Iowa Blog

October 6, 2011

Penn St Pregame
By: Neal

This week the Hawkeyes travel to State College to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions. It is the opening of conference play for Iowa and fans are excited to see if this game will finally provide some sort of answers as to what type of season this will be for their Iowa Hawkeyes. Personally, while I think this game will be entertaining, I am not certain this is the game that will tell us anything positive about this season (it will tell us something negative if we lose). It can, however, give us some interesting insight into the progression of each unit on this team. With that in mind, here are your positional notes:

The defense has to be licking its’ chops at this matchup. The Penn State quarterback situation is a hot mess and the Nittany Lion offensive line has been a sieve.   However, Iowa fans need only to look at the Pitt and ISU offenses to know that it doesn’t take an Oregon caliber attack to put points on the board against this year’s Iowa squad. If the Hawkeyes want to get out of this game with the W, the defensive line needs to step up and prove they deserve to wear the same jersey as the defensive linemen before them. Controlling the line of scrimmage has always been the key for Iowa against Penn State and if the defensive line can smother the Nittany Lions then this one will end much like most of the Iowa-Penn State games this decade.

Speaking of controlling the line of scrimmage, Iowa’s offensive line also has a tall task at hand in taking on the Penn State front seven. Even though the PSU defense is experiencing some injuries, this is a unit which was very efficient in slowing down the Alabama Crimson Tide. This will not be a cake walk. The offensive line is the key to this game for Iowa offensively. If the Hawkeyes can win the battle against the rush then James Vandenberg should be able to pick apart the Nittany Lion secondary.

The running game is going to be spotlighted this week. Penn State is unquestionably the best defense Iowa has faced so far this season and the Hawkeyes need to prove they can run the ball to keep the defense honest. It doesn’t necessarily need to be Marcus Coker, but is Penn State is playing on its’ heels then Iowa should have a much easier time moving the ball.

Finally, the special teams needs to have a big game. Michael Meyer and Eric Guethrie have been solid so far but, considering that two of the last three Iowa wins were largely decided by special teams plays, they need to be mentioned. Iowa needs to be solid on special teams and to generate as much pressure as possible on the Penn State special teams to try and win this one.

I believe that Iowa wins this game relatively close but don’t count on it telling you too much about what kind of season this will be. Even if Iowa somehow loses this game, it will not be the end of the season. This is just another game in what I feel is going to be one wild and crazy season.

September 26, 2011

Bye Week Reflections
By: Neal

Life intervenes sometimes and I have been out for a couple weeks because of recent (positive developments).   That said, I think the past few weeks are worth a recap and since this is the bye week, there is no better time than the present to do this. Here are my notes on the last few games.

Obviously the story everyone has jumped on has been the no-huddle, but what is missed by all of this is how inconsistent James Vandenberg was under center. There was a lot of sloppy footwork when Vandenberg was playing up front and he was even less likely to go through his progression. This new spread no-huddle was a great move by the coaching staff because it hides the weaknesses of the quarterback and puts the defense on its’ heels. I don’t think it is a long term solution (though keeping it as part of the offense just to give defenses another thing to prepare for seems like a good idea) but in the short term it should help Iowa win some more games. Vandenberg needs to work on his reads and going through his progression as well as his footwork but in the interim I suspect he will still put up great numbers with this new addition to the offense.

The Pittsburgh win is proving to be more of a psychological boost than anything else. The team exuded confidence against ULM and now has momentum going through the bye week and into Penn State. This team has a lot of areas for improvement but so far, on a week to week basis, things are noticeably progressing which is a great sign. This team has four winnable games to kick off the conference slate and, while none of them are going to be easy, this team is in a great position to progress and build some momentum going into the tougher back half of the conference slate.

The wide receivers are beastly.

Iowa’s running game showed signs of life against ULM but the real test is on Oct. 8th in Happy Valley. Penn State has one of the better defenses Iowa will face this season and their secondary is more than capable of shutting down the Hawkeye passing game. Marcus Coker and the freshmen behind him need to step up and make the ground game a real threat in order to take pressure off the receiving corps.

The defense continues to improve but they are not going to reach the level of previous years. The defensive line has its’ moments, particularly in stuffing running lanes, but will never be confused with the 2010 and 2008 Iowa defensive fronts. The pass rush is really the problem as it is extremely inconsistent. Unfortunately, that might be a problem we have to live with this year unless the coaching staff can mix up some better blitz packages this week to add some pressure.

Defensive back is continuing to improve and, quietly, has probably improved more than any other position group on the roster. Jordan Bernstein in particular has really been a beast at safety, and a lot of credit has to go to the senior who has stuck it out his whole career and finally earned a starting spot. Rumor has it that talented corner B.J. Lowery will return from injury this week. If he is able to start, the Hawkeyes could move Micah Hyde back to FS which would create a backfield combo of Lowery, Prater, Bernstein, and Hyde which is probably the right combination. Tanner Miller is still very raw and I think the aforementioned lineup is the most talented, and athletic iteration the coaching staff could put on the field.

Offensive line might also be getting a boost as Nolan MacMillan is also slated to return from a preseason injury. MacMillan was the favorite to take the guard spot now inhabited by Adam Gettis and I expect to see a rotation against Penn State but am willing to bet he is the starter for Northwestern. MacMillan really solidifies the offensive line and it will be interesting to see if the running game improves with him on the field.

I am not ready to make too many predictions yet. This team is very young and inexperienced but the talent is there to make this a very interesting season. Right now I am sticking with my preseason prognostication of a 7-8 win season for the Hawkeyes but, and this is still a very big but, they can take care of business in these next four games, this could potentially be a surprisingly good season.

September 17, 2011

Roll Along Iowa
Pittsburgh Predictions
By: Andrew

            A week after the sting of the Iowa State loss has started to subside, Iowa fans seem to remain in a daze about this team’s true identity heading into this Saturday’s showdown with Pittsburgh. Some of the lingering questions include whether Marcus Coker’s performance against Missouri was an aberration, whether the defensive line will struggle the entire year as much as they did against Iowa State, and whether Iowa’s defensive coaching staff has any answers for hurry-up, spread offenses. Here are my thoughts.

            Graham. Pittsburgh’s running back, Ray Graham, leads the nation in rushing averaging 161 yards per game. Granted, Pittsburgh has opened this season against Buffalo and Maine, neither of which would be considered world beaters or be confused for having stellar defenses, so the numbers may be a bit misleading. Nevertheless, Iowa’s run defense was paper thin against an Iowa State rushing attack that by the end of the year will likely be considered mediocre by the end of the year. While I am of course interested to see whether the defensive line improves from last week’s performance, I am also interested to see how James Morris performs. Morris seemed lost at times last week and was having problems shedding blocks to put himself into position to make tackles, but he is still a young player with plenty of time to improve and to put his incredible athletic ability on display. Assuming that Pittsburgh tries to establish a running game behind Graham, the play of the linebackers will be crucial to slowing down that element of the Panther offense and forcing Pittsburgh to rely on a shaky pass attack.

            Offensive Line. For the playing experience that the members of the offensive line have, it was disappointing last week to see them struggle to win the line of scrimmage battle against Iowa State and, in some instances, struggle to reach Iowa State’s linebackers. The tendency of Iowa offensive lines under Kirk Ferentz is that they tend to come out of the gates slowly but continue to improve as a unit as the season progress, hopefully we see parts of that progress on Saturday. Speaking of offense, Marcus Coker remains an enigma. While most fans, including myself, were giddy at the prospect of his return this season, he has thus far struggled to get into the rhythm of a game with any consistency. It was obvious in the Tennessee Tech game and last week that Coker is still shaking off the rust from camp when he was not hit. Unfortunately, Coker has fumbled four times in his last four games as a Hawkeye, a statistic that likely makes the Iowa coaching staff quite nervous. Regardless of how Coker does on Saturday, I am curious to see how Jason White and Damon Bullock perform, as one or both of them will need to be able to shoulder at least 5-10 carries a game in order to spell Coker over the course of a long Big Ten season.

            Pass Attack. It will be interesting to watch how James Vandenberg plays in a home game that does not involve miserable, wet conditions and, whether his offensive coordinator gives him the opportunity to throw the ball down field. Establishing Vandenberg’s confidence seems critical to me at this point in the season in order to lighten the defensive fronts that the Iowa running backs see week in and week out. What I would like to see is the Iowa offense coming out throwing short, seven to eight yard pass plays on first and second down in order to get into manageable third down situations rather than running Coker into eight man defensive fronts to set up third and long situations.

With so many questions about this team still remaining unanswered, I am excited to see what unfolds on Saturday. I am curious to see if we see any changes on defense in terms of personnel or schemes. I am curious to see if this offense has the octane necessary to put points on the scoreboard in droves, which a young Iowa defense desperately needs this year. I also want to see our kickoff coverage unit make tackles and not give up field position to the Panthers. Hopefully there are more good answers than lingering questions after Saturday’s game. I tend to think that the former will be true.

Prediction:   Iowa 24   Pittsburgh 20

Pick to Click:   James Vandenberg

September 11, 2011

Iowa State Postgame
By Neal

Well that sucked.

Iowa’s 41-44 3OT loss to rival ISU was both painful and confusing. Several of the units who were thought to be strengths for the Hawks looked very weak at times and the team as a whole turned in a maddeningly bipolar performance that makes them hard to evaluate. Hats off to ISU, they looked like the better team Saturday and they earned that win.

I think the main point from this game is that this is a very young Iowa team which is going to sometimes make bone headed mistakes. This is not a fully mature team, and maybe the expectations were set too high by people like me who saw the potential on this team and thought the talent would click right away. Regardless, if this team does not improve quickly and drastically throughout the season this is going to be a lot like the 2007 campaign all over again.

Also, the coaches need to take a big chunk of responsibility for this result as the defensive strategy and the calls to run out the clock at the end of the fourth quarter and kick the field goal in the third overtime are all going to be questioned. We tried to rely on the defense today, it failed, and it needs to be taken as a lesson going forward. If any unit is going to win us the game, we should let it be the offense.
Other notes from the loss:

Perhaps the most frightening performance was turned in by the defensive line. The unit was shut down on passing downs (though looked pretty good at times against the run in the second half) which led to the fatal decision by the coaching staff to blitz on third downs. We didn’t disguise these blitzes at all and they were picked up easily by the ISU offensive line and Steele Jantz was able to exploit the man coverage in the secondary. Bottom line, the defensive line needs to be more successful rushing the passer. Sure there were moments, but overall the line was just not able to keep a consistent pass rush and it altered our defensive game plan drastically. This unit needs the most improvement going forward and could be the difference between a bowl and no bowl for this Iowa team.

James Vandenberg was incredibly inconsistent in this game. During the first few drives his passes had the perfect amount of touch and he displayed fantastic accuracy. In the second quarter he looked like Jake Christensen, throwing the fastballs on every pass and missing receivers in every way possible. I am betting this has more to do with him being a young player and I think he will improve, but if he doesn’t this is going to be a very long season.

The offensive line started and ended the game by plowing through the Iowa State defense. In between, they looked like a sieve and the guards in particular got outmuscled and out played at the point of attack, allowing the linebackers to roam free. This unit was supposed to be the rock of the team and in this game they looked very mediocre. If you want the reason the Iowa offense bogged down after the first two drives, look at the interior of the line on film. Forget the excuses, the game film for this needs to be kept on the shelf as a reminder of what happens to the offense when the line plays like crap. This unit needs to improve a lot next week if Iowa expects to handle a veteran Pitt defensive line.

Our defensive backs aren’t bad, but they are not other worldly. We saw that when they were asked to cover the Iowa State receivers one on one during third downs. Iowa State converted 13 for 20 third downs which is as good an indicator as any that the strategy wasn’t effective. The defensive backs can make plays in Iowa’s traditional defense but the blitz strategy used Saturday doesn’t play to their strengths. Either Iowa needs to develop its’ defensive backs very quickly or it needs to find a way to make the old defense work because things fell apart in Saturdays loss.

The wide receiving corps is as advertised, with Keenan Davis, Marvin McNutt, and Kevonte Martin-Manly all making some nice plays on Saturday. Sure there were one or two drops, but this unit is by far the strength of this entire team right now. Also, the kicking game needs to be mentioned as Mike Myer and Eric Guethrie both put in strong performances Saturday.

September 8, 2011

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Tennessee Tech Game
By: Andrew

Well that game was quite the glorified scrimmage. Yes, Tennessee Tech played a spread offense that may be helpful in preparation for Iowa State, but other than that pseudo benefit, Iowa would have been better off playing a scrimmage between the ones on both sides of the ball. Here are my thoughts.

Running Back. Seriously, for the love of all that is holy, AIRBHG, please go away. For those of you who are uninitiated to the satirical, comedic Hawkeye website of Black Heart Gold Pants, which I recommend for good analysis and good laughs, AIRBHG stands for Angry Iowa Running Back Hating God, a the devil incarnate who seeks to destroy the Iowa ground game one running back at a time. Unfortunately, Mika’il McCall was the victim this year after impressively running for sixty one yards on nine carries. After Marcus Coker’s less than impressive performance, Iowa fans have to be scratching their heads wondering what the depth at the running back position will look like for the remainder of the season. While Coker will perform much better than he did last Saturday, the stable of running backs consists of walk-on junior Jason White, untried redshirt freshman Deandre Johnson and true freshman Damon Bullock, who was slated to move to wide receiver. The Iowa coaching staff has always been able to come up with an answer after prior AIRBHG attacks, including in 2004 when AIRBHG struck down Albert Young, Marcus Schnoor, Champ Davis, Jermelle Lewis, and Marques Simmons, but one has to wonder if Iowa will have to completely change its offensive strategy, like it did in 2004.

Defense. Certain units of the Iowa defense looked very good on Saturday, including the linebackers and defensive backs. Micah Hyde looked good at times, but it was clear on Tennessee Tech’s long pass play in the second quarter that he was out of position. Jordan Bernstine’s performance certainly gave the Iowa coaches a reason to elevate him to starting strong safety this week against Iowa State. The defensive line was salty, but their inability to complete a sack after getting into the backfield was certainly disconcerting. Again, it was difficult to walk away with much from this game, so I think it is clear that Iowa fans will have a better idea about the defensive line after this Saturday’s game.

Kickoff Coverage. After a less than stellar season of kickoff coverage last year, things did not improve against Tennessee Tech allowing an average of 22 yards per return. Additionally, Mike Meyers was unable to put the ball deep enough in the end zone for a touchback, which may have been due in part to a wet, heavy ball, but the young kickoff coverage team could use all the help they can get.

Similar to my entry prior to the Tennessee Tech game stating that there was not much to be said heading into the season, I do not think we know very much about this team after one game. Iowa fans should be cautious about placing on bets on the intrastate rivalry matchup this Saturday against Iowa State. As you all know, better Iowa teams than this one have gone into Jack Trice Stadium and lost to bad Iowa State teams. The old adage about turnovers and penalties certainly will apply on Saturday and it will more likely be a one score game than the blowouts that Iowa fans have experienced the past two years.

September 5, 2011

Post Tennessee Tech Thoughts
By Neal

Iowa opened the season with a 34-7 victory over Tennessee Tech on Saturday. While there isn’t a whole lot of information we can gleam from the win (besides the level of opponent the weather caused a lot of its’ own problems making it difficult to evaluate what was a weather mistake and what could be a problem going forward) here are a couple of notes on what went on that can give us a hint about how good this team will be in the future.

Marvin McNutt is a beast. He will likely see a lot of double teams from this point onwards because he was all over the field making plays Saturday. He finished with six receptions for 140 yards receiving and two touchdowns on the day. If he stays healthy he will take a lot of defensive attention away from guys like Keenan Davis and Brad Herman who quietly had solid games as well.

Overall the kicking game was surprisingly good. The punting game wasn’t great at first glance, but looking at the stat sheet Eric Guthrie actually had a pretty good game. Both his kicked forced the Golden Eagles to start their drives inside their own 20 yard line and, while neither kick went inside the 10, neither kick as returnable so he was keeping the coverage in check. Mike Meyer was perfect on the day with two field goal attempts (39 and 20 yarders) and was solid if unspectacular on kickoffs. He did not record a touchback which is a little concerning but given the weather I am not too worried about it right now. It was great to see the kicking game stay strong despite the less than perfect conditions.

Kickoff coverage was an issue. There were two long returns by the Golden Eagles and a lot of that was because Iowa players were running to the ball instead of staying in their lanes. Iowa usually uses a lot of younger players in special teams so this will probably be come thing that corrects itself quickly but it could still be a problem for the upcoming games against Iowa State and Pittsburgh.

The rushing attack looked off kilter at times but it is hard to tell why. Iowa was hardly disguising the fact that they were running at times and the weather may have played a factor in the low production out of the unit. The fumbles are concerning but a lot of that can be chalked up to first game jitters and the ball being very wet so it is hard to get too worried about it at this point. Marcus Coker’s slow day will cause some concern among the Iowa fans as he was held to a measly 41 yards with an average of 3.7 ypc. Personally I am not surprised. Coker was not getting a lot of reps in practice (smart given Iowa’s history at the position) so his slow day is probably a combination of that and the soggy field. It is something to monitor going forward but not a major problem yet. Finally, best of luck to Mika’il McCall who broke his ankle during the game and will miss the season because of the injury. Hopefully he is able to heal and comes out of this ok.

James Vandenberg looked solid on the day but I don’t think the game gave him a chance to showcase his real potential. He was great for the game with only one or two missed reads but I think Iowa fans are still in the dark with how good this kid can be.

The defense as a whole was unspectacular and very Iowa-ish. This is the hardest unit to evaluate so I will only make two comments and then leave the rest till next week when we will get a better barometer of this squad’s performance. First, the defensive line whiffed on several sacks which would have killed drives. This will likely be a focus in practice during the week and could improve significantly but for right now it is something to keep an eye on. Second, if James Morris stays healthy he could have a monster year at middle linebacker. He finished the game tied for the team lead in tackles with Christian Kirksey and had an interception with a 52 yard return. Morris showed a lot of potential last year and so far it looks like he is starting where he left off.

September 1, 2011

Roll Along Iowa
Tennessee Tech Predictions
By: Andrew

After nearly eight months after playing in the Insight Bowl, the Iowa Hawkeyes will take the field to begin its 122nd season as a collegiate football program. While there is not much to be said about a game that fans have been waiting for the entire offseason, I will try to give my thoughts about things that I am curious to see on Saturday. Here are my thoughts.

Who? A program or printed roster will be everyone’s friend on Saturday. With the news earlier this week that Kirk Ferentz plans to play a number of freshmen and the impending season-long defensive line rotation, many Iowa fans will be scrambling to determine who is in the game. While Ferentz has been coy about which freshmen will play, if I had to venture a guess, I would posture that Mik’ail McCall, Jordan Canzeri, Ray Hamilton, Torrey Campbell, and Darian Cooper will all see playing time on Saturday. Perhaps others will see team through special teams, but the number thrown out has been anywhere from four to eight.

Defensive Line Rotation. The million dollar question for this season is the quality and dependability of the defensive line. It does not take ownership of an internet domain devoted to Hawkeye sports or a column featured an Iowa newspaper to figure out that this unit’s ability will dictate how well the defense does this season. While I made my thoughts clear that I am skeptical about this unit, I am curious to see how they perform against an offense that is predicated on quick tempo—a fortuitous offense to face in anticipation of next Saturday’s matchup against that other team in Iowa. Call me crazy, but I think Broderick Binns has a better season this year. Scott Dochterman of the Cedar Rapids Gazette had an interesting piece about Binns and how his DUI arrest from last summer really seemed to affect mentality, which arguably derailed him for the remainder of the season. While I think everyone knows what the line has with Mike Daniels and Binns, we are all curious to see how Lebron Daniel, Thomas Nardo, Joe Forgy, Mike Hardy, Dominic Alvis and Steve Bigach play. Kudos to those of you who even recognize those last five names. Bonus points to those of you who can match a name with a jersey number.

Offensive Line Dominance. A healthy dose of stretch plays will be on display Saturday, as Ken O’Keefe will likely try to wear down the Tennessee Tech defense before getting its defensive backfield to bite on play action. While Marcus Coker and Mik’ail McCall will have plenty of big holes to run through, keep your eye on Jason White. The walk-on junior from Davenport is still listed as the number two running back on this week’s depth chart. Pat Harty of the Iowa Press Citizen wrote a great column about White and his dreams about being an Iowa Hawkeye. After reading that column, I really hope that he is able to earn a scholarship and have some meaningful, productive carries this season. Two years ago I said that Iowa would miss Rob Bruggeman the most. Last year I said that the defense would miss A.J. Edds the most. This year I think the team will sorely miss three year starter Brett Morse at fullback. Morse quietly paved the way for Shonn Greene, Adam Robinson, and company for the past three season. Matt Meyers was listed as the first team fullback in this week’s depth chart. As long as the young man keeps James Vandenberg upright and does not miss any linebackers hunting the Iowa running backs, he will have done his job and anything beyond that is gravy.

Every fan of every football team has the same laundry list of curiosities heading into a season opener, and I am sure you have your own. Rather than list those, I think it is more appropriate to wait and see how things shake out on Saturday. Enjoy the start of the season, there are twelve weeks of Hawkeye football ahead of us and for that we can all be thankful.

Prediction: Iowa 38 Tennessee Tech 10

Pick to Click: Mike Daniels

September 1, 2011

Tennessee Tech Preview
By Neal

Today marks the opening of the college football season and, by extension, the opening of the Iowa Hawkeye season. While the gauntlet for the Hawks this year is difficult, it is hard to look at this weeks opener against Tennessee Tech as anything other than what it really is: a barometer of competence. This game is only important if Iowa loses. There is no predictive power in this contest since Iowa could do really well and then struggle through other regular season games (see the 2010 contest against Eastern Illinois or 2008 tilt against Maine) or do poorly and then turn out to surprise the conference (seethe 2009 nail bitter against Northern Iowa). Bottom line, this game won’t tell us much of anything about the team regardless of what the final margin of victory is. It isn’t that Tennessee Tech is a bad football team (their final game last year was a win over the same Jacksonville State team that beat Ole Miss), but if Iowa plays up to their talent level and as a team, this shouldn’t be a close game.

That being said, there are individual performances which will be worth watching. In 2006 Iowa’s receivers and offensive lines made a particularly poor showing against Montana which was a harbinger of things to come that season. Consider these your points of emphasis while watching the Hawkeyes beat Tennessee Tech this weekend.

Defensive line play. How often does Iowa reach the quarterback when just rushing the front four and can they stop the running game at the line of scrimmage? The line is still probably a work in progress and might not be finished until midway through the season (if ever) making this group perhaps the best indicator of Iowa’s potential for future success this season. While a dominant performance may not be a sign of things to come (remember, we are playing Tennessee Tech) a poor showing against the Golden Eagles would be a very bad sign for this Iowa team.

Defensive back rotation and play. I have a feeling Jordan Bernstein earns the strong safety spot currently inhabited by Colin Sleeper so watching the two rotate will give us an idea of how the two compare.   Also, with BJ Lowery out for the month with a broken wrist we will see Greg Castillo starting opposite Shaun Prater at corner. Castillo has a reputation as a technician but he isn’t as athletic as Lowery. With the latter injured, Castillo has an inside track at making this starting spot his for the season if he can make a good showing these first few games. I am on record supporting lowery in this position battle, but if Castillo can hold down this spot and make plays I will support this roster setup.

Offensive Line cohesion. I am not worried about the tackle spots. We are set there. James Ferentz needs to take the next step in his development as a canter but all signs indicate he will be a good and perhaps even great player for Iowa this fall. It is the guards that need some attention. Adam Gettis was last seen getting mauled by defensive linemen from Northern Iowa and he will be starting at RG for this game. The rotation at the LG spot will also be interesting as Matt Tobin and Brandon Scherff will be squaring off for that spot. . How well the guards play and how well the offensive line comes together as a unit will be extremely important for this team in the future so look for that early on. Also, while hopefully this season goes without injury, it will be interesting to see if the backup offensive lineman see many snaps and, if so, how they perform.

AJ Derby as backup. If the Hawkeyes are playing with backups it will be interesting to see AJ Derby get some snaps in at quarterback. He is now the official number two on the depth chart and that likely means that he has a future at QB for Iowa (though true freshman Jake Ruddock is no slouch either). Iowa’s depth at QB is a concern this year and getting Derby some game snaps could be crucial if Vandenberg gets injured later in the year.

Wide Receiver Depth. While I am on record as being extremely excited about the talent Iowa has in Marvin McNutt, Keenan Davis, and Kevonte Martin-Manly, the rest of the receiving corps needs to step up. I doubt Iowa is running a lot of shotgun sets against Tennessee Tech but if the backups come in be on the lookout for the receivers because the depth looks perilously thin at that position.

I think this game is going to go relatively smoothly. Iowa will take a 24-0 lead into the locker room at halftime and will cruise on to a 31-10 victory. It won’t look impressive on paper, but Iowa will spend most of the second half with the backups in and the experience they get will be well worth the time spent.

August 14, 2011

Fall Practice Observations
By Neal

Saturday’s open scrimmage provided an interesting window into the 2011 Iowa Hawkeyes. Below is some analysis but if you would like some statistics this piece from the Cedar Rapids Gazette matches my numbers.

Positives

1) The receivers were fantastic. Kevonte Martin-Manly is easily the number three wideout with Don Shumpert likely taking the number four spot. Keenan Davis and Marvin McNutt also added some nice catches and the tight ends took turns bullying the secondary. This type of talent and potential at receiver is uncharted for Iowa since Davis and McNutt are both NFL prototypes and the Shumpert and Martin-Manly look like the best 3-4 combo I can recall playing for Iowa. This is only a practice so it is too early to make any predictions, but the talent seems to be there for this to be a very special receiving corps for Iowa.

2) James Vandenberg took control and then some. Even better news for Hawkeye fans, it doesn’t sound like it was a onetime thing as the BTN crew which visited Iowa’s Friday practice took to Twitter to rave about the Hawkeye signal caller. Howard Griffith tweeted, "After watching Iowa practice today, James Vandenberg has a chance to be the best pure passer in the Big Ten conference”. While I won’t go that far, I think Vandenberg is on target to have a very successful season with the Hawkeyes.

3) Running back looked better than expected with Jason White, De’Andre Johnson, Mika’il McCall, and Jordan Canzeri all looking good enough to see time behind Marcus Coker (Coker was dinged up but it didn’t seem serious). Given Iowa’s recent history at running back the depth here is a great sign since the running game has plenty of bodies to keep the offense on track.

Negatives

1) The defensive line needs some help. The unit had its’ moments (and was without projected starter Dominic Alvis) but overall the line wasn’t very impressive.   Mike Daniels was the only player who seemed to be able to get pressure with any sort of regularity. With Alvis out there is a pretty good chance that Iowa fans could get the opportunity to see true freshman Darian Cooper in games this year at DT. The DE spot was disappointing as guys seemed to get washed out of plays with far too much regularity. It is one practice so it isn’t time to hit the panic button yet, but everyone who attended the scrimmage saw how vulnerable Iowa’s zone defense is when the front four doesn’t generate pressure and it wasn’t pretty.

2) The kicking game is still a quagmire. Marshall Koehn, Trent Mossbrucker, and Mike Meyer are all in this for better or worse. Morehouse notes that Meyer was inaccurate from range but again it is one practice so we don’t really have enough information. The kickers weren’t especially bad or anything but having an unstable kicking game hasn’t worked out well for Iowa in the past.

3) The back seven on defense got scorched by the Iowa receivers during the scrimmage. I am not particularly concerned because there were several people limited or missing (including starting linebackers James Morris and Tyler Nielsen) and the starting corners did a pretty good job when manned up against McNutt and Davis. Safety was the primary concern as there were several deep throws that were completed. Overall the secondary wasn’t bad but the session was a stark reminder that this unit is going to get torched if the pass rush doesn’t generate some pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

August 13, 2011

Fall Practice Primer
By Neal

Tomorrow is the annual Kid’s Day at Kinnick where the public can get a look at the Hawkeyes as they work through spring practice. I will be there reporting on the progress of the team but here are some early points on what to expect

Nothing Major: Sorry to be negative but there is almost no chance anything particularly newsworthy will happen. This doesn’t mean you, the fan, should be worried. When it comes to Iowa, no news is good news. There will be breakdowns and (hopefully not but possibly) injury reports but don’t expect much else. Also this is just one practice, so it doesn’t provide a really strong sample size of what the coaches see on a day to day basis. Some units will have bad days and some guys will look fantastic, but it isn’t necessarily an indicator of this team’s future.

Cohesiveness: The main thing this practice should show is where these units are in coming together. In the spring, the defensive backs and offensive line looked far more focused than the passing game or the defensive line. We should see more parity which means more receivers stepping up (not just Keenan Davis) and more give and take in the battle upfront in the trenches. They won’t be game ready yet, but the units should be noticeably better than they were in the spring.

Leaders: Iowa lost a lot of veterans last year and you can bet the coaching staff has worked on getting guys to step up. James Vandenberg will obviously have more leadership on his shoulders and Marvin McNutt will also probably get some more responsibility, but it will be interesting to see who is leading that offensive line and how the front seven on defense has shaken out from a leadership standpoint.

Star Power: Keenan Davis made some spectacular catches during the spring and I opined that he could become Iowa’s version of Julio Jones. If that prediction is going to come to fruition then we should expect to see something Saturday. I don’t expect him to put on another acrobatic show necessarily, but I do want to see him assert himself as a weapon again. If that happens expect more swooning from me about this kids’ potential.

The QB: I also noted last spring that AJ Derby, not James Vandenberg, looked like the stronger QB. It was only one practice on one day but Vandenberg really needs to prove why the coaches tabbed him as the number one guy early in the offseason. He doesn’t need to look like Peyton Manning but Vandenberg needs to show more presence in the pocket than he did the last time we saw him.

April 19, 2011

Spring Practice Review
By Neal

Despite some inclement weather, the Hawkeye football team held their spring open scrimmage Saturday in Kinnick Stadium. Below are some of my observations from the controlled scrimmage.

Hello, Keenan Davis. Number six went into beast mode for the spring scrimmage and was an indefensible monster for every corner he matched up against. Shaun Prater, who is as good as advertised in my book, struggled to stop Davis from imposing his will. I want to see how he does against press coverage more (I wasn’t watching him on the snaps they used it if they did) but he may be the best WR in the Big Ten next year with his combination of size and speed. Marvin McNutt didn’t play and the rest of the wide receivers were pretty hard to judge because there weren’t a lot of good balls thrown their way but Davis clearly looks like he could have a breakout year.

The secondary as a whole is exactly as good as we have been led to believe. These guys are all playing extremely fast and made some great plays on the ball today. I have a few issues with size, particularly at safety, but we don’t really have to play any bruiser-type running back this year so that should help. Overall I was really impressed with the way the secondary played.

The big story from the media is probably going to be the fact that AJ Derby, not James Vandenberg, was clearly the best quarterback on the field. That isn’t to say Vandenberg was bad, he looked crisp in the early drills and had a couple really nice throws in the team drills. However, Derby had the best throws of the day and the fewest bad decisions. I don’t think there is too much to read into that because it was one day in bad weather. Vandenberg clearly showed he could make the right throws and the spring game is only one practice. The only thing I would say is that Derby is clearly the front-runner for the number two job since John Wienke looked pretty bad. Wienke was throwing less catchable balls than his counterparts all day and even got a couple looks at punter. I think right now Derby is the clear number two bhind Vandenberg but again it is only one day.

The lines were not bad but there is certainly work to be done. The offensive line had quite a few penalties and had a little trouble picking up the stunts and blitzes a couple times but overall looked pretty good. The defensive line looked solid in run stopping but is still not there yet in terms of rushing the passer. Aside from a few stunts the defensive line really didn’t generate much pressure on the passer so that will need to be addressed. Overall though I think defensive line has the potential to become a pretty decent unit and the offensive line could potentially be pretty special.

It was hard to judge kicking and punting because of the terrible weather conditions but my generalized opinion is that punting will be ok but neither Meyer nor Mossbrucker looked very good kicking the ball. Again, it really is hard to read into the performances because of the high winds and cold weather.

The linebackers were difficult to nail down but I think they did a very good job in stopping the run (the run defense as a whole looked very good). Pass defense wasn’t bad but it was painful to see Tyler Nielson try to match up with Keenan Davis one-on-one, he got burned pretty bad on that crossing route and Davis turned it into a huge gain. The rotation all looked pretty good and it was nice to see the offense throw some spread looks at the linebackers but I am reserving judgment on this group.

With Coker out it was nice to see White and Johnson running the ball. From what I saw in the press box, the two guys each showed a very different skill set than Coker and they both showed good burst and speed. They reminded me a little bit of the Damian Sims, Albert Young combo of slimmer guys who could make guys miss but were certainly very tough as well. Both guys have a lot more raw talent than Adam Robinson and a much more typical body mold than Brandon Wegher for what that is worth. They are still inconsistent with their reads and their pad level which from what I saw in the press box but both guys look like they could provide some nice change of pace options to the running game. Ferentz did mention Robinson at the press conference afterward but only said that the situation has not progressed at all since Robinson announced his intention to try to get back on the team.

Overall I was pretty impressed by the way the team looked. The defensive backfield really was flying around a lot more than in years past and it was fun to watch. My main concerns are the defensive line and the depth. I really want to see a more active pass rush and it just wasn’t there. Hopefully that will sort itself out by the beginning of the season but I think the pressure will be on the defensive backfield to hold coverage a little longer than last year. I am also still concerned about the depth on this team and how they will respond to injuries. Obviously there were a lot of guys out today with minor injuries but the team really needs to stay healthy in order to be successful this season. The depth is a little better than last year but this team cannot afford a slew of losses particularly on defense or at receiver. I think the rest of the question marks, particularly those at quarterback and linebacker, will sort themselves out over the course of the summer.

.

April 15, 2011

Spring Game Primer
By Neal

It’s that time of year again. Iowa football will be holding their annual open practice this Saturday at Kinnick Stadium and I will be there to let you know how the team looks. The weather forecast is not very good so hopefully the weather isn’t too bad for the scrimmage. It appears like the rhabdo situation is over and it sounds like everyone who was affected is recovering well. William Lowe may transfer due to the situation and, frankly, hearing his story, it is hard to blame him. It sounds like he got the worst of it so here’s hoping that he recovers and is able to play football wherever he goes.

Below I have outlined how I plan on watching the top five most intriguing position groups from most to least and what I expect to see out of the new starters.

Linemen: The majority of my attention will be going to the linemen who are probably going to be the most improved part of the team if Iowa is going to be successful this season. With three starters gone, the defensive line has a lot to prove and it is certainly sounds like the competition is pretty wide open except for Broderick Bins. Bins got plenty of recognition from Norm Parker in the press conference Wednesday so I am betting we can ink him in as the starter at DE. Mike Daniels, LeBron Daniel, Dominic Alvis, and Carl Davis all received mention in the press conference so unless someone else has a heck of a summer camp I would expect the rest of the line to come out of there. My main concern is that this isn’t as strong of a pass rushing group as we had last year and our defense relies on the four man rush to generate pressure so that will be one of my key concerns. The offensive line replaces fewer bodies but I am looking for them to turn a corner. This unit has all the ability to be dominant next year and I want to see some depth emerging along with some really strong performances from the starters. If there is improvement along the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball the Hawks will be in very good shape.

Linebackers: For the second year in a row this unit is going to have to perform at a higher level than their age would normally dictate. Right now it sounds like James Morris and Jeff Tarpinian, who were both very good when healthy last year, will be starting next season. The other two names which drew a lot of praise from Parker were Christian Kirksey and Anthony Hitchens who are receiving a few nods from Parker and the press about their speed. That is certainly good to hear but even Parker acknowledged that they are still making some freshman mistakes so how this unit as a whole manages to work will be interesting. I am mostly looking at pass coverage here though the basics of shedding blocks and making the right play on the ball will certainly be watched. Iowa broke down at linebacker last year against Northwestern, Ohio State, and Minnesota so this has to be an important position to watch.

Secondary: I want to say quarterback here but with Micah Hyde moving to free safety and the praise that B.J. Lowery have received have been very intriguing.   By all accounts Shaun Prater is turning into the next stud corner for the Hawkeyes but the number two on the depth chart is not set in stone. Right now Greg Castillo is that guy but B.J. Lowery has been called an interception machine by Parker and I want to watch the battle that goes on for that position. Colin Sleeper is managing the strong side safety position and it sounds like Parker thinks he is pretty good but I want to see him for myself. The Hyde move to free safety doesn’t sound like it is nesscesarily permanent as Tanner Miller, who was penciled in as the starter there, is out of spring ball. However, given the praise Hyde has drawn there I would not be surprised if he held onto that spot. Otherwise expect him to take over the number two corner position which he held last season.

Quarterback: It sounds like Vandenberg is the guy right now so how he performs will be crucial. He wasn’t great in 2009 and he never really saw much time in 2010 so he is a wild card right now. I am also interested in the backup QB race and seeing if how AJ Derby and John Weinke look in the race for the no. 2 spot.

Receivers: Marvin McNutt returns and it sounds like Keenan Davis is having a pretty solid spring but the rest of the receiving corps is a question mark. Generally here it is about determining how good the starters are and who 3-5 are on the depth chart.

January 7, 2011

Insight Bowl Postgame
By Neal

I apologize for the long layoff, real life hit pretty hard this winter and it has taken a lot of time. However I am back with notes from the Insight Bowl.

- First off we should not that the game broke the previous Insight Bowl record by about a mile with over 53,000 fans in attendance. Being in the stadium, I would guess that it was maybe 55% Iowa fans, 35% Missouri fans, and 10% random football fans from the area. I saw Texas, Alabama, Ohio State, and Minnesota all represented so there was quite a mix. From a numbers standpoint the Iowa crowd was impressive only because it showed that this team can be a big draw even when the team is down. It isn’t quite as big as the crowd at the last two Hawkeye bowls, but it was certainly enough to leave an impression.

- As a Kansas City native, I have to give a nod to Mizzou. My only previous experiences with the Tiger fan base have been at MU-KU games and needless to say it wasn’t pretty. The Tiger fans in Tempe I encountered were extremely respectful, gracious, and classy and they have been my favorite fan base to interact with in a bowl game thus far.

- The game itself seems pretty simple to explain. Iowa made some great calls late (The decision to go to man coverage late in the game which led to the Gabbert interception for instance) and Missouri didn’t execute. Overall, the game was just a case of a good team getting the right breaks against another good team. When Iowa’s coaching staff gambled with the blitz late they were rewarded with a swatted pass on Missouri’s second to last snap of the game. Overall just a really big testament to the Iowa coaching staff who called a great game.It seems like Marcus Coker should have been mentioned earlier, but wow. 219 yards and two touchdowns is a heck of a coming out party. Coker has shown flashes but frankly I don’t think anyone on the outside saw this kind of production coming so early. The comparisons to Shonn Greene were flying at Sun Devil Stadium and the expectations for him in 2011 are going to be high. With Robinson, Wegher, and Hampton all leaving and with Brad Rogers getting a heart valve situation checked out, Marcus Coker brought some needed relief and excitement to what was looking like a decimated Iowa backfield.

- As we enter the offseason there are some big question marks for this team. RB has already been mentioned but the defensive line and linebacking crew are also going to be very young with so many seniors graduating. Ricky Stanzi’s departure, along with the loss of DJK and Allen Reisner will also take the passing game back a step.

- The big news will be who decides to declare for the NFL draft a year early. Currently Tyler Sash, Marvin McNutt, Broderick Bins, and Shaun Prater have all been linked with the draft but nobody has officially declared yet. Personally, I would be very surprised if any of them went pro this year. I just don’t see any of them getting drafted particularly high and with the NFL strike possibly looming I just think it is a huge risk. Of course, there are mitigating circumstances. Amari Spievey had a daughter shortly after the draft last year and you certainly can’t begrudge the guy for wanting to provide for his family. However, short of a similar situation I would be a bit surprised if any of the other guys left. I have no inside information but if I had to guess I think McNutt, Sash, and Prater would be the most likely to leave. McNutt and Sash seem like the most NFL ready prospects of the group and they both have some pretty nice highlight films to bring with them. Prater wouldn’t be a terrible prospect but I don’t think he would go very high and could go undrafted. I am only lumping him in with McNutt and Sash because he does have some credit to his name and I just have a gut feeling he might be gone. Bins is a good player but he has never been the greatest pass rusher and I honestly don’t even see him being drafted. I would bet that at least half these guys come back but we don’t know yet.

- So what should you expect for the 2011 season? Well the schedule has some early potholes with a trip to Ames and a home date against Pitt, but there is no Ohio State, Wisconsin, or Illinois on the schedule. Indiana and Penn State are both going to be doing some heavy rebuilding and Purdue is the second to last game of the season so there is a question, considering their recent history, how healthy they will be at that point. It doesn’t look like Iowa will have any easy wins inside the division but only Nebraska and Northwestern look like set losses. We won’t know more about the 2011 squad until the dust clears on the NFL draft but at first glance I think this is a seven or eight win team for the Hawkeyes.

December 28, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Missouri Predictions
By: Andrew

            Although it has only been a few weeks since my last entry, it seems like ages ago before Iowa fans expected the Hawkeyes to walk out of TCF Bank Stadium with a victory and a likely berth in the Outback Bowl. Instead, Iowa laid an absolute egg and has a date with a 10-2 Missouri Tigers squad in the Insight Bowl. Here are some of my thoughts on the recent developments relating to Iowa football and my predictions on the game.

Minnesota Game. There are few, if any, positive thoughts to take away from Iowa’s 27-24 loss to Minnesota. A team that had aspirations of playing in another BCS game has no business losing to a 2-9 Minnesota team last in the Big Ten in rush defense and rush offense with an interim head coach at the helm. Yet, the Hawkeyes came out and played uninspired football that was icing on the cake of the most disappointing Iowa football season since 1997. Adrian Clayborn’s comments after the game, while honest and true, drove the knife through the hearts of Iowa fans saying that he felt as though the team had lost its will to win—very discouraging comments coming from a leader of a team with so much promise at the beginning of the season. The worst loss of the Kirk Ferentz era in terms of unexpectedness since the Western Michigan senior day debacle in 2007 was the perfect conclusion of went wrong this season.

DJK. As added egg in the face of the Iowa football program and Iowa fans, Iowa’s all-time leading receiver was charged with several serious misdemeanors involving the possession of drugs. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos’ engaging personality and flair for the dramatic on the football field endeared him to Iowa fans during his four years in Iowa City, all of which came to a sudden halt upon hearing the news of the charges. At the beginning of the season it seemed as though Johnson-Koulianos had matured and was focused on playing up to his potential. Despite his likely NFL draft status as a third round or fourth round pick, Johnson-Koulianos has now not only tarnished his reputation in the hearts and minds of Iowa football fans but has also likely lost several hundred thousand dollars and will have to rely on being signed as an undrafted free agent. Given the types of narcotics that were found at his house, it is clear that Johnson-Koulianos has problems beyond just the obvious of using marijuana and cocaine. For his sake, I hope that he is able to receive the treatment and counseling necessary to help him. While I think many Iowa fans will be able to forgive his transgressions, they will have a difficult time looking at the cover of last year’s Sports Illustrated and his name in the record books without shaking their head of what could have been and without having a bitter taste in their mouth that his name at Iowa will forever be associated with his actions off the field and not his play on the field.

Rumor Mill. The rumor mill was running rampant leading up to the news on Tuesday, December 7 that Johnson-Koulianos had been arrested. While many of those rumors turned out to be true as they related to Johnson-Koulianos, the subsequent rumors that were given life in the Iowa message board community ranged from rumors that 25 players were getting kicked off the team to Kirk Ferentz retiring from coaching. Prior to a press conference at which Gary Barta and Kirk Ferentz were to speak, Iowa fans, having suffered a disappointing 7-5 season, the arrest of its all-time leading scorer, began to fear the worst of the rumors and listened with eagerness on their radios throughout the state when Barta and Ferentz merely stated that Iowa has a drug-testing program and wanted to make some changes to the already diligent testing program in an effort to prevent cheating. It was nothing more and nothing less, but Iowa fans, and certain Iowa media members, expected the apocalypse to descend upon the Hayden Fry Football Complex all because of rumors on message boards that were perpetuated further through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. After being an avid Iowa message board reader for the past ten years or so, I am proud to say that I have now been message board free for the past three weeks. Not only was I sick of the rumors flying around, but I was sick of reading comments of people who did not attend the University of Iowa, have only been Iowa fans since 2002, and who could not form intelligible sentences and thoughts. Instead, I have decided to only read stories written by journalists who have to answer to editors, a reading public, and the threat of liability for libel or slander. I implore all of you to do the same. Andrew Logue, Marc Morehouse, Mike Hlas, Jon Miller, Rob Howe, Tom Kakert, and the many other Iowa beat writers are all excellent journalists who write well and do not post stories on their blogs or in the newspaper without credible sources and without first researching the story. If you must have the latest news on Hawkeye athletics, follow any of those gentlemen on Twitter. Not only do you cut through the garbage of the message boards, but you also are able to read stories that have credibility.

Insight Bowl. When it became apparent that Iowa was likely headed to the Insight Bowl, Iowa fans collectively began to hold a glimmer of excitement with the possibility of facing future rival Nebraska. Instead, the Big 12 Conference stepped in and prevented an early start to what will be a great rivalry and the associated publicity for the two Big Ten schools. Iowa faces a very talented Missouri team that finished 10-2 on the season with an outstanding, gun-slinger quarterback, Blaine Gabbert. There is an unscientific line of thinking that the team that wants to be at the bowl game less has a greater likelihood of losing. Iowa had its sights set on great things this season as an encore to last year’s Orange Bowl win. Missouri on the other hand was passed over for the Insight Bowl last year in favor of a 6-6 Iowa State team that beat a porous Minnesota team. Reading all of the stories coming out of Tempe this week it sounds as though Missouri is loose and relaxed while the Hawkeyes have been focused and a little tense.

      This matchup has scared me ever since it was announced due to the Tiger passing attack. While Gabbert will not be confused with Dan Persa or Kirk Cousins anytime soon, he has an excellent arm and gets rid of the ball in a hurry. Missouri’s offense is most similar to Northwestern, which is an unsettling thought to Iowa fans. My concern in this game is that Missouri will exploit the Iowa defensive scheme the same way that Northwestern has done for the past five years—slant routs over the middle and quick passes to the outside, both forcing Iowa’s linebackers to make plays in space. Although the return of Jeff Tarpinian will help considerably, Iowa’s defensive line will not have any time to pressure Gabbert given how quickly he gets rid of the ball. On defense, Missouri boasts a very stout defense ranking tenth in the nation in pass defense efficiency and sixth in the nation in scoring defense. Without Adam Robinson, Iowa will have to rely on senior Ricky Stanzi’s arm and decisionmaking to pick apart the Missouri secondary, something that may be easier said than done, as I expect Missouri t sit back and force Iowa to utilize true freshman Marcus Coker. Given the way this season has gone, I have no strong feeling one way or the other as to how this game will go. It is not too cliché to say that the 2011 season starts tomorrow.

      The momentum heading into the offseason can be helped considerably with a win. Likewise, things on the recruiting scene look almost as good as the vaunted class of 2005, especially with the signing of running back Rodney Coe. A win tomorrow would do wonders not only for the players but also the psyche of the fanbase.

Regardless of the outcome, I would like to see Stanzi, Clayborn, Christian Ballard, Karl Klug, Brett Greenwood, Jeff Tarpinian, Paul Chaney, Jr., Brett Morse, Allen Reisner, Colin Sandeman, and Ryan Donahue to have great games for all of the hard work and time that they have dedicated to the Iowa football program the last four and five years. More than anything else, win or lose, I want to see this team play the hard-nosed, discipline football that has defined the Iowa program under Kirk Ferentz. Pressuring Gabbert and establishing a ground game will keep the Hawks in this game late into the fourth quarter. For the seniors’ sake, I hope it is enough.

Prediction: Iowa 24 Missouri 21

Pick to Click: Adrian Clayborn

November 30, 2010

Ohio State Postgame
By Neal

Here are your notes for Iowa’s loss to Minnesota. As always, there are notes about Iowa’s bowl prospects at the end.

-The game itself was extremely disappointing. Iowa never looked in sync and there was a clear difference between the emotion on the sidelines for Minnesota and the emotion on the sidelines for Iowa. The Gophers played a better game, and being outplayed by a now 3-9 team is inexcusable for the Hawkeye squad. Iowa looked, and played, bad for this game. We have lacked intensity ever since Michigan State and it is the biggest reason that we have fallen as far as we have. In Minneapolis the team looked listless and you will not win many football games when you are show up like that. This falls on everybody but particularly the coaches. Ultimately, they are responsible for getting the team mentally prepared to win and that has clearly not happened.

-While the coaches should be responsible the mental preparation of the players, the other big factor that worked against Iowa was execution. Part of this is just players not making plays they should, like the fumble of the quarterback center exchange which led to a Gopher touchdown. Other parts of it are just players getting outworked, like the defensive line in the fourth quarter. There were also plenty of cases where youth and injuries have hurt us, like the fact that Marcus Coker was carrying the football instead of Adam Robinson. Coker didn’t have a terrible game, but he is still not the same player Robinson is. The reality of it is that this team just did not execute well enough at all position to win. Some parts of that were in their control and others were not but that doesn’t change the fact that they didn’t execute.

-I was at the game. Yes it was very cold. However, it wasn’t like it was only cold on the Iowa sidelines. If the weather really did effect the Hawkeyes significantly more than the Gophers (and I don’t believe it did) then I would argue that it would be incredibly asinine that our coaching staff can’t get our players ready to execute in cold weather.

-Lost in the sobering frustration of the loss was DJK. If there is any doubt that he is at least in the discussion for Iowa’s best receiver of all time it was washed away with that game. He commanded attention on every play and would have done more damage if he would have gotten a couple more looks when he was open. He was clearly the best offensive player for Iowa yesterday and he will be missed.

-On the way home I heard several people arguing that coaches should be shuffled. Let it be clear, this game and this season are not firing offenses. So many factors went into this season’s disappointment that blaming them on any of the coaches seems outrageous. Offensively, the game plan was there and we didn’t execute. Ken O’Keefe didn’t drop any passes or fumble the football. We even saw this team make adjustments in the fourth quarter with that fantastic call on the slant that scored Iowa’s final touchdown. Blame the offense all you want, but Ken O’Keefe really isn’t the person who should get the blame. Defensively, it was all execution. Again, we made adjustments as the game went on and the players just didn’t execute well enough to win. The attitude and lack of intensity is the fault of the coaches, but pretending that they caused the errors in execution, or that their livelihoods should be forfeit because of one bad year, is asinine.

In terms of bowl positioning, Iowa is now in a great big mess at the bottom of the conference. Illinois (presuming they win next Sautrday in Fresno), Northwestern, Penn State, and Michigan are all also 7-5. Assuming two Big Ten teams go to the BCS, that means these teams will all be spread between the Outback, Gator, Insight, Texas, and Ticket City bowls. I don’t see Iowa going to the Ticket City Bowl, but you could make a solid case for the Hawks in any of the other four. The relationship with Outback Bowl is good but do they really want an Iowa team that has lost three straight? Would the Gator Bowl give up a rare shot at Michigan or Penn State to take the Hawkeyes? Does Iowa’s Arizona fan base trump the fact that Illinois would probably be more excited about an Insight Bowl berth? I don’t see Iowa getting jumped by Northwestern (especially with Dan Persa out) but otherwise there are some pretty interesting scenarios. Right now, I would put rank them Insight, Outback, Texas, and Gator from most likely to least likely. I have a hard time seeing Illinois draw the kind of ratings that would justify sending them to Tempe over Iowa, especially when there are tons of Iowa fans out west. The Outback Bowl has a very close relationship with the Hawkeyes and since Iowa beat Penn State (who has also looked less impressive the past few weeks) there is still a decent shot that Iowa ends up in Tampa. Iowa will get plenty of looks from the Gator Bowl but with Iowa’s recent failures I think the Gator will be more likely to take a look at Michigan or Penn State.

November 22, 2010

Ohio State Postgame
By Neal

Here are some quick thoughts following Iowa’s loss to Ohio State Saturday. I have also added a few notes on bowl positioning for those of you who are curious about the Hawkeyes’ post season positioning.

Ohio State was the better team, and that is the first time I have felt that was the case this season. That may be unfair to Wisconsin who is also a very good football team but Iowa made several special teams mistakes in that game that were crucial to the outcome. I know what you are thinking, “but didn’t Iowa miss a field goal that would have forced overtime?” and that is possible. However, Ohio State was clearly the deeper team and I said going in that if the game was decided late the Buckeyes would win. If the game had gone to overtime I still think Ohio State would have won. In hindsight, this season has officially become a disappointment. That may be unfair since Iowa hasn’t lost a game by more than seven points since the Western Michigan debacle in 2007, but we knew going into this season that the margin for error was razor thin with this team and Iowa just couldn’t hang on. This is still a really good team and I like our chances against anyone we will face in the postseason (more on that later).

While this season, and this game, were disappointing, this was not a mistake prone or badly played contest. If Iowa plays that well against any other team on the schedule they probably win. Iowa executed well in ever faucet of the game. Even linebacker, our weak spot all year, provided some solid positional plays with some tipped passes and solid run stopping. This loss happened because we were out executed. Ohio State just made more plays and you aren’t going to win a lot of games against them when that happens. While this loss sucked, the play of each man on the field was extremely admirable and they deserve to be applauded for that.

This bears repeating, Iowa is losing games in the fourth quarter because of a lack of depth. Iowa had a solid rotation at linebacker last year and it led to quite a few late stops on defense. We can’t allow anybody to hang around this year because we will give up more plays late. We are a step slower and a lot less crisp defensively later in the game and it has killed us four times this season, almost five if Tandon Doss can hang on to a fourth down pass in the endzone which was catchable.

Finally, Iowa is all but out of the BCS and Capital One Bowls. However, Iowa is clearly the favorite to attend the Outback Bowl (probably against Florida or South Carolina) and that should be a goal right now for the fans and the players. For next week, Iowa fans should be rooting for Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Michigan State to all win since that would likely guarantee that the Big Ten receives an at-large BCS bid and that, barring an announcement of Joe Paterno’s retirement, Penn State will not be considered to jump Iowa in bowl positioning. Even if Penn State does beat the Spartans, Iowa could still go to the Outback Bowl. It will just take a bit of politicking (a quick glance at the Outback Bowl website shows that Iowa fans are already ahead of me on this, as the Hawkeyes have 52% of the vote in the poll as to which team should go to the bowl. That is over 35% more than any other team including SEC squads). If the Big Ten does not receive an at-large bid and/or Penn State jumps the Hawkeyes, we could see Iowa going to the Insight or Gator Bowls.

