The Keokuk Chief

IOWA CITY -- Keokuk Mayor Tom Marion feels a spirit in his town this week.

It's not Chief Keokuk, whose statue stands in Rand Park. It's not the nine citizens who, as lore goes, in 1834 voted to name the town "Keokuk" by stepping up to a bar and downing a shot of whiskey in favor. And, no, it's not the spirit of the '07 Keokuk Chiefs, who claimed the Class 3A state football championship, igniting an impromptu parade with firetrucks and citizens in the streets banging on pots.

Keokuk, a town of just more than 10,000 that sits as far south in Iowa as you can get and on the banks of the Mississippi and Des Moines Rivers, can stand up today and say it has produced the starting quarterback for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

After three seasons behind Ricky Stanzi, James Vandenberg gets the keys to the Hawkeyes (0-0) today in the season opener against Tennessee Tech. Vandenberg, a fresh-faced 6-foot-3, 213-pound junior, will be the first Iowan to start at quarterback for the Hawkeyes since Kyle McCann in 2001.

It was a big deal in 2009, when Vandenberg introduced himself to the country on ABC, nearly guiding the Hawkeyes to a Rose Bowl trip in an overtime loss at Ohio State. And it's a big deal today.

"The stores close up whenever Iowa plays. There's nobody shopping on Main Street. You can park anywhere," said Bill Logan, who knows a thing or two about being a star University of Iowa athlete from Keokuk.

Logan was the leading scorer for Iowa's 1956 national runner-up basketball team, which was coached by Bucky O'Connor. Logan, who served as president and is still involved with State Central Bank in Keokuk, was a two-time all-Big Ten selection and has his No. 31 retired at the UI.

"O'Connor used to say, all we need out of you is 115 percent. That's a pretty good stretch," said Logan, whose grandson, Logan Piper, attends Iowa and is friends with Vandenberg. "If you do that or play to that, you'll always be able to feel good about things.

"James is well prepared. I think you're going to see what he did at Ohio State. He's a competitor. He's does it all. You won't be ashamed of what he does, on or off the court. Or off the field, in this case."

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz can see why Keokuk would be proud of Vandenberg. In his 22 seasons in Iowa City, Ferentz has seen small-town Iowa kid after small-town Iowa kid carry the mantle for towns from Charles City to Sioux City. There's a reason Iowa's starting lineup, year in and year out, is dotted with Keokuks, Solons (linebacker James Morris) and Humboldts (linebacker Tyler Nielsen).

"I think they're respected [in their towns] for more than just what they did as football players," Ferentz said. "I think that's probably the biggest attraction for the people who really know those guys. . . . When you know guys like that why wouldn't you pull for them?"

The Vandenberg family is very much "of" Keokuk.

His grandfather, Jim, was Keokuk High School's coach for 17 years. He also was a teacher at the school and served on the

school board. Toby Vandenberg has served as an emergency room doctor at Great River Medical Center and Keokuk Hospital. They played quarterback, too.

So, James wasn't going anywhere except under center, which was sort of a problem at first. When he made his first starts for the Keokuk varsity, he could barely see over the line of scrimmage.

James started for coach Jayson Campbell as a sophomore at Keokuk in 2005. He was all of 5-foot-10, 135 pounds. Ferentz joked this week that Vandenberg was only 160 pounds when he watched him during a basketball practice in 2007. Close, he was only about 180.

As Vandenberg started to grow, so did interest from colleges. Vandenberg attended quarterback camps with groups of future QBs that included Blaine Gabbert and Terrelle Pryor, both of whom were finished products.

As Vandenberg's career at Keokuk crescendo'd with the 3A state title and 12 career passing records, the offers stood still. Roy Wittke, then the quarterback coach from Northern Illinois, saw a tape and offered immediately. During his first stint at Eastern Illinois (where Wittke has the same job now), Wittke was the only coach to offer Dallas Cowboys star Tony Romo a scholarship.

Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald called Campbell, who thought there would be an offer. Didn't happen.

"All these coaches just kind of sat around and waited for somebody else and the shoe never dropped," said Campbell, who's now assistant principal at Mount Pleasant Community Middle School. "I don't know if it was that we're a small town and no one ever takes a quarterback from Keokuk. There's no precedent for taking a quarterback whose pedigree is from Keokuk High School.

