The Irons boys and pops

[Saniflush]

Good article from Phillip Marshall

http://www.auburnundercover.com/news/story.php?article=153

Overcoming adversity is just part of the game for the Irons brothers


By Phillip Marshall, Senior Writer
Posted Jul 27, 2008
Copyright © 2008 AuburnUndercover.com


For David Irons, college football was a struggle against adversity almost from the start. He didn’t qualify out of high school, thought he’d made it after one season of junior college, found out he hadn’t and underwent two knee surgeries before he finally played two years at cornerback for Auburn.

Kenny Irons had his struggles, too, after starting his career at South Carolina and transferring to Auburn and fighting injuries his senior year, but nothing like his brother’s.

Through it all, both were successful and popular players at Auburn, laughing all the way. Kenny had a breakout season in 2005, rushing for 1,293 yards, the fourth-best single-season total in Auburn history. He was named the Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Year. David spent two seasons as a lockdown cornerback. Both earned Auburn degrees.

Kenny was chosen in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. David went lower than hoped and expected, in the sixth round to the Falcons.

Today, David is in training camp competing for the starting cornerback job vacated by DeAngelo Hall. Kenny suffered a severe knee injury last summer, missed the entire season, and was waived Friday by the Bengals because he didn’t pass a physical examination.

Kenny must deal again with the painful side of football.

David Irons Sr. said Saturday that Kenny’s setback is temporary. The Bengals, he said, have told his agent that, if he clears waivers, they will re-sign him and place him on injured reserve for the season.

Kenny suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in the first preseason game last summer, but his troubles were just starting. He didn’t recover his full range of motion and underwent a second surgery. After that one, an infection set in. He was hospitalized for two weeks and underwent yet another procedure.

“Kenny is really frustrated,” David Sr. said. “You get frustrated and a little depressed. He’ll fight through it. I think taking this year off will be the best thing. You can’t come back in one year and be the same player after an ACL. The best thing for him will to rehab fully and come back and be the player the Bengals thought he was when he was drafted.”

And if the Bengals decide they are going in another direction?

“Kenny is a player,” David Sr. said. “Kenny will be playing for somebody. He’ll be fine. He’ll be in the Pro Bowl in three years.”

David spent last season as a reserve defensive back for the Falcons, playing most often on special teams. But Hall is gone to the Oakland Raiders, and the opportunity for advancement is there.

“David is fine,” David Sr. said. “Really, it takes a couple of years to really recover from an ACL. He wore a knee brace his last year at Auburn. He’s really in the best shape I’ve ever seen him in. He’s getting off the ground, he’s leaping faster. He has so much more confidence in his game.”

Meanwhile, David Sr. is continuing to have an impact on the college and pro games by training players in the offseason. At Georgia Training Alliance in Duluth, he has position coaches, weight facilities, speed training facilities and even a 40-yard indoor field. This summer, he and his staff worked with current Auburn wide receivers James Swinton and Rod Smith, running back Ben Tate and safety Zac Etheridge.

David Sr. predicts big things for them all. Smith and Swinton, he said, will put to rest concerns about Auburn’s receivers. He said they have been well-prepared by wide receivers coach Greg Knox.

“Coach Knox is one of the best receivers coaches I know,” David Sr. said. “I think they are going to have breakout years. And look out for Ben Tate, too.”

David Sr. and his two sons formed Irons 2 Impact to help prepare underprivileged young athletes to get the most of themselves in and out of competition. The foundation’s vision is “to reach unrepresented youth between the ages of 8-18 and young adults ages 19-24 as an agent of change through sports programs and activities promoting leadership, life skills, character and personal development.” Numerous former players, including former Auburn and NFL star Steve Wallace, are involved in that mission.

“We’ve got kids who come to us and their moms really couldn’t afford training,” David Sr. said. “It’s an opportunity to give kids something to do instead of being on the streets.”

[wesfau2]

Good story.  Hopefully Kenny can rebound and clear those waivers.  Good luck to David in his competition to start.

I may be un-educated on the matter, but I think Knox is one of the weak links in the coaching staff.  He does a great job recruiting, but our receivers seem to live or die by their own skills.

[Saniflush]

but our receivers seem to live or die by their own skills.

As opposed to someone else's skills?

[AWK]

Good story.  Hopefully Kenny can rebound and clear those waivers.  Good luck to David in his competition to start.

I may be un-educated on the matter, but I think Knox is one of the weak links in the coaching staff.  He does a great job recruiting, but our receivers seem to live or die by their own skills.

