Nov. 5, 2014
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- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
By DARREN MILLER
hawkeyesports.com
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Jameer Outsey was preparing to play in a high school all-star football game last year when he was reminded of the New Jersey-to-Iowa City pipeline.
Outsey, a first-year student-athlete at the University of Iowa, is a 6-foot-3, 220-pound (and gaining) linebacker from Franklin, New Jersey.
“Iowa has a lot of influence in New Jersey,” Outsey said Wednesday during an exclusive interview with hawkeyesports.com “I played in my all-star game and coach (Tarig) Holman played at Iowa back in the day with coach (LeVar) Woods. Iowa has a big influence on New Jersey — I love it out here.”
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Holman, a native of Randolph, New Jersey, lettered for the Hawkeyes from 1997-99. There were other New Jersey connections that made waves last week around Kinnick Stadium. Honorary captain for the Hawkeyes was Mike Daniels of the Green Bay Packers. Daniels lived in Blackwood, New Jersey, before starring for Iowa from 2007-11. Leading rusher for the Hawkeyes during their 48-7 win over Northwestern on Nov. 1 was redshirt freshman Akrum Wadley (15 carries, 106 yards, one touchdown), who is from Newark, New Jersey.
The plan this season is to redshirt Outsey. He has gained nearly 30 pounds since he has been in Iowa City.
“I’m maturing and growing up as a man,” Outsey said. “This is taking that next step, it’s not high school. You’re out here on your own and it’s time to take it to the next level and act like a grown man.”
Not only has Outsey gained weight, but he sees his technique improving every day.
“I have gotten stronger and now I’m taking it step-by-step, day-by-day,” Outsey said.
Outsey has observed the improvement of the Hawkeye linebacking corps that includes senior Quinton Alston, juniors Travis Perry and Cole Fisher, and freshmen Bo Bower, Josey Jewell, and Ben Niemann.
“It influences me and it excites me a lot,” Outsey said.
Iowa may not be on the east coast, but that’s OK for this native of the Garden State.
“It’s very different from the East coast, but I love it. I love Iowa,” Outsey said. “Very nice people, the university is very good, the professors are very good, education is very good. I love it here.”
Iowa (6-2 overall, 3-1 Big Ten Conference) plays at Minnesota (6-2, 3-1) on Nov. 8 with kickoff scheduled for 11 a.m. (CT). The Hawkeyes have won the last two meetings — 31-13 in Iowa City in 2012 and 23-7 last season in Minneapolis.
