Most underrated Hawkeyes

Who are the most underrated Hawks of the KF era?

  • Karl Klug

    Votes: 17 42.5%
  • Jared Clauss

    Votes: 5 12.5%
  • Tyler Luebke

    Votes: 2 5.0%
  • Antwan Allen

    Votes: 2 5.0%
  • Ed Miles

    Votes: 1 2.5%
  • Howard Hodges

    Votes: 6 15.0%
  • other

    Votes: 7 17.5%

  • Total voters
    40

Hawk-A-Doodle-Doo

All-Conference
Oct 1, 2001
795
2,242
93
Obvious answer is obvious.

 

uihawk82

All-Conference
Nov 17, 2021
2,275
3,394
113
thinking about some of the good players who were a little under the radar while at IOWA
I always thought Jeff Tarpinian the linebacker who waited his turn but lit it up on the field when he played just didnt get a chance to be a star. He was behind Angerer for a couple of years but when he played before his senior year he just looked like a heat seeking tackling missile out there. His senior year, which iirc was 2010, started great but then he got hurt. And when he got hurt the defense suffered some. He got healthy for the late season game at jNW and he was giving the jNW qb fits with blitzes and the hawks were in control. Then he got hurt and NW staged that late game comeback.

He played a few seasons in the NFL without much college starting time but his tape must have been impressive. Not a surprise that the Patriots signed him as a UDFA because of Hawk-Patriot connection
 

beans9000

Freshman
Dec 3, 2019
38
53
18
Albert Young was a guy who played in a lot of games and ended up 3rd all time in career rushing but played on some not so great teams (05,06,07) so isn't mentioned a lot with the all time greats
 
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nu2u

All-Conference
Aug 10, 2006
10,199
2,164
113
Fred Russell? He was first and second team all Big Ten and is top ten on the all time Iowa rushing list. Man people site him as one of their favorite Hawkeye RBs.

How is he "underrated".
Because I said so.
 

rchawk

All-American
Oct 27, 2001
73,811
8,054
113
I always thought Jeff Tarpinian the linebacker who waited his turn but lit it up on the field when he played just didnt get a chance to be a star. He was behind Angerer for a couple of years but when he played before his senior year he just looked like a heat seeking tackling missile out there. His senior year, which iirc was 2010, started great but then he got hurt. And when he got hurt the defense suffered some. He got healthy for the late season game at jNW and he was giving the jNW qb fits with blitzes and the hawks were in control. Then he got hurt and NW staged that late game comeback.

He played a few seasons in the NFL without much college starting time but his tape must have been impressive. Not a surprise that the Patriots signed him as a UDFA because of Hawk-Patriot connection
Good call hawk82. Tarpinian could hit with the best of them when he was on the field.
 
Last edited:
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Easthawk1062

Heisman
Jun 28, 2021
13,256
20,720
113
I always thought Jeff Tarpinian the linebacker who waited his turn but lit it up on the field when he played just didnt get a chance to be a star. He was behind Angerer for a couple of years but when he played before his senior year he just looked like a heat seeking tackling missile out there. His senior year, which iirc was 2010, started great but then he got hurt. And when he got hurt the defense suffered some. He got healthy for the late season game at jNW and he was giving the jNW qb fits with blitzes and the hawks were in control. Then he got hurt and NW staged that late game comeback.

He played a few seasons in the NFL without much college starting time but his tape must have been impressive. Not a surprise that the Patriots signed him as a UDFA because of Hawk-Patriot connection
That 09 Michigan Kick returner is still feeling Tarps hit. I was at that game. Csb.
 

paednoch23

Senior
Oct 23, 2009
391
927
93
I always thought Jeff Tarpinian the linebacker who waited his turn but lit it up on the field when he played just didnt get a chance to be a star. He was behind Angerer for a couple of years but when he played before his senior year he just looked like a heat seeking tackling missile out there. His senior year, which iirc was 2010, started great but then he got hurt. And when he got hurt the defense suffered some. He got healthy for the late season game at jNW and he was giving the jNW qb fits with blitzes and the hawks were in control. Then he got hurt and NW staged that late game comeback.

He played a few seasons in the NFL without much college starting time but his tape must have been impressive. Not a surprise that the Patriots signed him as a UDFA because of Hawk-Patriot connection
Tarp could have been cooper dejean-esque if stayed healthy. Maybe in a different way but he was an athlete.
 

paednoch23

Senior
Oct 23, 2009
391
927
93
Albert Young was a guy who played in a lot of games and ended up 3rd all time in career rushing but played on some not so great teams (05,06,07) so isn't mentioned a lot with the all time greats
Albert had a great as t line. He lacked speed. He was basically a workhorse.
 

NWHawk33

All-Conference
Jul 8, 2025
1,209
2,160
113
I always liked Mike Klinkenborg. Nate Meier was a solid DE despite weighing 50 lbs.

Do we view Hinkel or Solomon as underrated?
 
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rchawk

All-American
Oct 27, 2001
73,811
8,054
113
I always liked Mike Klinkenborg. Nate Meier was a solid DE despite weighing 50 lbs.

Do we view Hinkel or Solomon as underrated?
Hinkel definitely was underrated. It seemed like if he could get a finger on the ball it was a catch.
 
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