November 19, 2010

"Keys To Victory"-Ohio State
By Neal

Iowa has their backs against the wall this week as they host the Ohio State Buckeyes. The atmosphere in Kinnick Stadium will be rocking for senior day but what does the team need to do on the field to make this game a win? Here are your keys to victory:

Iowa needs to come out early. This team has suffered from a lack of depth, especially on defense, all season. The Buckeyes are the deepest team Iowa has faced all season so the Hawkeyes will need to build a lead early in the game and try to sustain some offensive drives early. The fresher the defense can be in the fourth quarter and the bigger the hole the Buckeyes have to dig themselves out of the better.

The Hawkeyes need to win the battle at the line of scrimmage. Iowa’s offensive line has been one of the biggest surprises this season and despite the criticism the defensive front is still the best in the conference. However, the Buckeyes are also extremely talented up front on both sides of the ball. The key for the Hawkeyes is to win enough battles on the line of scrimmage to disrupt the Buckeye attack. On offense, if Iowa establishes a run game they can keep the defense off the field and use a more balanced attack to open p the offense. On defense, this means shutting down the run from the point of attack. Last year Iowa was unsuccessful at this but the Hawkeyes have been stronger on both sides of the trenches than they were last year.

Iowa needs to stretch the field. The Buckeye secondary is having a down year (not that that says much) and their safety play has been a little spotty at time. The Hawkeyes have two wide receivers, DJK and McNutt, who can really have big days against the secondary. If Iowa can open up the pass it will keep the Buckeyes’ stud linebackers playing back and will help open up some kind of running game.

Iowa needs to shut down the Buckeye passing game. I like our matchup in the secondary against Sanzenbacher and Posey, but we need to play smart and tough in the back four. If the Iowa secondary can clamp down on the passing game the Iowa linebackers will have more room to focus on the powerful Ohio State running game.

I think the Hawkeyes come out on fire and manage to force a few turnovers. However, the Buckeyes cut the lead to 10 points right before the fourth quarter and after an Iowa turnover Ohio State is within three. An Iowa touchdown late and an Ohio State turnover clinch the Iowa upset. Iowa 30 Ohio State 20.

November 19, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Ohio State Predictions
By: Andrew

After a week of trying to shake the disappointment of the Northwestern loss, the entire Hawkeye nation has to face the reality of playing a very talented and daunting Ohio State Buckeye team that is going for an unprecedented sixth straight Big Ten championship. A day that has been circled on the calendars of Iowa fans since the end of the Orange Bowl lost some of its luster after Iowa’s loss last week, but with a group of seniors that have given so much to this football program playing their final game in Kinnick, I have a feeling that the Hawkeye faithful will respond in kind with a raucous environment. Here are my thoughts.

The Manzi. Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi will go down as one of the best quarterbacks in Iowa football history with a 25-7 record as a starter, 53 touchdown passes, and 6,855 yards career passing. Stanzi also gave Hawkeyes fans several memorable moments over his three years as a starter with the 4th quarter drive against Penn State in 2008, Stanzi to McNutt against Michigan State in 2009, the wild comeback against Indiana in 2009, and a win in the Orange Bowl. One of the biggest question marks heading into the season was whether Stanzi would be able to improve on the 15 interceptions he threw last season. Without question, Stanzi has made remarkable progress in this department this season. Stanzi has thrown 22 touchdowns to only four interceptions this year, two of which were arguably not his fault. More than his ability to throw a good deep ball and his ability to commandeer his offense, the Hawkeyes are going to miss Stanzi’s leadership and calm demeanor in the huddle and under center, both qualities that are impossible to teach.

Mr. Clayborn. While Adrian Clayborn has not had the type of season statistically that either he hoped for or that Iowa fans expected, he has still wreaked havoc in opponents’ backfields all season and has forced opposing offensive coordinators to structure their game plans around him. Clayborn’s career at defensive end has been one of the best at Iowa since Matt Roth. Regardless of his statistical production this season, I would argue that his decision to come back was good for him to spend another year learning the techniques and skill that he will need at the next level in the NFL. Despite what know-it-all, or at least they think so, draft experts Mel Kiper, Jr. and Todd McShay think, Clayborn will make the NFL team that drafts him very happy due to his ferocious hand fighting abilities and his quickness on the edge. Something tells me that Clayborn will give the Kinnick crowd a few reasons to cheer on Saturday.

The Ohio State. The gaudy statistics on both offense and defense that Ohio State has put up this year is scary for any Iowa fan to see, especially after the offensive and defensive woes that Iowa has had the past two weeks. Ohio State leads the Big Ten in both scoring offense and scoring defense, which is good enough for sixth and fifth nationally, respectively. To add injury to insult, Ohio State is fifth in the nation in rushing defense surrendering only 86 yards a game and sixth in the nation in pass defense allowing only 151 yards a game. Suffice it to say, the Iowa offense will have to be at its absolute best on Saturday. Although several factors have played a role in the Iowa offense sputtering the past two weeks, it has seemed as though there has been no rhythm to the offense or play calling in general. I would expect no drastic changes to the Iowa play calling on Saturday, but, as is always the case, execution and minimizing mental mistakes will be critical against this stout Buckeyes defense.

Defensive Determination. After Northwestern’s late scoring touchdown drive last week, Iowa fans have questioned whether this defense has lost its ability to stop opponents when needed after giving up late scoring drives in Iowa’s losses to Arizona, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and what should have been a touchdown against Indiana. While many have questioned the conditioning of this unit in recent weeks, it is obvious that due to the offense’s inability to sustain drives, the defense has been on the field longer than normal leading to tired players at the end of the game. The offense will have to move the ball on Saturday against Ohio State or we will see the same story of a tired Iowa defense in the fourth quarter.

With Dan Gable serving as the honorary captain, a planned Air Force flyover, and the emotions of Senior Day, it is hard to imagine Iowa coming out flat on Saturday. The proof is in the pudding, however, that this Ohio State team is very talented and will capitalize on any Hawkeye mistakes. Despite having many of the intangibles mentioned above in their favor on Saturday, the Hawkeyes will have to play a near flawless game to win. While it is certainly not an impossibility, the way this season has gone, it seems appropriate that Iowa players and fans’ hearts will be broken once again.

Prediction: Iowa 21 Ohio State 23

Pick to Click: The Seniors

November 15, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Northwestern Game
By: Andrew

The Iowa football team received a big dose of reality on Saturday. Moreover, Iowa fans received a dose of what they have known deep down in their hearts for a long time. Iowa football and basketball have been and always will be just below the threshold of being considered elite. Teams that have a fifth year senior starting quarterback, top wide receivers, and an all-American defensive end do not play close games back-to-back against opponents like Indiana and Northwestern, especially when Wisconsin beats that same Indiana team by 63 points. I considered characterizing Northwestern as an inferior opponent, but that would be disservice to Pat Fitzgerald and his coaching staff who have outcoached the Iowa coaching staff and for Fitzgerald’s players who have made Iowa look like a high school team the past three years. For a team composed of this talent and this leadership, it is inexcusable to come out with the number of mental mistakes that this team committed yesterday. Holding penalties, false starts, and poor decisions all contributed to a loss to a Northwestern team that has now won five out of the last six against Iowa.

Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa did what Mike Kafka, Bret Basanez, and the other short, fleet-footed Wildcat quarterbacks before him have done against Iowa—make patient throws to the outside and outrun a slow linebacker corps. Before the game Persa made a comment that he believes one of the reasons for Northwestern’s success against Iowa is that they know exactly what the Iowa defense is going to do on each play. While I do not necessarily disagree with Iowa’s defensive philosophy, it has been the same play every year against Northwestern: six-seven yard passes to the outside and, when the coverage breaks down, an opportunity for the quarterback to scramble down the field for big gains. It would be very difficult to convince me that Iowa’s cornerbacks are not athletic enough to play closer to the line of scrimmage like every other team in the country does. Likewise, while I do not have the answers to explain what needs to be done on defense on Northwestern, I do know that Iowa cannot continue to run its simple, base defense against teams like Northwestern. The best example I can think of is using a school analogy. Certain professors like answers written in a particular manner. Going into a test, students that receive the best grades are able to adapt to that style and tailor their answers accordingly. Writing an answer in the same style or, in this case, playing the same type of defense, simply for the sake of not wanting to change is just plain ignorant and leads to unexpected grades and losses.

A wise friend once told me that the Hawks will always break your heart. Without a doubt, they always do break it and, no matter how much I care, they always will. Nevertheless, despite knowing that the Hawkeyes and sports in general can never give back what I put in and knowing that the Hawkeyes will break my heart several times for the rest of my life, I am going to cheer my heart out for the Hawkeyes on Saturday. I hope that everyone that is at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday gives Ricky Stanzi, Adrian Clayborn, Christian Ballard, Karl Klug, Julian Vandervelde, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Jeff Tarpinian, and Ryan Donahue the support and appreciation they deserve for all of the memories they created during their time at Iowa and to show them that win or lose, Iowa fans will continue to support their Hawkeyes. With the Hawkeyes in the underdog role, a role they cherish, Ohio State will have to be at its best because with a turnover here and a great play there, the Hawkeyes will be in this game with a chance to upset the Buckeyes late in the game.

November 12, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Northwestern Predictions
By: Andrew

Every team has that one opponent that gives them trouble and for the Iowa Hawkeyes it is clear that the Northwestern Wildcats is that opponent. With four wins over Iowa in the last five games, the Wildcats will once again be out to ruin Iowa’s hopes for a BCS berth and a Big Ten championship. Here are my thoughts.

Offensive Playbook. With the planned return of Adam Robinson, it will be curious to see what type of offensive game plan Ken O’Keefe will roll out on Saturday. The current forecast for Saturday in Evanston is a fifty percent chance of rain, which always favors teams that run the ball well. As evident by last week’s inability to score touchdowns in the red zone, Robinson is an integral part of this offense due to his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and get those extra two-three yards on rushing attempts. The weather notwithstanding, Ricky Stanzi and the Iowa passing game should be able to move the ball at will through the air against a Northwestern defense that ranks 100th in the nation in pass defense allowing an average of 247 yards per game. If the weather is a factor, I would guess that the Iowa passing attack will revolve around throwing short routes and, hopefully, getting the ball to tight end Allen Reisner, which they failed to do last week.

Protection Problems. While not quite a spread offense, Northwestern’s passing game relies heavily on quick developing pass plays and short routes. In light of that type of offense, it is stunning that the Wildcats rank last in the Big Ten in sacks allowed this year giving up 31 sacks, which is twelve more sacks than the 10th ranked team. For an Iowa defensive line that has been unfairly criticized for its lack of sacks, it will be an interesting to watch how much pressure the defensive line can apply to Dan Persa in the pocket and how many sacks, if any, they produce on Saturday. Despite the lack of protection, Persa is the most accurate passer in the entire nation completing just above 73% of his passes. Thus, it was good timing for Iowa to have played against a quality quarterback like Ben Chappell in preparation for the Wildcat passing game.

Coverage. Just when it appeared as though Iowa was improving with its kickoff coverage, it took two steps back against Indiana allowing 25 yards a return. For the season Iowa now ranks 83 in the country allowing just over 22 yards a game. Iowa’s special teams play in prior years played a quiet role in Iowa being so successful, but this year it is arguably one of the reasons why Iowa lost against Arizona and Wisconsin. As the weather turns cold and the ball gets harder, Michael Meyer will have a more difficult time kicking the ball deep, which forces the coverage unit to be at its best. While turnovers have been the demon in the past against Northwestern, it is very possible that Iowa’s special teams woes may rear their ugly head again on Saturday.

Linebacker Limbo. Two freshman will likely start at linebacker for Iowa on Saturday, as James Morris and Shane DiBona are listed alongside Jeremiha Hunter for the Hawkeyes. Morris is playing remarkably well at a position that is not exactly easy for anyone to just jump in and play mid-season, let alone for a true freshman. Jeff Tarpinian has slowly worked his way back into some playing time as the effects of a neck stinger suffered five weeks ago continue to linger. If Tarpinian is able to go, he would likely play in the place of DiBona, who is playing for the injured Tyler Nielsen. The play of Iowa’s linebackers will be crucial on Saturday against the Wildcats who live off of short pass plays and slants over the middle. The combination of that style of offense with a pinpoint accurate passer like Persa is a recipe for potential disaster; however, as I mentioned earlier this week, this defense could statistically turn out to be one of the best defenses in the Kirk Ferentz era and, if they play to their potential, have the ability to stop the Wildcat offense.

One of the most surprising statistics that I read earlier this week is that Iowa has not beat Indiana and Northwestern in the same season since 2002. As has been the case most of the time in the last four losses to Northwestern, this Iowa team is head and shoulders above the Wildcats, but in this matchup such disparity means nothing. With some of the unintended bulletin board material that likely found its way into the Iowa football complex this week and the way the Wildcats ruined Iowa’s undefeated season last year, it would seem impossible for Iowa to overlook Northwestern this year.

Prediction: Iowa 24 Northwestern 13

Pick to Click: James Morris

November 8, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Indiana Game
By: Andrew

It is virtually impossible for a college football team composed of 18-22 year olds to play to their potential every game over the course of twelve Saturdays. Nonetheless, successful teams are able to overcome games in which they do not play their best. Iowa’s 18-13 win over Indiana was such a game. Here are my thoughts.

Red Zone Woes. Is there any doubt that Adam Robinson is one of the most valuable players on this team? Granted, Marcus Coker had a fantastic premiere as the starting running back rushing for 129 yards on twenty two carries, but Iowa’s offense struggled the entire game in the red zone walking away with only twelve points. With Robinson in the lineup, the Iowa offense is much more dangerous in the red zone due to Robinson’s ability to gain the extra two to three yards as he is being tackled. If Iowa had scored on one of those drives, the game would have likely had a completely different outcome. Hopefully the Iowa coaching staff re-evaluates their red zone and goaline playbook this week.

Defensive Performance. During and shortly after the game, I was thinking about how disappointing the defense played against Indiana and how disappointing they have seemed to be at some points during the season, but after further reflection, the Iowa defense actually played a great game against the Hoosiers. Indiana quarterback Ben Chappell was limited to 222 yards through the air, well short of his 296 yard average. Likewise, the Iowa defense held the Hoosiers to only 91 yards on the ground, which was also below their average of 97 yards. Iowa fans have become spoiled with Iowa defenses of yesteryear that were able to come in and, as Norm Parker is fond of saying, “put out the fire.” As I thought about it more, I wondered if the statistics reflect the perception that this defense has not been able to put out the fire. My first thought was that the defense may not be as good on third down; however, when one looks at the actual numbers, Iowa is third in the Big Ten in third down conversion defense allowing opponents to convert at only a 33% clip. My next thought was that the number of sacks are low. However, the Iowa defense has 14 sacks on the year, which ranks in the middle of the Big Ten. Last year’s defense had 31 on the season, which was also in the middle of the Big Ten. Finally, Iowa’s pass defense is the best in the Big Ten allowing only 152 yards per game in conference play. So while the perception is that this defense has struggled at times this season, the numbers tell a completely different story. Thus, it seems as though Iowa fans’ expectations might be unrealistic especially given that last year’s unit featured two of the best linebackers in the Kirk Ferentz era and a shutdown corner that Iowa has not had in a long time.

Fearless Freshman. Say what you want about the suspect Iowa special teams this season, but Michael Meyer is having a very solid season as a freshman kicker. Meyer converted on four of five attempts on Saturday with a long of 42. Meyer is nine of eleven thus far on the season. As a freshman, Nate Kaeding missed eight field goals over the course of his inaugural campaign. Meyer’s miss came on a 22 yard attempt from the right hash mark. For a right footed kicker, a short kick from that hash mark is one of the more difficult kicks to ask a kicker to convert. Meyer’s ability to shake off his 22 yard miss and connect on a crucial 27 yard field goal showed me that he has the mental ability to be a kicker at the collegiate level.

The Leader. It was clear that Ricky Stanzi did not have one of his better games on Saturday, but when it mattered in the fourth quarter, Stanzi made the throws necessary to put his team in a position to win. Stanzi’s leadership in the huddle and calm presence in the fourth quarter is something that I am going to miss next year when he is gone. With only three regular season games and a bowl game left, I have to continue to remind myself how much I enjoy watching Stanzi play quarterback and how much Iowa fans will miss the intangibles that he brings to the position.

After breathing a collective sigh of relief on Saturday after Demarlo Belcher’s dropped pass, Iowa fans now have to look forward to Iowa’s most pesky opponent, the Northwestern Wildcats. While the fans have every reason to be concerned about the Wildcats, something tells me that this team is going to be focused in practice and will come out with a chip on its shoulder next Saturday.

November 5, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Indiana Predictions
By: Andrew

After a complete and dominating performance against a top ranked team, the Iowa Hawkeyes are on letdown alert against an Indiana Hoosiers team that has yet to win a conference game this season. Saturday’s game also starts a two game road stretch against two opponents that have given Iowa fits over the past several years. Here are my thoughts.

Running Attack. Earlier this week, Cedar Rapids Gazette beat writer Marc Morehouse reported that Adam Robinson did not practice on Tuesday. It was speculated that Robinson did not practice as a result of an apparent concussion suffered in the fourth quarter against Michigan State. If Robinson is unable to go, true freshman Marcus Coker will get his opportunity to show off his abilities to Iowa fans and the Iowa coaching staff. While there is no doubt the Iowa coaching staff will exercise the utmost caution by relying solely on the team doctors’ decision on whether to play Robinson, given the number of carries that Robinson has had this year, it seems as though this is a perfect game for Robinson to take a breather. Robinson is 10th nationally in terms of carries with 172 on the season. Against a shoddy Indiana rushing defense that ranks 10th in the Big Ten, it seems as though it presents a great opportunity to give Robinson a rest and give Coker repetitions in a meaningful game.

Pass Happy. In light of the uncertainty at running back, it is likely that the Iowa coaching staff will put the ball in the hands of fifth-year starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi to attack the Indiana defense through the air. In addition to a poor run defense, Indiana is also suspect against the pass allowing 216 yards per game. While Stanzi will certainly be able to throw the ball downfield against Indiana, do not be surprised to see the Hawkeyes come out with a controlled passing attack that relies heavily on short passes to Allen Reisner, Marvin McNutt, and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos. I am curious to see whether the Iowa offense operates as efficiently as it did last Saturday especially in an atmosphere at Memorial Stadium that has been described as quiet.

Defensive Substitutions. Earlier this week it was announced that linebacker Tyler Nielsen will be out for the remainder of the year with neck issues. For a linebacker group that is already thin, this news added salt to an already gaping wound. On the positive side, however, Kirk Ferentz mentioned on his Wednesday call-in show that Jeremiha Hunter has been practicing this week after not playing last week. True freshman James Morris will get another start at middle linebacker this week after showing signs of great things to come last week against Michigan State recording nine tackles. When all is said and done at the end of his career, Morris may very well turn out to be one of those once-a-decade players at Iowa. It is likely that Troy Johnson or Ross Peterson will replace Nielsen at the WILL position. It was nice to see Jeff Tarpinian get playing time last week after nursing a neck stinger for the past month.

Style of Defense. Indiana’s offensive scheme, known as the Pistol, allows for flexibility with the running game by lining up the running back directly behind the quarterback. Indiana relies heavily on the pass out of the Pistol by typically running out of three wide receiver sets. Hoosier quarterback Ben Chappell is a solid quarterback who leads the Big Ten in passing, averaging a little over 305 yards per game. Chappell has several great targets at which to throw, including Demarlo Belcher, Tandon Doss, and Nick Turner. Belcher and Doss are both in the top five in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game. Expect the Hoosiers to attack the injured Iowa linebacker corps with short six-seven yard slant patterns. In response, I would suspect that the Iowa coaching staff will counter with a 3-4 scheme, which was used last week, or a nickel scheme with Greg Castillo as the other defensive back. Indiana has to rely on its passing attack as a result of an early season injury to star tailback Darius Willis. The Hoosiers rank 110th in the nation in rushing averaging only 97 yards per game. Because of this lack of a running game, the Iowa defense will be able to pin its ears back and force Chappell to make mistakes.

While many people view this game as a potential trap game, I think it is possible that we will see this team come out with the same intensity that they had last week against Michigan State. There is no such thing as looking ahead by a Kirk Ferentz-coached team, especially given that Ferentz simply needs to play the tape of last year’s game for this team to realize that they were down 24-10 at the start of the fourth quarter. Games like this one against an opponent like Indiana are very telling as to the moxy of a team. A team that is destined for great things takes care of business against teams that it should beat.

Prediction: Iowa 38 Indiana 13

Pick to Click: Derrell Johnson-Koulianos

November 1, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Michigan State Game
By: Andrew

After one of the more disappointing losses in recent memory, the Iowa Hawkeyes came out on Saturday and re-asserted themselves not only as a title contender in the Big Ten, but also as a relevant player in the BCS picture with a dominating 37-6 performance against Michigan State. Here are my thoughts.

Quick Start. Iowa teams under Kirk Ferentz have always seemed to be energized when the offense is able to move the ball down the field on the first drive and score a touchdown. That certainly seemed to be the case on Saturday when the Hawkeyes marched the ball down field on a 12 play 80 yard drive ending in a three yard touchdown pass from Ricky Stanzi to Colin Sandeman. Scoring on the first drive not only helps the defense out by giving them a lead, but it also has the effect of giving the offense confidence for the rest of the game. As a result of Iowa moving the ball at will on its first two drives, the Michigan State defense was on its heels the entire game until the 4th quarter when Iowa went exclusively to the ground game.

Quiet Warrior. Just another ho-hum performance for Iowa running back, Adam Robinson. While it has been written and said multiple times this season, Robinson’s value is immeasurable to this team. His ability to keep his legs moving while maintaining his balance are skills that overshadow any perceived lack of breakaway speed. It was nice to Marcus Coker get some meaningful carries in the second quarter, as Iowa will need to rely on him at least for a few carries in these remaining four games. My only complaint with the game was the decision to leave Robinson and other starters on both sides of the ball in the game so late into the fourth quarter. Perhaps it was because of Michigan State’s comeback abilities or the need for more practice, but the game seemed to be in hand that late in the game and an injury to any starter would have been devastating. Nonetheless, if the Iowa running attack can continue to produce like it has the entire season, defenses will be forced to respect the run allowing Stanzi to throw the ball downfield off of play action.

Defensive Line Pressure. While the Iowa defense only had one sack on Saturday by Steve Bigach, it was evident that Michigan State clearly respected Iowa’s front four by relying heavily on quick developing pass plays and not throwing downfield very often. Despite Adrian Clayborn having a relatively quiet game statistically, Mike Daniels and Christian Ballard looked impressive against the run with Daniels collecting two tackles for loss. Chances are that the Iowa front four will not put up gaudy statistics the next two weeks against Indiana and Northwestern offenses that like to air it out at six to eight yard clips; however, the Iowa defensive line will be able to use their strength and quickness in the next two games to get in the throwing lanes to knock down passes. Speaking of the defense, Tyler Sash had an incredible game on Saturday with an interception and subsequent lateral to Micah Hyde who went 66 yards for a touchdown. Sash also looked great in run support making several open field tackles with good tackling technique that may have been lacking by several members of the secondary the past few weeks.

Special Teams Coverage. The Iowa kickoff coverage unit looked much improved on Saturday limiting Michigan State to an average of 16 yards per kickoff. Don Nordmann and Tom Donatell are quickly making themselves known to the Iowa faithful with their solid tackling on kickoffs as the unit as a whole continues to improve. It is apparent that the kickoff coverage unit is taking pride in its play the past few weeks, which pride and intensity may have been lacking early on in the season. It is also apparent that the Iowa coaching staff has placed more emphasis on this aspect of the game the last few weeks.

Iowa’s win on Saturday not only ended Michigan State’s national championship dreams, but it also gave this team the confidence that they desperately needed after last week’s agonizing loss to realize that they are still a good football team that has a lot to play for the remainder of the year. Several players commented on Saturday that practice last week was much better than it had been, as everyone picked up the tempo and worked harder. Iowa’s game against Indiana will be very telling as to the mentality of this team. If Iowa comes out and plays like they did on Saturday, it will tell me that the team leadership is continuing to follow the mantra of its coaching staff by taking one game at a time.

October 29, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Michigan State Predictions
By: Andrew

It is no big stretch to say that Iowa’s game this Saturday will define its season. After a heart-wrenching loss last week against Wisconsin, the Hawkeyes enter the Michigan State with a glimmer of hope that a co-Big Ten championship is still possible. Here are my thoughts.

Run Defense. The past two weeks have been uncharacteristic for the Iowa defense as they have not been able to, as Norm Parker is fond of saying, “put out the fire.” Part of that has been due to an ever shifting corps of linebackers that may be different again this Saturday with Jeff Tarpinian still questionable and Jeremiha Hunter also questionable to play. At the beginning of the year, Kirk Ferentz hinted to the fact that given the option he would prefer a veteran defensive line over a veteran group of linebackers. While Iowa’s linebackers have played well this year, it is clear that Iowa misses the run defense play of Pat Angerer and AJ Edds. James Morris, who will undoubtedly be a great player some day, just does not have the experience that is required of a linebacker to react in a split second rather than think then act within that limited time frame. Iowa’s front seven will once again be challenged on Saturday against the three-headed running attack of Michigan State. Edwin Baker, Larry Caper, and Le’Veon Bell have combined to lead the Spartans to an average of 193.5 yards per game on the ground. The Iowa defensive line will have a much easier task this week against the Michigan State offensive line than against the monstrous Wisconsin offensive line, as Michigan State’s size up front is not as daunting and is not as experienced.

Small Matters. In Iowa’s losses against Arizona and Wisconsin, the small mistakes compounded and led to big plays for the opponents, ultimately leading to those two losses. While no team can play a perfect game, minimizing mistakes and not allowing an opponent to capitalize on those mistakes are critical in order for a team to walk away with a victory. Unlike last year when Iowa was able to cause its opponents to make mistakes and capitalize on those mistakes, the tables have seemed to turn. Iowa has uncharacteristically shot itself in the foot and those small mistakes were exploited by Arizona and Wisconsin. Granted the season is a little more than half way over, which leads me to believe that there is time for the Iowa players to learn from their mistakes over the prior seven games. This Saturday is another big litmus test to see how they have learned from those mistakes.

Play-Action. After another impressive performance by Adam Robinson, Michigan State will have to respect the run allowing Ricky Stanzi to attack the Spartan defense who will not be able to sell out against the run or the pass. By continuing to establish the run, Iowa can rely on the play-action pass, which Stanzi does such a great job of selling to make defenders think run first. All-American linebacker Greg Jones will be all over the place on Saturday both in the running game and the passing game. Jones is fifth in the Big Ten in tackles and has that uncanny sixth sense for anticipating a play and knowing where to go to be in a position to make a play. His cohort, Eric Gordon, is also a very talented linebacker who can make plays in space. Michigan State’s secondary, however, is vulnerable, ranking seventh in the Big Ten in passing defense giving up 213.5 yards per game. The Spartan secondary has also been depleted the past few weeks with senior cornerback Chris L. Rucker in jail for violating his probation for last year’s assault involving several other members of the football by being charged for drunken driving on October 10. Rucker was released from jail on Thursday and, curiously, was reinstated upon his release by Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio for this Saturday’s game. Rucker was the cornerback in last year’s game who received the pass interference call that kept the Iowa drive alive and was the cornerback who got beat by Marvin McNutt on the final play of the game when “7 got 6.” With Rucker back, Michigan State’s secondary improves dramatically and presents an additional challenge for which Iowa must prepare.

Spartan Attack. In addition to the rushing attack that Michigan State presents, quarterback Kirk Cousins is the best quarterback Iowa will play against this year with Arizona quarterback Nick Foles a close second. Cousins is one of the most efficient passers in the nation and has the patience necessary to beat Iowa with short six-seven yard passes the entire game. Cousins’ targets include Mark Dell, B.J. Cunningham, Keshawn Martin, and tight end Charlie Gantt who are all quality receivers that can make the big plays when necessary. Against an Iowa secondary that was picked apart by Scott Tolzien last week, Michigan State has to be licking its chops thinking about its possibilities.

Michigan State’s first undefeated season since 1966 is almost complete given that their remaining schedule consists of a home games against Minnesota and Purdue and a road contests at Penn State. While it is one of the easiest roads to a Big Ten championship in recent history, Sparty still must clear the final hurdle of winning at Kinnick Stadium. The last three games between the two schools have gone down to the wire and I expect nothing less this time around. Michigan State is playing with the confidence that it can win any game against any opponent. The Spartans are playing with that same level of confidence that the Hawkeyes exhibited last year when the Hawkeyes were invincible until Stanzi went down against Northwestern. As has been the case all season long, this game will come down to what team makes more mistakes and has the better special teams. Based on those two indicators, it would seem as though Iowa should lose the game; however, I think this game marks when Iowa turns its season around.

Prediction: Iowa 24 Michigan State 21

Pick to Click: Christian Ballard

October 25, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Wisconsin Game
By: Andrew

            For some unknown reason, losses always hurt our psyche more than wins make us feel good. One of the most disappointing parts of Iowa’s 31-30 loss to Wisconsin is that the Badgers beat Iowa at its own game of not making mistakes and capitalizing on special teams. Here are my thoughts.

Spike. While it was certainly not the reason why Iowa lost the game, the confusion and subsequent timeout after the quarterback sneak on 4th and one is at the focal point of Iowa fans’ disappointment after the game. One of the things that I admire the most about Kirk Ferentz is his willingness to never place blame on his players nor his coaching staff. Regardless of who is to blame for the timeout, fourth down, and timeout sequence, the decision to not spike the ball after Ricky Stanzi picked up the first down is inexcusable. At that point in the game, time is the limited resource with which one must be concerned—not the down and distance. A spike on first down stops the clock, gives the offense the opportunity to regroup and, with the time that was left in the game, run one maybe two plays to at least give the kicker a chance at a field goal. This one mistake did not lose the game for Iowa, but it was a microcosm of what went wrong on Saturday for Iowa.

Special Teams. Saying that the difference in a game will be special teams is one of the most cliché sayings in football; however, behind every cliché is some truth. Iowa’s two losses this season can be directly attributed to poor special teams. A blocked extra point, a botched field goal attempt, and an offside on kickoff resulting in 35 yards of hidden yardage made the difference between losing a game by one point and winning a game by three to ten points. Each week I have been predicting improvement in this area of the game and while it seems like a broken record at this point, I am going to predict that Iowa’s special teams will improve over the course of the next five weeks.

Offense. One of the bright spots on Saturday was the play of Adam Robinson and Ricky Stanzi. Robinson is quickly becoming a fan favorite with his determined running style, the effort he displays on the field in each game, and his pleasant demeanor off the field. Stanzi also had another incredibly efficient game ending with 258 yards and three touchdown passes. While he may have missed some open receivers deep down the field and instead settled for underneath throws, he managed the game very well and looked extremely confident in the pocket due to the great effort from the Iowa offensive line. I was surprised that Iowa did not throw off of play action that often on Saturday given how Wisconsin had to respect Iowa’s running attack behind Robinson. It will be interesting to see whether Iowa looks to stretch the field next week against a Michigan State pass defense that ranks in the middle of the Big Ten allowing 213 yards per game. Likewise, star Michigan State cornerback Chris L. Rucker may still be left off the roster following some disciplinary issues that have kept him off the field the last two weeks.

The loss on Saturday may have been the most disappointing loss by Iowa since the loss in 2006 at Northwestern when Iowa lost in the closing minutes after holding a 14 point lead with eight minutes left. The fact that Iowa seemed to be outcoached by Bret Bielema also leaves Iowa fans with an uneasy feeling given that Wisconsin out-Iowa’ed Iowa. It is not hyperbole to say that Iowa’s season may be defined this Saturday against Michigan State. A loss this Saturday could mean the difference between still having a Big Ten championship to play for and going into loss prevention mode to salvage the season. In order for the championship dream to remain alive, the Iowa defense needs to get back to their “put out the fire” mentality that has defined the Iowa defense under this coaching staff. Kirk Ferentz has mentioned that Norm Parker may be able to get back in the coaching booth this season, which may give the Iowa defense the inspiration and leadership they need to get back on track.   No matter how many times one dissects this game, until the black and gold runs back on the field next Saturday, this loss will still linger like a bad cold that will not go away.

October 24, 2010

Wisconsin: Post Mortem
By Neal

Here are your notes on the 30-31 loss to Wisconsin. The team as a whole had a fairly solid day but certain units and certain parts of the game really killed the Hawkeyes today. While grading out the team unit by unit would certainly expose some of the issues with today’s game, I think it is a little irresponsible and incorrect to put the blame one or more units.

Iowa’s offensive line was fantastic. Coming into this season the unit was the biggest fear of most Hawkeye fans. After today, I think we can say that this is a pretty solid offensive line after they did a tremendous job of opening holes in the running game and keeping Ricky Stanzi upright. If Iowa is going to come back and try to grab wins in their upcoming home games then I think we can say that the offensive line should be capable of making it happen.

The other weakness Iowa fans saw at the beginning of the year was the secondary and, while the unit certainly isn’t horrible, the players in the back really were a huge weakness against the Badgers. Scott Tolzein is a strong quarterback, but his receivers are really made him look even better today by getting open very quickly. Our pass rush is solid, but the back four just wasn’t able to lock down coverage long enough for the defensive line to reach Tolzein. Those long completions on third down were a huge reason Wisconsin won this game and I think the secondary could be the unit that limits this team the most in the next two home tilts.

Special teams were the other culprit in major issues in the game. Consider this: Iowa gave up four points on special teams with a blocked extra point and a bad snap on a field goal attempt. That is huge in these close conference games and Kirk Ferentz mentioned it in his press conference when he said that they just made too many mistakes. However, unlike the secondary I think the issues on special teams are easily correctable and I don’t expect a lot of instances like today to happen again.

The linebackers were absolutely fantastic in run defense, really limiting opportunities to John Clay and James White. Also, Tyler Sash had a fantastic day in mop up duty, grabbing 13 tackles to lead the team on the day. The defense as a whole wasn’t bad against the run, but again, issues with the pass defense in long downs really were what kept Wisconsin on the field.

Quick shout out to Ricky Stanzi and the Iowa wide receivers who gouged a solid Wisconsin defense early and often. Iowa is going to need similar execution next week when they take on a Michigan State team that specializes in run defense.

I heard a lot of people talking about how Iowa had lost a shot at the Rose Bowl on my way out of the stadium. On the contrary, Iowa is not nesscesarily out of the picture for the conference title yet. The Hawkeyes need to win out (not an easy task) which would give them the tie breaker over Michigan State and likely eliminate Ohio State from the conference title picture. All Iowa would need then is for Wisconsin to lose a game which is certainly within the realm of possibility. The Badgers play in Ann Arbor where they haven’t won since 1994 and then host Northwestern who beat the Badgers in Evanston last year. Tonight was rough, but this season is far from over.

October 22, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Wisconsin Predictions
By: Andrew

The first game of Iowa’s remaining three home games will take Iowa fans and players back to an era of football that is seldom seen in today’s world of spread offenses and defenses that cannot hold teams under 35 points. Every year before this matchup media members discuss the similarities between the two programs and styles of play, all of which is true. It is unfortunate that the Iowa and Wisconsin game had to be the sacrificial lamb of Big Ten conference re-alignment, but everyone knew going into the process that at least one annual matchups would be lost. Nevertheless, the hype leading up to this game is almost as good as the buildup prior to the 2004 Iowa and Wisconsin game that ended up being for the Big Ten championship. Here are my thoughts.

Individual Matchup. Adrian Clayborn has been an absolutely disruptive force this year despite the statistics to support his tremendous play. As observant fans are aware, Clayborn has been double and, sometimes, triple teamed most of the season. Saturday, however, will present a different challenge for Clayborn when he faces Wisconsin left tackle Gabe Carimi. Clayborn and Carimi are both top NFL draft prospects who have battled against one another in the past two seasons. Clayborn got the best of an injured Carimi last year recording six tackles, two tackles for losses, and a sack. I am certainly interested in watching two top notch athletes going at each other for four quarters, but I am also curious to see how Clayborn plays against a scheme that will likely allow its offensive tackle to take on Clayborn without any support of a tight end or a running back. Those Iowa fans that have been clamoring for more statistics from Clayborn this season may just get their wish on Saturday against a quality opponent.

Passing Efficiency. Ricky Stanzi has quietly put together an outstanding season at the helm of the Iowa offense. Stanzi is third in the nation in passing efficiency with a quarterback rating of 180.49, which is incredible. Marc Morehouse of the Cedar Rapids Gazette wrote a great piece earlier this week on the time that Stanzi spent in the film room this summer and the time he spends in the film room during the season. That dedication is paying off for the Iowa offense and the Iowa fans that have been able to enjoy Stanzi’s production this season. Stanzi’s play on Saturday will again be critical, as I expect the coaching staff to attempt to establish the run to set up the play action. The Wisconsin pass defense is, however, salty against the pass giving up only 193 yards per game. Iowa’s offensive game plan may also change based on the weather, which may force both teams to rely more heavily on the running game than planned. Stanzi has the opportunity once again on the national stage to add to his already impressive season and increase his draft stock.

Coverage. Wisconsin kick returner David Gilreath started off last Saturday’s win against Ohio State with a bang when he returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. Iowa’s kickoff coverage unit has been much maligned this season and will need to continue its improvement in this area to prevent special teams plays that can mean the difference between winning and losing games against good competition. It has been interesting to see how the personnel of Iowa’s special teams units have changed since the beginning of the year as more and more defensive starters have found their way on kickoff and punt coverage. Likewise, several true freshman, including Don Shumpert who had his redshirt pulled last Saturday, have seen more time on special teams units this season. Regardless of personnel, Iowa’s special teams have to win their battles on Saturday, as the margin for error in the other facets of the game are very slim.

Wisconsin Air Attack. While everyone knows Wisconsin has a great running game with John Clay and James White behind a gigantic offensive line, I am not entirely sold on Scott Tolzien and the Wisconsin air attack. Wisconsin ranks 75th in the nation in passing offense averaging just over 201 yards per game. As a point of comparison, Iowa ranks 30th in the nation averaging 253 yards per game. What that tells me is that if Iowa is able to get a two score lead, Wisconsin is not built to play from behind with their passing offense. Tolzien will not only have to deal with what should be a raucous crowd, but he may also have to deal with the elements affecting his ability to throw. Although it is no guarantee or certainty that Iowa can build a lead, if they are able to, I think it will be difficult for Wisconsin’s offense to play catch up with their run-first mentality on offense.

As I mentioned earlier, the fact that the Heartland Trophy game was lost to Big Ten re-alignment is unfortunate, but it adds a tiny, yet additional element of motivation for this contest. For teams that are so identical, Iowa has seemingly had Wisconsin’s number the past decade winning four out of the last five at Kinnick Stadium. While a loss would not put Iowa out of the Big Ten race, it would put them in the position of relying on other teams to lose. Fortunately, Iowa has the opportunity to have its Big Ten destiny in its own hands for the remainder of the season. What is unfortunate is that weather may play a role in the game on Saturday, which I do not think benefits either team one way or the other. Regardless of what Mother Nature has in store for Saturday, Wisconsin is just one of those teams that Iowa plays well against under Kirk Ferentz and I do not see that changing this time.

Prediction: Iowa 20 Wisconsin 13

Pick to Click: Karl Klug

October 21, 2010

Know Your Enemy Michigan
By Neal

NAME: University of Wisconsin-Madison
COLORS: Cardinal and White
LOCATION: Madison, WI
ENROLLMENT: 29,153
STADIUM: Camp Randall Stadium
COACH: Bret Bielema, fourth year, 44-15
SERIES RECORD: 42-41-2 Iowa, Hawkeyes leads 4-2 in trophy series
FIGHT SONG: On Wisconsin

On Wisconsin, On Wisconsin
Plunge right through that line,
Run the ball clear down the field, boys
Touchdown sure this time
On Wisconsin, On Wisconsin
Fight on for her fame,
Fight, Fellows, Fight, Fight, Fight
We'll win this game!

TRADITIONS: Buckingham U. Badger, or Bucky Badger, is Wisconsin’s anthropomorphized Badger mascot. Before Bucky, the University of Wisconsin used several live mascots including a black bear, a bonnet monkey, and several live badgers. In 1940 Art Evans drew the Badger character which was named Bucky in 1949. The Badger nickname originates from the state nickname, the badger state. In the 1820s several lead miners and their families lived in the mines where they worked, thus drawing the comparison to badgers.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: Two positions to keep an eye on will be Iowa’s offensive line and secondary. Wisconsin in talented but also banged up in the front seven. JJ Watt had a huge game for Wisconsin last week against Ohio State though and he has the talent to be a huge issue for the Iowa offensive line. It the line can establish the running game and create some good holes for Adam Robinson than that is really going to put some added pressure on the Wisconsin secondary who will likely end up with less help from the linebackers and could get picked apart by Ricky Stanzi. The Iowa secondary meanwhile is going to have to get Wisconsin off the field on third down. The Badger running game gets a lot of ink but Scott Tolzein is an extremely talented quarterback and he made quite a few clutch throws in that final scoring drive against the Buckeyes. If Iowa is going to win this game the secondary needs to shut down the Wisconsin passing attack and make life miserable for Scott Tolzein.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: Iowa is 23-7-1 since Wisconsin since 1972, the Hawkeyes’ best record against a Big Ten opponent in that span. The reason for that is simple, Iowa generally doesn’t lose to Wisconsin unless the Badgers are a fielding a team that is significantly better than the Hawkeyes. I don’t think Wisconsin is head and shoulders above Iowa this season, and history says that favors the Hawkeyes. I see Iowa starting out quickly and taking advantage of a Badger team that will be a little drained after a huge emotional win. The Hawkeye passing game will stretch the field and the badgers will be in a two score defecit by the end of the first quarter. In the second half the Badgers will be forced to pass more than they are accustomed and the Hawkeyes will take advantage with an interception. The second half will be tough by Iowa will hold on for a W against the Badgers. IOWA 27-17

October 18, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Michigan Game
By: Andrew

Ok, I admit it, I was wrong. An inspired Iowa team went on the road to the largest outdoor sports venue in the United States and beat an athletic and talented Michigan team in a game in which Iowa fans re-lived the drama of last season during the fourth quarter. Despite being outgained on the offensive side of the ball, the Hawkeyes made plays when it mattered and now hold the key to their Big Ten destiny. Here are my thoughts.

Robinson. The number of times that Denard Robinson’s name was mentioned this week among the Iowa media and fans made it seem as though the event was an individual sporting event and not a team sport. Adam Robinson, however, clearly stole the show between the two Robinsons. Robinson finished with 143 yards on the ground on 31 carries and four receptions for 61 yards. The determination and grit that he runs with outweigh any breakaway speed that he may lack. Robinson’s uncanny ability to make guys miss and to gain those extra two to three yards has hopefully endeared him to Hawkeye fans and have convinced everyone that he can indeed be the sole running back for the remainder of the season. It is clear to me that through six games Robinson has been Iowa’s MVP. If he can stay healthy and keep up efforts like he had on Saturday, Iowa fans should be in for a treat for the remainder of the season.

Defense. Even though the numbers do not reflect a good performance, Iowa’s defense played a solid game. Michigan’s offensive style lends itself to racking up gaudy numbers, so I am not as concerned about the numbers that Michigan compiled. I am concerned, however, about what I perceived to be several fundamental breakdowns. This seemed to be the second consecutive game in which the Iowa defense tackled very poorly. Instead of breaking down, driving through the ball carrier and wrapping up, there seemed to be a lot of attempted arm tackles and bad angles. If I was able to notice those miscues, it is a pretty safe bet that the Iowa coaching staff will make a point of it this week in practice. Likewise, I thought the Iowa defense became a little complacent late in the third quarter and was not flying to the ball as well as they normally do. Either way, spread offenses like Michigan and Northwestern have always given the Iowa defense trouble, so the prospect of facing traditional style offenses in the next two week has to be appetizing for an Iowa defense that I believe will regain its confidence in a hurry.

Quiet Performers. Several players had quiet yet very productive games. Brad Rogers, who was filling in for the injured Brett Morse, looked very impressive and comfortable at fullback. Rogers not only had a great catch out of the backfield but he also made several outstanding kick-out blocks on Robinson runs that resulted in long gains. The Iowa offensive line also had a solid effort on Saturday paving the way for Robinson and giving Stanzi time to throw the ball downfield. While this unit has plenty of room for improvement, they have come together nicely and will be needed in the second and third legs of this three game gauntlet.

Key Kick. All year long people have been wondering how the Iowa kickers would perform in big situations. On Saturday Michael Meyer eased those concerns and gained some confidence when he nailed a 30 yard field goal at a critical point in the fourth quarter to give Iowa a ten point lead. The fact that he made the kick on the road in such a hostile environment tells me that Meyer may have the mental ability that it takes to be a kicker. Hopefully that confidence will help him at home in the next two weeks when he will undoubtedly be called upon in key situations.

A win at Michigan Stadium is a momentous win in any year regardless of how down the Michigan football program may be at the present. Iowa’s win on Saturday marked only the seventh time in the program’s history in which they have won in Ann Arbor. As several writers pointed out on Saturday evening and Sunday, the road to the Big Ten championship runs through Iowa City as Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Ohio State all visit Kinnick Stadium. Wisconsin will come into Kinnick Stadium next Saturday riding the emotional high of defeating the number one ranked team in the country. Michigan State could come into Kinnick Stadium in two weeks ranked in the top five in the country. Given that the Iowa defense thrives playing against traditional style offenses, I think the Hawkeyes will be in a good position to walk away with two wins. One way or another, we will know if Iowa is in the driver’s seat in the Big Ten conference race.

October 15, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Michigan Predictions
By: Andrew

Despite the Big Ten season starting two weeks ago, it seems as though Iowa starts its 2010 Big Ten campaign this Saturday in Ann Arbor against an opponent that has one of the most exciting players in college football. This game is also the beginning of a three game stretch in which Iowa can show that it deserves to be a top ten team nationally and is a legitimate contender to win the Big Ten championship. Here are my thoughts.

Shoelace. I might as well start off discussing this game with the topic that has dominated every conversation leading up to this game. Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson has done things this year that no other player in college football history has ever done. He has thrown for more than 200 yards and rushed for more than 200 yards twice this year, which is more than any other player in college football history. Prior to his three interception performance last week against Michigan State, Robinson was beating teams not only with his legs but his arm. However, the Spartans exposed a weakness that when Michigan is playing from behind and Robinson is forced to throw the ball he tends to make bad decisions in reading the coverage, which led to the three interceptions last week. Robinson will get his yards but, as is often the case with a great offense against the Iowa defense under a Kirk Ferentz, if the Iowa defense can clamp down in the red zone against Michigan and force field goal attempts, the defense will have done its job. Robinson was limited to 86 yards last week against a Michigan State rush defense that ranks 25th in the country against the run allowing 111 yards on the ground. Michigan’s prior opponents have allowed an average of 178 yards on the ground, which would be good enough for 90th in the country. Iowa’s defense against the run is second in the country allowing only 63.2 yards per game. While Iowa’s opponents have not exactly been world beaters, the statistic is impressive nonetheless. If the Iowa defense can find a way to make Robinson one-dimensional, they will certainly give the offense an opportunity to put points on the board.

Pass Attack. While the Michigan offense has been impressive this year, the Michigan defense has been a complete and utter disappointment. Michigan ranks 112th in the country in total defense having given up an average of 450 yards per game. If Iowa can go turnover free or win the turnover battle, the Iowa offense should be able to move the ball on a consistent basis. Iowa’s best defense could be the Iowa offense remaining on the field in order to keep the ball out of the hands of Robinson. I expect Iowa to establish the pass in order to set up the run to draw out the clock especially given the fact that Iowa is limited at the running back position. In his press conference this week, Kirk Ferentz seemed to indicate that, barring injury, Adam Robinson will be the only person to carry the ball for the Hawkeyes. While Marcus Coker is talented, I do not blame the coaching staff for being nervous about having a true freshman hanging on to the ball and, more importantly, pick up blitzes to protect fifth-year starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi. This game is an opportunity for Stanzi to shine and be a leader for this team in what will be a typical hostile Big Ten crowd. Look for offensive coordinator Ken O’Keefe to challenge the young Michigan secondary by throwing the ball downfield in an effort to limit the number of carries by Adam Robinson.

Linebackers. While it is probably a debate more fitting for those more well-versed in defense, I tend to think that the key to defending a mobile quarterback is a fast and veteran linebacker corps. Jeremiha Hunter is the sole returning starter of the Iowa linebackers, and although Tyler Nielsen has looked very athletic in the first five games, he has simply not had the repetitions in a game setting to react instinctively rather than thinking then acting. Hunter and Nielsen will both have to be at their best, as the middle linebacker position is a question mark entering the game. Jeff Tarpinian is questionable after a stinger he suffered in practice before the Penn State game. Troy Johnson, a fifth-year senior will likely start but, like Nielsen, does not have significant game experience at middle linebacker despite winning Big Ten player of the week honors against Minnesota last season while filling in for Hunter. Behind Johnson is true freshman James Morris. The lingering image in my mind is one of Robinson getting past the Iowa defensive line and beat the Iowa linebackers to the outside. Granted, I hope that I am wrong and that if Robinson does get to the second level, the Iowa secondary can limit the big gains, but I am still concerned about the linebackers’ ability to contain Robinson.

End Play. Iowa’s domination of Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl has been brought up several times this week given the run-oriented nature of Georgia Tech and Michigan. Even though there are significant differences between the two offenses, the principles of what is required by the defensive line is the same, which is to say that Iowa’s defensive line will have to play disciplined gap control and cannot break contain on the ends. If Adrian Clayborn, Broderick Binns, and Christian Ballard in their defensive end positions can funnel Robinson and the Michigan ground game to the middle where there is help from the defensive tackles and the linebackers, Iowa should be able to have the same success as Michigan State against Michigan’s ground game. On the other hand, over-aggressive end play that causes them to get up field too quickly will give Robinson gaping holes to run through to get to the outside.

For the past several weeks I have been saying before each game that the particular game would tell us more about Iowa. Five games into the season I am still unsure about this team and what they are capable of doing this season. Iowa State, Arizona and Penn State have all had their disappointments this season and make Iowa’s wins against them seem insignificant. Without a doubt, however, the next three games will certainly show Iowa fans what type of team they have this year. If you remember, I picked this game as one in which Iowa would lose and that was before knowing that Robinson would start at quarterback for Michigan or knowing that he would be the Heisman contender that he has been thus far this year. While I think the Iowa defense and offense are capable of slowing down the Michigan offense and scoring points against a porous Michigan defense, I have seen the Iowa routine against a mobile quarterback before and my memories of those games are not good ones. Call me crazy and call me someone who will gladly eat crow on Sunday, but I am sticking with my prediction at the beginning of the year.

Prediction: Iowa 24 Michigan 28

Pick to Click: Ricky Stanzi

October 14, 2010

Know Your Enemy Michigan
By Neal

NAME: University of Michigan
COLORS: Maize and Blue
LOCATION: Ann Arbor, MI
ENROLLMENT: 26,208 undergraduates
STADIUM: Michigan Stadium
COACH: Rich Rodriguez, third year, 13-17 at Michigan, 118-79-2 overall
SERIES RECORD: Michigan leads 40-11-4
FIGHT SONG: Hail to the Victors

Now for a cheer they are here, triumphant!
Here they come with banners flying,
In stalwart step they're nighing,
With shouts of vict'ry crying,
We hurrah, hurrah, we greet you now, Hail!
Far we their praises sing
For the glory and fame they've bro't us
Loud let the bells them ring
For here they come with banners flying
Far we their praises tell
For the glory and fame they've bro't us
Loud let the bells them ring
For here they come with banners flying
Here they come, Hurrah!

Hail! to the victors valiant
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes
Hail! Hail! to Michigan
The leaders and best!
Hail! to the victors valiant
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes
Hail! Hail! to Michigan,
The champions of the West!

We cheer them again
We cheer and cheer again
For Michigan, we cheer for Michigan
We cheer with might and main
We cheer, cheer, cheer
With might and main we cheer!
(chorus)

TRADITIONS: There will be quite a bit of pageantry on the field when Iowa plays Michigan Saturday. The newly renovated Big House is the largest stadium in college football, seating a little over 111,000 fans. Hail to the Victors (above) is one of the most well known fight songs in the sport. However, my favorite tradition has to be the Go Blue banner. Players run out of the tunnel before the game and jump up and touch the banner before every home game with the fight song blasting. Personally, I think it is the best team entrance in the Big Ten and ranks right up there with the Clemson players touching the rock and running down the hill as one of the best entrances in football.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: Containment and offensive push. If Iowa can contain Denard Robinson similar to the way he was contained against Michigan State, the defense should limit his options as a runner and force him to pass. The defense ends will have to move their blockers into the backfield and create the containment (I wouldn’t expect a big day from them statistically) and force Robinson to stay in the box. What I like about using the MSU strategy is that our defensive tackles are better than Sparty’s and they could potentially have a field day if they get off their blockers and get to Robinson in the containment zone. Offensively, Iowa needs to establish the run and that means winning the battle up front early and often against the Michigan defensive line. If Iowa forces Michigan to load up the box to stop the run then it will expose an already suspect secondary to the play action pass.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: I like our chances in this game. Iowa matches up favorably in the trenches and has some significant advantages in the receiver-secondary matchup on both sides of the ball. Again, this all comes down to containing Robinson. Last year Michigan had Brandon Minor and a host of running backs behind him who were dangerous, which gave them an added boost on the front side of the zone read. They don’t have a guy who breaks tackles like their running backs last year and Iowa’s interior defensive lineman are much scarier than they were a year ago. The key is to establish the run early and then avoid turnovers and control the clock. I see Iowa scoring on their first possession and then forcing a three and out on the first Michigan drive, taking the crowd out early and forcing the Wolverines to play catch up the rest of the game. Denard Robinson will throw an interception or two in the second half to stall a late comeback attempt by Michigan. IOWA WINS 35-14

October 4, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Penn State Game
By: Andrew

The festivities of homecoming weekend in Iowa City ended in a happy parting gift to those alumni of the University of Iowa who made their way back to the holy land. Behind the backdrop of an impressive alternating black and gold color scheme crowd, the Iowa football team sent a strong message to the rest of the Big Ten that the Arizona game was more a fluke. Here are my thoughts on the game.

Defensive Dominance. The Iowa defense showed again Saturday why it was ranked first in overall team defense heading into the weekend and now ranks fourth afterwards. Adrian Clayborn and company disrupted the Penn State offensive rhythm and prevented Penn State star running back Evan Royster from establishing any ground game for the Nittany Lions. Iowa allowed only 54 yards on the ground and 301 yards overall, which is somewhat misleading considering one never felt as though the game was in doubt given the performance by the defense. Clayborn, Karl Klug, and Christian Ballard seemed to be in on almost every play on Saturday. Ballard and Clayborn had several highlights that will undoubtedly make their way to films viewed by NFL scouts. Not only do both of them play with incredible strength, but their athleticism for their size is incredible, as Penn State quarterback Rob Bolden found out when Ballard caught him from behind with about a five yard lead. The Iowa defense will face its biggest test in its next contest when it faces an explosive Michigan offense led by Heisman Trophy frontrunner Denard Robinson who is second in the NCAA in total offense averaging 382 yards per game. However, given that the Iowa staff will have two weeks to prepare and that Michigan will be coming off a tough, hard-hitting game with intrastate rival Michigan State, I think that the Iowa defense will be up to the task.

