. Ferentz does get a longevity bonus if he's still coaching the Hawkeyes on March 1, 2003, for another $300,000.

Ferentz's deal came a few days after McCarney's contract was increased to $625,000 and extended to 2006. (By the way, in 1987 McCarney and Ferentz were assistants on Hayden Fry's staff at Iowa along with Bill Snyder and Bob Stoops.)

Both appear to be very comfortable in the blossoming programs they're building. Last week, Ferentz landed his fifth verbal, getting a commitment from possibly the state's most underrated recruit, Mike Humpal, a linebacker who is exactly the type of prospect who used to go to Nebraska and develop into a Cornhusker all-American. The 6'2", 210-pound Humpal is not only the leading tackler at New Hampton High, he also has rushed for over 200 yards in each of his first two games. Last year, Humpal won the Class 2A state wrestling title at 215 pounds and then finished second at the 2A track meet in the 110-meter hurdles. Better still, only 13 of the 45 guys on Iowa's two-deep are seniors.

Of the two coaches, it would seem McCarney, an Iowa City native, would have the smaller pricetag, but don't bet on it. The transformation in Ames from perennial doormat to burgeoning powerhouse has been startling. And now, the foundation appears set. An indoor practice facility is in the works. (Groundbreaking is Oct. 12.) They got a new scoreboard, dumped articial turf for a grass surface and added more seats to the stadium. Iowa State has 11 verbals already toward the Class of 2003, 10 from in-state.

The patience ISU showed in McCarney has paid off. Last season, ISU football netted a profit of $3.6 million and they should do even better in 2002. Most guys who win 13 games in their first five seasons would be gone. Now, Cyclones fans have their fingers crossed that McCarney will return the favor.

In addition to Ferentz and McCarney, here are five other up-and-comers who might be in line for more high-profile jobs: Tom Amstutz (Toledo); Andy McCollum (Middle Tennessee); Tony Samuel (NM State); Fitz Hill (San Jose State) and Urban Meyer (Bowling Green).

The Blueprint

Even though he gave up seven inches, "Radio" Raheem Covington showed why he might be the nation's most underrated DB, locking up Charles Rogers last weekend. Michigan State' s all-world WR caught just 3 for 53 against Northwestern. (And. Rogers' TD catch came on a play when the 5'9" Covington wasn't on him.)

The ultra-quick Wildcat corner, the cousin of Ron Dayne, capitalized on Rogers' sloppy route-running to also burn MSU for two picks. "Radio really relished the challenge and did a lot of homework, studying the nuances of Charles Rogers," says Wildcats DB coach Jerry Brown. The 'Cats were also ready to help out across the middle, where State loves to run Rogers on crossing routes.

In addition to crediting a 40-inch vert, Covington spent hours on his own after practice breaking down the 6'4" wideout: "I knew he has great speed and can really jump, but he also gets out of his breaks going laterally a little slow," says Covington.

Covington's advice to any other corners who have Mr. Rogers coming to their neighborhood? "Watch the deep routes. He loves to run posts and digs. And he really has good speed. So don't sleep on his speed."

Oklahoma could have another Butkus Award winner. Teddy Lehman has come that far, that fast. Well, kinda.

Ever since he arrived in Norman, the 6'1", 230-pound junior has been hailed as a future star, especially since he has 4.38 speed. Trouble was, Lehman didn't play like a 4.4 guy. Till now. "He really didn't know a whole lot about playing linebacker and that's no disrespect to his high school coaches," says OU co-DC and linebackers coach Brent Venables of the former prep tailback. "He just didn't have a great foundation and didn't know all the little things. But he was fortunate to learn from Rocky [Calmus] and Torrance Marshall. He learned the way they studied tape and how they worked. He was like a sponge, and now he's playing to that 4.4 speed of his. He's anticipating things. He's seeing the field.

"I've coached guys that are 4.5 guys who play 5-flat and they aren't a whole lot of fun to coach." Lehman already has six TFLs and two fumble recoveries.

Nevada almost knocked off Colorado State to go 3-1, but the Pack couldn't convert on a 4th-and-1 at the CSU 1, which would've given UN a 14-point lead. Guess they do miss 2001 rushing king Chance Kretschmer, although credit Nevada's coaches for scheming their way out of a bad spot. Even without Kretschmer, the Pack is piling up points and survived a tough early schedule to go 2-2. But now it's via the pass with new QB Zack Threadgill and WR Nate Burleson, the nation's leading receiver.

"Zack's been unbelievable," says assistant head coach Jim Mastro. "He's so smart. His percentage of making the right read is like 90 percent."

Burleson, a precision route runner who is averaging 11.3 catches per, has been a revelation. "Before, our game plan was, 'How are we gonna get Kretch the ball?'" says Mastro. "Now it's 'How are we gonna get Nate the ball?'"

As for Kretschmer, he had surgery last week on his torn ACL and is expected to be 100 percent by June.

With all the chaos surrounding Jeremy Bloom's lawsuit against the NCAA this summer, it seems people started to forget one thing about the Olympic skiier/model/wide receiver -- that he is a pretty amazing athlete. Maybe they thought it was grandstanding, or that he was too small, or maybe they just pegged him as a pretty boy model. Whatever it was, Bloom heard from tons of people saying that since he had no future in football, he should just save himself the headache and stick to skiing.

Not to say that we knew better, but one of his prep coaches, Tony Davis, a former NFL running back and star at Nebraska, did. "Jeremy's explosiveness is amazing," says Davis. "He reached full speed in two steps. I've never seen anybody like that."

Well, not only did Bloom return his first punt for a TD, the 5'9", 165-pound freshman has gone on to lead the nation in punt returns, averaging 24.2 per. Bloom was never of the mindset to prove doubters wrong. All he was looking to do was prove himself right.

Never heard of LeUndo Adams? Neither had ANY college coaches three years ago when he was playing prep ball at a small school in Belleville, Ill. So the then-185-pound DB hopped online and starting looking for a good fit. Adams surfed his way onto Independence CC in Kansas. He then redshirted and basically locked himself in the weight room.

Last year, Adams emerged as a wicked-hitting free safety who stunned his coaches at ICC. "He's a guy you look at and go, 'How in the heck did this kid get away?'" says Independence defensive coordinator Ray Ledy. "He's big. He's fast, and boy, can he hit. This is a guy who'll sell out his whole body to hit somebody."

Now, a rock-solid 6'2", 225, with 4.48 speed, Adams, aka "Little Lott" has blossomed into the nation's top safety recruit. Last week he had 17 tackles against Garden City and is getting interest from all over the nation. "Right now," Adams says, "Michigan State is my leader, and then probably Souther Miss because I love the way they play defense. They really fly around the ball, just like I do."

At this point, he is still pretty open though. Adams will finish up at ICC this winter and be ready for spring ball in 2003. In addition to MSU and USM, there's also Alabama, Tennessee, Purdue and Iowa State. Oh, and Adams saw how Iowa took it to Penn State and now he likes them, too. "It's good to have options," he says.

Bruce Feldman covers college football for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at bruce.feldman@espnmag.com.