Croot Loops — Quarterbacks

When Ryan Boyle and Drew Cook come online in 2016 (assuming they redshirt in 2015), Iowa will/could have C.J. Beathard as a senior, Tyler Wiegers as a sophomore and that would be about it as far as scholarship quarterbacks go.

So, forget about moving Boyle and Cook, however tempting that might be. Yes, Boyle is a powerfully built 6-2, 215 pounds. Yes, that is a body type that could work at linebacker and, perhaps, safety, but it's also a dual-threat QB body and that is the intention, his and Iowa's, right now.

Cook is a 6-5, 220-pounder right now. He's a prostyle QB, who's dad, Marv, also happened to be one of the best tight ends to play at Iowa.

QB is the plan, and why not? Iowa's 2016 QB depth chart sort of demands it, no?

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Ryan Boyle

led West Des Moines Dowling Catholic to back-to-back Class 4A state football championships. Boyle was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Iowa for the second consecutive season. He finished his senior season with 137 of 221 passing for 1,934 yards and 18 touchdowns with only one interception. He also was Dowling's leading rusher with 1,123 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Every time Boyle completed a pass or ran the ball, he averaged 10.1 yards and accounted for 37 touchdowns.

As is the case with a lot of Iowa's 2015 class, Boyle committed early (late March 2014) and so the offers stopped. He received scholarship offers from Western Michigan, Montana State and Illinois State. There was interest from Nebraska, Michigan and Michigan State.

Boyle did suffer a torn ACL his sophomore season, but, as the results show, he bounced back nicely. 'I think the injury gave me the motivation to commit myself knowing that I want to play at the next level and improve myself in every way that I can,” Boyle told HawkeyeReport.com. 'Ever since I came back, any challenge and adversity makes me look back and know that I can overcome it.”

During signing week the first week of February, Boyle participated in the International Bowl, pitting a Team USA against a Team Canada. USA won, 35-0, in Arlington, Texas. Boyle finished 10-for-21 passing for 97 yards, with the pair of touchdowns and two interceptions. He also had five carries for 33 rushing yards.

Rivals: 3 stars Scout: 3 stars 247Sports: 3 stars Composite

: 3.00

Depth chart in 2015?

: It's not likely, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. I kind of chalked this up to trolling, but Kirk Ferentz did say this on signing day to a question about Beathard being around in 2015: 'I hope so. We've had conversations. He's back here training, working out. He's got a great attitude, but at the same time, too, I'm realistic about it and realize anything is possible. We'll just have to wait and see how it plays out, but he's been working and working hard.”

So, let's say one of Iowa's upperclassmen QBs leaves, either Beathard or senior Jake Rudock (Rudock has one year of football eligibility left, if CJB holds on to the job - he was listed as the starter in January - Rudock and his two years experience as a starter in the Big Ten could find a place to play), that would leave one experienced QB and Wiegers, a redshirt freshman, as the lone scholarship QBs. Boyle and Cook still could end up redshirting, but they'd also be asked to be ready as Iowa's No. 3 QB.

Off-the-top-of-my-head Hawkeye comparison

: Jake Christensen

Stop, stop, stop. Yes, I know it didn't turn out well and these posts lean positive because it's a joyous time for the kids and families and, mostly, these guys haven't set foot on an Iowa practice field (in pads, anyway). Let me say clearly that I don't expect Boyle's career to go the same way it went for Christensen (losing the starting job, transferring to Eastern Illinois).

Boyle and Christensen definitely have physical similarities. They're around the 6-foot range, they'll come into Iowa as dual-threat quarterbacks. Both are weightroom strong and have what you want in a leader.

They are starting with similar raw material and that's why I'm listing Christensen as a compare for Boyle. Would Drew Tate have worked? No, because Tate was a passer never a runner. He could escape pressure, but he wasn't the runner Boyle is.

This is me saying the starting points are similar. Where Boyle ends up remains to be seen.

Iowa recruiting coordinator Seth Wallace:

'Smart, athletic and he's obviously a winner. Someone called me late last night, one of the recruiting services, and they said they were going to do a story on the Big Ten as a whole and said they had him rated as the most underrated player in the Big Ten from a recruiting standpoint. We're excited about him. He has been with us a long time now.”

My take

: Boyle's pocket presence is otherworldly. He anticipates pressure and, seemingly, had his next three moves planned. On the Iowa Class 4A level, you probably weren't going to get him down with that first wave of pressure, either. Boyle was mostly likely stronger than your best pass rusher. That won't translate completely to Big Ten level, but it's not a bad thing to have going for you. I loved the way Boyle kept his vision steady, which goes in hand with feeling pressure. In his highlight reel, he doesn't break discipline and keeps his eyes downfield. His arm? He dropped a lot of passes down the chimney on long balls. He'll need some development here, but loved the overall athleticism.

