Any chance we don't suck?

I expect things to be pretty sad around here unless Iowa rolls which I don't expect with Lynch on the other side.

I am hopeful for 6 or 7 wins. Need at least 2 WR to step up and at least be threats to make this offense work.

i expect a 20 point win - or a 20 point lead that gets diminished to 13 at the end. big win baby!!
 
Yes they are better, but they are 6-6 better, not 8-4 better. They also have a far tougher schedule than last year, so they can be a little improved yet not really reflect that fact in the final record. This is not a clear bowl team at this point. Not even close. We are still going to be in the bottom half of the B1G in QB play, and the defense is still the definition of mediocre. Absolutely no pass rush at all from the edges.

Schedule is tougher no doubt but I would counter by saying when we get the right set of kids and they go out and play good football the strength of schedule has never mattered with the exception of one team. That team being OSU. We rarely beat them. Besides we play with and beat many good programs.

With Iowa football I almost never factor in strength of schedule. It is always about our personnel, playmakers and leadership especially from the Seniors. I think we may have the first two but do we have the Senior leadership that is the question that will be answered.
 
Yes they are better, but they are 6-6 better, not 8-4 better. They also have a far tougher schedule than last year, so they can be a little improved yet not really reflect that fact in the final record. This is not a clear bowl team at this point. Not even close. We are still going to be in the bottom half of the B1G in QB play, and the defense is still the definition of mediocre. Absolutely no pass rush at all from the edges.

I'm not sold on that just yet. Miller, Gardner, T-Mart and Colter are clearly ahead of the pack in the Big Ten, but the rest either have below-average guys or have questions marks just like us.
 
I see 10 games on the schedule that I consider winnable right now (all but the Michigan and OSU games). They could potentially start 6-0 (I don't expect that, but it could actually be doable). Northwestern, we have the benefit of being at home, and we're also home against what I consider to be a HIGHLY overrated Wisconsin team.
 
A good year will be not thinkin after every game that "Iowa should have won that game"

Take care of the teams that youre better than and give the old fighting try to the other teams. That means taking some chances when you get a better team on the ropes.
 
I can't take another ****** season. Wait all year for football, if we suck again this year I will need heavy meds. Any reason for optimism?

Yep, two reasons.

1. It's a new season.
2. Just the thought of Daniels not being red shirted and playing this season gives me hope.

FreedComanche
 
Yes they are better, but they are 6-6 better, not 8-4 better. They also have a far tougher schedule than last year, so they can be a little improved yet not really reflect that fact in the final record. This is not a clear bowl team at this point. Not even close. We are still going to be in the bottom half of the B1G in QB play, and the defense is still the definition of mediocre. Absolutely no pass rush at all from the edges.

I think they are probably about a 6-6 team THIS year, but better than that is not out of the question. Neither is worse for that matter. I'm not sure if that is what you are saying or not.

Also, I'm not sure the schedule is upgraded quite as much as most believe it is. I seems to be the only one who feels that way. I think people are just looking at the addition of Wis. and OSU and saying schedule is much tougher without going past the surface. First of all, the non-con is easier. ISU should be worse than last year(lost nearly their entire D), NIU should be worse than last year(see ISU), Missouri Sate is worse than UNI, and Western Michigan should be worse than CMU. Clearly OSU is an upgrade over Indiana, but I don't think Wisconsin will be as good as the team that PSU brought to Kinnick last year.
 
This team's got potential. WR is an unknown, but there is a chance that a mix of Powell, KMM, Smith, Cotton, Bullock could blossom. We are deep at TE, too.

OL looks like it could be good. RB has a deep pool for AIRBHG to feast upon. If we can get some good QB play from someone, we should be able to move the ball.

On D, there is a lot of potential on the DL. If we can get quality play out of LTP, Coop, Davis, Faith, Alvis, Ott, and perhaps even Johnson and McMinn or Hardy, there is potential for our best line since 2010. We are solid at LB, and also pretty deep, with guys like Alston, Fisher, and Collins waiting in the wings. Our CB play should be good this year with Lowry and Lomax getting most of the action if they can stay healthy.

