If Someone Told Me After the 2009 season

wundergrape

wundergrape

Well-Known Member
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.
 
I still think it goes back to the 2010 season.

Couple that with all the uncertainty on the roster at positions that, historically, we've relied upon (RB & DL) to have good seasons and it's a recipe for "fear".

It's human nature to fear what you don't know.
 
I think people are plenty excited, grape. It's just that there are soooo many unknowns (or virtual unknowns) on the roster.
Talk will always turn to asking what-ifs and running speculative scenarios when there is so much yet to learn about a team.
 
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.
 
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.
 
The football program lacks difference makers. In my opinion we have a lot of average to slightly above average players who can get you 6-7 wins. With the possible exception of CJF we don't have players that scare the hell out of opposing offensive/defensive coordinators.
 
I hear you guys, and the DL is a significant concern. There is plenty of talent there, but are they ready? Guys to watch are Trinca-Pasat, Davis, Cooper, Hardy and Spears. If just one of these guys can emerge at an honorable mention level, it'll keep us in curry. But we have an athletic, physical, and deep corps of linebackers behind them. Little consolation, I know, but it certainly doesn't hurt.

I'm not concerned about the RB situation. If Adam Robinson can run for 1800 career yards in our offense and Marcus "eternity to the hole" Coker can amass 1400 in one season, Bullock, Garmon, Hill or Canzeri will certainly emerge by season's end. Our run game - like most - is dependent on our offensive line, and we look excellent there.
 
You are assuming CJFed will turn into a bona fide star this year. He hasn't shown yet that he is.
 
CJSHawk said:
The football program lacks difference makers. In my opinion we have a lot of average to slightly above average players who can get you 6-7 wins. With the possible exception of CJF we don't have players that scare the hell out of opposing offensive/defensive coordinators.
Click to expand...

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.
 
BSpringsteen said:
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.
Click to expand...

CJ Fed hasn't turned into a star by any means. He may do so this year (and we all hope he will and suspect he will). It's just premature to annoint him at this time. I would put him in your other grouping: "with ability but unproven."
 
Optimism is good...

wundergrape said:
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.
Click to expand...

but performing at a high level vs Pitt, Minnesota and Purdue is different from doing so against Michigan, MSU, Nebraska, etc.

The program isn't bereft of talent. It's just that much of it (particularly along both o-line and d-line) is young. Of the people currently listed as starters, Iowa will return all but 4 on offense (Davis, Vandenberg, Ferentz, Tobin) and 2 on defense (Hyde, Bigach). 2013 and 14 Iowa will have a lot of guys in starting position who have played a lot of games. That bodes well.
 
We do have a lot of unknowns at a few positions, but the guys that are filling the holes have been waiting a good couple of years to get their chance and this year it happens for them. I think we will be pleasantly surprised. It's just time for them to shine and prove why they decided to be Hawkeyes..Can't wait...
 
wundergrape said:
CJSHawk said:
The football program lacks difference makers. In my opinion we have a lot of average to slightly above average players who can get you 6-7 wins. With the possible exception of CJF we don't have players that scare the hell out of opposing offensive/defensive coordinators.
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...

you mean the minnesota game we lost? you mean isu game we lost?

difference makers making a difference....
 
SpiderRico said:
I still think it goes back to the 2010 season.

Couple that with all the uncertainty on the roster at positions that, historically, we've relied upon (RB & DL) to have good seasons and it's a recipe for "fear".

It's human nature to fear what you don't know.
Click to expand...



I respectfully disagree with your assessment that we've "relied" on the RB position... in the last decade, the two primary seasons where we had no bell-cow at RB (2004 & 2009) were arguably 2 of our best.

But DL...no doubt.
 
DuffMan said:
you mean the minnesota game we lost? you mean isu game we lost?

difference makers making a difference....
Click to expand...


Yes, I mean those two games that we lost. James Morris and Marcus Coker were the only two things keeping us from getting our barn doors blown off in St. Paul.

Based on your logic, Marvin McNutt wasn't a difference maker because we lost six games last year. Michael Floyd wasn't either because the Irish blow. Brian Urlacher didn't make a lick of difference last year because the Bears lost as many games as they won.

I'll give you this, the term "difference maker" is subjective. But to suggest that a player is one only if his team wins is preposterous. Go watch a replay of our basketball team play at Oregon this spring, and then tell me there were no "difference making" performances there.
 
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...
 
CJSHawk said:
With the possible exception of CJF we don't have players that scare the hell out of opposing offensive/defensive coordinators.
Click to expand...

I guarantee you opposing DC's are plenty worried about JVB.

And I say that despite agreeing with most that was written about the flaws in his game last year.
 
DuffMan said:
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...
Click to expand...


Now it's my turn to not know where to begin.

A) My OP did not say anything about "all difference makers we had."

B) I never said anything about "7-5" expectations. I referenced fans' excitement level even in the face of a very promising, if unproven, roster.

C) My "difference makers" post was in response to someone else's comment and not directly related to my original post.

D) The difference making performances I mentioned in that post were predominately from games we won. You cherry picked the others.

E) Players are capable of making a difference in games they lose.

F) The fact that we only lost by 5 total points in the two games that you are referencing helps to illustrate my point. Stellar individual performances kept us close. If the rest of our talent can play at a consistently high level, then we're closer than people realize. I believe that we have that talent.
 
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