Second Half Playcalling. Admittedly I was very upset with the second half playcalling by the Iowa coaching staff. After I took some time to think about the context and the situation, it is clear that the Iowa staff took a very reasonable and pragmatic approach. Throughout the Kirk Ferentz era, Iowa’s approach has been to play mistake free football and cause its opponent to make more mistakes and force its opponents into difficult situations. Once Iowa scored its first touchdown to go up 10-0, I felt as though the game was no longer in doubt. Thus, on second take, I thought the Iowa offensive coaching staff made the right calls by playing high percentage, low risk football in the second half. Why risk giving Penn State a short field with an interception? Instead, they relied on Adam Robinson to run the clock and then all-Big Ten punter Ryan Donahue to pin Penn State deep in its own territory.

Stanzi Efficiency. The Iowa offense really seems to click when Ricky Stanzi starts off on a hot streak. Stanzi started the game 9 of 10 on Iowa’s first three drives giving Iowa a 10-0 lead. Stanzi continues to impress me this season with his decisionmaking, as he is much more willing to take what the defense gives by checking down to a tight end or running back rather than trying to force a ball into coverage downfield. This mature decisionmaking coupled with an accurate arm is not only going to lead to success this year for the Iowa offense but will also improve his draft prospects.

Crowd Participation. Yes, I was wrong. The Kinnick faithful delivered on Saturday when it came to color coordination. While I was very skeptical about the marketing scheme prior to the game, after I saw the crowd live and then again on DVR, the nationwide television audience viewing the crowd had to be impressed with the black and gold in alternating sections. Likewise, I thought the crowd was loud when it needed to be during the game, especially during that critical third quarter goal line stand that prevented Penn State from reaching the endzone. One can tell that Kirk Ferentz and the players genuinely appreciate the support that they receive from the loyal Iowa fans. Suffice it say, the Iowa fans will be treated to some very good games to round out the 2010 season with Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Ohio State still remaining on the home schedule.

It was clear in his postgame interview that Kirk Ferentz was really looking forward to the bye week for his team. Not only will the bye week allow some of the injured Hawkeyes to receive some much needed rest, but it will also allow the diligent coaching staff the opportunity to analyze and plan against the Michigan offense. While scrambling, mobile quarterbacks have always given Iowa defenses fits, with two weeks to prepare for Denard Robinson, the Iowa coaching staff will have the defense more than ready for the Michigan offense. So, Iowa fans, enjoy the bye week. Watch some of the Michigan-Michigan State game for a little bit of advance scouting. Go outside and enjoy the start of the beautiful fall season. Most importantly, however, get some rest for yourself as the next seven conference games will come fast and furiously.

October 1, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Penn State Predictions
By: Andrew

The start of conference play is the beginning of a new season and, in Iowa’s case, an opportunity to do something that has not been done since 1985—an outright conference championship. Conference home games seem to bring out the best in the fans, but I think this Saturday will bring out the best in the Iowa Hawkeyes. Here are my thoughts.

Defensive Line Pressure. The talk around the water coolers this week was the performance by Mike Daniels against Ball State. Daniels, the Big Ten defensive player of the week, has been able to fill a void that has arguably existed in several other Iowa defensive lines, which is the ability to not miss a step with the first player off the bench. Iowa fans several years ago seemed to complain, unjustifiably so might I add, that Norm Parker did not substitute enough on the defensive line leading some fans to think that the defensive line wore down as the game progressed. Daniels provides the Iowa coaching staff with a luxury of being able to rotate a fifth player into the defensive line and not only count on his consistent play, but also expect big plays to be made. Penn State’s offense is a traditional, pro-set offense, which Iowa has not faced all season long. While Evan Royster is a very talented running back, I think it will be difficult for Penn State to establish a consistent ground game against the Iowa defensive line. Because Penn State quarterback Robert Bolden is a drop back quarterback, I would also expect the Iowa defensive line to create pressure against Bolden the entire game. Those Iowa fans that have been critical of Adrian Clayborn’s play this year may finally get their wish, as Clayborn and the entire defensive line will have more opportunities to get sacks when Bolden takes five and seven step drops rather than the quick passing attacks that Iowa has faced in the first four weeks.

Forgotten Man. Is it just me or has Ricky Stanzi been the forgotten man this year? Stanzi ranks 5th in the NCAA in passing efficiency completing 66% of his passes with nine touchdowns to date. Stanzi has quietly led the Iowa offense the entire season with the patience and effectiveness that one would expect from a fifth year senior. If Iowa can establish any type of ground game with Adam Robinson, expect Stanzi to stretch the Penn State defense by throwing the ball downfield and to the deep corners. From an offensive perspective, one thing that I would like to see this weekend is more screen plays to the running back, particularly screens to the middle of the field, as I think Iowa could surprise an overly aggressive and young Penn State linebacker corps.

Tight End Play. If he continues at this rate, Allen Reisner will likely continue the streak of every starting tight end in the Kirk Ferentz era being drafted by an NFL team. The sure-handed Reisner has become a security blanket for Stanzi, due in large part to Stanzi’s maturity in checking down to his tight end rather than forcing a ball downfield into coverage. Reisner has also developed into a solid blocking tight end, an important prerequisite for tight ends in the Iowa system.

Joe Paterno. I am sure Iowa fans thought in 2006 and 2008 that they would be witnessing Joe Paterno’s final trip to Kinnick Stadium. The 83-year old Paterno still has his stoic presence on the sidelines, but I can tell that he has changed even since last year. While I have not listened to every one of his press conferences this year, it is apparent that something is just not the same, as Paterno is not as witty or quick with his responses. Although I will not go so far as to say that Paterno will retire at the end of the season, I will make it a point to try and get into the stadium early enough to get what may be my final opportunity to see one of the most iconic figures the history of college football as he makes his way to the Penn State sidelines. Someday I will get to tell my kids that I saw Paterno coach in person, the same way that other people have told their children about seeing Bear Bryant, Bobby Bowden, Woody Hayes, or Bo Schembechler coach in person.

I have had a good feeling about this game the entire season. Even though Penn State is a good football team that has an opportunity to challenge some of the Big Ten heavyweights this season, Iowa is not one of those. Penn State’s offensive mentality plays right into Iowa’s strengths and will become apparent mid-way through the third quarter. Iowa’s top-ranked defense should be able to contain Royster and should be able to put enough pressure on Bolden that the true freshman will likely be forced into poor decisionmaking throwing the football. One more thing, what gimmick will the Iowa marketing department come up with next? Seriously, how many different color themed games can a team have in one year or in consecutive years? Given the predicted cold forecast for Saturday, I expect the alternating black and gold section theme to fail. Maybe I am being too critical, but how can an Iowa fan not be about these efforts? Remember, this is the same marketing department that brought us “Let’s Get Mad Again,” one of the most cryptic, difficult to understand slogans ever created for a sports team. If the Iowa faithful is able to pull it off, however, I promise that I will be the first to admit it.

Prediction: Iowa 21 Penn State 10

Pick to Click: Tyler Sash

September 28, 2010

Ball St Postgame
By Neal

Quarterbacks: A

Despite all the inclement weather the quarterbacks were still able to deliver some fantastic throws around the field which was a great sign for a passing attack that looked out of sync at times last week at Arizona. Ricky Stanzi made a couple of beautiful deep throws including a gorgeous toss to DJK in the endzone. The deep passes won’t always be this consistent, but after some frustrating overthrows against the Wildcats it was nice to see Stanzi get into a groove. My only complaint remains that he tends to focus in on one or two receivers during some plays but generally his vision continues to be much improved.

Running Backs: B+

Adam Robinson continues to look solid when the line gets some push and he generally seems a bit more athletic than he was last year. Brad Rogers wasn’t a bad replacement but I remain skeptical since even Paki O’Meara had some nice runs when this offensive line was clicking. Marcus Coker looks a little green but that is to be expected. From the limited snaps he took the only issue I can find with his game is that he just doesn’t have a very quick first step which I think might be because he isn’t used to reading his blocks at this speed yet. The hesitancy should improve as he gets more snaps.

Receivers: A

The receivers continue to show that they are easily the strongest unit on this Iowa offense. DJK’s game has really improved and I continue to be impressed by not only his skills as a catcher, but his athleticism in the open field. Marvin McNutt and Keenan Davis provide those big receiving targets that will challenge smaller corners and even Colin Sandeman and Paul Chaney Jr. got some action. Allen Reisner has really stepped his game up since last year and I think he is poised to have a huge game in the next couple of weeks.

Offensive Line: B-

After a difficult and pressing game last week everyone was interested to see what would happen to the offensive line this week. They turned in a decent, if inconsistent, performance that will at least quiet the critics for a week before Big Ten play begins. The holding penalties, were unnecessary and disconcerting for a team that should have been able to steamroll an undersized Ball State. At the same time however the huge holes did appear and Ricky Stanzi wasn’t every sacked while standing in the pocket (though there were some close calls). Consider this a wait and see before Penn State.

Defensive Line: A-

Finish. That would be my message to the defensive line this week when they look at the film. They were able to get off of blocks and get into position but they miffed some tackles and sacks. It didn’t matter this week, but in the future that is going to likely mean the difference between a tackle for a loss and a first down.

Linebackers: C

This game really made me worry about how our linebackers are going to handle Michigan. Too many guys were out of position and there were too many missed tackles in the running game. The first man to the runnr needs to get his body on him and at least hold him long enough for the rest of the defense to swarm to the ball and gang tackle the ball carrier. The mental errors with that part of the game were just too big and those errors will get turned into points by better teams. On the plus side, the pass defense was improved from last week and there was a much stronger presence in the middle zone from the linebackers.

Defensive Backs: A

No they weren’t tested much, but give this unit credit, when the defensive line got pressure they kept with the receivers and limited the quarterback’s options downfield. This unit looked night and day better than they did in the desert and I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that they were facing smaller receivers. Big test next week as Penn State brings in a bevy of talented receivers to test the secondary.

September 25, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Ball State Game
By Andrew

As I mentioned in my post prior to the game, I thought Ball State was exactly the type of opponent that Iowa needed coming off of the loss at Arizona. The result of the game also ended up being exactly what Iowa needed. Here are my thoughts.

Beast Mode. His teammates evidently nicknamed him the “Beast” for his constant motor and hard-nosed play, but Mike Daniels played like a possessed human on Saturday. Daniels ended the day with six tackles, one sack, and four tackles for losses. To think that Iowa only had to beat out Villanova during his recruitment illustrates yet again the Iowa coaching staff’s keen eye for talent. Granted, Ball State’s offensive line did not present much of a challenge, but if Daniels can continue that type of play for the rest of the year it will force teams to perhaps double team him, which will open up things for Adrian Clayborn and others. I have to continue to remind myself to enjoy every minute of this year’s defensive line play, as units as solid as this group do not come around at Iowa very often.

Running Game. Adam Robinson, Brad Rogers, and Marcus Coker all looked more than serviceable running the ball for a combined 260 yards and two touchdowns. While I would be surprised to see any runs longer than thirty yards for the remainder of the year, if this stable of running backs can run the ball effectively enough to establish the play action pass, the Iowa running game will not miss a beat. The accompanying offensive line play was also impressive on Saturday as there were clear running lanes open all day long. This unit has continued to improve each game and, if they continue on the standard course of improvement of Kirk Ferentz-coached offensive lines, could turn out to be a pleasant surprise given the concern about this group heading into the season.

Kicking Woes. While Mike Meyer had two touchbacks and the kickoff coverage improved, the 37 yard miss in the second quarter must have given the Iowa coaching staff some mild heartburn. As conference play begins and the competition increases, Iowa will undoubtedly be forced to convert its field goal attempts in order to win close games. For the time being, it would appear as though Meyer will be the guy called upon to attempt field goals against Penn State, I would not be surprised to see Trent Mossbrucker also have an opportunity on Saturday, as Kirk Ferentz may not be done with the placekicking audition quite yet.

Throwback Uniforms. As a fan of history and nostalgia, count me as one Iowa fan who particularly enjoyed the uniforms that Iowa wore on Saturday. Several Iowa beat writers commented that if Iowa had continued wearing those same uniforms, Iowa would be talked about in the same breath as Alabama, Penn State, and Michigan for classic uniforms. Unfortunately for Iowa fans, because the Hawkeyes have done throwbacks from the other two best eras of Iowa football, there are probably no other worthy throwbacks in Iowa’s history, well other than the banana peel uniforms from the mid 1990s.

Despite the non-conference loss to Arizona, Iowa has regained the role of the underdog, a role that Iowa players, coaches, and fans seem to relish. While merely a shadow of last year’s 10-2 team, Penn State is still a quality opponent and will present a strong challenge for the Hawkeyes on homecoming weekend. This game will again act as a great litmus test for this team as it heads towards a much needed bye week.

September 24, 2010

Know Your Enemy Ball St
By Neal

NAME: Ball State University
COLORS: Cardinal and White
LOCATION: Muncie, IN
ENROLLMENT: 17,737 undergraduates
STADIUM: Scheumann Stadium
COACH: Stan Parrish, 2-11 at Ball State, 4-41-1 overall
SERIES RECORD: 1-0 Iowa, only meeting in 2005, Iowa won 56-0
FIGHT SONG: Fight Team Fight

Fight team fight for Ball State
We must win this game
Onward now you Cardinals
Bring glory to your name
Fight! Fight! Fight!
Here's to both our colors
Cardinal and White
Praying for a victory
So fight, fight, fight

TRADITIONS: Ball State has an extremely impressive alumni list. It includes late night talk show host David Letterman, actors Anthony Montgomery and Joyce DeWitt, and Sportswriters Mike Lopressti, Jason Whitlock, and Sam Smith. The list also includes former President of UPS Kent C. Nelson, Papa John’s founder and CEO John Schnatter, and Jim Davis who created the Garfield cartoons. ESPN producer Matt Houston is a Ball State alum as well as the voice of the Detroit Pistons Mark Champion, who is also the voice of the Super Bowl, “I’m going to Disney World,” commercials.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: The running backs. The Iowa running game was abysmal last week and that needs to improve if the Hawks are going to rebound for a good season. With Jewel Hampton out for the season with a torn ACL Adam Robinson is now the guy. Robinson isn’t a bad back, and I think if he gets into a rhythm and avoids injury he should be just fine. However this needs to be the point where the Iowa ground game gets rolling. The hawks also need for the offensive line to get back to where they were in the first two games. We likely won’t find out if the line play against Arizona was a trend or an aberration until Penn State but this game could go a long way into getting the line to build some confidence for that test.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: This is an attitude game. Where is this teams’ head following an odd and disappointing performance against Arizona? We will find out this weekend as the Hawks play a team that they should dominate. Iowa will win; Ball State was handled by a crappy Purdue team so I am not worrying about the Hawks winning. However the Hawkeyes need to make a statement here to get mentally prepared for another emotional contest against Penn State next week. I think the coaching staff will be pushing the Hawkeyes all week and that they manage to come out fired up and focused. I think the Hawkeyes roll this week and manage to overcome a slow first quarter with a run before halftime. The defense should have their way with the Cardinals in the second half. IOWA WINS 24-3

September 24, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Ball State Predictions
By: Andrew

The time for being upset about the Arizona game is over. As I mentioned in my last installment, I think Iowa’s schedule sets up perfect for this team to regain its confidence heading into conference play. The loss of Jewel Hampton to season-ending ACL surgery depletes an already short-handed Iowa backfield, and although his injury is particularly disheartening given that he tore the ACL in his other knee prior to last season, as they say in Ft. Kinnick, next man in for the Hawkeyes. Here are my thoughts.

Special Teams Improvement. While Ball State does not present much in the way of a challenge to either the offense or the defense, Ball State’s Eric Williams is sixth in the nation in kickoff return yardage averaging 36.14 yards a return. Given Iowa’s well-documented struggles on kickoff coverage last week against Arizona and the entire season, I think this presents a great opportunity for Iowa’s kickoff coverage unit to have more practice and experience. Expecting that Iowa’s offense will score at least four touchdowns, that gives Iowa’s kickoff coverage unit at least five opportunities to improve upon its season performance to date. I would also expect to see several starters on kickoff coverage including Tyler Sash, Jeff Tarpinian, and Tyler Nielsen.

Defensive Line Dominance. Despite not putting up the quantifiable numbers that unrealistic Iowa fans expected the Iowa defensive line to put up this season, the unit as a whole has been outstanding ranking ninth in the nation in rush defense allowing only 68.67 yards per game. This game may be the game that Adrian Clayborn puts up the statistics that unrealistic Iowa fans were hoping to see all season. Granted, Clayborn has been double-teamed and triple-teamed all season, but that should not stop him from getting at least three sack a game, right? I only jest because I think that Clayborn has played exceptionally well this year and has freed up the other defensive linemen to make plays in the backfields of opponents. Mel Kiper evidently moved Clayborn down his big board from fifth to eighth. If Kiper believes that Clayborn’s performance thus far merits such a demotion, then his subjective, ridiculous ranking of college seniors is even more ludicrous than I thought.

Field Goal. Because Iowa should be able to move the ball freely against Ball State, it is conceivable that the Hawkeyes may go four weeks without a field goal attempt. Nonetheless, I think that Trent Mossbrucker will finally have at least one attempt on Saturday. While Mossbrucker has not attempted a field goal all season and while it is still his job to lose, I think he may be on semi-thin ice with Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa coaching staff after his blocked point after attempt last Saturday. Iowa teams under Ferentz have thrived on consistent and steady special teams play. In light of the other issues with special teams, the kicking game will need to improve in anticipation of Big Ten play. With Daniel Murray still out with a hip-flexor injury, Iowa fans may see true freshmen Mike Meyer trot out for a field goal attempt on Saturday to give the coaching staff an opportunity to judge more than one kicker’s performance.

Offensive Line. Because I could not force myself to watch a replay of the Arizona game, I have to base these next comments on my memory of watching the game live in Tucson. I thought that Iowa’s offensive line performance was much better than Iowa fans have been complaining about all week. Yes, the last series was an awful performance, but for the rest of the game, Ricky Stanzi had plenty of time to throw the ball down field on deep routes that took significant time to develop. Arizona had the luxury of playing with a lead for the most of the game, which allowed them to be more aggressive on defense and blitz more than they may have even planned to do. On the last series, it was simply a matter of numbers that the Iowa offensive line and running backs could not pick up the number of defenders that Arizona brought with the consecutive blitzes. I would guess that the Iowa offense worked on blitz pickup and on hot routes to beat the blitz, as the Arizona defense presented the blueprint for how to attack the Iowa offense.

The hangover from the Arizona loss was probably a little bit longer than other Iowa loss hangovers. Perhaps it was an over-inflated sense of what might have been this season, or perhaps it was a lingering disappointment that despite being down twenty points at halftime, this Iowa team almost completed the improbable comeback win. Although I tended to feel the latter of the two during my own sobering process of getting over the Arizona loss, it is also the reason that gives me an optimistic outlook for the remainder of the season. To think that almost everything that could go wrong in a game did go wrong, and for Iowa to still be within an extra point of taking the lead makes me still believe that this Iowa team is a special group that is capable of accomplishing big goals this season. Although Iowa may come out a little flat against Ball State and although the score may not be a total thrashing, this Saturday is the start of a new season in which great things are still possible.

Prediction: Iowa 38 Ball State 7

Pick to Click: Adrian Clayborn

September 20, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Arizona Game
By: Andrew

As is most often the case, twenty four hours removed from Iowa’s first loss of the year things are not as bad as they seemed in the minutes and hours after Iowa’s 34-27 loss to Arizona. Despite a subpar performance in many areas of the game, I think that there are several reasons for Iowa fans to be excited about the remainder of the season. Here are my thoughts.

Special Teams Play. The margin for error at Iowa has always been and always will be small. That margin for error shrinks even more on the road against a quality opponent. It is very rare for a team to give up a blocked punt that leads to a touchdown, a kickoff return for a touchdown, and miss an extra point and walk away with a win on the road, yet Iowa was oh so close to overcoming those odds. Iowa’s donation of fourteen points to Arizona with the blocked punt and kickoff return made it nearly impossible for Iowa to win the game, which should make Iowa fans very pleased with the team’s effort in the second half to score twenty straight unanswered points to tie the game. Iowa’s kickoff coverage has been suspect all year, as the unit is giving up 30.9 yards per return, which is good enough for 116^th out of 120 teams in Division I. With respect to kickoff coverage, it does not appear that players are abandoning their lanes; rather, it appears as though they are tentative in getting to the returner instead of flying to the returner with the reckless abandon that is necessary to have good kickoff coverage. Something tells me that special teams will receive quite a bit of work during this week of practice.

Protection. While I was just as disgusted as everyone else with the debacle that was the last offensive drive that resulted in three straight sacks, in evaluating the performance of the offensive line for the whole game, think about how much time Ricky Stanzi had to throw the ball the entire game. For an offensive line that includes three first time starters, I thought they handled the pressure of playing on the road quite well and gave Stanzi plenty of time to throw the ball deep downfield. Run blocking, however, was a different story, due in part to the fact that Arizona was selling out on the run placing eight or more defenders in the box, which teams have been prone to do against Iowa for the past several years. Iowa’s offense is predicated on establishing the run, thus the offensive line will need to continue its progress and improve each week to help setup the play-action pass. The defensive gameplan of future Iowa opponents will likely be similar to what Arizona did on Saturday, which is to say that teams will continue to bring pressure with linebackers up the middle and through disguised cornerback blitzes. As this unit continues to develop and grow, I think they will be able to handle the blitz long enough for Stanzi to make the quick throw to burn the blitz.

Defensive Scheme. Arizona quarterback Nick Foles is probably the most accurate passer that the Iowa defense will face the entire season. Likewise, his patience to wait for his receivers to become open in Iowa’s zone was one of the better passing performances against an Iowa defense in a long time. One of my biggest curiosities entering this season was how well Jeff Tarpinian and Tyler Nielsen would cover receivers in space. Although both have the athletic ability and talent to keep up with receivers, their lack of experience was evident on Saturday. Nonetheless, I think Iowa’s linebackers will continue to improve and gain the experience that Iowa had last year with two year starter Pat Angerer and three year starter AJ Edds, who are arguably two of the best linebackers in the Kirk Ferentz era. On the defensive line, I thought that Mike Daniels was particularly impressive again in this game with his ability to push back his blocker off the line of scrimmage. Likewise, the athleticism of Adrian Clayborn and Christian Ballard was a sight to behold even if it did not translate into quantifiable statistics. It is only a matter of time before the sacks and hurried throws that result in interceptions start to add up for this unit.

Like many Iowa fans I was initially angry and upset about the performance on Saturday. When my Hawkeye hangover settled by Sunday morning, however, I was impressed with the team’s ability to compete in the second half by scoring twenty unanswered points to tie the game at 27. I also think that if Iowa and Arizona played ten times against one another, Iowa would win eight to nine of those ten games but, as they say, that is why they play the game. The other reason for my optimism is due to the fact that the Big Ten race is still wide open, as Wisconsin and Michigan do not appear to be as strong as I thought at the beginning of the year. If Iowa can continue to improve, eliminate the small mental mistakes that caused the disasters on Saturday, and play to their ability, there is still so much to play for this season, including an outright Big Ten championship, something that Iowa has not had since 1985 and, perhaps, a berth in the Rose Bowl. Most sane Iowa fans would take an 11-1 or 10-2 record and a Big Ten championship if offered. The placement of the Ball State game could not come at a better time, as several Hawkeyes are nicked up, most notably Jewel Hampton whose status is still uncertain. With a bye week on the horizon prior to the start of conference play, I think a shot of confidence against an overmatched Ball State team will be just what the doctor ordered for this team.

September 20, 2010

Arizona: Post Mortem
By Neal

Well that was interesting. I am eschewing my normal post-game grades for just some notes since I don’t really think we can evaluate each unit individually since so much of what happened was the product of breakdowns in the team as a whole.

-The offensive line will likely get the brunt of the blame but that really isn’t a fair assessment of what happened. Yes, they gave up four sacks in a row at the end of the game but all but one of those were the product of great downfield coverage and a blitz scheme that Arizona hadn’t used all game. Credit to Mike Stoops here, he really did a great job in waiting to use that at the best possible moment. The line as a whole only struggled when we abandoned our game plan and threw the ball nearly every down and that wasn’t their fault. What was their fault was that after the first quarter we never got a good push in the running game. Yeah Arizona won the numbers game by loading up the box after the first quarter, but even when we were going in favorable numbers matchups the line just didn’t look the same.

-Ricky Stanzi played a pretty good game, but his inability to hit wide open receivers downfield really doomed this football team. How many times did Iowa have a receiver wide open down the middle of the field and Ricky just couldn’t connect? It is hard to diagnose why it just wasn’t working. It could have just been an off night, a lack of practice this week on the deep play action routes, or a million other issues but that needs to get fixed.

-The defensive line will certainly get some criticism but Arizona was almost always blocking with six guys and even when they were there was penetration. The defensive line generally had a very solid game but the stats won’t show it because the Wildcats were able to get the ball down the field quickly.

-This gets us to the back seven which was really disappointing as they just didn’t cover their receivers long enough to allow the defensive line to get to Foles. This unit really hampered the defense all day long and there is going to need to be some massive improvement before the Hawks get into conference play in two weeks.

-The special teams play was downright baffling. Iowa had a punt blocked and 100 yard touchdown return on a kickoff. The former is not a consistent issue and I am not too worried about it being a consistent issue but the latter was a hangover from the Iowa State game. Something needs to be done about the kickoff coverage because there are just some huge mental lapses that will kill this team as the season goes on.

Overall I don’t want to rush to too much judgment on this team. For both squads this was an odd game with Arizona getting penalized almost every other snap on offense it seemed and the Hawkeyes digging a 21 point hole off of two special teams errors and a tipped pass that turned into a pick six. Arizona made more plays in the end and that is why they won, but I honestly don’t think we really saw what either of these teams are truly capable of.

September 17, 2010

Know Your Enemy Iowa St.
By Neal

NAME: University of Arizona
COLORS: Red and blue
LOCATION: Tucson, AZ
ENROLLMENT: 29,719 undergraduates
STADIUM: Arizona Stadium
COACH: Mike Stoops, 7th year at Arizona, 35-39 record
SERIES RECORD: 6-6
FIGHT SONG: Bear Down Arizona

Arizona, Bear Down!
Let's cheer for Arizona
Let's lift our voices high
Let's cheer for Arizona
The Bear Down battle cry
Let's cheer our team to victory
Let's cheer our team to fame
Let's cheer for Arizona
For spirit wins the game!
Bear Down Arizona
Bear Down Red and Blue
Bear Down Arizona
Hit 'em hard
Let 'em know who's who
Bear Down Arizona
Bear Down Red and Blue
Go! Go! Wildcats go!
Arizona Bear Down

TRADITIONS: Bear Down is the schools official motto which was created in 1926. John “Button” Salmon was the schools quarterback, starting catcher, and class president. After the opening game of the season Salmon’s car flipped in to a ravine where he suffered a major spinal cord injury. Reportedly, Salmon told his coach to send a message to his teammates which was, “tell them to bear down”. Salmon died in October of that year and following his funeral the coach used Salmon’s final words as a rallying cry for their team. The message was officially adopted as the school’s motto by the student body the following year.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: The Iowa offensive line. I have watched the tape on Arizona and while they don’t have the best pass rush they will be a solid step up in competition from Iowa State. Arizona should also bring in plenty of blitzes which will test the offensive line’s ability to adjust on the fly. The Iowa receivers should be in an interesting battle with an athletic pair of corners from Arizona so look for some interesting battles in the passing game. On defense, the Iowa secondary is again my focus as they face yet another pass happy team. Also, I expect a lot of screens from the Wildcats so how the linebackers pick those up will be big.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: I do not understand people’s excitement with the wildcats. I like Iowa in the trenches more on both sides of the ball and given the way our defensive line has snuffed out screens and sweeps I just don’t see Arizona being able to do much on the ground. In the passing game Arizona is a threat but the Arizona passing game has only worked so well because their receivers have been able to get open extremely quickly. Even against Citadel, the Arizona offensive line was very close to giving up some sacks but was bailed out by the receivers’ ability to get open quickly and the awareness of Nick Foles. The Iowa secondary is a lot more dangerous than the Citadel’s and I just see Nick Foles getting beaten up. For the Iowa offense, the Arizona defensive front seven just doesn’t scare me. They are very disciplined and they certainly aren’t bad, but I could have used the exact same description for the Cyclones. The only thing that scares me about this defense is the corners and I think that will be the most interesting battle to watch all night. Everyone brings up the fact that the game is being held at night and on the west coast and the fact that Iowa has struggled there. It kind of reminds me of last year when everyone kept bringing up Iowa’s embarrassing showing in the Orange Bowl last year. Kirk Ferentz makes mistakes but he rarely makes them twice. With everyone picking Iowa to lose and talking about their lack of athleticism I expect the Hawkeyes to come out fired up early and to take the Wildcats out of the game early. IOWA WINS 35-14

September 16, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Arizona Predictions
By: Andrew

The game that Iowa fans have been worried about the entire offseason is finally here. However, if those same fans knew that the Iowa offense would look this consistent this early in the season, I wonder if those fans would have had the same lingering concerns. My thoughts and predictions on this game have waffled considerably over the entire offseason and this past week. Here are my thoughts.

Defensive Pressure. Arizona has three offensive weapons that should give Iowa fans cause for concern. Nick Foles, who came in at quarterback in the second half of the game last season, is a presence in the pocket completing 84% of his pass attempts in two games this season. While the competition of Toledo and The Citadel is not exactly top notch competition, that completion percentage is still off the charts and should worry Iowa fans. Foles’s favorite target is 6-4 wide receiver Juron Criner who is a physical wide receiver that can stretch the field and make big plays. The final piece of this trio is running back Nic Grigsby who Iowa fans saw plenty of last year when he ran for 75 yards on 11 carries against the Hawkeyes. Even though Arizona’s offensive statistics have been astronomical this year, Foles is a pure pocket passer and, therefore, if Iowa is able to create pressure using just its defensive line, the timing that is critical in this Arizona passing offense will be thrown off, which could lead to hurried throws or Foles throwing the ball out of bounds. Perhaps even more important is that if the defensive line is able to create pressure without blitzing, it will allow the linebackers to stay in coverage against an Arizona passing attack that relies on short passing routes. Although Arizona will be able to move the ball in short gains, I think Arizona will be surprised at how talented this Iowa defense truly is and will struggle to deal with the physical play by the second half.

Big Run. Adam Robinson showed last week why Iowa fans have come to love him since he burst on the scene last year against UNI. Robinson’s ability to keep his legs moving and shake tackles causes him to gain extra yards on each carry, which might seem negligible at first glance, but second down and four is a much different situation than second down and seven by allowing for greater flexibility with play calling on second down. Jewel Hampton admitted this week during the weekly Iowa press conference that he was anxious in his first game in over a year last week against Iowa State. One could tell watching the game that he was not patient for his cutback lanes to open and hit the hole about one step too quickly. If Hampton is able to let the game slow down and have patience, I think that there is a good chance he breaks a big run against an Arizona defense that only returns four starters from last year’s defense.

Kicking Question. I mentioned after the Iowa State game that we have yet to see Trent Mossbrucker, or any kicker for that matter, attempt a field goal this season. Mossbrucker has not attempted a field goal since late in 2008 and has not had an opportunity to kick a field goal under significant pressure in his career. This, of course, assumes that Kirk Ferentz would call on Mossbrucker to trot out for the first field goal attempt of the year. Daniel Murray appears to be available this week, but I would guess that Mossbrucker gets the first attempt due to Murray’s absence the past two weeks as the result of a hip flexor injury. In what will likely be a close game, Iowa will likely have several field goal opportunities, and on the road, successfully converting those attempts are critical if a road team wants to win. A missed field goal could mean the difference between walking out of Tucson with a win or a loss, as last year’s Ohio State game illustrated.

Offensive Gameplan. One of the questions I pondered this week was whether Iowa would come out with a short passing plan similar to their first drive against Eastern Illinois, or a running plan that relies on Iowa’s bread and butter zone blocking stretch play. My guess is that we will see a balance of run and pass that Iowa fans have come to expect in the Kirk Ferentz era. I also think that we will see Iowa establish the run to set up the deep play action pass that seemed to work so well last week against Arizona. As Steve Deace, host of the soon to be former radio show Miller & Deace in the Morning always says, a college football team cannot hide its quarterback. Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi certainly is not hiding behind anything and is more than capable to handle any pressure or hostility that may be present in Tucson on Saturday. Stanzi has looked confident and poised in Iowa’s first two games and I look for him to continue that in this game and will lead the Iowa offense on several long scoring drives.

There seem to be two trains of thoughts among Iowa fans’ thoughts on this game. One camp thinks Iowa will roll Arizona and walk away with a win by a two touchdown or more margin. The other camp has worried about this game the entire offseason and thinks it will be a close game, if not a potential loss. I tend to side with the latter camp, as Arizona has payback on its mind after last season’s loss in Iowa City. While I trust Kirk Ferentz that the heat and game time are non-issues, I am concerned with the fact that Norm Parker will not be making the trip, a trip he also missed in 2004 when Iowa was humbled in a 44-7 loss at Arizona State. While every Iowa fan should be most concerned with Parker being discharged from the hospital and getting back to good health, there is no doubt that his presence will be missed. Think about taking an early evening nap or even a pregame coffee, Hawkeye fans, as this game is going to challenge your ability to stay awake to watch a great football game.

Prediction: Iowa 24 Arizona 21

Pick to Click: Jeff Tarpinian

September 13, 2010

ISU Postgame
By Neal

The Hawks put out a solid performance in week two. Here is how they graded out.

Quarterbacks: B+

This should almost be two grades since there were multiple guys who saw time at the position. For Stanzi, he continues to impress as a passer. My only knock on him would be the deep passes that he overthrew, but that is not really a major complaint. Vandenberg continues to look like a solid backup to Stanzi but he isn’t exactly a starter yet either. He missed a couple of reads and while appreciate his running ability he missed a couple open receivers when he pulled the ball down the second time. If this grade is going to go up I want to see Stanzi nailing a higher percentage of those deep routes and for Vandenberg to improve his vision and awareness.

Running Backs: A+

I said it last week and I will say it again, how about Adam Robinson? The knock on 32 last week was that he didn’t have the breakaway speed to be a big threat. I guess he heard that because he gouged ISU’s defense for two huge runs. Jewell Hampton also made an appearance and, while he seemed a bit rusty, I think he looked like a more than solid change of pace guy. Honestly, as impressive as Robinson was, I still think this is an open running back competition just because of the potential and upside that Hampton has as an athlete. Either way it all shakes out, I think both backs have made their cases to get plenty of carries in the future.

Receivers: A

The receivers were a bit improved from last weeks’ solid performance even though we didn’t really see Stanzi throwing to a ton of targets. Marvin McNutt and DJK were the only two wideouts who caught passes in the game, and Reisner was the only tight end to receive a pass. However, those three combined for 10 receptions and each recorded over 60 yards with their catches. Iowa isn’t a team that dinks and dunks down the field a lot so this kind of stat line, while not comparable to teams like Purdue or Northwestern, is indicative of a great game from the receivers. Also, the unit as whole deserves credit for some solid downfield run blocking which sprang Adam Robinson a few times.

Offensive Line: B+

I know the line was the story of the game and I realize they were quite impressive at times, but I saw inconsistency in the run blocking and a few hiccups with the pass blocking. Let’s give credit where credit is due first, the line looked a lot better than expected and I honestly think we can lay to rest that, at the bare minimum, we should be able to grind down any team we play without a solid defensive line (though considering what conference we play in that isn’t exactly a long list). The run blocking just wasn’t consistent enough to warrant a higher grade and a lot of that had to do with this line having to pick up blitzes which will come with time. On a side note, I want to see this team perform well against a team with a solid defensive line. If we look the same way against Penn State I imagine this team to be pretty darn special.

Defensive Line: A-

The complaint I have this week is the same one I had last week: consistency. I want a more consistent pass rush and there just wasn’t enough this week even from the starters. This line is still fairly deep so I understand the coaching staff was messing around with combinations for most of the game. The run defense from the line was a huge step up from last season and I hope that is something we can see week to week and not just against ISU.

Linebackers: A-

This was another solid performance from the linebackers. Again the issue is with pass coverage which, though it wasn’t bad, could have been better. There were just too many passes thrown over linebackers in shallow zone coverage and you need to have some experience and awareness to know how to defend that. The middle is the weakest part of Iowa’s cover two scheme and the best way to compensate for the linebackers is to find keys and reads to know when to extend your middle zone a bit further back. Obviously that is not something that is going to happen overnight

Defensive Backs: B

Again my lowest grade of the week goes to the defensive backs, but this one is much more respectable than last week. The pass coverage was greatly improved and even the ISU touchdown was forgivable since it was just a great call against the third team defense. My main concern with this team is with tackling and getting off blocks. Defensive backs disappeared too many times on stretch plays and that needs to get way better since Iowa State is not the only team on Iowa’s schedules with receivers who block downfield. Also tackling in space, which looked great last week, looked pretty poor in this game.

Overall one thing I want to say is that while a lot of grades are the same, the fact that a lot of these units are receiving the same grades against ISU that they did against EIU is impressive. You need to improve a lot to score out like that against a better opponent and that is a huge statement to Ferentz and his squad. When you dominate a rival the same way you dominate an FCS squad, and perhaps better in this case, it really says a lot about how much you can do in a week. My major complaint is on kickoff coverage which needs to get better. Guys need to stop swarming to the ball and stay in their lanes because there were too many times that ISU broke contain on the kick coverage. Those breakdowns were mental errors that should be fixed pretty quickly. Otherwise a great showing from the Hawks today.

September 13, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Iowa State Game
By: Andrew

Dominant performances early on in the season have been few and far between in the Kirk Ferentz era, which is not a knock on Coach Ferentz or the coaching staff, as they are more concerned with steady progress and improvement than dominating opponents. This senior-laden team, however, showed on Saturday, against a rival opponent no less, why lofty aspirations this season are realistic. Here are my thoughts.

Disruption. How many times does it need to be said how talented this defensive line is before it simply becomes a broken record? The play of Adrian Clayborn, Karl Klug, Christian Ballard, Broderick Binns, and Mike Daniels was absolutely superb on Saturday. While the defensive line only ended up with one sack, their disruption of the Iowa State offense cannot be quantified. The constant pressure forced Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud into several hurried throws and bad decisions resulting in three interceptions. Likewise, the defensive line was responsible for limiting one of the best running backs in the Big 12, Alexander Robinson, to forty nine yards rushing. The problem for scheming against this Iowa defense is the fact that they are able to apply a consistent pass rush with only four linemen, which allows the linebackers to stay back in coverage and defend the pass. While another difficult test awaits this defense this next week, I expect this unit to continue to improve, which should be very disconcerting to Iowa’s remaining opponents.

Drive and Push. The play of Iowa’s offensive line was also a bright spot on Saturday powering Adam Robinson and Jewel Hampton to 158 and 87 yards of rushing respectively, and 293 total rushing yards. Perhaps most encouraging was the way that this unit came out and methodically moved the line of scrimmage early in the first half to consecutive drives of 71 yards. While this young offensive line was a concern of many Iowa fans entering the season, their play thus far has been very impressive, especially the play of James Ferentz and Nolan MacMillan who have both been able to stay on their blocks and drive their defenders down the field. I am very encouraged by the play of this young unit and am anxious to watch their development as the season continues.

Quick Start. Not to apply any jinxes, but it has been very encouraging that the Iowa offense has scored on their first offensive possession in the first two games. With a defense that will limit scoring, the ability of Iowa’s offense to spot their defensive brethren with seven points is a huge advantage. Ricky Stanzi looked confident in the pocket and made several beautiful long throws to Marvin McNutt and Allen Reisner. Stanzi’s ability to throw the ball downfield and put the ball over a receiver’s shoulder while hitting him in stride has been a thing of beauty his entire career and is something that should not be taken for granted. What is even more exciting for Iowa fans is the fact that Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, arguably one of Iowa’s best playmakers, along with McNutt, has not had many touches this season. It will be very interesting to see if this Iowa offense is able to continue its consistency in the desert against a salty Arizona defense.

Coverage. The only dark spot of the afternoon was Iowa’s kickoff coverage, which is something that Iowa has always done well under Kirk Ferentz. Typically a breakdown on coverage is a matter of players going outside of their lanes and shirking responsibilities. I would expect Iowa’s kickoff coverage to be much improved this week against Arizona. Speaking of special teams, one thing that does worry me about the Arizona game is the fact that Iowa has yet to attempt a field goal this season. It really concerns me that Trent Mossbrucker may be called on to make a clutch field goal against Arizona without having done so in competition this season.

Iowa’s 35-7 victory over intrastate rival Iowa State was one of the most dominant performances on both sides of the ball that Iowa has had in a long time. Iowa outperformed Iowa State in almost every respect of the game and gives this team confidence entering a matchup in a game that has worried Iowa fans the entire offseason. While I think the two hour time difference and heat are overblown in terms of their disadvantages to the Hawkeyes, Iowa will face one of the best backfields it will see the entire season, and although I will make my prediction later in the week, I think Iowa fans have reason to be confident heading into the game.

September 11, 2010

Know Your Enemy Iowa St.
By Neal

Know your enemy continues with Iowa’s first rivalry game of the season against the Iowa State Cyclones. The game is sold out and you can expect plenty of Iowa supporters, including the Hawkeye Marching Band, in the crowd.

NAME: Iowa State University (of science and technology)

COLORS: Cardinal and Gold

LOCATION: Ames, IA

ENROLLMENT: 25,312

STADIUM: Jack Trice Stadium, 55,000 seat capacity, Grass Surface

COACH: Paul Rhoads, 2^nd Year, 8-6 as head coach
SERIES RECORD: Iowa Leads 38-19

FIGHT SONG: Iowa State Fight Song

O we will fight, fight, fight for Iowa State,
And may her colors ever fly.
Yes, we will fight with might for Iowa State,
With a will to do or die,
Rah! Rah! Rah!
Loyal sons forever true,
And we will fight the battle through.
And when we hit that line we'll hit it hard
ev'ry yard for I. S. U.

TRADITIONS: The Cy mascot has been a staple of the ISU sideline since the 1950’s when it was designed in lieu of creating an anthropomorphic tornado mascot. The creation was named by popular vote from the student body. In 2008 Cy won the Capital One Mascot of the Year award and made an appearance at the Capital One Bowl in Orlando. Also, it may not be a tradition, but it is worth noting that Saturday will mark the 1,456^th day since Iowa State has scored a touchdown on the Hawkeyes.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: The offensive line. Iowa should have no problem winning the battle at the line of scrimmage on defense but they will need to win both sides of the ball in order to keep ISU from threatening. Iowa’s offensive line needs to step up and make a statement that it can handle the pressure and continue to build confidence for the season. The linebackers and secondary will get a step up in competition but I think EIU provided a nice warm up in defending a spread (albeit one that utilized the pistol more than the shotgun) so they won’t be completely changing philosophy. Also watch the running back situation with Jewel Hampton returning to split carries with Adam Robinson.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: We start to see the first cracks appear in the Hawkeye offense but a consistent Iowa run game takes over. It will be a close game, with Iowa State grabbing a few big plays in the passing games but in the end the Hawkeyes win the time of possession battle and hang on to the Cy-Hawk trophy for another year.

IOWA WINS 24-14

September 10, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Iowa State Predictions
By: Andrew

The annual intrastate matchup that Iowa fans dislike to play because more is at stake with a loss and the game that Iowa State fans have to defend as not being important comes at a time when the animosity between the two fanbases is at a high level. While this annual game does not garner much attention outside of the state, in a state with a population of approximately 3 million people, there is little doubt that the eyes of most Iowans are on the game. Here are my thoughts.

Defensive Line Pressure. In the week leading up to this game, much has been made about the performance of Iowa’s defensive line in last season’s game. While Iowa walked away with a 35-3 victory, the defensive line was gashed for 190 rushing yards by Iowa State. You have all heard the stories about Iowa defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski holding a meeting with the defensive linemen that was a heated film session to point out what he believed to be a lackadaisical effort on their part. Almost all of the same characters in this story between the Iowa defensive line and the Iowa State offensive line and backfield are back for part two. The most important key for Iowa’s defensive line in this game will be to play their gaps and responsibilities, as read-option offenses like Iowa State rely heavily on over-pursuit by defensive linemen. While I do not think Iowa’s defensive line will stop Iowa State the same way they stopped the Georgia Tech running attack in the Orange Bowl, I do think they will improve on last year’s performance.

Touchdown-Less. It is amazing to think of all the things that have occurred since 2006 when Iowa State last scored a touchdown against Iowa. The Iowa State offense returns most of its key contributors from last year’s team, including quarterback Austin Arnaud and running back Alexander Robinson. Couple that experience with a second year of the same coaching staff led on offense by innovative offensive coordinator Tom Herman and I think it is likely that the touchdown-less streak will end this Saturday. On the other hand, while Iowa State will likely be able to move the ball between the 20s, when they do get to the red zone and are forced to deal with that extra safety (i.e. the back of the endzone), expect the Iowa defense to do what it does best in the redzone and force field goals. Either way, I think that Iowa State scores at least one if not two touchdowns in this game.

Turnover Frenzy. In addition to the discussion on the 190 rushing yards surrendered by Iowa’s defense last year, the other popular discussion point leading up to this game are Iowa State’s six turnovers that were caused or forced, depending on your point of view, in last year’s game. As always in rivalry games, turnovers and special teams tend to be the most critical factors in determining the winner. While I do not think Iowa has to play turnover free, I think they at least need to be plus two in turnover margin to win by double digits. While Arnaud has certainly improved since his five interception disaster last year, in watching Iowa State’s game against Northern Illinois it is clear that he still misses linebacker and safety zone coverage in the middle. I expect him to throw at least one interception this Saturday.

Running Game. This Saturday will see the return of Jewel Hampton to the Iowa backfield. While I am as excited as any other Hawkeye fan to see Hampton back in the lineup, the one thing that concerns me is ball security. As a freshman, Hampton had a tendency to fumble, which along with missing blocks, are two things that a running back cannot do. Despite that concern, I think the change of pace between Hampton and Adam Robinson will eventually wear down the Iowa State defense. While my prediction indicates a close game, I could also see the game being close for three quarters until the Iowa rushing attack eventually wears down the Iowa State defense.

I am very interested to see if the two schools continue this game if the Big Ten does move to a nine game conference schedule, as it may take an act by the Iowa legislature to continue the series in the same way that the Iowa legislature renewed the series back in 1977. Since 1998 when Iowa State ended Iowa’s fifteen game winning streak, I have always just wanted this game to be a win and move on to the next game, as I think Iowa always has so much more to lose in this game and Iowa State always seems to play above their talent level in this matchup. While I do think that Iowa State has improved in Paul Rhoads’ second year, the fact that Iowa is senior laden on both sides of the ball and the fact that it is at Kinnick make me feel much better about the outcome.

Prediction: Iowa 24 Iowa State 17

Pick to Click: Derrell Johnson-Koulianos

September 7, 2010

Week 1 Recap
By Neal

With the 2010 season opener in the books it is time to do my weekly grading out of the Hawkeyes position by position.

Quarterbacks: A-

It is tough to give these guys anything less than an A and I think I may be being a bit nitt-picky. Neither Ricky Stanzi nor James Vandenberg threw an incompletion until the waning minutes of the first half and their decision making was overall pretty good. However they aren’t perfect yet. Stanzi ha a couple tunnel vision moments and botched a snap on the goal line. He also overthrew a wide open Marvin McNutt down the sideline for what would have been an easy touchdown. This team cannot afford to leave points on the field and that was the biggest knock on the unit today.

Running Backs: A

How about Adam Robinson? I still don’t think he is the number one back but he probably earned himself plenty of touches as a backup. The knock I have is Robinson still hasn’t developed that extra gear that gives him breakaway speed. Nevertheless, Robinson still looks like he could be a battering ram in short yardage situations and he showed some great elusiveness and instinct breaking tackles. Add in the special teams play and late game runs of Paki O’ Meara and this group out performed my wildest expectations.

Receivers: B+

How hard is it to get open against the EIU secondary? I realize we were rotating guys in and out but considering that we were playing an FCS team our quarterbacks had to tuck and run or take the sack too many times. A lot of that was due to receivers, particularly wideouts, not getting open downfield quickly enough. Also, there were certainly some blocking moments that the receivers and tight ends will be looking at in the film room. The Brad Herman (at least that is who I believe it was) fumble which took away another scoring opportunity also hurts this unit. I will probably be riding this unit a bit harder than the others this season because there is so much potential. We are extremely deep at wide receiver and the tight ends were a revelation during the game. If this unit reaches its’ potential they could be the best in the conference.

Offensive Line: C

The line was decent, but not especially great. There were some missed assignments and a few issues with individual technique but overall the unit was not a liability. However, if they play like that next week, they will be. Too many times we had quarterbacks and running backs having to make plays in the back field because someone had missed an assignment and you just can’t have as much of that against an FCS team. To be honest, it felt like the mindset just wasn’t right. This unit needs to come out a little nastier in games and get more punch on the line of scrimmage. A little bit of nasty would go a long way for creating space in the run game.

Defensive Line: A-

They don’t quite get the A yet but the hype on this unit is certainly showing through on the individual level. On nearly every play there were at least two defensive linemen in the backfield aiding the pass rush and Karl Klug look much better in the middle against the run. EIU mostly tried to run to the outside but when they went up the gut Klug changed the play almost every time. The only things that really worked against them were consistency and finishing. On the consistency side, there were a few plays where the pressure disappeared and that is always something to improve. Also, the awareness level of the unit, which was generally not bad, fell dangerously low on some plays where we had defensive lineman running into each other and losing containment on the quarterback. From the finishing side, there were a lot of sacks left on the field. Iowa finished the game with only two sacks but it could have easily been closer to four or five if the players would have just finished off some of their blocks and not been content to trap the QB.

Linebackers: A-

This was a decent test for the linebackers’ ability to shift and make plays from sideline to sideline. EIU ran a number of zone reads and stretch plays and the linebackers were almost always right there to make the play. The pass coverage from this position was just ok but most of the issues were extremely minor and I think the only overarching comment I can make is about consistency and continuing to outwork the opponent. That is how Iowa defenses become great and I think the tools are there for this to be a fine linebacker corps.

Defensive Backs: C-

My lowest grade of the day has to go to the defensive backs who were caught out of position way too many times. The touchdown drive mounted by EIU was due, in large part, to the fact that receivers were beating their coverage downfield. We also had some issues with making the right shifts in the zone which allowed some runs after the catch but I think that was another consistency issue. I don’t want to read into this too much since Shaun Prater was out with an injury and Micah Hyde and Greg Castillo played much better overall than they did last year, but we better hope there is some big steps taken by this unit in the next few weeks. The one positive I did notice was some great open field tackling and one great play by Brett Greenwood. Also, there were quite a few times where I saw the safeties jumping into the run support and they looked pretty good helping the linebackers gang tackle the EIU running backs. Still though, the pass defense generally had a couple big holes and that needs to change quickly since Iowa State and Arizona are both very good passing teams.

Like all Ferentz teams I think this one will be another incubator project. A lot of the problems Saturday were issues with consistency and I think that is a to be expected in the first game. It is hard to diagnose major issues against FCS teams and even harder when you have so many players dinged up for the first game. The offensive line and defensive backfield were my biggest concerns coming into this game and I think both looked like they have the kind of potential to be solid this season. It is very early though, and we will know a lot more about this team next week after they host the Cyclones.

September 7, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Eastern Illinois Game
By: Andrew

With memories of last year’s 17-16 heart racing opener against Northern Iowa still fresh in the minds of Iowa fans, the 37-7 victory over Eastern Illinois resembled what Iowa fans have come to expect out of a season opener. The major concern, of course, was that scary moment during the second quarter when quarterback Ricky Stanzi made an awkward move to avoid a defender and came up limping. According to Kirk Ferentz, Stanzi is a little sore but is 100%, which is reassuring with Iowa’s annual matchup with intrastate foe Iowa State on the horizon. Here are my thoughts on the Eastern Illinois game.

Vanilla Offense. As one would expect, the Iowa offense was fairly vanilla and basic against an over-matched Eastern Illinois defense. Offensive coordinator Ken O’Keefe utilized plays that the Iowa offense has run for the past twelve years and gave very little for future opponents to find something new about this Iowa offense. Perhaps the wildest plays came in the third quarter when Iowa ran back-to-back end arounds to Marvin McNutt and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos. I would guess that the end arounds were put in place as a setup for a play to occur later this season. Adam Robinson had an impressive 109 yards rushing with two touchdowns and, with return of Jewel Hampton this week, appears to be one part of a formidable duo in the Iowa backfield this season. Overall, I thought the offense did what it should do in a game like this, which is move the ball easily down the field with a run-pass balance. One thing that I am interested to see next week is how much push the undersized Iowa offensive line is able to get on a running play against a much better defensive front.

Try to Stop Him. On the very first defensive play of the year, All-American hopeful Adrian Clayborn experienced what he will likely face most of the year—a double team. While Clayborn’s statistics were not his best, Eastern Illinois avoided running the football in his direction and double-teamed and, sometime, triple-teamed him. Nonetheless, Clayborn was his usual disruptive force in Eastern Illinois’s backfield. On pass plays, Clayborn’s ability to push the left tackle into the backfield may not always result in a sack or tackle, but it does force the quarterback to move around the pocket, which messes up the timing of passing routes and allows more time for the other defensive linemen to get a sack or disrupt the play. Similar to the play of Shonn Greene in 2008, enjoy watching this defensive end, Hawkeye fans, as players of Clayborn’s caliber are once a decade type of players.

Special Teams. Unfortunately, Trent Mossbrucker did not have the opportunity to attempt a field goal, which would have been good game experience for him with Daniel Murray out with an injury. Ryan Donahue did what Ryan Donahue does best—high, booming punts that die near the goal line. One of the most impressive showings on special teams was Mike Meyers’ kickoffs, four of which landed in the endzone. Forcing opponents to start at the 20 yard line as the result of a touchback would be a huge advantage for the Iowa defense this season. Finally, count me as one Iowa fan that was happy to see Paki O’Meara find the endzone after his blocked punt. Players like O’Meara who work hard their entire college careers with no possibility of playing professionally deserve good things like that to happen.

Warmup Game. While there was little chance of Eastern Illinois repeating the UNI game from last year and although Eastern Illinois did not have the talent to compete with Iowa, they played physical football for the final three quarters of the game. I think one of the most beneficial takeaways from this game is how much Eastern Illinois blitzed in the second half. As young as this offensive line is, it was great practice for them to work on blitz pick-up coverage and to work on how they will work as a unit against the blitz, as Iowa’s opponents for the rest of the year will likely stack the box and blitz regularly against this young offensive line.

