I was not surprised by the fact that A.J. Derby decided to ask for his scholarship release from Iowa so he could transfer and continue his dream of playing college football as a quarterback.

Iowa is not going to have the services of a fine athlete, simply because the cupboard at Iowa is full of waiting quarterbacks after James Vandenberg's senior season in 2012 and Derby apparently was not going to get a chance to play his favorite spot.

In the strange world of college athletics, who could have predicted that Zach Derby, A.J.'s brother and a tight end, would become a regular at Iowa and that A.J. - the highly publicized quarterback from Iowa City High - would have to change positions (to linebacker) to even see the field with the Hawks.

Zach Derby is getting ready for his senior season and A.J. Derby is looking for a school that needs a quarterback.

The one thing I want to get across to Iowa fans is that this is a very common thing these days. Iowa is not alone, by any means, in the transfer derby.

For instance, as we're putting this column together, Illinois fullback Jay Prosch is transferring to Auburn. This move follows the hiring of a new head coach at Illinois in Tim Beckman who runs a spread offense and doesn't use a fullback.

Prosch started as a sophomore this past fall and was used primarily as a blocker. Sound familiar?

This week in Indiana, a high school All-American quarterback from that state who had opted for Indiana University and then LSU said he's changed his mind and is going to Notre Dame. It's happened all over the country to major college schools.

Today's athletes want instant playing time, instant stardom and a quick trip to the NFL. If they don't see that on the horizon, either from their own view or old dad's, they're going to jump ship.

After all, when today's recruits make highlight videos and have a lot of promotion, some of it paid for, is it any surprise that they transfer when their satisfaction is not up to their standards?

So we wish A.J. Derby well and hope he finds the right fit.

NOTE I: Congratulations to Bobby Elliott on his next step in college football as an assistant at Notre Dame. He should be a star in that entertainment venue.

NOTE II: Last Friday, I attended the Cedar Rapids Jefferson versus Cedar Rapids Kennedy boys basketball game and would like to give a tip of the fedora to Stu Ordman, who is getting the most out of the J-Hawks this year with a blend of team players.

Yes, I know they lost to Davenport Central Tuesday night, but the Blue Devils - who made the state tournament famous in years gone by - could be riding back to Des Moines before it's all over.

(Bob Brooks is sports director at KMRY and has been one of the leading voices of college and prep sports in Eastern Iowa for more than 65 years. He is a 10-time winner of the Iowa Sportscaster of the Year Award, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana in 2004. His sports reports can be heard weekday afternoons at 4:30 and 5:30, and Saturdays at 6:40 for the Hawkeye football wrap-up.)