Here's what made me ponder the most from this week's Friday 5:
3. I wonder…
…if Patrick McCaffery would benefit more from a redshirt than playing this season.
I hadn't thought about Patrick redshirting. Does he need to gain some weight and strength? Probably. Does that mean he will redshirt? Hard to tell. Right now it's hard to tell who will emerge from this year's team as leaders. Patrick has shown some good stuff, would a redshirt make a difference?
…how much Iowa’s three-man rotation at running back has hampered the ground game the last two seasons?
This is a tough one, neither Sargeant nor Young has really emerged as the clear leader the last two years. We hoped IKM might be that guy but now there's talk he's a redshirt although I don't know what that will accomplish. I could see him leave. We've all wonder if Goodson shouldn't be the go to guy but putting that responsibility on a true freshman is tough when it comes to blocking, picking up blitzes, that kind of staff.
…if Detroit natives Alaric Jackson and Chauncey Golston will pass on their final seasons at Iowa and test the NFL Draft.
I think Golston is ready to go pro. I'm not so sure about Jackson although I'd guess the lure of the money will be to hard to pass up, I'm guessing they both go.
…if any of Iowa’s backup quarterbacks in ’19 will leave the program before next season.
I'd say Mancelll is gone, what does he have to look forward to? Backing up Petras?
…how much help Hawkeye hoops will get next year from their five-man ’20 recruiting class.
I think all of next year's recruits are redshirt candidates, we'll have a veteran team and won't really be counting on any of them to come in and make a big difference.
…if any Iowa football assistant coaches will move on after the season.
This is maybe the most interesting point of all of this group. Do any of them get promoted to a head coaching spot and make a million a year? I've wondered if Polasek might not be a candidate, he was offensive coordinator before coming to Iowa so he's got good experience. But if they don't get a head spot they all make too much money to leave for other assistant spots unless they are shown the door. Who might get shown the door then? I'd guess many would think Brian Ferentz is a candidate but would dad really do that? I don't think so. Personally I like Brian and the job he's done. Has any other position group done so poorly they get fired? Not to my mind anyway.
Down deep I think it's time for the Nate Stanley era to be done. He hasn't really shown that much improvement over his three years, at least in my mind. When your to date losses are by scores of 10-3, 12-7, and 24-22 it doesn't seem like that much is wrong. Would a different QB that could have maybe taken us in for the scores to win any of those three losses made a difference? We'll never know. Nate has been a good but not great QB.