Everyone needs to relax (Because it might be time to panic)

BSpringsteen

BSpringsteen

Well-Known Member
First let's deal with indisputable fact.

1) This was not a national title team to start the season. No one was predicting 12-0.

2) Therefore what we are playing for this year is the Big 10 championship.

3) The loss yesterday does nothing to impact this.

4) As much as it may pain some to admit this, they do actually field a football team at Iowa State University.

Do not let the emotions of the day make the game into something that it isn't. CAARHawk said it best. This is Hawkeye preseason. Last year it wasn't, but this year it is. We have two more games and 3 more weeks before the real season starts. Yes it stinks that we lost to Iowa State. Get over it. It's one game.

Now why it is time to panic.

Maybe this team gets better as the year goes along, and we win 8-9 games and we have another good but not great season.

But yesterday this team looked more like it was 2000 than 2008. This isn't an extravagantly young team. There is no reason for a DL with 3 senior starters to be so completely ineffective. There is no reason for an anointed starting QB with two years in the program to be this disjointed.

The last three years that Miller likes to spout off as KF's great achievement have also taken place in Bizarro Big 10 world where Michigan stinks.

Add to this that traditional doormats have some renewed energy and Northwestern is never going to be a doormat again as long as Fitz is there. And that you now have Nebraska in your division.

And there is a gnawing feeling in my stomach that if we have another average season of 7 wins that our standing as a program is on precarious ground.

If you were buying programs right now in the Big 10 and I am being honest, Iowa is my 7th pick right now, maybe even 8th: Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Nebraska all have more momentum and more reasons for optimism. A case could be made that Northwestern belongs on that list. That leaves Iowa with Purdue, Indiana and Minnesota.

That's a big fat YO right there.

The opportunity that Iowa had at the beginning of last year, seems to have been seized by Wisconsin.

Yes Iowa has been consistent and yes, the season is only two games old. Yes, this thread may be 6-8 weeks too early.

But I see what else is happening around the league and I am getting the idea that this season is far more important for Iowa than wins and losses.
 
BSpringsteen said:
First let's deal with indisputable fact.

1) This was not a national title team to start the season. No one was predicting 12-0.



Is that really how you hawk fans think. Im sure TCU and Bosie State didnt think they had a shot either. Thinking like this will never get you into the game.
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BSpringsteen said:
First let's deal with indisputable fact.

1) This was not a national title team to start the season. No one was predicting 12-0.

2) Therefore what we are playing for this year is the Big 10 championship.

3) The loss yesterday does nothing to impact this.

4) As much as it may pain some to admit this, they do actually field a football team at Iowa State University.

Do not let the emotions of the day make the game into something that it isn't. CAARHawk said it best. This is Hawkeye preseason. Last year it wasn't, but this year it is. We have two more games and 3 more weeks before the real season starts. Yes it stinks that we lost to Iowa State. Get over it. It's one game.

Now why it is time to panic.

Maybe this team gets better as the year goes along, and we win 8-9 games and we have another good but not great season.

But yesterday this team looked more like it was 2000 than 2008. This isn't an extravagantly young team. There is no reason for a DL with 3 senior starters to be so completely ineffective. There is no reason for an anointed starting QB with two years in the program to be this disjointed.

The last three years that Miller likes to spout off as KF's great achievement have also taken place in Bizarro Big 10 world where Michigan stinks.

Add to this that traditional doormats have some renewed energy and Northwestern is never going to be a doormat again as long as Fitz is there. And that you now have Nebraska in your division.

And there is a gnawing feeling in my stomach that if we have another average season of 7 wins that our standing as a program is on precarious ground.

If you were buying programs right now in the Big 10 and I am being honest, Iowa is my 7th pick right now, maybe even 8th: Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Nebraska all have more momentum and more reasons for optimism. A case could be made that Northwestern belongs on that list. That leaves Iowa with Purdue, Indiana and Minnesota.

That's a big fat YO right there.

The opportunity that Iowa had at the beginning of last year, seems to have been seized by Wisconsin.

Yes Iowa has been consistent and yes, the season is only two games old. Yes, this thread may be 6-8 weeks too early.

But I see what else is happening around the league and I am getting the idea that this season is far more important for Iowa than wins and losses.
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Some of this is valid. Jon can spin it that the last three years are the best in program history - and in many ways, they have been outstanding, fun years.

