Defensive Line Surprises

[Clifking]

Alvis: was our 2nd or 3rd best d-lineman last year before he got injured. I think he was undersized, but really good. Hopefully he will have put on some strength and weight in the 1 1/2 years off. I remember gamefilm consistently comparing him to Klug. If he is able to recover, he will be very serviceable.

Bigach: I think its possible he has a strong senior year, and from the articles I've read, he acts like a leader for the unit. It will be his time to shine. He's not the most athletically gifted, but we've had plenty that have fit that mold, and performed very well. at 282, he's got decent size.

Davis: Here is the real wild card. He hasn't played well yet. To say that he makes the leap in one summer camp is a stretch, but could happen. he has the body for it. If he did make a giant leap, it would be HUGE for this team. Expect it to happen mid season if it does.

Cooper: He will be good, but will make mistakes. I expect him to get much, MUCH better as the year progresses. I think its likely he's a starter, but rotates a great deal. Size is fine at 280.

Gaglione: Sounds like he's really come on, and has gotten stronger, but didn't look that impressive this spring. Size I suspect is the biggest issue at 264. I suspect he sees a lot of reps, and improves a lot.

Trinca Passat: Most improved of spring ball per KF. He could also be a starter. Again, huge improvement is possible, but how fast can he do it? Size is at 270, so for a dt he could stand to put on 5-8 pounds.

Hard: don't know much about him.

Riley Mccmin: was a starter for part of spring ball. sounds like he is a future star, but needs to put on a lot of mass 245 with a 6-7 frame. he'll be uses in rotation, I'm sure.

Freshman: could play but I'd be surprised if they played much.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

Anyone.

I can't imagine that we could have 5 backs on scholarship who are all worse that Coker.

Coker was the slowest back to the hole ive ever see, couldn't make anyone miss, and had zero speed.

He was force fed the ball against an abnormally weak lineup of opponents, when he faced a good D he had nothing.

------------------------------------
There are a number of players who you might site as "representative" of Iowa football under KFz. Dallas Clark, Bob Sanders, Chad Greenway, all for reasons that need no explanation. That's the good.

And similarly...there's no better metaphor for KFz's shortcomings and tunnel vision than Marcus Coker. This is not a knock on Marcus...by all accounts a smart, hard-working, great kid. But a perfect example (right behind Herb Grigsby) of KFz's stubbornness.

 

[OUTofTOWNHAWK]

Say what you want about Coker, but there was a coach that was going to ride that horse till he died. Thats going to make his stats look bad. I know he wasnt perfect, but given a break with a speed back and I think more people would realize how good he was.

Hard for a guy to not have problems when pulling the load the entire game. ARob got the same treatment and I think he handled it better until MSU.

As a recruit you might see this playing time as a big apple, but if you really think about it you wont end up any better being beat up and thrown out. Rbs have short life spans no need to make it shorter.

 

[tm3308]

Coker was good, though also overhyped, IMO. The breakaway TD run against Mizzou was the worst thing to ever happen to him.

He's good, but he's not the kind of back I prefer.

 

[bcl20]

Coker would be a great guy to bring in as a back up mixed in with a faster back. It'd be fun watching Coker run over guys who were wore down from chasing a fast guy all over the field.

 

[OUTofTOWNHAWK]

As far as recent backs go I would have liked to seen a Coker, Wegher combo.

 

[RocknRollface]

As far as recent backs go I would have liked to seen a Coker, Wegher combo.

My two least favorite, LOL.

A Jewel Hampton McCall combo would have been ridiculous.

 

[RocknRollface]

Say what you want about Coker, but there was a coach that was going to ride that horse till he died. Thats going to make his stats look bad. I know he wasnt perfect, but given a break with a speed back and I think more people would realize how good he was.

Hard for a guy to not have problems when pulling the load the entire game. ARob got the same treatment and I think he handled it better until MSU.