While Iowa played well, there are certainly things that they did not do well, which I think is actually a good thing, as it allows the coaching staff to point out all of the errors to young men who may have a little bit of an inflated view of how far along they are in their development this season. As a fan, however, there is not much to be able to take away from this game. A top ten team should dominate an FCS school and should beat them soundly. Without stating the obvious, I think Iowa fans will quickly learn in the next two weeks whether the lofty expectations of this season can be met.

September 3, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Eastern Illinois Predictions
By: Andrew

As the 121st season of Iowa Hawkeye football is about to begin, the anticipation leading up to the season opener is momentous for several reasons. The expectations surrounding this season and team are arguably the highest they have ever been in Iowa football history with a seasoned senior quarterback at the helm, an explosive receiver corps, two established running backs, and one of the best defensive lines in the country lead by the best defensive end in the country. Iowa fans also received two other great pieces of news in the days leading up to the opener. The anticipation and concern leading up to the Big Ten’s announcement of the division of the conference resulted in a collective sigh of relief by Iowa fans with Iowa placed in the division with Nebraska and Michigan and not in the division with Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Penn State. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Iowa athletic director Gary Barta announced on Thursday that Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz signed a contract extension that will lock Ferentz up as the head coach through the 2020 season. With all of those exciting developments over the past few days, it is even more exciting that the season is finally here. Here are my thoughts.

Division Alignment. Ok, I admit it, I was wrong with my predictions; however, in my defense, I do not think many people would have anticipated at the beginning of August that Michigan and Ohio State would be in separate divisions. When the announcement was made on Wednesday night, Iowa fans should have received the announcement with open arms. With Iowa in the same division as Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Northwestern, Iowa has a realistic chance of making the Big Ten championship game for the foreseeable future, especially if Michigan continues its downward spiral and makes a coaching change after the season, which will likely set them back for another two to three year rebuilding process. While some Iowa fans seemed to be puzzled with the selection of Purdue as Iowa’s opposite division protected rival, to me it is a complete non-issue. Everyone knew going into this process that some rivalries were going to be sacrificed and that each school would have to concede on some points. Given the final divisions, there was no way that the Big Ten was going to split up the Wisconsin-Minnesota rivalry, which is the most-played rivalry in college football, nor was there any way that the conference would get rid of Illinois-Northwestern or the national television exposure of the Penn State-Nebraska matchup. Even though recent Iowa and Purdue games have been very competitive, Iowa fans should view their new rival as a game on the schedule that more often than not will give the Hawkeyes an opportunity for a win as opposed to the more competitive matchups with Penn State, Wisconsin, or Ohio State. On the whole, I think the Big Ten conference did a fantastic job of maintaining traditional rivalries and achieving competitive balance. Perhaps the only school with a true gripe is Wisconsin, who now faces annual matchups with Penn State and Ohio State, even though Wisconsin fans seem to embrace the notion that their program is strong enough to compete with those two programs. Speaking of Wisconsin, I have a conspiracy theory that has not, at least to my knowledge, been discussed by many people. The Big Ten Network announced early Wednesday morning that they would host a show at 6 p.m. that night revealing the divisions. Later in the day, around 12:30 or so, ESPN’s Andy Katz broke a story with the division breakdown, and his report proved to be correct. Given Wisconsin’s arguable disappointment with the announcement and the fact that Andy Katz, a competitor, broke the story, I cannot help but wonder if Katz, a Wisconsin alum, received some valuable information from Wisconsin athletic director, Barry Alvarez. While that is a total guess and likely not true, it is an interesting theory nonetheless. Iowa fans should not only be excited about their placement, but they should also be pleased with the fact that Iowa will now play Nebraska in the final week of the Big Ten season. The animosity between the two fan bases, and states for that matter, will be increasing at a measurable rate between now and November 26, 2011.

What to Watch. There are several things that I am looking forward to watching on Saturday. The offensive line has been the target of questions the entire offseason after losing four starters from last year’s team. With Adam Gettis out for Saturday’s game with an ankle injury, Iowa fans will not get to see the starting five linemen working as a unit until the Iowa State game. Likewise, with Cody Hundermarkt, Gettis’s backup, announcing his departure from the Iowa program, it will likely fall on Nolan MacMillan, a redshirt freshman from Canada to become the “Next Man In.” In addition to the offensive line play, I am curious to watch the linebacker play of Jeff Tarpinian, Bruce Davis, and Tyler Nielsen. Supposedly Tarpinian is going to give it a go on Saturday despite suffering a broken hand a few weeks ago; however, I am guessing that Iowa fans will see plenty of Davis at the middle linebacker position. Nielsen has the unenviable task of filling the shoes of AJ Edds. I am curious to see how Nielsen, who is also nursing an injury, plays in pass coverage, which Edds turned into an art form in his last two season at the position. The kicking game, which has also been an area of concern since spring practice, has appeared to settle down based on Kirk Ferentz’s comments earlier this week. Nonetheless, I am curious to see which kicker marches out for that first field goal attempt. My guess is Daniel Murray. The bigger curiosity is freshmen walk-on kicker Mike Meyer handling kickoff duties, which gives me concern about the leg strength of the other two kickers.

Offensive Dominance. With all of the offensive weapons that Iowa has entering the season, it would be nice to see these talents showcased with several sustained touchdown drives. While I expect Iowa to be able to move the ball with relative ease against Eastern Illinois, it will be important for the offense to focus on execution and consistency to continue the work that they put in during camp. One of my biggest concerns about Ricky Stanzi entering the year was expressed earlier this week by Kirk Ferentz, which is that Stanzi will press too hard and be harder on himself than necessary. Based on Stanzi’s demeanor, I think these concerns will not materialize, but it will be interesting to watch how he handles the lofty expectations in the first few games.

The New King. When Gary Barta announced that Kirk Ferentz’s contract was extended through 2020, I could not help but think that if he remains at Iowa for the remainder of that contract, Iowa will have the good fortune to have two head coaches for more than forty years and, with respect to Ferentz’s staff, a continuity of assistants that is unparalleled anywhere else in the nation. I have always said that even if Iowa’s record is 6-6 or 5-7, there is no one I would rather have as the head coach of the University of Iowa. The University of Iowa could not have a better or classier person represent the University than Ferentz. Regardless of the outcome of this season, I think the Ferentz has already done enough to deserve a seat next to Hayden Fry and Forest Evashevski as the greatest coaches in Iowa football history.

Christmas Day is almost here. The dog days of summer are almost behind us and the sights and smells of fall are almost upon us. As one of the most anticipated seasons in Iowa football history is about to begin, I have to remind myself to enjoy each and every game, as it always amazes me how quickly twelve Saturdays of Hawkeye football pass each year. While I promised a season prediction earlier this year, I have to admit that I have struggled with it in my mind over the past few months. Therefore, I am going to stick my initial gut reaction and predict that Iowa will go 10-2 with losses to Wisconsin and Michigan. Nonetheless, I still think that Iowa could make the Rose Bowl, as I do not think Ohio State will run the table in the Big Ten, nor do I think Wisconsin is capable of going unscathed through the Big Ten. If the Hawkeyes prove me wrong and go 11-1 or the improbable 12-0, there will not be a happier person in the Hawkeye nation. Oh, one more thing. The last time the season started on September 4th was 2004 when Iowa won a share of the Big Ten championship, so maybe fate indeed is on the side of the Hawkeyes.

Prediction: Iowa 41 Eastern Illinois 10

Pick to Click: Ricky Stanzi

September 2, 2010

Coming back in 2010, the Know Your Enemy Posts.
By Neal

NAME: Eastern Illinois University
COLORS: Blue and Gray
LOCATION: Charleston, IL
ENROLLMENT: 9,928 undergraduates
STADIUM: O’Brien Stadium
COACH: Bob Spoo, 23rd Year (Spoo missed 2006 because of medical issues), 140-113-1
SERIES RECORD: First ever meeting
FIGHT SONG: EIU Loyalty
We are loyal EIU, we're loyal and true -
'though the odds be great or small
we'll still be cheering you (rah! rah!)
So fight you Panthers for the glory of our dear name
fight on for Eastern, come on you Panthers win this game!

TRADITIONS: Not a lot. The largest department at EIU is the College of Education. EIU is the alma mater of current NFL coaches Brad Childress, Mike Shanahan, and Sean Payton, the latter of which is having his jersey retired at the first Panther home game this season. The school is also the former home of Dallas Cowboys' quarterback Tony Romo. Coach Spoo has become a bit of a legend in his own right on the sidelines with his consistent success with the football team.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: Watch the Iowa linebackers, corners, and offensive line. The rest of the team is full of faces we have seen start but these units are the ones that will determine how good Iowa is this season. The linebackers are the smallest concern because of Iowa’s track record at the position but I would focus on what they do in pass coverage in this game because that is one area where Pat Angerer and AJ Edds where dominant last season. For corner Shaun Prater is not listed on the depth chart so this will be an extremely green unit going against a fairly experienced receiving corps. If Iowa shines at corner, this could be a huge plus for the rest of the season. The offensive line is obvious but I am concerned with depth. Obviously if the starters struggle and the game is close it does not bode well for the rest of the season, but we need to see the backups perform well also. Considering the frequency of injury at the offensive line position I think we really need to see how well the new backups look. If the second team offensive line is turning the Panthers into skid marks on the Kinnick turf then there is nothing to worry about, but I doubt that is what we see so the individual players will really need to be evaluated when they rotate in.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: I am not going to sugar coat this, EIU is not very good. They have never beaten a Big Ten team and their only wins over Division IA opponents have been against some really bad MAC teams. They are breaking in a new quarterback, new offensive tackles, a new center, and a brand new interior defensive line. Iowa struggled with less talented teams last year partially because they had to deal with experienced quarterbacks who could throw all over the lot, most notably against UNI and Arkansas State. That isn’t the case with the Panthers. Iowa will be green in the secondary with Shaun Prater out but I don’t know if whoever EIU puts out at QB will have enough time to take advantage of that considering their offensive line will be getting mauled by Iowa’s front four. I wouldn’t read too much into this game much for the Hawks offense either. Last year Penn State’s mediocre offensive line enforced its’ will on EIU and the Panthers lost half of that unit. This is a good opportunity for the Iowa offensive line to get some game experience without worrying about being challenged too much. The only real concern is the EIU linebackers who were extremely good last season but I doubt they will be enough to keep this from being a laugher. IOWA WINS 35-3

August 30, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Random Summer Thoughts
By: Andrew

During a preseason in which so much has been written about the upcoming season for the Iowa Hawkeyes, and in a preseason in which the discussion of Big Ten expansion and division alignment dominated the news cycle, it is comforting to know that college football fans will actually be able to watch games in less than a week rather than arguing and debating about win-loss predictions and where Iowa will be placed in the new look Big Ten in 2011. Before I begin my regular format of writing my thoughts prior to each game and my thoughts after each game, I wanted to give my thoughts on some random Iowa football items.

Conference Alignment. It appears that my prediction of how the Big Ten will be divided will be wrong; although I am not sure many people would have originally predicted that Michigan and Ohio State would be in opposite divisions. While it sounds as though the announcement of the divisions is only weeks away, the new public relations director of the Big Ten, Barry Alvarez, has confirmed that Iowa and Wisconsin will be in separate divisions. If that means that Iowa is in the same division as Nebraska and Michigan, then I am content with the alignment; however, if Iowa is put in the same division as Ohio State and Penn State without an annual matchup with Nebraska, include me with the Iowa fans who will be in an uproar. Instead of speculating on the what ifs of conference alignment, however, I am going to take Kirk Ferentz’s approach on the topic and just wait and see what happens.
Camp News. Fortunately, summer camp this year did not yield any earth-shattering news in terms of injuries or areas of concern. Following the Big Ten Network’s visit to Iowa City, it sounds as though the offensive line made some good impressions on Gerry DiNardo and Howard Griffith, which is encouraging given that the offensive line is arguably the largest question mark entering the season. Based on comments from the Big Ten Network’s visit and various other reports out of Fort Kinnick, it sounds as though Jewel Hampton looked very impressive and should give the Iowa backfield a one-two punch at the running back position along with Adam Robinson. While Kirk Ferentz has not stated which true freshmen will not redshirt this season, if I were a betting man, my guess is that James Morris will see playing time on special teams, and that De’Andre Johnson will receive a few carries at running back.
Position Battles. The first depth chart of the season still listed several “ors” at certain positions, including center and kicker. If I were to set forth a guess as to the starting center, I would probably select James Ferentz, which is based solely on the fact that on the Big Ten Network preview show, he appeared to receive all of the repetitions with the first team offense. The kicking game still appears to be a large question mark and an even battle between Daniel Murray and Trent Mossbrucker, which will likely continue well into at least the Arizona game.

As you have noticed, I have not yet given my prediction for this season. While several writers, including ESPN’s Ivan Maisel and HawkeyeNation.com founder Jon Miller, have predicted an undefeated season for the Hawkeyes, the offensive line, the kicking game, and the loss of AJ Edds and Pat Angerer have me concerned. In my post this week with my prediction for the Eastern Illinois game, I will also give my prediction for Iowa’s win-loss record for the season. Until then, enjoy the first three days of the work week, as the college football season kicks off on Thursday.

August 2, 2010

Roll Along Iowa

Conference Divisions

By: Andrew

On June 11, 2010, the Big Ten Conference welcomed the University of Nebraska as the twelfth member of the conference effective July 1, 2011. In the months and weeks leading up to that official announcement, the speculation of conference armageddon and, more specifically, the implosion of the Big XII Conference that could have resulted from the Big Ten’s decision became overwhelming to the point that many people, including myself, tuned out of it all until a final decision was made. It has been approximately eight weeks since that announcement and the Big XII Conference remained intact sans Colorado and Nebraska and the sixteen school super conference structures are non-existent. On day one of the Big Ten media days, Jim Delany made several interesting comments relating to the conference. First, and perhaps most important, the Big Ten will continue to be named the Big Ten, whether there are twelve members or sixteen. Count me as one who is very pleased with that decision. Delany also stated that the first Big Ten championship game will likely take place next year at a location to be determined, more on that later. He also said the conference will be split into two divisions and it is anticipated that the divisions will be determined within the next 30 to 45 days. It now also seems clear that Notre Dame will not play any role in further Big Ten expansion. Finally, Delany said that it is also likely that the Big Ten will move to a nine game conference schedule. This installment will be focused on these last two points. Here are my thoughts.

• Conference Alignment. There are several factors that will influence how the Big Ten athletic directors will divide the members into divisions, specifically protecting rivalries, balanced competition, and geography. Based on Delany’s comments, my conference division alignment proposal is based on the assumption that the league will indeed move to a nine game conference schedule in which each team would play five division games, two games against “protected rivals” and two games against the remaining four teams in the other division on a rotating basis. Delany did indicate that a nine game conference schedule would not be instituted for another two to three years, but the demarcation of divisions has to be done with that nine game conference schedule in mind. I cannot take credit for the names of my proposed divisions, as I saw it on a message board, but I do think they are more creative than East/West and less contentious than naming the divisions after Big Ten icons (e.g. Schembechler, Hayes, Kinnick, Stagg). Below is my proposal for how the Big Ten Conference should be split into divisions. The names within the parentheses indicate the two protected rivals for each team within a division.

Great Plains

                                    Penn State (Ohio State, Michigan)

                                    Nebraska (Michigan, Illinois)

                                    Iowa (Michigan State, Minnesota)

                                    Indiana (Purdue, Michigan State)

                                    Wisconsin (Minnesota, Ohio State)

                                    Northwestern (Illinois, Purdue)

             Great Lakes

                                    Ohio State (Penn State, Wisconsin)

                                    Michigan (Nebraska, Penn State)

                                    Michigan State (Iowa, Nebraska)

                                    Illinois (Northwestern, Indiana)

                                    Minnesota (Wisconsin, Iowa)

                                    Purdue (Indiana, Northwestern)

I think it is important to preface those selections and the ensuing discussion with a reminder that while we can eliminate certain permutations of division alignment to an extent (i.e. it is almost a certainty that Michigan and Ohio State will remain in the same division), it is anyone’s guess as to what the divisions will look like until the athletic directors make their final decision. With all of that in mind, I think that my division proposal accomplishes the goal of protecting all of the classic Big Ten rivalries and creating what I believe to be two equally competitive divisions and two geographically equal divisions.

Although the Big Ten athletic directors will have piles of reports analyzing and describing the competition among its members since 1993, two relatively easy methods for comparing the two divisions that I reviewed was overall winning percentage during that time period and the number of conference championships by each division. The average winning percentage of my proposed Great Plains division since 1993 is .60, while the average winning percentage of the Great Lakes division is .56. I would venture to guess that four percent is likely within the standard deviation. In counting conference championships between the two divisions since Penn State joined the Big Ten (and, yes, I am going to count Nebraska’s championships in the Big XII, excluding Big XII North championships, and the Big 8 during the same time), the Great Plains has won 16 while the Great Lakes won 16 during that time period.

In addition to maintaining relative competiveness between the divisions, maintaining traditional rivalries is important both to the schools and the fans. My proposed division re-alignment protects what I consider to be the best rivalries in the Big Ten Conference, including Michigan-Ohio State, Minnesota-Wisconsin, Michigan-Michigan State, Iowa- Minnesota, Purdue-Indiana, Illinois-Northwestern, among others.

The goal of creating divisions that are geographically equal also plays a key factor in determining how the schools will be separated into divisions, but I think it is more so geography from an advertising perspective than necessarily a travel perspective. A marketing executive at a company with a national presence is probably reluctant to advertise on either the Big Ten Network or ESPN/ABC if the games more often than not target one particular geographic region. For example, by having Iowa and Penn State in the same division in which they would play each other on an annual basis in football, a company would likely be able to reach a larger audience of viewers due to the larger markets of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia than say Iowa and Minnesota being in the same division in which the larger markets would only be Minneapolis and Des Moines. Even though the numbers may prove that theory wrong, I think it is probably a safe guess to say that the athletic directors will not vote on a proposal that splits the conference purely on a longitudinal split.

However, there are problems with my proposal, as there are problems in all of the proposals set forth by media members, and as there will be with the final division alignment. Some of the problems with my proposal include the fact that Penn State would likely argue that they would be forced to play a more difficult schedule by having protected rivalries with both Ohio State and Michigan. Similarly, schools like Wisconsin would likely be reluctant to be forced to play Ohio State each year. Thus, it is possible that schools would not be fond of the two protected rivals proposal and would want to stick to an eight conference game proposal with only one protected rival. The nine game conference schedule presents another issue of some teams only having four conference home games a year while other teams would have five conference home games a year. In an era in which revenue is critical for Big Ten members, the possibility of playing only four conference home games may mean significant changes to non-conference scheduling—mainly teams cutting back or eliminating entirely the number of home and away series with other BCS opponents. Query whether the Iowa-Iowa State game will still be played if the nine game conference schedule becomes a reality especially in light of the fact that Iowa State will also be playing a nine game conference schedule after Colorado’s departure. Also query whether it is a ploy to force Notre Dame’s hand or cause Notre Dame matchups with Purdue, Michigan State, and Michigan to become a thing of the past.

Even though Delany has said that the nine game conference schedule is coming, an eight game schedule could also work under my proposal; however, Iowa would be the one school that would lose one of its traditional rivals. Under my proposal, Iowa appears to be the key to an eight game proposal not working for two reasons. First, while all of the other protected rivals (those listed first in the parentheses) are all clear rivalries, Iowa would no longer have a regular matchup with Minnesota and would instead be left with Michigan State as its protected rival, which has been a competitive series the past three matchups, but is not what one would consider to be a traditional rivalry. There is no way that the Big Ten would eliminated the oldest and most played rivalry in college football, Minnesota v. Wisconsin, to preserve an annual matchup to decide who takes home Floyd of Rosedale. Second, if you attempt to remedy that rivalry matchup and maintain competitive divisions, you would be forced to swap Minnesota and Wisconsin into different divisions, which would seem to cause a competitively weighted Great Lakes division with Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State all in the same division.

I think some of the problems noted above with my proposal illustrate the inherent problems with any proposal and show that the decision to be made by the Big Ten Conference athletic directors will likely consist of a spirited discussion in order to create fair and competitive divisions. One of the more intriguing discussions will come from schools like Indiana, Minnesota, and Northwestern. Placing those schools in one division rather than the other can mean the difference between having the possibility to compete for a Big Ten championship every five to ten years versus every ten to twenty years. Assuming that the conference splits the four big hitters (Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Nebraska) the way I have proposed, the possibilities for serious debate and discussion among those smaller schools intrigues me the most. Every Big Ten fan needs to keep in mind during this process that while the final division alignment will inevitably disrupt rivalries and traditions of the past, new rivalries and traditions will be born, which could prove to be even better twenty years from now.   Likewise, for the time being, the division alignment is a fluid process given that Jim Delaney is still exploring the possibility of adding two or four additional schools to the conference.

With respect to the issue of where the championship game will be held, I think it is a relatively easy decision. Even though football fans talk about their love for football weather, the thought of sitting in the stands at Soldier Field in early December already makes me cold. For the time being, I think the best course of action is to have the championship game held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for two or three years. This will give the conference time to evaluate other sites while having the comfort of knowing that Indianapolis is a good location and venue that has hosted the Big Ten men’s and women’s basketball tournaments several times. I would not be surprised to see Indianapolis become the un-official home of the Big Ten championships with both the football championship game and the Big Ten basketball tournament held there on an annual basis.

August 1, 2010

Roll Along Iowa

Random Summer Thoughts

By: Andrew

            After a long time away from updating Roll Along Iowa, the college football itch finally became too overwhelming and I decided to write out some thoughts that have been brewing in my mind since I last wrote my preview for the Orange Bowl. As of the date of this entry, we are only forty days from kickoff and the start of one of the most anticipated seasons in Iowa football history. In the coming weeks before that opening contest against Eastern Illinois I am planning on writing about Big Ten conference realignment, my Big Ten conference predictions, a position by position breakdown, and an update once camp gets underway. Here are some of my thoughts at this point in the year.

Great Expectations. Iowa fans have the fortune (or misfortune, depending on one’s life philosophy) of a season in which great things are possible during twelve Saturdays in 2010. There are arguably only three other seasons in which an Iowa football team had such high expectations. The first was in 1961 under the helm of Jerry Burns when Iowa was ranked preseason #1 by the Associated Press. The Hawkeyes finished that season with a 5-4 record, albeit with a 42-21 win over Notre Dame. The preseason leading up to the 1985 season also had Iowa fans dreaming big behind the arm of Chuck Long, the hands and legs of Ronnie Harmon, and a swarming defense led by (recent College Football Hall of Fame inductee) Larry Station. One of the most memorable seasons in Iowa history led to a Big Ten championship and a berth in the 1986 Rose Bowl. The last season with such high expectations was in 2005 when the Hawkeyes started off the season ranked 11^th in the AP Poll and ended the season with a 7-5 record and a controversial loss against Florida in the Outback Bowl. While the players receive a heavy dosage of the one week at a time mentality from the coaching staff, it is naïve to think that the players do not hear what the media and fans think about the possibilities in 2010. Although I think preseason rankings and rankings in general mean very little after the first snap of a game, the fact that Iowa had so many close calls during last season reinforces that the margin of error at Iowa is so small that all of the returning players understand that they cannot rely on their laurels this season. Instead, my concern rests with the expectations of the fans. Iowa fans have become so fickle that an unexpected loss or two or three this season could result in meltdowns and mayhem across Hawkeye nation. It is important to remember that since 1950, Iowa has only won eight conference championships and three major bowl (1957, 1958 Rose Bowls, 2010 Orange Bowl). While I am as proud of Iowa as any Hawkeye fan out there, it is important for Iowa fans to remember the program’s history and to cherish seasons like last year. Perhaps I am attempting to temper my own expectations in making those statements, but it is unfair for Kirk Ferentz-era Iowa fans that did not experience the 1960s and 1970s “glory” years of Iowa football to think that 8+ win seasons and January bowl appearances are automatic birthrights of Iowa football fans. Nevertheless, the 2010 season could have the potential for another memorable season after last year’s unforgettable 11-2 mark capped by a win against Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.

Mr. Clayborn.   There is not much that I can write or analyze that has not already been written or spoken about Iowa’s preseason all-american defensive end, Adrian Clayborn. Iowa fans need to appreciate Clayborn this season the same way that they appreciated Robert Gallery in 2003, Abdul Hodge and Chad Greenway in 2006, and Shonn Greene in 2008. A football player of Clayborn’s ability does not find his way to the University of Iowa on a regular occurrence and, barring injury, Clayborn has the opportunity to earn all-american honors, national honors, and Big Ten honors. In re-watching Iowa’s game against Wisconsin from this past season, Clayborn absolutely beat up on and outplayed Wisconsin’s star left tackle and likely top 3 draft pick, Gabe Carimi. Clayborn finished that day with six tackles, two tackles for losses, and one sack. The impending double teams against Clayborn will lead to breakout performances this season from Iowa’s other stellar defensive linemen.

Trap Games. Unless you have been living under a shell without any Iowa football news this offseason, you have probably heard a fellow fan or media member talk about potential trap games this season. Iowa’s game against Arizona in mid-September seems to be the popular pick for an Iowa loss or a trap game. While I will discuss this game more when I do my predictions and the week of that game, the one thing that I think bears remembering is that this coaching staff does a better of job of learning from prior mistakes than any other coaching staff in the country. The debacle in the desert in 2004 against Arizona State will not happen again for several reasons. First, Iowa will not have an unseasoned quarterback making his first start away from home. Second, the Iowa coaching staff will prepare the players for the late start by arriving a day early or revising game day preparation plans. Unless things change drastically between now and then, I am predicting an Iowa win in Tucson.

Injuries. In order for any team to have memorable seasons, a little luck is always needed. Injuries are a part of the game and happen, but thinking back to successful Iowa seasons injuries were very limited. While last season was somewhat the exception, remember how many key injuries Iowa had in 2002? If you answered with a low number, you are correct as Iowa did not suffer any injuries that caused any starters to miss more than one game. At a school like Iowa where depth is always an issue, a few key injuries can mean the difference between a very successful season and an average season. Although injuries are impossible to predict, the injury bug has inflicted its poisonous venom in Iowa City enough during the past few years, that bug is about due to be exterminated for a season. Pardon the uncreative and pathetic analogy; I just think it is about time that something so cyclical as injuries is due to go in Iowa’s favor—even though Iowa has been the recipient of the ball bouncing its way the past two season.

            I am excited to be writing again about what I love most, Iowa Hawkeye football. As I mentioned above, I plan on writing several more times before camp starts and before that wonderful day in September when the dog days of summer say goodbye and college football fans across the country welcome the beginning of another wonderful season. Until then, feel free to drop me a line with any thoughts or ideas that you have for the blog and any other thoughts you have about Iowa football.

April 20, 2010

Scrimmage Wrap Up
By: Neal

Last Saturday Iowa held their open practice. Now it is extremely easy to read too much into the event. Before anything else it needs to be pointed out that it was one practice of many in the spring, and that what we saw is likely not what we will see in the fall. That in mind, here are a few notes from Saturday.

Ricky Stanzi did not see many snaps. It wasn’t like he was running with the second team or anything; the first team offense just didn’t get a lot of snaps. From what we could see of the first team offense, the only major note would be that James Ferentz had taken the center spot, but even that doesn’t mean a whole lot at this point. DJK and Marvin McNutt are clearly the best two wide receivers, in case you had any doubts, and it looks like Colin Sandeman is the likeliest number three option at wideout.

The defense is going to be good, really good. I was focusing a lot on the line drills and Adrian Clayborn just continues to look like a beast. He even threw a couple guys like rag dolls during three on three’s. Is it the best defensive line in the conference or country? Who knows. But the defensive line is certainly going to be dangerous next year. Micah Hyde and Shaun Prater looked pretty good, but we are not seeing them every day and I am still a little concerned about how they will fare against the bigger receivers in the conference. The linebackers also looked good, even great at some points. The linebackers in coverage were better than expected and they did a nice job of taking guys off the line during the blitz. It is still early, and we certainly didn’t see them up against an offensive juggernaut, but if the linebackers and corners continue to improve this defense could be one of Norm Parker’s best.

Daniel Murray was particularly inconsistent kicking the football, missing the majority of his attempts in the practice portion but looked very good in the actual scrimmage. Without a reference of how he is been practicing all week it is hard to tell if he just had a bad day but I would definitely watch the kicker position come September.

Brad Rogers sprained an ankle during practice, meaning we saw an even more muddled picture of the running back position than normal. Overall the running backs looked extremely unready. There were a lot of bad cuts and some bad reads which made for a bunch of easy tackles in the backfield for linebackers and defensive linemen. Again, with Hampton, Wegher, and Robinson out and with arguably even more talented backs arriving on campus this summer, you really can’t read too much into the running backs performance on Saturday since none of the guys who played will likely see the field this fall.

Hampton was on the field but did not perform in the scrimmage. He didn’t show much of anything, but what he did show was extremely impressive. He looks more talented than Wegher and Robinson were last year and I he looked ready to get out on the field. If I were a betting man I would put him on the top spot in the depth chart, barring another injury. I would expect all three to see the field in some role next fall so while I would bet Hampton is number one it is hard to tell what that means for the future.

The offensive line was decent. The guys up front have plenty of talent but they are still a work in progress. I didn’t see any major signs of a breakdown or anything and there were some really great moments in picking up stunts and blitzes that went unnoticed because a running back took a wrong cut or a quarterback made a bad throw. There is still a lot of work to be done but this unit is definitely on its’ way to being very strong for next season.

April 15, 2010

Spring Scrimmage Preview 2010
By: Neal

It’s that time of year again. The Hawkeye football team will be holding their traditional open practice Saturday in Kinnick Stadium; it is free to the public. Here are some quick notes from the recent press conferences by Norm Parker and Ken O’Keefe as well as a little primer for Saturday’s scrimmage.

-Parker gave the usual line about the needs on defense. The biggest move of note would be Micah Hyde playing corner over Jordan Bernstein who is reportedly inconsistent in practice. Early speculation is that his ankle is still bothering him but right now it is tough to tell. Bernstein has been supplanted by someone else every year it looks like he is about to get the starting position so he has to be frustrated, but if Hyde really is putting on a show then it shouldn’t be too big of a deal. In fact, if Bernstein does get up to 100 percent it should create a better rotation at cornerback than we had a year ago so it is quite possible that this could be a good thing. Still too early to tell, but I will definitely be watching Hyde on Saturday and let you know what I think. Troy Johnson is now the principal backup to Jeremiah Hunter while Jeff Tarpinian, who earned some pretty good reviews during the news conferences, is listed as the middle linebacker and Tyler Nielsen has taken AJ Edds’ spot at the strongside linebacker position.

-It has already been pointed out that Brad Rogers will be the starting tailback since Jewel Hampton, Brandon Wegher, and Adam Robinson are all on the shelf with injuries. Hampton and Wegher don’t sound too bad, just dinged up enough to keep them out of the scrimmage. Hampton has been practicing full bore with the team so I wouldn’t worry too much about him. Wegher suffered a minor shoulder injury in spring practice but it doesn’t sound like anything that will sideline him for much practice time. Robinson is still recovering from his injury in the Orange Bowl and it is still unclear how long he will be out. If I had to guess, I would say he comes back mid-summer but I am not a doctor and I have no idea what his current condition is so take it worth a grain of salt.

-As mentioned previously, Rogers will be getting the start at RB with Jason White (a converted safety) as his backup. I wouldn’t expect too much out of either of them, Rogers has a big body and a lot of major schools recruited him exclusively as a FB. Since there isn’t any tackling I don’t think there will be any way to fairly judge his talent since a RB that big is not running around and past people. White recorded three tackles, two solo, against Penn State last year on special teams but otherwise has been quiet. Again, because of the controlled environment of the scrimmage both guys would have to do something pretty incredible to get a lot of recognition. Unless they start putting on a footwork clinic on people out in open space I wouldn’t expect to hear much about them. However, I still wouldn’t write them off. If Robinson is injured Rogers could provide a great goal line option with his size so how he hits the gaps should be scrutinized because if the stars align he might just earn himself a limited role in the offense next year.

-The offensive line is starting to take shape. The left side is pretty concrete at this point with Riley Reiff at LT and Julian Vandervelde at LG. The right side looks like it will have Markus Zusevics and Adam Gettis playing RT and RG respectively. Center remains the only position without a clear frontrunner with James Ferentz and Josh Koeppel locked in a dead heat. Koeppel is the older player so if I would expect him to start if everything is even, meaning Ferentz is really going to have to come on strong this summer in order to grab that starting position.

February 9, 2010

Spring Primer 2010
By: Neal

Signing day has come and gone and now we have a few weeks of waiting for the basketball team to just end it already the beginning of spring practices. Here are a few quick points to get you ready.

NFL: As I predicted, Brian Bulaga and Amari Spievey have both declared for the NFL draft. While I am not so hot on Spievey in the draft, I don’t know what else he could have done in college that would have made him a better player. Obviously these two will be some of the bigger names on the draft board but there are plenty of guys who graduated this year who could be picked up late so it is certainly worth watching.

Recruiting: The Hawkeyes picked up a 21 man recruiting class on signing day. Of all of those recruits, I can really only see one, maybe two, making it onto the field next year. CJ Fiedorowicz was originally an Illinois commit but then switched to Iowa. Fiedorowicz is a four star tight end and, from what I have seen, looks like he could be in the mix to at least be the number two guy on the field at that position. He has a lot of talent and I think he could be one heck of a player down the road. He is by far the most likely freshman to break the depth chart. The only other recruit I don’t see getting redshirted or buried behind a glut of older players is Marcus Coker. Coker is a big physical running back and, from all reports, has a lot of the Shonn Greene type running skills that make him a perfect fit for the program. If he has an impressive preseason he could possibly break into the rotation. However, it will take one heck of a performance for that to happen since Jewel Hampton, Brandon Wegher, and Adam Robinson are all back along with a very deep set of running backs.

Spring Practice: The big notes going into spring practice will be on offense. The line only returns two starters (Julian Vandervelde and Riley Reiff) who most likely will take the LG and LT spot. That leaves open competition at the other three OL positions and there are certainly quite a few questions as to who will step in to fill those shoes. In case you haven’t heard, we also have nine scholarship running backs and the position will be incredibly crowded for the 2010 season. There is a lot of returning talent (Jewel Hampton, Jeff Brinson, Adam Robinson, and Brandon Wegher) to go along with a few newcomers. This will be a very tight battle which could very well continue into the season. Whoever wins that starting spot is going to have to really step up if this team wants to get better offensively. On the defense, the loss of AJ Edds, and Pat Angerer is probably not going to be felt too much since there are quite a few linebackers who have positioned themselves to fill in the gaps. The more pressing concern is who replaces the dominance of Amari Spievey. Shaun Prater and Jordan Bernstein will likely be the starters but both are going to have to take a huge step forward if they are going to fill the void left by Spievey’s departure.

January 4, 2010

Orange Bowl Prediction
By: Neal

Greetings from Miami! I have already broken down some of the matchups for the Orange Bowl, so lets get straight to what I think will happen.

First Half: Iowa works on establishing the run with some success. The Hawkeye ground game gets enough yardage early to begin an established drive. Ricky Stanzi throws an incompletion or two as he shakes off the rust but he manages to make a few clutch passes on third down and keep a long drive alive. The Hawkeyes manage a touchdown on a Brandon Wegher dive to cap the first scoring drive of the day. Georgia Tech gets stuffed on the dive with Pat Angerer cleaning up a couple of early runs to the middle of the Hawkeye defense. Paul Johnson calls a pass which results in an interception and sets up the Hawkeyes with a short field. Iowa drives down into the redzone but only manages a field goal to end the first quarter at 10-0 in favor of the Hawks. Georgia Tech runs more effectively in the second quarter, breaking a few decent runs but the drives stalls in the red zone and the Yellow Jacket defecit is cut to seven. Ricky Stanzi throws an interception on the next possession giving the Jackets a short field but the defense manages to stuff Jonathan Dwyer on a third and short so the Jackets get only a field goal. Iowa drives down and tacks on three more points before the half ends in a 13-6 Hawkeye advantage.

At this point in the game the Hawkeyes will have been succsful keeping the dive botteled up but I think Tech’s quarterback will be the one making the most plays on the ground up to this point. Iowa will cut off the pitch man but I think there will be one or two plays where the quarterback can cut upfield and Johnson and his staff will recognize this. Johnson decides to run a couple more pass plays which move the pocket and put his quarterback in space. Iowa’s offense is still a bit rusty to this point and the Tech defenders are given more blitzes since Stanzi has made some bad throws under pressure up to this point.

Second Half: Tech moves the ball early but is stopped at the 50 yard line when Adrian Clayborn comes up with a huge sack in the backfield. After the punt, Ricky Stanzi throws a deep pass to DJK which gives Iowa their second touchdown of the night. Tech tries to pass again on the ensuing possession but this results in a pick six for the Hawkeyes who now have a 27-6 lead. Georgia Tech is stuffed by a fired up Hawkeye defense on the next drive and forced to give the ball back to Iowa. The Hawkeyes drive the ball down before Tony Moeaki finds his way to the endzone for another Hawkeye touchdown. Down 34-6, Georiga Tech manages to run the ball well enough to get into Iowa territory before the defense stops them again. For the rest of the game it is the Adam Robinson show as the Hawkeye offensive line opens up some big holes for a long series of runs. The drive is capped by an eight yard scamper into the end zone by Robinson and the clock expires during the ensuing Georgia Tech possession. FINAL: 41-6 IOWA

Georgia Tech will never completely abandon the option but I really think that this is what happens if Johnson decides to throw the kitchen sink in the second half. The running game will not be going anywhere and with Iowa dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball I think Johnson will feel it nesscesary to try and swing the momentum in his favor and he will try and open up some passes. He will still be running the ball quite a bit, but those few extra pass plays are the catalyst that will make or break this game for both teams. Unfortunatly, Tech’s receivers are woefully undermatched against the Hawkeye secondary and their quarterback does not have the capability to be as damaging throwing the ball as he will need to be in this situation. Offensivly, I think the Hawkeyes own the line of scrimmage and if Ricky Stanzi eliminates mistakes then there should be no problem moving the ball against the defense.

January 4, 2010

Roll Along Iowa
Georgia Tech Predictions
By: Andrew

            Iowa’s reward for a 10-2 record is a berth in the school’s second Bowl Championship Series bowl game and a return visit to Kinnick South in a January 5th matchup in the Orange Bowl against Georgia Tech. While Iowa fans are still likely in a state of disbelief over the Fiesta Bowl committee’s decision to pass on the swarm of bumblebees that would have surely descended upon the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, the Orange Bowl matchup against Georgia Tech gives Iowa an opportunity to play a BCS conference opponent that is well-respected on a national level. Although the BCS has only been in existence for eleven years, a victory for Iowa would be essentially their first BCS victory since the 1959 Rose Bowl victory against California. Here are my thoughts.

Stopping the Rambling Wreck. The talk leading up to the game has been a discussion of whether the Hawkeyes can stop the Georgia Tech offense. Georgia Tech led the ACC in total offense averaging 442 yards per game, 307 of which on the ground.   Georgia Tech’s unconventional, triple-option running attack is led by quarterback Josh Nesbitt who was 5th in the ACC this past season in rushing with an average of 76 yards per game. Not only did Nesbitt punish teams with his legs, but he also showed a strong ability to beat teams with his arm, as he had a pass efficiency rating of 156, which would have been good enough for first in the ACC if he had the requisite number of attempts. Nesbitt’s partner in crime, Jonathan Dwyer, is arguably the best running back that Iowa will face this year, despite already facing Evan Royster, John Clay, and Dan Herron. Dwyer averaged 6 yards a carry and 103 yards a game, which was good enough to be in the top 25 in the country for yards per game. Dwyer has been described as a power running back who has the ability to run over defenders, yet still has the speed and quickness to elude tacklers in the open field. In Georgia Tech’s two losses this year, Nesbitt and Dwyer were both shut down, as neither eclipsed fifty yards. Likewise, in their two losses, the Yellow Jackets faced teams with rushing defenses ranked near Iowa’s overall rush defense. The Yellow Jackets like to spread the wealth on the ground, however, as it is not unusual to see five or more players have three or more carries a game. On the other hand, the Yellow Jackets, while efficient when they do pass, do not throw very often. During the course of the year, Georgia Tech attempted only 159 passes, which averages out to approximately 13 attempts a game. Iowa is certainly up to the task with their stout defense that held opponents to 122 yards a game this season. Couple that statistic with the fact that Iowa defenses under Norm Parker have always played well against run-first teams, seems to be a positive for the Hawkeyes. Adrian Clayborn and Broderick Binns will be in the spotlight often, as their ability to make the proper read on the option and force Nesbitt to make a decision will allow Pat Angerer, Jeremiah Hunter and AJ Edds to roam freely and make the tackle.

Effective Possessions. After nearly a six week layoff, the Iowa offense will take the field at Landshark Stadium with what should be an entirely healthy backfield. Ricky Stanzi has been practicing at full strength since practice resumed after the Thanksgiving break. Adam Robinson was supposedly at full strength following the high ankle sprain he suffered against Michigan State, but practice reports coming from Miami have said that he has been wearing a shoulder brace. Brandon Wegher also appears to be at full speed following his lingering rib injury. The biggest surprise coming out of Miami is the offensive line rotation. It sounds as though Kyle Calloway will see some time at right guard, while Riley Reiff will play some, if not all, of the game at right tackle. Based on Kirk Ferentz’s comments this past week, the decision to put Reiff at tackle appears to come from the coaching staff being uber-impressed with Reiff’s performance this season. While Georgia Tech’s offense is an impressive unit, the defense has struggled at times this year. In their final two games of the year, the Yellow Jacket defense surrendered 323 and 339 yards, respectively, on the ground. I think that Ken O’Keefe will attempt stay true to form by using the running game to set up the play action pass. Hopefully O’Keefe will find a way to get the ball to tight ends Tony Moeaki and Allen Reisner, as they only had a combined seven receptions in Iowa’s final five games. I also look for Iowa to throw the ball downfield to their two biggest playmakers, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and Marvin McNutt when they do go to the play-action pass.

Third Part of the Game. Iowa’s special teams play received a big boost in the Ohio State game when DJK ended a long dry spell by returning a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. On the other hand, Iowa special teams have accounted for some miscues this season, primarily in the kicking game, as Daniel Murray has had several ill-timed missed field goals. His counterpart for the Yellow Jackets, Scott Blair, has connected on 14 of 19 this season, including making five of six from beyond 40 yards. As he has been all season long, Ryan Donahue should be an ever-steady force punting the ball for the Hawkeyes. While my call for a kickoff return for a touchdown finally came to fruition in the Ohio State game, my next bold prediction is for a blocked punt. Iowa’s last blocked punt in a bowl game came in the 2005 Capital One Bowl when Miguel Merrick blocked a Chris Jackson punt and Sean Considine returned it seven yards for a touchdown. As many of you have seen in bowl games this year, special teams, especially the kicking game, can make the difference between a win and loss.

Program Statement. Iowa’s last BCS-equivalent bowl game win came in 1959 when arguably Iowa’s greatest team of all time defeated California in the Rose Bowl 38-12. Although there is no need to compare Kirk Ferentz and Hayden Fry, a win in the Orange Bowl would earn Coach Ferentz something that Coach Fy was never able to accomplish—a major bowl win. Not only would a win over Georgia Tech validate Iowa’s spectacular season, but it would mark the end of an incredible run that Iowa has had during the 2000s. With a majority of the starters set to return next year and a solid recruiting class set to enter Iowa City this next year, a win in the Orange Bowl would place the Iowa football program at a level that may be on par with the program during the late 1950s and the mid-1980s.

While the Georgia Tech offense presents a venerable challenge, I think that Coach Parker will have the defense ready to defend it and show the entire nation what “six seconds of hell” truly means. Although it is a key in every game, turnovers will play a big role in this game. Iowa cannot afford to give Georgia Tech favorable field position through turnovers. I will also be curious to see how the long layoff affects Iowa’s ability to tackle. If Iowa limits its turnovers and tackles well, I think they will certainly be in a good position to win this game. I am sad that the Orange Bowl will be the final time that we get to see this Iowa team take the field. The incredibly journey that they took all of us on this year is something that I will not forget anytime soon. With the drama that unfolded each and every week this season, it is improbable to think that the Orange Bowl will be any different. More than any other season, the Iowa players and fans deserve a win and, if they play to their ability, will be able to leave Miami with a trophy topped with a bowl of oranges.

Prediction: Iowa 27 Georgia Tech 17

Pick to Click: Iowa Defense

December 30, 2009

Know Your Enemy: Georgia Tech
By: Neal

The Hawkeyes are headed to the Orange Bowl where they will face the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. Kool & the Gang will be performing at half time and the Iowa faithful will flock en masse to Miami to cheer on the Black and Gold. This will be an abridged version of the normal “Know Your Enemy” posts with the bowl projection and picks coming up. But for now, here is all you need to know about the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

NAME: Georgia Institute of Technology
COLORS: White and Old Gold
LOCATION: Atlanta, GA
ENROLLMENT: 13,515 Undergraduates
STADIUM: Bobby Dodd Stadium
COACH: Paul Johnson,
SERIES RECORD: The two teams have never played
FIGHT SONG: I’m a Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech

I'm a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech, and a hell of an engineer--
A helluva, helluva, helluva, helluva, hell of an engineer.
Like all the jolly good fellows, I drink my whiskey clear.
I'm a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech and a hell of an engineer.

Oh! If I had a daughter, sir, I'd dress her in White and Gold,
And put her on the campus to cheer the brave and bold.
But if I had a son, sir, I'll tell you what he'd do--
He would yell, 'To hell with Georgia!' like his daddy used to do.

Oh, I wish I had a barrel of rum and sugar three thousand pounds,
A college bell to put it in and a clapper to stir it round.
I'd drink to all the good fellows who come from far and near.
I'm a ramblin', gamblin’, hell of an engineer!

TRADITIONS: My personal favorite is the stealing of the T. Originally, the only “T” that was stolen was the one was the one in the letter TECH on the top of Tech Tower. There is a long history of students stealing that T, with the letter often reappearing somewhere on campus later, but recently it has slowed to do new preventative security measures and stricter punishments for those caught attempting to steal the T. Instead, many students have taken to stealing any T they can find on the campus and it is supposedly common to find signs on campus with all of the T’s removed. Georgia Tech is also home to the most lopsided score in NCAA history after a 1916 game against Cumberland. The opposing team had only one play for positive yardage and Tech scored every time they touched the ball on the way to a 222-0 rout. Tech was coached in that game by John Heisman.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: Everybody talks about the triple option (which is a play, not a formation) and there is good reason for that. Georgia Tech’s offense is very fluid and when you watch the players run you see that they have a good combination of size and speed. Unfortunately, the one thing they are good at (running the ball) is something that Iowa will be able to defend relatively easily with their defensive personnel. I can’t think of a better way to send Pat Angerer and AJ Edds out than giving them the Yellow Jackets. A lot of the clips I have seen of the Jackets show their runners breaking tackles and running through guys or else getting the corner and running past people. Problem is, the Hawkeyes are capable of countering both. The best example of Iowa against this is Michigan where Iowa kept the end around and the speed in check by staying at home and bottling up the offensive line. What worked for Michigan in that game is that the running backs were able to find some small ceases in the line to run through and were able to get some good gains that way. With Georgia Tech, the dive (whether it is the QB out of the option or the FB or HB ISO) is usually successful because the runner makes the first linebacker miss. Iowa’s linebackers have to get something on that first runner and, if they don’t tackle, at least slow him down so he can be gang tackled. This is something Iowa has done successfully this season and it will be needed to stop Georgia Tech. Finally, as Coach Parker said, Tech blocks well downfield and getting off blocks is going to be a huge part of the practice this week.

On offense, Iowa needs to score early. The defense won’t be able to hold the Jackets if they are pounding the ball all game but if Iowa manages to grab a couple of touchdowns early then I think the game will open up. If the Iowa offense doesn’t show up early, then they will have to do at least enough to stay in the game till the fourth quarter and then control the ball last. If Ricky Stanzi is able to establish the deep ball as a threat early by throwing couple deep passes down field (whether they are completed or not) I think the running game should be able to establish itself nicely and the Hawks should be able to move the ball on the Jacket’s defense. Yellow Jackets have been known to switch fronts around but I think they stay in the 4-3 to counter the strength of the Iowa front five. This is important because I think it is going to force Tech to use zone coverage almost exclusively since, even if they never blitzed and dropped seven men back every passing play, I do not believe the back seven has the talent to guard Moeaki, McNutt, or DJK with only one person without getting burned (and you can’t double team all three without leaving two of the other receiving options wide open). Therefore the only option is zone coverage. Zone coverage only works well when a quarterback is contained and there is a steady pass rush. Since I doubt Ricky Stanzi is going to be turning into Colt McCoy for the game what needs to be done to break the zone is to neutralize the pass rush. In other words, the game boils down to what happens up front. If Iowa controls of the line of scrimmage then the Hawks should have no problem moving the ball effectively.

I will be doing an in depth projection on what I think will happen later.

December 20, 2009

NFL Draft Preview
By: Neal

Before we get into the Orange Bowl I want to discuss the prospect of three Hawkeye juniors potentially heading to the NFL. To set this in context, assuming nobody leaves early, Iowa will return nine starters on the defense and six starters on offense. The losses come at positions which Iowa should be able to reload quickly (TE, LB, OL, WR) but if any of the three juniors projected as potentially leaving for the NFL draft it could really alter the makeup of the Iowa team in 2010. Rumors of a rookies salary cap and other financial changes to the NFL is going to make a ton of college players leave earlier and catch what could be the last chance at a monster rookie payday. The main issue though is that this could also make what was already a very deep draft class ridiculously competitive and we could potentially see a lot of players leave early and wind up undrafted. For Iowa, Adrian Clayborn, Amari Spievey, and Brian Bulaga are the three names mentioned as potential new members of the 2010 NFL draft class. None of them had said much of anything but that is expected since Ferentz likes to keep his players from discussing the NFL until after the bowl game. Here is a prognosis on the three juniors who could leave this season:

Adrian Clayborn: The junior defensive end has had a monster season and played his guts out in every game. What was amazing to me is that he seemed to get meaner and tougher down the stretch and his pass rushing ability continues to improve. However, In a draft that looks like it could potentially be extremely heavy on defense and particularly the defensive line, Clayborn may be better served staying in Iowa for his senior season. The junior was very good and was one of the biggest playmakers down the stretch but the reality is that he would almost certainly go on the second day of the draft and could slip pretty far just because there are a lot of guys who are just as, if not more, in the mold of an NFL defensive end than Clayborn. Physically, he does not project as well in a 3-4 scheme as someone who could play OLB and DE and he is does not have the kind of ridiculous raw talent that is going to make someone draft him earlier than third round and I could see him slipping into the very late rounds if he comes out this year. Ultimately, I think Clayborn will be back in Kinnick Stadium next season.

Amari Spievey: Spievey is the hardest to place of the three juniors because he has been arguably the best cornerback of the Kirk Ferentz era but is simultaneously getting little recognition. Mel Kiper ranks Spievey the no. 4 junior cornerback in the country but the big question on Spievey is whether he is fast enough to play man coverage against NFL wide receivers. Iowa cornerbacks normally become NFL safeties and while I think Spievey would be a fantastic safety, that position is incredibly deep in this draft and is rarely a position of great importance in the NFL. On the other hand, cornerback is probably he most shallow defensive position in the NFL draft and if NFL types did think he was a good fit as a corner he would certainly get a look earlier in the draft. On what I have seen of Spievey, I don’t think a lot of NFL coaches will project him as a cornerback. The guy has great tracking speed but he is going to need a lot of safety help on deep routes because I don’t think he has the straight line speed necessary to recover from a bump and run coverage. Could he be picked to play CB? Absolutely, but I think he physically would be a much better safety and that could end up dropping him. As a football player I think he is ready for the NFL but if he isn’t going to get drafted highly I would bet he stays. No matter what I think he will have a successful pro career and when he comes out will be determined by where he thinks he will make the most money right off the bat.

Brian Bulaga: The junior LT recoverd from an injury to earn Big Ten lineman of the year accolades and many All American nods. He is currently ranked as the no. 2 junior OT in the country by Mel Kiper. For Bulaga, this is a difficult decision. A lot of signs point to him leaving but I really question on if he gets picked up in the first round like many are suggesting. When he is on, he is a beast who has dominated many DE’s but that thyroid surgery he had really slowed him down this season. The problem with Bulaga is that this year against the best DE’s he faced (O’Brien Schofield at Wisconsin, Brandon Graham at Michigan) he was blown out of the water. Now that may not be fair considering he was just coming off of surgery but that is the information we, and the NFL draft, have and that is part of what he will be judged by. He will have a chance to redeem himself in Miami against Georgia Tech and the nation’s sack leader Derrick Morgan. If you do not hear Morgan’s name much during the game you can pretty much expect to see Bulaga in the draft but if Bulaga does not play well in the Orange Bowl there is a possibility he could return to Iowa in order to improve his draft stock. There has been plenty of criticism about Bulaga’s technique this season and a poor performance this January would really hurt his draft stock. Overall I think he is most likely gone because of what should be a certain first or second round pick despite the fact I think he would benefit from the extra year at Iowa.

Overall I think Clayborn is probably a lock to stay and Bulaga is probably a lock to leave. Spievey is a wild card but right now I am thinking he is probably gone. What does this mean for the team? Well if Jordan Bernstein gets healthy it means the secondary shouldn’t drop off very far from last year. The defense would miss Spievey but the depth at corner is there for him to be replaced quickly enough and to maintain the strong pass defense Iowa has. Spievey returning would make this probably thebest pass defense in the conference with a loaded rotation at corner and safety. If Clayborn decides to leave there really is no heir apparent waiting in the wings and it could be a big problem for the Iowa defensive line but he should stay and I would expect some improvement on the line as a whole next year.

On the other side of the ball, the loss of Bulaga would mean the loss of four starters on the offensive line (assuming Dace Richardson does not return for a sixth season) and could mean the Hawkeyes lose 80 percent of their two deep on the offensive line. While there are certainly some good prospects waiting in the wings, 2007 should teach us that Iowa is not a lock to produce world beating offensive lines every year. On the plus side, Riley Reiff, Josh Koeppel (or James Ferentz), and Julian Vandervelde would be good enough to start so there is a baseline for a decent starting unit but not a lot in terms of depth. If players like Casey McMillan step up this unit could be good enough to keep the backfield upright. Having Dace Richardson back would be a huge boost for this unit if they lose Bulaga and it would be great to see the young man get another shot in an Iowa uniform. Iowa doesn’t lose much as far as skill position players go (only Tony Moeaki and Trey Stross who are good players but not irreplaceable) so if the line is able to get up to speed this should be a very dangerous team.

If Bulaga decides to stay (and Richardson returns) with the Hawkeyes I think this offense as a whole becomes a major threat. With Bulaga, Iowa would return four players who started at least one game last year and would have every position but center figured out on the starting rotation. It wouldn’t be a deep unit, but this would be a vastly better unit than if Bulaga left.

