Big Ten Football Writers - Really?

[WinOneThisCentury]

Seriously, give me a break. 4th...behind Nebraska? I get Wisconsin and NW...although I think Iowa should be a dead heat with NW. But Nebraska irks me. I'm sorry, but history should matter and plugging in a tape of a recent 40-10 beat down should matter.

I get this is a prediction, but past results are part of the prediction process for future results and right now, at the end of a grueling season, Nebraska doesn't measure up to the physicality of the Iowa Hawkeyes. If our coaching staff elected to punt out of bounds twice in 2014, we would have 4 straight wins and working on 5 this year. That was an early Christmas gift to the Big Red in 2014.

Nebraska should have to prove it at the end of the year...and until they do, giving them the benefit of the doubt is a sign of ignorance and bias (of success in years long gone by). The emperor has long been naked in regard to Nebraska, but polling like this leads you to believe he's still thinking their defense wears black shirts...rather than pink.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

WOTC, we aren't going to have an offense this season. Unless we use both JB and AW on the field at the same time, our offense will be precisely like last seasons, with a worse passing offense. I think expecting Iowa to compete this year is optimistic. So I give them a pass. But they better work on a more open offense that shows Iowa is skill position player friendly.

 

[IndianaHawk]

WOTC, we aren't going to have an offense this season. Unless we use both JB and AW on the field at the same time, our offense will be precisely like last seasons, with a worse passing offense. I think expecting Iowa to compete this year is optimistic. So I give them a pass. But they better work on a more open offense that shows Iowa is skill position player friendly.

With the GD era gone, all we have to do is chuck a long, intentional incomplete pass once in a while to open up the running game a hair, and we just improved our offensive game.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

I guess I'm seeing things differently than most. What's the most important thing about an offense. Offensive line play...period. People can say, "oh, we need a QB otherwise we will suck." You can put Joe Montana behind a shitty offensive line and he's rendered useless. Iowa should have one of the top 5 OL's in the country...they won the Joe Moore award last year and 4/5 of the group is back and there is depth and competition everywhere.

I guess I have more faith in Brian as the OC, with input from KOK and Polesak. If we had no athletes, I'd say, yeah, we aren't going to be good offensively. But we have one of the most dynamic players in all of college football coming back in Akrum Wadley. We have a very good group of TEs coming back...and one potential all-American candidate in Fant...whose upside is obvious. Then you add Vandenburg...who if he is where he was...is a solid WR. Now you add another running back with receiving skill in James Butler. Guess what...that's a lot of weapons on offense.

Iowa's short passing game using their backs and TEs will be as good as it's ever been. I fully expect Wadley in the slot on occasion on 3rd down. Any one on one match up with Wadley is a win for Iowa. We just need the QB to be accurate in the short passing game. It will open everything up and set up the long ball. Think Northwestern's short passing game...when it was on, it was impossible to stop. Fant, Wadley, Vandenburg and Butler can get open against linebackers and safeties...especially Wadley and Butler who have similar skills.

Certainly, we need a WR to step up...but to say "we aren't going to have an offense"...the most important component is one of the best in the country...then add Wadley catching and receiving.

 

[SteveGarvey1]

The Big Ten football writers whiff all the time on who they pick to win the divisions and the conference. They just see our tough schedule and automatically downgrade us. I'm not concerned.

 

[SpecialKHawk]

The OL is a good run blocking line no doubt but horrifically bad in pass pro. Only look to the bowl game loss at 30-3 to see what happens to a good running blocking line against quality albeit 2nd string FLA defensive players. No offensive TDs scored ... zero.

We are picked about right where we should be. Can we do better than 6 or 7 wins? Possibly but that's about how many games we will likely win. The schedule is brutal and we have serious questions along with changes in our staff that will require some games to get everyone on the same page.

There is also so much over-valuing of our personnel because we are fans of this team. The most over-used word in football by fans is 'talent'. Even the worst teams in football sit around and talk about their 'talent'. Talk instead about impact players and we have maybe 6-7 out of our 22 positions. Then there's special teams which we rely on but could be very shaky this season.

