Iowa Could Dominate

[Northside Hawk]

All of that doesn't mean "stacking the box", though, 4th. Most B1G teams' Ds want to stop the run first until the opponent can show it can beat them through the air. Wisconsin found ways to beat Stanley, his receivers, and Iowa's pass game just as well as it stuffed the run game. It didn't take a stacked box to do both.

It was a very, very bad game by a good Iowa team. It happens, seemingly (IMO) with some frequency by Iowa. Wisconsin has had that habit in the past.

Wisconsin dominated time of possession and their kicking game consistently bottled Iowa up deep in their own end when they did have the ball. True freshman receivers stepped up and made plays. And you will be seeing Tyler Biaducz on Sundays some day. I've followed him since he was in middle school at Amherst and our Cuba City kids played against him in spring and summer basketball tournaments. Him and Groshek both.

I meant that we played Groshek in middle school. I don't expect to see him on Sundays unless we're in the same church somewhere.

 

[4thngoal]

All of that doesn't mean "stacking the box", though, 4th. Most B1G teams' Ds want to stop the run first until the opponent can show it can beat them through the air. Wisconsin found ways to beat Stanley, his receivers, and Iowa's pass game just as well as it stuffed the run game. It didn't take a stacked box to do both.

It was a very, very bad game by a good Iowa team. It happens, seemingly (IMO) with some frequency by Iowa. Wisconsin has had that habit in the past.

Listen dude, I don't know if you are trolling or what.
We had freshman on the ol. We had but a couple of legit passing targets. As good as he was we had a green qb.
I wouldn't get all puffy chested about stopping the run, beating out two freshman OT's and a wr core with barely a pulse.
You won and for once we didn't give you the game we usually do.
Won't happen this year.
If you are going to puff up, tell us who was going against them? Didn't you guys lose some dl this year? What year were your db's.
Just slow your roll a little.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

Some teams could demand a different arrangement. I got an idea. Let's try Legends and Leaders! Oh, that's already been done.

Maybe they could try Capulets and Montagues. Oh shit, that's been done, too. Damn that Shakespeare!

I like the east west arrangement, but there will come a time when some of the lesser teams in the east want out of the heat.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

Well, that's a fat chance Arvada. I grew up in Madison and my brother coached at Wisconsin through FIVE UW HCs. Most of them took their beatings at the hands of the Hawkeyes. In some respect, it's kinda nice getting even.

never hurts to ask.

 

[LGEND24]

I'm honestly curious on this, and not trying to be an a$$, but what do all of you think will turn the results of the Iowa/Wisconsin game around? It's at Kinnick, but Wisconsin's had recent success there. From my perspective, it is hard to say your O will be better and I'm not sure your D will be much better.

Wisconsin MAY have issues in the D line and at DB but we've recruited well in both those areas and have some players with experience waiting in the wings for their shot. Offensively, I can't remember a year where we've been this stacked with this much talent AND experience. About the only spot that I can think of where we MIGHT take a step back is at HB/TE and quite honestly I'm not sure we don't have guys who will EVENTUALLY be better there.

It's likely that it will be a good game, most Iowa/Wisconsin games are, but I just don't see us losing this one. Hell, we turned the ball over 4 times last year, 14 points for you, and still beat you by 20. Really , not trolling here, just would like to know your assessments of how the Iowa team of 2018 will be an improvement over the Iowa team of 2017.

My honest assessment of Wisconsin in 2018 from 2017.
QB better all around with another year under Chryst's wing.
OL better than the very good line of 2017
TE(inline) will be at least as good
HB/TE maybe a little poorer but with the chance to be more explosive.
RB Better (hard to say that with a 2000 yard RB returning)
WR For once, we've got numerous playmakers out the kazoo.

Defensively
DL a little worse maybe a lot worse (depends on injuries)
LB as solid as always and will compensate for any weakness in the DL
CB potential but probably a little worse
S as good.

We turned it over 3 times as well.

 

[Unknownbadger]

Listen dude, I don't know if you are trolling or what.
We had freshman on the ol. We had but a couple of legit passing targets. As good as he was we had a green qb.
I wouldn't get all puffy chested about stopping the run, beating out two freshman OT's and a wr core with barely a pulse.
You won and for once we didn't give you the game we usually do.
Won't happen this year.
If you are going to puff up, tell us who was going against them? Didn't you guys lose some dl this year? What year were your db's.
Just slow your roll a little.

