But I could in February 2006. I did a story on him for signing day. I did this with Greenwood, so I'm doing it now for Chaney. I don't think I have too many more of these archived.
After reading this story, I'm completely baffled by Kirk Ferentz's decision to keep freshmen and redshirt freshmen off limits. Instead of the entire state writing about Paul Chaney this week, we'll pick through the carcass of what's not working.
After reading this story, I might just roll it up the flagpole again this week. Why not?
Headline: Recruit's strange year
Byline: Marc Morehouse
Source: The Gazette
What a crazy, wonderful, exhilarating, terrifying year and a half for the Chaneys.
While Paul Jr. was winning sprint state titles for St. Louis University High School, Paul Sr. was in Afghanistan training Afghan brigades.
In December 2004, Susan Chaney, Paul Jr.'s mom, suffered third-degree burns on her
hands during a grease fire. Paul Jr. took over kitchen duty. Paul Sr. came home on an emergency
furlough for a month while Susan recuperated.
Paul Sr., an Army major and 22-year member of the Armed Forces, had to rejoin his Missouri
National Guard unit on Christmas day.
Merry Christmas and goodbye.
Last May, Paul Jr. won the 100- (10.52 seconds) and 200-meter (21.25) dashes at the Missouri
state track meet, posting the state's fifth- and sixth-fastest times for those events. He
finished third in the 400 (48.69), scoring 26 of his team's 46 points to lead SLUH to third
place, its best performance at the state meet.
In Afghanistan, Paul Sr. blew off the nine-hour time difference and stayed up until 4 a.m.
to follow the meet through the Internet and cell phone calls.
Two months later, after a little more than a year in Afghanistan, Paul Sr. returned home, but
not without a scare when a Humvee he was supposed to be on hit a land mine and was destroyed.
"I dedicated every race to my dad last season," Paul Jr. said. "It motivated me. He was doing something far better, way bigger, than what I was doing. It took a lot of heart and bravery."
Today, Paul Jr. will sign a national letter of intent to play football for the University of
Iowa.
"Paul's been playing football since he was 6, and I never missed a game. I missed his whole junior
year," said Paul Sr., a pharmaceutical sales rep based in Swansea, Ill. "Being over there, it was a bittersweet year for all of us."
Seeing firsthand what speed did for Penn State's offense and what Ted Ginn has done for
Ohio State'sspecial teams, Iowa coaches wanted to upgrade team speed in this recruiting
class. Paul Chaney Jr. will do that when he steps foot on campus this summer.
He received scholarship offers in track from Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor and Nebraska.
Because of his speed, he received football offers from Nebraska, Wisconsin, Indiana and
Michigan State.
Chaney ran an unofficial 21.1 200, which would have snapped a Missouri state record established in 1968.
He was credited with a 10.1-second 100 meters and set a Metro Catholic Conference record
with a 10.4.
Chaney played quarterback for SLUH, completing 44 of 88 pass attempts for 564 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions. He rushed for 688 yards and 12 touchdowns on 141 carries.
His football recruiting picked up after his performance last summer at the Nike Camp in
Manhattan, Kan. He earned camp MVP honors, running a 4.33-second 40-yard dash.
Chaney, 5-foot-9-1/2, 165 pounds, plans to run for the Iowa track team, fitting the outdoor
season around spring football practice.
"Most schools wanted me to focus on one or the other," Chaney said. "I told the Iowa coaches what I wanted to do as far as running and playing. They were really open about
it.
"I really trust the coaches up there and believe them, and that's what made my decision to
go to Iowa much easier."
Chaney has had serious track aspirations since he bloomed as an eighth grader.
"I want to take it as far as I can," he said. "I've been told by many and I think I could eventually compete at the highest level. I just have to work hard and ride both track and football out as far as possible."
About three years ago, Ray Armstead, a St. Louis native and Olympic gold medalist on the
1984 USA 1,600 relay, started coaching Chaney on the track. He didn't charge for his services.
With state titles and jaw-dropping times, Chaney is advertising that Armstead can't buy.
"I think he can be an elite athlete in the 400 meters," Armstead said. "He's big enough and strong enough to play both track and football. They don't hurt each other. He can thrive in both."
Armstead said the 4.33 40 Chaney logged at the Nike Camp is just the start. He said when
Chaney is in top track form he'd probably be closer to the 4.2 range, an outrageous,
almost unbelievable time.
"He will do what it takes to be the best - football, track, whatever," Armstead said. "He's not afraid of working hard."
Paul Sr. and Susan Chaney are from Indianapolis. Susan ran track in junior high. One of her
early teachers was late Olympic great Wilma Rudolph.
"We looked at Penn State's model with speed and what Ohio State and Teddy Ginn has
done, speed is a factor," Paul Sr. said. "Those guys aren't the biggest guys out there, either. They're built around speed."
Speed is a trait a lot of Iowa's 19 signees share.
Michigan wide receiver Anthony Bowman, another Iowa recruit, has run the 40 in 4.5 seconds.
Several Hawkeye recruits have 40s in the 4.55 range.
Paul Sr. can't wait to sit back and watch. The Desert Storm veteran will be up for a
promotion with the Missouri National Guard in about a year. But with two grown kids - daughter
Peyton is 12 - Paul Sr. is thinking seriously about retirement.
"I think we're looking at a lot of trips to Iowa City," Paul Sr. said. "I don't want to miss a thing."