No matter what happens, good luck to all the Hawkeyes who will be putting on the Iowa uniform for the last time against the Yellow Jackets this January. LET’S GO HAWKS!

December 17, 2009

Quick Notes
By: Neal

I will be getting to your Orange Bowl prognosis in a few days, but with all that has happened since the BCS selection show I think it would be prudent to do a recap.

-As you probably heard, Eastern Iowa may be blacked out of the Orange Bowl because of contract negotiations with Mediacom and the local Fox stations. It doesn’t look good so either go out and buy an antenna or find a friend who gets satellite.

-There are three Hawkeye juniors currently looking at potentially entering the 2010 NFL draft. They are Brian Bulaga, Adrian Clayborn, and Amari Spievey. Clayborn seems like the most likely pick to stay and Bulaga looks like the most likely lock to leave with Spievey somewhere in between. I will break this situation down further in the coming days but that is the picture for now.

-The Hawkeyes look like they will have everyone who was injured during the season back for the bowl game including Ricky Stanzi and possibly Dace Richardson.
Stay tuned this week for some Orange Bowl previews and a look ahead to the NFL Draft.

November 29, 2009

Making the Case
By: Neal

So as I mentioned earlier this week, no matter what happens with teams in other leagues the Hawkeyes have to be chosen in front of Penn State in order to make a BCS bowl. I want to take the time to make the case for why Iowa should be picked ahead of the Nittany Lions and to do that I am going to break down the selection process into two categories (team strength and marketability) that are essential in selecting teams to compete in a BCS bowl.

TEAM STRENGTH: This is the area where the Hawkeyes have a clear advantage. Iowa defeated Penn State in Happy Valley 21-10. Iowa and Penn State both have 10-2 but Iowa’s resume is vastly more impressive. The Hawkeyes have wins over Arizona and Wisconsin in addition to their victory in Happy Valley to round out their top three games of the year. Penn State best win was over 9-3 Temple who lost to Ohio this past week. The Lions other top three wins include Northwestern and probably Michigan State (a team that Iowa also beat). Iowa’s losses were to Northwestern and Ohio State by a combined 10 points and happened after Iowa lost its’ starting quarterback. Penn State lost to Iowa and Ohio State by a combined 28 points with both losses happening at home. Iowa has also played a much more challenging schedule than Penn State.

The detractors would argue Penn State and Iowa played early in the season and that the Nittany Lions have turned into the better team. Well, Penn State and Iowa shared one opponent this month: Ohio State. Penn State lost their matchup with the Buckeyes by 17 points in Happy Valley while Iowa, again with their backup quarterback, lost to the Buckeyes on an overtime field goal in Columbus. Statistically, there is no really evidence to put Penn State ahead of Iowa as the better team, but that is not the entire formula.

MARKETABILITY: The bowls are first and foremost a business and any decision the bowl executives make has to make financial sense. Passing up a team that will make substantially more money than another doesn’t happen, even if the less marketable team has proven to be better during the season. Iowa jumped Northwestern to get to the Outback Bowl last year and jumped Michigan for the Outback Bowl in 2005 because the Hawkeye fan base travels notoriously well. There is a catch however. How fan bases feel about their team goes a long way in trying to determine if they get selected for certain bowl games (i.e. Michigan 2005 which disappointed a lot of UM fans and was jumped by Iowa for the Outback bowl despite identical records and a win over the Hawkeyes). This is one advantage that the Hawks have in that they are very attached to this team where as Penn State is less excited about a squad that failed to live up to expectations. That being said, Penn State is not Michigan, and the Nittany Lion faithful will travel just fine wherever they end up going. But then again, Iowa is a whole other animal when it comes to traveling to BCS games, setting the record for Orange Bowl in 2002 with over 47,000 Hawkeye fans making the trip to Miami.

No BCS bowl representative in his right mind is going to discount Iowa for its talent for putting butts in the seat. But bowl reps also make money on TV, and Penn State is easily the sexier TV pick. The Lions are likely to draw a higher audience rating for TV than the Hawkeyes in a similar bowl game based on national prestige. There is one caveat however. If you are an Iowa fan you point to how the trends in Iowa and Penn State bowl TV ratings are convoluted (they are, especially when you have to deal with factors like who else is playing in the game, where the game is held, and at what time the game is). You are not going to convince anyone that the Lions bring in lower or TV ratings or that the ratings are even, but you can make a pretty good case that the Hawks’ numbers are not so bad in comparison and that the dropoff is marginal. But they are still lower. So what do you do?

For starters, point out that Iowa has been on ESPN all but one week of the season and the this Iowa team has had far more national exposure than Penn State. PSU may have the history, but Iowa has been a popular story this year and they have drawn large television crowds for ESPN and have drawn a ton of publicity. Iowa has been on the cover of Sports Illustrated, on multiple Saturday night headlining games for ESPN, and has been a national storyline since the beginning of the season. It is hard to think, with the exposure that this Iowa team has had, that they would not draw a substantial national audience. On the flip side, Penn State will be entering the post season with little fanfare and is not generating much of anything in terms of hype. Between the two teams, Iowa is the better choice in terms of media because Penn State hasn’t done anything to garner national attention. PSU has the name, but with the Big Ten down and the way the Lions have sputtered it is hard to see them getting a massive national viewing audience.

Is it the soundest argument? No, but there is a good chance that Gary Barta has spent the past two weeks working on arguments for this problem and he and the rest of the athletic department will be well prepared to do some arm twisting in the next few weeks. Iowa’s athletic department is the ace in the hole here as Iowa is always very strong in bowl negotiations and lobbying. As an Iowa fan, I am very confident right not because Iowa has gotten good bowl bids with much worse circumstances than this (2006 Alamo Bowl) and the Athletic Department will be applying a full court press over the next week.

November 23, 2009

Bowl Picture
By: Neal

The Hawkeyes move to 10-2 after a victory over Minnesota on Saturday which ends the regular season. For Iowa, they now have plenty of time to rest up and get healthy before the post season. Iowa’s potential bowl destinations also became much clearer from Saturday. Here are the four possible destinations for the Hawkeyes this January:

Fiesta Bowl: The Hawkeyes have to hope Oklahoma State falls to their in-state rival on Saturday but if that happens then the Fiesta bowl is a very likely destination. If the Cowboys win, this won’t happen. The Hawkeyes also have to hope that the bowl reps don’t decide to pick up Penn State as the second Big Ten team (I will examine the Iowa PSU debate later this week).
Orange Bowl: If the Cowboys end up beating the Sooners this weekend, then the Hawkeyes could be picked up by the Orange bowl to face the winner of the ACC title game. The Orange Bowl will likely be looking for a team that travels well if Georgia Tech wins the ACC championship since the Yellow Jackets are not exactly known for traveling well. On the other hand, Clemson could also win the ACC title and if the Tigers take the game then their rabid fan base will likely put enough butts in the seat for the suites to financially justify picking up a TCU or a Boise State. If Oklahoma State gets picked up by the Fiesta bowl then Boise State would have to be left out of the BCS in order for a Big Ten team to get in.
Capital One Bowl: If Penn State gets selected for a BCS bid over Iowa or if OkState and Boise State take the last BCS berths then the Hawkeyes could end up spending New Years Day in Orlando. If Penn State gets picked ahead of the Hawkeyes then this is essentially guaranteed. Iowa would most likely face Ole Miss in the game.
Outback Bowl: The only scenario in which the Hawkeyes make a return trip to the Outback Bowl is if the Big Ten only gets one team in the BCS and the Capital One Bowl takes Penn State over Iowa. This is not a likely scenario but is something that fans should watch for. The Outback Bowl would not likely pass up the Hawkeyes after the Iowa faithful sent a massive contingent to Tampa last year.

With the bowl picture in place, here are the games you should watch for over the next two weeks that will determine Iowa’s bowl situation and potential bowl opponents:

Oklahoma State at Oklahoma (Nov. 28th): As mentioned before, the outcome of this game could go a long way in determining the Hawks BCS hopes. Ideally, Iowa wants the Sooners to take this one and make the Fiesta Bowl look outside of the Big XII to fill their slots.
Texas at Texas A&M (Nov. 26th): Consider all bets off if the Aggies win this game. The Longhorns would likely be out of the National Title hunt and would end up in the Fiesta Bowl. If the Longhorns lose this one then the Fiesta Bowl is likely out of the picture.
Texas vs. Nebraska (Big XII Championship Dec. 5th): This would be incredibly interesting. If the Huskers won this game they would get an automatic bid to the Fiesta Bowl and Texas would be available as an at-large. This would likely send the Longhorns to the Orange Bowl and then create a situation where the Fiesta Bowl would have to choose between Iowa, Penn State, and Boise State to face Nebraska.
Georgia Tech vs. Clemson (ACC Championship Dec. 5th): The winner of this game will be headed to the Orange Bowl and possibly a matchup with the Hawkeyes. Clemson will bring more fans to their bowl game but Georgia Tech has had more national buzz this season so I don’t know if either is preferable for the Hawkeyes.
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (Dec. 5th): The winner of this game gets an automatic BCS birth but you should be rooting for the Bearcats because a one loss Cincinnati would be major competition for a BCS bowl while it will be difficult to get a two loss Pittsburgh in over a Big Ten team.
Illinois at Cincinnati (Nov. 27th): I am not someone who normally endorses rooting for the Illini, but if there was ever a week to pull for the Zooker then this is it. If Illinois wins this then it will keep the Bearcats out of the BCS if they lose to Pitt and will raise the profile of the Big Ten as a whole.
Nevada at Boise State (Nov. 27th): The rooting interest on this one is obvious. If the Broncos fall then they will be out of the BCS bowl contention and there is one less obstacle for the Hawkeyes.
Ole Miss at Mississippi State (Nov. 28th): With their win last week the Rebels look like they are headed for the Capital One Bowl. However, for those of you looking for an Iowa-LSU rematch should the Hawkeyes end up in the Capital One Bowl should be rooting for the Bulldogs to upset Ole Miss.
Tennessee at Kentucky (Nov. 28th): The winner of this game is likely headed to the Outback Bowl. The only thing that could change this is if Georgia defeats Georgia Tech in which case the bulldogs would be able to jump the Vols or Wildcats.

November 22, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Minnesota Game
By: Andrew

The 120th season of Iowa football filled the entire spectrum of feelings one can feel during a season. Remember the feeling after the UNI game? A feeling that the season could be a long one. How about the win at Happy Valley? A feeling that we were on top of the world. The last second victory against MSU? A feeling that maybe this was our year. The loss against Northwestern? A feeling of what might have been. The heartbreaking loss against Ohio State? Oh so close. After riding this emotional roller coaster all year, it is hard to imagine what else we as fans might experience in the bowl game. At the end of the rollercoaster ride was the Minnesota game, which certainly was a microcosm of the entire season. Here are my thoughts.

Defense Rules the Day. The Iowa defense has been, as the defense puts it, putting out fires all season long. Yesterday’s game was no different. The Iowa defense caused two turnovers and five sacks while shutting out Minnesota for the second consecutive year. The goal line stand by the defense encompassed how the defense has responded to precarious positions all year. The defensive line looked dominate and the Iowa linebacker corps was stout. Speaking of which, Troy Johnson fit the “next man in” manta perfectly. Johnson ended up with eleven tackles, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a sack. If he can build on that performance, he will be able to fill in nicely for AJ Edds. I mentioned this earlier in the year, but I am even more convinced that Iowa will miss Edds more than any other player on defense next season, even if Adrian Clayborn or Amari Spievey decide to enter the draft. Edds’ ability to cover receivers in space and be in the right position to make tackles will sorely be missed next year. I place the probability of Clayborn and Spievey turning professional at about 50/50 for each. Regardless of Iowa’s bowl opponent, I like Iowa’s chances to be able to shut down any offense in the country.

Offensive Struggles. As much as this game was a great example of how the defense has performed all season, the offense looked the way that it has looked most of the season. The inability of the offense to sustain drives and effectively establish a running game hurt Iowa again on Saturday. I think many of the problems resulted from Adam Robinson’s injury. Before Robinson left with an injury, he was averaging 6 yards a carry. Given that Brandon Wegher has been dealing with an injury to his intercostal muscles for a long time, it is no wonder that the running game has struggled at times since the Wisconsin game. My prediction about the offense stepping out did not come true, but I am really convinced that with a healthy Ricky Stanzi, Adam Robinson, and Dace Richardson, the Iowa offense will look completely different than the way they looked on Saturday.

Playbook. I know that the offensive game plans have been criticized at times this year and that people have been upset with the play calling at times. There were certainly times yesterday that I was frustrated with some of the calls that were made, but I also think that the coaches did not have the confidence in James Vandenberg to call pass plays that involve routes between the hash marks. In re-watching the game, it appears that most, if not all, of Vandenberg’s throws were either out routes or patterns that were thrown to the sideline. With more than three weeks to prepare for their bowl opponent, I am going to give the benefit of the doubt to Ken O’Keefe and Kirk Ferentz to develop a gameplan that will surprise Iowa’s opponent, especially with a healthy Stanzi.

Bowl Prediction. Iowa will able to sit back for the next two weeks and let teams ahead of them in the BCS rankings fall down, but on the other hand, they will not have the opportunity to win any games and impress voters. I still think that Iowa has all but secured a spot in the Fiesta Bowl. Even with an Oklahoma State win, the Fiesta Bowl representatives have to look at Iowa’s fanbase and the economic impact that Iowans would have in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area over the course of two to four days. Unless things change dramatically, I am going to hold strong with the Fiesta Bowl prediction that Iowa will play Boise State on January 4th in Glendale, AZ.

The comments made by AJ Edds in the postgame make me think that Iowa will be focused like they were for the 2004 Outback Bowl when they played Florida. Depending on how the rest of the regular season plays out, with a bowl victory Iowa would likely finish the season in the top five. Likewise, depending on the personnel that could return next year, I think that Iowa is looking at a preseason ranking in the top ten at worst. Get ready for a whirlwind two weeks, Iowa fans. December 6 will be an exciting day and given all of the possibilities out there, I still think we will hear Iowa announced as one of the teams to play in the Fiesta Bowl.

November 20, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Minnesota Predictions
By: Andrew

            It is hard to believe that the regular season is almost over. The anticipation that begins to brew all summer once the preseason magazines begin to come out is followed by the beginning of camp and the opening weekend, and before you know it, we are at the final game. Here are my thoughts.

Leadership. Saturday marks the final time that fourteen seniors have the opportunity to don the black and gold and run out with the Swarm. I can only imagine the emotions that those seniors feel as they play in their last home game and go through the ritual of being announced to the Kinnick faithful before running out to midfield to greet their parents or loved ones. What a special moment, especially for those players from the state of Iowa that likely dreamed about playing for the Hawkeyes at a young age. One of the things that I will remember about this class is the leadership that it has provided throughout this season. AJ Edds, Pat Angerer, Rafael Eubanks, Tony Moeaki, Kyle Calloway, Trey Stross and Joe Conklin have all provided outstanding leadership and have shown the underclassmen what it takes to succeed. I think one of the primary reasons for Iowa’s success the past two seasons has been the outstanding leadership that the past two senior classes provided. During the lean years of 2006 and 2007, leadership seemed to be one of the elements that was lacking. Congratulations and thank you, seniors, for all of your hard work the past four or five years.

Offensive Explosion. Similar to my prediction of a kickoff return for a touchdown, I have been thinking that each week is the week that the Iowa offense will finally break out of its shell and explode. Minnesota ranks in the middle of the Big Ten in both run defense and pass offense, and while they have several talented linebackers with Simoni Lawrence, Nate Triplett, and Lee Campbell, they have had a tendency to be susceptible to the deep ball. I look for Iowa to come out throwing the ball from the start and will not be surprised if Ken O’Keefe calls for the play action pass with a deep route in the first series. Iowa should be back to the Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher one-two punch this week, and with the way the offensive line played last week against one of the best defensive lines in the country, I think Iowa will be able to establish the run and use the play-action pass effectively late in the game.

Double Shutout? After being shutout from the scoreboard last year, Minnesota likely has some thoughts of revenge on its mind. Unfortunately, after losing Adam Decker, their offense has resembled a very battered unit. Minnesota ranks dead last in the conference in total offense and dead last in rushing offense. To make matters worse for the Gophers, they have given up 34 sacks, which is good for first or last in the Big Ten, depending on how one views it. I am hopeful that the Iowa defense will be able to get back to its ball-hawking, turnover ways. Iowa has not had a meaningful turnover since Indiana. The key to Iowa’s success towards the end of last year and during the 9-0 run was the ability of the defense to force turnovers and setup the Iowa offense with good field position. Be sure to enjoy it while it lasts, because it very well could be the last home game for Adrian Clayborn and Amari Speivey, who certainly are in the discussion for being in the starting lineup for the All-Ferentz era team. Likewise, this could be one of the last games that Norm Parker coaches. Evidently, he has not been attending practices and has been struggling with his health since the Northwestern game. The attitude and consistency that Norm Parker has brought to Iowa defenses for the last eleven seasons has been remarkable. His outstanding coaching abilities, down to earth personality, and sense of a humor would certainly be missed.

Skill Players. Even when compared to the 2002 season, the skill players on this team are something that we have not seen at Iowa in awhile, if ever. There is so much talent on this team that it is a problem to distribute the wealth. I do not think Iowa has ever had hands like Marvin McNutt, big play ability like Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, the ability to throw the deep ball by Ricky Stanzi, and the athleticism of Tony Moeaki as a collective group ever. As I alluded to earlier, I really think that this is the game that we will see all of these offensive talents on display in one game. The scary part is thinking about all of the skill players that will be wearing an Iowa uniform for the next two seasons.

A win Saturday will give Iowa a very, very good opportunity to be selected as an at-large BCS team. I am of the thought of Jon Miller and many of the national pundits that an Iowa win all but guarantees the Hawkeyes a spot in the Fiesta Bowl. A BCS bowl berth would be a very handsome reward for this team given all of the adversity and odds that they have faced the entire season. I cannot think of a better way to send the seniors out than with a BCS bowl clinching win on a beautiful fall Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.

Prediction: Iowa 28 Minnesota 7

Pick to Click:   The Seniors

November 19, 2009

Know Your Enemy: Minnesota
By: Neal

The Hawkeyes return to Kinnick as they host Minnesota in the battle for the Floyd of Rosedale. Here is what you need to know.

NAME: University of Minnesota
COLORS: Maroon and Gold
LOCATION: Minneapolis, MN
ENROLLMENT: 28,704 Undergraduates
STADIUM: TCF Bank Stadium
COACH: Time Brewster, 14-22 at Minnesota
SERIES RECORD: Minnesota Leads 39-33-2
FIGHT SONG: Minnesota Rouser
Minnesota, hats off to thee!
To thy colors true we shall ever be,
Firm and strong, united are we.
Rah, rah, rah, for Ski-U-Mah,
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah!
Rah for the U of M.
[Repeat]
M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A!
Minnesota, Minnesota!
Yay, Gophers!

TRADITIONS: The Floyd of Rosedale is probably the most famous trophy the Hawks play for all season. The legend of Floyd began during a 1934 football game between the Hawkeyes and Gophers when Iowa halfback Ozzie Simmons took excessive hits from the Minnesota team because he was one of the few African American athletes at the time. After Iowa fans threatened to riot at the game in Iowa city next year, Minnesota Governor Floyd owner made a wager that the losing teams governor would send a prize pig to the governor in the state of the winning team. After Minnesota won the game the Iowa governor sent him a prize hog named Floyd. The trophy is a bronze sculptor of the original pig.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: The Hawkeyes are going to have to shake off their big game hangover quickly because Minnesota will be jacked for this game. I watched the SDSU game on Sunday and I think that Iowa is the better team in this matchup, but the Hawkeyes have to play that way. Minnesota will be playing with a lot of emotion after last year’s 55-0 defeat and it would be to Iowa’s advantage to come out focused. The Gopher defense is plenty solid and they have the talent up front to make things interesting. Minnesota’s offense could be dangerous if they play like they did against Michigan State but the front five for the Gophers does not seem to pick up the blitz well and had some very embarrassing moments against the Jackrabbits last week. Expect Norm Parker to test the Gopher line early and often with some interesting blitz packages and stunts to shut down the running game and pressure Adam Weber. If Tim Brewster is smart he will use their mobile quarterback early and often in an attempt to use his speed at the QB position to keep the Hawkeye defense from pinning their ears back. If Adam Weber is in the majority of the game then I would think the Hawkeye defense would have a somewhat easier assignment.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: Iowa will come out a little soft, but the Gophers will make mistakes. The Hawkeyes begin by stalling on their first drive but a Minnesota three and out leads to good field position and an Iowa field goal. A Gopher turnover opens the floodgates and the Hawkeyes go up 31-0 at half time. The Gophers come out firing in the second half and manage a touchdown on their first drive. The Hawkeyes respond with a touchdown of their own before an Adam Weber pick six puts the Hawkeyes up 55-7. IOWA 55-7

November 17, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Ohio State Game
By: Andrew

Oh so close. As I left Ohio Stadium on Saturday, I had nothing but feelings of pride for the way Iowa competed. No, I do not believe in moral victories, but there were several good things to come out of the game against the Buckeyes. Here are my thoughts.

Signal Caller. James Vandenberg’s performance on Saturday was nothing short of remarkable. While I think we had an idea that Vandenberg has a strong arm, what he showed on the field simply reinforced that notion, maybe even more than anyone outside of the Iowa football complex thought. The other quality that impressed me about Vandenberg was his poise on the field. As I have been saying all year with respect to Ricky Stanzi, the most important characteristic of a quarterback is an ability to show poise by not getting too high after great plays or getting too low after poor plays. Vandenberg seemed to mirror Stanzi in this regard and it showed, especially in the fourth quarter when Vandenberg led the Hawkeyes on an eight play, seventy yard scoring drive that ended with a ten yard touchdown pass to Marvin McNutt. While I am curious to see how Vandenberg performs this upcoming week, Iowa fans can be thankful that it appears as though the quarterback situation for the next three years will be set. If anything, Vandenberg’s performance is going to push Stanzi harder in practice this spring and into next year, which will do nothing but help Stanzi improve.

Gutsy Performance. In addition to Vandenberg, I thought Adam Robinson’s performance was illustrative of the heart that this team has shown the entire year. To think that he severely sprained his ankle just three weeks ago against Michigan State and was able to carry the ball twenty times for seventy-four yards was incredible. No, Robinson does not have great breakaway speed, but what he lacks in speed he makes up with his ability to gain that extra one or two yards, which makes a big difference between facing a third and seven situation versus third and five. I hope that Brandon Wegher will be able to move out to the slot position next year, as I think that Iowa will have two pretty special running backs in Robinson and Jewel Hampton.

Special Teams. We saw both the good and the bad with special teams. I will not go so far to say that I called the return by Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, but I did feel some sense of satisfaction when he returned the kick 99 yards to get Iowa back in the game. On the opposite side, we saw two poor kicks from Daniel Murray with the miss from 22 yards and the kickoff that went out of bounds. With the slim margin of error that Iowa had to work with in the first place, mistakes and missed opportunities like that make the margin of error paper thin, especially on the road at the Shoe. Although I think Murray will get back on track, it will interesting to see how the battle between him and Trent Mosbrucker will work out next season.

Coaching Decision. Much has been made about Kirk Ferentz’s decision to sit on the ball in Iowa’s final possession of regulation. When Iowa decided to run out the clock following the first play from the line of scrimmage, I was happy with the decision and I am still fine with the decision. Even though Iowa had some success moving the ball in the fourth quarter, the possible outcomes that could have resulted had Iowa tried to get in field goal range outweighed taking the game into overtime. In addition to the possibility of a turnover, if Iowa had tried to throw the ball with no success, the clock would have stopped and with all of their timeouts left, Ohio State might have had the opportunity to not only block a punt but also come up with their own drive, even if it would have only been with 30 seconds or so. Kirk Ferentz plays the percentages with his decisionmaking process. As I told many people after the game, if you asked the best coaches in the game what they would have done in a similar circumstance with a redshirt freshmen at the helm, I would venture to guess that 90% of them would say that they would do exactly what Kirk Ferentz did. To those calling out Kirk Ferentz and his staff for their decision, keep in mind that very coaching staff came up with an incredible game plan and have made several other crucial decisions that have allowed this team to be at 9-2.

The loss was hard to take because of the opportunities that Iowa had to win the game. As I mentioned in my last installment before the game, I noted that Iowa would have to force at least three turnovers against Ohio State to have a chance to win. Instead, they turned the ball over to the Buckeyes three times. Speaking of interceptions, while Iowa is second in the country in interceptions, they are also ranked second in the country for interceptions thrown, chew on that statistic for a bit. As we head to the final game of the season, there is still so much on the line for Iowa to accomplish. I share the same opinion as much of the media who believe that if Iowa wins against Minnesota, they will likely play in the Fiesta Bowl. If I told you that Iowa had the opportunity to go to a BCS bowl game after leaving Kinnick Stadium on September 5 when Iowa narrowly escaped with a victory against UNI, I think I would be able to guess your answer.

November 17, 2009

Bowl Picture
By: Neal

The loss to Ohio State stung, that much is certain. However as hard as it was to swallow, the loss may have come in the best possible fashion if you are looking for a BCS bowl berth. (Note: The bowl selection order for the BCS is 1) the replacement for the number one team 2) the replacement for the number two team 3) Orange Bowl 4) Fiesta Bowl 5) Sugar Bowl) An automatic berth to the Rose Bowl would have been very nice, but the Hawkeyes look like they will be in pretty good shape for a BCS birth if the following happens:

1. Beat Minnesota: Iowa has to win Saturday, the bigger the better. Blasting this banged up Gopher team is not impossible. If Iowa plays tight it will not help but a win is an absolute must if the Hawkeyes do not want to plummet down the bowl pecking order.

2. Penn State loses to MSU: the Spartans always play the Nittany Lions tough and Joe Paterno’s squad, at no. 14, looks primed to try and jump the Hawkeyes for bowl positioning. Penn State travels extremely well and the program has a great reputation nationally so bowl reps would have a tough choice if both the Hawkeyes and Lions went 10-2. Both are currently elidgible for a BCS slot currently so we want Michigan State to win this Saturday to drop Penn State to 9-3 and keep them from competing for Iowa for a bowl slot.

3. Boise State or TCU to falter: If both programs tripped up it would be ideal, but that seems unlikely. Keep an eye on the Boise State/Nevada game since both schools have been playing some decent ball down the stretch. Only one of these teams can get an automatic bid but the National Media will be making a very strong push for both to get in if they are both undefeated.

4. Oklahoma State to lose: The Cowboys still have a date against their in-state rival in Norman so this is certainly a possibility. A two-loss Cowboy team would be an attractive selection for the Fiesta Bowl who will likely lose Texas.

The Big Ten could likely have three teams with 10-2 records that are eligible for a BCS at large spot. Wisconsin is not likely to jump Iowa or Penn State for the spot but, as mentioned previously, Penn State would certainly pose a threat to jump Iowa in the bowl pecking order. If that does happen, Iowa will likely be spending their winter break in Orlando for the Capital One Bowl. If Iowa loses to Minnesota on Saturday then the Hawkeyes will most likely fall to the Outback Bowl. The Champs Sports Bowl is likely out of the picture unless the Hawkeyes lose and the Big Ten does not get a second BCS bid. If Iowa does get selected for a BCS bowl, the most likely destination would be Tempe for the Fiesta Bowl or to Miami for the Orange Bowl.

November 13, 2009

Know Your Enemy: Ohio State
By: Neal

The Rose Bowl is on the line as yours truly will be heading out to Columbus to watch your Iowa Hawkeyes take on the Ohio State Buckeyes.

NAME: Ohio State University
COLORS: Scarlet and Gray
LOCATION: Columbus, OH
ENROLLMENT: 38,749 undergraduates (Columbus campus only)
STADIUM: Ohio Stadium (The Horseshoe)
COACH: Jim Tressel 91-21, at OSU
SERIES RECORD: Ohio State leads 44-14-3
FIGHT SONG: Across the Field

Fight the team across the field
Show them Ohio's here,
Set the earth reverberating
With a mighty cheer,
Rah! Rah! Rah!
Hit them hard and see how they fall,
Never let that team get the ball,
Hail, hail, the gang's all here,
So let's win that old conference now.

TRADITIONS: Where to begin? Buckeye grove is a forest-like shrine of the Buckeye players who are named All-Americans. Each time the players defeat Michigan they receive a gold charm shaped like a pair of pants. It is a reference to a comment Coach Francis Schmidt made in 1934 when asked how the Buckeyes planned on taking on the powerful Wolverines. Schmidt replied that, just like his Buckeyes, the Wolverines put their pants on one leg at a time.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: If the Hawkeyes want to win this game they need to be resilient. This team cannot deflate if they make a mistake or if Ohio State makes a play. The energy has to be high from start to finish. On offense, James Vandenberg needs to make some plays. The freshman doesn’t need to be Peyton Manning but he needs to do just enough to keep the passing offense open. For this to work, Iowa is going to need its’ receivers to have the best games of their lives so that they can open things up downfield. Defensively, Iowa is going to have to be in complete shutdown mode. Pryor is not the best quarterback but he cannot be allowed to break contain. Shut down the run and force the throw should be Iowa’s goal on defense. This is conceivably the best defense Ohio State will see all year (especially after USC’s collapse) so expect a close, tough, game. Also, rumor has it that Colin Sandeman, Adam Robinson, and Brett Greenwood should all see playing time.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: For those of you like me who love defensive struggles, this one should be good. There is a legitimate chance we could end up with another 6-4 type score with both defenses being incredibly possible. Expect Ohio State to grab a score early off of a three and out by the Hawkeyes to put the tally at 3-0. The Hawkeyes will tie the game at three with another field goal in the second quarter in the second. Ohio State manages another field goal early in the third but a Pryor miscue results in an Iowa touchdown. Ohio State puts on another field goal to put the score at 10-9 but Iowa manages a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to ice the game. IOWA 17-9

November 13, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Ohio State Predictions
By: Andrew

It is hard to believe that the regular season is down to two games. Can you think of a more intriguing storyline than a Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl berth on the line with a redshirt freshmen’s first start to occur at Ohio Stadium? Given the way this season has transpired thus far, who knows what could happen on Saturday. Here are my thoughts on the game.

Quarterback Play. At the beginning of the week I thought that there was no way that James Vandenberg, even with a week of practice, would be able to lead this team to victory. That is not a slight at Vandenberg, rather it was a thought that was based in reality. As the week has progressed, however, I am starting to feel better about Vandenberg and the opportunity that is before him on Saturday. I think that Vandenberg may have a stronger arm than Ricky Stanzi. That arm strength was shown on Saturday in several of the out routes that Vandenberg threw. If Vandenberg can find a way to avoid the big mistakes and do his best to keep his composure, the Iowa offense has an opportunity to move the ball on Saturday.

Running Game. One of the more disappointing developments of the season has been the inability of the offensive line to consistently establish a running game. The talent on this line is certainly there, but the inability to consistently establish a run game has placed incredible pressure on the passing game and has resulted in the offense being forced to play from behind, resulting in more pass attempts, and thus, more opportunities for interceptions. If Adam Robinson is able to contribute 5-10 carries on Saturday it would certainly provide a big boost to the offense and lift some of the burden off of Brandon Wegher. Ohio State is, however, the best defense that Iowa has faced this entire season. Ohio State ranks first in the big ten in rush defense allowing a paltry 85 yards a game and ranks second in the Big Ten in pass defense allowing only 168 yards a game. Regardless of the outcome, if Iowa is able to score more than 14 points, I would consider it to be an extremely impressive accomplishment.

Defense the Key. While Ohio State certainly has the clear advantage when Iowa has the ball, as it has done all year, the Iowa defense can keep this team in the game. Terrelle Pryor has shown to be interception prone at times and, despite his performance at Penn State last week, is not a scary passing threat. If Adrian Clayborn and the rest of the defensive line are able to put enough pressure on Pryor to force him to make poor decisions, Iowa may be able to benefit in the field position game. One of the most important keys to this game is whether the Iowa defense can keep the game low scoring and create turnovers. If the Iowa defense can produce at least three turnovers, the Hawkeyes can stay in this game. Fortunately, Ohio State runs a traditional offense, which plays into the strength of Iowa’s defensive scheme. I would be very surprised if Ohio State is able to be successful on the ground.

Special Teams. Daniel Murray will have at least two chances on Saturday to put three points on the board. It will be absolutely crucial for him to be accurate on Saturday, as points will be hard to come by for the Iowa offense. Colin Sandeman is rumored to be playing on Saturday, which will certainly help the punt return game. The past few weeks, I have been very impressed with Derrell Johnson-Koulianos as a kick returner. He seems to have solid vision when picking a lane to run. Speaking of which, I am still waiting for the first kickoff return for a touchdown since 2002. As has been the case the entire season, Ryan Donahue will be a weapon on Saturday. His long punts may change the field position battle and help keep Ohio State out of Iowa territory, which is vital in order to keep this game low scoring.

Look, I am not going to wear black and gold shades while drinking Hawkeye kool-aid to say that Iowa is going to win this game. An Iowa win on Saturday would be something so remarkable that it is even hard to picture. Three wins in Columbus since Eisenhower was in office? The odds are stacked against Iowa in the worst way, but as I mentioned at the beginning, with the way this season has gone, who knows what may happen. If Iowa can keep the game low scoring, create at least three turnovers, and have no turnovers of their own, they will have a chance. Regardless of the outcome, I am looking forward to watch this Iowa team compete for the eleventh time this season and making my first visit to the Horseshoe.

Prediction: Ohio State 20 Iowa 13

Pick to Click: Tony Moeaki

November 11, 2009

Iowa's Bowl Picture
By: Neal

I am an optimist but unless Ricky Stanzi miraculously heals and has time to practice this week I don't see us beating OSU. Minny seems to have taken up MSU's mantle as the late season collapse squad and KF always seems to do a great job of game planning that particular matchup (see 55-0). If Iowa does beat OSU then it is a guaranteed trip to Pasadena but if not we have other options. If Iowa loses on Saturday and Penn State and Wisconsin win out then there will be four 10-2 teams sitting atop the Big Ten. Ohio State will be off to the Rose Bowl while Iowa, Penn State, and Wisconsin will be hoping that one of the three makes a BCS at large bid or one of them will end up playing in the Champs Sports Bowl. Of the three, Iowa is the likeliest to get an at large bid since they are still in good standing with the computers and unless a loss to Ohio State has the voters drop Iowa even more ridiculously low, then the Hawkeyes could be in good shape to break the top 14 which is a requirement to receive an at large bid.

The selection order for the BCS at large spots is 1) Replacement for no. 1 team 2) Replacement for no. 2 team 3) Sugar 4) Fiesta 5) Orange. Assuming Florida (or Alabama) and Texas make it into the national championship then the Sugar and Fiesta bowls will have the first two picks. The Sugar bowl will likely take the loser of the SEC Championship game (they would have priority over the Fiesta since that is the SEC’s automatic bid) while the Fiesta would try to find a replacement for Texas. A lot could happen but here is what Iowa fans should hope for in the coming weeks if we do lose to Ohio State:

1. Iowa doesn't get blasted by the voters: The Coaches and Harris poll have been particularly unkind to the Hawkeyes and they will be looking for any excuse to keep Iowa down. The voters hate the Big Ten so losing to OSU could doom the Hawkeyes anyway if they continue to freefall through the polls. If the voters are sympathetic to the Hawkeyes next weekend (i.e. the Hawkeyes are still in the top 18 or so) there is enough upset potential the rest of the way to get the Hawkeyes within range.

2. Oklahoma State loses: The Cowboys face Texas Tech, Colorado, and Oklahoma in their final three games so their computer average will rise. They are in range of the top 14 right now so getting them to lose is nesscesary to keep them out of the competition.

3. Miami needs to lose: The still have four games including matchups with UNC and South Florida which should push up their ranking in the computers. If they are in the Hurricanes would be a godsend for the Sugar Bowl since it wouldn’t be far for the Canes to travel and would give them an interesting matchup with the loser of the SEC title game.

4. Georgia Tech needs to win the ACC: The one loss Yellow Jackets are likely facing Clemson for the conference title game and we want them to win. While Tech doesn’t travel well they would be an interesting matchup opponent for the Sugar Bowl to grab up. The triple option offense would provide an interesting selling point for TV and though it would still be tough to pick them over the Hawks it would be a lot safer to have Tech be safely out of our way.

5. Pittsburgh needs to lose: The Panthers are already in the top 15 and a win over Cincinnati would probably keep them there. No the Panthers don’t travel well but if they beat the Bearcats and win the Big East then we would be fighting a battle with the Bearcats who are getting a lot of positive press right now. Whether the Bearcats win out is irrelevant, Iowa needs them to beat Pitt and knock the Panthers out of the running and hope that Notre Dame or someone else can put the final nail in Pitts coffin. If Cincy losses only that game this season it will be tough to keep Iowa in over them despite their tiny fan base.

6. Root against TCU, Utah, Houston, and Boise State: Ideally, we want at least one of the two current unbeatens to lose their game. Utah and TCU play each other this weekend so one of them will be out of the hunt completely and Houston has been playing with fire for a few weeks now in Conference USA. Boise State hosts a surprising Idaho team this weekend and conference rival Nevada later this season. One loss by the Broncos likely cuts them out of the BCS picture. It will be a tough sell for a one loss Houston or Boise State to get in as a second BCS team if TCU remains undefeated. If Utah defeats TCU and loses to BYU there is a chance that none of the non AQ teams could make it into the BCS effectively creating three spots and all but assuring a top 14 Iowa a slot.

7. The selection committee needs to remember the Poinsettia bowl: The 2008 Poinsettia Bowl to be exact. This is plan B in case Boise State and TCU remain undefeated. Boise St. went undefeated last year, and lost to TCU in that game. It keeps getting swept under the rug (along with 2008 Hawaii) but they need to remember the WAC champions recent track record in bowl games. With TCU likely getting the automatic bid the Broncos will be lobbying hard for a BCS slot. None of the bowl reps are going to be thrilled about picking up a second non AQ team but Boise State is enough of a brand name at this point and the media is lobbying enough for it right now that someone might just cave in.

8. Root for Arizona and against USC: The Wildcats continue to win and victories over USC and/or Oregon would help our record as well. Also, keeping the Ducks and Trojans out of the top 14 gives Iowa a better chance of being eligible by the time selection Sunday rolls around. USC is a bit of a wild card as far as traveling goes but the name alone will generate a huge buzz. The Trojans need to lose at least once more and Arizona winning will only help the Hawkeyes ranking with the computers.

9. Penn State and Wisconsin need to win out while Ohio State needs to beat Michigan: The Hawkeyes will need to be ranked in the top 14 and the computers need to stay on our side. If the Hawkeyes end up going 2-1 against three 10-2 teams on the road (with the only loss being to the conference champion when they were without their starting quarterback) it will be very hard to argue against the Hawkeyes resume. The Computers will continue to keep them high and it will keep voters from making excuses as to why Iowa should be lower. The Nittany Lions and Badgers have zero signature wins this season and both lost to Iowa so it is highly unlikely that either of them will jump the Hawkeyes even if they do make it into the top 14.

10. Play Ohio State tough and bash Minnesota: Getting blown out is not an option. If Iowa loses by more than ten on Saturday the voters will likely keep them from getting anywhere. Also, a big win over Minnesota is almost mandatory now. 55-0 may be hoping for too much but a double digit win over the Gophers would go a long way in the minds of both the voters and the selection committee.

Not all of these have to happen, but a good majority of them do. If Iowa does end up going to a BCS bowl as an at large, there is a good chance it will be to the Fiesta or Sugar Bowls. Next week we will look at the Big Ten picture and look at some possible bowl destinations for the rest of the conference.

November 8, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Northwestern Game
By: Andrew

As a good friend once told me, they are the Hawks and they always break your heart. Do not get me wrong, this season has been one for the ages and I am not down on any of the players at all. It is just unfortunate that one injury totally changed the direction of this season from a path to glory to a path to uncertainty. Here are my thoughts on the game.

One Play. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that if Ricky Stanzi had not been injured, Iowa would have won the football game by more than two touchdowns. Iowa was moving the ball at will against Northwestern early and would have been able to do so for the remainder of the game. Arguably the biggest play in the game was Stanzi’s first interception that completely shifted the field position and resulted in Iowa having the ball at their own six yard line, which led to the play Iowa fans would like to forget. Some people have questioned and criticized Ken O’Keefe’s play call on that play. While I have gone back and forth on it, I am convinced that it was not a bad call. Marvin McNutt scored on a 92 yard pass play the week before on that same play, unfortunately Corey Wootten read the play correctly and made a great play. It is ironic to think that just a week ago people were talking about what play from this season would be the most memorable: the blocked field goals against UNI, Adrian Clayborn’s blocked punt against Penn State, McNutt’s catch against Michigan State? At this point in time, it appears as though the most memorable, yet forgettable play might be Stanzi’s fumble that led to his injury.

Defense. The defense this year has been absolutely incredible in their ability to be placed in difficult situations and keep the team in the game. The defense only gave up ten points on Saturday. An offense that is incapable of scoring more than ten points does not deserve to win many games. Likewise, Iowa lost one area against Northwestern that it has been winning most of the season, the turnover margin. Although I am sure there is statistical analysis on this next point, the probability of a team that turns the ball over four times winning a game is very low. Iowa has been playing with fire all year with their inability to put teams away, and although they were able to overcome six turnovers against Indiana, it finally caught up with them on Saturday. The defense can only respond against adversity so many times, and although they did everything possible to create turnovers, it was not enough.

Special Teams. Other than Daniel Murray’s miss from 46 yards, the special teams play was vastly improved from Indiana. Ryan Donahue’s 73 yard punt was what we have expected from him the entire year. Likewise, I was very impressed with the return game. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos was impressive on kickoff returns and Tyler Sash was more than serviceable when he was forced into punt return duty.

Penalties. I am going to comment on penalties with two caveats. First, Iowa has been the recipient of several favorable calls and non-calls this season. Second, officiating is part of the game and if the official throws a flag, then that is the call on the field. With that said, why in the world was there a holding penalty called against Rafael Eubanks on Brandon Wegher’s touchdown run? Explain to me the logic in the defender getting flat out beat and out-muscled and then penalizing the lineman? There were also several missed defensive holding calls on Northwestern, but again, a team should be able to overcome those calls.

Well, we are essentially down to a two game season going from talk about a Rose Bowl trip to the potential of falling all the way to the Outback Bowl. Granted, if you would have told me at the beginning of the year that we would be 9-1 at this point in the season, I would have accepted it in an instance. The way in which Iowa lost to Northwestern was more upsetting and is why Hawkeye fans have been in a state of shock and, in some cases, a state of anger. It is now the James Vandenberg show from here on out. Can you imagine a more high-pressure situation for the first start of a redshirt freshmen quarterback than at Ohio Stadium with a Rose Bowl berth and Big Ten championship at stake? While I think that the chances are low, there is a reason teams play the game. With a week of practice, Vandenberg will look more comfortable under center on Saturday. If the defense can limit Ohio State to ten points and if Iowa commits no turnovers, Iowa has a chance.

November 6, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Indiana Game
By: Andrew

            Any other year this game would be a game that Iowa would need to become bowl eligible or to improve its bowl position. This game and this season, however, is a totally different story. To make matters even more interesting, Iowa has not exactly played well against Northwestern at home, thus this game has all of the elements of a classic Big Ten showdown. Here are my thoughts.

Another Quarterback Showdown. Despite their lackluster play so far this year, the Big Ten’s quarterbacks are, in my humble opinion, an underrated group. Ricky Stanzi has shown uncanny leadership. Scott Tolzien is an efficient and steady passer. Kirk Cousins has the tools to play at the next level. Tate Forcier is a fiery signal caller who will only get better. Terrelle Pryor is an incredible athlete still learning his role at quarterback. Daryll Clark as the elder statesmen of the bunch has his team headed toward another BCS bowl berth. Finally, Mike Kafka is arguably the best all-around quarterback in the league. Kafka leads the league in passing yards per game with a 243 average and leads the league in total offense with an average of 271 yards a game. To say he means a lot to his team would be an understatement, as he is responsible for approximately 69% of Northwestern’s offense this season. Like his predecessor, C.J. Bacher, Kafka has the ability to pick apart a defense with short routes and precise passes. Unlike Bacher, however, Kafka can be deadly with his legs. Although the Northwestern injury report did not list Kafka under any status, it will be pretty incredible if he goes the entire game without his hamstring flaring up at some point. Pat Fitzgerald can say all he wants, but a hamstring injury that causes a player to miss an entire half does not suddenly get better in a week. If Kafka does indeed play, there is no way that he will be playing at a capacity higher than seventy-five percent. His backup, Dan Persa, is a steady quarterback, but is not good enough to beat this Iowa defense with his arm or legs.

Defensive Looks. Just so that you are prepared for it on Saturday, Northwestern will be able to move the ball at six and seven yard increments for most of the day. One of the keys to preventing Northwestern from marching up and down the field is the ability of Iowa’s front four to get penetration to disrupt the timing of the Northwestern passing attack. Granted, most of Northwestern’s pass plays are predicated on short routes leaving almost no time to even have a chance for the defense to get to the quarterback, but the front seven’s ability to disrupt the timing and force the quarterback to improvise will be important to shutting down the Wildcat attack. Other than Kafka, Northwestern does not have much of a running threat ranking 10th in the Big Ten in rushing offense at 121 yards a game. Look for Pat Angerer and AJ Edds to have busy days as they drop back in coverage and contain the Northwestern receivers to their initial 6 or 7 yards and no more. Because of health concerns, it sounds as though Norm Parker will be spending the rest of the year in the press box. Although his presence on the field will be missed, I do not think that having Parker in the press box will have much effect on the defense.

Stretching the Field. If Northwestern saw anything from the film from Iowa’s win against Indiana, they likely saw how Iowa was able to exploit Indiana with the play-action waggle. Indiana had eight, sometimes nine, defenders in the box, just begging Iowa to beat them deep. With the wind at its back, Iowa did just that scoring on consecutive series with just two plays. Given the forecast for Saturday, I think we will see Iowa set-up the play action early on by going to Brandon Wegher often. Northwestern’s defense is beaten up, as they have had twenty different players start for them on defense this season, including nine different players in the defensive backfield. I also hope that Ken O’Keefe gets Stanzi off on the right foot by slowly working him into the game by throwing short routes to Tony Moeaki and the rest of the receiving corps. Iowa has had a tendency to look for the deep ball on first down early in the game, and while I am happy with O’Keefe looking to throw the ball down field, I wish the timing were better. Maybe it is something that the defense is showing that leads to those calls. Either way, it would be nice to see the Iowa offense get out to an early start and move the ball convincingly.

Kicking Game. As I mentioned after the Indiana game, I think what we saw out of Iowa’s special teams was an aberration. Ryan Donahue will be back to his normal self after trying to knock one out of the park last week, which led to an eight yard punt. Likewise, I think Daniel Murray will have a few opportunities on Saturday to put some points on the board and work on increasing his trajectory. Fortunately, because Northwestern’s kicker doubles as their punter, Iowa will not have many opportunities to return a punt. Opponents have only returned ten punts against Northwestern this year, but that is due, in large part, to being dead last in the Big Ten in punting average. Given Iowa’s disaster of a punt return game last week, that is definitely a positive mark in Iowa’s column.

Normally, the week leading up to a game against Northwestern is always one filled with some anxiety due to their offensive scheme. However, I think Iowa went through their sleepwalking game of the year last week against Indiana. With all that is at stake and with the finish line of the regular season almost near, there is no way that this team will overlook Northwestern. If Kafka is a no go for the Wildcats, this game could get ugly. I think the Iowa offense gets on track and turns the keys over to the defense to do what they do best, which is stifling opponents’ offenses. Be sure to pay attention to the Ohio State/Penn State game on Saturday. An Iowa win and a Nittany Lion win almost assures Iowa a Rose Bowl berth, even if the Hawkeyes stub their toe in Columbus.

Prediction: Iowa 38    Northwestern 13

Pick to Click: Tony Moeaki

November 5, 2009

Know Your Enemy
By: Neal

Northwestern visits Kinnick this weekend as the Hawkeyes attempt to get to 10-0 on the season. Here is all you need to know about the Wildcats.

NAME: Northwestern University
COLORS: Purple and White
LOCATION: Evanston, IL
ENROLLMENT: 8,284 Undergraduates
STADIUM: Ryan Field
COACH: Pat Fitzgerald, 24-22 record
SERIES RECORD: Iowa Leads 46-21-3, Northwestern is 7-5 in the last 12 matchups.
FIGHT SONG: Go U Northwestern
Go U Northwestern!
Break right through that line.
With our colors flying,
We will cheer you all the time,
U Rah! Rah!
Go! U Northwestern!
Fight for victory,
Spread far the fame of our fair name,
Go! Northwestern win that game.

(Whistle)

(Yell) Go! Northwestern Go!

(Whistle)

(Yell) Go! Northwestern Go!
Hit ‘em hard!
Hit ‘em low!
Go! Northwestern Go!

(Repeat chorus)
TRADITIONS: Long known for football futility, NU students used to “lake the posts” after every Wildcat victory. This means that the student body would tear down the goal posts and carry them to Lake Michigan where they would be tossed into the lake. The tradition ended when Gary Barnett brought the Wildcats out of football purgatory in the mid 90’s. Northwestern students now perform the “Wildcat growl” whenever opposing teams control the ball while making claws with their hands.
WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: Watch the quarterbacks. I don’t think Northwestern has the horses to win the battle up front for four quarters. On offense, that means Mike Kafka will have to make plays with his feet. Kafka is the Iowa defense’s worst nightmare, an efficient passer who is very fast and can scramble extremely well. If Kafka is allowed to break containment and keep drives alive then this could be a very long day for the Iowa defense. The Hawks will have get continuous pressure from the defensive line and maintain containment with their linebackers to keep the NU offense from driving down the field. On offense, Ricky Stanzi is going to have to make plays in order to keep the Iowa offense from stalling. The NU run defense should be able to keep Brandon Wegher in check after shutting down Evan Royster last weekend. The Wildcat secondary hasn’t been as strong as advertized and Ricky Stanzi has enough firepower in his receiving corps to make plays.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: I am legitimately concerned about the outcome of this game. Northwestern always plays Iowa tough and their offensive scheme is not easy to stop. That said, it seems as though the Hawkeyes always play their best ball in November. The game will start off slow, trading early field goals before an Iowa touchdown in the second quarter. Northwestern answers with ten more points to put the score at 13-10 Wildcats going into halftime. Northwestern pushes their led to 20 before the Hawkeyes push a 24 point run to close out the contest. IOWA 34-20

November 2, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Indiana Game
By: Andrew

Once again the Hawkeyes found a way to overcome adversity to win another football game and become 9-0 on the season. We have seen all kinds of once in a lifetime type plays this season, but nothing was more bizarre than the events that unfolded during the Indiana game. Here are my thoughts on the game.

∑ Leadership. I have said it many times this season, but Ricky Stanzi has one of the best intangible attributes of a quarterback that is impossible to coach. His ability to stay in the moment and forget what has happened, whether good or bad, is one of the best intangibles a quarterback can possess. Two of Stanzi’s interceptions can be attributed to the swirling winds in Kinnick Stadium, and another can be attributed to the umpire interfering with Keenan Davis’s route. I would echo the sentiments of Stanzi’s teammates who all have said that they would not want anyone else leading this team at quarterback. As the old golf euphemism goes, it is not how, but how many. In Stanzi’s case, it is 9-0 this season and 16-3 as a starter. I will take that person as my quarterback and leader any day of the week.

∑ Defense. The Iowa defense answered the call yet again on Saturday. They were placed in several precarious positions and were able to hold Indiana from putting the game out of reach. Tyler Sash’s interception was something out of a video game but was certainly needed at that juncture in the game as it seemed to breathe new life into the team and the Kinnick faithful. Sash is now two interceptions away from tying Lou King and Nile Kinnick for the Iowa single season interception record of eight. With three interception prone quarterbacks on deck, it is certainly possible that the pride of Oskaloosa will be able to tie or break the record. Despite being forced to coach from the press box on Saturday due to health reasons, Norm Parker again showed why he and his defensive coaching staff are incredible at making second half adjustments. Indiana was held to only 3 points and only 117 yards of offense in the second half. Granted, I still think that Iowa got away with one with the overturned touchdown call in the third quarter, but I still think that the Iowa offense would have put up 28 points in the fourth quarter even if they would have been down 28-14. Speaking of which, maybe it is because I have been subjecting myself to Joe Buck and Tim McCarver during the World Series and, unfortunately, Terry Bradshaw’s blabbering when the BCS standings were released, but why does everyone in our society point to officiating as reasons why a team loses a game? Indiana got beat on Saturday because Iowa was the better team. The officials may have missed a call or two, but to say that it had a bearing on the outcome is ludicrous. Likewise, it is asinine to imply that the officials were intentionally trying to keep Iowa undefeated to help the Big Ten’s BCS hopes, as CBSSports writer Gregg Doyel wrote. Although it will not happen, I wish that writers who write material like that were reprimanded by not receiving press credentials or were prevented from obtaining interview access.

∑ Special Teams Conundrum. This is not a slight at Colin Sandeman in any way, but I did not think that Iowa would miss him on Saturday as much as they did. Boy was I wrong. Yes, the wind was a factor, but Iowa’s punt return game was an adventure all day long. My prediction on Keenan Davis returning punts came true, but after mishandling his first return, Amari Spievey was given the duty. Spievey’s fumble at the end of the second quarter capped off what was one of worst halves of Iowa football that I have seen in a long time. Here is to hoping that it is a calm day this next Saturday. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, however, looked very comfortable returning kicks on Saturday and was able to give Iowa very favorable field position on two returns, even though one was called back for a penalty. By the way, the last time Iowa returned a kickoff for a touchdown was CJ Jones’s return in the Orange Bowl, and the last kickoff return for a touchdown during the regular season was in that same 2002 season against Michigan State by Jermelle Lewis. Given some of the parallels between this season and that 2002 season, do you think a kickoff return for a touchdown is in the cards? Daniel Murray has been a very reliable kicker this season, but the yanked 44 yard attempt looked like a kick made by those people who have to make a field goal on national television during a conference championship game as part of a contest in order to win a large cash prize. Likewise, Ryan Donahue’s shanked eight yard punt was essentially a turnover, as it gave Indiana great field position and led to a Hoosier touchdown. Here is to thinking that both kickers had a poor game and will bounce back this week.

∑ Team Mentality. In each game this season, a different person has stepped up to make that special play to vault the Hawkeyes to victory. Tyler Sash was that person against Iowa State, Adrian Clayborn against Penn State, Tony Moeaki against Michigan, and Marvin McNutt against Michigan State. While those memorable plays and performances will be engrained in our memories forever, the ability of this team to pick one another up is one of the things I will remember the most about this season. The outside world, both fans and critics, has no effect on this team. The players view each week as just another opportunity to improve and, on each Saturday this fall, play the game they love. The famous Bo Schembechler quote seems very appropriate for this year’s Iowa team: No one man is more important than the team. No one coach is more important than the team. The team, the team, the team.