4th, wasn't trolling or trying to insult in any way, just trying my best to inform you.

As for your questions:
We did lose a couple (3 who played a lot) from our DL due to graduation but not our very good NT (our bedrock of that line) and 2 very promising DEs. Problem is the 2 very promising DE's are in rehab after surgery. One is expected to be ready for the season. The other is not and it looks like will miss the season. We've got what the staff thinks is good competition to fill that spot but no fan knows how whoever it is will fair at this point. The thing is, in Wisconsin's D, the 3 DL's just need, and I hate to say this, stay strong and solid to let the LBs have all the fun. We don't ask them to put pressure on the QB, for instance, but it's nice if they can.

Our CBs, as a pair last year, were above OUR average and could play at the line. A LOT of it had to do not only with talent but experience. BOTH graduated. This year we've got guys there who've been awaiting their chance. We THINK we've recruited the position better than we have done in the past but CB is one of those positions that you just don't know how good a guy is until he's thrown into the fire. We lost a pretty good Safety too but didn't have to blow a guy's redshirt who was good enough to play last year.

As you will hear from MOST Badger fans, the D has enough question marks to make us wonder just how good it will be and not to expect it to be as good as it has been. That said, we've been there before and the D has surprised us. Why so many of us aren't too worried about any defensive downturn is that our O has the opportunity to be one of the best in Wisconsin history.

 

[CP87]

Wisconsin dominated time of possession and their kicking game consistently bottled Iowa up deep in their own end when they did have the ball. True freshman receivers stepped up and made plays. And you will be seeing Tyler Biaducz on Sundays some day. I've followed him since he was in middle school at Amherst and our Cuba City kids played against him in spring and summer basketball tournaments. Him and Groshek both.

I meant that we played Groshek in middle school. I don't expect to see him on Sundays unless we're in the same church somewhere.

Cuba City, huh? You have probably commented on this before, but what's the story of the walk-on for this coming year? The guy doesn't necessarily pass the eye test, but he sure seems to have skills. The kind of guy that kicks your ass and you never see it coming.

 

[Unknownbadger]

Cuba City, huh? You have probably commented on this before, but what's the story of the walk-on for this coming year? The guy doesn't necessarily pass the eye test, but he sure seems to have skills. The kind of guy that kicks your ass and you never see it coming.

Groshek is kind'a a Wisconsin version of a Swiss Army knife. He's athletic enough to be of good use and has enough tools to almost awe you.

This does lead to something that may be of interest though. Groshek carried the ball almost 60 times last year. The ex HS QB threw one pass in the second to the last game and completed it. The point is Chryst will go all season prepping his opponent to expect something else. He surprises all of us. And it's not some razzle-dazzle play.

 

[Northside Hawk]

Cuba City, huh? You have probably commented on this before, but what's the story of the walk-on for this coming year? The guy doesn't necessarily pass the eye test, but he sure seems to have skills. The kind of guy that kicks your ass and you never see it coming.

I see no scenario where Kordell Stillmunkes doesn't redshirt this year. He about 5'10" 190 or so but a foot fracture short circuited his senior season and he skipped senior track as a precaution. He has some nice footage from 2015 and 2016 on HUDL. He compares very favorable to Sean Considine, but I think he's faster than Sean. He has run in the 4.4 range at Iowa's summer camps but after the foot fracture that's anyone's guess now. He's an impressive physical specimen for his size, that's for sure.

 

[CP87]

I see no scenario where Kordell Stillmunkes doesn't redshirt this year. He about 5'10" 190 or so but a foot fracture short circuited his senior season and he skipped senior track as a precaution. He has some nice footage from 2015 and 2016 on HUDL. He compares very favorable to Sean Considine, but I think he's faster than Sean. He has run in the 4.4 range at Iowa's summer camps but after the foot fracture that's anyone's guess now. He's an impressive physical specimen for his size, that's for sure.

Do you think he is destined for offense or defense?

 

[Northside Hawk]

Do you think he is destined for offense or defense?

