Talking time over for Vandenberg

IOWA CITY -- James Vandenberg has looked them all in the eye and has given them what they wanted.

We're talking Mark Twain Elementary third graders, the Cedar Rapids Area Association of Realtors and anyone who's crossed his path during his summer internship with the UI Foundation, which mainly consisted of thank-you notes and phone calls.

James Vandenberg, the figurehead, has been a smash success. He's an SID's dream, weaving his way through interviews with anecdotes, positivity and not a hint of cockiness.

He turns on the Keokuk country charm and can "aw shuck" it with the best.

"I always got A's in speech class," Vandenberg said. "I don't stand in the mirror and practice, I don't do that. Maybe it's something that comes natural to me. I've never watched a sound bite. I've never really paid attention to them. To me, it's common sense, talking about stuff you know and no proclaimations."

It's just time for Vandenberg to play football.

That's where the message gets a little fuzzy. Yes, Vandenberg saw significant time in 2009, nearly quarterbacking the Hawkeyes to a rare win at Ohio State (Iowa's last win there was 1991) and finishing 1-1 as the starter. But then last season, Vandenberg threw just eight passes. Ricky Stanzi was a senior QB and, losing five games by grand total of 18 points, Iowa needed every bit it could get out of Stanzi.

So, eight passes.

"I wanted to continue to grow just by learning defenses," said Vandenberg, who was 5-for-8 and didn't attempt a pass after week four. "When I got thrown into that role two years ago, it was a crash course on how to play Big Ten football. Having that experience and then taking it just everyday as a backup last year, really helped me."

It all started anew when camp opened. Offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe believes this will be a smooth transition from Stanzi, a three-year starter who's now No. 3 with the Kansas City Chiefs, to Vandenberg, who holds 12 Iowa prep passing records from his days in Keokuk.

"The thing that will emerge during camp is what throws will James make better," O'Keefe said. "Those will be the things we'll hang our hat on versus over what throws Rick made or Brad Banks made.

"Every quarterback has things he does better. Part of my job is making sure we call those plays and find ways to get the quarterback into those situations. Some years, we'll throw certain routes and then the next year you come back and they're not worth anything."

Vandenberg has taken media cues from Stanzi. He's also taken Stanzi's obsession with video study and has run with it. The 6-foot-3, 212-pounder watched an hour of video a day in prep for the season, before or after a weight-lifting session.

Vandenberg gets a little edgy when you ask who's more athletic between him or Stanzi? He also doesn't like the size comparisions, which Stanzi, a 6-5, 230-pounder, constantly reminded him of.

"He's not 235 pounds," Vandenberg argued. "Maybe 223ish. He's a little taller than me. He's a little bigger. We're similar in a lot of way. I think I'm a little better at school than he was."

Stanzi would have to concede this point. Granted, it was his final semester in college, but last fall, Stanzi took an art class that lasted half the semester, ‘Alcohol on your college experience' and ‘Making a vocational and educational choice. Vandenberg, a pre-physical therapy major, will take organic chemistry II this fall.

On the field, Stanzi had a 26-9 record as a starter and three bowl victories. On the field, Vandenberg is just getting started.

"I can definitely out-throw him," Vandenberg said. Then, to the notion that Stanzi might -- might -- be a little more athletic, Vandenberg said, "That's a deep cut."

"I really try to go off his cerebral game," Vandenberg said. "His approach is second-to-none, in my opinion. That guy put in a lot of work. He's a huge Tom Brady guy, I'm a huge Drew Brees guy. That'll explain our styles a little more. He's kind of standing there bouncing and I'm a little more live with my feet, staying loaded."

And there's why Vandenberg has the attention of the huddle. He's got a streak of cockiness. Remember, he jumped into an MMA/wrestling situation with former Iowa linebacker Pat Angerer, now a starter for the Colts.

He's still picking those fights.

"He's crazy at times, but he's a good kid," wide receiver Marvin McNutt said. "He just picks fights with people. Not real fights, but he likes to joke around. He thinks he can beat me in basketball or that he could dunk on me. I don't even think he can dunk."

The Cedar Rapids Area Association of Realtors doesn't get the good stuff. He saves a lot of that for his mom, Ann. Yes, you know Ann. The world knows Ann, after she became an internet sensation during the '09 Ohio State game when ABC kept cutting away to the mom in the stands.

ABC analyst Matt Millen, who called the '09 Ohio State game, remembers Ann Vandenberg.

"I'll tell you the most memorable thing about that game,” Millen said, “we got more calls about his mom than any other player. It was unbelievable."

James the figurehead answers the question with aplomb.

"Yes, I find that extremely weird," Vandenberg said. "Every time I go home, I make sure to remind her of that. She's no sensation.

"That was an awkward, weird situation, but it's kind of cool. She always jokes and laughs about it and kind of rubs it in to me, that she's more popular than me."

This guy needs some football to talk about.