Cliches are sometimes unavoidable in sports and the Iowa Hawkeyes are no different, as they will be dealing with the old “too many guys for one spot” problem at the running back position come fall.

While head coach Kirk Ferentz knows how quickly the running back lineup can be decimated and holds that there are never too many good athletes available, jostling this group could be a challenge.

In all reality, predictions at this point can’t hope to be completely accurate. When you’re trying to guess the order of the Hawkeyes’ running backs, the challenge gets significantly more daunting. No matter how it all shakes out in the end, though, Iowa’s got talent at this position—Big Ten defenses beware!

With the transfer of the highly-touted Jeff Brinson, who suffered from a nagging foot injury last season and would have been one of four sophomores on the Hawkeyes’ running back depth chart this year, Iowa’s backs have a little more ability to move up the ladder.

Incoming freshmen Marcus Coker and DeAndre Johnson will likely redshirt this season. Coker has striking similarities with former Hawkeye bruiser Shonn Greene and DeAndre Johnson has already impressed head coach Kirk Ferentz. Johnson also suffered an ACL tear in his senior season at Monsignor Pace High School (Miami, Florida) so there won’t be any rush to get him on the field.

Then there’s always spunky Paki O’Meara. Though he’ll be a senior next season, O’Meara is going to find some difficulty breaking through to the top of the depth chart. He’ll get some grunt work carries, no doubt, but he’ll see most of his playing time on special teams.

Iowa’s running backs are in no way devoid of stars, though. Returning starters Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher are poised to carry the load once again. Robinson will be a redshirt sophomore and Wegher a true sophomore this season.

Though they were inexperienced, the young guns showed they’ve got the talent needed last season, even if at times it was a struggle.

Iowa’s rushing attack was tenth in the Big Ten averaging only 114 yards per game but they got the job done.

Robinson topped the 100-yard mark twice last year but was slowed as the season progressed due to injury.

When Robinson couldn’t go, Wegher filled his shoes. The speedster recorded three 100-yard plus games, including 113 yards in the Hawkeyes’ surprisingly dominant win over Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.

Many people have heard the rumors that Wegher could be in for a position change, but don’t look for it to happen. He’s already established himself as a more than capable back who has the flexibility to line up in the slot position if needed. Ferentz and offensive coordinator Ken O’Keefe could get creative with Wegher, but don’t expect a position change.

As far as the running game goes, many might say Hawkeye fans’ enthusiasm for this season is uncalled for, as the statistics tell a different story about Robinson and Wegher’s successes last year.

That’s where redshirt sophomore Jewel Hampton comes into play.

People may or may not have forgotten but a couple years ago, when Shonn Greene was tearing up the Big Ten, the Hawkeyes had an outstanding backup in Hampton. He was fast and featured some nifty moves that Greene, for the most part, chose to go without.

Just when defenders thought they had a chance to lick the bruises left by Greene, Hampton would come in and leave his unsuspecting opponents in the dust.

This prediction may be a little premature but don’t be surprised if Hampton returns to practice healthy and puts a serious challenge in the ring for a No. 1 spot on the depth chart. I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes out on top.

When it comes to Robinson and Wegher, I think it’s neck and neck. Both backs have great upside they’re better when their counterpart is healthy.

I’ve always been more intrigued by Wegher, but I think that’s just his big play potential shining through. He’ll definitely see some kick return action and he’ll carry the ball plenty of times, too, but for now I like Robinson behind Hampton.

See this article on Bleacherreport.com.

Iowa City Press-Citizen – The Iowa Hawkeyes picked up Ohio safety Anthony Hitchens who waited and waited and waited for an offer from Iowa. There’s no longer a void at safety after David Cato announced his transfer. See, it all works out in the end.

Rivals — No need to worry Hawkeye fans, Marcus Coker is still planning on signing with the Hawkeyes.

Here’s what Coker says about himself according to Scout.com:

“I can run downhill. I don’t waste movements and have football smarts. I’m a big bruising back and play with a lot of power.

“I want to improve my agility. And make people miss more.”

That sounds exactly like the kind of back that will fit right in at Iowa.

Rivals — Linn Mar’s (Marion, Iowa) David Parry enjoyed an Iowa visit this weekend. He has an offer to walk on. Perry’s is also highly interested in Stanford University, according to Rivals.

Rivals — While the Hawkeyes may be out of the running for Seantrel Henderson, his former teammate QB Mark Alt returned home from an offical visit to Iowa with a scholarship offer. Alt previously committed to Minnesota to play hockey. He is a one-star QB, according to Scout.

Scout — Ohio native TE Ray Hamilton is a big guy at 6-foot-5 220 pounds. He is a three-star recruit according to Scout. And he now holds an offer from Iowa for 2011.

Scout — Ellis Jordan and John Chelf have decided to walk-on at Iowa to join their former Iowa City High teammate A.J. Derby. The two were key players in Iowa City High’s 2009 4A State Championship team.

Jordan is a running back who passed up numerous Division II offers and Chelf a wide receiver who passed up an offer from Minnesota State and the opportunity to walk on at Iowa State to join the Hawkeyes.

You know who else was a walk-on at Iowa and also an Iowa native? Dallas Clark. He’s playing for his second Super Bowl Ring with the Colts.

After perusing the depths of the many top recruiting websites, I was reminded of why I chose to create this blog: So that the avid Hawkeye fan that doesn’t want to sort through confusing recruiting jargon can enjoy a little inside knowledge of the Hawkeyes’ class of 2010.

I’ve compiled a list of who I believe are Iowa’s most valuable commits to this date. Iowa’s Class of 2010 could be a sleeper in terms of strength. Needless to say, many will disagree with the athletes I chose but I stand by my picks.

No. 5: Marcus Coker RB 6’1″/231 lbs. DeMatha High School (Hyattsville, Maryland)

Coker is an all-around running back but he has raw power that reminds one of Shawn Greene. It usually takes more than one defender to tackle him. On the season, Coker is averging 11.2 yards per carry and has 17 touchdowns on 114 carries for 1279 yards. He is on MaxPreps’  watch list for National Player of the Year.

No. 4: James Morris OLB 6’2”/215 lbs. Solon High School (Iowa)

Not many have heard of James Morris but Iowa can wave this native prospect around proudly. He is described as relentless. Head Coach Kirk Ferentz will love his work ethic. If he hadn’t committed to play for Iowa a year ago, he would have been swamped by offers from other major programs.

No. 3: Austin Gray MLB 6’2”/225 lbs. Fitzgerald High School (Warren, Michigan)

Austin Gray is a monster of a linebacker.  There’s no other way to describe it. He is ranked nationally in linebackers on many top recruiting websites and considered as the second best linebacker in the state of Michigan. He gets to the ball fast and hits hard. If there’s one area he may need to work on, however, it’s his pass coverage. Who better to teach him than Hawkeye Defensive Coordinator Norm Parker, who loves to drop linebackers back into coverage. Did I mention this guy is a hard hitting monster? I thought I should emphasize that.

No. 2: A.J. Derby 6’5”/220 lbs. Iowa City High School (Iowa)

Boy, are the Hawkeyes glad they got a hold of this kid. Derby is ranked as the 33rd best quarterback prospect in the nation by iowa.scout.com. Competition for signing Derby included strong programs such as LSU, Florida and Big Ten conference foe Michigan.  Derby is an all-around quarterback. In his junior year, Derby passed for 1,200 yards with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions. He showcased his skill on the ground with 1,065 yards and 13 touchdowns. While Derby says he’s a quarterback first, don’t be too surprised if he gets changed to linebacker in college.

No. 1: Andrew Donnal OT 6’7”/290 lbs. Anthony Wayne High School (Whitehouse, Ohio)

The potential for Andrew Donnal appears to be unlimited. He’s got All-American written all over him according to MaxPreps. Scouts.com lists Donnal as the 26th best tackle recruit in the nation. He’s got great speed, footwork and he can get down field better than any big man in the Midwest. Donnal has the frame to become a huge road block for defenders but he’ll have to work on gaining the extra pounds. Donnal is known for playing hard but will have to work on his overall strength. That shouldn’t be a problem. He’ll be in good hands with Iowa.

The Iowa Hawkeyes aren’t lacking talent at the running back position.

With the commitment of DeMatha High School’s (Hyattsville, MD) Marcus Coker, Iowa’s backfield has only gotten stronger. The 6-foot-1, 231 pound back is a leader of the pack for MaxPreps’ National Player of the Year Award.

Coker’s strengths include the ability to reach top speed in the blink of an eye, raw strength, soft hands and he’s even a good blocker. Coker is clearly an all-around back.

On the season, Coker has carried the ball 114 times for 1279 yards and 17 touchdowns. He suffered a scare last week against St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) when he pulled a groin but he isn’t expected to miss any time.

So, what can the Hawkeyes expect out of Marcus Coker?

On paper, Marcus Coker appears to be one of the most highly touted running back recruits for Iowa to pick up in some time.

Watch a video on Coker and it’s easy to draw comparisons to another recent Iowa star by the name of Greene.

It will be interesting to see how Coker develops and how soon he sees the field, considering he is behind several other capable backs.

Perhaps a redshirt is in order?

Take a look at what number 34 can do: