I'm very optimistic that our offensive line will be good enough for us to compete for a Big 10 Championship and perhaps even a National Championship. Here's why.
1)It's never easy replacing multiple starters on the offensive line and teams can be made or broken because of their oline play. It's even tougher when one of those guys is an elite level talent like Bulaga. But the Hawkeyes in the past have faced this situation before and came away ok inspite of loses. I believe they lost 3 or 4 starters from the best offensive line I've witnessed at Iowa after the 2002 season. The good news is the best one (Gallery) came back and anchored a what ended up being another solid Oline the next season. With all due respect to Bulaga, I honestly feel Reiff was our best lineman a year ago. Although he is no Gallery, I'm anticipating that Reiff takes another leap towards becoming the anchor the Hawks are going to need him to be. If he can do that, everyone around him will fall into place.
2) The Oline will be practicing against an elite level Dline. Practicing against that can only make you better in my opinion.
3) The skill positions are loaded. This doesn't have much to do with development of the Oline, but if you are going to be a true contender you have to possess true playmaking skill and the Hawks have it. I know a lot of people aren't fond of 2005 but I still feel it was the best 7-5 team I've ever seen. That team had a solid but unspectacular Oline and was a bit of mystery coming into the season if I remember right (maybe I don't) but the offense was very well balanced and productive. That team I feel was kind of undermined by bad breaks and a young defense that gave good effort but was ultimately average.
I guess what I'm getting at is the "skill" players that year were very good that year and the offense was as well. I see this years team as having even more potential at those spots. This time around, they have a top notch defense backing them up.
4) These players are getting coached by a top notch staff at their positions.
5) A lot of the stand out Dlinemen from the Big 10 have moved on. Wooten, Graham, Schofield, Kirlew, and Odrick are gone. I know new playmakers for other teams will emerge, but those are huge names that the Hawks Oline won't have to deal with and most of them gave us fits a year ago. Halleluyah.
6) As great as last year was, I would think that there is still a big chip on their shoulders. Expectations are high but they are still viewed as they are the 3rd best team in the Big 10 behind Ohio State and Wisconsin. Plus they are viewed somewhat as a fluke team. I may have my black and gold blinders on, but I think they didn't reach their full potential last year. The level of success they were acheiving was new to them. I'm banking on the been there/done that principle. It won't just be a fun ride this time around. This time it's business. I expect them to have even more of killer instinct. 2009 was a step up from 2008, hopefully they take the next step.