By the way that OL award last year was a complete farce and we all know it. Let's be honest with ourselves.

 

[Hawk1960]

... bulletin board material.

 

[MiniMoeHawk]

The OL is a good run blocking line no doubt but horrifically bad in pass pro. Only look to the bowl game loss at 30-3 to see what happens to a good running blocking line against quality albeit 2nd string FLA defensive players. No offensive TDs scored ... zero.

We are picked about right where we should be. Can we do better than 6 or 7 wins? Possibly but that's about how many games we will likely win. The schedule is brutal and we have serious questions along with changes in our staff that will require some games to get everyone on the same page.

There is also so much over-valuing of our personnel because we are fans of this team. The most over-used word in football by fans is 'talent'. Even the worst teams in football sit around and talk about their 'talent'. Talk instead about impact players and we have maybe 6-7 out of our 22 positions. Then there's special teams which we rely on but could be very shaky this season.

By the way that OL award last year was a complete farce and we all know it. Let's be honest with ourselves.

If CJ wasn't hurt it would have been a closer game. its too bad Kirk didn't put in Stanley for the second half. Would've been nice to see what he could do against a solid SEC defense.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

I doubt very much that our offense is going to be "precisely like last season's". Of course we'll run out of many of the same sets (you don't completely blow it up in 6 months), but there will be differences.

As for the "predictions"...who cares? Let's play the games. it's all projection, reputation and guessing. Every team turns over nearly 25% of their team each year. (This is why I like the idea of no polls until at least week 4) Let's play the games and see who's good.

 

[IndianaHawk]

I doubt very much that our offense is going to be "precisely like last season's". Of course we'll run out of many of the same sets (you don't completely blow it up in 6 months), but there will be differences.

As for the "predictions"...who cares? Let's play the games. it's all projection, reputation and guessing. Every team turns over nearly 25% of their team each year. (This is why I like the idea of no polls until at least week 4) Let's play the games and see who's good.

Yep

 

[Stanzi]

WOTC, we aren't going to have an offense this season. Unless we use both JB and AW on the field at the same time, our offense will be precisely like last seasons, with a worse passing offense. I think expecting Iowa to compete this year is optimistic. So I give them a pass. But they better work on a more open offense that shows Iowa is skill position player friendly.

Did you see our passing game last season? It would be really, really difficult to be worse than that.

 

[Xerxes]

This is the same crew that overwhelmingly picked Iowa to win the West last year. Obviously they've been very wrong before.

 

[Kennyfromminne]

I guess I'm seeing things differently than most. What's the most important thing about an offense. Offensive line play...period. People can say, "oh, we need a QB otherwise we will suck." You can put Joe Montana behind a shitty offensive line and he's rendered useless. Iowa should have one of the top 5 OL's in the country...they won the Joe Moore award last year and 4/5 of the group is back and there is depth and competition everywhere.

I guess I have more faith in Brian as the OC, with input from KOK and Polesak. If we had no athletes, I'd say, yeah, we aren't going to be good offensively. But we have one of the most dynamic players in all of college football coming back in Akrum Wadley. We have a very good group of TEs coming back...and one potential all-American candidate in Fant...whose upside is obvious. Then you add Vandenburg...who if he is where he was...is a solid WR. Now you add another running back with receiving skill in James Butler. Guess what...that's a lot of weapons on offense.

Iowa's short passing game using their backs and TEs will be as good as it's ever been. I fully expect Wadley in the slot on occasion on 3rd down. Any one on one match up with Wadley is a win for Iowa. We just need the QB to be accurate in the short passing game. It will open everything up and set up the long ball. Think Northwestern's short passing game...when it was on, it was impossible to stop. Fant, Wadley, Vandenburg and Butler can get open against linebackers and safeties...especially Wadley and Butler who have similar skills.

Certainly, we need a WR to step up...but to say "we aren't going to have an offense"...the most important component is one of the best in the country...then add Wadley catching and receiving.

