Coach Ferentz, please give DJK to the people

IOWA CITY - The loudest ovation during the Iowa football team's spring scrimmage at Kinnick Stadium Saturday was when Ricky Stanzi connected on a long pass to Derrell Johnson-Koulianos.

Which reminded us of two things. One, fans like long pass plays. Two, Iowa fans really like Johnson-Koulianos.

We had a live chat on Gazetteonline.com following Saturday's scrimmage. The users were asked if DJK was one of their three favorite Hawkeyes. A resounding 62 percent said yes. The other 38 percent may have been opposing cornerbacks.

Alas, DJK wasn't among the 10 or so players made available to the media after the scrimmage. Which pained me because I find him to be one of the most articulate, interesting players on the squad. Also, he often says what he thinks.

Which isn't what college football coaches really seem to want from their players. Most of football is a John Phillip Souza march. The best wide receivers are jazz. Sure, some of them are divas. But if you have a really good one, you've got something.

Anyway, I tracked down DJK for a moment after the game and asked why he wasn't participating in post-scrimmage interviews.

“They don't let me talk,” he said. “I don't know why.”

I asked if he'd be getting in trouble for telling me that.

“Probably,” he said with a smile. Then he jogged off to sign what probably ended up being a few hundred autographs for young fans who clearly adore him.

I then asked Iowa sports information director Phil Haddy why DJK wasn't one of the available players, and he said DJK (Don't you love saying “DJK?” Go ahead. Say it out loud.) hadn't been requested by any media person in advance. Oh.

Why that mattered, who knows? It's Iowa.

DJK wasn't present on Iowa press conference Tuesdays last season, either. Presumably, he had a class that coincided with the early-afternoon sessions. I hope there's no such conflict this season, but school comes first.

He was, however, allowed to be an interview subject after most games last season. As he should have been, since he was Iowa's leading receiver for the third straight year.

Anyway, I told Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz what DJK said. I made it clear I went to the player, not the other way around. I urged Ferentz to let us have more access to the receiver, who will be a senior this fall.

Why? Because you people really like DJK.

“We'll see,” Ferentz said. “That's up to him.

“He and I will have a conversation.

“We'll do our best.”

Look, we're not privy to behind-the-scenes stuff. Ferentz has reasons for everything he does. He seems to know how to run a football program.

The KF/DJK relationship has surely had its interesting moments since the player got here in 2006. DJK wasn't listed as a second-team wide receiver entering last season. We were never told why, but it was clear the coaching staff wanted to get the player's attention.

“Everything goes into account,” Ferentz said last August. “Consistency on the field and off the field. Just the way you do

 things. We expect more from our older guys.”

Marvin McNutt and his one career catch to that point was first-team opposite senior Trey Stross. McNutt turned out to be more than legit, with eight touchdown grabs. But DJK was every bit as terrific.

He caught 45 balls for 750 yards, bumping his career totals to 129 receptions and 1,691 yards. The school records are 157 catches (Kevin Kasper) and 2,271 yards (Tim Dwight).

Without DJK's 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, few in Hawkdom would have moaned as much about what might have been when it came to Iowa's overtime loss at Ohio State.

The guy's a player. Everyone around here and across the Big Ten knows it. He and McNutt give Iowa it's best receiver combo since, well, you tell me. Barring injury, DJK will own those school records for catches and receiving yards.

“It's amazing,” Ferentz said. “He's kind of quietly ascended there. He's got a chance to really leave a mark here. He's poised to really have an impact with his career at receiver. That would be great.”

So Coach, let the young man speak. He'll do so once he gets to the NFL, anyhow.