JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
The Hawkeyes and Tigers face off tomorrow as the Outback Bowl is upon us. This Iowa football season was quite unexpected and snuck up on a lot of people, me included. There is a part of me that wonders if I didn't enjoy the season as much as I should have, but then again this team won its final three games to get to 8-4, which meant it was a shaky 5-4 coming off a home loss to Wisconsin. That game was disappointing as Iowa left a lot of points off the board as the offense just couldn't finish. But the offense found it's way for 10 of its final 12 quarters (eliminating the first half against Michigan) and that's why they are in the Outback Bowl.
LSU is a quality foe, but their offense is nowhere near where the national statistics say that it is as quarterback Zach Mettenberger was a big reason for that production; he's out with a torn ACL. Anthony Jennings is his replacement. Jennings is a true freshman who enrolled at LSU early last January. He's thrown the ball 10 times in his career and given that Jake Rudock had two springs and summers prior to his starting this year, you can say Rudock had more seasoning entering this year than Jennings does entering this game. He has future NFL targets to throw to on the outside in Beckum and Landry, plus a bell cow running back behind him in Jeremy Hill and he has the ability to run the ball, but I think Iowa's defense is going to force some turnovers if Iowa can force LSU into third and mediums. Phil Parker has been especially aggressive this year and I hope Iowa has some pressure ready for Jennings to deal with, as he hasn't had to deal with this before. He played a few minutes in the last game against Arkansas...they were laying back as LSU had 98 yards to go to score. The touchdown pass was a broken coverage play. I think Iowa's defense has a chance to win this one.
The Iowa offense is not going up against an elite LSU defense. This is a group Iowa can score on and I'd love to see the Hawkeyes come out with their three tight end package, much like they did against Ohio State. Even though this Iowa offense didn't set the world on fire as it relates to finishing drives this year, think about the diversity it presents to an opposing defensive coordinator in the game prep area. The Hawkeyes actually run a number of different personnel packages and most of them do not tip their hand one way or another as it relates to run vs pass. Believe it or not, Iowa isn't necessarily an easy team to prepare for. All too often this year Iowa's biggest enemy was the man in the mirror, even though it did make drastic improvements on third down.
Jake Rudock will have had an entire month of film study to focus on LSU's weaknesses and this kid is like The Borg from Star Trek Next Gen fame; he sees and assimilates. I was very impressed with him this season as I think most fans were and the bowl prep has given him a chance to heal.
Speaking of health, when you look at Iowa's primary starting lineup for this year, the Hawkeyes will field all 22 of those players for their bowl game, including Dom Alvis who is running healthy at defensive end. This was arguably the healthiest Iowa football season of the Ferentz era in terms of games lost to injury. Iowa will have its complete compliment of the players it feels are its best options at each position for this game.
In the end, I think Iowa finds a way to win. Kirk Ferentz has shown a great hand in most of Iowa's bowl games since the 2003 Orange Bowl. Iowa was simply overpowered in the 2011 Insight Bowl against a much better Oklahoma team, but outside of that game the Hawkeyes have been more than competitive and have always looked well prepared. I think the final will be something like 27-24 or 27-20 Iowa and the Hawkeyes finish the season 9-4, ranked in the final Top 25 for the first time since 2009 and will springboard into a 2014 that has an incredibly favorable schedule and a year Iowa will start out ranked inside the Top 25 and likely be in the rankings all season long.
On to today's links
FOOTBALL
On solid footing | TheGazette
Three and Out: Breaking down back | TheGazette
2-Minute Drill: The Louisiana State Tigers | TheGazette
Hlog’s photos from Outback Bowl Beach Day | TheGazette
James Morris: Soaring from a solid base | TheGazette
Outback Bowl 2013: Hawkeye beach day | Hawk Central
Harty: Don’t fret about lost offensive line recruits | Hawk Central
Outback notes: Greg Davis happier with speed of offense, but he’s still not satisfied | Hawk Central
The race to replace Tanner Miller at free safety is already on | Hawk Central
Cohesive offensive line a big reason for Iowa’s ’13 jump | Hawk Central
Mike Tirico’s straightforward opinion of Kirk Ferentz is one you’ll want to hear | Hawk Central
2014 Outback Bowl: One final hurrah for linebacker trio HawkeyeDrive.com HawkeyeDrive.com
Iowa fans swarm in for Beach Day | LSU | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA
Alleva says Miles will be LSU
Rabalais: Hawkeyes fans embrace fun; LSU all-business | LSU | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA
Outback Bowl notebook: Hawkeyes push the tempo : Iowa Hawkeyes Football
Alvis cherishes chance to suit up one last time for Hawkeyes : Iowa Hawkeyes Football
Dispatches from Blogfrica: And The Valley Shook! Talks Iowa-LSU - Black Heart Gold Pants
Thunder and Lighning in Paradise: Damond Powell Flexes with Hulk Hogan - Black Heart Gold Pants
BASKETBALL
Iowa hosts Nebraska tonight at 6pm in its Big Ten opener. The game will be televised on BTN. In case you missed it, I ran through what I feel the final Big Ten standings will look like at this link. This is the most anticipated Big Ten season for Iowa in nearly a decade and I am glad the Maryland Eastern Pine Bluffs are behind Iowa this year; from here on in, every opponent is capable of beating you in the best conference in the land.
