Here is next season's schedule and what we lose

[deanvogs]

6-6...really. LOL. You realize we are a few plays away from being undefeated and we have 17 of 21 starters back next year. Banwart started yesterday. Paulson played too. Kallenberger played in the first game and did very, very well for a freshman. Our OL has protected very well all year. Losing Reynolds and Render hurts, but Banwart will slide into the center role and you have four or five guys sitting in the wings on the OL. We will be fine there.

On defense...we are going to be much better. True freshmen corners...are going to make a leap with another offseason and they will be more physical. Hooker and Stone on the back end will be fine. I really think Stone is going to have some competition from Ojemudia moving to safety, Craddieth, and others. At LB, we are stacked...Welsh and Colbert are already very good and have improved so much. Neiman comes back...Jones is back...and then you have the freshmen...Benson and Doyle. The DL is going to be very, very good and better than this year...with more size. AJ, A. Nelson, and Golston all come back...plus Lattimore. Nixon, Shannon and Linderbaum will all be very good.

Tough schedule...but I find it hard to believe we lose any home games. Won't happen. ISU...is improved...but with our defense being better next year...more experienced...hard to believe they are going to score more points. Our entire skill position set is back.

10-2 is the worst I see.

Some people are glass 1/2 full and some are glass 1/2 empty. Obviously we know which posters are which. I tend to agree with you, we have a lot more players coming back than we lose, and it isn't even close.

 

[Northside Hawk]

He redshirted in 2016, according to his Bio. He'd be stupid to stay if he would get drafted in the top 3 rounds. I think he would be drafted in the top 3 rounds. Where would this offense be if Easley, Fant and Hockenson left? That's a disturbing thought.

Move IKM to wideout. Hayden did the exact same thing in 1990 when he had a two headed monster the backfield (Nick Bell/Tony Stewart) and moved running back Mike Saunders to wideout for one year. Ronnie Harmon played wideout for two years and played it well.

I think our backfield is too crowded as it is and would like to see the coaches settle on two. But it's a catch 22. With three backs no one is going to to see enough carries to prove they can get stronger with more touches.

IKM is easily the best receiving threat of our three backs and appears to be the one most susceptible to getting dinged up. And that kind of thinking outside the box may be too much of a stretch for Ferentz squared who, like we brought up last week, has a proven track record of successfully getting players to change positions. Just not as much with skill positions.

 

[Chickenlounge]

When can Rastetter go to the draft? I don't care of it's the draft for the Tasmanian Flag Football League, I just want him to declare for SOME draft SOMEWHERE! How can a team that relies on field position so much not have an amazing punter on the roster?

 

[lightning1]

6-6...really. LOL. You realize we are a few plays away from being undefeated and we have 17 of 21 starters back next year. Banwart started yesterday. Paulson played too. Kallenberger played in the first game and did very, very well for a freshman. Our OL has protected very well all year. Losing Reynolds and Render hurts, but Banwart will slide into the center role and you have four or five guys sitting in the wings on the OL. We will be fine there.

On defense...we are going to be much better. True freshmen corners...are going to make a leap with another offseason and they will be more physical. Hooker and Stone on the back end will be fine. I really think Stone is going to have some competition from Ojemudia moving to safety, Craddieth, and others. At LB, we are stacked...Welsh and Colbert are already very good and have improved so much. Neiman comes back...Jones is back...and then you have the freshmen...Benson and Doyle. The DL is going to be very, very good and better than this year...with more size. AJ, A. Nelson, and Golston all come back...plus Lattimore. Nixon, Shannon and Linderbaum will all be very good.

Tough schedule...but I find it hard to believe we lose any home games. Won't happen. ISU...is improved...but with our defense being better next year...more experienced...hard to believe they are going to score more points. Our entire skill position set is back.

10-2 is the worst I see.

We were supposed to be better this year and here we sit at 6-3 with at least 1 tough game to go. Didn't you predict 10-2 for THIS year?

 

[lightning1]

Move IKM to wideout. Hayden did the exact same thing in 1990 when he had a two headed monster the backfield (Nick Bell/Tony Stewart) and moved running back Mike Saunders to wideout for one year. Ronnie Harmon played wideout for two years and played it well.

I think our backfield is too crowded as it is and would like to see the coaches settle on two. But it's a catch 22. With three backs no one is going to to see enough carries to prove they can get stronger with more touches.

IKM is easily the best receiving threat of our three backs and appears to be the one most susceptible to getting dinged up. And that kind of thinking outside the box may be too much of a stretch for Ferentz squared who, like we brought up last week, has a proven track record of successfully getting players to change positions. Just not as much with skill positions.

KF isn't HF. He's not moving IKM to WR. Not in a million years.

 

[NikeHawk21]

Move IKM to wideout. Hayden did the exact same thing in 1990 when he had a two headed monster the backfield (Nick Bell/Tony Stewart) and moved running back Mike Saunders to wideout for one year. Ronnie Harmon played wideout for two years and played it well.

I think our backfield is too crowded as it is and would like to see the coaches settle on two. But it's a catch 22. With three backs no one is going to to see enough carries to prove they can get stronger with more touches.

IKM is easily the best receiving threat of our three backs and appears to be the one most susceptible to getting dinged up. And that kind of thinking outside the box may be too much of a stretch for Ferentz squared who, like we brought up last week, has a proven track record of successfully getting players to change positions. Just not as much with skill positions.

KF isn't HF. He's not moving IKM to WR. Not in a million years.

Hopefully we can get that Goodson kid involved in the offense in some way shape or form. To be quite honest I’m not impressed with our RBs this year at all. Think 10 is probably the best and he’s just okay. IKM has zero vision.

 

[lightning1]

Some people are glass 1/2 full and some are glass 1/2 empty. Obviously we know which posters are which. I tend to agree with you, we have a lot more players coming back than we lose, and it isn't even close.

That was said about this team for THIS year. Right? Weren't most predictions at 10-2 or 11-1 for the "glass half full crowd"? Help us out. Why should we believe that next year is the 10-2 year when you said it was supposed to be this year? You can understand our skepticism, right?

 

[Northside Hawk]

KF isn't HF. He's not moving IKM to WR. Not in a million years.

I can always dream. Our top returning wideouts would be Smith, ISM, and Tracy. Weiting and Beyer would be our TE's.

If we need evidence that Kirk isn't Hayden when it comes to skill position personnel that has probably been proven at least a thousand times!

 

[NikeHawk21]

That's like saying, This is a great place to settle...except for the lack of clean water. Without a solid O Line we're in deep doo. Next year could be rough...really rough. We're talking 2012 rough.

We lose a couple guys on the interior but have guys coming back with experience. Paulsen is serviceable. Kallenberger might slide into one of the guard spots.

On paper our defense might be even better next year and by most accounts we have a top 15 defense in the country right now.

Again, we are probably three plays from being undefeated right now. Unfortunately we aren’t.

Get a clue.

 

[deanvogs]

That was said about this team for THIS year. Right? Weren't most predictions at 10-2 or 11-1 for the "glass half full crowd"? Help us out. Why should we believe that next year is the 10-2 year when you said it was supposed to be this year? You can understand our skepticism, right?

I saw a couple people predict 10-2. I saw a ton more predict 6-6. You gonna lash out at them?

I predicted 9-3 personally, and I only did that because I thought our schedule was really easy. Turns out this isn't an easy schedule so far at all. We have played the 25th ranked schedule to date, I thought our SOS was going to be in the 60's or 70's like Wisconsin's is currently.

I still think this team finishes with 8 or 9 wins. I have always thought next year was going to be the better year. That was my opinion, and I still think it.

 

[Ben Rumson]

Some people are glass 1/2 full and some are glass 1/2 empty. Obviously we know which posters are which. I tend to agree with you, we have a lot more players coming back than we lose, and it isn't even close.

Hey, I'd love to be just as optimistic but I'm also a realist. I have more results in the last twenty years to back up my glass half empty opinions on why I see another 7-5 or 6-6 season next year than a 10-2 season. Yes we are a few plays from being undefeated this year...but reality is we aren't.

 

[EstronHawkKing]

Our defense should be very strong next year with Eppy, Golston, ANelson, Nixon and Lattimore on the DL. Our corners should be better with another year. Losing Hockaday will be addition by subtraction. On offense we really need a WR to compliment B Smith.

Reiff is back on the d-line as well

 

[hawkdrummer1]

6-6...really. LOL. You realize we are a few plays away from being undefeated and we have 17 of 21 starters back next year. Banwart started yesterday. Paulson played too. Kallenberger played in the first game and did very, very well for a freshman. Our OL has protected very well all year. Losing Reynolds and Render hurts, but Banwart will slide into the center role and you have four or five guys sitting in the wings on the OL. We will be fine there.

On defense...we are going to be much better. True freshmen corners...are going to make a leap with another offseason and they will be more physical. Hooker and Stone on the back end will be fine. I really think Stone is going to have some competition from Ojemudia moving to safety, Craddieth, and others. At LB, we are stacked...Welsh and Colbert are already very good and have improved so much. Neiman comes back...Jones is back...and then you have the freshmen...Benson and Doyle. The DL is going to be very, very good and better than this year...with more size. AJ, A. Nelson, and Golston all come back...plus Lattimore. Nixon, Shannon and Linderbaum will all be very good.

