All threads in a nutshell

[dekhawks]

1. Our special teams are terrible
2. Our defense is good not great.
3. We sorely miss Edds and Angerer.
4. We never blitz. #5 is one reason why.
5. Our cornerbacks get exploited. We miss Amari S.
6. Our time management skills whether is be coaches or players is something to be desired.
7. We miss Norm parker on gameday whether up in the box or on the sidelines.
8. We never have or will have the killer instinct to put teams away. Conservative
9. Looks like Florida to one of three bowls for our destination this year.
10. Fans are reeling from this loss and it still hurts on Sunday, problably all week.

 

[Iowahawkeye1982]

I agree with all your points, but this one hurts more because wisconsin didn't beat us, we beat ourselves. We left 4 points out there on the field and made a lot of stupid mistakes. I could see it if we were a young team, but were not. We are senior dominated team and we couldn't execute on defense or speical teams.

I have to give props to the offense, they showed up yesterday. They had an answer to wisky's offense. But our defense got outplayed and out muscled. For being one of the tops in the nation, we def did not look the part yesterday.

 

[Maroons19]

1. Our special teams are terrible
2. Our defense is good not great.
3. We sorely miss Edds and Angerer.
4. We never blitz. #5 is one reason why.
5. Our cornerbacks get exploited. We miss Amari S.
6. Our time management skills whether is be coaches or players is something to be desired.
7. We miss Norm parker on gameday whether up in the box or on the sidelines.
8. We never have or will have the killer instinct to put teams away. Conservative
9. Looks like Florida to one of three bowls for our destination this year.
10. Fans are reeling from this loss and it still hurts on Sunday, problably all week.

I think you fairly sum it up, but you are missing the overall, overarching theme that is causing so many of us pain right now - something I think people are feeling but don't quite no how to explain: We have peaked as a program. Over the years despite all of the complaining about #4, #6 and #8, which are the 3 things that have kept us from getting over the hump, I think we all felt at some point these would get corrected and we would change our mindset when we had the talent to give us a chance at something really, really special. Yesterday for me was the realization that it just won't happen. Doesn't matter the talent, the game, the situation, #s 4, 6 and 8 are engrained in the program.

This is just the reality of the situation. 10-2, is a great, great year and I would sign up for every year. But, it's the peak and the sad thing is with the talent and the work ethic of the players and staff, it doesn't have to be.

 

[Saginawbay]

1. Our special teams are terrible
2. Our defense is good not great.
3. We sorely miss Edds and Angerer.
4. We never blitz. #5 is one reason why.
5. Our cornerbacks get exploited. We miss Amari S.
6. Our time management skills whether is be coaches or players is something to be desired.
7. We miss Norm parker on gameday whether up in the box or on the sidelines.
8. We never have or will have the killer instinct to put teams away. Conservative
9. Looks like Florida to one of three bowls for our destination this year.
10. Fans are reeling from this loss and it still hurts on Sunday, problably all week.

All points are right on and I hope you are right about Florida with a lose next week could be looking at something worse.

 

[trj]

I think you fairly sum it up, but you are missing the overall, overarching theme that is causing so many of us pain right now - something I think people are feeling but don't quite no how to explain: We have peaked as a program. Over the years despite all of the complaining about #4, #6 and #8, which are the 3 things that have kept us from getting over the hump, I think we all felt at some point these would get corrected and we would change our mindset when we had the talent to give us a chance at something really, really special. Yesterday for me was the realization that it just won't happen. Doesn't matter the talent, the game, the situation, #s 4, 6 and 8 are engrained in the program.

This is just the reality of the situation. 10-2, is a great, great year and I would sign up for every year. But, it's the peak and the sad thing is with the talent and the work ethic of the players and staff, it doesn't have to be.

I came to that realization also, it will probably never set-up the way it did this year(returning starters,home schedule, etc.) again.....There is no '84 BYU or '90 Georgia tech/Colorado moment for this program.

 

[STILLBUSTER]

I think you fairly sum it up, but you are missing the overall, overarching theme that is causing so many of us pain right now - something I think people are feeling but don't quite no how to explain: We have peaked as a program. Over the years despite all of the complaining about #4, #6 and #8, which are the 3 things that have kept us from getting over the hump, I think we all felt at some point these would get corrected and we would change our mindset when we had the talent to give us a chance at something really, really special. Yesterday for me was the realization that it just won't happen. Doesn't matter the talent, the game, the situation, #s 4, 6 and 8 are engrained in the program.

This is just the reality of the situation. 10-2, is a great, great year and I would sign up for every year. But, it's the peak and the sad thing is with the talent and the work ethic of the players and staff, it doesn't have to be.

EXACTLY! Facts is facts.

Said it long ago ... If not able to live up to the hype of being a national title contender this year, it will never be able to.

This is a once in a decade (maybe a generation) opportunity at a place like Iowa where the talent, experience, leadership and schedule come together. Unfortunately, the "freakin' Iowa" clause always seems to jump up and bite the Hawks.
-- 1985 was a roadie at tOSU;
-- 2002 was a weak secondary / pass defense;
-- 2006 was bad chemistry;
-- this year it's the LB's, CB's and, especially, special teams.
But overlying (hindering) all of it were multiple examples of the 3 characteristics you pointed out.

 

[trj]

All points are right on and I hope you are right about Florida with a lose next week could be looking at something worse.

Anywhere from Cap one to Gator, the game in Evanston will probably be the battle for who goes to the Outback bowl and who goes to the Gator.

 

[Saginawbay]

Anywhere from Cap one to Gator, the game in Evanston will probably be the battle for who goes to the Outback bowl and who goes to the Gator.

Would agree lot's of posts are still talking Rose or BCS let's just beat a good team and go from that point.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

We have peaked as a program.

I feel this way also. We're so close, yet still it feels we're so far away..

Now, we won the Orange Bowl last year.. If that is "peaking", then I'll take that in a heartbeat. I enjoy Hawkeye Football alot and will gladly take January Bowl games without complaining - whether is the Outback or a BCS game. After watching the basketball program go down the drain and having the "grass is greener on the other side of the fence" mentality when Davis was our coach, I know better than to want a coaching change. KF has done an excellent job here, and I hope he sticks around. The fact that we are so distraught over one loss to a Top-15 (maybe top 10) team tells me where we are as a program, and that's not a bad thing.

But I feel you are right - we will never realistically be in the national title picture when the calendar turns from October to November in any given year. 2-3 loss seasons are likely the best we will see. 2002 seemed to be an abberation, or if you prefer I describe it this way - the year where all of the stars aligned. As great a year as it was, we still lost 2 games.

Again, I'm not complaining about where we are. Just acknowledging that I agree that what we are seeing right now, and what we saw from 2002-04 is the best we probably will ever see.