"Or I don't know if it was he was so physically immature that they couldn't see past that. . . . I don't think some people [coaches] could get past it. Everybody was kind of sitting in on Gabbert."

Gabbert, the Jacksonville Jaguars' first round draft pick in April, did drive this car. He originally committed to Nebraska, but then changed his mind and went with Missouri. You might remember Blaine Gabbert from the interception that Iowa defensive back Micah Hyde returned for the winning points in the Insight Bowl last December.

When Gabbert jilted the Cornhuskers, Nebraska finally offered Vandenberg. When Nebraska offered, Iowa offered.

The factor that allowed coaches to get over Vandenberg's slight build, Campbell believes, was his accuracy. Not his arm as much as the accuracy that comes with it.

"His accuracy is by far and away . . . it's sickening," Campbell said. "The throws he made in high school, I would see stuff in practice and just shake my head. Absolutely perfectly placed.

"If he is comfortable and you give him that opportunity, he's going to murder you. He's so accurate. He can process so fast and his release is so fast, those are the differences. People get hung up on his arm strength, but that's down the list, I think, of what could make him a dynamic player."

During his junior year at Keokuk, Vandenberg's football brain outran many of those around him. Campbell said he could see it work. He said that Vandenberg kept that in check. No prima donna act.

"He just made you feel good," Campbell said. "I've heard coach Ferentz talk before, just being around James gives you a certain comfortable feeling. His persona and the way he carries himself, he's pretty unassuming."

This was the week to ask Vandenberg to reflect on his Keokuk days. He didn't exactly beat his chest.

"I think I have a state-qualifying tennis trophy in there," he said. "We never made state in basketball when I was there. I think the big focus and the one brand new trophy case is the title from my senior year. That's something we're all really proud of."

He hopes the "Vandenberg Country" poster that showed up on Main Street a while ago is gone.

"I don't know if someone put it up as a joke or what, but it was something about 'Vandenberg Country,' he said. "I took a lot of flak for that from friends, so I hope it's been removed. It was on a local business, right on Main Street."

He said he can sit through a large lecture at the UI and go unnoticed. His cover gets blown in smaller classes because he has the essential UI football player gear.

"People put it together," he said. "I wear sweats everyday and drive a moped."

Marion was tough to track down this week. In addition to his duties as mayor, he serves as the Keokuk city attorney because of an illness.

He's still going to make it to today's game. Logan also will be there. Marion estimated that a couple hundred Keokuk folk will make the hour and a half drive.

"He was just a man among children playing football here. You couldn't touch him," Marion said. "I kind of get a laugh. I saw in 'The Sporting News,' 'James Vandenberg won't scare anybody with his arm.' Well, we'll see."

Notes for this story (totally jumbled, but here you go):

FERENTZ: I don't think it matters what your hometown is. For a guy like James or James Morris, when you come from a smaller town, no matter what state, and in this case your home state, I'm sure there's huge interest. A part of that is because of the kind of kid that James is or James Morris is. Those guys are more than just football players in their communities. I think they are respected for more than just what they did as football players. I think that is probably the biggest attraction for the people that really know those guys. You could go down the list and say the same things about Tyler Nielsen. When you know guys like that why wouldn't you pull for them. At the end of the day I don't think he will be thinking about that at 11 am on Saturday. I think he will be thinking about playing well and helping our team win. That is the neat thing about being an in-state kid. Bear Bryant used to say that when those guys go home the people at the drug store ask them what's going on at Alabama or wherever.

Q. You seem to have had complete confidence in James Vandenberg from day one. Why is that?

COACH FERENTZ: I mean, we've been watching. I say ‘we'. Coaches and players have had the luxury of seeing things you haven't. Just watching everything he does, whether it be, you know, practice, the way he comes in the building, the way he trains, just everything he does. He has a way about him that really exudes confidence. I think that's why all of his teammates feel good about him.

When we have seen him in game competition, I think everybody would agree the way we saw him work through situations is pretty impressive.

You're never a hundred percent sure what's going to happen. I'm pretty sure he's going to have some ups and downs like every player on our roster. But at the end of the day, if experience tells you anything, I think he'll just perform just fine. He's on target. He's got good ability on top of it. That's a good thing, too. He doesn't weigh 160 pounds anymore. That helps.

Vandy

Keokuk trophy case, his name -- I honestly don't know if it is. There's like a whole trophy case for our state championship, because it was the first one ever. There are a lot of pictures to go with that. We have a lot of basketball trophies. I think I have a state qualifying tennis trophy in there. We never made state in basketball when I was there. I think the big focus and the one brand new trophy case is the title from my senior year. That's something we're all really proud of.

Name show up -- There was this poster a couple years ago when I went to college. I don't know if someone put it up as a joke or what, but it was something about "Vandenberg Country." I took a lot of flak for that from friends, so I hope it's been removed. It was on a local business, right on Main Street.

People recognize -- I take all these science classes where I'm one of 300 people. I sit amongst them in a really packed lecture room. I think in all honestly, most of my professors don't know who I am, most of the students don't know who I am. When I'm in those small classes, people put it together. I wear sweats everyday and drive a moped. I don't think I get overly noticed around campus.

On tennis -- I think I loved competing. I wish I would've been a wrestler. I think I would've liked that.

Jayson Campbell

Dad a doctor, grandpa football coach and school board member

Just based on what I experienced in that community during that state title run, I can tell you they get behind people 100 percent. I can imagine that people are extremely proud and looking for to this. There's something to be said for the quarterback position, too. I live in Mount Pleasant now and we have a few players, too, but there's something to be said about the quarterback position and James in general. I know people are proud and looking forward to the opportunity to watch.

Statesmen -- Always been like this -- I think stuff about James all the time. Trying to figure out when we knew . . . First of all, that was a pretty special group of kids overall, some good players. We made a decision after James' sophomore year to completely revamp our offensive system, based largely around what was coming up. At that point he was 5-8 or 5-9, 135 pounds. He wasn't the polished QB he is now. I think the first time we realized it was the first 7-on-7 we had the summer before his junior year. He made a dramatic change physically. His dad worked with him mechanically, taking him to some camps. At that point, we knew we were looking at something unique. The thing about James for me, there certainly came a time when James was more knowledgeable without question some of the mechanics of the quarterback position but also a lot of things, but he would never question anything. He was a pleasure to coach even though he was light years ahead in terms of development from a mental standpoint and his mechanical and physical tools were so polished early. -- Communicate that -- Know-it-all -- He was never like that. He was a team player the whole way. He just made you feel good. I've heard coach Ferentz talk before, just being around James gives you that certain comfortable feeling. His persona and the way he carried himself, he was pretty unassuming. Like I said, he was pretty advanced in terms of stuff, even from a knowledge standpoint in the passing game. As a coach, I was pretty fortunate.

How many years coach Keokuk -- 6 years -- Mount Pleasant Community Middle School -- grandfather, Jim, coach at Keokuk a long time, teach in district, also on school board, active and well thought of in community --

2007 title -- I remember riding that firetruck down Main Street. There were people pulling the shades on their windows back, hanging out of their windows. There were people out in the street banging pots with spoons as we drove by. It was really incredible. I don't know if it's that fever pitch with James at quarterback, I just know the people there get behind people who represent the community and are successful.

Keokuk -- Craig Lewis, unbel D-I at Eastern Ill; Matt McGacky D-I OL at NIU (2000), Larry Holton, on Hayden's staff; Bill Logan, legend in Hawkeye basketball; biggest name Bill Logan, if James reaches that status, he's done something.

Five years there -- Never had anyone come through [to look at players]. UNI stopped through one time. Sometimes, people wouldn't even call. And then, everyone came through. That was a great experience for me. -- His schollie ride -- Interesting story -- I worked for Roy Wittke, he is the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Eastern Illinois. Roy was the only coach to offer Tony Romo. It was kind of through a connection with where Roy was from. Then I called Roy [then at Northern Illinois] because I worked with him for a year and said, 'You've got to see this guy's tape.' They were the first school to offer. They got the tape and they offered immediately. -- I talked to so many people. His recruitment was such a strange deal. He went to so many combines, camps, one-days and I thought once he did that the offers would come in. He's so good and he's so good mechanically and he's so accurate. Everybody just sat around and waited. Nobody would jump in. All the way from Kansas to Northwestern, Iowa, New Mexico, TCU. All these people just kind of sat around and waited for somebody else and the shoe never dropped. I don't know if it was that we're a small town and no one ever takes a quarterback from Keokuk. There's no precedent for taking a quarterback whose pedigree is from Keokuk High School. Or I don't know if it was he was so physically immature that they couldn't see past that. I know Ferentz when he came down and saw him practice basketball, he was so slight. I always thought that was a positive. If you could look at his dad and see that he would mature and grow. I don't think some people [coaches] could get past that. Everybody was kind of sitting in on Gabbert. What was Gabbert going to do between Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska? So, they all waited, but nobody would offer. He originally committed to Nebraska, so when he jumped ship, Nebraska offered James. Then, after Nebraska offered James, that's when Iowa got in. Pat Fitzgerald called me and I thought they were going to pull the trigger. They would all get up to the line, but no one was willing to take the plunge until really late. Otherwise, I think his recruitment would've been entirely different. If they would've offered him the summer before his senior year, it all would've blown up. They all just waited around for someone else to make a move and no one really did until Nebraska jumped in and then that forced Iowa's hand I guess a little bit. At that point, he felt comfortable with Iowa.

