From Hawkeye to J-Hawk

CEDAR RAPIDS - Jermelle Lewis spotted an opening for a coaching position.

And just like the holes he hit as a talented running back for the University of Iowa, he hit it full speed and hasn't broken stride.

Lewis received the call to coaching prep football when Cedar Rapids Jefferson coaches contacted him in the off-season. Shortly after meeting with them, Lewis joined the J-Hawks coaching staff as an assistant coach who works with running backs and kick returners.

'I've been out of football for a while,” Lewis said. 'I have done some (youth) coaching with flag football and stuff like that. Just small stuff. I've been looking for an opportunity to get on at a high school or small college somewhere.”

Lewis attended coaching classes with Jefferson assistant Nathan Greving, who brought it to head coach Brian Webb's attention. They hit it off immediately and Lewis began working with players during the summer.

'He has fit in well with what we're doing,” Webb said. 'He is very smart. He works well with the kids. He is a tremendous asset.

'A guy like that is talking to you and teaching you stuff about running backs you actually listen, because of his experience and attributes he had at Iowa and Connecticut.”

Lewis was a highly regarded running back for the Hawkeyes, arriving in Iowa City in 2000 and playing his last game in 2004. Lewis was a prep All-American and Gatorade Player of the Year in Connecticut. He said he has been exposed to great coaches and they remain valuable resources.

'I have a lot to share with them,” Lewis said. 'Being with (Iowa) Coach Kirk Ferentz, who is great, having the opportunity to learn a lot from (retired Hawkeye running backs coach) Carl Jackson and Chris Doyle, there is a lot I'm more than happy to contribute.”

The expertise Lewis brings is what the staff needed, according to Webb. The players respect his accomplishments and are receptive to Lewis.

'He knows what he's talking about because he's been there,” J-Hawk senior Bryce Lund said. 'He pushes us.”

Lewis had a Jefferson connection, marrying former J-Hawk standout athlete Colbi Miller. He has a son, Keon, 7, and a daughter, Simone, 2, who will likely be future J-Hawks. Lewis already owns a good report with the players. They balance hard work with levity during practice.

'He likes to have fun with us,” Jefferson running back Manny Olutunde said. 'I look forward to work with him. He makes us go hard.”

Lewis can provide a major lesson that extends beyond the X's and O's of the backfield.

He was an NFL prospect, showing flashes of brilliance with the Hawkeyes. Injuries plagued his career, robbing him part of his junior season and prematurely ending his career. Both times Lewis suffered torn anterior cruciate ligaments.

'I was informed he was one of the top guys and doing really well with a lot of potential,” Lund said of Lewis' resume. 'I wouldn't have remembered. I would have been really young.”

Lewis and Webb haven't emphasized his past. Lewis said that is a distant memory and it shouldn't overshadow the current running backs on the field.

'Jermelle is a humble person,” Webb said. 'He is the last person to talk about his own accolades.”

Lewis was productive, amassing for 1,330 total offensive yards and 12 touchdowns including 1,150 and 10 on the ground. Lewis broke out as a sophomore in 2002, rushing for more than 700 yards and eight scores, including a 109-yard, two TD performance against the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich.

He tore an ACL during spring drills in 2003. Lewis returned after the first six games in the fall, rushing for 241 yards and averaging 5.2 yards per carry. Four games into his senior season he tore the ACL in his right knee in the Michigan State game, forcing him to be on crutches for senior day and the 2005 Capital One Bowl, known for Drew Tate's last-second winning touchdown pass to Warren Holloway.

'Put that in perspective of how things can change drastically and you have to take every opportunity in practice and games to maximize your abilities,” Webb said. 'Within one fail swoop, it can all be taken away.”

It isn't lost on the J-Hawks. The message has been received.

'You can't take anything for granted,” Olutunde said. 'There are days when you're tired and then if you look at people like Lewis as an example, he tore his ACL and his career was over, so you can't take things for granted.”

Although Lewis can't compare this year's squad to recent ones, he understands the optimism surrounding the J-Hawk camp. Jefferson is looking for a breakout season, improving on two straight 1-8 campaigns.

'They've been extremely coachable and a lot of guys are listening,” Lewis said. 'It's to the point where we're dealing with more of a margin of error than we were in the past.

'We have some pretty fast guys who are out here. … I think as long as the runners maintain focus on the fundamentals and small details these guys can be sitting in a good position.”

l Comments: (319) 368-8679; kj.pilcher@thegazette.com