The FS and SS combo of Miller and Lowdermilk is a little scary. But they have experience, and it wouldn't be the first time Phil Parker took a couple Johnny Soybeans and turned them into top end BIG dbs.

If everything goes our way, we could make a decent bowl. Need for the potential on the DL and WR to really come out, and for the QB to be good.
 
Any good fan believes the team will do good and improve. Both lines look good and there's no reason to think with some good work on wr, te, and rb this year they will do much better. Btw they have some history of pulling upsets. Trolls beware you will be wrong
 
Any good fan believes the team will do good and improve. Both lines look good and there's no reason to think with some good work on wr, te, and rb this year they will do much better. Btw they have some history of pulling upsets. Trolls beware you will be wrong

That's just crap. You can be a good fan and still be realistic. Being a good fan does not mean you have to guzzle the Kool-Aid every year. In fact, it says more about a fan who can be realistic and not expect success but still stick with the team, than it does to delude oneself into believing that the team will be good, thereby justifying being a fan with "expected" success.
 
That's just crap. You can be a good fan and still be realistic. Being a good fan does not mean you have to guzzle the Kool-Aid every year. In fact, it says more about a fan who can be realistic and not expect success but still stick with the team, than it does to delude oneself into believing that the team will be good, thereby justifying being a fan with "expected" success.

What happened, Tork? Since you graduated you talk like a crabby old guy around here, but on Cy fan you're so much more positive....I don't get it.
 
vosov; "...last year's team was probably a 6-7 win team..." Is probably the best way to describe last year's team. They were probably a 6-7 win team at best.

In last year's Iowa State game, Iowa looked bad. It would have been tough to find an example where Iowa looked that bad the entire game and still only lost by 3 points. This year, overall the team should look better.
But I still go with my earlier posts. This team is a more solid 6 win team against a tougher schedule. Not a guaranteed 6 win team, but a more solid bet than last year. I am still optimistic for a six win season.

Any game lost in September is going to be very difficult to make up in October and November. If not impossible.
Iowa at 3-1 going to Minnesota downgrades Iowa's chances significantly.

Possible wins (Conference) Minnesota, Purdue. Best chance to worst. Upset possibilities; Michigan State, Wisconsin, Northwestern. Almost no chance; Michigan. No chance; Ohio State, Nebraska. Nebraska, Ohio State and Michigan would be huge upsets.
 
That's just crap. You can be a good fan and still be realistic. Being a good fan does not mean you have to guzzle the Kool-Aid every year. In fact, it says more about a fan who can be realistic and not expect success but still stick with the team, than it does to delude oneself into believing that the team will be good, thereby justifying being a fan with "expected" success.

I agree with this.

One addition. Realism is great, but it drives effing nuts when pessimists label themselves "realists". 95% of the time anyone who considers themselves a realist is anything but.

Tm, I am not speaking directly you. You did nothing of the sort. You mentioning realism just made me think of the "realists."
 
I got to meet Coach Fry coming out of Hillcrest when I lived there and I have every faith they will do better. If I remember right they upset MI with a field goal that year. Coach Ferentz knows changes need to be in place this year. It's not a mystery and he's a very smart guy. Time management and everything will be better. Qb is the only question I have. It isn't about coolaide, it's about believing in your team and coaches.
 
What happened, Tork? Since you graduated you talk like a crabby old guy around here, but on Cy fan you're so much more positive....I don't get it.

It's gotten worse over the last week or so. The whole business with Pierschbacher has gotten me wound up with cynicism, not specifically with Iowa football, but with Iowa fans. Every fan base and message board has its fair share of idiots. CF is just a nice change of pace that kind of serves as a break from this site's particular brand of stupidity for me. I'll settle down eventually.
 
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