Bye Week blues for Iowa Hawkeyes, as off the field issues emerge in Iowa City during off weekend

The Iowa Hawkeyes opened September only 3-2 overall, but earned the Floyd of Rosedale back with a 31-13 win over Minnesota in Week 5 to close out month and open 1-0 in the Legends division of the Big Ten .  But, the Week 6 bye week has been bitter sweet for Iowa, with news of an off the field arrest, as senior team captain Micah Hyde, Iowa's top cornerback, was arrested for public intoxication and interference of official acts per The Gazette and ESPN.

Update: Some solid Big Ten games in Week 6, as Iowa and Minnesota are enjoying bye weeks, but some players are enjoying the bye weeks too much!  The list gets longer for Iowa, as sophomore TE Ray Hamilton and reserve OL junior Drew Clark were charged with alcohol related issues per 1630 AM./KCJJ.

• Michigan State @ Indiana on Big Ten Network at 11 a.m.
• #25 Northwestern @ Penn State on ESPN at 11 a.m. ***
• Illinois @ Wisconsin on ABC (KCRG in Cedar Rapids) at 2:30 p.m.
• Michigan @ Purdue on Big Ten Network at 3 p.m.
• #21 Nebraska @ #16 Ohio State on ABC (KCRG in Cedar Rapids) at 7 p.m.

College Football rocks!

How will Iowa circle the wagons in 2010?

How much does Brandon Wegher's personal matters have to do with college football? It was an interesting to read the Quad Cities article provided on the Wegher situation.

"Right now he just needs some time to sort some things out," Coach
Kirk Ferentz said. "It happens in life to all of us. He just needs a little
time right now. Hopefully, he'll choose to return to the team."

"We forget sometimes that these are college students and they
have a lot going through their minds," he added.

"We're a better football team with him," Ferentz said.
"Hopefully, he will come to the conclusion that he really enjoys this."

In August 2002, Iowa had a key performer from the previous season leave the program in the fall camp. He was actually dismissed from the Iowa program. Iowa went on to become an 8-0 Big Ten football team in 2002.

Certainly, the circumstances are completely different between the player in 2002 and the player missing in 2010. But, the leadership of Kirk Ferentz, since he arrived in 1999 in working with young college men, who also play football, has not changed much. Coach Ferentz continues to grow with experience, as he leads the Iowa Football program in '10.

As one preview publication put it this year, "If the Stars Align" - Hawkeye Football 2010, could college football see something special this season from the Iowa football program?

peace

Iowa Basketball: When does two years equal the past 13 months? The answer is in a recent story in The Gezette

The Gazette's December 21, 2009 print version made the following comment about Iowa basketball player, Anthony Tucker's off the field problems ...

" (picture) Anthony Tucker... Second arrest in 2 years "

Well the young man enrolled at the University of Iowa in August of 2008, so he has been a college student for only 17 months or so. He has had two arrests in two seasons at Iowa, but in two years? More like the past 13 months.

The sophomore starting shooting guard has been suspended indefinitely, until the legal matter is resolved. This is the second suspension in 13 months for the sophomore from Minnesota.

The player has yet to play a game in the Big Ten, due to academic and legal woes as a true freshman during the 2008-09 season. Now, it appears that Iowa may miss him for his second straight Big Ten season.

Iowa enters the Big Ten schedule vs. Purdue on Tuesday, December 29Th at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. No Iowa player on the current roster has more than one year of Big Ten experience. Three key players are true freshmen.

Iowa has signed four players for the 2010-11 season. Will another roster spot be soon opening up in Iowa City for the Hawkeyes?

Hawkeyes' Tucker suspended indefinitely - Dubuque Telegraph Herald
Anthony Tucker's continuning trouble with alcohol has resulted in his indefinite suspension from the Iowa men's basketball team. ...
Hawks step up in Tucker's absence - Quad City Times
Hawkeyes win, questions remain - Burlington Hawk Eye
Iowa's Anthony Tucker Arrested for Public Intoxication - Bleacher Report

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Two Part-time starters at DT are dismissed at Penn State

Penn State returns four defensive tackles that combined for all but one start in the interior of last year's Nittany Lion defense. Legal woes have lead to two of the four DTs to be dismissed from the team per news this week. The two players dismissed were the top 2 on the tackle charts for for JoePa 2007 defense.

ESPN's 'Outside the Lines' series has recently spotlighted the off-the-field problems at Penn State lately. While many are pointing to Iowa's sexual assault case as a major distraction, PSU's off-the-field woes appear to be an ongoing concern for JoePa's program.

peace