Notes from HawkeyeReport.com . . .

Iowa is basically done recruiting. Maybe a handful left for the '13 class.

HawkeyeReport.com's Tom Kakert dropped a post for us:

With a record setting 16 verbal commitments by the start of fall camp, the Hawkeye Football coaches aren't about to sit back and enjoy themselves.

They know what every other college football coaching staff knows; recruiting is never over until signing day in February when you have a signed letter of intent in your hand.

As crazy as it might seem, their work is actually just beginning.

Living in the age of the early commitment means college coaches are also living in the era of the de-commitment as restless teenagers are swayed to change their mind about their college choice.

The Iowa coaches took a pretty significant step to help solidify the Class of 2013 this past Sunday when they hosted many of their verbal commitments, along with several uncommitted prospects from the Class of 2013 and 2014 for a BBQ held in Iowa City.

This seems to be the hot recruiting tool just before fall camp with several schools hosting these casual BBQ events in late July to bring together prospects who have committed along with the uncommitted.

The comments from the Iowa commits coming out of Sunday's BBQ? They loved it.

After speaking with several of the Hawkeye commits on Sunday and Monday, they really enjoyed the opportunity to get to spend time with their fellow future Hawks and it certainly enhances the bond that some of them had already started to develop on social media sites.

“I've been talking to a few of them on Facebook and Twitter, so today I got to like match a name with a face. Guys like John Kenny, David Kenney, Derrick Willies, Delano Hill, and Andre Harris, said three star commit Malik Rucker. “It was great to get around those guys and get to know them better.”

Bottom line, by facilitating a bonding experience like the one these Iowa commits had on Sunday, it will significantly reduce the chances of any of these prospects de-committing before signing day. That was the mission and based on all the feedback, it was mission accomplished.

HOW BIG WILL THIS CLASS BE?

One of the nice things about Big Ten Media Day in Chicago is we get to talk a little recruiting with Head Coach Kirk Ferentz and get an idea of where things stand and where the Hawkeyes might be headed in terms of numbers.

It's pretty obvious with a small class of seniors that will be graduating; it's safe to say that with 16 verbal commitments, Iowa doesn't have a whole lot of room left in 2013.

“Probably less than a handful,” was the response Ferentz gave in Chicago when talking about how many seats were left open in 2013.

The best guess right now is Iowa will add four or five more prospects to this recruiting class before it is all said and done. Why go that high? Simple, since Ferentz arrived, he has not signed a recruiting class of less than 20 prospects, so adding four puts them once again at 20.

One position of need will probably be running back because the Hawkeyes are currently without a running back commitment in this class and unfortunately we all know the recent history of Iowa running backs.

Ferentz could have probably finished out this class by August 1

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, but he likes to keep a few scholarships open for senior prospects with strong film who could help the team. It's been a strong suit of the Hawkeyes under Ferentz since he's arrived and he likes having this option on the table.

“It's probably not a bad idea to keep some room in the class because historically, we have had a lot of guys who've had good senior years but were maybe in the B range and not on the offer list,” Ferentz said.

He was quick to point out that two seniors that were with him in the Windy City, James Vandenberg and Micah Hyde, were prospects they evaluated as seniors and offered later in the recruiting process.

“That's really the history of our program. I don't want us to lose sight of who we've been,” Ferentz said.

LYNCH STICKS WITH LIONS

When the NCAA laid out their punishment to Penn State last month, it created a very unique situation for many of their current players and incoming freshman. They were essentially the college version of free agents and could leave Happy Valley without having to sit out a season.

Thus far, only a few Nittany Lions have taken advantage of the opportunity that runs until the start of the 2013 season.

College coaches have taken a variety of approaches when it comes to Penn State players. Some have said they just won't go there and raid the Penn State rosters. Others, like new Illinois Head Coach Tim Beckman, took a different approach. He sent eight of his assistants to State College and set up shop in a local restaurant and contacted Penn State players and asked if they would like to meet.

Kirk Ferentz took an old school approach. He said he would only speak to a Penn State player, including incoming freshmen, if they contacted him. Ferentz took it one step further and called new Nittany Lion Head Coach Bill O'Brien and let him know he was going to speak to one prospect that contacted his staff.

That prospect was Akeel Lynch, a three star running back originally from Canada, who played his prep football in Buffalo, NY. Lynch visited Iowa last December, along with his good friend and fellow Canada native, Tevaun Smith, who eventually signed with the Hawkeyes.

Lynch committed to Penn State and is still in State College taking summer school classes at Penn State and continues to participate in team workouts. There were conversations between Lynch and Iowa, but Lynch decided to stay at Penn State and announced it via Twitter late last week.

Couple of things here, Lynch contacted Iowa. It got as far as admissions with Iowa, but never processed. Lynch is believed to be the only PSU player to reach out to the Hawkeyes.