Boy is this fun. The Hawkeyes are 9-0 and have an opportunity to improve to 10-0 on Saturday against a deflated Northwestern team. I know it sounds like a broken record, but I really think that the Iowa offense is close to putting together a 60 minute ballgame. With the defense continuing to play great football, I have a great feeling about Saturday’s contest.

Indiana Postgame
By: Neal

Are you serious? Despite all the talk about officiating or how the Hawks “should” have blown out the Hoosiers here are the Hawkeyes sitting at 9-0 after winning 42-24 on Saturday. For those of you out there complaining about the officiating, the Hawkeyes won by 18, and correct me if I’m wrong but I didn’t see 18 points worth of bad calls in that game. So that is me soap boxing about the officiating but all in all it was a very good game and though the performance was far from perfect, there were some very good moments for the team. Here is how your undefeated Hawkeyes graded out.
Quarterback: F
Sorry Ricky, but that was just bad. Some of the interceptions were partially due to the wind but the fact that Ricky went out and did the same thing again is just baffling. You need to make adjustments. What is probably the most disturbing was the reads that Stanzi was making. There were just some really bad reads during that game and the frequency that it happened at was unacceptable. If there was one bright spot to the debacle at quarterback, it was Stanzi’s scrambling and ability to bounce back. Give Stanzi credit, he did a heck of a job using his feet and keeping drives alive during the game. What’s even more impressive was his ability to stay focused and throw a pair of strikes in the fourth quarter to get the Hawkeye rally moving. On the whole, I don’t think this will be something that will happen again but it is going to require Stanzi to watch the film and do some work with his wide receivers.
Running Back: B
Give Brandon Wegher all the credit in the world, his number was called, and the guy who was the fourth string running back during the preseason ran for three touchdowns against the Indiana defense. National media may be focusing on the int’s, perhaps rightfully so, but I guarantee you our national perception changes dramatically if you look at this game from the perspective of Brandon Wegher. There was a lot to like about Brandon Wegher in the game, he played tough and fast and really improved on his recognition. While not perfect, his reads were very solid and he made plenty of good plays in space. My only fears are the amount of work he is receiving and whether or not Wegher will fall prey to complacency. The latter is my biggest fear, Wegher was good Saturday but he can’t expect to put up big numbers against Northwestern or Ohio State without improving.
Receiver: B
Generally, the receivers were a mixed bag but overall the corps performed admirably. Marvin McNutt and DJK continue to prove that they are the biggest threats of the Iowa secondary. Tony Moeaki and Allen Reisner need to be a big factor in the offense for Iowa to maintain long drives and their silence Saturday was a big part of Iowa falling into a hole early.
Offensive Line: B-
The offensive line struggled at points in passing coverage but when Iowa was rolling they plowed lanes for Brandon Wegher. My biggest problem with this unit is consistency and as long as that continues to improve the Iowa offense should be alright.
Defensive Line: B-
Again, consistency is the issue. When Ben Chapell was pressured it stalled the Hoosiers drives and created havoc. When the pressure wasn’t there, Chappell and the Hoosiers dissected the Hawkeye defense.
Linebackers: B
The group made some good plays but didn’t generate any pressure off of the blitz and, like the guys in the trenches, was somewhat inconsistent.
Secondary: B
The back four certainly weren’t bad, forcing turnovers and even scoring, but the lack of Brett Greenwood has a very obvious impact on the way this defense plays. The Free Safety sat out the game and his replacement was picked on constantly on the Hoosiers scoring drives.

October 30, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Indiana Predictions
By: Andrew

            After a treacherous two-game road trip that resulted in sitting in the driver’s seat of the Big 10 and moving into unchartered territory as far Iowa football history is concerned, the Iowa Hawkeyes come home for what appeared, at least at the beginning of the season, to be a welcomed two-game home stand. However, with the loss of Adam Robinson and Dace Richardson and a target the size of the state on their backs, the Hawkeyes will get the Indiana Hoosiers’ best shot. Here are my thoughts.

Running Back Situation. The entire Hawkeye Nation collectively became rightfully worried on Tuesday when it was announced at Kirk Ferentz’s press conference that Robinson would be out for the remainder of the year. Robinson has grown considerably in this season to become the fourth leading rusher in the Big Ten and a reliable back. Robinson has that knack to make a three yard gain become a five or six yard gain and, perhaps most importantly, secures the football. While Brandon Wegher will do a fine job, I am not sure that he is capable of being a 20-25 carry per game running back, especially given the fact that he bruised his ribs against Michigan State. Look, I know Paki O’Meara is probably not the best running back in Division I, but get ready for him to see some playing time. O’Meara must do two things on Saturday: secure the football and successfully execute his blocking assignments. If he does those two things, you will hear absolutely zero complaints from me about O’Meara’s performance on the field. Any yards he picks up while rushing or catching the ball out of the backfield is just gravy. Some people this week have been curious as to whether true freshmen Brad Rogers will have his redshirt taken off to give Iowa another option in the backfield. I have one qualm about that possibility. If there is even the slightest hesitance about his blocking ability, then I would be inclined to keep the redshirt on Rogers. The most important asset of this team at this point in the season is Ricky Stanzi. One missed block by Rogers that leads to a hit that takes out Stanzi would spell utter doom for this team. Granted, the coaches see Rogers in practice and know what he is capable of doing, so I am not stating that I think he is poor blocker; rather I am saying why there might be a good reason to keep the redshirt on for now. Also, if Rogers loses his redshirt, Iowa would have five scholarship sophomore running backs next season.

Offensive Sets. Say what you want, but I have been very impressed with Ken O’Keefe’s game plans and play calling this season. I am curious to see what O’Keefe has in mind this Saturday given the loss of Robinson. I think we will see several four and five receiver sets and a west coast passing attack to create high percentage pass attempts. While Indiana certainly has an experienced secondary with Austin Thomas, Nick Polk, and converted wide receiver Ray Fisher, I think we will see Iowa try to stretch the field similar to the first quarter of the Arkansas State game. On the other hand, maybe Indiana plays to stop the pass opening up the Iowa ground game. Either way, I think the Iowa offense has a breakout game in which we see backup quarterback James Vandenberg late in the fourth quarter.

Edge Matchups.   The Kyle Calloway/Jammie Kirlew and Bryan Bulaga/Greg Middleton matchups are going to be exciting to watch, as both matchups pit NFL caliber players against one another. Kirlew leads the Big Ten in forced fumbles, while his counterpart, Middleton, wreaked havoc against the Hawkeyes two years ago with 2.5 sacks in a 38-20 Iowa win. Although it is tough to watch the offensive tackle/defensive end battle during a game, try your best to do so because you will not be disappointed.

Defense. For some reason, the tone of the message boards and Iowa fans in general this week was one of doom and woe is me. Could Iowa lose all of their remaining games? Absolutely. Will they? Probably not. Indiana is deflated coming into this game after their loss last week to Northwestern in which they led at one point 28-3. While Indiana’s offensive statistics are pretty much all in the middle of the Big 10, do not forget how solid this Iowa defense has been all season. Indiana’s pistol offense is somewhat flashy, relying on a lot of misdirection plays, reverses, and semi-tricky plays, but this Iowa defense has shown that it can handle a variety of offensive attacks. Although Indiana’s quarterback Ben Chappell is an efficient passer, the pressure that the Iowa defensive front four will be able to apply and the ever-sturdy defensive backfield will make it a long day for Chappell.

Instead of having a fragile psyche about this game, I think Iowa fans should look forward to Saturday to see how Stanzi does if O’Keefe gives him the keys to the offense. Personally, I am interested to see who the punt returner will be on Saturday. In his call-in show on Wednesday night, Ferentz indicated that Amari Spievey would return punts. Call me crazy, but I have a hunch that Keenan Davis will be back there. Although we have been calling for it all year, I think this the game that the Hawkeyes put up some serious points on the scoreboard and win by a sizeable margin. The weather looks to be absolutely perfect for a fall Saturday in October. What better way to spend one’s Saturday than in Kinnick welcoming back the team that is 8-0 for the first time in school history, 4^th in the BCS standings and, week in and week out, playing solid, fundamental football in a season that has been one for the ages.

Prediction: Iowa 31   Indiana 10

Pick to Click: Derrell Johnson-Koulianos

October 29, 2009

Know your Enemy: Indiana
By: Neal

Saturday sees the Hawkeyes return home for a two game stretch beginning with the Indiana Hoosiers. The Marching Hundred will be making the trip to Kinnick along with what should be a decent contingent from the Hoosier faithful. Here is all you need to know for the Halloween matchup.

NAME: Indiana University - Bloomington

COLORS: Cream and Crimson

LOCATION: Bloomington, IN

ENROLLMENT: 31,626 Undergraduates

STADIUM: Memorial Stadium

COACH: Bill Lynch

SERIES RECORD: Iowa Leads 39-27-4, Indiana does not have a winning record in any Big Ten series

FIGHT SONG: Indiana, Out Indiana

Indiana, Our Indiana
Indiana, we're all for you
We will fight for
the Cream & Crimson,
For the glory of Old IU
Never daunted, we cannot falter
In the battle, we're tried and true
Indiana, Our Indiana
Indiana, we're all for you!

TRADITIONS: IU is home to a number of interesting student traditions, perhaps the most famous of which is the Little 500 which is a bike race that is one of the largest of its’ kind. At midnight following graduation day the seniors storm the Showalter Fountain for a late night dip and Jordan Avenue Bridge is painted often by different student organizations as a form of advertising groups and events.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: Look for the battle in the trenches to dictate this game. IU has a much improved offensive line but they will likely still struggle with the Iowa front four. The Indiana offense has been solid enough but their receivers do not have the ability to get through a dangerous Iowa secondary. Ben Chappell has been solid but he is hardly a world beater and will struggle mightily under the pressure of the Iowa front four. On the other side of the ball the Hoosiers have a very solid set of DE’s in Jamie Kirlew and Greg Middleton. The Iowa offensive line has its’ work cut out for it as the running game will be a little difficult with Matt Mayberry leading a solid set of linebackers and Brandon Wegher making his first career start. However the Iowa receivers should make quite a few matchup problems for the Indiana secondary and Ricky Stanzi should turn in a nice performance if he given time to throw.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: Iowa comes out throwing successfully, scoring touchdowns on their first two drives. Indiana and Iowa trade field goals in the second quarter to put the halftime score at 17-3. Indiana manages a touchdown early in the third but Iowa responds with another field goal before a Hoosier turnover gives the Hawkeyes a quick touchdown. The Hoosiers grab another field goal in the fourth to end the scoring.
IOWA 27-13

October 26, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Michigan State Game
By: Andrew

Good seasons are defined by great games. Great seasons are defined by moments. What Iowa accomplished on Saturday was nothing short of incredible. This is a game that Hawkeye fans will forever remember where they were when Iowa scored the last second touchdown and the ensuing emotions they felt. Here are my thoughts on the game.

Special Moment. After struggling to move the ball most of the day, the Iowa offense marched 70 yards on ten plays on what people are starting to term “The Drive,” culminating in a seven yard pass from Ricky Stanzi to Marvin McNutt as time expired, in a play that certainly ranks in the top five of all-time Hawkeye football moments. Several Iowa based media outlets have posed the question as to where McNutt’s catch ranks on the all-time list of Hawkeye football moments. Did the Hawkeyes become 8-0 for the first time in school history? Yes. Did the Hawkeyes vault to fourth in the BCS standings? Yes. Does this compare to 1985 #1 vs. #2 or The Catch? Absolutely not. Sorry, Iowa fans of the 2000s, although McNutt’s catch could be the moment we remember most about this magical season, it still does not rank above those other two moments in Iowa football history. The context and background of the other two games outweighs the one surrounding this Michigan State game, at least in my opinion, but with the way this season is going, who knows what else may happen.

Finding a Way. The offense did not have one of their better games, but as I mentioned before the game, the Michigan State defense is a very solid group. Judging from the injuries that occurred during the game and the comments made by the players afterwards, this was by far the most physical game that Iowa has played this season. I do not think that I am crazy for thinking that Iowa should have won this game 24-17 had the offense converted on those two red zone possessions in the third and fourth quarters. While I certainly think one can criticize the play calls in those possessions, after watching the game again, it appeared that there were some missed blocks and perhaps some poor decisions on the part of the running backs. Speaking of running backs, Adam Robinson had a very quiet 109 yards rushing the football; however, Iowa fans should be holding their breath to hear the prognosis on his ankle. Do not be surprised to see Paki O’Meara see significant carries against Indiana due to Robinson’s injury and what appeared to be a rib injury to Brandon Wegher. I have to say, I feel pretty good in retrospect about selecting Stanzi as my pick to click for Saturday. His uncanny ability to forget mistakes and stay calm and collected when the pressure of a game is at its highest is something that you just cannot teach. His statistics certainly do not compare, but I think by the time his career is over, he will deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Chuck Long, Chuck Hartlieb, Matt Rodgers, and Brad Banks.

Another Gutty Performance. Perhaps the biggest moment in the game came in the third quarter when the Iowa defense kept Michigan State out of the endzone on 1^st and Goal with the ball at the Iowa one yard line. Three consecutive gutty plays by the Iowa defense forced a Brett Swenson 23 yard field goal. It was no coincidence that Pat Angerer and AJ Edds, two seniors, played critical roles in that goal line stand. As much as it makes me sad to think about, I think Adrian Clayborn is playing himself into a solid NFL draft prospect for this year’s draft. In every game this season, it seems as though once Clayborn gets his first sack or quarterback hurry he seems to feed off of that play and become a man who is possessed for the remainder of each game.

Hands. I know I have become a broken record each and every week about Stanzi, but sooner or later, the passing offense is going to break out in a big way. The receiving weapons on this team are nothing short of an arsenal with Tony Moeaki, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Trey Stross, Marvin McNutt, Allen Reisner, Keenan Davis, and Colin Sandeman. If the running back situation is as dire as it sounds at this point in time, Iowa will likely be throwing the ball all over the field against Indiana. Count me as a fan that will enjoy watching that offensive display.

I am still in utter, joyful disbelief about what happened in the final two seconds of the Michigan State game. Moments like that come around once every five to ten years, but those moments are the reason why we love sports and why we pour all of our emotion into sports. While the next two weeks are games that Iowa should win convincingly, it is never easy in the Big 10, let alone when you are the number six team in the country with a giant target on your back. I believe that we will see the Iowa offense really start to click the next two weeks before another big game against Ohio State in the Horseshoe. For right now, I am enjoying every single moment of this season, even if it is listening to folks like Todd McShay and Jessie Palmer doubt Iowa’s legitimacy and question their chance of playing for the national championship. The words “Iowa” and “national championship” have rarely been spoken in the same sentence in my lifetime, so I am going to enjoy every second of the coverage, even if it is listening to the haters, because seasons like this only come around so often.

October 25, 2009

Michigan State Recap
By: Neal

After barely surviving Saturday’s game in East Lansing, I am a firm believer that this entire football season is a plot by Kirk Ferentz to kill us all by giving us heart attacks. Seriously though, what on earth was that? Just when you think that there is no way Iowa can win one, they do so in dramatic fashion. Let this be a lesson, Iowa may not always be the flashiest car on the lot, but it will never stop running until the game is won. Here is how the game graded out.

Quarterback: B
You just can’t play like that and expect to win all the time. MSU had a lot of great coverage early and there was not a lot of passing room so I don’t necessarily blame the lack of yardage on Rick. What really bugs me is how he refused to point out some obvious blitzes, or how he acted like he didn’t realize MSU would actually blitz him when eight people walked up to the line. If you know where the pressure is coming from you will have a better idea of where to throw. MSU threw the kitchen sink at Rick most of the game and he did make some truly gorgeous throws, but he needs to take that next step of making reads before the snap if he wants this offense to move the ball.
Running Backs: C+
Will someone please tell Adam Robinson to stop forcing plays outside when he doesn’t have to? The guy had some solid runs (and so did Wegher for that matter) but it I believe it was the first goal line stand when Adam Robinson ignored a gaping hole to the endzone and ran to the outside for no gain. That kind of running will not help this offense and is incredibly frustrating to watch. The lack of maturity really shows on plays like that. On the other hand, the duo did some very nice things and kept the offense moving which allowed Ricky Stanzi to loosen up what looked like a very tight MSU pass defense.
Receivers: B
Note to Kirk Ferentz, Marvin McNutt is awesome and should be on the field with DJK more often. If that last touchdown didn’t earn McNutt a couple more snaps next week then I will be very surprised because he one upped the very talented Blair White for the most clutch catch of the game. DJK and Trey Stross each had some very nice catches and kept the passing game solvent. What was disconcerting was the lack of passes to the TE. BTN had horrible camera angles so I couldn’t see the secondary but what I heard from people there was that they were double teaming the Iowa tight ends all night long so I give Moeaki and Reisner a pass for now.
Offensive Line: B
Ricky had time to throw and the running lanes were there. Hard to fault this group for doing an admirable job against a very good MSU front seven. I really hope Dace Richardson is ok, after all he has been through he deserved to have an injury free senior year. My biggest concern was the holes in the running game which were a tad inconsistent and were nowhere near the gaping holes the running backs had earlier this year. If the offensive line will get a ig test next week with a very strong pass rush from IU.
Defensive Line: B
This group was, for the most part, outstanding. There was pressure all night long and Adrian Clayborn especially made some huge plays. What bothered me was the lack of consistency. There were some plays where Kirk Cousins had plenty of time to throw the ball downfield and he took advantage of them by hitting receivers deep. The front four needed to ratchet up the consistency to give to give the secondary a break against a very good receiving corps. That didn’t happen, and it led to some big plays.
Linebackers: A
What didn’t they do? The MSU ground game got a few plays but got stuffed when it was most important and was never able to get into a rhythm running the ball. Great play all around for this unit.
Defensive Backs: B-
Hopefully Brett Greenwood is ok because he would be a huge loss. I want to grade this group higher considering the 60 minute war they just fought with a darn good receiving corps but that last touchdown was embarrassing. Blair White is too big of a threat to be that open and someone should have at least been close enough to interfere with him on that touchdown catch. Spievey and Prater did a good job of fighting White and Dell but this unit needs to learn from their mistakes so that the next time we play a strong passing team we can shut them down a little more completely.

The biggest complaint I had about anything was the play calling in the endzone. I am sure Kirk Ferentz knows more than I will ever know about football but why we didn’t try diving the ball in with Wegher or Robinson when they have done it consistently all year was baffling. However, that was more than made up for by the brilliance of that last play which was the perfect call for the situation. Hopefully The Hawkeyes can give my heart a bit of a breather this weekend against Indiana.

October 23, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Michigan State Predictions
By: Andrew

Although I am not one for hyperboles, I do not think it is a stretch to say that this is one of the most critical games for the Iowa football program in the past ten years. A win on Saturday would result in the first ever 8-0 start for an Iowa football team, a very good chance at a Big Ten championship, and a possible Rose Bowl berth, something that has not happened since 1991. Here are my thoughts leading up to the game.

Quarterback Play. Call me crazy, but I really think that Ricky Stanzi has turned the corner and will become the solid performer that we all expected him to be this year. His arm strength and precision has never really been an issue, rather it has been his decisionmaking process. Although Stanzi has always been mature beyond his years under center, I think the 4^th down play on the final offensive drive last weekend really illustrates his growth with respect to the decisionmaking process. I am sure the coaching staff told him not to throw it unless the tight end was clearly wide open or if he could pick up the first down on the ground. Although Allen Reisner was open enough, Stanzi made the smart play by running out of bounds and not risking the interception. Stanzi’s performance against Wisconsin makes me think that he is going to have an outstanding game against Michigan State. His counterpart for Michigan State, Kirk Cousins, will certainly do his best to be the better quarterback in this contest. Cousins currently leads the Big Ten in pass efficiency, completing around 64% of his attempts. As goes Stanzi and Cousins, so goes their respective team. Stanzi will have to step up his game once again this week, as Michigan State’s defense has allowed only 99 yards per game on the ground, which is good enough for 19^th nationally. This statistic really concerns me due to the struggles Iowa has had on the ground as of late. In my view, the quarterback who makes fewer mistakes will end up being on the winning end of this football game.

Defensive Struggle. Both Iowa and Michigan State have incredible defenses. Michigan State is probably the only team Iowa will face this year with a linebacker corps that is better than Iowa. Greg Jones, a junior, is the unequivocal leader of the Spartan defense, as he leads the Big Ten in tackles and is tied for fourth in the league in sack with five on the year. The other Michigan State linebackers, Eric Gordon and Brandon Denson, are two solid players whose names Iowa fans will likely hear regularly on Saturday. Mind you, Iowa’s defense is no slouch. Iowa leads the Big Ten in pass efficiency defense, and everyone knows that Iowa leads the nation in interceptions. Given the predicted weather for East Lansing, I hope that Iowa fans are looking forward to a classic Big Ten showdown because this game has all the making of a slugfest. After the loss of Javon Ringer and the midseason injury to Glenn Winston, Michigan State has had to rely on freshmen running back Larry Caper. This week, the Spartans will also feature another true freshmen running back, Edwin Baker in the backfield, who had his redshirt pulled last week against Northwestern. One other item that makes me think that the Iowa defensive line will have a solid game is that Michigan State has had to replace three starters from its offensive line from last year. Because Wisconsin and Michigan State are somewhat similar in their offensive approaches, I think the Iowa defense will be very well prepared for the game this week and will shut down the Spartan ground game like they did in the second half against Wisconsin.

Kicking Delight. As they always say, special teams play is crucial in any big game. Similar to the defense, both teams have very solid kicking games. Brett Swenson is 10 of 11 on the year and, as a senior, has seen his fair share of important kicks during his time. Maybe it is me, but I think one statistic that has not been emphasized enough is net punting. Iowa has had only thirteen punts returned for a total of 46 yards, which is a 3.5 yard average per return. Those “hidden” yards can make a huge difference in winning the field position battle, a battle that often determines the winner. Daniel Murray’s career best 48 yard boot at the end of the first half against Wisconsin gives the coaching staff a reason to have more confidence when the ball is in Michigan State territory. If I had to venture a guess, I would guess that Murray will have at least three opportunities to put three points up on the board on Saturday. I only need to remind you of last year’s final score of 16-13 to emphasize that field goals will likely play an important role again this weekend.

Strange Numbers. The recurring theme all week has been numbers. First, Kirk Ferentz’s record in East Lansing and that the Hawkeyes have not won in East Lansing since 1995. Second, Iowa has the opportunity to go 8-0 for the first time in school history. Well here are a few other numbers for you. Michigan State has not defeated a team ranked in the Top 50 in total defense. In case you were curious, Iowa is ranked 22^nd. Likewise, Michigan State gave up 14 points to an Illinois team that has not scored more than 17 points against any 1-A opponent this entire season and gave up 38 points to a Wisconsin team that scored only 10 points against Iowa.

As unbelievable as it may sound this early in the season, the winner of this game has the inside track on representing the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl. Iowa plays three of its remaining four games at home, while Michigan State closes out the season against Minnesota on the road, Western Michigan at home, Purdue on the road, and Penn State at home. While the national pundits continue to have doubts about this Iowa team, you and I all know that they are putting together a season that will not soon be forgotten. This team just has a knack to find a way to win games. Something tells me that they will find a way to come up with a win on Saturday that continues this magical ride.

Prediction: Iowa 20 Michigan State 14

Pick to Click: Ricky Stanzi

October 21, 2009

Know your Enemy: Michigan St
By: Neal

The long and winding road takes the Hawks to East Lansing where Iowa will battle the Michigan State Spartans.

NAME: Michigan State University
COLORS: Green and White
LOCATION: East Lansing, MI
ENROLLMENT: 36,337
STADIUM: Spartan Stadium
COACH: Mark Dantonio, 3rd year, 20-13 record
SERIES RECORD: Iowa Leads 20-18-2, home team has not lost since 1995 (Iowa won 21-7 in East Lansing)
FIGHT SONG: MSU Fight Song (Falcone Fight)

On the banks of the Red Cedar,
There's a school that's known to all;
Its specialty is winning,
And those Spartans play good ball;
Spartan teams are never beaten,
All through the game they'll fight;
Fight for the only colors:
Green and White.
Go right through for MSU,
Watch the points keep growing,
Spartan teams are bound to win,
They're fighting with a vim!
Rah! Rah! Rah!
See their team is weakening,
We're going to win this game,
Fight! Fight! Rah! Team, Fight!
Victory for MSU!

TRADITIONS: The Corner Blitz is the name of the student section that sits in the south corner of the stadium. The section was originally known as “Bobby’s World” when it was formed in 2000 after MSU coach Bobby Williams. After his departure the section was renamed the Corner Blitz and when Mark Dantonio became the head coach he expanded the section to include the entire student section which receives a special t-shirt. The name Spartan was adoptedafter Michigan Agricultural College became Michigan State University and the nickname had to be changedfrom the Aggies. Originally, the nickname was the Michigan Staters but a newspaper writer decided the name was too long and used the term Spartan instead.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: This game is interesting. Ultimately the game will come down to which offense can move against which defense. MSU hasn’t been able to run the ball consistently and while the receivers are dangerous I think Blair White will have his hands full at the line of scrimmage with Amari Spievey’s physical coverage and TE Charlie Gant will be in trouble no matter which linebacker covers him. The MSU offensive line isn’t the best the Hawkeyes have faced and I don’t think Adrian Clayborn and the rest of the defensive front will have a difficult time getting pressure. On the flip side, Iowa’s offensive line has been the biggest disappointment of the season and Greg Jones and the rest of the Spartan linebackers are fast enough to shut down the Iowa run game before it can get started. The Spartan secondary isn’t bulletproof but the defensive front seven should get more than enough pressure on Ricky Stanzi to force some bad throws. If Iowa wants to win this game the Hawks need the offensive line to start playing like the world beater unit they were projected to be at the start of the season. If Iowa controls the Spartans in the trenches and is picking up the MSU linebackers then the Iowa offense will hum through this game fairly easily. I think Iowa has a lot of major advantages no matter what but I think I speak for all Hawkeye fans when I say my heart could use a fairly quiet game.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: Iowa comes up fired up on defense and holds the Spartans through the first quarter. The Iowa offense starts slow but manages a field goal on an early drive to go up 3-0. The Hawkeyes manage a touchdown early in the second half but Sparty answers back and ends up tying the game at 10 going into halftime. The second half remains the Hawkeyes domain as Iowa rolls up 21 unanswered points before a fourth quarter touchdown by the Spartans ends the scoring. IOWA 31-17

October 18, 2009

Wisconsin Postgame
By: Neal

Iowa’s third best margin of victory this season and third road win both came in Madison Saturday as the Hawkeyes trampled Badgers 20-10. Things are starting to look improved from a personnel standpoint but the grading continues to be important with road trips to East Lansing and Columbus still on the schedule.
Quarterback: B
No interceptions is surely a positive step up. But before you get too comfortable you need to realize that the secondary was the weakness of this Badger team. Stanzi deserves credit for a solid performance but he is not there yet. He can still play better and I am sure there were one or two throws he wishes he could have gotten back. The decision making overall was solid but what was disconcerting was the pocket presence which was inconsistent. The scramble that produced the first touchdown to Tony Moeaki was amazing and while other times it looked like Stanzi was unsure of where the pocket was collapsing. No it wasn’t completely on him but he needs to make sure he is aware on every play because one of those misreads resulted in a forced fumble which nearly gave the Badgers the lead after a 10-10 tie.
Running Backs: C
Will the Iowa running game please stand up? Adam Robinson looked very solid late but the lack of a running game was the difference in the first half. The backs need to run with more assertiveness and attitude in order to get free. Also, quicker decision making needs to occur on those stretch plays which continue to be a work in progress. On the plus side, having the ability to catch the ball out of the back field so effectively has been a huge help to the offense and hopefully that keeps up.
Receivers: B
I asked last week why DJK was not seeing more snaps and there he was. No. 15 had a huge day along with Tony Moeaki. The problem is that the two were really the only threats on the field and, while they were effective, the receiving corps has more potential than that. I remember wondering why McNutt and Davis barely saw the field when they were capable of creating physical mismatches with the Wisconsin secondary. Ferentz said in his press conference that the flu had hit the team but did not say anything specific so I am guessing that is why they never saw the field.
Offensive Line: D
Where did Brian Bulaga go? The tackles seemed to be getting beat by the talented Badger DE’s more often than they should have. Iowa needs to take the next few games and figure out how to win the battle at the line of scrimmage. Right now this unit is holding the rest of the offense back and once they start controlling the front wall this offense will be tough to stop.
Defensive Line: B
This unit was a little absent in the first half but in the second half they were absolutely beastly, holding Wisconsin down and not letting them get up. The group played dominating and now just needs to come out firing consistently to become the monster unit they can be.
Linebackers: B
This groups is quietly doing their job well. Eating up blocks, and pushing the running game made this group a major factor as to why John Clay wasn’t able to break free in the first half. This group could do a little better covering the middle of the field in pass coverage but overall a nice job for the group.
Defensive Backs: A
Perfection. You honestly can’t script this game any better for the secondary. Scott Tolzein and a fairly talented Wisconsin receiving crew were almost completely shut down and the big plays at the end of the game clinched the contest in Iowa’s favor. There was not much to dislike as the group cleaned up the running game when things went bad up front and made Wisconsin worry about the forward pass every time they dropped back. Consistency is key here as Michigan State has quite a talented bunch of pass-catchers on their team.
There was a lot to like about the Iowa performance in Madison and Hawkeye fans are already getting excited as the Hawkeyes are now in the driver’s seat for a Big Ten title. But there is still a lot of work to do before Pasadena and it starts with a rough road trip to Michigan State who has looked improved in the past few weeks. The Hawkeyes need to take this game and the coming home stand as an opportunity to solidify the offensive line and get the run game kick started so that the offense can start being a bigger threat in the first half of the game.

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on the Wisconsin game
By: Andrew

Well this supposed “Hawk Hater,” based on my last installment, is eating some serious crow today. Although Iowa is certainly capable of winning and losing every remaining game on their schedule, there is just something about this team that makes me think that they will follow the mantra of the 2004 season by “finding a way.” Here are my thoughts on the game.

The Manzi. Other than the lost fumble, Ricky Stanzi had an outstanding game at the helm. In only the way a solid quarterback can, Stanzi stayed calm and collected after Iowa was down early 10-0. It has been said many a time by many a writer, but Stanzi’s best attribute is his ability to have a short memory. One can certainly tell that he has quietly, yet confidently assumed the leadership role of the offense as the season has progressed. Stanzi’s maturation on the field is quickly growing and I think it is only a matter of time before he plays a complete game.

Beasts of the Line. What more can I say about Adrian Clayborn that has not already been said? Clayborn looked like a man possessed yesterday from Wisconsin’s last possession in the second quarter through the remainder of the game. This game also reinforced the fact that the Iowa coaching staff makes some of the best halftime adjustments of any coaching staff in the country. After looking porous in the first half, the Iowa defense limited the Wisconsin offense to just 58 yards in the second half, including just four yards on the ground. Something tells me that this Iowa defense is only going to get better with its run defense the rest of this season.

Unsung Heroes. There are several players on this Iowa team that are quietly turning in outstanding seasons. AJ Edds will likely not be remembered fifteen years from now in the same breath as Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge, but Edds has been so solid in his four years, especially this year that he deserves significant recognition. The Iowa defense is not only going to miss his leadership next year, but they are going to miss his quiet, yet solid-performing presence on the field. Likewise, Amari Spievey has been relatively quiet this year. One of the reasons that Iowa fans have not heard his name called is that teams have purposely been avoiding throwing the ball on his side of the field. Nonetheless, Spievey showed on Saturday why he will be playing on Sundays and why he has a chance to be an All-American. His six tackle, two interception performance became even more impressive when it was discovered that Spievey was playing through the flu. In fact, he was in need of liquids so bad that he had to receive fluids through an IV before the game. I am really looking forward to watching Spievey line up against Blair White of Michigan State this week.

Targets. It is pretty clear after the Wisconsin game that the Iowa offense clicks much better when Tony Moeaki and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos are both in the game. DJK ended up with eight receptions for 113 yards, while Moeaki ended up with three receptions for 55 yards, including a very important 24 yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. Wisconsin tried to do all it could in the first half to double team Moeaki, but as Stanzi indicated in his postgame interview, Iowa worked out of different formations in the second half in order to free up Moeaki. As teams continue to commit an extra defender to Moeaki, it will open up other receivers downfield, which will cause teams to commit to the pass, which will open up the run, and then, well you get the point.

Enjoy every moment of coverage, Hawkeye fans. The Hawks are sixth in the first BCS poll of the season. Yes, they are behind Boise State and Cincinnati in this first poll, but have no fear, if the Hawks take care of business, everything will take care of itself. Besides, the way this college football season is shaping up, Texas, Florida, and Alabama are the likely teams that will vie to play for the national championship. Yes, playing for a national championship is a once in a lifetime opportunity, but playing for the Rose Bowl would be almost as sweet. Keep up the national championship talk though because the fact that Iowa is even in the picture is a once every decade occurrence. The game this Saturday is going to be a difficult one, as Michigan State is starting to play better football and the atmosphere at night in Spartan Stadium will be rowdy. Nonetheless, I think it will be hard to pick against the Hawks.

October 16, 2009

Roll Along Iowa

Wisconsin Predictions

By: Andrew

If you would have told me before the season started that Jewel Hampton would not play a single down, Bryan Bulaga would miss three games, and that the offensive line was playing musical chairs, I would have said 3-3 at best. Nonetheless, Iowa is 6-0 for the first time since 1985 with quality wins at Penn State and against Michigan and Arizona. Iowa’s Big 10 road schedule was always brought up as a reason why the Hawkeyes could have a so-so year. Iowa passed its first test in Happy Valley and now faces an uber-critical matchup against rival Wisconsin in Madison. Here are my thoughts on the game.

Running Game. Despite an ever-changing offensive line, Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher have been able to make the most of their opportunity and are quickly establishing themselves as consistent, dependable backs. As a team, the Hawkeyes are only averaging 3.7 yards a carry compared to the 4.8 average last year. Last week, the Iowa rushing attack was able to muster together 83 total yards and while that takes into account several sacks and a bad snap, it is somewhat worrisome. As they say, it is going to be tough sledding against Wisconsin. Wisconsin allows 122 rushing yards a game, which is good enough for fifth in the Big Ten. Something will give this weekend and I think it is Iowa’s running game. Look for the Hawkeyes to struggle running the ball against a pretty salty Wisconsin defensive line led by O’Brien Schofield. Schofield leads the nation in tackles for loss with 14.5. The way Brandon Graham ate up Bulaga and Kyle Calloway last week, I think Iowa fans will be hearing Schofield’s name on a regular basis this Saturday.

Stop the Run. One thing that I have always loved about the Iowa-Wisconsin game is that it is a brand of football that harkens back to football games of yesteryear with both teams committed to running the football and both teams committed to playing a style of smash-mouth football on defense. Wisconsin running back John Clay is 17^th in the nation averaging 107 yards a game. Although Wisconsin’s style of offense fits well into Iowa’s gameplan on defense, Iowa did not exactly look stout against Michigan last week when Michigan lined up in the power-I formation and ran at will. Granted, Iowa was likely still concerned about the spread and playing contain defense, leaving open the middle gaps, but it is still a cause of concern leading up to this game. Wisconsin’s offensive line brings a whole new meaning to the Keith Jackson phrase “Big Hog Mollies,” as Wisconsin averages 312 pounds on the offensive line. While I am still really excited about Christian Ballard at defensive tackle, I think that he and Karl Klug will have a long day trying to clog the “A” gaps, which would allow the linebackers the opportunity to penetrate into the backfield.

Distance. Daniel Murray has proved that he is a solid kicker in the clutch and is for all intents and purposes a steady kicker from 20-39 yards. While Murray should have had an opportunity to hit a 48 yarder before halftime last week, he still seems to struggle from long distances. Although his career long is from 47 yards, because this game will be a game of field position, Iowa will likely need to rely on Murray to put several long field goals through the uprights. Murray’s lack of distance on kickoffs is also a cause for concern, and with a dangerous David Gilreath back to receive, who knows what could happen.

Mistakes. Normally, I am an Iowa kool-aid drinker, but I think that the mistakes that have been made so far this season will begin to catch up with this team. While those mistakes obviously include the oft-discussed “pick 6s,” it also includes poor blocking technique, wrong routes, and missed assignments on defense. Any and all mistakes are compounded on the road, and I think this week is when Iowa’s magic number runs out, unfortunately.

Sorry for the bitter and very negative thoughts, Hawkeye fans. I have not had a good feeling about this game all week. With rumors flying around about the flu bug hitting the team, it makes things seem that much worse. Last week, the Wisconsin defense made Terrelle Pryor look silly, which does not bode well for Iowa’s inconsistent offense. Although I think the Iowa defense can hang tough against Wisconsin, I am afraid that they will be out on the field too long due to Iowa’s inability to sustain drives with a consistent running game. As if playing on the road was not hard enough, Wisconsin is 34-3 at Camp Randall since 2004, with those three losses coming against Iowa, Penn State, and Ohio State. Perhaps the only two items that give me hope are the fact that Wisconsin’s style of offense really matches up well against Iowa’s defense, and due to the fact that, sans Ohio State, Wisconsin has not played anyone worth two beans this year (Northern Illinois, Fresno State, Wofford, MSU, Minnesota, and OSU). Thanks for the wonderful ten-game winning streak, Hawkeyes. It has been fun while it has lasted, but I am afraid that the winning streak and undefeated season will end on Saturday in Madison. If the Hawkeyes are able to win, I think they will stay undefeated going into Columbus. Likewise, if Iowa wins, I am sure Bret Bielema will give Iowa zero credit for winning the game, just like last year.

Prediction: Wisconsin 20 Iowa 17

Pick to Click: Pat Angerer

October 15, 2009

Know your Enemy: Wisconsin
By: Neal

Road trip number three this week as a number of the Hawkeye faithful (including yours truly) will be headed up to Madison as the Hawkeyes battle Wisconsin for the Heartland Trophy.

NAME: University of Wisconsin-Madison
COLORS: Cardinal and White
LOCATION: Madison, WI
ENROLLMENT: 29,153
STADIUM: Camp Randall Stadium
COACH: Bret Bielema, fourth year, 33-12
SERIES RECORD: 41-41-2, Iowa leads 3-2 in trophy series
FIGHT SONG: On Wisconsin

On Wisconsin, On Wisconsin
Plunge right through that line,
Run the ball clear down the field, boys
Touchdown sure this time
On Wisconsin, On Wisconsin
Fight on for her fame,
Fight, Fellows, Fight, Fight, Fight
We'll win this game!

TRADITIONS: You mean aside from hiring former Hawkeyes to coach their football team? Well we have all heard about the Jump Around and we have also heard about the 5th Quarter. The Jump Around is thought to have begun in 1998 during a homecoming game with Purdue and people “jump around” to the House of Pain song after the third quarter. The Fifth Quarter is basically a concert after the game where the band comes out onto the field and plays music for the fans as they leave. The trophy this week is the Heartland Trophy which is the youngest of Iowa’s trophies. The brass bull is set on a walnut base and depicts the scores of each game from what is the closest series in the Big Ten. What is most important though is that it is Homecoming in Madison, and we will bear witness to some interesting traditions such as the Wisconsin homecoming parade, the 60th anniversary of Bucky Badger (who came into existence the night before the 1949 homecoming game against Iowa), and the law students cane toss. The tradition is that if a law student manages to toss their cane over the goal post before the game they will win their first case.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: The Iowa-Wisconsin game is always physical and this one should be no different. The pressure is on the defensive tackles for both teams as the offensive lines for both schools are very talented. The defensive lines will need to keep the opposing offensive line from blocking linebackers downfield. Look for an interesting matchup with John Clay against the Iowa linebackers who are really underachieving this year. If the Hawkeyes take care of the running game I think they win easily because I don’t the Wisconsin receivers are good enough to make plays against the Iowa secondary. The Wisconsin quarterbacks are not as mobile as the Michigan tandem but they can scoot so expect Bielema to make them run early and often. On offense watch the matchup between O’Brian Scheffield and either Kyle Calloway or Brian Bulaga. Schefield is a sack machine and keeping the pressure off of Ricky Stanzi is paramount to success this game. If Ricky has time to throw downfield I think the Iowa receiving corps will be too much for the Badgers to handle. Also, watch Robinson and Wegher against the speedy Wisconsin linebackers. Iowa has to get a tight end or a lineman on one or two of those linebackers to break anything longer than six yards. Iowa has the special teams advantage and I think they can win this if they keep putting the Badgers in bad field position.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: Look for both teams to struggle moving the ball early. Wisconsin’s defense will bring pressure and keep the Iowa offense grounded while the Badger running game will struggle early. Expect Wisconsin to score first on either a pick six or a turnover that puts the ball close in the red zone allowing Clay to punch it in. Iowa will respond with a deep pass that ties the game up at seven all. Wisconsin manages a field goal before halftime and enters the locker room up 10-7. Iowa comes out after half time and takes the ball he length of the field and scores a touchdown to go up by four before a Wisconsin turnover sets up an Iowa field goal before the fourth quarter. Wisconsin gets to the red zone but a miscue leads to an interception and Iowa manages to take it to the house for another touchdown that ices the game and advances Iowa to 7-0. IOWA 24-10

October 12, 2009

Roll Along Iowa

Thoughts on Michigan Game

By: Andrew

The description of this year’s team could be summed up with a new phrase, the “Cardiac Kids.” Despite playing poorly at times and despite playing a slightly above average Michigan team, the Hawkeyes beat the Wolverines for only the eleventh time in school history and are now 6-0 for the first time since 1985. Like Kirk Ferentz said in his post-game interview, they do not award style points in football. Here are my thoughts on the game.

Point of Attack. Although there were several positives to take away from the game, one of the most disappointing points of the game was the way in which Michigan dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. In case you did not notice, Iowa was playing musical chairs on the offensive line. Riley Reiff got the start at left guard, but then was rotating with Dace Richardson and Julian Vandervelde both at left guard and right guard. I tend to think that the coaching staff thinks that Reiff is too good to stay off the field. It will be interesting to see what the offensive line lineup will be against Wisconsin. On the other side of the ball, the always sturdy and solid defensive line had problems shutting down the Michigan running attack giving up 195 yards on the ground. Brandon Minor and Denard Robinson made the Iowa defense look porous most of the night, which is concerning given that John Clay is on deck.

Running Back Tandem. Yes, their numbers were not anything to get excited about on Saturday, but Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher continue to play solid football at the running back position. Wegher is going to be something special before his time at Iowa is done. Robinson continues to impress me each and every week. His ability to gain two to three extra yards is a special intangible that sustains drives. I am worried about how all three (Hampton, Wegher, and Robinson) will share carries next year.

Tony, Where Have you Been? Saturday was a classic example of what Tony Moeaki is capable of doing when healthy. I think that Moeaki actually has better hands than Dallas Clark and is a better blocker. He has a promising NFL career ahead of him if he stays healthy; unfortunately, for whatever reason, he just has that unlucky bug that causes him to be injured. For the time being I hope that he can stay healthy for the rest of the year because he is an unbelievable athlete and helps the Iowa offense in so many ways.

Mistakes. The Hawkeyes have won three games this year decided by three points or fewer. While that is certainly a change from last season—when Iowa lost all four of its game by a total of twelve points—the continuous mistakes will begin to bite and will be magnified on the road. If Iowa is able to limit its mistakes (mainly not allow any pick 6s or turnovers in their own territory), they could easily win these next two games. On the other hand, costly mistakes will most certainly be worse on the road when the Iowa defense cannot rely on the home crowd to help with noise. On the bright side, it is encouraging that Iowa is 6-0 while still playing mistake-laden football.

Enjoy the moment, Iowa fans. The Hawkeyes are 6-0 and ranked 11^th in the AP poll. Seasons like this do not come around very often. With that said the next two weeks are going to be as critical of a two game stretch as one could imagine. They could easily win both and could easily lose both. I do not think it is hyperbole to say that these two games will determine whether Iowa wins a Big Ten title or not. Although my prediction will come later this week, I will preliminarily say that I do not have a good feeling about this game. That feeling coupled with the fact that my Mom did not record the Michigan game, which she has done every single Saturday this year, gives me cause for concern. Crazy and superstitious? Yes. Creating a good justification for a loss on Saturday? Absolutely.

Go Hawks!

October 11, 2009

A Michigan Recap
By: Neal

“Whoa, we’re half way there, whoa, livin’ on a prayer.” - Bon Jovi

It is starting to feel like that isn’t it? By all accounts, Iowa should have lost last night. However there seems to be something about this team that lets them pull wins out when they have to. For once, the luck is there. That being said, we can’t expect to play like that and win any of the road games on this schedule. Here is how the team graded out against Michigan.

Quarterback: C+
This is almost a B- but there were just to many little mistakes. I almost feel bad for the guy because the coaching staff has a carousel going on at WR and he is getting no time to develop a rhythm with anybody. I guarantee he hits more of those long passes if he is throwing to people he is always throwing to. The pick six at the beginning was super ugly but other than that there weren’t a lot of huge mistakes. The biggest problem with Stanzi’s game right now is that he is not gelling with all of his receivers and it is almost like a guessing game with who is going to click on which day. One major complement I have to make was how well he threw on those play action roll out passes. Maybe it is just the ones I am remembering but he didn’t lead Tony Moeaki more than he had to and he got the ball to him right on time. The lack of chemistry is the biggest thing holding this offense back right now, once it clicks, this will be a much better team.

Running Backs: C
This is almost unfair since Michigan was loading the box up with eight or nine guys on every down and Brandon Wegher had almost no room to run. Also, the run blocking was spotty at times and the holes were much less present than they normally are but there were quite a few bad cuts. Three rushing yards in the first half is inexcusable, that just can’t happen. This unit needs to work on making some earlier cuts and not trying to fight for yardage when the line of scrimmage clogs up. Adam Robinson had some nice runs late in the game but both he and Wegher need the passing game to click before they can expect to see the holes they earlier this season.

Receivers: C
As I mentioned earlier, consistency is the biggest issue with this unit from week to week. I want to know why DJK is not seeing more snaps, he clearly has the best chemistry with Stanzi and even he could be dangerous as a number three receiving option. This group needs to stay after practice and rotate catching passes with Rick, because the timing just isn’t there. This unit is incredibly deep but the coaching staff trying to get everyone playing time is keeping the passing game from becoming the threat that it is capable of being. Also, as much as I like Allen Reisner, how great is it to have Moeaki back? He had two touchdown grabs and was the highlight of the passing game for the duration of the contest.

Offensive Line: D
This group was one of the biggest disappointments for the Hawks as they never got a consistent push on the line of scrimmage and Ricky Stanzi was pressured far too often. It is hard to point at one player since it seemed like a problem with the unit as a whole, and that is what is especially disappointing. What the Hawks can take solace in is that they probably won’t have to pick up blitz after blitz like they did against the Wolverines. This group needs to play much better.

Defensive Line: C-
Where was the push? All week long we heard about this unit was going to terrorize Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson but there were plenty of times where they had all day to throw the football. Bins made a couple of fantastic pass breakups from the defensive end position and the line did bring some decent pressure once in a while. This group is going to be put to the test against the Badgers next week and needs to play like they did against Penn State and Arizona if they want give Iowa a chance to win that game.

Linebackers: B
Hard to fault this group for doing their job. They stayed at home, kept Michigan from breaking big plays on the ground and kept the Michigan quarterbacks from running wild until the final minutes. This group faltered in that it needed to diagnose plays quicker. I can’t tell you how many times they failed to see the hand off to Brandon Graham which allowed him to get extra yards when he got past the line. This group needs to be a little quicker to the ball and wrap up faster against John Clay next week.

Defensive Backs: B+
No big plays. Plenty of solid performances here and the unit was a whole was stifling ten yards off the line of scrimmage. They didn’t let Michigan stretch the field vertically and really helped keep everything in check by shutting down the passing game. That was a dynamite performance but they aren’t at the next level yet. The weakness in the coverage Norm Parker uses is in the middle of the field and this unit allowed Michigan to exploit that on the plays they did convert. The backfield needs to keep the other team from exploiting that by generating greater awareness from the safety position (though it is very close). Also, on those short passing routes this group needs to time their hits a little better. They hit the receivers a little late and if it would have been a tad earlier they would have prevented a completion.

Overall this group showed a lot of resiliency against Michigan but there are improvements to be made. I know it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things but the fourth and goal incompletion was such a bad call. Brandon Wegher has a huge vertical leap and no one is able to stop it even if they know it is coming. Why would you run a riskier play that could have resulted in an interception in the endzone than one in that we will probably convert 99 percent of the time? On the whole this team seems to be progressing very well but it is going to need to click a lot more this week in practice to keep the Heartland Trophy in Iowa City for another year.

October 9, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Michigan Predictions
By: Andrew

            One of the most anticipated homecoming games in Iowa history is almost upon us. Let us all hope that this game turns out differently than the previous two homecomings—both losses. Here are my thoughts leading up to the game.

Defensive Pressure. Based on the weather forecast for Saturday, Iowa will need to look to old reliable (i.e. the Iowa defense) to force Tate Forcier into making poor decisions. Although Forcier can beat teams when a play breaks down, he is still young enough that by putting enough pressure on him, the Iowa zone defense may be able to come up with a few interceptions. If anything, the Iowa defense may struggle with Michigan’s misdirection plays and zone reads. The key for the Iowa defense will be to play solid assignment football to prevent plays from going to the outside. This well-disciplined Norm Parker coached defense has done that all year, but in the heat of the game, some guys may get too anxious and over pursue. As I mentioned in my previous post, Jon Miller of HawkeyeNation.com has been pointing to Iowa’s ability to tackle well as the key to the game, which I tend to also agree on as an important element for an Iowa victory. If the Iowa defense plays assignment football and tackles well, then I think that there is no reason why Iowa cannot keep the score of this game at an appropriate level for the offense to win the game. Keep in mind that Michigan is second in the Big Ten in scoring offense, scoring approximately 34 points a game, while Iowa is 10th nationally in scoring defense, allowing only 13 points a game. Something has to give this Saturday, and I think it is the Michigan offense.

Not If, But How and Where. I have given up on predicting that Ricky Stanzi is going to have a breakout game. Do not get me wrong, I am not down on Stanzi, as I think he is a very solid quarterback who is capable of great things; however, I also think that he is still trying to get back to the way he was playing toward the end of last season. I think Stanzi will have one or two interceptions on Saturday, but as the heading indicates, it will be a matter of where he turns the ball over and if it leads to a pick six like the Arizona and Arkansas State games. I hope that Ken O’Keefe decides to stretch the field again as he did last week. By stretching the field, it will open up the running game and if the Iowa running game gets on a roll, it could be a two touchdown victory for Iowa, unlikely but possible.

Special Teams Disadvantage. This is probably the only game in which Iowa does not have the special teams advantage. Zolton Mesko, Michigan’s punter, is considered one of the best in the country averaging 44 yards a punt this season with a long of 66 yards, while Michigan leads the Big Ten in net punting. Thus, enjoy the punting battle between Mesko and Ryan Donahue. Michigan kick returner Darryl Stonum is a dangerous one, and given Iowa’s so-so kickoff distance and kick coverage this season, he may change the field position battle with one swift return. Stonum averages 30 yards a return and has a long of 94, which he returned for a touchdown.

Big Hog Mollies. After an admitted poor game, the Iowa offensive line will need to get back on track this week to help establish the running game in order to help Stanzi and the rest of the offense. Perhaps the most concerning matchup is on the right side of the line where Julian Vandervelde and Kyle Calloway will have to face potential 1st team All American defensive end Brandon Graham who was second in the nation last year with 20 tackles for loss, and who already has 6.5 tackles for loss thus far this season. The right side of the line did not have one of their better games last week, but based on the comments made by Vandervelde, Bulaga and others this week, it sounds like the mistakes that were made are all easily correctable. One has to think that with the likely addition of Tony Moeaki, not only will the offensive line play be better, but the Iowa running game will improve this week.

If Iowa can score early and put pressure on Forcier early, good things are going to happen. Also, keep in mind that there is some chatter coming out of Ann Arbor that the Michigan offense has had several moving parts this week, with some rumors that Michigan running back Carlos Brown may be out. Likewise, Forcier appeared to have hurt his shoulder last week against Michigan State. Although no one wants to see him out of the game, one hard hit to Forcier may cause some damage. I officially take back my comments on the blackout. If the fans are able to pull it off, it is going to look very cool, especially if the rumor is true that gold towels will be handed out to fans as they enter Kinnick. By the time 7:00 rolls around, the Iowa fans will be well-oiled and ready to scream their lungs out. If Stanzi limits his turnovers and if the Iowa defense continues to play solid football, I think Iowa beats Michigan for only the eleventh time in school history.

Prediction: Iowa 24            Michigan 14

Pick to Click: Broderick Binns

October 8, 2009

Know your Enemy: Michigan
By: Neal

Homecoming, night game, blackout, this week can’t possibly get any better. Here is the info on Iowa’s opponent this week, the Michigan Wolverines.

NAME: University of Michigan
COLORS: Maize and Blue
LOCATION: Ann Arbor, MI
ENROLLMENT: 41,042
STADIUM: Michigan Stadium (the Big House)
COACH: Rich Rodriguez, Second Year, 7-9
SERIES RECORD: Michigan leads 40-10-4
FIGHT SONG: Hail To The Victors

Now for a cheer they are here, triumphant!
Here they come with banners flying,
In stalwart step they're nighing,
With shouts of vict'ry crying,
We hurrah, hurrah, we greet you now, Hail!
Far we their praises sing
For the glory and fame they've bro't us
Loud let the bells them ring
For here they come with banners flying
Far we their praises tell
For the glory and fame they've bro't us
Loud let the bells them ring
For here they come with banners flying
Here they come, Hurrah!
(chorus)
Hail! to the victors valiant
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes
Hail! Hail! to Michigan
The leaders and best!
Hail! to the victors valiant
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes
Hail! Hail! to Michigan,
The champions of the West!
(break strain)
We cheer them again
We cheer and cheer again
For Michigan, we cheer for Michigan
We cheer with might and main
We cheer, cheer, cheer
With might and main we cheer!
(chorus)
TRADITIONS: How about Michigan by the numbers? The program not only holds the most wins in Division 1 football, but also the most undefeated seasons, winning seasons, highest all-time winning percentage, and is only one of three schools to have a winning record against every Division 1A conference. The Wolverines also hold the record for the largest crowd for an NCAA football game, the longest home record of attendance over 100,000, and the most televised games of any school in college football history. Finally, the Wolverines hold the longest current streak of scoring, not having been shutout since October 20, 1984. Ironically, that game was played against the Iowa Hawkeyes in Kinnick Stadium.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: I cannot stress this enough, the Hawkeyes have to control the line of scrimmage in order to win this. Offensively, the Hawkeyes have to win the field position battle and score early and often. Keeping the pressure on the Wolverines and the crowd into the game will put the game on Tate Forcier. This may seem counterintuitive but Forcier has been known to press in tough situations and Iowa’s defense is just too good for him to press them without getting burned. If the Wolverines are not getting anything done the freshman will try to do more and is likely to end up making more mistakes. The offense needs to do what it has done best under Ferentz, control the point of attack and eat up the clock. Defensively, the Hawks need to play jacked up the whole game not allow the Wolverines to get comfortable. The line needs to be constantly applying pressure and the linebackers need to stay aware and ready to stop the powerful Wolverine rushing game. The corners need to jam the wide receivers to give the line time to get to Forcier. Sash and Greenwood need to keep their eyes open and fly to the ball, forcing some turnovers and making plays downfield. Some experts are saying that the field position battle will be a big factor but since Ryan Donahue and Zoltan Mesko are both very talented punters I think it will have more to do with who can drive the ball AND play stout defense.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: Look for the defense to make a statement early. Either a major turnover or a big sack will let the Wolverines know that this is going to be a dogfight. The Hawkeyes will score first and keep momentum going through the first quarter. After pulling up a 10 point lead, a big play gives Michigan a field goal but a turnover gives Iowa a 13-3 lead before halftime. Michigan comes out throwing and gets a touchdown early in the third quarter but Iowa answers with a touchdown of their own. The Hawkeyes get another field goal before another Michigan turnover results in an Iowa touchdown to clinch the game. IOWA 30-10

October 5, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Arkansas State
By: Andrew

Well that did not exactly turn out the way it should have. As they say though, a win is a win. Iowa is now 5-0 for the first time in fourteen years. If there had been two plays or so that went differently, I think we would be talking about a 41-7 finish rather than 24-21. Nonetheless, I think there are certainly some things to take away from the win over Arkansas State.

