Howe: Hawkeye Turnaround Result of Hard Work

[ssckelley]

I was optimistic for 3 reasons. Our defense was going to be better by default...couldn’t get worse.

We were losing nothing and adding 2 guys that I was confident would make us better overall...and on D.

Other teams were losing a lot. See below. Juniors have been through it twice. Freshmen...even elite freshmen...have a learning curve. Advantage Iowa.


OSU - Tate, Williams and Bates-Diop
MSU - Bridges and Jackson
PU - V. Edwards, Haas, Mathias and Thompson
NE - Gill and Taylor
MI - Abdur-Rahkman, Robinson and Wagner
PSU - Garner and Carr
IN - Johnson, Newkirk and Hartman
NW - Lindsey, McIntosh and Skelly
MD - Cekovsky, Nickens and Jackson
WI - No one
IA - No one
MN - Mason and Lynch
RUT - Freeman, Williams and Sanders
IL - Alstork, Black, Finke, Smith and Lucas


The 2 teams that lost no one are in the top 6. PSU was dcrewed the day Carr left. Purdue’s success is the shocker.

You are optimistic every year.

 

[Ree4]

I wasn't vocal at all about thinking the team would be this much better than last year, but I felt that last year was a complete outlier for the way this team seemed to be trending (2017 --> 2018 -->2019) I felt that they finished 2017 pretty strong and last year I thought they were a much better team than their record showed. If not for the horrible defense they would have been. I didn't really think they'd have as good of a record as they currently have, and as many others have said I predicted that they'd be a bubble team, but it hasn't been that surprising to me. I think the biggest surprise has been the fact that they were undefeated in the non-conference. While not a very tough non-con, it's always tough to win that many games against some decent competition.

 

[seepig]

Everyone needs to remember we are not through February yet. The schedule IS favorable ,which as tough as this league is now with Penn State and Illinois playing better nothing is a guarantee, but as Miller and Deace said worst case we should go 4-3 down the stretch capable of 5-2. I suspect we brain fart 1 game and lose to Wisconsin and Maryland so I'm betting on 4-3. IF we could get either Wisconsin and/or Maryland 5-2 becomes very very real with a top 4 conference finish and double day bye for the conference tourney!

 

[SpiderRico]

I love this team, but I'm sorry, I'm just not there....not yet anyway....not with 7 games still left in the season. Rutgers (twice) is no gimme; Maryland just blitzed Purdue; Indiana is due; at OSU, at Wisky, and at Nebraska is no walk in the park.

If we go 2-5 or 1-6, are we going to be talking about a turnaround or talking about another choke job?

Our defense still isn't to be trusted....not with giving up nearly 80 to NW or nearly 100 to Minnesota recently.

I'll believe a "turnaround" in the program has happened if we can finish strong/get to the weekend in the BTT/get to the 2nd weekend of the NCAAs.

Yeah....about that turnaround.....

 

[RobHowe]

14-19 last year, 4-14 in the Big Ten.

Currently 21-10, 10-10.

Qualifies as a turnaround in my book.

 

[InGoodCo]

14-19 last year, 4-14 in the Big Ten.

Currently 21-10, 10-10.

Qualifies as a turnaround in my book.

It's still been an extreme turn around and a solid year considering where they started. That said, aint nobody feeling all that good right now. 2.5 weeks ago tho - we all were. That could change again in another 2 weeks. It' best not to get too high or low in sports - I had to remind myself that yesterday in Lincoln. I've been in a bad mood now going on close to 24 hours.

 

[Fryowa]

I've been in a bad mood now going on close to 24 hours.

Look on the bright side. You get to converse with me on an almost daily basis. I don't know what else a guy could ask for.

And you're not a Nebraska fan. Those two things together should have you singin' Easy Street.

 

[SpiderRico]

14-19 last year, 4-14 in the Big Ten.

Currently 21-10, 10-10.

Qualifies as a turnaround in my book.

I'd say in the midst of turning around, they slid into the ditch....turnaround incomplete.

 

[SteveGarvey1]

It's still been an extreme turn around and a solid year considering where they started. That said, aint nobody feeling all that good right now. 2.5 weeks ago tho - we all were. That could change again in another 2 weeks. It' best not to get too high or low in sports - I had to remind myself that yesterday in Lincoln. I've been in a bad mood now going on close to 24 hours.

I think I got these late season Fran fades understood. Early in said seasons, he gets them to overachieve, based on their talent and athleticism, somewhat even by his own force of will. But that only lasts so long. Other teams school up Iowa and learn how to play them better offensively and defensively by the end of seasons. Then Iowa realizes they aren't as athletic and lose confidence. Something like that anyway...

 

[hawkinarkansas]

This team currently resembles last years team, no toughness, no leadership and poor coaching. Iowa lucky to have not lost their last 8 going into the BIG tourney. But hey, we got a tremendous floor leader, related to the coach, who shot well in high school that we can lean into to carry us to defeat.

 

[PCHawk]

I think I got these late season Fran fades understood. Early in said seasons, he gets them to overachieve, based on their talent and athleticism, somewhat even by his own force of will. But that only lasts so long. Other teams school up Iowa and learn how to play them better offensively and defensively by the end of seasons. Then Iowa realizes they aren't as athletic and lose confidence. Something like that anyway...

That's pretty much exactly how I see it. When you look at the actual talent on the team, it really backs up the fact that the 3 teams that collapsed actually over achieved early in the year. I used to love the way Fran talks up his players. But the last few years has made me rethink that.