Game Preview, Prediction: NIU Dangerous Opponent for Hawkeyes
- Thread starter RobHowe
- Start date
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
I see this as a barometer to know where KF is really at. The recruiting seems to have improved on speed. The Hawks have a boatload of young O linemen that likely have some talent. KF is going to have to change to get back to the higher level. Not really nervous about this one. We'll see where KF is at. He should have the horses to win this by 2 TD even with the suspensions.
ClintonIAfan
Well-Known Member
Iowa 24
Niu 0
Niu 0
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
NIU has experience on both the offensive line and the defensive line. They always have athletes. Iowa has more weapons on offense and Nate Stanley. That should give them the advantage. Turnovers...this will likely decide the game.
kicker22
Well-Known Member
Can we really say at this time we have more weapons on offense? I'd like to think we have the potential to have some playmakers, but not sure I could state that they are in fact "weapons" at this time. Perhaps BB guns that could prove to be weapons at a later date, similar to what we've seen recently in Ames.
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
Yes...we can really say we have more weapons on offense. We have a guy that threw 26 TDs his first year starting against one of the toughest schedules in college football last year. It was his first year with a new OC and starting. We have a TE who led the country in TDs as a first year starter. We have another TE that is 6'5" 250 who can run and would start for pretty much any team in the B10. Those are three weapons as far as I'm concerned. That's 3-0 Iowa from what I have read for NIU...as far as proven playmakers at this level.
Great game note here from Rob:
Carey, a Big Ten product (Indiana ’93), is 4-1 versus teams from the league in his five seasons leading NIU. Under Carey, The Huskies have wins over Iowa, Purdue, Northwestern and most recently, Nebraska, with the only loss a 20-13 decision at No. 1 Ohio State in 2015.
Carey, a Big Ten product (Indiana ’93), is 4-1 versus teams from the league in his five seasons leading NIU. Under Carey, The Huskies have wins over Iowa, Purdue, Northwestern and most recently, Nebraska, with the only loss a 20-13 decision at No. 1 Ohio State in 2015.
Yes Iowa probably does have more weapons on offense.
But do we have a coaching staff that will utilize the weapons? Will our coaching staff actual game plan specific to NIU? I've seen way too many runs into 8/9 men fronts regardless of the opponent to believe that Iowa will be any different for this game.
If we don't turn it over and a ton of stupid penalties I like our chances to win comfortably. What's that mean? I dunno 27-10, 32 to 17 something like that. If we are turning it over and keep having 2nd and 13 and 3rd and longs to try and convert due to penalties they could make it a long day for themselves...
kicker22
Well-Known Member
I guess I'd like to believe that while we have a proven QB and TEs, we are breaking in new RBs and our receiving core is continuously criticized year in and year out and we are out two starters on the O-line. I'm not saying we have no skill, but a great deal of our firepower is untested. There's also the conservative nature of the play calling which could put a damper on our TE's getting open and Stanley getting opportunities to make plays.
kicker22
Well-Known Member
I should add that I think its a game we win late, but also one that is a grind where we'll see very few big plays from either team.
AreWeThereYet
Well-Known Member
What are we getting so worked up about? Stanley should be used to working behind offensive tackles with no experience by now.
hawkdrummer1
Well-Known Member
If we stay ahead of the sticks, we'll be fine. If we get in 3rd and long...that's when Huskie-boy at DE plays his best ball. Negate him with the run and pass when they're not expecting it.
That's it. On plays where we do have Stanley take a deep drop make sure and chip him with a back or TE to slow him down. There's ways to minimize a stud like his impact. We don't go deep but a couple times a game really so as long as Stanley goes through his reads quick and doesn't hold the ball forever our passing game and overall offense should move the ball on them.
hawkdrummer1
Well-Known Member
And we break a few long runs to his side, he'll tend to stay home a little longer rather than speed rush.
Breaking some runs would really help no doubt about it. Not to mention wear him down. I think he's like 240 something. So yeah doing what we want to do the most anyway and establishing that is by far plan A B and C.
AreWeThereYet
Well-Known Member
Put both Wieting and Ross in as blockers and run it right at his happy ass plenty of times.
