Over the past several years, a malevolent deity has assailed the running back position at Iowa through either injury, arrest, transfer, locusts or some other biblical plague and/or pestilence.
Greg Garmon was one of those caught up in AIRBHG’s clutches, leaving the Hawkeyes back in mid-December because, simply, “it wasn’t clicking for him.” A little over a month later, Garmon is looking to restart his playing career at a level that’s far from AIRBHG’s crosshairs -- he hopes.
Butte (Calif.) College coach Jeff Jordan confirmed to HawkeyeInsider.com that Garmon “started school this past week” at the JUCO-level program. Butte is one of the premier JUCO football schools in the country, and served as the launching pad for what some would call a mildly successful playing career for Aaron Rodgers.
“He chose this move to keep his grades up and not lose a year of football,” Garmon’s father, Tony Hollingsworth, told the website. “He figured a (junior) college would fit him well while staying focused on his (school) work with less distraction from a major university atmosphere during the second semester there.
“He felt that Iowa scheme was not his style of play so this was the best move for him.”
Garmon was a four-star member of Iowa’s 2012 recruiting class, rated as the No. 19 running back in the country coming out of Erie, Pa. As a true freshman last season, Garmon finished third on the team in rushing with 122 yards. He also caught eight passes for 57 yards, and was credited with one pot possession charge in June.
If/when Garmon makes the move back to the FBS level, he would have three years of eligibility remaining. And, provided he can get himself squared away, he shouldn’t be lacking suitors; leading up to signing day last year, he held offers from, among myriad others, Arkansas, Florida State, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and West Virginia.