Here are some fun facts for those of you who believe wayward Shonn Greene will just swoop into Iowa City next fall and assume the "stud running back" mantle that he seemed to be headed toward nearly two years ago. (I'm guessing there aren't a lot of you out there.)
-- When/if Greene, the 5-foot-11, 227-pounder, returns to Iowa City next fall, he'll be a 23-year-old with two years of eligibility remaining. Remember, he originally signed with Iowa in 2004, but a missed test score sent him to prep school (Milford Academy) for a year.
-- Greene left Iowa last June because of academics and has been taking classes at Kirkwood Community College. Coach Kirk Ferentz said last week Greene still has work to complete before he is accepted. Sounds as though they're still sweating it.
-- Greene was a productive back in his two seasons as a backup, gaining 378 yards with two TDs during 2005-06. But that's getting to be a "four score and blah, blah, blah." His last carry was against Indiana in 2006, a span of 18 games going into next season's opener.
"The nice thing about Shonn is at least we've seen him play against Big Ten competition, so that's reassuring," Ferentz said last week. "Now the key is where is he going to be at physically in making up that time."
Iowa's running back position has become a high-wire act with no net and hanging over a pool of sharks with bears carrying light sabers, in both paws, on their backs.
If Greene doesn't make it, the depth chart (at least considering scholarship backs) will be juco Nate Guillory (a 5-9 stocky type) and true freshmen Jeff Brinson (put up otherworldly stats in legit Florida prep football) and Jewel Hampton (who made the most -- 2,095 yards and 27 TDs -- out of his only season as a starter at Warren Central in Indy).
There's certainly room for a great story here, someone doing something way unexpected. But if you go by resumes and realism, Iowa running back looks piecemeal at best.