Our line is good but you're dillusional if you think they're top 5.

 

[NCHawker]

WOTC, we aren't going to have an offense this season. Unless we use both JB and AW on the field at the same time, our offense will be precisely like last seasons, with a worse passing offense. I think expecting Iowa to compete this year is optimistic. So I give them a pass. But they better work on a more open offense that shows Iowa is skill position player friendly.

I expect Iowa's passing game to be better than last season. CJ often did not have time to throw. And balls were dropped when they managed to get separation. i think they could not be worse. So the passing game will be better it might even be average among league teams

 

[Fryowa]

Seriously, give me a break. 4th...behind Nebraska? I get Wisconsin and NW...although I think Iowa should be a dead heat with NW. But Nebraska irks me. I'm sorry, but history should matter and plugging in a tape of a recent 40-10 beat down should matter.

I get this is a prediction, but past results are part of the prediction process for future results and right now, at the end of a grueling season, Nebraska doesn't measure up to the physicality of the Iowa Hawkeyes. If our coaching staff elected to punt out of bounds twice in 2014, we would have 4 straight wins and working on 5 this year. That was an early Christmas gift to the Big Red in 2014.

Nebraska should have to prove it at the end of the year...and until they do, giving them the benefit of the doubt is a sign of ignorance and bias (of success in years long gone by). The emperor has long been naked in regard to Nebraska, but polling like this leads you to believe he's still thinking their defense wears black shirts...rather than pink.

Preseason predictions are no more than conjecture that you could wipe your ass with and get more for your money; no offense to those who write them. Just like the opinions of Colin Cowherd and Stephen A. Smiff, you'd do your mental health best to ignore it and read sports reporting on things that have actually happened.

The Mel Kipers and Paul Finebaums of the world are unintelligent trolls and, as the kids say on the interwebs, it's best not to feed them.

 

[Fryowa]

I expect Iowa's passing game to be better than last season. CJ often did not have time to throw. And balls were dropped when they managed to get separation. i think they could not be worse. So the passing game will be better it might even be average among league teams

Speaking of CJ, I never thought I'd see the day that I'd have to cheer for the Niners.

Although it wouldn't get much sweeter than seeing CJ and George succeed where Kaepernick shit the bed.

 

[Joshbrown]

Seriously, give me a break. 4th...behind Nebraska? I get Wisconsin and NW...although I think Iowa should be a dead heat with NW. But Nebraska irks me. I'm sorry, but history should matter and plugging in a tape of a recent 40-10 beat down should matter.

I get this is a prediction, but past results are part of the prediction process for future results and right now, at the end of a grueling season, Nebraska doesn't measure up to the physicality of the Iowa Hawkeyes. If our coaching staff elected to punt out of bounds twice in 2014, we would have 4 straight wins and working on 5 this year. That was an early Christmas gift to the Big Red in 2014.

Nebraska should have to prove it at the end of the year...and until they do, giving them the benefit of the doubt is a sign of ignorance and bias (of success in years long gone by). The emperor has long been naked in regard to Nebraska, but polling like this leads you to believe he's still thinking their defense wears black shirts...rather than pink.

Hey our own Jon Miller predicted 6 wins and seemed happy with that outcome. So if hardcore Hawkeyes like him are spitting on Iowa's chances, why hate people who no dog in the fight? Those writers are taking their cues from our own fan base which love predicting crappy seasons in advance.

 

[IndianaHawk]

I have no problem with anyone's predictions. I have a problem with recognition after the result.

 

[99topdawg]

Eh, Iowa was picked to win it last year and they were wrong. Maybe they'll be just as wrong this year.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

Did you see our passing game last season? It would be really, really difficult to be worse than that.

This season, we will have zero qb's with any extensive playing experience, one WR with meaningful experience (who also is coming off breaking the same bone in the same foot, twice in 9 months) and FR WR's (granted I believe they have talent, but they're still FR). Our passing offense could definitely not be as good as last seasons. That is why we should bite the bullet this season and let our skill position players learn and grow.