Or, if you want to compare apples to apples a bit more, you could look at it as three seasons in which Iowa has gone 5-3, 6-2, and 4-4, seasons in which Michigan has been historically bad, and one of those years having the luxury of avoiding Ohio State. Also, Iowa had a top 5 paid coaching staff nationally during that period, too. Has Iowa ever put more resources, comparatively, into the program? So it's fair to have a higher set of expectations.

Still, perspective is good, and that was great stretch, capped with an Orange Bowl win. To somehow lump Iowa into a category with Minnesota, Purdue and Indiana, based on an overtime loss at our in-state rival, is ridiculous.
 
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To somehow lump Iowa into a category with Minnesota, Purdue and Indiana, based on an overtime loss at our in-state rival, is ridiculous.
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This is a true statement.

I am not lumping us in with that group based on the outcome of the game, I am lumping in with this group based on how we played, how we looked, and how we finished last season. If you recall, the only thing putting a preseason NATIONAL TITLE CONTENDER into a bowl game last year at all was a dropped pass in the endzone by Indiana.
 
BSpringsteen said:
This is a true statement.

I am not lumping us in with that group based on the outcome of the game, I am lumping in with this group based on how we played, how we looked, and how we finished last season. If you recall, the only thing putting a preseason NATIONAL TITLE CONTENDER into a bowl game last year at all was a dropped pass in the endzone by Indiana.
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We're ahead of these teams, and we should be for a while. I think we are behind the teams you mention except Mich. St. I don't buy them yet. I think we are on-level with Illinois and Mich St. right now.
 
This loss might be the best thing to happen to this team? They didn't have much to look at last week on film. This week will be a real eye opener for not only the players but also the coaches.
A renewed emphasis on tackleing, schemes, and special teams will be in order for the near future. I think Iowa will learn alot more from this game than a blow-out of a less than competitive team from some no-name conference.

Plus I have found motivation for my workouts...Anger from losing a game to Moo U.
 
I think the Boss identified the one key area of concern and that is the lack of potential difference makers on the future D Line.

Forgy, Gaglione, Nardo, and Bigach all seem to be about the same player and NONE are the future.

Daniels, Daniel, and Binns all leave after the season.

Alvis has had reps, but looks lost at DT.

NO ONE ELSE has ANY reps.

The line is not good enough to compete right now and we lose 5 of 8 of those guys, including 3 starters. The other three guys will be seniors, with 2 basically guys who are getting reps out of necessity.

I would feel much better if guys like Hardy, Davis, and Trinca-Passat were working their way in. Without that, 2012 looks really scary.

Seriously, wouldn't it be a good idea to get some young guys in there now?
 
I remember walking out of Kinnick after the 2002 Iowa/ISU game asking my buddy if Iowa could win a B10 game that season because their pass defense was so bad.

Just like in 2002, Iowa still has a great game prep coaching staff. Yesterday's issues will be addressed and things will get better.

The coaching staffs' in-game decision making, play calling, clock management has always been average at best. There are concerns on that front. There always will be for me. But overall they have proven to be the best a program like Iowa can hope for.

This was a bad loss, no question about it. But really the ISU game is at best the 9th most important game in any given season. Nobody can make a legit case that this game means more than any conference game.

When Iowa starts losing conference games, then its time to panic. Not now, way too early.
 
The issue for me is NOT this sEason, but the future on the D Line.

I mean seriously take a second to just ponder who is going to play D Line next year. It is one of the scariest propositions in recent Hawk history.
 
Xerxes said:
I remember walking out of Kinnick after the 2002 Iowa/ISU game asking my buddy if Iowa could win a B10 game that season because their pass defense was so bad.

Just like in 2002, Iowa still has a great game prep coaching staff. Yesterday's issues will be addressed and things will get better.

The coaching staffs' in-game decision making, play calling, clock management has always been average at best. There are concerns on that front. There always will be for me. But overall they have proven to be the best a program like Iowa can hope for.

This was a bad loss, no question about it. But really the ISU game is at best the 9th most important game in any given season. Nobody can make a legit case that this game means more than any conference game.

When Iowa starts losing conference games, then its time to panic. Not now, way too early.
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This is not where Iowa's ceiling is and it is ridiculous that people accept this mediocrity. Iowa is not a bad job at all.
 
BigRedPowrWagon said:
BSpringsteen said:
First let's deal with indisputable fact.

1) This was not a national title team to start the season. No one was predicting 12-0.



Is that really how you hawk fans think. Im sure TCU and Bosie State didnt think they had a shot either. Thinking like this will never get you into the game.
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Husker fan fails to realize that it's not the fans who play the games, and they do take personal credit for Husker wins.
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