Football: Iowa taps NU pipeline, lands Cole Fisher

Don’t look for Iowa to back down anytime soon in recruiting against future Big Ten football rival Nebraska.

Just the opposite, actually.

The Hawkeyes added an oral commitment Friday, their 12th for the class of 2011, from Millard North defender Cole Fisher. He plays free safety in high school but may shift to linebacker in Iowa City.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Fisher, returning from knee surgery after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament tear in basketball last winter, is the brother of Nebraska linebacker Sean Fisher. Their father, Todd Fisher, lettered at NU in 1983 as a walk-on.

A recent conversation with his dad led Cole Fisher to pick Iowa. “He asked me if anyone else in the nation offered, would I take them over Iowa,” Fisher said. “I didn’t really think there was. That’s the little light that turned on.”

Fisher follows the lead of Adam Shada, Seth Olsen and Jeff Tarpinian, who accepted Iowa scholarships out of Millard North. Tarpinian, a close friend of the Fishers, is set to start as a senior at linebacker for the Hawkeyes this fall.

“Our kids come back home, and they are the best recruiters for Iowa,” Millard North coach Fred Petito said.

As for Nebraska, Fisher said he’d still pick Iowa if the Huskers wanted him. His pledge remains non-binding until signing day in February.

Nebraska has shown some interest but did little to let Fisher know where he stood, according to Petito.

“There hasn’t been any indication whether they would (offer) him,” the coach said. “With Iowa, he was their No. 1 linebacker recruit. They made that clear right away last fall.”

In addition to the Millard North connection, Iowa’s recruiting efforts in Nebraska led to early offers for lineman Zach Sterup of Hastings St. Cecilia and 2012 prospect Mike Shoff of Cambridge. Sterup committed to Nebraska in June.

“They feel pretty good about what they’re doing over here,” Petito said.

Contact the writer:

402-444-1031, mitch.sherman@owh.com

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