As a recruit you might see this playing time as a big apple, but if you really think about it you wont end up any better being beat up and thrown out. Rbs have short life spans no need to make it shorter.

He would have been a very good short yardage back but as an every down back his lack of ability to rip off sizable chunks of yards when they were available was a killer.

McCall, Coker and Canzeri could have been a great three headed monster because they were all so different.

 

[RocknRollface]

I don't say JVB sucks. I say the JVB is ranks above only Scott Mullen and Kyle McCann in KF era QB's.

Im just going to assume you forgot the QB that was on the field 2007. If your insinuating thats its even a question than your just not being honest.

Also, no way is Nathan Chandler a better QB than JVB. You can't just look at record, Iowa had an outrageously talented defense that year. Put that defense on this years team and we have no more than two losses and probalby don't lose a game. Hell, Bob Sanders alone is probably worth one more win.

My Rank taking into account the teams that were around them,

1.Drew Tate
2.Banks
3. tie, Stanzi and JVB
4. Chandler
5. McCann
6. Mullen


If Stanzi could have done anything in 2010 he'd be higher. He lead one of the best teams in Hawkeye history but he lead the most disappointing team ever a year later.

 

[JHHawk]

Vandy had 25 td passes with 6 interceptions,and 3100 yards....that is not chump stats. Fans quickly forget what he did right,because of the losses to Neb and OK,two very good teams,on the road.

9-3 is the best case,but it could happen. MSU,Mich and Neb are the true hurdles.

 

[BSpringsteen]

Im just going to assume you forgot the QB that was on the field 2007. If your insinuating thats its even a question than your just not being honest.

Also, no way is Nathan Chandler a better QB than JVB. You can't just look at record, Iowa had an outrageously talented defense that year. Put that defense on this years team and we have no more than two losses and probalby don't lose a game. Hell, Bob Sanders alone is probably worth one more win.

My Rank taking into account the teams that were around them,

1.Drew Tate
2.Banks
3. tie, Stanzi and JVB
4. Chandler
5. McCann
6. Mullen


If Stanzi could have done anything in 2010 he'd be higher. He lead one of the best teams in Hawkeye history but he lead the most disappointing team ever a year later.

Guilty as charged. Yes the starting QB in 2007 is better than absolutely no one in the KF era.

So you'll notice that puts JVB in the middle, which I think is just about right. He is not as good as Chandler who was much more savvy and IMO had a better fb IQ.

 

[trj]

Chandler wasn't better than JVB. In 2003 Iowa won a couple games when Chandler did not do anything.


Coker simply didn't fit the zone blocking scheme his performance in the insight bowl was a little deceptive.

 

[tm3308]

Vandy had 25 td passes with 6 interceptions,and 3100 yards....that is not chump stats. Fans quickly forget what he did right,because of the losses to Neb and OK,two very good teams,on the road.

9-3 is the best case,but it could happen. MSU,Mich and Neb are the true hurdles.

Vandy didn't perform well all year on the road. It wasn't just those those two games that you mentioned.

 

[ChosenChildren]

Our offense is going to be pretty good?

As evidenced by what? The OL?

That's great - they better be good enough to let JVB just sit back and watch, because under any pressure, that guy stinks. They better be good enough to open up a hole the size of - well you know - because we don't have any proven running backs to run through them. Eventually with 15 seconds of sitting in the pocket without pressure - some of our totally unproven WR's should be able to get open.

Our back 7 on D and OL should be top 4 in conference. Every other unit is Bottom 4 in the conference.

Vandenberg's stats aren't consistent with your assessment. That team last year wins 9 games with an "average" Iowa defense (we were below average)

He'll be very good this fall if he stays injury free -

 

[nickhawk]

Truly hypothetical here, but let's say the DL surprises to the upside this year. Carl Davis comes into his own, Bigach plays like a 5th year senior, and Alvis and Cooper make substantial leaps from the previous year. Couple that with a few people coming out of nowhere to make an impact...Spears and Trinca-Passat.

