Blevins to Resign?
- Thread starter dncolo2
- Start date
Not me, but we definitely got owned by UM over the weekend. Obviously a couple of recruiting classes haven't panned out, and the next class will need to be much stronger if Iowa is going to get back to challenging for the B10 title and NCAA tournament slots. SB has been very strong under Blevins in her time here, I'd like to see her have a chance to get the program back on track.
Actually our overall recruiting has been good except we have not picked up the dominating pitcher to replace Weill who graduated a year ago. Michigan has two dominating pitchers. The other top teams in the B10 and top teams around the country have much better pitching than we did this year.
Have you looked at our offensive stats? They aren't pretty (and haven't been for the last couple of seasons), although we have scored well against the low-RPI teams on the schedule. Granted there was a drop off from Weil to Zust/Lyon (and even Weil got tagged occasionally), but the pitching numbers aren't bad. If you watched the Michigan games, you saw defensive play far off the norm for Iowa teams.
Agree about the Michigan pitchers, they were extremely impressive.
Last edited:
Just saw this article, doesn't sound like she's thinking resignation.
Michigan shuts out UI | hawkcentral.com | Hawk Central
Michigan shuts out UI | hawkcentral.com | Hawk Central
Well, our team batting average was .272 which isn't bad and the team pitching ERA was 2.76 which may be good for the Chicago Cubs but is not very good for top level college softball. Most of the top pitchers in the college world series will be under 1.00.
PS - I won't believe she is resigning until it is released by the University.
PS - I won't believe she is resigning until it is released by the University.
Last edited:
BALDIES7980
Well-Known Member
I highly doubt Blevins is going to leave her post unless she is ready on her own. She has done well and there's always bumps in the road and this season is no reason to get get the underwear in a bunch.
True, our ERA isn't good for top college softball, and not what we'd been accustomed to under Blevins, but still 5th in B10. Zust plainly wasn't going to be another Weil, and I was hoping for more from Lyon. Typically Blevins has brought in a dominant freshman following graduation of the previous #1 pitcher, didn't happen this time. Hoping for a lot more from Massey next year.
But look at runs scored: Michigan 378, Illinois 344, OSU 294, NW 256. Then comes Iowa at 212, good for 7th.
We're not in the top 5 for fielding %, but we have the 5th most errors, and 4th most passed balls. So, we're mid-pack offensively and mid-pack defensively. I don't see how you can conclude our recruiting has been good.NewMexHawk
Well-Known Member
Maybe it IS time for a change?
We are going to have more errors than the top teams in the conference because we didn't have a strike out pitcher. Michigan's defense had to make 7-10 plays a game and Iowa's defense had to make 18-20 plays against hard hit balls. I would agree our recruiting weakness was not coming up with a quality pitcher to replace Weil. Zust would have been an ok #2 this year but wasn't a #1. I don't see Lyon as being any better than Zust down the road. Hopefully the new pitcher coming in can take over the #1 spot and be close to a Weil type of pitcher.
Fair point; strictly speaking that means we're going to have more chances, but yeah more errors as well.
But apart from stats, we just don't look as crisp on defense (no stat for that of course) as past teams. Losing Digmann hurt a lot, of course.
OTOH, we have lots of speed and decent arms in the OF, and two of those are returning. Hopefully this seasons learning opportunities pay off next year.
Just checked the final standings - in the 'misery loves company' dept., NW also finished with only 25 Ws (better RPI though) and may also miss the NCAAs.
Last edited:
NewMexHawk
Well-Known Member
I don't know? I haven't lived in IC for a long time. Just reading what is posted and it doesn't sound promising, you have to admit. Perhaps her enthusiasm is waning after all these years? Perhaps she isn't as enthusiastic about recruiting as she used to be? I don't know? Perhaps an energetic young coach would pump some life back into the program? Perhaps if the program is becoming stagnant, it is harder or will be harder for the coach to recruit top talent? Just an observation...probably doesn't matter because its womens sports. They aren't as popular so there isn't the pressure on the coaches that there might be on selected mens teams. But it still would be nice to see them vie for the top in the Big 10.
Just curious, what has been their record the past 5 years? Overall and big 10.
Just curious, what has been their record the past 5 years? Overall and big 10.
Last edited:
Just quickly without looking anything up, we were pretty consistently picking up 38-40 wins/season over that time, usually good for 2nd or 3rd in the B10 (UM's off years were NW's hot years, or vice versa). No regular season or tournament championships that I recall, though we were in the final a couple of times. We missed the NCAA 2 years ago (and PSU got in with 25 wins, Blevins was not pleased) but were in for the rest of this time. Did not make it out of regionals.
As to coach Blevins, she looks like her same self on the field, no lack of energy or focus that I can see. In the 1st UM game, we had a runner called out at the plate (looked like a good call to me) but she protested and another ump ruled the UM catcher dropped the ball. That helped keep us in it until the 7th, when the roof fell in.
As to coach Blevins, she looks like her same self on the field, no lack of energy or focus that I can see. In the 1st UM game, we had a runner called out at the plate (looked like a good call to me) but she protested and another ump ruled the UM catcher dropped the ball. That helped keep us in it until the 7th, when the roof fell in.
Last edited:
