Hawks gritty and determined, not lucky, now the bye week

[uihawk82]

Iowa actually had 5 starters out of this game (O-linemen Jackson and Bonwart, Rieff, Hankins & Merriweather) -- that's over 20% of the starters, plus multiple backups that would have played key roles such as Brents & Moss. Getting out of Ames with a W using that patched-up lineup is quite an accomplishment...
Made possible by zero TOs and deep into the 4th quarter having only 2 penalties for 5 yards in a hostile environment -- this last stat perhaps the most amazing...disciplined as heck on the O-line.
Co-MVPs: K Duncan and the Punter. Duncan is obvious, but you realize again this year just how important it is for Iowa to have a good punter...his punts are not only long, but have incredible hang-time. Just a gem of a find and a shame we only have him for 1 year. Now, get out and recruit the best h.s. punter in the U.S. for next year!

I think you underestimate our running game and also using the running backs in the passing game,

 

[thedukeofearl]

Stanley might have been the player of the game. When we desperately needed a first down or TD he came through. He is a large lad, not fat, and is a damn bull running with the ball, very difficult to take down.....

And that pass on third and long which kept the drive alive

Actually the player of the game was the entire Hawkeye Team

That was an Epic battle and the better team won

GameOver

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Good god. There were seveal DBs out for our team, otherwise it was a pretty solid performance. ISU has a really good defense as well.

Stanley was the player of the game, and hasn't turned the ball over in this rivalry game in his three years as a starter. He's been the starting QB in three of our last five in a row. He's not perfect at all, but he overall was a big factor in this victory.

I hope the deficiencies you noted will improve when injured players are able to return.

Agreed, but gotta give Duncan player of the game. Absolutely nails and 4 for 4 with a couple of deeper ones.

 

[trj]

Let's see how Iowa State does the rest of the way. They have a ton of players back from last year. They miss Butler and Montgomery...but the whole DL, LBs and safeties were back on defense and their QB, and entire OL was back this year. They won 8 last year...and you would think they have a shot to win a ton of games in that conference against teams not named Texas or Oklahoma.

Road games in Jack Trice are tough...with the injuries we had, ISU with the extra week, makes it even tougher. Getting a win was huge. That game for so many reasons was set up for a loss...but it didn't happen. That's a pretty impressive win if you ask me.

Disagree. Games in Waco and Manhattan will be tough. I am as stoked as anyone we beat ISU; however, at the end of the day we probably beat a 7-5 team on the road. It is a good win, but Iowa didn’t beat the Big 12 champ or a team that will be close.

 

[revkev73]

I see your points. We're just in more of a glass half full, half empty discussion.

He didn't wilt in his last three big games (Miss St, Nebby, ISU). Made some big plays when it counted. He has 9-10 games ahead of him yet. I guess we'll see.

The comparison group is small (Stanzi, Tate, et al). I sometimes wonder who some hawk fans compare Stanley, and KF, for that matter, to.

If, under his leadership, we lose some close games this year due to his inability to make plays when it counts, you will be right about the wilting. I"m just not seeing it right now. I see a fighter. Player of the game, in fact. The bright lights were definitely on last night. Cheers

It was a big win.

I would vote for the FG kicker as POTG.

Post game critiques and evaluation is constant for the players, coaches, fans. No QB or player is perfect. Stanley has a habit of missing lots of wide open receivers by a mile. Just part of who he is so far in his imperfect development.

I am hopeful for him and Iowa. Wisconsin and Northwestern loom as opportunities.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

Disagree. Games in Waco and Manhattan will be tough. I am as stoked as anyone we beat ISU; however, at the end of the day we probably beat a 7-5 team on the road. It is a good win, but Iowa didn’t beat the Big 12 champ or a team that will be close.

We will just have to wait and see how things go. I think ISU is a pretty good team. They are well coached. That's a veteran offensive line and defensive line...they aren't going to get blown up in anyone's running game on defense. They have good athletes. Their big issue on defense is a pass rush. They put pressure on Stanley...but it was with multiple blitz packages.

Like I said, I think they can beat everyone in that conference not named Texas or Oklahoma...will they? Probably not...but they will win at home and at the doormat teams on the road.

 

[trj]

We will just have to wait and see how things go. I think ISU is a pretty good team. They are well coached. That's a veteran offensive line and defensive line...they aren't going to get blown up in anyone's running game on defense. They have good athletes. Their big issue on defense is a pass rush. They put pressure on Stanley...but it was with multiple blitz packages.

Like I said, I think they can beat everyone in that conference not named Texas or Oklahoma...will they? Probably not...but they will win at home and at the doormat teams on the road.

That’s just it the only doormats are Kansas and maybe T Tech. Games in Waco and Manhattan will be dogfights. I don’t think they hold serve at home.

Not poo pooing the win because Iowa beat a hated rival on the road. Come December it will turn out Iowa beat a 7-5 team on the road.

 

[ibahawkeye]

They don't scare you? They both have excellent defenses. Much better than what we saw last night. Much better athletes as well. Michigan has about 4 receivers that are better than anyone ISU had. Our running game is going to be bad like last year, so you trust Stanley to come up with points through the air?

Barkley and Trace are gone from PSU and we seem to always play Mich tough so no they don’t scare me.

That’s not to say I guarantee a win but we’ll compete.

 

[Jonrn]

One silver lining, assuming our DBs get healthy, we will have developed some good depth.

I thought the same thing, hopefully this will help Iowa and especially DJ long term getting live reps to play nickel and cash. I also think this builds depth on the oline with Jackson out.

When inevitably he turns pro after this year we’ll have some nice options at LT

 

[Xerxes]

We will just have to wait and see how things go. I think ISU is a pretty good team. They are well coached. That's a veteran offensive line and defensive line...they aren't going to get blown up in anyone's running game on defense. They have good athletes. Their big issue on defense is a pass rush. They put pressure on Stanley...but it was with multiple blitz packages.

Like I said, I think they can beat everyone in that conference not named Texas or Oklahoma...will they? Probably not...but they will win at home and at the doormat teams on the road.

Don't sleep on TCU. Besides ISU they're the one team in the Big 12 that actually plays tough defense. But ISU does play them in Ames

 

[uihawk82]

Don't sleep on TCU. Besides ISU they're the one team in the Big 12 that actually plays tough defense. But ISU does play them in Ames

Right and as I said Purdue got globbered by TCU at Purdue.

 

[revkev73]

We will just have to wait and see how things go. I think ISU is a pretty good team. They are well coached. That's a veteran offensive line and defensive line...they aren't going to get blown up in anyone's running game on defense. They have good athletes. Their big issue on defense is a pass rush. They put pressure on Stanley...but it was with multiple blitz packages.

Like I said, I think they can beat everyone in that conference not named Texas or Oklahoma...will they? Probably not...but they will win at home and at the doormat teams on the road.

I was impressed with ISU, I think at the end of the year, beating them in Ames will be a help in how Iowa ends up in the rankings.

 

[racerhawk]

Agreed, but gotta give Duncan player of the game. Absolutely nails and 4 for 4 with a couple of deeper ones.

Great point. I tend to agree. I was going off what some of the media people were saying in terms of player of the game.

Stanley's criticisms are reasonable. I just don't think he also gets the credit he deserves.

 

[GesterHawk]

Great point. I tend to agree. I was going off what some of the media people were saying in terms of player of the game.

Stanley's criticisms are reasonable. I just don't think he also gets the credit he deserves.

Our fanbase will always talk more about the 3 plays a game Stanley misses - regardless of how the drive turns out - than the 8 big plays he makes.

Somewhere along the line our fanbase has come to believe that we have had some truly stellar QBs, but the truth is we have had some really good college QBs that are still deeply flawed in one way or another.

I laugh anytime someone talks up Ricky Stanzi as a great QB. Rick Six was a heck of a leader, but only a good college QB. Our fanbase looks back fondly at his time at QB, partly because of who he replaced, but also because the games were a little more exciting with him at the helm. But what we forget is why they were more exciting - he was just as likely to through a td for the other team as he was for the Hawks (yes, this is exaggeration, but not by much).

5 years from now our fanbase will look back at Nate more fondly and talk about how steady and solid he was. How we never worried about him handing the game over to the other team via interception.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

A few things to work on, a bit of rest and recovery needed, but you can't be better than 3-0. You can't do better than blow out two lesser opponents and beat a very good team in their stadium.

I don't think I've picked up on any glaring weaknesses short of secondary depth and there is a lot of injury involved in that. I'd like to see a plan for making teams pay for constantly committing 2 blockers to Epenesa.

We have and are creating excellent OL depth for now and the future with Jackson coming back...and a likely 4-0 start.

Opportunities for Goodson to get involved and get meaningful snaps. RB's will be rested and ready for the big games. Look at Sergeant late last year.

The kicking game, knock on wood is off to a great start. Special teams coverage has looked very good.
Return game is off to a slow start but it takes time. Important to note though that the punt return segment derailed the season first last yr vs Wisky and its reared its head to a lesser degree this year already. Fortunately against a much lesser opponent.

I believe there has been more imagination in the play calling. Look at the ISU game. We almost scratched where it itched to quote the great Hayden Fry. We moved the ball at times with good play calling. Screens have been well-used, play action pass and draws have mixed it up even using deep drop draw play action passing.

Red zone efficiency must be improved. And to be honest, Stanley is our best option on 3rd or 4th and 1. He's a beast and a handful
That pile moves forward. No more fb dives where the fb leaves his feet in a pile dive attempt.

Oliver Martin will continue to learn the playbook and will see an increased role. Tracy, Smith, ISM, Raigini, Martin....solid group with LOADS of potential. All of this developing with a high ceiling.

 

[uihawk82]

A few things to work on, a bit of rest and recovery needed, but you can't be better than 3-0. You can't do better than blow out two lesser opponents and beat a very good team in their stadium.

I don't think I've picked up on any glaring weaknesses short of secondary depth and there is a lot of injury involved in that. I'd like to see a plan for making teams pay for constantly committing 2 blockers to Epenesa.

We have and are creating excellent OL depth for now and the future with Jackson coming back...and a likely 4-0 start.

Opportunities for Goodson to get involved and get meaningful snaps. RB's will be rested and ready for the big games. Look at Sergeant late last year.

The kicking game, knock on wood is off to a great start. Special teams coverage has looked very good.
Return game is off to a slow start but it takes time. Important to note though that the punt return segment derailed the season first last yr vs Wisky and its reared its head to a lesser degree this year already. Fortunately against a much lesser opponent.

I believe there has been more imagination in the play calling. Look at the ISU game. We almost scratched where it itched to quote the great Hayden Fry. We moved the ball at times with good play calling. Screens have been well-used, play action pass and draws have mixed it up even using deep drop draw play action passing.

Red zone efficiency must be improved. And to be honest, Stanley is our best option on 3rd or 4th and 1. He's a beast and a handful
That pile moves forward. No more fb dives where the fb leaves his feet in a pile dive attempt.

Oliver Martin will continue to learn the playbook and will see an increased role. Tracy, Smith, ISM, Raigini, Martin....solid group with LOADS of potential. All of this developing with a high ceiling.

Good thoughts. I think Raigani got his feet wet and saw what a nice 15 yard punt return can do for the team. I have no idea what Ragani's past experience has been as a punt returner but it is big time games now and he has the speed and I hope he has the hands and the moves. KF I think first doesnt want bad things to happen on a punt return then even a yard gain is a bonus.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

Well said uihawk. I liked the improvement for sure. The nice return from the plus 40 was nice ! He looks like a gamer.