I agree, I blame him more than I blamed Borges for our offensive woes last season. 

[wesfau2]

As opposed to someone else's skills?

Yeah, the coach's skills.

I wasn't very clear.  I meant that they don't get solid coaching, in my opinion, and are succeeding/failing based upon the abilities they bring to campus.

[Saniflush]

Yeah, the coach's skills.

I wasn't very clear.  I meant that they don't get solid coaching, in my opinion, and are succeeding/failing based upon the abilities they bring to campus.

I just don't know.  Sometimes I feel that way but then you have to explain 04 and 05.

[wesfau2]

I just don't know.  Sometimes I feel that way but then you have to explain 04 and 05.

Easily:

Aro
Obo
Mix
Taylor

[Saniflush]

Easily:

Aro
Obo
Mix
Taylor

So then what you are saying is we have not recruited worth a shit. 

Kaos,  what was/is Taylor's views on the subject and how is he doing thus far?

[AWK]

Easily:

Aro
Obo
Mix
Taylor

Don't forget Brown/Williams, who also caught out of the backfield. 

[wesfau2]

So then what you are saying is we have not recruited worth a shit. 

Kaos,  what was/is Taylor's views on the subject and how is he doing thus far?

I'm saying that the aforementioned quartet of receivers is a coach's dream.

We have some guys with raw talent, but they're not getting the guidance they need.

[Saniflush]

I'm saying that the aforementioned quartet of receivers is a coach's dream.

We have some guys with raw talent, but they're not getting the guidance they need.

I just don't buy that the talent of those guys overcame poor coaching.  It seems to me that poor coaching would actually bring them down.

[wesfau2]

I just don't buy that the talent of those guys overcame poor coaching.  It seems to me that poor coaching would actually bring them down.

It may not even be "poor" coaching, just "basic" or nothing at a level higher than they already received in HS.

I don't know the answer, and I could be completely off base.  Maybe it was just Cox's poor throwing that has made our receivers look awful the past couple of seasons.  Maybe the 04-05 group could compensate for Brandon's inadequacies. 

[Kaos]

Kaos,  what was/is Taylor's views on the subject and how is he doing thus far?

That's a question I never wanted to ask him.  I have my own opinion and it's not very good. But I can ask if you want.  

He's in Seattle.  Has a good shot to be in the regular rotation.  Worked hard in the offseason. And they love him there.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/stevekelley/2008075637_kelley271.html

[wesfau2]

That's a question I never wanted to ask him.  I have my own opinion and it's not very good. But I can ask if you want.  

He's in Seattle.  Has a good shot to be in the regular rotation.  Worked hard in the offseason. And they love him there.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/stevekelley/2008075637_kelley271.html

I was just coming to post this article.  Check the highlighted language:


"He's got some natural skills. The foot skill things kind of come easy to him," receivers coach Keith Gilbertson said. "He has good size and speed. He's bright. I think he's a talent and I'm excited about him, but I'm not ready to anoint him."

[Saniflush]

That's a question I never wanted to ask him.  I have my own opinion and it's not very good. But I can ask if you want. 

He's in Seattle.  Has a good shot to be in the regular rotation.  Worked hard in the offseason. And they love him there.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/stevekelley/2008075637_kelley271.html

Yea I looked at the depth chart.  Looks like he and Ben are fighting to be in the regular rotation.  Also looks like Herring has not made any in roads. 

The bigger question is why in the hades isn't he on here?

[wesfau2]

  Also looks like Herring has not made any in roads. 

He's having health problems.  Some sort of inflammation of the joints/arthritis.

The bigger question is why in the hades isn't he on here?

If you make this happen, K, you will be my hero.

[Saniflush]

He's having health problems.  Some sort of inflammation of the joints/arthritis.

Thanks for looking it up. I figured there was so other issue going on with him but was too lazy to search it.

[wesfau2]

Thanks for looking it up. I figured there was so other issue going on with him but was too lazy to search it.

I read it on the ebays somewhere this week, so the knowledge was fresh at hand to be dropped.

[Kaos]

The bigger question is why in the hades isn't he on here?

On this board?  Well, quite honestly?  It's not CT's thing.  His mother, God bless her, is very straight-laced.  She hates the language she sees Holmgren use.  Courtney isn't much into cussing or any of that.

And besides, he's an NFL receiver. He has training camp, workouts, practice, film study, cheerleaders....  Full life.