Defensive Line Dominance. Once again the defensive line showed why they deserve all of the accolades that they have been receiving. Adrian Clayborn continues to wreak havoc in the backfield, while Karl Klug, Broderick Binns, and Christian Ballard continue to clog up running lanes. The only thing that this unit could improve on is finishing plays in the backfield. There were several times when both Clayborn and Klug had the opportunity to make the sack but were unable to finish the play. Yes, that is an extremely ridiculous criticism but, hey, there is always room for improvement, right? It is going to be a joy watching these four play for the next seven weeks.

Decisionmaking Process. Ricky Stanzi looked very sharp on the first two drives of the game throwing touchdown passes of 33 yards and 41 yards. Then, on cue, things started to go south. As one astute observer mentioned to me, it is not that Stanzi is throwing the ball inaccurately; rather, he is making poor decisions. Fortunately, that is a problem that can be fixed. I truly believe that Stanzi will continue to improve his decisionmaking and will go back to the flashes of brilliance we saw last year. Although Stanzi has thrown only eight touchdowns compared to seven interceptions, he is now 13-3 as a starter—the most important statistic.

Kicking Game. Ryan Donahue did not have one of his better games. Again, I think that I am probably being overcritical on a day in which the wind was swirling a bit, but even on a bad day for Donahue, Arkansas State had only one return for -3 yards. I will take that every day of the week. Daniel Murray’s miss looked like me off the tee when I am too quick from the top—a hard snap hook. While I still think Murray is a very solid kicker, I worry about his ability to make one in the 42-49 yard range. At this point in the season, I would hope that the coaching staff has made the decision to redshirt Trent Mossbrucker. It will be more advantageous for the continuity of the kicking game for him to have three more years at Iowa. However, I think at some point this season, Iowa will be put in a tough spot when they need a long field goal and have to rely on Murray’s untested distance.

Game Strategy. Although I know that an anti-Ken O’Keefe crowd exists, I have been thoroughly impressed with his game planning this season. Despite the excellent game planning and play calling, the execution has not been there at times. Yes, I have been saying it all year, but at some point this offense is going to being to click and execute on a consistent basis. Is this week finally the week that my prediction on this point will come true?

Although no player would ever directly say it, I am sure some of the players were looking more forward to the Michigan game than Arkansas State. As I mentioned last week, Arkansas State was a great game to have before Michigan given the similarities in offense. Along those lines, Arkansas State’s quarterback, Corey Leonard is similar to Tate Forcier, even though Leonard is, at this point in time, the better quarterback. Well, Saturday cannot arrive soon enough. Until then, be sure to look for all of the gold clothing you can find as a protest to the Sports Marketing Department’s decision to declare the Michigan game as a “blackout.” Seriously, just give it a rest on the color scheming for games. While I think that they should only have “be bold, wear gold” games, I also think that they should use a color scheme once every few years rather than twice a year. (Remember that Arizona was a “blackout”). I know that superstition is bunk, but remember how the last “blackout” against Michigan turned out? Yeah, that is also secretly why I am going to protest by wearing gold.

Go Hawks!

October 4, 2009

Arkansas St Postgame
By: Neal

After a perplexing battle with the Red Wolves, the Hawkeyes will spend the week examining what went wrong and trying to tighten the screw for next week’s showdown with Michigan.
Quarterback: C+
Arguably the games’ best player was also the biggest liability. At times, the QB looked absolutely dominant, throwing three touchdowns and making some very nice throws. But he also threw two picks including one that gave Arkansas State their second score and let them back into the game. Stanzi needs to stop pressing. He made some great throws today but it really seems like he is focusing on one receiver and not scanning the field. All that said, he looked much better in this game throwing the deep ball than he has all season, and that is a huge step forward. The next step is to stop forcing plays where there are none and start seeing the whole field as opposed to locking in on receivers.
Running Backs: C
Yeah the defense had the run pretty snuffed out, but there were plenty of bad reads to supplement the lack of opportunities and it created a very stagnant run game. This was in direct contrast to last week where the running game carried the offense to its’ only touchdown drive in the second half. It is really hard to put a finger on who the culprit was in this case, the defense was good at diagnosing the play, the line didn’t get quite as much of a push as it has been, and the play calling seemed repetitive at times. There are a lot of culprits, but in the end, I think this unit was part of the problem with those bad cuts and reads.
Receivers: C+
Marvin McNutt had a fantastic game and DJK, Trey Stross, and Keenan Davis each made some good plays but this is a function of the second half. Where was the short passing game? Where was the separation? This unit has too much talent to not be dominant and I was disappointed by the inconsistency in intensity from play to play. This group is starting to come into its’ own and if the running game gets going they will be a major threat over the top that stretches defenses.
Offensive Line: C
This group was just fin in pass coverage. The tackles kept the speed rushers off Ricky Stanzi and really held their own. What is really perplexing is the hiccups in the run blocking, which has been the strength of this unit this season. After the first half this groups just wasn’t getting the push it needed and the tackles were not closing off the defensive end on stretch plays which is why those were unsuccessful in the second half. This group needs to tighten the screws in the running game because the offense cannot afford to be that stagnant against Michigan.
Defensive Line: B-
This group got plenty of pressure on the quarterback but it just couldn’t wrap up. Credit this group from keeping the Red Wolves from having any chance of a last second touchdown and preserving the win but the line has to do a better job stopping the run. The Red Wolves were able to open up some fairly good size holes in the middle to run the ball and that just can’t happen if this defense is going to function correctly. Overall, the group did a pretty good job but there needs to be more wrapping and run stopping to go along with the large amount of pressure that the Hawkeyes are getting on opposing teams.
Linebackers: B
No the group didn’t make a bunch of huge plays but they did their job and they remained a threat on the defense. AJ Edds had made a great play with a tipped pass and Pat Angerer had some good tackles, but there wasn’t much in the way of huge plays. That said, doing everything you’re supposed to is never a bad thing, but this defense is the most effective when the star linebackers make those big plays.
Defensive Backs: C
The group made some great plays, but inconsistency in this unit was the back breaker on defense. Third and 27 but the coverage gives up a huge pass down the middle. That is unacceptable. The biggest problem with the unit came from the lack of Shaun Prater who was injured. I like Willie Lowe but he is young and inconsistent and he got picked on In the second half. Hopefully Prater is healthy for the Michigan game because Lowe does not jam receivers as well. The overall product in the defensive backfield is great but inconsistency has to be fixed before next week’s primetime showdown.
FINAL:
It is hard to make an excuse for this game. Iowa didn’t play a horrible game but they weren’t playing a great team and should have won by more. There were officiating calls that seemed debatable in the stadium but at the same time it shouldn’t have mattered since the number of big mistakes far outnumbered the supposed blown calls. This team has played so well it is baffling why they decided to pull up and let Arkansas State back in the game after the first quarter. I am not a fan of ragging on the coaches. Ken O’Keefe and Norm Parker are better than anyone gives them credit for and Kirk Ferentz is one of the best in the business. That being said, something went wrong here. The offense stopped moving the ball, even when we knew it could, and the defense was incredibly inconsistent. The defense was a player problem, but why did the offense insist upon trying to run when everyone in the stadium knew how effective the pass was on first and second down? It isn’t a crime to pull up and keep from embarrassing a team, but the fact that it almost cost Iowa a game is a bit scary. Part of that is on the coaches who insisted upon running a game plan that was not effective. Ricky Stanzi and the secondary also desrve some blame for giving up those scores. Overall this is very perplexing and we can only hope that this was a minor hiccup and not a warning sign. A win is a win, but this one sure feels like a loss to me.

October 3, 2009

Know Your Enemy Arkansas St
By: Neal

After that lovely trip to State College, the Hawkeyes return to Kinnick to face their final out of conference opponent.

NAME: Arkansas State University
COLORS: Scarlet and Black
LOCATION: Jonesboro, AK
ENROLLMENT: 9,385
STADIUM: ASU Stadium
COACH: Steve Roberts, 8th year, 37-47 record
SERIES RECORD: First Meeting, Iowa is 1-0 against Sun Belt teams
FIGHT SONG: A.S.U Fight Song

On, On, On to victory
Brave team you're second to none
Let's make this game history
along with the others we've won
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!
with all your might
so that the world may see that
RED-W-O-L-V-E-S means Victory!
STATE!

TRADITIONS: As Brendan Stiles points out in this article by the DI, the Red Wolves would not be on the Iowa schedule had they not changed their nickname before the fall of 2008. Originally, the school was known as the Indians and the University of iowa has a strict policy that prohibits us from scheduling teams the intentionally use Indian nicknames (the obvious exceptions of course being the Illini and if we were to play Florida State in an ACC/Big Ten Challenge).

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: Dominance. I am not talking about the final score (though that should definitely be slanted in our favor) but rather the line of scrimmage. If Iowa has one glaring advantage it is up front where Brian Bulaga will be returning back from injury, giving the Hawkeyes their first look at the original starting offensive line. The front five was absolutely dominant for most of the Penn State game and while the Red Wolves have a solid front seven, they aren’t as good as Penn State. If the running or passing game struggle, it won’t be because of the line. Then there is the matter of Adrian Clayborn, Christian Ballard, Karl Klug, and Broderick Bins. If these guys get after the Red Wolves early, it is going to be an easy game for Iowa’s talented back seven. The one thing to look out for is Arkansas State quarterback Corey Leonard to try and make some play outside of the pocket. Some people have said he looks similar to UNI quarterback Pat Grace so this thing could be interesting. What Iowa fans will be looking for the most however is how the receivers play. The Hawks looked bad in Happy Valley and need to use this game as an opportunity to get the passing game rolling.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: Iowa will come out a little slow on its’ first drive, but it will pick up quickly and roll the rest of the way. This game won’t answer all the questions about Ricky Stanzi and the passing game but it will at least give the junior a chance to make a couple plays, which he will. Look for Marvin McNutt and DJK to provide plenty of open targets against a secondary that hasn’t performed all that well this year. I also expect to see at least one of the running backs to eclipse 100 yards. The defense will roll the Red Wolves, forcing them to throw more than they would like and giving Tyler Sash and Brett Greenwood another chance to strut their stuff. Look for at least one interception from Leonard. The second half will be a who’s who of Iowa second and third teams as the Hawks build an early lead and pile it on until the end. IOWA 38-7

October 2, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Arkansas State Predictions
By: Andrew

It is hard and sad to believe that the college football season is 1/3 of the way over. Seriously, the anticipation builds up all spring and summer and then before you know it the season is almost over. This Saturday, Iowa will seek to become 5-0 for the first time since 1995. If they play even remotely well, they should be able to cruise through this game. Here are my thoughts.

Offense on the Move. This game should be a wonderful opportunity for the offense to get on track before heading back into a rigorous Big 10 schedule. Arkansas State is ranked 102d nationally in pass defense, which is why I think it gives Ricky Stanzi such a great opportunity to throw downfield with some success and establish a rhythm with the passing game. Despite the poor Red Hawk pass defense, I do not think there is anyway that their defensive line will be able to get any type of push against the Iowa offensive line. With Bryan Bulaga back this week, I think it is certainly possible for Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher to eclipse the 200 yd mark collectively. Although some people think that Iowa will be sluggish in the wake of the Penn State win, I think that it will be quite the opposite. Nonetheless, even if the offense looks less than spectacular on Saturday, I will not be worried because I think the sky is the limit for what this offense can accomplish this season.

Hands. The overarching complaint, if you can call it that, of the Iowa team has been the drops by the receivers. Granted, Stanzi has been less than accurate most of the season, but as my Mom always said, if the ball hits you in the hands, then you need to catch it. Maybe I am being optimistic, but I think now that the entire receiver corps is healthy, it will be an entirely different unit. Jon Miller of HawkeyeNation.com has continuously quoted Kirk Ferentz as saying that this season has been one of the most disjointed in terms of continuity of personnel on offense during practice. Throwing to the same guys in practice each and every day makes a big difference as the quarterback and receivers need those repetitions in order to develop the precise timing necessary to make the passing offense work effectively. Like I said, I may be crazy, but I really think that the offense will get out of its rut on Saturday.

Defense Warm Up. I do not know what can be said about the Iowa defense that has not already been said. Fortunately, Arkansas State runs a spread offense, which will be great preparation for the following Saturday’s contest against Michigan. Although it will be very difficult to do, the defense will look to extend their streak of not allowing a rushing touchdown for 29 consecutive quarters, which is a streak that dates back to the Penn State game from last year.

Yes, Arkansas State returns several skill position players, including quarterback Corey Leonard and running back Reggie Arnold who are both very solid football players. Yes, Arkansas State returns eight starters on defense from last year’s team. Yes, last year Arkansas State took Texas deep into the fourth quarter and beat Texas A&M in College Station. Nevertheless, this Iowa team is focused and, according to Kirk Ferentz, had their best week of practice so far this season. While at the beginning of the week I thought about predicting a close game, somewhere in the neighborhood of 34-14 or so, I think that it will be a larger margin of victory. If Iowa can take care of business this week, get ready for one heck of a matchup the following week.

Prediction: Iowa 41 Arkansas State 14

Pick to Click: Derrell Johnson-Koulianos

October 1, 2009

Better Know a Hawkeye
By: Neal

College football game day is an incredible and unique experience. Each school has its’ own traditions and unique atmosphere that creates almost a multi layered carnival of sight, sound, and taste as the sport meshes with tailgating, cheers, and music. The University of Iowa, and indeed the Big Ten, has a very unique and very deep music tradition that spans back to hundreds of years, and that tradition continues today. The Hawkeye Marching Band continues to contribute to this tradition with energy and atmosphere of Iowa football at every home game and occasionally on the road. Leading the band is Prof. Kevin Kastens, the associate director of bands at the U of I.

Prof. Kastens began his teaching career at Wheeling High School in Illinois before becoming the Assistant director of bands at Indiana University. From there he traveled to the University of Missouri where he received numerous awards including Faculty Member of the Year in 1998, Certificate of Merit for Excellence in Education, and became the first director to be enshrined in the Marching Mizzou Hall of Fame. I managed to catch up with the Director so he could offer some insight on what it is like directing a college marching band and the unique game day experience at the University of Iowa.

You have been teaching marching bands for a very long time, what made you want to teach on the collegiate end of athletic bands?

I think it had to be my college experience. I knew going into college as an undergrad that I wanted to be a high school band director and when I had the opportunity to be the graduate staff member at the University of Illinois, and working with that age level student I knew that someday after teaching high school I wanted to be a college band director.

What made you decide to come to Iowa after spending time with two very strong marching band programs at Indiana and Mizzou?

First of all, I was a high school band director for nine years and I have been doing college marching bands for 23 years and it is kinda the nature of our business to kind of move up I the world so to speak. Having done about what I wanted to do with a high school program I started applying for college jobs and just happened to land at Indiana University. There I was the number three band director so I was an assistant to the marching band. My next ambition was to have my own college band so I had the opportunity to go to the University of Missouri. (I) was there for five years and rebuilt that program, they had less than 175 members when I first started there and when I left they had over 260. But my love for the Big Ten was the most important thing and at the time Myron Welch was the director of bands and just a great person to work with so when this job opened up it was just a no brainer.

Obviously you spent some time teaching in the Big XII, is there any difference between teaching a Band in that conference as opposed to the Big Ten?

There is not a lot of difference as far as the students are all great to work with. I think we can compare, as we talk about here at the University of Iowa, nearly every degree program is represented in the band and the same is true in the Big XII. I think the biggest difference though; I think there is a greater band tradition, longer more well established band traditions in the Big Ten. Even to the point where here at the University of Iowa all our songs are original songs. At the University of Missouri their three songs are all borrowed melodies; they weren’t even original or unique to the University. So I think that is the biggest difference, the traditions.

From your perspective, how do you think the musical tradition and the band impact game day?

I think that we do have a lot impact. The main thing is that the difference between college and professional football I think that the college game day atmosphere where we can contribute more and we are allowed to contribute on game day. I know that Gary Barta has done a great job balancing the need to do marketing and his preference to utilize the marching band whenever possible to create that atmosphere as part of game day. I think that one of the first thing that strikes people, or at least band people, when you turn on a college game on the television versus a professional game one of the things you hear frequently with the college game is the drums in the background you are hearing the band playing little cheers and that is part of the crowd noise that you hear when you are watching an NFL game.

Where would you rank the University of Iowa fans as opposed to the other institutions at which you have taught?

I think this is by far a very special place, Kinnick Stadium on game days. I have to say when I was attending Illinois we never went to a bowl game (and) the basketball team never made an NCAA tournament appearance so I never felt a very strong allegiance to the Illinois sports program. Coming to Iowa and having heard, having actually visited Iowa as a college student and as a director at Indiana, I think one of the first things that put the thought into my mind that this would be a great place to work was the tailgating outside the stadium, the game day atmosphere, the support that the team has. It is amazing to see that even when the hawks have had some down games where the fans really stick it out to the end of the game I think that is very impressive.

What is your prediction for the Hawkeyes this season?

I think someone is going to snatch one away from us, 11-1.

September 29, 2009

Penn St Recap
By: Neal

It is almost impossible to write right now. The sheer joy of Saturday’s win against Penn State has a lot of Iowa fans feeling very…..vindicated. No longer are we some footnote on the Big Ten title race, no longer are we that pesky Iowa team, no longer can the national media ignore the storm brewing in Iowa City. These Hawkeyes are good, really good. But instead of emailing the entire ESPN staff a big “I told you so”, our time is better served making this team better, because we are only 1/3 of the way through the season. Arkansas State cannot be a letdown game, not now, not when this team has come so far. The Hawkeyes need to take care of business this week and continue to improve, and step one to that, is analyzing the last performance. Here are your position grades.

Quarterback: C
You want to know the scariest part of last week’s game? It could have been so much worse. Ricky Stanzi was generally accurate early but drops and tipped balls really hurt him. No his stats do not look impressive, but a lot of that was dropped passes that were often right on the numbers. Iowa’s offense was stagnant early because we came out throwing and our receivers could not hang on to the ball and the Penn State pass rush was making plays. If I am Stanzi, I am looking at some of those miscues that crept into the game as well as some of those deep passes. Such plays as the deep pass to Stross where he threw it to the wrong shoulder and the miscue with Reisner comes to mind. Figure out what happened on those types of plays and fix that in practice. Stanzi will continue to get a bad rap by some in the media this week but he is oh so close to having a breakout game. If one or two little mistakes are corrected, this offense is going to start reaching its’ potential.

Receivers: D-
Way too many drops. I know the receivers made some strong plays in the short and intermediate passing game but they will be overshadowed by the dropped first downs and the kick up that resulted in the first interception. Those bad plays had a far larger impact on the game than any of the good ones, and that cannot happen. Coach Campbell is probably somewhere sharpening his axe because heads will roll in the receivers practices this week. This was just a very sloppy performance all around with some bad routes, bad hands, and just bad mental mistakes. The good news is, this is something that can be fixed. This crew needs to spend the week working with Rick on timing and catching so that this does not happen again. I should also note that the good plays that happened in the passing game were very impressive from a receiver standpoint, and that this isn’t so much as a back to basics week as much as it is a developing consistency week.

Running Backs: B
I was so concerned in this game that the running game would never be established and that we would have to throw for everything on offense. Boy was I wrong. Once Penn State was forced to respect the fact that we would pass, the running game just broke open. Both Robinson and Wegher had some very solid looking runs and I continue to grow more and more confident in them with each week. This is a duo that has improved so much since week one, but there is still a lot of room to grow. Robinson needs to find that second gear, the one that tells you to explode out of the backfield and not just run. Run angry. Run with authority. Wegher has the explosiveness out of the backfield a little more, but I would argue he doesn’t always make the best decisions and his power leaves something to be desired (especially after watching Shonn Greene last year). Both of them need to get a little more attitude in their running. I am so impressed by this unit and the fortitude they showed yesterday, hats off to both of them for playing far above their age and not letting the stage become so big that it messed with their ability to play the game.

Offensive Line: B+
Quick, who was the MVP of the offense? It has to be the line which opened holes you could drive a Mack Truck through in the running game and gave Stanzi the best protection he could ask for considering the unit they were lined up against. Is there any doubt about Riley Reiff? The guy is a stud. He came out and kept the Penn State pass rush in check all game. The big guys really smashed a very veteran Penn State defensive line which certainly had its’ moments last year. Jared Odrick and Ollie Ogbu are amazing defensive tackles who eat up blocks so well but we still managed to get guys out of the trenches and onto linebackers in the running game late. This week, work on the sacks. One is too many. It is fair to say that this unit is good enough where they should be expected to come out and dominate almost any front seven left on their schedule. This group has to embrace those lofty expectations as a challenge and try to reach them, not just because they are a good unit, but because they are on the verge of becoming one of the great offensive lines. I will be riding this unit’s butt until they reach those goals, because I think this unit is talented enough to reach them.

Defensive Line: B
I want to give this group a higher grade, but I can’t. The reason is the running game. Run defense is clearly the weakness of the unit right now and that has to change as the schedule brings in some really strong running teams. Karl Klug and Christian Ballard need to get more push on rushing downs and cut off running lanes because right now you can run an ISO play against this defense and get three or four yards no matter what. You can’t have that kind of a weakness on a unit like this. The linebackers and safeties cannot cheat up or you get play action passes like you did in the first Penn State drive. We have to take over the middle of the trenches on rushing plays or we will get exposed every time. That is my only complaint about this unit. On the flip side, that pass rush is so good. Adrian Clayborn had two tackles, but I tell you he and Broderick Bins where the stars in what turned into Daryl Clark’s worst nightmare. I knocked Klug and Ballard earlier, but both of them also made plays in the passing downs and that was so crucial to this unit’s success. I finally feel comfortable rushing four on passing downs and dropping all three linebackers into coverage.

Linebackers: B+
Speaking of which, thank you to AJ Edds and Pat Angerer for finally stepping up and making plays in this game. The two linebackers each had an interception in the passing game and helped clean up the runs by Evan Royster, not letting him break anything big and forcing a fumble. This unit did about everything they were asked and I honestly am having a hard time of thinking of anything that stood out as particularly bad. The reason the grade isn’t any higher is that I want to see this unit do what they did tonight on a more consistent basis. They played well against Penn State, but they need to make that kind of impact in every game and not just when it is convenient.

Secondary: B-
I am not going to rag on the defensive backs just yet. Yeah that first play was ugly, Tyler Sash cheated up when he should have been back in coverage but it was really only one of two breakdowns all night. The other was a deep pass that Shaun Prater tried to intercept but ended up surrendering as a deep pass (the drive ended on an interception). Basically, this group was solid all night, but those big mistakes need to be corrected because those mistakes resulted in points more than any other mistake the team, as a whole, made.

Special Teams: B+++
I really, really wanted to give this unit an A. Blocking a punt and returning it to the house was perhaps the best play anyone made all day, but the unit wasn’t perfect. Daniel Murray missed a field goal badly and more importantly, the near disaster kickoff return in the second half. The field goal miss was from a good distance in bad conditions, but it wasn’t even close so it should at least be mentioned. The coverage teams have been very good this season so it should be noted that the one kickoff return was not something that has been constant this season. Really, this unit was very, very impressive. Ryan Donahue’s numbers won’t look great, but he pinned Penn State deep all game and Adrian Clayborn made arguably the game’s biggest play with that blocked punt. Tighten this screws, and develop consistency while still trying to make some big plays, do that, and this is the best special teams in Division 1A.

Things are looking good for Iowa football. Let’s just hope we can improve moving into the next few weeks.

Roll Along Iowa
Penn State Aftermath
By: Andrew

            Oh baby! That is all one can say after what arguably is one of the best wins of the Kirk Ferentz era. Iowa battled the elements and a rabid Penn State fanbase to top the then 5^th ranked team in the country. As one of the 2,000 or so Iowa fans in attendance, I can say that it was well worth standing in the rain for 12 hours to watch the fourth quarter of that game. The thing that leaves me even more optimistic about the season is that this team has not even played its best football yet. Here are some of my thoughts following the game.

Defensive Line. The “six seconds of hell” mantra held true last Saturday as the Iowa defense shut down the Penn State offense following the 79 yard score in the first half. The pressure that Adrian Clayborn, Karl Klug, Christian Ballard, and Broderick Binns were able to put on Darryl Clark forced enough disruption to cause Clark to make poor choices leading him to, at least in part, throw three interceptions. While some Iowa fans continue to harp on Norm Parker for not blitzing enough, the performance put on by the defensive line is nothing but proof that blitzing is not essential to Iowa’s defensive scheme.

Bomber. I mentioned in my last installment that Ryan Donahue is a weapon that can change the field position battle. His punt that landed inside the five, which led to the safety, was the beginning of the dominance of the Iowa defense. Donahue’s ability to change field position with the swing of his leg will be an incredible advantage this season and will more likely than not win Iowa another game this year due to his ability to win the field position battle.

Game Management. Ricky Stanzi did not play one of his better games but he also did not play poorly. Stanzi was able to manage the game and calmly lead the offense in the second half after Iowa gained the lead following Adrian Clayborn’s blocked punt return for a touchdown. Yes, Stanzi’s numbers are pretty unimpressive (11 of 26 for 135 yards), but I do not think many quarterbacks would have done well in that type of weather. Stanzi should be able to get back on track this week against an Arkansas State defense that has given up a significant number of yards through the air in its first three games of the season.

Areas of Improvement. Despite the 4-0 start, there are still several areas in which Iowa can improve.   Kickoff coverage on this team has been just ok this year. Currently, Iowa is giving up 19.5 games per return, which puts them at 35^th nationally. Well, I guess I am being too picky. We still have not seen Ricky Stanzi play an above average game. As mentioned earlier, the upcoming game appears to be the week in which Stanzi could have a breakout performance. These are just a few of the obvious things that stand out right now. Clearly, the entire team has areas in which they can improve as evident by several comments made by Iowa players following the game. To think that this team can improve, by their own admission nonetheless, gives me great hope about things to come.

The challenge this week against Arkansas State will be to avoid the classic trap game and to see how the team plays having tasted success in an important game. As Kirk Ferentz said, it is more difficult to deal with success than adversity. I think that this Arkansas State game is a great game leading up to the Michigan game for several reasons. First, Arkansas State is a decent football team that returns several skill position players from last year’s team. Second, they run a spread offense, which is similar to the offense that Iowa will see against the Wolverines in two weeks. Although my prediction will come later in the week, I think we will see the Iowa offense finally click for the entire game as well as see the Iowa defense continue to dominate.

Go Hawks!

September 26, 2009

Know your Enemy Penn St
By: Neal

Big Ten conference play begins with a trip to State College, and Know Your Enemy is here to fill you in.

NAME: Pennsylvania State University
COLORS: White and Blue
LOCATION: State College, PA
ENROLLMENT: 44,112
STADIUM: Beaver Stadium
COACH: Joe Paterno, 43rd Year 385-127-3
SERIES RECORD: Penn State leads 10-9
FIGHT SONG: The Nittany Lion

Every college has a legend, passed on from year to year,
To which they pledge allegiance, and always cherish dear.
But of all the honored idols, there’s but one that stands the test,
It’s the stately Nittany Lion, the symbol of our best.
Chorus:
HAIL! to the Lion, loyal and true.
HAIL! Alma Mater, with your white and blue.
PENN! STATE! forever, molder of men (and women),
FIGHT! for her honor — FIGHT! — and victory again.
Indiana has its Hoosiers,
Purdue its gold and black.
The Wildcats from Northwestern
and Spartans on attack.
Ohio State has its Buckeyes,
Up north, The Wolverines.
But the mighty Nittany Lions,
The best they’ve ever seen.
(Chorus)
There’s Pittsburgh with its Panther,
and Penn her Red and Blue,
Dartmouth with its Indian,
and Yale her Bulldog, too.
There’s Princeton with its Tiger,
and Cornell with its Bear.
But speaking now of victory,
We’ll get the Lion’s share.
(Chorus)
TRADITIONS: You probably heard about this, it is called a “White Out”, and it may be one of the coolest stadium experiences in sports. The Nittany Lion faithful dress completely in white and shake white poms to create a dizzying effect for the opposing team. Also, the night before the game many students camp outside the stadium to wait for seats in an area known as Paternoville.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: Watch the trenches. This is going to be a huge brawl and I highly doubt that either team breaks 30 points. The key to this for me is that Iowa is more complete in the trenches. Both teams boast strong defensive lines but the PSU O=Line just hasn’t been consistent while the Iowa line has shown signs of dominance, even without Brian Bulaga. If Iowa can dominate the line of scrimmage they will have a huge advantage throughout the game and will have a great chance for victory. Watch for the offensive line, especially on rushing downs. If Iowa can create holes big enough to allow at least 3-4 yards a carry then it will force those PSU linebackers to bite on the smallest hint of the run, opening up the play action pass. On defense, Adrian Clayborn and the D-Line need to pressure Daryl Clark and Evan Royster. Force Royster dodge tackles in the backfield and keep Daryl Clark under pressure and it will allow the back seven to make plays and shut down the Nittany Lions’ offense. Also, watch the Iowa receivers. If the Hawkeyes intend to score enough points to win they are going to need the receivers to slash through the Nittany Lions secondary early and often. The farther the receivers can stretch the defense, the more the Lions defense will be playing on it’s’ heels.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: This is going to be difficult, but it won’t be impossible. First off, Iowa has to control the ball. I see Penn State scoring first with an early field goal. Iowa will respond in the second quarter with a field goal of their own before another PSU kick gives the Nits a 6-3 advantage going into the locker room. Iowa scores a touchdown on their first drive out of the locker room and an interception sets up a second Iowa score to give Iowa a 17-6 advantage before Penn State scores their first touchdown to enter the fourth quarter 17-13. Iowa adds a field goal late and PSU is stopped on a fourth down attempt before the Hawkeyes bleed out the clock and come home with the W.

IOWA 20-13

September 26, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Penn State Predictions
By: Andrew

It is finally here—the opening of the Big Ten conference season and the beginning of what appears to be a competitive race. The Hawkeyes open up the conference season on the road (weird, given that the Hawkeyes are on the road for the conference opener for the 8th time in Ferentz’s eleven years at Iowa). This game has been on the minds of Penn State players since last year’s loss in Iowa City. However, like I wrote in my last post, I think the “revenge” factor is a bunch of overblown hype that has little to no bearing on the game. Nevertheless, the 100,000+ in Beaver Stadium will be ready to roll following a full day of imbibing in adult beverages. Without a doubt, this game will play a large role in shaping the Big Ten title race. Here are my thoughts leading up to the game.

Stanzi Show. It is not rocket science or a profound thought, but in order for Iowa to have a chance on Saturday, Ricky Stanzi must play like 2d half Ricky during Saturday’s first half. I noted Stanzi’s completion percentage differential between the first half and second half. If Stanzi can minimize mistakes and manage the game so that Iowa is able to sustain long drives, then the Hawks will have a chance to stay in the game.

Special, Special Teams. Ryan Donahue has turned into an absolute weapon for the Hawkeyes with his ability to pin opponents back near their goal line and have an unbelievably long hang time giving his teammates the opportunity to get down the field to tackle the returner. Through three games, Donahue has had four punts returned for a total of five yards. Yes, you read that right. Five. Penn State graduated their star kicker Kevin Kelly and have had problems in various areas of special teams. Last week against Temple, Penn State lost an onsides kick and kicker Colin Wagner is an unimpressive 2 of 4 on the season. The field position battle will be crucial in this game, and Iowa certainly has the advantage thanks to the leg of Donahue.

Six Seconds of Hell. The new rallying cry of Norm Parker’s defense became public last weekend after the Arizona game. The Iowa defense will have to continue their steady rise to becoming one of the best defenses in the country this Saturday. Yes, Penn State presents a significant challenge with Daryll Clark and Evan Royster in the backfield. Clark leads the Big 10 in yards per game and touchdowns, while Royster is turning in another impressive season, as Penn State is 7-0, including last year, when Royster runs for over 100 yards. Thus, Iowa will certainly have its hands full trying to contain those two. Keep in mind, however, that Penn State lost three All Big 10 offensive linemen from last year, and that all-time great PSU receivers Jordan Norwood, Derrick Williams, and Deon Butler are gone. So, while Penn State presents significant challenges on the offensive side of the ball, they are not the same Penn State of last season, and Iowa’s defense has certainly proved that it is capable of giving its opponent “six seconds of hell.”

Come to Penn State. Kirk Ferentz has Joe Paterno’s number when it comes to playing Joe Pa in State College as Iowa won in 2000, 2002, and 2004. Likewise, the Big Ten Network mentioned during one of their shows that Ferentz has a better winning percentage against Penn State than all of the other active coaches in the Big Ten combined, other than Jim Tressel. Penn State’s pro-style offense fits nicely into Iowa’s 4-3 base defense and Norm Parker always seems to make adjustments at halftime that shut down opponents. Do not take this as a slight to Joe Pa in any manner, but I think that Iowa has the advantage when it comes to coaching in this game.

At the beginning of the year, I initially marked this game as a loss. Regardless of the outcome last year, it is always difficult to go into Happy Valley and come away with a win. Up until about thirty seconds ago, I was going to pick Penn State to win in a close one, but I think I have convinced myself otherwise. Given Penn State’s personnel losses and the fact that they have played a ridiculously easy non-conference schedule of Akron, Syracuse, and Temple, and the fact that Iowa always seems to have an answer to Penn State’s offense, I am going to pick the Hawks. If my prediction comes to fruition, it could be the beginning of a very special season.

Prediction: Iowa 20 Penn State 17

Pick to Click: Ricky Stanzi

September 21, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
What We Learned in Week 3
By: Andrew

In my last installment, I mentioned that we would know much more about this Iowa team by the end of the day on Saturday. Well, we certainly did learn more about this team, and what we learned was that the rest of this year could be a good one.

Brick Wall. The most important thing we learned on Saturday was that this defense has the potential to be one of Norm Parker’s best. Arizona averaged 305 yards on the ground and Nick Grigsby was the second leading rusher in the country leading up to the Iowa game. Other than the long 58 yard run by Grigsby, the Iowa defense held Arizona to only 90 yards on the ground. Along with the impressive showing by the run defense, it is evident that one of the differences in this Norm Parker defense is the overall team speed on defense. One needs to look no further than the play Adrian Clayborn made when he came from the opposite of the field to chase Grigsby down on a stretch play. If the defense continues to shut down opponents’ ground game the way they did against Arizona, we are in for a fun ride.

Boomer. Mesko who? I mentioned to several people before the season started that Ryan Donahue had the potential to be 1^st team All Big Ten. Well I made that statement forgetting that Zoltan Mesko was still at Michigan. Despite that fact, I am sticking with my prediction. Donahue has averaged 44.6 yards per punt while Mesko has averaged 42.2. Although Donahue and Mesko are currently ranked 4^th and 6^th, respectively, in the Big Ten, by the time the season is over, they will not only be at the top of the Big Ten but, mark my words, they will be finalists for the Ray Guy Award, which is given to the nation’s top punter.

Inconsistent 1^st Half. Ricky Stanzi’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde act has at least been consistent thus far. (Quick: Is Jekyll or Hyde the bad one?). Jon Miller, publisher of HawkeyeNation.com, made a post after the Arizona game noting that in the first half of the first three games, Stanzi has a completion rate of 49.2% with an ugly efficiency rating of 93.09, while in the second half he has thrown for a completion rate of 73.3% and a 163.09 efficiency rating. I thought the use of high percentage passes would fix the problem, but Stanzi was very efficient on the first drive of the Arizona game, so that theory has now been debunked. Regardless of the solution, something needs to happen because Iowa’s success is dependant on his ability to take pressure off the Iowa running game.

Come to Penn State!!!. The Hawkeyes start out their Big Ten campaign this season at one of the most difficult venues in the entire country—Beaver Stadium in Happy Valley. Not only is the game in State College, but it is a nationally-televised night game, with a PSU declared “whiteout,” and the set of College Gameday on hand. During the week and leading up to the game you will hear the national pundits talk the “revenge” factor after Iowa’s 24-23 win last year. I am sure that Darryl Clark will throw more accurately than normal and that Evan Royster will be quicker than usually, because, you know, they are out for revenge. (Please note the sarcasm). I digress. Needless to say, it is going to be a great game and an even better atmosphere. When I mentioned that the game was nationally televised, I meant it. Everyone in the country who turns on their local ABC affiliate at 7 p.m. CST will be watching Iowa at Penn State.

Although you will have to wait for my prediction later in the week, know that some of Penn State’s weaknesses play into Iowa’s strengths and that Penn State has not been challenged at all this year.

Go Hawks!

Arizona Postgame
By: Neal

So the Arizona game is in the books. The Hawkeyes got their third win of the season and have set up one heck of a matchup next week in Happy Valley. But before we start hyping up the game this Saturday, it would be prudent to look back and hand out some grades from the game against the Wildcats.
Quarterbacks: D
Before I say anything else, this grade is misleading. Ricky was not terrible, he made a lot of good decisions and some really nice throws. But, he also made some head scratchers and a pick six is never good. Stanzi was still unable to get into that next level of being a game changer and that is a roll he needs to adopt if this team wants to have a special season. He was the biggest liability on the offense and that just can’t be true if you are the quarterback. So what do we look for going forward? First we need to see the timing improve. I think there was a little bit of progress made here from the last game but it still isn’t where it ultimately needs to be. Next, we need to see more vision. My biggest complaint against Ricky this season is that he has a tendency to lock onto different receivers on plays and he follows them with his eyes from the snap on without any attempt to hide it. That needs to stop. You can’t keep telegraphing the pass every time you drop back and it will be really important as the pass defenses get better (Arizona certainly wasn’t bad, but they will not be the best secondary we face this season).
Running Backs: B
Raise your hand if you saw that coming. I was skeptical last week as to how effective Wegher and Robinson would be if the passing game flummoxed. Well, you can put that argument to rest after today’s performance. Robinson and Wegher will be solid contributors to this team and really took over the game, scoring all three of Iowa’s touchdowns. What really made me happy was to see both Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher showing they were legitimate threats, which is what is going to happen if this backfield is going to be a threat in the game. What needs to improve is the ability to break tackles. I am not talking Shonn Greene moves here though; I mean some of the arm tackles that took down both of the backs during the game. It is all about balance and it is part of what you get when you start freshman, but it should improve as the year goes on.
Receivers: C
This one was a little hard to peg because the receiver corps was without DJK and Tony Moeaki who would have really opened up the passing attack. However, there were a couple dropped balls and some bad routes that really made the offense sputter. The little stuff was there, but if this team wants to get into the upper echelon they need to have continuity at every position on the depth chart. Everybody needs to be able to step in and do the job well. There is a lot of talent infused in this depth chart, but what will make or break this season is how well Iowa’s backups step in and keep the offense rolling.
Offensive Line: B-
I really waffled between a B- and a C+ here but what made me finally give them the higher grade was the run blocking. Arizona had a pretty good front four, and Iowa’s line held them in check for most of the game. The minus comes from a few plays where the blocking just broke down and it mostly occurred on passing downs. Ricky Stanzi did a good job in those situations (and sometimes it happens) but from an O Line standpoint that needs to go away. The line was also having a hard time getting through to the next level on run blocking consistently but that is incredibly nitpicky since they did do it a couple times and doing so against a good DL isn’t easy.
Defensive Line: B+
My highest grade of the week has to go to the DL. The front four was absolutely beastly in the game against the Wildcats, keeping the pressure high on the passing game and the running game mostly controlled. Adrian Clayborn had a monster game, getting into the backfield early and often, while Karl Klug proved he can bull rush with the best of them. There were also some pass breakups and some decent plays in coverage which really showed off the versatility of the unit. What you are probably wondering is why they didn’t get an A, the answer is simple, consistency. While there were plenty of examples of great plays, there were also too many examples of a lack of pressure and that has to change. This group has proven they can be good, but they need to develop the next step of consistency to become truly dominant.
Linebackers: C
The corps wasn’t a weakness, but that is where the compliments end. Look, this is clearly the high point of the defense and while Pat Angerer and AJ Edds were hardly MIA, the two are still not making the kind of impact on the game you would expect from such veteran players. Part of it is the schemes the defense is running and part of it is the offenses that the Hawkeyes have seen thus far. However, great players find ways to make an impact on the game, and the linebackers haven’t done that yet.
Defensive Backs: B+
The receivers for Arizona were shut down for most of the game and forced the quarterback to make plays with his feet. Add to that the complete denial of the long ball and the fourth interception in two games by Tyler Sash. As with the defensive line, the main issue is consistency. For the majority of the game, the coverage was very good, but there were enough plays where coverage broke down to still consider this group a work in progress.
Overall the game was a smashing success for Iowa. The Hawkeyes were playing without DJK, Brian Bulaga, Tony Moeaki, and Greg Castillo and still managed to make the win seem easy. This team is poised to make a big leap in the coming weeks. I said last week that we still don’t know what the ceiling is for this team and that is still true, but I want to caution fans who might think this team is poised for a breakout this week. Kirk Ferentz will let this team develop in its’ own time, that may or may not mean that they will have their peak, breakout performance against Penn State this weekend. That being said, this team has a lot of potential and this team is going to get a lot better as the season goes on.

September 19, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Thoughts on Arizona Game
By: Andrew

By 6 p.m. on Saturday we are all going to know much more about this 2009 team. Yes, the Hawkeyes played a very, very good UNI team and beat up on little brother last Saturday, but the Arizona game, more so than the other two, will serve as a good measuring stick of whether this is going to be a great Iowa team or merely a good Iowa team. Here are some of the thoughts going through my mind leading up to the Arizona game.

Battered and Bruised. Does the fact that Iowa will be (potentially) without Bryan Bulaga and Tony Moeaki spell doom? No, not necessarily, but the lack of continuity on the offensive line certainly hurts the Hawks heading into the Big Ten slate next weekend. Likewise, although Ricky Stanzi may certainly miss having one of his favorite targets in Moeaki, he will also miss having one of the best blockers on the team not named Bulaga blocking for his running backs (that would be Moeaki). It sounds like it is purely preventative on the Moeaki front, but you have to think that each game he sits, the more it hurts his NFL draft prospects. Do I think he should play through an injury with the potential of aggravating it? Absolutely not. His health is more important, but the NFL scouts will, for better or worse, take note of the fact that for some reason he cannot string together one season of playing injury free. Here is to hoping that they both play, but I am not going to hold my breath. Likewise, what are the odds of Iowa going a week without a major injury issue this season? I say small.

Second Half in the First Half. Ricky Stanzi will need to be sharp on Saturday. Arizona boasts a very fast and physical defense. Arizona is more than capable of loading the box and letting their corners play press man coverage. Thus, it will not only be key for the Iowa receivers to create separation on their routes, but it will also be crucial for Stanzi to be accurate early in the game in order to set up the run. For whatever reason, Stanzi has looked too anxious in the first half of the first two games missing targets badly; while in the second half, he has looked like Stanzi circa 2d half against PSU. Perhaps the best way to remedy this problem is to roll him out early in the game, which will give him the opportunity to throw high percentage passes. Do not be surprised to see ole Ken O’Keefe calling plenty of pass plays early and often similar to what he did last week against Iowa State.

Field Position. Do not kid yourself, this game is going to be a close one. Ryan Donahue gives Iowa a weapon with his ability to not only boom long punts, but also his knack for making balls die down by the ten yard line. His ability to continue that trend and help Iowa win the field position battle will be an important part of the game. Speaking of special teams, Arizona had a field goal and punt blocked against them last week against Northern Arizona. Mark it down, Iowa will do something big on special teams this Saturday. Here is a fearless prediction that it involves Paul Chaney, Jr.

Boy Wonder. No, not Steve Alford. Brandon Wegher (pronounced WAY-gur) has quickly become a fan favorite following his 100 yd. performance last week against Iowa State. Like everyone else, I am excited to see what he can do against a formidable defense. I would be very surprised to see him run for more than 100 yards this week, but I also think he gives Iowa an option that they have not had since Albert Young—a running back who is a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield.

Do not overlook the fact that this game is a 2:30 start. Iowa would have had a significant advantage with an 11:00 start given the time zone difference. That is probably over analyzing a minor detail, but I was in Tempe in 2004 to watch Iowa get throttled by ASU during a 6:30-7(?) kickoff (AZ time), so who knows. If you are in the mood for a high-scoring affair, then I am afraid you will be sorely disappointed. This is going to be a defensive struggle that will likely turn on a key special teams play or a crucial mistake. Either way, I think we will know a lot about this team by the end of it.

Prediction: Iowa 21 Arizona 17

Pick to Click: Paul Chaney, Jr.

September 17, 2009

Know Your Enemy: Arizona
By: Neal

The next installment of Know Your Enemy focuses on Iowa’s Blackout opponent, the Arizona Wildcats.

NAME: University of Arizona
COLORS: Cardinal and Navy
LOCATION: Tucson, AZ
ENROLLMENT: 35,940
STADIUM: Arizona Stadium
COACH: Mike Stoops, 5th Year, 23-32 at Arizona
SERIES RECORD: Arizona Leads 6-5
FIGHT SONG: Bear Down

Arizona, Bear Down!
Let's cheer for Arizona
Let's lift our voices high
Let's cheer for Arizona
The Bear Down battle cry
Let's cheer our team to victory
Let's cheer our team to fame
Let's cheer for Arizona
For spirit wins the game!
Bear Down Arizona
Bear Down Red and Blue
Bear Down Arizona
Hit 'em hard.
Let 'em know who's who
Bear Down Arizona
Bear Down Red and Blue
Go! Go! Wildcats go!
Arizona Bear Down

TRADITIONS: The Wildcats actually have a bell from the USS Arizona on campus that they use. They also Have a giant A made out of rocks that sits on a mountain near campus. Supposedly the rock has been painted red, white, and blue to support the troops but has been painted other colors such as green for Saint Patrick’s Day.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: Ricky Stanzi and the defensive line. Arguably no two positions have looked more inconsistent for Iowa the past two weeks than QB and DL and they need to each have a decent game here to build confidence for the Penn State trip next week. They won’t need to play a perfect game (and I would prefer they didn’t unless they think they can do it twice in a row) but you hope that they play well enough for Iowa to win comfortably and get some confidence building. Arizona has one of the better rushing attacks in the country and you hope that the Iowa defensive line will see this as a challenge to prove that last week’s performance against Iowa State was just a fluke. For Stanzi, you want to see him work on his timing a little more with his receivers and continue to tighten the screws. Iowa has a lot of receiving options and if Stanzi can establish some of the timing we saw in the UNI passing attack this offense will start to roll. It doesn’t to all be there Saturday, but we need to see some progress.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: The atmosphere should be electric with the blackout and Iowa’s first of two consecutive ABC games. Arizona has a solid defense and a bevy of physically gifted wideouts to compliment that running game. Make no mistake, this will be a firefight. I think the key to this game is that Iowa is playing an opponent that is running something very similar to what the Hawks are doing. Arizona has an attack that has been almost 2 to 1 run to pass this season and Norm Parker isn’t going to let a traditional offense run on this defense. The passing certainly has plenty of attempts but the Wildcats average 6.8 yards per pass (10.2 per completion) and shows they are going for a lot of those middle range passes. This isn’t surprising since the quarterback is young and inexperienced and because the offense likes to grind. What does this all mean? Iowa can man up, play press coverage with the corners, put the safeties run free in the two deep, and let the defensive line pressure the QB. Of course, the one caveat to that is that the D-Line needs to get pressure. If Iowa’s passing game is strong early, the Wildcats will have a hard time staying in this one. IOWA WINS 28-9

September 16, 2009

Roster Update
By: Neal

Some interesting storylines are coming out with the two-deep for the Arizona game. Here is a quick rundown of some of the changes.
• Willie Lowe will retain the starting cornerback position despite Shaun Prater’s return from suspension. This is probably a reward for Lowe’s solid performance against Iowa State and a result of Prater not having any game experience yet this season. It isn’t necessarily surprising, but I do think that Prater is the more physically gifted of the two and he should work his way into the starting roll fairly soon.
• Adam Robinson is still the starter at RB but Brandon Wegher is listed as no. 2 on the depth chart and should see plenty of action after a very solid performance last week. This offense is evolving into a more multiple, unpredictable animal and I think having a solid two deep at running back is really going to help open things up. What got lost last week was that Robinson also had a fairly solid game and both backs bring a different element to the offense that other teams will have to game plan for.
• The offensive line finally looks like what we thought it would at the start of the season. Brian Bulaga, Julian Vandervelde, and Kyle Calloway are all back and should really make this a dominating unit. Except we know Brian Bulaga still isn’t practicing so what we can take from this is that his injury is probably not as serious as some reports have said and that he could rejoin the team any time. Riley Reiff looked very solid last week but it would be nice to have Bulaga back for Arizona since the ‘Cats have some very good pass rushers.
• Speaking of depth in the middle of the line, Adam Gettis and Andy Kuempel are both pegged as backups to Dace Richardson at guard. My guess is that Kuempel just hasn’t taken that position over and Gettis has been showing some flashes in practice because Kuempel is a senior and Gettis is only a sophomore.

Roll Along Iowa
ISU Aftermath
By: Andrew

As they say, “All is right in the universe.” After the Hawkeyes dominated in-state rival Iowa State with a convincing 35-3 win, Hawkeye fans have all breathed a collective sigh of relief. Many people wondered how this team would respond following the all too close for comfort 17-16 win over UNI, but they did respond in a convincing manner. (By the way, UNI put up 712 yards of offense in a 66-7 beat down of North Dakota). There are several positives to take away from the Iowa State game, so here we go.

Ball Hawking. Needless to say, Tyler Sash was an absolute force on Saturday. Sash grabbed three interceptions, forced one fumble and had 10 tackles. Sash’s athleticism is evident with his play at strong safety and it is certainly going to be a pleasure to watch him not only this year but for the next two years.

RRBC? My running back by committee idea is going to be all but gone by the end of the Arizona game. Adam Robinson looked more than serviceable at running back, carrying the ball 12 times for 69 yards. The bigger story at running back was the emergence of Brandon Wegher. The ballyhooed recruit from Sioux City Heelan finally had his opportunity to show the Hawkeye Nation that the hype surrounding him was more than legitimate. Wegher eclipsed the 100 yard mark on fifteen carries, including a one-yard touchdown dive. The thing that impressed me the most about Wegher was his patience waiting for running lanes to develop. It always seems to me that having such patience is a trait that takes time for young running backs to develop. He just seems to have “it.” I am really excited to see what #3 does in an Iowa uniform the next four years. I think next week we will see the following distribution of carries: Robinson 45% Wegher 45% Brinson 10%.

KOK. I know some of you are probably Ken O’Keefe haters. I am not one of them. Nevertheless, I dare anyone to complain about O’Keefe’s play calling on Saturday. He came out with an aggressive game plan geared towards the pass. In fact, he showed several four and five receiver sets, something that we do not see regularly. Keep the good times rolling this season, O’Keefe.

Offensive Line. The offensive line came out with something to prove on Saturday. Without the help of Bryan Bulaga, the offensive line gave Ricky Stanzi all day long to throw and paved the way for 191 yards of total rushing. Speaking of which, I was really impressed with Riley Reiff. To be honest, I was a little surprised that Reiff was given the nod to start at left tackle. Julian Vandervelde looked great in his return, and Josh Koeppel looked pretty solid in some time he received at center. If you have a chance to watch the replay, watch the offensive line play as the Iowa offensive line dished out several pancakes. Based on what has been said by Kirk Ferentz and Bulaga himself, it appears that he will likely play against Arizona, which is certainly a relief. The Bulaga, Richardson, Eubanks (Koeppel?), Vandervelde, and Calloway line is only going to get better as the season progresses. And that, my friends, is going to be fun to watch.

The Iowa defense had a convincing game with five interceptions and an ability to slow down Iowa State’s no-huddle, spread offense. If I had one complaint, it would be the poor tackling. I am not worried about that at all because you can guarantee that Norm Parker, Darrell Wilson, Phil Parker, and Rick Kaczenski will address that issue in practice this week.

The overwhelming concern after the game was Ricky Stanzi’s inconsistency in the first half. There were several instances in which Stanzi had all day to throw and still missed his target by a wide margin. Although I am not worried about Stanzi, it was a little disconcerting to see him miss several wide open targets.

Yes, Iowa State is not exactly a world beater, but it was still refreshing to see Iowa dominate in the manner they did. The game this week against Arizona will give us all a good indication as to the possibilities for this team.

Go Hawks!

September 15, 2009

Iowa State Recap
By: Neal

Fans in Iowa City will be breathing easier this week after the Hawkeyes drubbed the Iowa State Cyclones 35-3 in Ames. It has been 1,100 days (14 quarters) since ISU has scored a touchdown against the Hawks. Normally this is a much more competitive series but I think a lot of what happened in the game was because of new ISU coach Paul Rhoads. Rhoads wanted the players to look at this as just another game instead of the Cyclone’s super bowl I am without copies of game film this week so this will be a slightly different formatted recap but I will go back to grading positions next week since I will have footage of the Arizona game.

