If Someone Told Me After the 2009 season

[uihawk82]

your op stated u didnt understand why we had 7-5 expectations considering all the talent and difference makers we had. then you pointed out a couple of difference makers in games we lost, games that essentially made the difference between 7-5 and 9-3.... the fall down of your logic is astonishing...

Come on now boys, let us look at the real reason we lost the minny game, coaching brainfarts, and I like KF as our head coach. When you run all over the opposing team and cant get it in the end zone, when your kicking and special teams biff it, and when you get caught for the 2nd year in a row with the old onside kick surprise, well that is why we lost.

the hawks should easily handle teams like minny and isu. It is not because we dont have difference makers but sometimes the scheme, the coaches dont get players into positions to make plays.

As many yards as coker got last year against minny the coaches never really set up the kill shot with a good play action pass.

JVB can pass it, our O-line will block it, the RBs will have enough holes, the receivers may actually find themselves with space to run after the catch.

We will blitz more often to try to plug gaps and set up negative yardage plays to balance out the Dline maybe not being great against the run.

I see us at 8-4. I hope Greg DAvis and Phil Parker are in Ferentz's ear more and have KF ready for the 5-6 big downs per game.

 

[PJHawk]

that we would be returning players such as:

James Vandenberg (Sr.)
Micah Hyde (Sr.)



...that there would be articles published about how people aren't excited about Iowa football, I would have told them to take a hike. Just goes to show what two years of 7-5 ball and a couple of holes in the roster can do.

Why would you have been excited? With the exception of two guys I left in your list how many of them had even played let alone enough for the average fan to be "excited about"? And further more how many of your list were still in HS that none of us had even heard about back in '09. And yet you would have told people to go "take a hike" - your post doesn't make any sense.

 

[NCHawker]

that we would be returning players such as:

James Vandenberg (Sr.)
Keenan Davis (Sr.)
Kevonte Martin Manley (So.)
James Ferentz (Sr.)
CJ Fedorowicz (Jr.)
James Morris (Jr.)
Christian Kirksey (Jr.)
Micah Hyde (Sr.)
Tanner Miller (Jr.)
Dominic Alvis (Jr.)
Mike Meyer (Jr.)
Brad Rogers (Jr.)

and adding starters such as:

Nico Law (So.)
Darian Cooper (Fr.)
B.J. Lowery (Jr.)
Brandon Scherff (So.)
Austin Blythe (Fr.)
Brett Van Sloten (Jr.)
Anthony Hitchens (Jr.)
Don Shumpert (Jr.)
Damon Bullock (So.)
Carl Davis (So.)

with a bench the likes of:

Jacob Hillyer (Fr.)
Tevaun Smith (Fr.)
Maurice Fleming (Fr.)
Greg Garmon (Fr.)
Barkley Hill (Fr.)
Jordon Canzeri (So.)
Ray Hamilton (So.)
Jaleel Johnson (Fr.)
Faith Ekakatie (Fr.)
Ryan Ward (Fr.)
Jordan Walsh (Fr.)
Quinton Alston (So.)
Mike Hardy (So.)
Travis Perry (Fr.)
Torrey Campbell (Fr.)
Kevin Buford (Fr.)
Ruben Lile (Fr.)


...that there would be articles published about how people aren't excited about Iowa football, I would have told them to take a hike. Just goes to show what two years of 7-5 ball and a couple of holes in the roster can do.

Which of those names above have had any playing time at all much less contributed? What makes that 3rd list so special ? - things written on the interenet?

 

[wundergrape]

Why would you have been excited? With the exception of two guys I left in your list how many of them had even played let alone enough for the average fan to be "excited about"? And further more how many of your list were still in HS that none of us had even heard about back in '09. And yet you would have told people to go "take a hike" - your post doesn't make any sense.

You're quite the literalist, aren't you? The point of my initial post was that the excitement surrounding this program three years ago was at such a fevered pitch, that if we were to return the combination of experience and promise (based on past performance and "things written on the interenet") that we are this year, my guess is that people would have been far more excited than they currently are.

I did not literally think that in 2009 everyone would have creamed their shorts at the prospect of a 15-year old Kevin Buford sitting on our bench. I'm frankly surprised that you required this silly explanation.

 

[HawkPhreek]

The fact the last couple years just watching Iowa get out coached hurts to. You would hope your staff would steal you a couple wins not give them away. The only teams Iowa had a coaching advantage in was illinois penn st and mich under Richrod. hopefully the changes help this going forward

 

[tm3308]

I direct your attention to the Pittsburgh game and the performances of Keenan Davis, Kevonte Martin-Manley and Micah Hyde. I direct your attention to the Purdue game (on the road) and the performances of James Vandenberg and Tanner Miller. I direct your attention to the Minnesota game and the performance of James Morris. Christian Kirksey in the Iowa State game. James Ferentz all the time.

The Pitt game was basically the last we ever heard from KMM. Davis was inconsistent all year.

Iowa currently has very, very few proven difference makers, if any. McNutt was a difference maker, and so was Coker. JVB, KD, CJF, KMM, and Nico Law (IMO) all have the ability to be that kind of player, but they have yet to establish themselves. One or two games does not a superstar make.

 

[RocknRollface]

I direct your attention to the Pittsburgh game and the performances of Keenan Davis, Kevonte Martin-Manley and Micah Hyde. I direct your attention to the Purdue game (on the road) and the performances of James Vandenberg and Tanner Miller. I direct your attention to the Minnesota game and the performance of James Morris. Christian Kirksey in the Iowa State game. James Ferentz all the time.

The pittsburg game should have been the blue print going forward from last year.

Hopefully with the Davis and Brian Ferentz influence it will head in that direction this year.