Looking at the schedule and the fact that I think our offense is going to be pretty good, especially against the home competition, I think 9-3 becomes a distinct possibility. They have to win at Indiana and NW...and beat Penn State and Nebraska at home for this to come to fruition. Certainly not locks, but definitely something that can be done. Penn State worries me more than Nebraska.

I agree with the OP that if the D-line surprises and overachieves, this team has a realistic shot at a 9-3 season.

I think that if Alvis is healthy, he will be our best D-lineman. From what I heard in the spring, Gaglione has really come on and will surprise some folks come this fall. The key will be the development of Carl Davis and Darian Cooper. These two have the size to be effective run stoppers but they are both unproven. If they can clog up some running lanes and at least slow down some opposing running games and allow our LB’s to run to the ball without having to shed multiple blockers, I think the defense can be a pretty formidable unit with the back 7 that the Hawks will be starting.

 

[BSpringsteen]

Vandenberg's stats aren't consistent with your assessment. That team last year wins 9 games with an "average" Iowa defense (we were below average)

He'll be very good this fall if he stays injury free -

What ******* stats are you talking about. I'm looking at the one where we lost 6 games and only won 7. Because for the love of all things holy, I could give two ***** if our QB threw more interceptions than touchdown passes and we go 12 and ******* O.

The fact of the matter is that he was highly ineffective against any kind of legitimate competition, and the love fest for this kid for not ******* down his leg at the horse shoe ought to end now.

Yes it was an admirable performance for a true freshman. No I don't give a **** about that performance or that game any longer.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

What ******* stats are you talking about. I'm looking at the one where we lost 6 games and only won 7. Because for the love of all things holy, I could give two ***** if our QB threw more interceptions than touchdown passes and we go 12 and ******* O.

The fact of the matter is that he was highly ineffective against any kind of legitimate competition, and the love fest for this kid for not ******* down his leg at the horse shoe ought to end now.

Yes it was an admirable performance for a true freshman. No I don't give a **** about that performance or that game any longer.

Wow...what were you saying when JVB was making the plays he did last year. It's all luck. The fact of the matter is, he didn't show good pocket presence last year against complex blitz packages and he doesn't feel pressure well. I'll give you that, but that also could be an experience thing...with some coaching thrown in there.

The reality though, and one you fail to appreciate, is that he doesn't play the games by himself. When your offense is predicated on running the ball and setting up play action to be successful, you better freaking be able to run the football. Well, in all the games you speak of, we couldn't run the football...so what happens. We are behind the chains and our play selection becomes really predictable...especially with O'Sleep running the ship. To lay all that on JVB is ridiculous...and moronic to say the least. I'll give you that he has some shortcomings that he can improve upon...but he manages the game, and if he has time...he can deliver it accurately. I think he makes a huge leap this year with a less predictable offense...and one that sounds like will try to set up the run with the pass.

 

[Golfer]

So anyway,if the D Line grows up quickly, and toughs it out, we could have an above average year. I sense they will over perform. My instinct. Not sure I'd bet everything on it, but I just have a feeling this year.

If, and there are quite a few big ifs, nothing major happens between 2012-2014, we should be ok, and back where our team's performance is easier to accept in terms of w-l.

 

[Hawkcrush]

He also had the lowest YPC average of any starting Big 10 running back.

DING! DING! DING! We have a winner. By what measure was Coker great? You try to come accross as an expert on this matter, so please enlighten us about his greatness. So when he doesn't even start at Stony Brook is your argument flawed? He was a good tough servicable back, but was not even the best back on the team at the time. I wished it would have worked out for him, but don't let your fondness for him feed you some tainted cool-aid.

You cannot use he lead the team in rushing, because who else even got to cary a ball.

 

[Golfer]

Talent means less in college football than the pros. Heart means more. I'm referring to the D line, not much interested in the JVB/MC discussion. JVB will be fine this year. MC is gone.