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Drew Cook

(6-5, 218) grew up in Iowa City. His dad is Marv Cook, former all-American tight end with the Hawkeyes (1986-88). On Wednesday morning, Drew signed a national letter of intent with the Hawkeyes at the Regina High School library. The four Class 1A state championship trophies were lined up in front of the table where Cook and Regina teammates Jake Brinkman (North Dakota State), Phil Arendt (Nothern Iowa) and Jacob Adam (Northern Iowa) also signed college letters.

It was a day to celebrate the dream. Here's how Drew Cook's recruitment went: Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz offered him a scholarship last February. Cook got out of his chair, shook Ferentz's hand and said he was in.

'I'm not going to lie to you, Drew basically didn't give them a chance to take it back,” said Marv, Regina's head coach. 'He stood up and shook their hand and was all-in from that point on.”

More than anything else for Drew Cook, the dream became a reality.

'All I can say is I'm excited to be a Hawk,” said Cook, who passed for 53 TDs and just six interceptions in the last two seasons as Regina's QB. 'I've dreamed about this as a kid, just being at Kinnick on Saturdays. There's just no better feeling.”

Marv Cook said he hopes his son enjoys the moments. He said he vividly remembers his first run through the tunnel onto the field.

'My wife and I recently bought him the book called ‘Nile,'” Marv said. 'He's learning a lot about some of the great men who've come through this program and ultimately understanding that there's a bigger picture than the football part of it.”

Drew Cook did some Rivals camps, but he committed to Iowa nearly a year ago. His recruiting was over before it began, and so Iowa ended up being his lone offer.

Rivals: 3 stars Scout: 2 stars 247Sports: 3 stars Composite

: 2.66

Depth chart in 2015?

: It's not likely, but it's possible. For the same reason why it's possible for Boyle, Iowa's 2016 QB depth chart will have one upperclassman and a sophomore and then probably redshirt freshmen Boyle and Cook. Wait, Ferentz did say that he 'hoped” Beathard will be here for 2015? I wrote above that I thought that was kind of a tease if not troll. My guess is the speaking between Iowa's QBs and coaches right now in the present is very clear and plain. Beathard is listed as the starter, and I'm going to guess that's a solid statement. My guess is Beathard knows exactly where he stands, and that's as the starter. Then again, Rudock has been the starter the last two years and he's not the type of competitor to sit idly by and read comic books in the weightroom when his status is challenged.

Say this is a not-so-clever ruse (and Ferentz has said repeatedly none of the public statements made are to appease anyone) and Beathard feels disrespected and leaves. Your starter in 2016 is Wiegers with Boyle and Cook as redshirt freshmen backups? It's a long ways off, but given the gravity of the sitch (all the season ticket stuff and general unrest among the fan base), that wouldn't seem prudent.

Off-the-top-of-my-head Hawkeye comparison

: Ricky Stanzi

At 6-5, Cook still rushed for 706 yards and 16 TDs last season. As a senior at Lake Catholic High School (Mentor, Ohio), Stanzi rushed for 675 yards and 21 TDs. Rushing was a key element for both as preps. It certainly wasn't for Stanzi during his career at Iowa. He finished with minus-4 yards on 160 attempts (remember, sacks count against QBs rushing yards). I'm not sure how big of a question this is for Cook. I think we need to see how his skill set develops. He's versed in the read-option can, so that will help him, especially with Iowa drifting more that way in its playcalling (especially if Beathard really does win the job this year).

Intangibles, making the leap in level of competition, that remains to be seen obviously.

Iowa recruiting coordinator Seth Wallace:

'That is our intention [that Cook plays quarterback.] He has great size. He's another kid you would classify as a winner. A coach's kid. He's got everything you're looking for in terms of profile that you would ideally like someone to fit.”

Did early offer and the fact that he's a Hawkeye legacy slow Cook's recruiting? 'I think some people looked at him, Iowa kid, has talent, has strong ties, committed to Iowa, yeah, I think some people just looked at that. That's where we see these guys, ‘Boy, we're getting a darn good player and we're probably pretty fortunate other teams didn't jump in on him.”

My take

: The discussion on where Cook will play in college begins and ends with quarterback.

'I want to play quarterback, that's what I want to do,” said Cook, who completed 65.2 percent of his passes last season for 2,504 yards, 31 TDs and three interceptions (with every rush and completion, he averaged 12.6 yards). 'They've told me they're going to start me at quarterback, which is what I want to do. I'll be happy to go in there as a QB.”

This is obviously something that can and will evolve over four or five years. Yes, Cook might make a great tight end down the line. And sure, Boyle is already built like a linebacker. For now, they are quarterbacks and, if you look at the roster, that's probably how it should be.

'Who knows what the future brings. He's 6-5, 220, he can run and throw, can read defenses, throws the ball where it needs to get,” Marv Cook said. 'If it doesn't work out, he can catch, he can run and do other things. Ultimately, he just wants to be a Hawkeye, wants to play and hopefully be a part of big things in black and gold.”

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