Let me outline a few more thoughts to sway at least the cautiously optimistic guys--
1. You will find a better player (upgrade via experience or talent) at EVERY spot compared to last year. You may choose to quibble about 1-2 (Center, and 1 CB) but in general Iowa will field a better team. (I posted this early on in Jon's original depression inducing thread and to my delight didn't come across any responses to change my opinion)
2. If you look closely at last year's clusterduck of a record, the takeaways aren't as terrible (for the future) as the record shows. That for intents and purposes was a 6-win team despite an anti-qb and no passing game whatsoever. Keep in mind that the run game production when looked at in this light wasn't that horrible.
3. The D that all pundits had written off in the preseason (of 2011) as crap ended up being not so crappy managing a respectable total D ranking despite being put out to dry.
To those of you inquiring about my hallucinogen of choice, here is the recipe-- Put 1, 2, and 3 together, throw in a new QB (making the assumption that he will end up ranked in the top-75 at season-end), and a new special teams coach. You will endup seeing O and D units that are quite likely to rank in the top-50.
Those who insist on wallowing in a morass by assuming that teams with the worst QB in NCAA are destined to be perpetually saddled only with such QBs, that a coach who has produced top-10 finishes 25% of the time in the last decade has become senile beyond redemption, that an OC with an unrivalled record (Total O ranking) in the last decade has lost his marbles, you are welcome to do so. I suspect however that those of you who would like to see Iowa football ascend will end up pleasantly surprised this fall.
1. You will find a better player (upgrade via experience or talent) at EVERY spot compared to last year. You may choose to quibble about 1-2 (Center, and 1 CB) but in general Iowa will field a better team. (I posted this early on in Jon's original depression inducing thread and to my delight didn't come across any responses to change my opinion)
2. If you look closely at last year's clusterduck of a record, the takeaways aren't as terrible (for the future) as the record shows. That for intents and purposes was a 6-win team despite an anti-qb and no passing game whatsoever. Keep in mind that the run game production when looked at in this light wasn't that horrible.
3. The D that all pundits had written off in the preseason (of 2011) as crap ended up being not so crappy managing a respectable total D ranking despite being put out to dry.
To those of you inquiring about my hallucinogen of choice, here is the recipe-- Put 1, 2, and 3 together, throw in a new QB (making the assumption that he will end up ranked in the top-75 at season-end), and a new special teams coach. You will endup seeing O and D units that are quite likely to rank in the top-50.
Those who insist on wallowing in a morass by assuming that teams with the worst QB in NCAA are destined to be perpetually saddled only with such QBs, that a coach who has produced top-10 finishes 25% of the time in the last decade has become senile beyond redemption, that an OC with an unrivalled record (Total O ranking) in the last decade has lost his marbles, you are welcome to do so. I suspect however that those of you who would like to see Iowa football ascend will end up pleasantly surprised this fall.