Blythe proud to represent home state for Hawkeyes
Williamsburg offensive lineman Austin Blythe has been waiting nine months to officially become an Iowa Hawkeye, and now a snowstorm might spoil his signing ceremony Wednesday.
“We were going to have all the coaches that impacted my life at a breakfast at the high school, weather permitting,” Blythe said. “If not, we’ll just sign it at my house.”
Blythe, the 6-foot-3, 280-pound senior was one of the first members of the Class of 2011. A three-star offensive lineman by Scout.com, Blythe said he’s eager to get going and is ready to start football workouts after the state wrestling tournament.
“Coach Ferentz said I’ll get some stuff from (strength and conditionaing coach Chris) Doyle as far as weight training and to get a good jump on lifting,” Blythe said. “I’m looking forward to it. I’m just ready for the next chapter.”
Blythe joins the Hawkeyes as one of two high school linemen in the 2011 recruiting class. The other is Jordan Walsh, a 6-foot-3, 275-pound, four-star guard from Glen Ellyn, Ill.
“He is going to be a great player,” Blythe said. “I’m excited to get in there and work alongside of him.
“I think his personality is just like mine. Reserved. It sounds like he’s definitely not afraid to work hard.”
Many Hawkeye fans are eagerly waiting to see if 6-foot-6, 322-pound offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio — the top-ranked offensive lineman in the country — joins Iowa on Wednesday. Blythe didn’t have any insight.
“I haven’t met him,” Blythe said. “He took his visits during wrestling season. But I’ve heard good things about him.”
After signing five players from the state of Iowa in 2010 and eight in 2009, the Hawkeyes currently expect to sign just two Iowa high school seniors in the 2011 class. Blythe and Henry Krieger-Coble, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end out of Mount Pleasant, make up the local contingent.
“I’m a little surprised (by just two),” Blythe said. “But each year is different. Being one of the few guys from Iowa to go to Iowa, I’m not going to look at it as pressure. It’s a cool opportunity to represent the state of Iowa.”
Blythe was named a Parade All-American on Monday and earlier this winter played in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl Game in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
A two-time state champion, Blythe will try for a third title starting Saturday at the 2A sectional meet in Solon.
Iowa already has signed one offensive lineman to its 2011 class, 6-5, 280-pound Dan Heiar out of Iowa Western Community College.
Category: Iowa Hawkeyes Football
Austin will be a great addition to the hawks, I didn’t realize that so far there are only two Iowans in this class. Rivals.com has Austin as a 4-star recruit, not sure why the difference between rivals and scout but oh well. If Iowa doesn’t get Darian Cooper or Cyrus from DeMatha I think they will offer Travis Perry of Urbandale.
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Can’t wait for signing day. I think the Hawks will have a banner day. Then all those talking heads at ESPN can suck on it!
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Midwestern guys are always under-rated. So, we never know how good these recruiting classes are until a few years later. I have a feeling this is a very good class….we shall see. Go Hawks!!!!!
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I have some knowledge about these “star” ratings that the scouting services and sites put on kids. Sometimes their ratings prove true, sometimes they don’t. Jake Christensen had four and five star ratings and was rated the #2 high school QB in the country. Ricky Stanzi was three stars and probably ranked way down low…and we all know how that turned out.
On the positive side, KF and the Iowa coaches are great teachers. They take players with potential and teach them to be very good, sometimes even excellent players. In many cases, they have turned players into stars by changing their positions, as they did with Dallas Clark.
I like the recruiting class so far and how it blends in with what the Hawks already have. If they can get Cyrus and Coopoer, that would be big time icing on the cake. Fingers are crossed for signing day tomorrow.
Best of luck to Austin Blythe, and GO HAWKS.
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Could be a disappointing day tomorrow. Just heard today that Kouandjo is already secretly committed to Bama, Pitts to Pittsburgh, Wright to Stanford. I can’t remember the school where Cooper and Cyrus are supposedly committed to, but I don’t think we will be getting either of them. Of course none of this is final until tomorrow….just a bunch of talking heads for now, however the Kouandjo kid and the other DeMatha kid apparently are definitely committed to other schools. I agree that the star rating system is very subjective. I’m sure KF and the staff will have some very good players to coach up.
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