I like your optimism and I tend to agree. I think a huge part of the defense will be if the hawks can get a few big bodies doing good work at the dee tackle position. If a Davis, cooper, and even the freshman can plug the middle so the hawks can play inside out defense .
Big Ten Returning Starters for 2012
- Thread starter JonDMiller
- Start date
I like your optimism and I tend to agree. I think a huge part of the defense will be if the hawks can get a few big bodies doing good work at the dee tackle position. If a Davis, cooper, and even the freshman can plug the middle so the hawks can play inside out defense .
... (i have to finish my thought, tough watching golf and writing these posts) then I think the defense can slow down and hold down the running by opponents.
The offense has to score more points, it is time for this to happen.
STILLBUSTER
Well-Known Member
"Expecting" the O to carry the D is really betting on the come, especially relying on so much that you've never seen before (Davis' OC skills -- particularly his in-game adjustments and adaptations to players -- and Garmon -- 6'2" 200# is not that big and can he block?)
As for back 7 ... I'll give you back 4 as being solid (Hyde, Lowery, Law, Miller, Sleeper) but LB's have been average, at best, and closer to poor most of the time since Angerer and Edds left. Undersized, laterally slow and usually get drug 1 or 2 yards after initial contact.
I'm thinking the only "surprise" on defense will be the amount of drop-off from even last year, let alone what we've usually seen over the last decade. Not ragging, just accepting that this defense is going to be very, very sub-par. Not because it has "kinks" to work out, but because it doesn't have the players and / or experience to match up with most offenses it will see this season.
hogeye
Well-Known Member
A couple problems with this logic...first off, it is different. It's a lot different preparing for a team going into the first game of a season than a bowl game at the end of a season. Secondly, it doesn't really take 6 months to prepare for Iowa. Unless you want to see how many times we can run a reverse to the weak side of the field.
Come on man...this isn't a Norm Parker defense...it is a Phil Parker defense.
No more making bad quarterbacks look good!
Hawkfromnorwalk
Well-Known Member
Just repeating what Farley said. No need to be a dick over it.
hogeye
Well-Known Member
Sensitivity in males in again?
Hawkfromnorwalk
Well-Known Member
Nope. Just pointing out the obvious.
hogeye
Well-Known Member
No, what you were doing was overreacting to a simple different perspective. In fact, that original reply was half in jest, but clearly you have some sort of personal issues that need worked out. I don't need involved in that.
Hawkfromnorwalk
Well-Known Member
Then don't get involved. Sounds easy enough.
Hawkfromnorwalk
Well-Known Member
Thank you sir.
Billso
Well-Known Member
I think a lot of you are assuming we will have no change at all, but Iowa is different this year and it will take time for other teams to adjust to our style of play even if it is little changes. 2 different play callers will be on the field as well as 2 new position coaches. I think Iowa goes 8-4, 9-3 but I expect nothing less than 7-5.
How are teams likes ISU, UNI, NIU going to prepare early in the season with all of the unknowns that are in the Hawkeye program at this time? How are big ten teams going to adjust to the unknown that was so certain for 13 straight years? I am excited and hope for the best this doom and gloom crap is getting old. Look at things holistically and maybe just maybe you will see the whole/ big picture!
How are teams likes ISU, UNI, NIU going to prepare early in the season with all of the unknowns that are in the Hawkeye program at this time? How are big ten teams going to adjust to the unknown that was so certain for 13 straight years? I am excited and hope for the best this doom and gloom crap is getting old. Look at things holistically and maybe just maybe you will see the whole/ big picture!
Billso
Well-Known Member
Steele's 2011 list was also inaccurate re the Badgers. He listed just 4 returning offensive starters, but I believe they had Toon, Konz, Zietler, Ball/White, Ewing, Olgelsby, Wagner, and Fredrick (a 2009 o-line starter who redshirted in 2010)
This has been a long-time complaint - check out the comments on this year's list from FSU fans. I don't know how Phil defines "returning starter" and I don't think he researches the number closely. I remember a few years back his number for our O-line was similarly off, he missed kids that had started 8-9 games.
You're right that the correlation to wins is still high despite these flaws. It's higher yet for "returning O-line starters" - historically the best single predictive stat of all. Has he published that yet?
