When healthy, ex-Hawkeye Marshal Yanda of Iowa has built a good NFL reputation

There are statistics for everything these days, even offensive linemen.

KC Joyner of ESPN The Magazine (why can't they just call it ESPN Magazine?) has invented something called POA for O-linemen, and former Iowa Hawkeye Marshal Yanda of Anamosa gets raves from him.

These are basically Joyner's precise words in the July 27 ESPN The Magazine (stupid name):

POA is Point of Attack win percentage. A blocker is given a POA attempt when his block is used by a ball­carrier and is given a POA win if he creates a crease for that runner to get upfield. A .900 POA is Pro Bowl-caliber, while .800 is average.

Baltimore Ravens right guard Marshal Yanda played in only five games in 2008, but in that time he posted a fantastic .930 POA.

Yanda was the Raven's third-round draft pick in 2007. His most-memorable moment as a Hawkeye was a rather punishing hit he delivered to Iowa State's Rashawn Parker. Here's a video of it. I can't do anything about the obnoxious music.

In the next video, Yanda explains to Baltimore radio host Nestor Aparicio that cow-tipping doesn't work.

Which, frankly, is a relief.

If Yanda can't tip a cow, a cow can't be tipped.

Yanda may be in the running for a move to right tackle according to

this Baltimore Sun story.

Yanda missed the last 11 games of 2008 because of a knee injury, but left the physically unable to perform list and began practicing last weekend.

"It's a good thing to be off the PUP," Yanda told the Sun. "I'm taking that step. I was doing drills during those rookie camps after practice for about a half-hour, and it felt great. I didn't have any problems, no swelling at all. So they figured they're just going to kind of start implementing me in just one step at a time and one rep at a time. It's a good thing. I'm excited about it."

Yanda underwent surgery in January to repair torn anterior, medial and posterior cruciate ligaments.

That's called a shredded knee, folks. That's called life in pro football.