Illinois St. is no cream puff
- Thread starter EstronHawkKing
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BILLYBOBSTEXAS
Well-Known Member
What is Iowas' advantage? All I have heard for years now is the Mac talent Iowa seems to land. Well, Ill St is ranked #2 in the nation with their Mac talent so maybe the Hawks have Kinnick going for them and that's it.
bucksnducks
Well-Known Member
I am hoping that last years embarrassment of a season finale will be the advantage for this seasons beginning. WIn the first game...remember last years ISU game..revenge factor..and we are 2-0 with a little momemtum .
TheBigAwesome
Active Member
Not even remotely the same thing. Ball State is a MAC team with a really good coach, ill st on the other hand...is a FCS team (that lost to UNI last year 42-28) whose QB came from INDIANA.
You know, that Indiana, the Indiana that's one of the few teams in the Big (not really big) Ten (not really ten) that's been worse than Iowa has been these past few years. You know, that Indiana, the Indiana that played at Kinnick in 2011 with this SAME QUARTERBACK and lost 45-24 (includes garbage time TD by Indiana).
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=312952294
Iowa - 38 (Ferentz calls off the dogs)
Ill St - 13 (includes garbage time TD)
I wouldn't be surprised if Iowa loses to them. I've felt all along that they will lose to either Illinois St or Iowa State. If they do win it will be close; the Hawkeyes rarely blow people out when they have really good teams under Ferentz so I don't see them doing that to anyone with this years mediocre at best team.
GrandpaHawk
Well-Known Member
Everyone take a deep breath in less than two weeks we will get a idea of what type of team we have. Hopefully one that makes all of us fill good.Go Hawks
Tiptontiger
Well-Known Member
Illinois State University will come in here with confidence and every intention of winning this football game. I'm sure they watched that Tennessee debacle (or debauchery, as a friend of mine would say, who gets the two words mixed up) and know they can win. I believe Illinois State likes to blitz, and what better team to exploit than Iowa? Iowa will see more than a steady supply of blitzing all year. You know Iowa State will blitz, and Dan McCarney with his North Texas team will definitely cut loose.
CJ gets sacked EIGHT TIMES in a ""Kids' Day Open Scrimmage"? God help us...
BigD
Well-Known Member
We have a suspect and unproven offensive line and an unproven starting QB. Trying to predict what points our offense will put is pure conjecture. We may wax(doubtful given Kirks tendencies) them or being biting our nails in the closing moments of this game. Our coach may be a dummy but he is no wax dummy........... Sorry, but couldn't resist that one.
At this point might as well be guessing lotto numbers; 4, 17, 33, 34, 52 with powerball 11
At this point might as well be guessing lotto numbers; 4, 17, 33, 34, 52 with powerball 11
lightning1
Well-Known Member
They have some DL players that are disruptive. Could be a long day for our offense.
Hawknick
Banned
If Ill St blitz that will open up lanes for the running backs to burn them. They can try all that stuff but in the end Iowa will still be bigger stronger and faster. They will find a way to score. Also the defense will give the offense a lot of short fields in this one. I would not be at all surprised if the defense scores on a pick 6 too. Iowa will shut thier QB down with that suffocating secondary. If he tries to run the defense will be able to react fast and stuff him. The Pittsburgh QB is a runner too and Iowa stuffed him.
I haven't heard much about Illinois State's returning players. I know that they have Roberson at QB, and a pretty good RB (idk his name), but I don't know much beyond that. Who all graduated from their team? I fully expect the D to be improved from last year, and i don't think the o-line will be as bad as doomsayers are predicting. at least average to start, impossible to say for sure.
ChicagoRedbird
Member
ISU fan here, I come in peace. My sister is an Iowa grad and I've always cheered for Iowa in the B1G. I have NO IDEA what will happen on Sept 5th, but I hope it's a great game. It will be fun to watch my Birds at Kinnick as we are used to small stadiums in the FCS. I'm going with one of my best friends who is an Iowa Alum and avid fan. Really looking forward to it.
As most of you have stated, we are very solid at QB and RB with Roberson and Coprich. Spelman and Avaloy return on the OL. The rest of the OL are a little green so that and special teams are my two biggest worries.
I think this is the best and deepest defense in FCS this year so that is where my hope lies. C.J. Beathard's Uncle Kurt is our OC and he really put our offence together last season. As much as we lost from 2014, we have had the top ranked recruiting class in FCS the past two year so I hope we have guys ready to step up.
Anyway, I'm excited to get back to Iowa City and soak it all in. May the best team win! If you have any questions about the Redbirds, ask away.
As most of you have stated, we are very solid at QB and RB with Roberson and Coprich. Spelman and Avaloy return on the OL. The rest of the OL are a little green so that and special teams are my two biggest worries.