WHAT WAS GOOD ON OFFENSE: The receivers were incredible. 12 people caught a pass in the game Saturday, 12! That includes RB’s, FB Brett Morse, and TE’s in addition to the wideouts, this team can catch the ball. I am constantly amazed by how deep this wide receiver corps is and how much talent there is even in the third string. Keenan Davis, Marvin McNutt, DJK, and Trey Stross make a really dangerous top four and Colin Sandeman and Paul Cheney are both solid performers. This group still hasn’t produced a number 1 target for Stanzi and part of that is on no. 12 but it also might have to do with the entire corps being so talented. Who needs a one-man safety net when you can have a four man net? Tony Moeaki only had one catch for four yards but the team ran a lot of four wide receiver sets so that isn’t as bad as it might seem. No. 2 TE Allen Reisner caught a touchdown pass on his only catch of the game. I really like these two guys at the TE position, Moeaki is extremely physically gifted and can make a ton of great catches. Reisner is a solid performer who is athletic enough to make difficult catches (remember Wisconsin last year?). Catching out of the backfield wasn’t a part of Iowa’s arsenal last year but Brandon Wegher looks like he could be a solid passing threat out of the backfield and Bret Morse made a great play to get Iowa’s first touchdown of the game.

WHAT WAS BAD ON OFFENSE: Ricky Stanzi. Bad is probably a misnomer since the guy did throw for a career high four TD’s in the win. However, those two picks were both really ugly and there were quite a few missed opportunities and bad reads. One thing I kept wondering throughout the game was why Ricky kept forcing the deep ball. The receiver wasn’t always open and he overthrew a lot of those deep routes. What perplexes me even more is why he continues to stare down receivers. Especially in the first half he was looking at one receiver only and he really ignored the other receivers. The offense is still working on finding a rhythm and a lot that has to do with Stanzi making some bad reads in the passing game. Once he clicks, this offense is going to be very hard to stop.

WHAT WAS GOOD ON DEFENSE: The secondary, especially the safeties. They totaled five interceptions and terrorized Austin Arnaud all day long. The safeties looked out of this world with SS Tyler Sash totaling three interceptions, a forced fumble, and ten tackles with two for a loss and FS Brett Greenwood getting two interceptions and a pair of pass breakups. That is just ridiculous. ISU was 13-31 in passing attempts (.419%) for 113 yards which is very good to see. Also, how about Willie Lowe filling in at CB? The guy looked pretty darn good and should make a strong rotation once Shaun Prater gets his starting position back this week. If this defense is going to live up to the hype the pass defense needs to be scary good. Today, it was.

WHAT WAS BAD ON DEFENSE: The run defense was less than stellar. Look, ISU runs a spread with a very good running QB and a stable of strong RB’s who all run very well, but giving up 190 rushing yards is never a good thing. A lot of the problems are with the defensive line that just wasn’t good at stuffing the run and cutting off rushing lanes. The line really needs to establish more of a presence in the middle and just hasn’t been able to force opponents out of their comfort zone. The linebackers get a bit of a pass here because ISU really spread them out with four and five wide receiver sets during the game which forces the linebackers and DB’s to focus on the spread and leave of the field vacated. All things considered, it wasn’t completely terrible, but the D-Line really needs to take over the line of scrimmage to take the defense to the next level.

BIGGEST SURPRISE: Brandon Wegher is legit. From the sound of Kirk Ferentz’s press conference Wegher may have clinched at least a share of the starting running back position along with Adam Robinson. Wegher looked extremely explosive and fast in the running game, something that just wasn’t present in the previous game against UNI. I was worried about his size but he didn’t shy away from contact and showed he could hit in the game. I won’t be surprised to see Wegher and Robinson as the top two backs in the on the depth chart.

BIGGEST DISSAPOINTMENT: You have to go with the lack of penetration in the middle of the defensive line. Granted I haven’t watched the game film so I am operating on what I saw from the stands but it really seemed like Adrian Clayborn was the only player getting into the backfield. I said it before; this defense needs to get more pressure from the middle of the line in order to get to that next level.

MY TAKE: This win was big, but fans need to be careful not to get ahead of themselves here. Northern Iowa was a good team; Iowa State was a team in transition. The reality is that we still don’t know what the ceiling is for this Iowa team. One could make a case that the UNI game is the basement for the Hawks this season but that has yet to be seen. We have yet to see Iowa clicking on all cylinders this season and I think it will be hard to judge how well this team will do without some kind of idea of where that limit is. Iowa will host Arizona next Saturday before opening conference play in Happy Valley against Penn State. Quick note, KRUI 89.7 FM is doing a special pregame show before the game outside Kinnick Stadium before moving to the Field House (the actual field house not the bar) to preview the game. The show will include game day traffic information, team news, and more. If you are not in the Iowa City area you can listen to their shows live online at http://www.kruiradio.org/listen/ and their entire weekly schedule which includes shows on all your favorite Iowa sports as well as insight into various collegiate and professional teams can be found at http://www.kruiradio.org/schedule/.

September 11, 2009

Know Your Enemy: Iowa St
By: Neal

Know your enemy continues with Iowa’s first rivalry game of the season against the Iowa State Cyclones. The game is sold out and you can expect plenty of Iowa supporters, including the Hawkeye Marching Band, in the crowd.

NAME: Iowa State University (of science and technology)
COLORS: Cardinal and Gold
LOCATION: Ames, IA
ENROLLMENT: 25,312
STADIUM: Jack Trice Stadium, 55,000 seat capacity, Grass Surface
COACH: Paul Rhoads, 1st Year, Formerly Auburn Defensive Coordinator
SERIES RECORD: Iowa Leads 37-19
FIGHT SONG: Iowa State Fight Song

O we will fight, fight, fight for Iowa State,
And may her colors ever fly.
Yes, we will fight with might for Iowa State,
With a will to do or die,
Rah! Rah! Rah!
Loyal sons forever true,
And we will fight the battle through.
And when we hit that line we'll hit it hard
ev'ry yard for I. S. U.

TRADITIONS: Well, Iowa State has a cannon they fire whenever they score a touchdown (hasn’t been fired for a touchdown at an Iowa game since 2005) and when they kickoff. There is also a victory bell, but probably the most relevant tradition for this week is the Cy Hawk trophy. One of two trophies the Cyclones play for, the Cy Hawk is currently sitting in its’ rightful place in Iowa City but will travel to Jack Trice because it has to be present while the two teams play. Needless to say, Iowa fans will expect that to be back in the trophy case Sunday morning.

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR: Adam Robinson. He has been named the starter for the game and I expect him to have a solid performance against Iowa State. The Cyclone defense typically plays very well for this game but it will be really interesting to see how the coaching staff treats the game. Also, watch the trench battles as this will be a good gauge for both teams as to how well they will be able to bang with good competition. The pressure will be on replacement CB Greg Castillo as he and the rest of the secondary face a strong passing attack.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: After last week’s stagnant start against UNi, the Hawkeyes come out with much more intensity, but the Cyclone defense limits them to a field goal on their first possession. Iowa State hasn’t scored a touchdown against the Hawkeyes in three years coming into the game but I look for that trend to die here. Austin Arnaud will make some good plays and will give ISU a 7-3 lead at the end of the first quarter. Then comes the Robinson. Adam Robinson will break a couple mid-range runs forcing the ISU linebackers to move into the box and opening up Tony Moeaki and Marvin McNutt on play action. Ricky Stanzi will push Iowa ahead by a touchdown but a quick drive by the Cyclones will end the first half in a 10-10 tie. The third quarter will move slowly until a deep pass by Ricky Stanzi connects with Colin Sandeman and the Hawkeyes move ahead for good. Iowa State tries to come back but a pair of sacks in the fourth quarter and an interception by Tyler Sash ice the game. IOWA WINS 20-16

Roll Along Iowa
Iowa State Predictions
By: Andrew

            I have not felt good about this game since before the 2005 game, and we all know that outcome. To add insult to injury, there are rumors going around the Hawkeye Nation that Bryan Bulaga has not practiced this week and may not play on Saturday. The topic first surfaced on Thursday during a chat with all of the CR Gazette beat writers. Marc Morehouse spilled the beans that Bulaga has not practiced this week. From that point, the message boards have been running rampant with speculation. Ken Miller of 1460 KXNO in Des Moines stated during the Matt & Miller show that he has it from several sources that Bulaga is in fact out for Saturday. I guess the only thing all of us can do is wait and see.

Offensive Keys: There is no other way to put it than simply stating that the Iowa offense has to improve from their performance last week against UNI. However, unlike the UNI game, I think it will be important for the offense to set-up the run through the pass. My guess is that the Iowa State defense will crowd the box as if to say, “Come on, Ricky Stanzi, show me what you got.” I would guess that Ken O’Keefe will have Stanzi throwing the ball on the run quite often, either through a roll-out or the classic, fake-stretch play waggle. Tony Moeaki will play a huge role if the Iowa offense has any type of success. I will be curious to see what Adam Robinson can do this week in a hostile environment. Regardless of how they do it, the Iowa offense must win the time of possession battle on Saturday. A failure to do so will result in a tired defense going up against a no-huddle, spread offense for an entire day, which equals a recipe for disaster.

Defensive Keys: I have had visions all week of Austin Arnaud having three step drops and hitting his receivers over the middle for 5-7 yard routes all day long. Nonetheless, it is hard to overlook the fact that Iowa State has not scored a touchdown against Iowa since 2006. Iowa State also has not won since September 6, 2008 in a home game against Kent State, so there is some optimism to think that Iowa’s defense is up to the challenge. Nonetheless, the stories about Tom Herman’s no-huddle offense have me worried. It was evident last week that the defensive line was worn down by the fourth quarter, so it is scary to think about what kind of shape they may be in against Iowa State late in the game. The key for the Iowa defense will be to cause disruption in the Iowa State backfield with the front four. Despite what many people think, Norm Parker actually did call some blitzes last week, but no one thinks that he did because none of the players executed by sacking Pat Grace. However, if Iowa’s front four can cause problems for Arnaud, then I think things will go well for the Hawks on defense. Either way, I think that you will see Norm utilize a nickel back during passing situations.

            Like any game, the team that does not turn the ball over or shoot itself in the foot by getting penalized, usually has the advantage. Ever since Dan McCarney reinvigorated this rivalry during his tenure, this game has worried me. For some reason, Iowa always tends to make mental mistakes when they play in Ames, including penalties, turnovers, and just all-around poor play. If Bulaga does not play, I think that the offensive line will again struggle to work as a unit. I also think that Iowa State’s offense will move the ball up and down the field, but will likely have to settle for field goal attempts more often than not. The offense will likely sputter at times and have problems being able to sustain long, clock-eating drives. Add the fact that the home team has won this game the last five years and things begin to look bleak. My prediction is based on the fact that it goes against every fiber of my being to pick Iowa State to win. Despite my prediction, I am not going to be surprised one bit if Iowa State wins. Nonetheless, I will be up at 7:10 in the morning to get in line at The Other Place to cheer loudly for the Hawks with my fellow Kansas City Hawkeye fans.

Prediction: Iowa 17 Iowa State 13

Pick to Click: Pat Angerer

Go Hawks!

September 9, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
Recap of the UNI Game
By: Andrew

Wow. That three letter word pretty much sums up my thoughts after the game on Saturday. I will have to admit, I was in full crisis mode at halftime. I was calling and texting all of my diehard Hawkeye friends to rant and rave about Iowa’s performance in the first half. Nonetheless, the second half showed signs of (some) improvement and following a moment that you will never see again (i.e. blocking two field goals in a row), a win. Here are some of my thoughts on the game.

Defense. Following the game, I thought the Iowa defense looked terrible at times. I thought the run support from the secondary was poor in terms of tackling, I thought the front four were not able to put enough pressure on Patrick Grace, and I thought the linebackers were non-existent at times. Then, per usual, I thought about it some more and have come to the conclusion that this defense is going to be a standard Norm Parker defense. The Iowa defense gave up only two field goals in the second half. Yes, they did give up a lot of yards in the final drive. But, and this is important, they only gave up six points. We have seen this scene before with Norm Parker defenses, give up the short 7 yard plays all day long down the field, but when the opponent arrives at the Iowa 20 yard line, it becomes an entirely different story as the defense more often than not forces the opponent to kick a field goal. This defense is going to be just fine when it is all said and done.

Offensive Line Play. Our offensive line play was below average to poor at times on Saturday. However, as the eternal optimist when it comes to Iowa football, I think that once Kyle Calloway returns, which he will this week, and once Julian Vandervelde is starting again (he will see some snaps on Saturday according to Kirk Ferentz's presser on Tues.), this offensive line will be a totally different unite. The zone blocking scheme is predicated on cohesive movement and unspoken rhythm. Once the line begins to mold as a unit, I think the unit will live up to their pre-season expectations. Now do some of you believe me when I said going into the year that this team would miss Rob Bruggeman more than any other player?

Ground Game. Unfortunately, Paki O'Meara just did not have the type of game that many Iowa fans and perhaps the coaches expected. As I wrote before the game, one of the most important things for both running backs heading into the game was ball security. O’Meara unfortunately shot himself in the foot on the first drive of the third quarter, which landed him on the sidelines for the remainder of the second half. Although he will still receive some carries against ISU, the majority of the carries will go to former Lincoln Railsplitter Adam Robinson. Robinson showed some signs of ability to hit the hole hard and shake off tacklers. The area in which it appears as though he needs to improve is his patience for a running lane to develop. Young running backs seem to have a tendency to hit the hole too hard before the linemen have engaged the defenders. Likewise, they tend to not see the cutback lane. The ability to "see" the cutback lane is vital in the Iowa offense because of the zone blocking scheme. When the zone blocking scheme works well, the cutback lane is open for a running back to take full advantage. It is still unclear whether Jeff Brinson will play at all Saturday. If I had to break it down, my guess is that Robinson will receive 75% of the carries, O'Meara 15%, and Brinson 10%. Perhaps we will get a Brandon Wegher sighting at running back, but do not hold your breath. Would you give the ball to a true freshmen running back for his first carry in a rivalry game at the opponent's stadium? Yeah, I thought so.

Special Teams. Ryan Donahue was arguably the player of the game on Saturday. His booming punts that stopped on a dime inside the 20 were very important in causing UNI to have poor field position on several drives. I think Donahue is quietly moving himself up the ladder for all-time great Iowa punters. Certainly he has a long way to go to catch Reggie Roby, but he is making a case for being named in the same sentence as Jason Baker.

Those are some of my thoughts on the UNI game. I still think this team has a lot of potential. As usual, I think it will be a typical Kirk Ferentz team that continues to improve each week of the season. The game this weekend will serve as an obvious metric as to how good this team might be this season. The early forecast calls for rain. I think that rainy conditions would favor Iowa. I am still unsure on my prediction, but stay tuned for it later this week.
Go Hawks!

September 7, 2009

Improvement Needed after Close Call
By: Neal

Hawkeye Nation breathed a sigh of relief Saturday afternoon, but as this long weekend has worn on I am sure the black and gold faithful have really been hit with a sense of doubt about how good this Hawkeye team really is. I myself came away from the game with a sense of relief and anxiety, if a Div. IAA school could give us that much trouble, how are we going to handle any of the other teams on our schedule? Forget Ohio State and Penn State, that game made me worry about our chances against Arkansas State and Iowa State.
Thankfully, after watching the game again on TV critically and studying the Panthers a bit more, I have abated at least a bit of my initial fear. No, Iowa is not a terrible team. Yes, they do need to improve in order to meet their goals this season. What I saw was a mix of low motivation at some positions and some actual concerns at others. It wasn’t just the lack of motivation or a lack of talent but a combination of things which will require varying levels of concern. The season is far from over and as we start to look ahead toward next weeks’ trip to Iowa State I think it is important that we differentiate between the big problems and the not so big ones. Here is how each position graded out against the Panthers.
• Offensive Line: D+
• The line gets a failing grade for a couple of reasons. First off, pass protection broke down too often and resulted in four sacks. This is UNI, not Penn State, four sacks is just not going to cut it. Take into account that UNI did not blitz much, and that number is REALLY ugly. The running game got some nice blocks but it was inconsistent and that just isn’t going to cut it against the great teams. However, this unit can improve very quickly. First, they need to strengthen up the point of attack and the guard play on passing downs. Second, the group needs to come out fired up. Nowhere was the lack of motivation more apparent than on the offensive line. This group showed flashes of some dominating potential but they need to tighten the screws. This group can earn a higher grade really quickly with a more focused performance Sep. 12th.
• Quarterback: C-
• Again, a lot of this has to do with expectations. Ricky wasn’t bad, in fact you can make the case that he is a ig reason why Iowa somehow managed to win that one. But Ricky really seemed to be going through the motions at times and, while he didn’t throw any interceptions, he had a lot of ugly throws. Stanzi made some really bad reads and had some throws that make me wonder if he needs glasses. Now, one thing I saw that will improve with time is that Ricky still doesn’t seem 100% confident in all of his receivers. He had a bunch of overthrows and similar throws where you could tell that he could have made the completion if he had been on the same page as the receiver. That said, he made a lot of really nice throws in the short and intermediate passing game and I think he showed a few flashes of game breaking ability. A lot of Rick’s issues in this game will improve with time and I fully expect him to methodically work his grade up as the season progresses.
• Running Back: D-
• Dear Kirk Ferentz, please start Adam Robinson in lieu of Paki O’Meara next week. We all know you like him, but 10 rushes for 16 yards, behind one of the best lines in the country, is absolutely pathetic. Robinson looked pretty good in his time rushing (he averaged close to 5ypc) and showed some nice burst into the hole. One thing Robinson will really need to work on is getting his pads a little lower when he runs. He looked like he was running upright on a couple of plays and that is just bad technique. Getting the pads down will really help him break some tackles and get a couple extra yards on each carry. The one thing I didn’t see was how well Robinson did in pass protection and that was a dig on him coming out of camp. O’Meara is a good guy and he has a lot of energy but he just isn’t cutting it physically and I really think Brinson or Wegher needs to step up and take over as a no.2 back because Paki is just not cutting it.
• Receivers: B
• If there was a highlight to the offense it would have to be the play of the receivers. Allen Reisner and Tony Moeaki looked great at the tight end position and should be a great safety valve in the passing game. Wide receiver is arguably the deepest position on the team with Colin Sandeman, DJK, Marvin McNutt, and Trey Stross all making big plays. Keenan Daivs was overshot on what would have been a great catch and each receiver proved they were a legitimate weapon. What this group needs to do now is to clean and tighten their games individually. Make the routes crisper, work on those cuts to get open, spend a little extra time with Ricky Stanzi and get the timing exacted. The group could also stand to work on their blocking a little bit more but it certainly wasn’t terrible against UNI. This group looks really good and could be great by the tend of the season.
• Defensive Line: D-
• The group had its’ moments, and the play calling put them in some bizarre situations at time (Adrian Clayborn in pass coverage? Really?) But the lack of penetration was huge. It wasn’t one person, Bins, Klug, Ballard, and Clayborn all made their presence felt at different points in the game, even some of the backups got their names called, but there were way too many plays where nobody got in the quarterback’s face. Look, UNI has a pretty good offensive line, but this is not acceptable. A lot of the problems in the passing game were because the quarterback had all the time in the world to make the throw and that just cannot happen. This unit is my biggest concern going into the next game because the Iowa pass defense only works well when the defensive line gets pressure and they didn’t show they could do that consistently against UNI. The talent is there, but the coaches really need to make this a point of contention before the trip to Ames.
• Linebackers: C-
• Jeremiah Hunter looked good but Pat Angerer and A.J. Edds got picked on in pass coverage. The entire unit had a hard time flowing side-to-side against the rush. Chalk this one up to a bad day more than anything else because the defensive line needed support against the run which allowed UNI to run to the outside without much resistance. A lot of this is more the fault of the defensive line because the linebackers were forced to guard the middle more than they should have rather than spread out like they should have been against UNI. The group had good awareness and showed they could still make plays and I expect them to have a better game against ISU.
• Secondary: C
• This is a tale of two corners. Amari Spievey is big time, the guy made some great plays and kept everything in front of him. If he gets back to using press coverage, I think he can be a huge player on defense. Greg Castillo, not so much. Greg wasn’t bad, he kept plays in front of him and made a couple nice plays, but his coverage skills aren’t there yet. That isn’t huge because we know he is a placeholder for Shaun Prater but Prater doesn’t get back until week 3 and ISU has a dynamic passing offense. Tyler Sash and Brett Greenwood were both solid but Greenwood really needs to work on breaking up passes before they get to the receiver. Overall this groups was put into a lot of bad situations but kept things from going really bad. The coverage needs to improve from Castillo and Greenwood and that will come but it will be really nice to get Shaun Prater back.
• Kickers: B
• I give Daniel Murray a pass on the 48 yard miss because it was really close but he needs to tighten things up. Also, I would officially like to nominate Ryan Donahue for the Heisman trophy. His leg has to be scientifically engineered to kick the ball that hard because he is getting some insane height and distance on those punts. Hopefully, we don’t see as much from him in future games.
Overall, I think this game was a wakeup call for the Hawkeye players. UNI is a VERY good team and played better last Saturday. Iowa was very lucky to earn the W and hopefully this teaches the players that they need to come out with intensity in every game they play this year because none of the games ahead will be easy. Offensively, the Hawkeyes need to really push themselves in the trenches so that the line reaches its’ potential. If that happens, the rest of the team should be okay. Robinson isn’t Shonn Greene but he will be good enough to keep the ground game chugging and if Ricky and his receivers work on their timing and their crispness they will make this one of the most dynamic passing attacks Iowa has had under Kirk Ferentz. Defensively, everything comes down to the line. If the line can ratchet up the intensity and really disrupt the offense it will really make everyone else’s job easier. The linebackers will be able to move freely and the secondary will not need to cover receivers quite as long. This team is not as far off as a lot of fans are thinking right now but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for improvement. Hopefully, this team will continue to improve this week before the Cy-Hawk battle this weekend.

September 4, 2009

UNI Predictions
By: Andrew

            As I have been telling people all week, the best time of the year is finally upon us. The 120th season of Iowa Hawkeye football kicks off this Saturday at 11:05 as the Hawkeyes host the Northern Iowa Panthers. The beginning of the season and everything leading up to it has been analyzed three times over, so it is certainly a relief to begin to talk about actual games rather than the speculation coming out of Ft. Kenyon Practice Facility and Ft. Kinnick.

            Here are the five things I would like to see on Saturday:

One Series, One Score- Although the Hawks were able to do this last season many a time, I would love for the offense to score on their first possession with a solid eight to ten play drive. Speaking of which, do you think Iowa will take the ball if they win the toss? (Please note the sarcasm)

Turkey- Did you know that the last time an Iowa quarterback threw for 300 yards was in 2007? Jake Christensen threw for 308 yards in a 38-20 loss to Indiana on September 28, 2007. Given the inexperience of UNI’s secondary, I fully expect Ricky Stanzi to eclipse the 300 yard mark on Saturday. Speaking of the Hoosiers, is there a more annoying “ditty” than the one the IU Marching Band plays after a first down? It is almost (emphasis on almost) as bad as “That’s good for another Golden Gopher….first down.” Sorry, I had to get my Gopher jab in there.

Takeaways- Iowa finished the 2008 season with 23 interceptions, which was good enough for fourth nationally. The turnover margin of +8 was good enough for third in the Big Ten and 22nd nationally. The defense’s ability to continue this trend will be instrumental in once again establishing the Iowa defense as one of the best in the country.

Running Game- RRBC (Running Back by Committee) begins on Saturday. Just like every other Iowa fan, I am very curious to see what Paki O’Meara, Adam Robinson, and Brandon Wegher can do. Regardless of their numbers and production, the two most important goals for them on Saturday should be: 1. Ball Security 2. Pick up Blitzes.

Dominance on the D-Line- I have said it before and I will say it again. This year’s defensive line has the potential to be scary good. I fully expect Broderick Binns and Adrian Clayborn to wreak havoc in the UNI backfield all day on Saturday.

Prediction:
            Despite the fact that UNI is one of the best D-1AA (sorry, FCS) teams in the country, they lack the depth necessary to compete for four quarters with most D-1 (BCS) teams, let alone a Top 25 ranked team. I think the Iowa offense will have its usual slow start with some small mental mistakes (e.g. false starts, missed assignments); however, the defense will prevent UNI from doing much of anything on offense. After a series or two, the offense will start to click and will not look back from that point. The defense absolutely smothers the Panthers and frustrates Patrick Grace all day. Thus, although the Panthers may keep it close for a quarter or two, the Hawks will ultimately begin to pull away as the steady dose of running behind the “Big Hog Mollies” will wear down the UNI defense.

Final Score:   Iowa 38     UNI 10
Pick to Click: Tony Moeaki

September 2, 2009

Hampton Out for the Season
By: Neal

So if you haven’t already heard the news, Jewell Hampton is officially out for the season. What does this mean for the Hawks’ season? Well there are a couple of scenarios that could play out in regards to the back system, but these are the ones I think are the most likely:

• It doesn’t matter. Ricky Stanzi will have developed enough as a passer to make defenses focus on the passing game. This would mean that any of the running backs could probably step in and work more as a safety valve, running enough to make defenses worry about both the ground game and the passing game. It wouldn’t quite be 2004 but it would be the closest thing to it we’ve seen under Kirk Ferentz. It doesn’t matter too much who the RB is as long as they are consistent enough to grab a few yards and keep Stanzi from throwing every down.
• Stanzi is a decent passer but a real talented running back is needed to step in to keep the offense moving. This is also known as the worst case scenario because Paki O’Meara probably won’t cut it here. You have to hope Wegher, Robinson, or Brinson will carry the load here and turn out to be another Iowa RB success story. If it doesn’t happen (and it probably won’t) Iowa might struggle on offense all year and could go without a bowl for the second time in three years.

You’ll notice, both scenarios really put the pressure on Ricky Stanzi and rightfully so. We knew coming into this season that the passing game would have to become a bigger threat and now it is even more imperative. Personally, I am glad to see Brandon Wegher getting thrown out there because the dude can run. I don’t think he is an every down player but if Paki O’Meara is as good as the coaching staff is saying then the two could be a decent combo. Adam Robinson is my number three because he still has blocking issues and that is something you need to do as a RB in this system. He can run just fine but I do not know how the speed of the game will affect him. Jeff Brinson is “way behind” according to Kirk Ferentz but a lot of that has to do with recent injuries. I still think Brinson has talent but he is probably the furthest out in my mind simply because he hasn’t gotten the reps that the others have. Brinson and Robinson both have a shot to move up but right now I think O’Meara is running the show in the minds of the coaching staff. Wegher is the wild card but I think with his abilities he could easily get into a split carries position with Paki.
What it all boils down to is that the game on Saturday is now more important than ever, and how the RB’s come out will play a major role in how the season develops.

September 1, 2009

Quick Update
By: Neal

It’s Game Week in Iowa City, IA!!!
As such, here are some quick notes to get you ready for the opening kickoff on Saturday.

• Iowa RB Jewell Hampton is not on the depth chart for Saturday’s game. It isn’t a huge concern since the Hawks are facing UNI but we can only hope he is in the backfield for that road trip to Ames.
• Paki O’Meara is listed as the starter for the UNI game and is being backed up by Adam Robinson. O’Meara is probably the best all around back behind Hampton but Robinson has showed some flashes in the limited times fans have been able to see him. If Robinson can improve his blocking he might make a decent running option.
• Dace Richardson will be taking the right tackle spot for game one. Adam Gettis, Rafael Eubanks, and Dan Doering will take the middle making Brian Bulaga the only returning starter on the line for the opener.
• Christian Ballard is listed as the starting DT with Broderick Bins listed as DE. A bit obvious now since we have been hearing for months that this move was likely to occur.
• Greg Castillo will be taking over the corner spot Shaun Prater will hold after he finishes serving his suspension.
• Trey Stross and Marvin McNutt are still listed as the top wideouts with DJK listed as no. 2 behind McNutt.
• If you haven’t already heard, Friday has been designated Fry Fest. There will be a massive tailgate, tradeshow, and concert that day including a speech by the legend himself. First Avenue in Coralville will also be taking the co-name “Hayden Fry Way” in honor of the coach. Details about Fry Fest can be found HERE.
• The Big Ten Network had its’ Iowa preview this past Sunday and will preview the conference on Tuesday and Wednesday at nine o’clock Iowa time.

Overall, the depth chart news is underwhelming. We knew corner and offensive line would be in a little bit of flux due to injuries and suspensions there but both those groups are deep so I still expect some good production there. We will have to wait and see if McNutt really merits replacing DJK, and if the Ballard move is a permanent one (probably will be but Ferentz has said he wants him to play both DE and DT during games). As long as someone emerges out of the running back group, the team should be just fine. Remember, last year a guy named Shonn Greene wasn’t in the two deep for week one, so Jeff Brinson could still make a run. Robinson and O’Meara look alright but neither really screams starting running back.
Enjoy the week, On Iowa and Go Hawks!

August 30, 2009

Roll Along Iowa
By: Andrew

Leading up to the Northern Iowa Game

After the three weeks of camp, it appears that we have learned some things about this year’s team, but some other parts appear to still be works in progress. Below are the some of my thoughts on the developments that have occurred since the start of camp.

Corner Pocket- Jordan Bernstine’s injury hurts on multiple fronts. He showed great progress last year when he was inserted in nickel coverage and certainly was on the fast track to the starting position going into camp. The potential athleticism that Iowa would have had at the cornerback position with Bernstine and Spievey would arguably have been the most athletic corner duo in Iowa football history. Alas, a younger player will have to follow the Iowa mantra of “Next Man In.” Shaun Prater would have had the inside track to the position, but he is suspended for the first two games of the year as a result of a DUI arrest. The first two-deep of the season has Greg Castillo and Willie Lowe as the co-starters at the LC position. Although I think Prater will eventually win the job, I think it will be very important for both Castillo and Lowe to see some significant reps, especially against Iowa State.

Backfield- Where to begin, where to begin. It appears as though Paki O’Meara and Adam Robinson will see the brunt of the reps against UNI. Jewel Hampton was not listed on the two-deep nor was Jeff Brinson anywhere to be found. Hampton’s status appears to be in limbo, and if I had to venture a guess, I would bet that Hampton takes a redshirt this season, but we will have to see. Brinson evidently had some ankle problems during practice, which presumably hampered his ability to have enough repetitions to lead to a spot on the two-deep. Nonetheless, I think he still sees the field for quality minutes against UNI. Either way, for better or worse, this year’s running back position appears to be headed toward RBBC (Running Back by Committee).

End of the Line- I am absolutely giddy of the thought of a Clayborn/Ballard/Klug/Binns defensive line. Do not get me wrong, I think this team will miss Matt Kroul and Mitch King but, as a unit, this year’s defensive line could be even better than last year.

Return Game- Amari Spievey is listed as the punt returner and he will share the kickoff return duties with Paki O’Meara. This is certainly an area where Iowa can improve in 2009. Last year, Iowa averaged a serviceable 20.46 yards a return, which is certainly acceptable, but probably not where the coaching staff wants.

Specialists- Trent Mossbrucker and Daniel Murray are listed as the co-placekickers. I hope that Mossbrucker is used as the extra-point specialist while Murray is given the reigns to the field goal kicker position (for a lack of a better term). At a scrimmage several weeks ago, Murray was 12 of 13, including a salty 4/4 from 50 yards or more while Mossbrucker was 11 of 13 and 3 of 4 from 50 yards or more. Either way you cut it, it is very pleasing to know that the Hawks have two great kickers for the next few years.

O-Line Shuffle- The offensive line will undergo a musical chair routine the first three weeks of the season. The starting line for the UNI game will be (from left to right): Bulaga, Gettis, Eubanks, Doering, Richardson. However, if I were to venture a guess for the starting line against Arizona (3d game of the season), it will be: Bulaga, Vandervelde, Eubanks, Richarson, Calloway. I really hope that both Dan Doering and Dace Richardson are able to exercise their injury demons and have healthy and productive senior seasons given all of the adversity they have been through during their college careers. I am very curious to see what the starting offensive line will be around the middle of the season.

“Game Manager”- All of the pundits have been dismissing the notion of Ricky Stanzi as a “game manager.” While I think Stanzi will take a step forward this year and be the offensive leader of the team, if he is a “game manager” who does not make mental mistakes or throw interceptions, then I am all for having a “Game Manager” at the helm of the offense.

Targets- Marvin McNutt was listed as one of the starting receivers heading into camp and he retained that position heading out of camp, while Trey Stross is listed as the starter on the other side. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos is listed behind McNutt, but as many three and four receiver sets as Iowa runs, the fact that DJK is listed as number two is somewhat of a non-event in my opinion. If anything, I think that it shows McNutt is a legitimate receiving threat. Everyone knows how talented DJK is, thus having three solid sure-handed receivers is an absolute plus. Stross is due for a breakout year, as there is no question that he has exceptional hands and speed, for him it is a question of staying healthy. Speaking of health, if Tony Moeaki can avoid the small injury bug that has plagued him for the past three years, then the duo of Moeaki and Allen Reisner has the potential to be a formidable pair of TEs for opponents to deal with this season. When one looks at the injuries that Moeaki has suffered during his Iowa career, it is readily apparent that he has been unlucky. I do not buy into someone being deemed “injury prone.” Kirk Ferentz has always commented on how talented and skilled Moeaki is at his position, here is hoping for Moeaki’s chance to show the entire nation what Ferentz and Co. have seen in practice for the past three years.

Well that does it for this installment. I will be posting sometime during the week with my thoughts about the UNI game and a prediction.

Go Hawks!

August 17, 2009

Ten Thoughts from Saturday's Scrimmage
By: Neal

You would think that after a two hour scrimmage there would be a much better perspective on what has already shaped up to be a very unknown Iowa squad. Well, that wasn’t the case as Saturday’s open practice in Kinnick Stadium raised many more questions than it answered.
Here are 10 observations from Saturday’s scrimmage.
• When he has time, Ricky Stanzi is going to pick people apart. He didn’t get off a lot of really fast throws (which sounds worse than it is until you realize that he only had time to drop back a step or two on most downs and that the plays were blown dead as soon as someone grazed him). Stanzi made some terrific throws when he had the time to do so though he overthrew a couple of receivers early. The one thing that was missing was the “Stanzi-ball” throws that plagued his game last season. All of his throws were well timed (even the incompletions) and I really think he could breakout this season.
• The receiving corps is solid. Marvin McNutt looked surprisingly good but most of the returners made their presence known.
• The defensive line is good. The linebackers blitzed a lot, but Karl Klug, Adrian Clayborn, and Christian Ballard were the all able to get off blocks and make plays in the backfield. On a surprising note, Ballard played opposite Klug at DT for a few downs while phenom Broderick Bins played at DE. It doesn’t seem like this is an official switch just yet but it could happen.
• The linebackers looked great. One thing I noticed is that they gave up very few yards after contact and made some great plays in pass coverage. The team swarmed to the ball and was incredibly stout against the run. Look for this unit to be very good again this season.
• The DB’s were just as impressive as the LB’s. Both positions look incredibly deep and have plenty of playmakers. Shaun Prater made a couple really good plays and will likely take the no. 2 corner spot after his suspension. The battle between the coverage and the receivers by far the best of the day and really got me excited to see these units in action.
• The special teams looked very good. Daniel Murray was an astonishing 4-4 from 50 yards out and only missed one of his shots on the day. Trent Mossbrucker made two but showed some increased leg strength kicking 3-4 from 50 yards out including a boomer that sailed into the back of the net. Punter Ryan Donahue was his usual self, punting over fifty yards out of the back of the end zone and making some really good kicks that would have been downed inside the five if he had been in a game.
• The backup quarterback situation is not pretty. Nobody looked ready to step in if Stanzi got injured with the backups each making some really bad throws.
• The injuries continue to pile on as Jewel Hampton was sidelined with yet another knee injury. He is listed as day-to-day. Brian Bulaga was held out of drills after tweaking his leg, meaning that there were no returning starters on the offensive line for the practice. Brandon Wegher was also absent from practices.
• The RB situation looks grim without Hampton. Paki O’Meara was the best statistically on the day breaking off a few solid runs and one long jaunt that put the ball into the red zone. Brinson was bottled up all day and Adam Robinson only saw daylight on a couple of plays.
• The offensive line was spotty for most of the scrimmage, missing blocks on blitz pickup drills that kept most of the skill position players from moving the ball out of the backfield. It had a few nice moments but is still a work in progress.
I would like to add one last thing before wrapping this up, don’t take too much out of this. Hampton is the main concern but it has yet to be seen how bad the injury is. The offensive line injuries seem minor and shouldn’t keep the returning starters off the field for very long. However Kirk Ferentz is notoriously guarded about player health so any information I have right now is speculation.
Ask anyone who has watched a college football practice and they will tell you that the early scrimmages are always dominated by the defense. Saturday was no exception and I think that it is hard to gauge how good this offensive line is going to be at this point since they saw a bunch of different blitz packages during the practice. The main comment I heard was that it seemed like they were bringing the kitchen sink on every play so I am reserving judgment on the running game and the run defense until September 5th. The passing game and passing defense both looked very good and I think it was a great sign to see Ricky Stanzi stay focused pressure. This team has some good pieces but how healthy the offensive line and the running game are will be the key to the season. The line looks fairly deep so if the starters get healthy the team has the potential for a 10 win season. If the running game struggles or the line doesn’t stay healthy the team will probably be 7-5 or 6-6.

August 14, 2009

Road Warriors
By: Neal

Much has been made of this offseason of the Hawkeyes’ road schedule. Dates in East Lansing, Happy Valley, Columbus, Madison, and an always tricky visit to Ames make the road through the season a very difficult one for the black and gold. Optimistically, Iowa will be favored in at least three of their five road games this year. One thing that stands out is the fact that all five of those games could go either way and with that in mind, here is the reason Iowa can win, or lose, each of their road games this fall.

Iowa State
Reasons Iowa might win: Newsflash, the Cyclones are not that good. ISU will be breaking in a new coaching staff, scheme, and won’t be doing it with top 100 prospects. The matchup is Sep. 12th, and I find it hard to believe that they will be completely ready for a team of Iowa’s talent level by then.
Reasons Iowa might lose: Records don’t lie, ISU gets up for this game, especially when it is held at Jack Trice Stadium. The Cyclones are not exactly devoid of talent, and there is enough left on the roster for the new coaching staff to field a surprisingly good team.

Penn State
Reasons Iowa might win: This is not last year’s Penn State team. The secondary and receiving corps are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to personnel losses. The offensive line will probably take a bit of a step back and the defensive line, while still very dangerous, may not be as potent. It will also be PSU’s first game against an opponent with a pulse. Kirk Ferentz has only lost to the Nits once this decade so the numbers are on their side.
Reasons Iowa might lose: It’s a white out, night game, and its’ a revenge game. PSU players weren’t shy at spring ball about wanting to win the Iowa game this year. Over 100,000 angry fans won’t make the game easier, and the coaching staff at PSU will have this team ready for this game no matter what.

Wisconsin
Reasons Iowa might win: The Badgers always provide a fun game for the Hawkeyes but on paper, they really don’t look like they will match up well against the Iowa D. The Badgers are normally a major force in the trenches but the inexperience on both lines makes this look like a favorable matchup for the Hawkeyes.
Reasons Iowa might lose: It’s Wisconsin, it’s homecoming, it’s Camp Randall, and it’s a trophy game. You can bet that the Badger defenders will be gearing up for this game after Shonn Greene completely embarrassed them in last year’s contest. Games aren’t won on paper, and this has always been the poster series for that mantra with an all time record of 41-41-2.

Michigan State
Reasons Iowa might win: The Spartans have been improving under Mark Dantonio but losing both their starting QB and RB to graduation will sting. On paper, Iowa is the more balanced and perhaps more talented team at this point. If the Hawks play up to their talent level, they should win this game.
Reasons Iowa might lose: The home team has won the last nine contests between these two schools. Add to that the fact that this will be a homecoming night game in Spartan Stadium and you have a recipe for an upset. The Spartan defense has a solid linebacking corps and could really be a nightmare if the Iowa passing game is struggling.

Ohio State
Reasons Iowa might win: The Buckeyes are going to be good, but just how good will they be? The Buckeyes will be starting some very green players at the skill positions. That isn’t good for an offense that couldn’t score an offensive touchdown against the likes of Purdue last season. Both defenses are loaded but if Iowa comes in with the stronger offense then they will have a major edge. The game is sandwiched between road trips to Happy Valley and Ann Arbor for the Bucks so there could be the possibility of being overlooked.
Reasons Iowa might lose: Kirk Ferentz has never won a game in the Horseshoe. That and the fact that this is the second last game of the season really hurt the Hawkeyes’ chances. The Buckeyes will be green early, but the inexperience won’t be as big of a factor in November. OSU may very well need a win over Iowa to maintain their streak of double-digit win seasons (they do play USC and Penn State) so the boys in Columbus will be more than motivated.

August 10, 2009

Practice Update
Some quick updates from camp opening.
By: Neal

• Jewel Hampton has said that he is around “95%” and is participating in practice this fall. I know Kirk Ferentz can be secretive but he is not going to come out and openly lie to the media. So I was a bit confused to see Hampton’s knee still being scrutinized and examined after Ferentz came out weeks ago saying he was fine.
• First glimpse of the offensive has a lot of the media buying into the hype about the unit. I have only seen very short video clips of the group (available at hawkeyesports.com) but it what I saw was impressive. Of course, nothing right now is involving pads so you will have to wait till Saturday to get my final verdict.
• DJK has said his work ethic has been fine and the coaches haven’t said anything about it to him. This of course makes me wonder why he is listed as second string on the depth chart but I trust coach Campbell and coach Ferentz know what they are doing.
• Kirk Ferentz has said he expects people who may not be headliners now to step up (ala Ricky Stanzi, Pat Angerer, or Shonn Greene last year). This was talked about in the media quite a bit but I think it is crucial to a winning season especially in the trenches. Iowa can’t just rely on the known parts of the team and expect to win nine or more games.
Finally, for those of you who missed spring practice, Kirk Ferentz has invited everyone out to Kinnick this Saturday for a practice. It has been designated as a “Kid’s Day” but in an article with the Press-Citizen he made it clear that anyone who would like to see the hawks is welcome to come. The practice is at noon and will last two hours and the players will be available for a 30 minute autograph session after the scrimmage. There probably won’t be many (if any) former players at the event but with all the coach-speak and cluelessness going on in the Iowa media right now, it would be a great opportunity to get some real perspective on where the team is at. For those of you unable to make it, I will be out there and will provide some insight as to how the event went and what to look for on the team.

August 7, 2009

Roll Along Iowa--Camp Curiosities
By: Andrew

It is almost upon us —the beginning of fall camp. The beginning of camp means the beginning of the season. The beginning of season means 12 Saturdays of Iowa football. Iowa football means pure happiness. Ok, you get my point.

I am very curious to hear what Coach Ferentz has to say at Media Day this Friday. Typically, Coach Ferentz will announce any changes to the depth chart, NCAA Clearinghouse casualties, and any new information that has happened since Big Ten Media Day, which I think will be minimal.

Camp brings an opportunity for the football team to spend close to three weeks of quality time eating, breathing, sleeping, and living football together as a team. It also gives several players the opportunity to win a starting job outright and it gives each unit of the team the chance to work toward the ultimate goal of working in unison on the field.

I am anxious to see how the following developments and position battles play out over the course of the next month leading up to the opener against Northern Iowa on September 5th.

• Backup Quarterback. Although it appears as though James Vandenberg has the upper hand coming out of spring practice, I certainly think John Wienke will be given every chance to earn the co-backup spot with Vandenberg. Say what you will about the Jake Christensen era at Iowa, but it was certainly comforting knowing that he had been under center when the bullets were flying. I would really like one or both of the current backups to make significant strides in their game in order to provide that same level of comfort this year.

• Corner Pocket. Amary Speivey is going to be 1st Team All Big Ten this year, mark my words. The biggest question is who will start at the other corner. I really hope that Jordan Bernstine receives the number of reps in camp that he needs in order to solidify himself as a starter. He obviously has a ton of natural athletic ability and showed some flashes of good tackling technique during spot duty in nickel situations last year. Shaun Prater and Willie Lowe are also in the mix, although Prater will have somewhat of an uphill battle to fight following his two game suspension for a DUI arrest.

• Stuck in the Middle With You. Ask me what player from last year’s team I wish could return? Mitch King? No. Matt Kroul? No. Andy Brodell? No. Rob Bruggeman was, in my opinion, the most important player from last year’s team. A common theme of successful Coach Ferentz teams are a solid, veteran center. Bruce Nelson called the shots in 2002. Brian Ferentz in 2004 and Rob Bruggeman last year. Mike Elgin was one heck of center as well. With Julian Vandervelde’s injury, I do not know who will come out of this race. Perhaps it will be Josh Koeppel, like Bruggeman, a walk-on from Iowa City. I also think that James Ferentz will make a strong case to receive playing time. If, and that is a big if, we can find a solid center, there is no doubt that our offensive line is one of the best in the Big Ten and maybe top five in the country.

• Two of Us. Because all of the national pundits and observers talk about it, I guess I will too. Who is going to replace the King and Kroul duo? Will Ballard and Clayborn be moving in at all? Mike Daniels, Karl Klug and Broderick Binns are all going to platoon and do a fine job. Obviously, their success will determine much of the team’s success. Strong defensive line play is a hallmark of Norm Parker’s best defenses and this year’s line has the possibility to shape up to be a pretty solid group. The more space and gaps that the defensive tackles eat up means more room for Angerer, Hunter, and Edds to go hunting for running backs and quarterbacks.

• Return to Sender. Despite Coach Ferentz’s comments about Jewel Hampton returning kicks this year, I truly hope that Brandon Wegher and others impressive the coaching staff enough to earn the job so that Hampton does not have to return kicks. It would be a shame to have Hampton injured during kick return duty.

Well that is it for now. My next post will be during the next week or so after Media Day and following a week or so of practice.

Go Hawks!

August 3, 2009

Iowa Update
By: Andrew
Welcome to the Iowa Hawkeyes blog published through PhilSteele.com dedicated to coverage of Iowa Hawkeye football. Throughout the year, I will provide my thoughts and opinions about the Hawks both during the week leading up to each game and after each game. As a graduate of the University of Iowa and a fan, my admiration of the school and the football program will be evident, but at the same time, I will do my best to remain objective in order to provide the best possible analysis.

Before I start writing, I want to say thank you to all of the folks at PhilSteele.com that have given me the opportunity to write about my favorite thing in the world----—Hawkeye football. I would also like to thank Neal, the other PhilSteele.com Iowa blogger, for all of his contributions to the blog. I think I speak on behalf of both of us when I say that I hope you thoroughly enjoy our coverage. With that said, here we go.

Aftermath of Big Ten Media Day

Pat Harty of the Iowa City Press Citizen wrote an article leading up to the Big Ten Media Day questioning whether the two-day ordeal is even worth the trouble anymore. After reading all of the news coverage in the wake of it, I tend to agree that it does not provide much value in terms of information. All of the coaches say how excited they are about the upcoming season and they are all looking forward to see which players developed the most during the summer. Nonetheless, I love it because it means that camp is right around the corner and that the season is almost upon us. Here are some of my thoughts from in the wake of Media Day.

-One Opportunity Is All It Takes. It is nice to hear that Tony Moeaki still has a positive attitude going into the season. If there is any justice in the world of college football, Moeaki should have an injury-free season. We have all seen during sporadic moments of his ability the past few seasons. Who can forget his 8 catch, 112 yard, 3 TD performance against Syracuse in 2007? One can just tell that he oozes athletic ability and if (IF) he remains healthy, I think he certainly has a good chance at 1st team All Big 10 in a league that boasts the likes of Garrett Graham (WI), Charlie Gantt (MSU), and Michael Hoomanawanui (Ill). Likewise, Moeaki has NFL talent written all over him and as long as he has a productive year, I think he has the potential to be a 3rd round draft pick.

-Senior Leadership. AJ Edds will likely not be remembered in the same breath as other Ferentz-era linebackers like Abdul Hodge and Chad Greenway, but his steady contributions for the past three years have been just that, steady and consistent. After listening to him speak, it is easy to understand why he was named to the Team Leadership Group for three consecutive years. A model example of a student-athlete (Academic All-Big Ten the past two years), Edds embodies what it means to be a Hawkeye and will certainly be missed next year, but let us all hope for another solid season out of him.

-Future MMA Fighter. Pat Angerer will pick up this year where Mitch King left off. That is to say that I think Angerer will be the emotional leader of this year’s defense. From almost quitting the sport to leading the team in tackles and interceptions (well, tied at five with Tyler Sash), Angerer proved last year that he is as solid as they come at MLB in the Big Ten. The Angerer, Edds, and Hunter trio will certainly be exciting to watch this year. As long as the young interior defensive line occupies space and bodies, the Iowa linebacker corps should be able to roam freely and once again establish the Iowa defense as one of the best run defenses in the country.

Other Thoughts from Big Ten Media Day

-Running the Mouth. Why on earth is Arrelious Benn running his mouth about how much he hates Iowa? HawkeyeNation.com’s Rob Howe had the opportunity to interview Benn here and quoted him as saying “Yeah, I seriously dislike Iowa.” Do not get me wrong, Benn is without a doubt a future NFL receiver, but come on, the guy has had five, repeat five, touchdowns in his first two seasons at Illinois. It is obvious that Benn is still upset about his ranked Illini squad got beat in Iowa City two years ago by a very mediocre Iowa team. It is really too bad that Illinois is off the schedule this year because you know that things like these always seem to come back to bite the speaker in the you know what.

-Classy. Although it has been hard to swallow Iowa losing to Northwestern twice in the past three years, is there a classier or better coaching prospect in the country than Pat Fitzgerald?

-Expansion Talk. Can everyone agree on the fact that the Big Ten should not expand, under any circumstances, until Notre Dame agrees to join the conference? This incessant talk about Missouri, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, etc. gets old and will never happen, especially as long as Jim Delany is at the helm.

-Joe Pa. I hope that ESPN compiles a hit parade of Joe Paterno’s press conference comments. In case you missed it, Paterno was asked about Twitter at Big Ten Media Day and said “What do you guys call those things? Tweedle-do? Tweedle-dee? I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re looking at?” Here is hoping that Paterno is able to coach as long as he wants.

Final Thoughts

-My next blog post will be lengthier and will be a summary of various items heading into camp, especially as to the various position battles that will be taking place during camp.

-HawkeyeSports.com now has the incoming freshmen listed on the roster along with their number. Here is a link to the entire roster. Some ones of note:
• Keenan Davis #6 WR (Did anyone else have the same reaction I did when I saw this number? I am not going out on a limb here, but this guy will get significant playing time this year.)

• Brandon Wegher # 3 RB/ATH (Our starting KR)

• Jordan Cotton #23 WR

• Micah Hyde #18 DB (My pick for the sleeper of the class)

• Marty Hopkins #35 DL

• Brad Rogers #38 RB (May see some playing time due to the uncertainty with Jewel)

• Dakota Getz # 80 TE

That does it for the first of many posts during the year. Please feel free, if possible, to provide comments. Is it September 5th yet?

Go Hawks!

Iowa Roster
By: Neal

So here is the final depth chart before fall camp: http://iowa.rivals.com/cdepthtext.asp

Ferentz will change this multiple times before Sep. 5th so this is hardly anything to get too worked up about, but there are some interesting occurrences in some of the position battles.

RECEIVER: DJK is listed as a second string receiver behind converted QB Marvin McNutt. Either McNutt is turning into one heck of a receiver or the coaches are trying to motivate DJK (with the respect to Marvin, my money is on the latter). DJK is on pace to break Kevin Kasper’s record for career receiving yards but has been at odds with the coaches at times. He is too good to be kept off of the field for too long and will still see a lot of passes this season.

RUNNING BACK: Paki O’Meara is alone behind Jewell Hampton at the running back position with Jeff Brinson in third. I like O’Meara as a blocker but his rushing has hardly been anything to write home about and I wouldn’t be surprised for Brinson to take over the two spot for UNI. Paki should still see some touches though he could still see some touches this fall as the backfield try’s to fill the shoes of Shonn Greene.

OFFENSIVE LINE: The offensive line is really interesting to see. Injured guard Julian Vandervelde is still listed as the starter despite the fact that he will miss all of camp and some of the early games this season. Dan Doering and Adam Gettis are listed as second string and Ferentz is probably trying to motivate them to work harder for the spot temporarily vacated by Vandervelde. Dace Richardson gets the start at the other guard position while Rafael Eubanks takes over center, neither of which is a surprise and should mean they are progressing as Ferentz’s staff would expect. Kyle Calloway is still listed as the starting right tackle opposite Bryan Bulaga. Calloway will serve a one game suspension for OWI but should be available the remainder of the season.

DEFENSE: Karl Klug and Mike Daniels have been designated as the starters at DT but it is possible that we will see a rotation at that position. Jordan Bernstein has taken over at CB ahead of the suspended Shaun Prater but it is still too early to tell if this will be permanent.

SPECIAL TEAMS: As of now, Jewel Hampton and Colin Sandeman are listed as the kick and punt returners (respectively) but I would expect to see Jewel taken out of there once the Brandon Wegher and Keenan Davis report for camp. Jewel will see a lot of snaps as the starting RB this year and it would be illogical to make him return kicks as well. The Hawkeyes had a lot of fumbles with Sandeman and Hampton returning kicks last year so that is another reason I don’t see this being a permanent appointment. Trent Mossbrucker is also listed behind Daniel Murray but expect the kicking battle to continue into camp.

July 28, 2009

An Iowa Update
By: Neal

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours
The Kirk Ferentz saga at Iowa has been a rollercoaster to say the least. From Orange Bowl to no bowls, from the miracle throw by Drew Tate in the 2005 Capital One Bowl to the 2007 Jake Christensen debacle, Iowa has always provided some great storylines under the quiet coach. His contract extension (signed earlier this week) gives him at least seven more years in Kinnick Stadium.

The contract extension hasn’t changed much of anything. Perhaps the only change is that he now has 35 hours of private jet time to use during recruiting. It should be noted that his contract does not include a buyout, meaning he could leave without penalty if he chose to do so. I doubt that it will be something that becomes a problem, but you never know.

It’s Only a Flesh Wound
Jewell Hampton’s knee may be the most thought about joint in the state of Iowa. Hampton was originally reported to have a potential ACL tear, which would have sidelined him for the season. We know now of course that it is nothing too serious and that the coaches believe he could still start the Sep. 5th game against Northern Iowa.

The one thing I have noticed is that Ferentz has never used the word “start” in regards to Jewell Hampton. It isn’t anything serious but it tells me that Hampton hasn’t clinched the starting spot yet, and that Paki O’Meara and Jeff Brinson could still supplant the incumbent Hampton.

Other News
• OT Kyle Calloway faces a one game suspension after a OWI. Calloway was arrested while operating a scooter while intoxicated on June 29th.
• DB Shaun Prater was also tagged by an OWI this offseason. The incident occurred on Feb. 28th and he will also receive a one game suspension.
• Backup linebacker Jacoby Coleman has left the program for personal reasons and will transfer to Lamar.
• OG Julian Vandervelde underwent surgery during the offseason and will be likely see very limited time early in the season.
• The Hawkeyes have picked up commitments from ten different recruits for the 2010 class. The highest rated is offensive lineman Andrew Donnal, a four star recruit from Ohio. The group mainly consists of defensive and offensive lineman with a few linebackers and one quarterback.

Iowa Blog

An Iowa Update By: Neal

An Iowa Update
By: Neal