Hawks find fertile territory in Missouri

St. Louis is quickly becoming the new Florida for Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes.

When Iowa went from 1-10 in 1998 to 11-2 and a Big Ten co-championship in 2002, the Hawkeyes had four key starters from Florida, including quarterback Brad Banks, the Heisman runner-up in '02.

Last season's 11-2 Orange Bowl championship team had two starters from the St. Louis area. Defensive end Adrian Clayborn, who finished with 11.5 sacks, went to Webster Groves High School in the St. Louis area. Wide receiver Marvin McNutt, who averaged 19.8 yards on 34 catches with eight touchdown receptions, prepped at Hazelwood Central.

“There's no question Iowa has a foothold in St. Louis,” said Jeremy Crabtree, national recruiting analyst and editor for Rivals.com. “They will be able to beat Missouri head-to-head for some kids, but they won't win them all. It's competitive area, maybe more competitive than people on the outside understand.”

Iowa went back to the Hazelwood area this year and signed safety/wide receiver Don Shumpert and linebacker Christian Kirksey.

Shumpert, 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, caught 45 passes for 436 yards and eight touchdowns for Hazelwood East last season. On defense, he made 79 tackles. Kirksey, a 6-2, 200-pound linebacker, had 163 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two interceptions and one return for a TD.

Shumpert and Kirksey were a package deal. They committed together in the fall, before Clayborn and McNutt's 2009 seasons hit hyper drive.

“Seeing how their seasons went was a lot of fun,” Kirksey said. “That helped to see that. I have to put the work in, but seeing them have that kind of success showed me I can do it, too.”

They knew Clayborn and McNutt. They knew the names. They knew where they were from and where they were playing college football. When they visited, they talked to Clayborn and McNutt.

“It helped to talk to them because they're from where I am,” Shumpert said.

Recruiting coordinator Eric Johnson works the St. Louis area and has become a highly respected name.

“A lot of recruiting is relationships,” Crabtree said. “As long as coach Johnson continues to recruit the territory, it's going to be a very productive area for the Hawks.”

Kirksey will begin at Iowa as a weakside linebacker.

“Christian is just a beautiful athlete,” said former Hazelwood East coach Mike Jones, who last month left the East job to become linebackers coach at Southern (La.) University. “He can run people down and hit.”

Shumpert will start as a free safety but might play wide receiver, he said.

“The coaches told me safety or wide receiver,” Shumpert said. “But they're low on the depth chart on safety, so I think that's probably where I'll start out.”

The next Hawkeye from St. Louis? The odds are there will be one in 2011.

Iowa is recruiting defensive back Marquis Clemons and linebacker Jason Meehan from Webster Groves, linebacker Ronelle McNeil from Hazelwood East and a trio from St. Louis Chaminade (quarterback Christian Suntrup, running back Robert Standard and wide receiver Brandon Hannah).