Tough schedule...but I find it hard to believe we lose any home games. Won't happen. ISU...is improved...but with our defense being better next year...more experienced...hard to believe they are going to score more points. Our entire skill position set is back.

10-2 is the worst I see.

WOTC, I love ya man but come on. Those plays didn't happen and they didn't happen for a reason. We weren't good enough. Every season there are a handfull of plays that could swing things one way of the other hypothetically.

Next year could be brutal...The only sure wins on the schedule are 2 of the 3 non-cons, Rutgers and Illinois. Maybe throw Minnesota in and that's 5. (though we know KFz likes to drop one he shouldn't every year)

The middle of our O line was suspect this year and next year we have their backups?! If there's one thing a KFz team can't win without...it's a solid offensive line. We do have young talent coming up at other positions....but without an offensive line it's gonna be rely on Phil Parker's D to hold everybody under 14.

I'd love to share your optimism, but today...I'm not seeing it.

 

[deanvogs]

That was said about this team for THIS year. Right? Weren't most predictions at 10-2 or 11-1 for the "glass half full crowd"? Help us out. Why should we believe that next year is the 10-2 year when you said it was supposed to be this year? You can understand our skepticism, right?

One other thing. We are an eyelash from being 9-0 right now. Every close game has broken the other teams way. It is what it is, but this team isn't garbage just because they throw a pick at the 3 yard line vs Penn St. and Iowa gets hit with 25 yards of penalties in the last few minutes vs Purdue.

People get way to high and way to low on some of these things. These things usually balance out. You usually win a couple close games and you lose a couple close games. Iowa has lost every one of them so far, we need to not lose any more close ones the rest of the way.

 

[EstronHawkKing]

if Kirk can't win the Big 10 West next year, he needs to retire or told to hit the road.

 

[deanvogs]

WOTC, I love ya man but come on. Those plays didn't happen and they didn't happen for a reason. We weren't good enough. Every season there are a handfull of plays that could swing things one way of the other hypothetically.

Next year could be brutal...The only sure wins on the schedule are 2 of the 3 non-cons, Rutgers and Illinois. Maybe throw Minnesota in and that's 5. (though we know KFz likes to drop one he shouldn't every year)

The middle of our O line was suspect this year and next year we have their backups?! If there's one thing a KFz team can't win without...it's a solid offensive line. We do have young talent coming up at other positions....but without an offensive line it's gonna be rely on Phil Parker's D to hold everybody under 14.

I'd love to share your optimism, but today...I'm not seeing it.

I disagree. If we hit on all those plays, I wouldn't be saying we are a playoff team, because we aren't that good, period. At the same time just because those plays went against us, doesn't mean the team is complete garbage either.

 

[lightning1]

I saw a couple people predict 10-2. I saw a ton more predict 6-6. You gonna lash out at them?

I predicted 9-3 personally, and I only did that because I thought our schedule was really easy. Turns out this isn't an easy schedule so far at all. We have played the 25th ranked schedule to date, I thought our SOS was going to be in the 60's or 70's like Wisconsin's is currently.

I still think this team finishes with 8 or 9 wins. I have always thought next year was going to be the better year. That was my opinion, and I still think it.

I'm not lashing out at anyone. I asked a question based on your "glass half full" comment. Now you are acting offended. A struck dog will howl, I guess.

 

[Motigerhawk]

It depends on Stanley.

If he follows the Iowa path to QB play, he will be even worse than he has been this year.

Bad QB play is something you cannot overcome.

That is a difficult schedule. And Bad Stanley could make for a 6-6 season.

 

[lightning1]

WOTC, I love ya man but come on. Those plays didn't happen and they didn't happen for a reason. We weren't good enough. Every season there are a handfull of plays that could swing things one way of the other hypothetically.

Next year could be brutal...The only sure wins on the schedule are 2 of the 3 non-cons, Rutgers and Illinois. Maybe throw Minnesota in and that's 5. (though we know KFz likes to drop one he shouldn't every year)

The middle of our O line was suspect this year and next year we have their backups?! If there's one thing a KFz team can't win without...it's a solid offensive line. We do have young talent coming up at other positions....but without an offensive line it's gonna be rely on Phil Parker's D to hold everybody under 14.

I'd love to share your optimism, but today...I'm not seeing it.

The OL was suspect last year. It's suspect THIS year. And it's likely to be suspect next year.

 

[deanvogs]

I'm not lashing out at anyone. I asked a question based on your "glass half full" comment. Now you are acting offended. A struck dog will howl, I guess.

What? I'm not the one howling on here. I don't even know if any on here at all predicted we would win the B1G West.