Clayborn not big on Missouri topic

PHOENIX -- Maybe it's because he's already been drilled with the question a million times. Or maybe it's because his college choice came five years ago, ancient history for a 22-year-old.

For whatever reason, Iowa defensive end Adrian Clayborn seems to have moved beyond the topic of why Iowa and why not Missouri.

"I just liked Iowa," Clayborn said. "It was my last visit and they got the nod, I guess. Stop asking about that now."

When it came up again, he said, "Here we go."

The fact of the matter is Clayborn is from St. Louis and was the Missouri player of the year as a senior at Webster Groves High School. He does acknowledge that he has a few friends who play for Missouri (10-2), the 7-5 Hawkeyes' opponent in Tuesday's Insight Bowl.

"It's going to be fun," he said. "I know a couple guys on the team, so it's going to be fun. I might start talking some smack with those guys, but it's going to be a fun game."

For clarification, the smack talk will happen on the field, if it happens, and not on Facebook or any cyber outlet.

The credit for Clayborn at Iowa -- along with wide receiver Marvin McNutt and a few other St. Louis recruits -- belongs to assistant coach Eric Johnson, who's also Iowa's recruiting coordinator.

“He was persistent, I can say that,” Clayborn said in a summer interview. “He just kept calling and calling and sending letters. He was selling me the real deal. He wasn't trying to sell me the corn, he sold the players, just like we do now. Sell the players, coach [Kirk] Ferentz and stuff like that.”

Iowa has five former St. Louis preps on its roster -- Clayborn, McNutt, wide receivers Paul Chaney and Don Shumpert and linebacker Christian Kirksey.

“A lot of good players down there people don't know about,” Clayborn said. “I think coach Johnson figured it out couple years back, that there are players down there. Get them out of Big 12 country and get them up here.”

On message

Former Hawkeye offensive lineman George Hawthorne stopped by the Hawkeyes' practice on Wednesday and gave the team a talk.

Here's the relevance: In addition to being on Kirk Ferentz's final two O-lines during his days as an Iowa assistant in 1988-89, Hawthorne is a captain with the Maricopa County Sheriff's department here in Arizona.

In the wake of the recent headlines, the relevance sort of screams out.

"I first learned about George from Bob McDougal, who's kind of a legendary coach in Chicago, used to coach at the College of DuPage," Ferentz said. "Bob said he was one of the most tremendous young men he'd coached, just an outstanding person.

"I had an awful lot of fun with George when he was at our place in the late '80s. He had a great career on the field and was an excellent player, but more importantly, he was one of the greatest young men I've every been around."

A Google search shows Hawthorne has worked in the special investigations drug division.

"I thought he delivered a great message [to the team Wednesday], about choices you make in life, the things you should think about before you do things," Ferentz said. "Most importantly, he's walked the walk. He gave a nice talk, but he's walked the walk and is just a great role model."

Sun Devil insider

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel is well-acquainted with Sun Devil Stadium, the site of Tuesday's Insight Bowl.

Pinkel spent 12 seasons under Don James at the University of Washington. He spent his last seven seasons as UW's offensive coordinator before 10 seasons at Toledo and now 10 seasons at Missouri.

Pinkel might have to remember where the lockerroom is, but he's seen plenty of Arizona State's stadium, where the Huskies faced their Pac-10 rival.

"It was not a fun place when you had to play Saturday afternoon in September," Pinkel said, referring to the heat. "We generally thought that was a set-up, OK, just to let you know."

Pinkel's most vivid memory of Sun Devil Stadium is dramatic. He was up in the booth on October 13, 1979, when th-ASU coach Frank Kush was fired as head coach, just three hours the game against Washington. Kush was embroiled in a player-abuse scandal. He coached the game, with the Sun Devils pulling off a 12–7 upset of No. 6 Washington. After the victory, ASU fans carried Kush off the field.

"I remember going up to the press box, and just the whole stadium, there was an eerie feeling in the entire stadium," Pinkel said. "I vividly remember that – a legendary coach who obviously was going through some tough times, and kind of the battle within the community here over him leaving the program."

Merry Christmas

In the spirit of Christmas, Clayborn was asked what his favorite present of all time was.

"My grandma gave me a truck," he said. "She used to call me 'Tonka Truck,' so she gave me a little truck for Christmas."

Clayborn was 11.5 pounds when he was born, so he came by the nickname honestly.

Quick slants

The Hawkeyes visited Cardon Children's Medical Center on Thursday. . . . Missouri will return to Sun Devil Stadium in less than nine months to play against ASU on Sept. 10. . . . A crowd of more than 50,000 is expected for Tuesday night's game. . . . The No. 12 Tigers are the highest-ranked team to play in the 22-year-old Insight Bowl. . . . The Insight Bowl snubbed Missouri last season because officials thought more Iowa State fans would travel to Arizona for the game. The Tigers then lost to Navy in the Texas Bowl.