Here is next season's schedule and what we lose

[lightning1]

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

We're not winning the BIG West next year. That's not gonna happen. Not unless we get considerable improvement from our OL and WR positions.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

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.

I hear ya Dean. Not saying garbage...that's pretty harsh. Just saying you are what your record says you are. Those "one plays" were set up by everything that came before them. (for example, you could say we were one play from the B1G title in 2015...that last heartbreaking TD by MSU. That's technically true, but the reality is...there was a whole drive that lead to that "1 play". It wasn't a singular moment)

We're 6-3 and we're a 6-3 team (not an "almost 8-1" team). Let's see who we are on November 24th. That'll tell a bigger story.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

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?

I was at 10-2. They will be 9-3...and hopefully win a bowl game. This team is pretty good...but it's completely snakebit. I've been saying ever since Minnesota that you can't expect to play two true freshmen corners and not have them exploited against older players at some point. I really thought it was going to be Penn State more so than Purdue as I just didn't think Phil would leave them out there alone against Purdue's receivers. The fact is, our LBs are all new too. This defense has played well with the incredible inexperience they have in the secondary and at LB.

That being said, every mistake they have made, has been huge. The fumble and kicking game turnover that gave away Wisconsin, Stanley's awful play and colossal mistake on the goal line at Penn State...and then the bad snap and the two holding calls on two absolutely critical drives against Purdue.

I expect them to come out and play well in the next three games. I think they have something to prove. Thinking back on it...starting three new LBs, and two freshman corners...maybe our expectations were too high. That being said...it's the awful turnovers that have killed them in two of the games. Purdue made plays.

 

[lightning1]

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.

That information is easy enough to find. I'll do a search.

 

[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.

https://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/threads/official-record-prediction-thread.83678/
Lots of 10-2 predictions in here. Enjoy.

 

[Northside Hawk]

I was at 10-2. They will be 9-3...and hopefully win a bowl game. This team is pretty good...but it's completely snakebit. I've been saying ever since Minnesota that you can't expect to play two true freshmen corners and not have them exploited against older players at some point. I really thought it was going to be Penn State more so than Purdue as I just didn't think Phil would leave them out there alone against Purdue's receivers. The fact is, our LBs are all new too. This defense has played well with the incredible inexperience they have in the secondary and at LB.

That being said, every mistake they have made, has been huge. The fumble and kicking game turnover that gave away Wisconsin, Stanley's awful play and colossal mistake on the goal line at Penn State...and then the bad snap and the two holding calls on two absolutely critical drives against Purdue.

I expect them to come out and play well in the next three games. I think they have something to prove. Thinking back on it...starting three new LBs, and two freshman corners...maybe our expectations were too high. That being said...it's the awful turnovers that have killed them in two of the games. Purdue made plays.

The last thing we need is to fall into the trap of playing just good enough to lose. We're heading that direction now. We need to reverse it against Northwestern. Or Illinois and Nebraska will be tougher than they need to be. And if you give an underdog hope they can start flying around and playing out of their mind. Remember Minnesota 2010?

If we lose to Nebraska their should be a federal investigation. They aren't ready to match up with us the trenches just yet. Their passing game will make some plays but we will wear them down if we trust the process. A HC with twenty years at the helm should be able to get his players to trust the process.

 

[lightning1]

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.

I never claimed this team was garbage. If we had better OL play, we probably would be 9-0. If's and buts were candy and nuts....if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle....

 

[trj]

Begins and ends with NS. If he is who he is at this point I’d say 8-4. If he becomes more consistent l will say 10-2. If Hockenson doesn’t come back drop that to 9-3/7-5.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

With that schedule...lots of losses. They really blew it this year with their chances to make it to Indy.

 

[lightning1]

Begins and ends with NS. If he is who he is at this point I’d say 8-4. If he becomes more consistent l will say 10-2. If Hockenson doesn’t come back drop that to 9-3/7-5.

Hard to blame Stanley too much when his Center and Guards are being pushed back into his lap, on every other play. I'm starting to think KF really screwed the pooch by hiring an OC as the OL coach, in order to help BF look credible at the OC position. This OL has not played well. We can't run the ball when we need to.

 

[Caddy]

6-6, 7-5 does it really matter? We play in an awful division. 3 non con cupcakes, well ISU will beat us, but we won't win a game that means anything anyway. Looking at that I'm not sure we win a road game at all. Nebraska, like it or not, will be improved.

 

[Adam]

I'll say it right now! We will not and I repeat not win one of those road games next year point blank. And as much as I fricken can't stand the thought it's the first one we're going to lose will show the future of two programs and unfortunately Hawk fans hard for many of us to digest but I think we all know as long as we're truthful with ourselves we have a win at the second of this season that would be loss if playing it right now. I have a feeling that unfortunately this program is going to be seeing 6-6 seasons in the future for sometime now. I hate it, can't stand to admit it, but the reality is coming.

Good God man you have no fortitude. The sky is falling chicken little!

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

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.

I've always been more about what's in the glass than how full it is. An ounce of Johnny Walker Blue is light years better than a gallon of bud light.

I'll worry about next year, next year. Plenty left to play for, this year.

Beat NW. Go from there.

 

[phdsvp]

Looks like a record where Brian can't be give the HC job.

 

[Fryowa]

But really I am not that interested in next year yet. This team can and should reach 9-3 and a bowl game would give them a very nice 10 win season. After that the coaches need to rethink the offensive line and running game, should Iowa go to 330 pound Off linemen and more power blocking? Does the defense need to go with more varied blitz packages against the passing teams like PU and jNW.

They need to start recruiting and developing CBs who can play man coverage in the Big Ten which is, wether people want to believe it or not, changing to pass-first offense.

You can have the best DL in the world but if you don’t blitz more often than not and have guys who can stay with receivers, your goose is cooked.

Just to be clear, Im under no illusion that we will. We are Iowa and 5-4 in conference is how we roll.

 

[ClintonIAfan]

I think that they have the ability to go 12-0.

 

[ShockHawk22]

Where are you guys seeing 7+ wins? I think 6-6 is our ceiling. That’s going to be a rough year.

 

[Ben Rumson]

Good God man you have no fortitude. The sky is falling chicken little!

Just my opinion that the results regarding the schedule whether it be difficult or easier
seem to be the same. Of course your entitled to yours too.

 

[lightning1]

I think that they have the ability to go 12-0.

Is that your prediction or just something ambiguous that you can say? I think they have the ability to win the World Series. They can throw, catch and swing a bat. That's not my prediction for the 2019 MLB season, however.

 

[ClintonIAfan]

I will make my official prediction this summer, but at this time I don’t see any reason not to pick 12-0. There is no team on the schedule that Iowa can’t beat.