 

[CAARHawk]

the problem is the couple of holes are both the size of chris christies backside. we have no proven playmakers at dl (four positions) or at rb.

And MAC sized linebackers. In fact, the whole defense kind of looks like a MAC defense. That is, unless some guys that haven't stepped up yet get into the mix.

 

[dee27]

And MAC sized linebackers. In fact, the whole defense kind of looks like a MAC defense. That is, unless some guys that haven't stepped up yet get into the mix.

This seems kind of ridiculous. I looked at the two deeps at Wisc and MSU and comparatively we're only undersized at one tackle and MLB. With our best DL's I don't ever remember having two 300+ DT's and if Morris is our weakness I'm OK with that. The OLB's are all around 225/230 at all three schools, and our ends are actually bigger.

 

[CAARHawk]

This seems kind of ridiculous. I looked at the two deeps at Wisc and MSU and comparatively we're only undersized at one tackle and MLB. With our best DL's I don't ever remember having two 300+ DT's and if Morris is our weakness I'm OK with that. The OLB's are all around 225/230 at all three schools, and our ends are actually bigger.

This is what I mean by "guys who haven't stepped up yet." The DL that has played and been serious contributers are guys like Gaglione, Bigach, and Alvis. The next guy who is being talked about is Trica-Passat. The 300 LBers have not yet really contributed. Iowa has had plenty of BiG DTs that haven't panned out over the years. Gotta go with the guys at the front of the depth chart, not just on the roster.

 

[dee27]

This is what I mean by "guys who haven't stepped up yet." The DL that has played and been serious contributers are guys like Gaglione, Bigach, and Alvis. The next guy who is being talked about is Trica-Passat. The 300 LBers have not yet really contributed. Iowa has had plenty of BiG DTs that haven't panned out over the years. Gotta go with the guys at the front of the depth chart, not just on the roster.

The experience factor is fair, but you said MAC sized defense and linebacker specifically. The "front of the depth chart" is Bigach 282, Alvis 265, Davis 310, and Pasat 270 on the line. Kirksey 226, Hitchens 224, and Morris at 230. With the number of spread offenses we face I wonder if we are "undersized" at all if there is a speed trade off (I think there is at linebacker for sure).

Sounds like Davis and Pasat both had decent reviews following Kids Day scrimmage. If Davis is injured/under performs then we may be undersized with Cooper around 280 (assuming no surprise from Jaleel), the backup ends are 260/255 which seems average for ends.

 

[wundergrape]

And MAC sized linebackers. In fact, the whole defense kind of looks like a MAC defense. That is, unless some guys that haven't stepped up yet get into the mix.

Something tells me that you'll rue the day you mocked this linebacking corps. Or deny it.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Don't know if it was this thread or what, but I was musing this afternoon about what would have happened in 2009 if Jake Christensen had been available for NW and OSU after Stanzi went down...

Personally, we MAY have been able to beat NW. OSU? NO WAY.

 

[RocknRollface]

Don't know if it was this thread or what, but I was musing this afternoon about what would have happened in 2009 if Jake Christensen had been available for NW and OSU after Stanzi went down...

Personally, we MAY have been able to beat NW. OSU? NO WAY.

Sacks would have happened, lots of them along with a few balls in the dirt and a time or two of tripping over his linemans feet.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Sacks would have happened, lots of them along with a few balls in the dirt and a time or two of tripping over his linemans feet.

Certainly against OSU, but I think JC would have "managed" the NW game well enough, and would not have thrown an INT on his first pass.

 

[PCHawk]

Sacks would have happened, lots of them along with a few balls in the dirt and a time or two of tripping over his linemans feet.

Certainly against OSU, but I think JC would have "managed=" the NW game well enough, and would not have thrown an INT on his first pass.

=

its hard to throw interceptions when you under throw your intended receiver by 10 yards

 

[Hawknigh]

Problem is that only three of the people in your first grouping have turned into bona fide stars - Ferentz, CJFed and Hyde. JVB and Keenan have the ability but have yet to put it all together.

If you're asking us to get hyped up on a team that has no running backs, and whose best three players are a center, TE and CB, well you'll be waiting a while.

That is a nice summary of my concerns as I look at the roster. It will take some big surprises for this to be a bowl year.

 

[RocknRollface]

=

its hard to throw interceptions when you under throw your intended receiver by 10 yards

Or when you feel pressure and just fall to the ground and crumple up into a ball.

I will admit Vandenburg was as unprepared as ive ever seen a backup in that NW game and JC probably would have given Iowa a better chance to win that game.

 

[ColoradoHAWKEYE]

I think we needed coaching tweaks to make up the difference the past two years....we got 'em. That will help elevate some of the "talent" this year.

The other missing element is the bada$$ swagger we use to carry that made our opponents at the least, very concerned coming in to a game. I think we have stop-gapped that temporarily with the coaching and scheme changes, but it remains to be seen if we can get back that swagger.

It's the intangables that make the difference of 7-5 vs 9-3. Talent (that steps up) WITH those same intangables, is what then gets you to 10+ win seasons.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

I think we needed coaching tweaks to make up the difference the past two years....we got 'em. That will help elevate some of the "talent" this year.

The other missing element is the bada$$ swagger we use to carry that made our opponents at the least, very concerned coming in to a game. I think we have stop-gapped that temporarily with the coaching and scheme changes, but it remains to be seen if we can get back that swagger.

It's the intangables that make the difference of 7-5 vs 9-3. Talent (that steps up) WITH those same intangables, is what then gets you to 10+ win seasons.

What the Hawks lack is a formerly bada&& "posse" that roamed the mean streets of IC Friday nights before each game (wink wink), including one Gizmo!