Physically immature -- I used to have this memorized. He was 5-10, 135 pounds as a sophomore. Then, he was 6-0, 150 as a junior. As a senior, he was probably 6-2, 180 or 6-2 1/2, 180 pounds. He just hadn't grown into his body. I still don't think he's grown as much as what he could look like in a couple years. -- He was go to these Nike camps and be up against Terrelle Pryor, Blaine Gabbert and Marquiese Gray. These guys are 6-4. Terrelle Pryor and Blaine Gabbert were finished products coming out of high school. You look at them and then you look at him and he did look pretty thin, even though he was always a hard worker in the weightroom. I thought all along that they were going to miss the boat, but, of course, Gabbert certainly panned out and Pryor is what he is. There were a lot of people who missed the boat on James, I have no doubt about that. I know Iowa was thrilled the minute he showed up.

Traits -- Everybody talks about his arm strength and he's got a strong arm and his arm has gotten stronger. His accuracy is by far and away . . . it's sickening. The throws he made in high school, I would see stuff in practice and just shake my head. Absolutely perfectly placed. -- His accuracy is unbelievable. If he is comfortable and you give him that opportunity, he's going to murder you. He's so accurate. He can process so fast and his release is so fast, those are the differences. People get hung up on his arm strength, but that's down the list, I think, of what could make him a dynamic player. --

Bill Logan

We're all excited. -- McQuistan, guard for Evy -- We're few and far between in a town of 10,000. We're really happy to see him up there representing us. -- The stores close up whenever Iowa plays. There's nobody shopping on Main Street. You can park anywhere. Everybody will tune in. We saw him play and followed him when he won the 3A championship for Keokuk. He'll be really good.

Know James -- Logan Piper, grandson. Both at Iowa and sees him. -- Jim has been busy, as you know. He'll be ready. A lot of people might kid him a little bit about looking a little young. He was a little light, but he's put on about 20 pounds. --

Advice -- O'Connor used to say, all we need out of you is 115 percent. That's a pretty good stretch. If you do that or play to that, you'll always be able to feel good about things. He's well prepared. I think you're going to see what he did at Ohio State. He's a competitor. He's does it all. You won't be ashamed of what he does, on or off the court. Or off the field, in this case.

box -- couple hundred

Tom Marion

It's a great sense of pride for the city, when you've got a young man starting for a Division I football team, it's always great.

Ever met -- It's small enough where everybody knows someone like James. He comes from a great family. -- Been out to a family log lodge for James' sister's grad -- Woods all around, nothing for James to get up in the morning and go hunting. -- Toby -- avid hunter, grandfather Jim

It's been a while since Keokuk has had one of our athletes go to a Division I school let alone be a starting quarterback.

Earl McQuistan, Iowa and Packers

There's a lot of spirit. A lot of people are going to be going to the game. I'm going to be there. -- Couple hundred --

He gives back to the community. He's talked to kids and groups. He was a straight-A student here. He's very intelligent, which I'm sure plays into being a quarterback. He was just a man among children playing football here. You couldn't touch him.

I kind of get a laugh. I saw on "Sporting News," 'James Vandenberg won't scare anybody with his arm.' Well, we'll see.

Hyde

The best pass is better than a good defender. Every day in practice he's making hard throws and getting it in the holes he shouldn't be doing. I'm just excited to see how he does on Saturday.