I think this is the best and deepest defense in FCS this year so that is where my hope lies. C.J. Beathard's Uncle Kurt is our OC and he really put our offence together last season. As much as we lost from 2014, we have had the top ranked recruiting class in FCS the past two year so I hope we have guys ready to step up.
Anyway, I'm excited to get back to Iowa City and soak it all in. May the best team win! If you have any questions about the Redbirds, ask away.
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BigD
Well-Known Member
Lol, starting out by saying your an ISU fan on this forum is not good way to start. I then realized after reading further that you weren't a dreaded rival fan from Iowa State University. Sounds like you guys are bringing a significant amount of talent with you and unfortunately we used to have a knack for starting out slow and gradually getting better as the season goes by. Lately I don't know what we have except for a coach that is among one of the highest paid coaches in the country. If our football program would just match his salary you would have a lot of happy fans on this forum.
I am hoping for the best and think we will win but would not be shocked if you beat us. I hope the best team wins and if it is you and you like meltdowns come back and enjoy yourself.
ChicagoRedbird
Member
Ha, I thought of that after I posted. Should have said ILST fan. It's a shame (for us) that the B1G is moving away from playing FCS opponents. These games are a blast for us (probably not so much for you guys). We play @ Northwestern next year which will likely be the last for awhile.
What should I know about tailgating/bars around Kinnick? I haven't been to Iowa City in almost 20 years.
What should I know about tailgating/bars around Kinnick? I haven't been to Iowa City in almost 20 years.
Kennyfromminne
Well-Known Member
I think Illinois state wins this game. I just dont see our offense doing much this year with two unproven tackles and little talent at recieving corp. I still think ferentz should have gone juco for some recievers.
DodgerHawki
Well-Known Member
Couple things. Illinois State was a far better team than Ball State in 2014. Illinois State went 13-2 and finished 41st in the Sagarin Ratings in 2014. Ball State was a 5-7 MAC team that was 106th in the final Sagarin ratings. Ball State stunk, and Iowa went to the wire with them.
In 2011, Roberson (now the QB at Illinois State) played as a true freshman at Iowa and went 16-24 for 197 yards and a TD. And rushed for 84 yards on 16 carries. He played very well. Iowa won by 21 because Indiana's defense was historically bad.
Illinois State is not some unbeatable team, but this is not a walk-over coming in to Kinnick. Their head coach, Brock Spack, was the d-coordinator under Tiller at Purdue for many years. He had some success defending Iowa by trying to blitz Iowa into oblivion. Expect Illinois State to do the same. Roberson is a better QB than most of the teams on Iowa's schedule this year. He's definitely better than what North Texas, Northwestern, Maryland, Purdue will run out there. Likely as good or better than Iowa State, Wisconsin and Minnesota's QB. At least in terms of what bothers Iowa's defense (a running QB who can also throw). The Illinois State RB (Corprich) ran for 2,200 yards last year. Yes, it was against FCS competition, but he's good. He would likely be Iowa's starting RB if on our roster.
ISU is breaking in 3-4 new starters on the OL, so the Iowa front 7 will have to make life difficult for Roberson and Coprich. But anyone who doesn't have at least some doubt about the defense's ability to contain an outside running game after the disasters of Minnesota, Nebraska and Tennessee last year wasn't paying attention.
ChicagoRedbird
Member
Sounds like we are pretty similar. Ill St concerns are offensive line, WR and special teams. Those are really the only concerns as our QB, RB and Defense are up there with the best in FCS. Our defense has several FBS transfers that should even the playing field a bit as far as athleticism and size go. I expect these transfers (Kenny-Indiana, Perkins-OhioSt, Newbold-TxTech, Amoako-Oregon and Spearman-Iowa) along with our two pre-season All American's (Corwin and Meehan) to be able to compete at this level.
I really have no idea what to expect from our OL. We return Spellman and Avaloy so it's not completely new. Both are solid. I think the rest of the guys will be solid mid-season but this will be a really tough test for them in Week 1. I'm hoping Tre's mobility can soften the blow a bit.
We have 3 WR that played quite a bit last season so they are not completely new either. Jon-Marc Anderson and Christian Gibbs are the two to watch. Anderson caught a nice touchdown in the FCS National Championship game so I don't think he will be nervous.
The OL is going to be the key for Ill St I'm afraid. I think we match up pretty well everywhere else. Should be a fun on to watch.
I really have no idea what to expect from our OL. We return Spellman and Avaloy so it's not completely new. Both are solid. I think the rest of the guys will be solid mid-season but this will be a really tough test for them in Week 1. I'm hoping Tre's mobility can soften the blow a bit.
We have 3 WR that played quite a bit last season so they are not completely new either. Jon-Marc Anderson and Christian Gibbs are the two to watch. Anderson caught a nice touchdown in the FCS National Championship game so I don't think he will be nervous.
The OL is going to be the key for Ill St I'm afraid. I think we match up pretty well everywhere else. Should be a fun on to watch.
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MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
I think 23-17 Iowa.
