Big expectations for loaded South in ’10 Shrine?Bowl

AMES - Geography has tonight's Shrine Bowl football game at Jack Trice Stadium looking like it could be a lopsided affair.

The South team, with players from schools south of Highway 30, is loaded with Division I football talent.

Five of its players have scholarships to Iowa or Iowa State, and Ames offensive tackle James Kohler turned down major-conference offers in favor of playing baseball at Evansville. Two more from the South squad are walking on at the state's big two and six others are on their way to Northern Iowa.

“It's incredible,” said Mid-Prairie's Tanner Miller, one of the Iowa recruits. “Both sides of the ball are pretty loaded. It's worked out pretty well for us.”

Solon's James Morris and Blake Haluska - brother of former Iowa basketball player Adam - are the other future Hawkeyes.

Cyclones suiting up for the South are West Des Moines Valley's Nick Kron and offensive linemen Jacob Gannon of Iowa City West and Brandon Jensen from Ankeny. Marshalltown receiver Jared Carlson will be a walk-on at ISU.

“This is unbelievable,” said Brian Sauser of Iowa City West, one of six picked to coach the South team. “This will probably never happen again to have this kind of a squad. That part is exciting.”

Cedar Rapids Xavier's David Ryberg knows what he and his North mates are up against.

His head coach this week, Sioux City Heelan's Roger Jansen, reminded them of the supposed disparity in talent.

“Coach has been emphasizing that,” said Ryberg, a standout defensive lineman who will join the Hawkeyes as a walk-on fullback. “We are seen as the underdogs to pretty much everyone. They seem to have a lot of the D-I guys, but I don't really think that matters. I know that both teams can play.”

Miller will be a defensive back at Iowa but is lining up at tailback tonight.

Preseason practices begin early next month.

“It's a chance to carry the ball one last time before I play something new,” Miller said. “Getting out here in the heat two weeks before camp starts, it helps to get used to it. It's been six months since I've been in pads.”

Coaches had to pack a lot of learning into the short amount of practice time available. Every South player will wear a wristband with plays and calls on it. Sauser said it took a couple of days, but by midweek the players were in rhythm.

“They've prepared us as well as they can, getting together 40 guys who have never said a word to each other,” Miller said. “Saturday we should be geared and ready to go.”

This week has been a busy one, filled with hospital visits, a hog roast, trips to Adventureland and an Iowa Cubs baseball game, and lots of bonding with new people.

The experience has been all Sauser hoped it would be.

“It's been awesome,” he said. “You get to Saturday night, though, and you want to win. It's always more enjoyable when you walk away with a win.”

- By Eric Petersen