Veteran guy rooming with rookie kid still paying off for Hawkeyes

IOWA CITY - Every move college football coaches make is considered. Last week, Kirk Ferentz said on his radio show that the Hawkeyes practice their trademark 'swarm,” and then there it was when they claimed the Cy-Hawk Trophy with a victory over Iowa State.

Yes, the Hawkeyes practiced how they enter and leave the field. You know, just in case.

That's one of your more obvious examples. Iowa's Hansen Performance Center was built with a gorgeous players lounge that included video games and everything. Yes, it's nice, but the underlying thought, according to offensive line coach Brian Ferentz, was get players in the building for the video games and then maybe they stay and watch film or get a treatment.

There are examples of this up and down every football team's timeline. For the purpose of this story, let's jump to the selection of roommates.

After Iowa's season-opening victory over Illinois State, right tackle Ike Boettger, who made his first career start, said he roomed that Friday night with left tackle Boone Myers, who also was making his first start.

In 2011, Iowa coaches paired senior guard Adam Gettis, a Chicago suburbs kid from Franfort, Ill., and Lincoln Way East, with incoming freshman guard Jordan Walsh, also from the Chicago suburbs (Glendale Heights, Ill.,/Glenbard West High School).

What coaches thought would happen happened. Gettis, the veteran, took Walsh, the rookie, under his wing and guided him through that first plunge into college football.

Five years later, it's still happening.

'When I was recruited, I met him and we hung out,” said Walsh, a 6-4, 290-pound senior who's playing maybe the best football of his career. 'He was my official visit host, as well. I got to hang out with him. . . . So, we were able to bond a lot.”

Then, after the fun and frivolity of signing day, Walsh moved to Iowa City for that first camp and found himself rooming with Gettis, who, then, was a fifth-year senior.

'We hung out every night and we talked about anything, football-related or not,” Walsh said.

Walsh and Gettis have had Iowa careers that kind of mirror each other. Walsh was less of a body build than Gettis, who started his Iowa career in the 250 range. Both fought injuries. Gettis wore a cast on a hand much of 2010. Walsh has had a share of injuries, including something undisclosed at the beginning of camp.

Gettis shoved aside all of the injuries in 2011, his fifth and final season at Iowa. He started all 13 games and was a second-team all-Big Ten pick. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fifth round of the 2012 draft and is now on the New York Giants practice squad.

'He had ups and downs here, a lot of bad injuries,” Walsh said. 'What I take from him and carry to this day is be resilient. He was throughout his whole career. I've had ups and downs, too. I've been hurt, but I've tried to stay positive just like he did.”

Walsh, who now has 25 career starts, has been quick out of the gate this season, his fifth and final in Iowa City.

'Jordan is having his best camp and he's played a lot,” Kirk Ferentz said just before the season. 'I'm really confident he'll play well.”

Walsh's teammates have noticed his game jump up a step.

'As a senior, I think he's playing his best football,” center Austin Blythe said. 'I think all of us seniors need to play our best football, and he's really stepping up to the plate that way. He's finishing guys, being physical and that's just the kind of player Jordan is.”

The mentoring between Gettis and Walsh didn't end after camp broke in 2011. The two have kept in touch, sharing SnapChats in the last couple of weeks. Gettis also trains in Iowa City and has spent some time watching the Hawkeyes during spring practice.

That has included some friendly advice from an NFL lineman for Walsh, who said he's taken wisdom from Gettis and has carried it with him.

'You might think it's just he's telling this young guy what to do,” Walsh said, 'but I still remember that to this day, his points and what his wisdom gives to me. He's a great guy and a great role model, too.”

During the summer run up to the season, a preview story on Walsh noted Gettis' career at Iowa and on Twitter the post was introduced as 'Is Jordan Walsh the next Adam Gettis?”

Gettis noticed this and responded with a humble and humorous tweet.

'Walsh will be better than that Gettis guy.”

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com