Nebraska transfer elevates Huskers | TheGazette
Oglesby return elevates Iowa’s B1G chances | TheGazette
Iowa Men look to start Big Ten season on right foot hosting border rival Nebraska | Hawk Central
Hawkeyes not expecting to see last-place caliber team : Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball
The pick: Hawkeyes finish fourth in Big Ten : Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball
Miles preparing for good look at model he hopes Huskers can emulate - Omaha.com
LSU is a quality foe, but their offense is nowhere near where the national statistics say that it is as quarterback Zach Mettenberger was a big reason for that production; he's out with a torn ACL. Anthony Jennings is his replacement. Jennings is a true freshman who enrolled at LSU early last January. He's thrown the ball 10 times in his career and given that Jake Rudock had two springs and summers prior to his starting this year, you can say Rudock had more seasoning entering this year than Jennings does entering this game. He has future NFL targets to throw to on the outside in Beckum and Landry, plus a bell cow running back behind him in Jeremy Hill and he has the ability to run the ball, but I think Iowa's defense is going to force some turnovers if Iowa can force LSU into third and mediums. Phil Parker has been especially aggressive this year and I hope Iowa has some pressure ready for Jennings to deal with, as he hasn't had to deal with this before. He played a few minutes in the last game against Arkansas...they were laying back as LSU had 98 yards to go to score. The touchdown pass was a broken coverage play. I think Iowa's defense has a chance to win this one.
The Iowa offense is not going up against an elite LSU defense. This is a group Iowa can score on and I'd love to see the Hawkeyes come out with their three tight end package, much like they did against Ohio State. Even though this Iowa offense didn't set the world on fire as it relates to finishing drives this year, think about the diversity it presents to an opposing defensive coordinator in the game prep area. The Hawkeyes actually run a number of different personnel packages and most of them do not tip their hand one way or another as it relates to run vs pass. Believe it or not, Iowa isn't necessarily an easy team to prepare for. All too often this year Iowa's biggest enemy was the man in the mirror, even though it did make drastic improvements on third down.
Jake Rudock will have had an entire month of film study to focus on LSU's weaknesses and this kid is like The Borg from Star Trek Next Gen fame; he sees and assimilates. I was very impressed with him this season as I think most fans were and the bowl prep has given him a chance to heal.
Speaking of health, when you look at Iowa's primary starting lineup for this year, the Hawkeyes will field all 22 of those players for their bowl game, including Dom Alvis who is running healthy at defensive end. This was arguably the healthiest Iowa football season of the Ferentz era in terms of games lost to injury. Iowa will have its complete compliment of the players it feels are its best options at each position for this game.
In the end, I think Iowa finds a way to win. Kirk Ferentz has shown a great hand in most of Iowa's bowl games since the 2003 Orange Bowl. Iowa was simply overpowered in the 2011 Insight Bowl against a much better Oklahoma team, but outside of that game the Hawkeyes have been more than competitive and have always looked well prepared. I think the final will be something like 27-24 or 27-20 Iowa and the Hawkeyes finish the season 9-4, ranked in the final Top 25 for the first time since 2009 and will springboard into a 2014 that has an incredibly favorable schedule and a year Iowa will start out ranked inside the Top 25 and likely be in the rankings all season long.
On to today's links
FOOTBALL
On solid footing | TheGazette
Three and Out: Breaking down back | TheGazette
2-Minute Drill: The Louisiana State Tigers | TheGazette
Hlog’s photos from Outback Bowl Beach Day | TheGazette
James Morris: Soaring from a solid base | TheGazette
Outback Bowl 2013: Hawkeye beach day | Hawk Central
Harty: Don’t fret about lost offensive line recruits | Hawk Central
Outback notes: Greg Davis happier with speed of offense, but he’s still not satisfied | Hawk Central
The race to replace Tanner Miller at free safety is already on | Hawk Central
Cohesive offensive line a big reason for Iowa’s ’13 jump | Hawk Central
Mike Tirico’s straightforward opinion of Kirk Ferentz is one you’ll want to hear | Hawk Central
2014 Outback Bowl: One final hurrah for linebacker trio HawkeyeDrive.com HawkeyeDrive.com
Iowa fans swarm in for Beach Day | LSU | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA
Alleva says Miles will be LSU
Rabalais: Hawkeyes fans embrace fun; LSU all-business | LSU | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA
Outback Bowl notebook: Hawkeyes push the tempo : Iowa Hawkeyes Football
Alvis cherishes chance to suit up one last time for Hawkeyes : Iowa Hawkeyes Football
Dispatches from Blogfrica: And The Valley Shook! Talks Iowa-LSU - Black Heart Gold Pants
Thunder and Lighning in Paradise: Damond Powell Flexes with Hulk Hogan - Black Heart Gold Pants
BASKETBALL
Iowa hosts Nebraska tonight at 6pm in its Big Ten opener. The game will be televised on BTN. In case you missed it, I ran through what I feel the final Big Ten standings will look like at this link. This is the most anticipated Big Ten season for Iowa in nearly a decade and I am glad the Maryland Eastern Pine Bluffs are behind Iowa this year; from here on in, every opponent is capable of beating you in the best conference in the land.
Nebraska transfer elevates Huskers | TheGazette
Oglesby return elevates Iowa’s B1G chances | TheGazette
Iowa Men look to start Big Ten season on right foot hosting border rival Nebraska | Hawk Central
Hawkeyes not expecting to see last-place caliber team : Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball
The pick: Hawkeyes finish fourth in Big Ten : Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball
Miles preparing for good look at model he hopes Huskers can emulate - Omaha.com