Defense, and definitely special teams. He could excel as a kick returner/gunner. He was used on some deep patterns on offense and lined up in the backfield frequently but most of his yards were gained by getting in space and outrunning people, which will be much harder to do from scrimmage against Big Ten competition. He's about three inches smaller and 10-15 lbs lighter than former Badger walkon and current Cincinnati Bengal Alex Erickson but faster and more athletic. He ran through a lot of tackles but once again that was against Fennimore and Boscobel, not Northwestern and Wisconsin.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

My biggest disappointment is the cross over schedules. One year soft, one year almost impossible. Wisconsin has been on both of those ends and NEITHER is good. I suppose if you are mediocre, you don't care much, but for good teams they want to challenge themselves. Pretty much goes for its fanbase as well.

Wisconsin has played 3 of the top 4 in the East in a season. Thankfully we won one of those. We've also been privy to playing none of them. Not only does that hurt in respect, at year's end, recruiting, but at the gates. If you want an undefeated season just wait till you get to play Indiana, Maryland, and Rutgers in the same year.

Where it really kills is the local economies of the smaller B1G towns/markets. When Wisconsin has no MSU/UM/OSU/PSU in a season, or only plays one or two on the road, you have basically two sets of fans within the West that will travel to Madison, and same with Iowa City. And it usually results in "day" trips, since it can be done without need for an overnight stay. Iowa City and (to a lesser degree, maybe) Madison economies get a big boost from a PSU or OSU coming to town.

 

[HawkeyeDenis]

Any domination will have to start with game four against Wisconsin. Beating Wisconsin at home means Iowa controls their destiny. The loser of that game will be fighting for second place.

 

[4thngoal]

4th, wasn't trolling or trying to insult in any way, just trying my best to inform you.

As for your questions:
We did lose a couple (3 who played a lot) from our DL due to graduation but not our very good NT (our bedrock of that line) and 2 very promising DEs. Problem is the 2 very promising DE's are in rehab after surgery. One is expected to be ready for the season. The other is not and it looks like will miss the season. We've got what the staff thinks is good competition to fill that spot but no fan knows how whoever it is will fair at this point. The thing is, in Wisconsin's D, the 3 DL's just need, and I hate to say this, stay strong and solid to let the LBs have all the fun. We don't ask them to put pressure on the QB, for instance, but it's nice if they can.

Our CBs, as a pair last year, were above OUR average and could play at the line. A LOT of it had to do not only with talent but experience. BOTH graduated. This year we've got guys there who've been awaiting their chance. We THINK we've recruited the position better than we have done in the past but CB is one of those positions that you just don't know how good a guy is until he's thrown into the fire. We lost a pretty good Safety too but didn't have to blow a guy's redshirt who was good enough to play last year.

As you will hear from MOST Badger fans, the D has enough question marks to make us wonder just how good it will be and not to expect it to be as good as it has been. That said, we've been there before and the D has surprised us. Why so many of us aren't too worried about any defensive downturn is that our O has the opportunity to be one of the best in Wisconsin history.

Exactly my point. Everywhere we were playing freshman, you were playing multi year starters.
I'm not saying y'all didn't whoop us. I'm not saying your dc didn't know or how to call and exploit our o.
I'm just saying, this year should be a better game.
If you can't understand the points I have made as to why, well I don't know what to say.

 

[Unknownbadger]

Exactly my point. Everywhere we were playing freshman, you were playing multi year starters.
I'm not saying y'all didn't whoop us. I'm not saying your dc didn't know or how to call and exploit our o.
I'm just saying, this year should be a better game.
If you can't understand the points I have made as to why, well I don't know what to say.

I've understood them, and I agree with them. I posted some time ago that I "expect" it to be a better game for reasons besides your maturing team this year. I was also letting you know that while our D is likely to be a little weaker with the graduation of our CBs and the loss of our projected DE to injury, our O should be better and compensate with practically everyone back.

 

[Jonrn]

Sadly it’ll come down to what time a day this game is played. If played at 11 or 2 Iowa will get blown out, if played at night it’ll be a 50/50% game like penn state last year. The biggest mismatch to me is taylor/Wisconsin o-line vs Iowa’s interior defense. I don’t like the brincks/nelson/lattimore and 3 new LBs slowing things down versus taylor.

 

[4thngoal]

Sadly it’ll come down to what time a day this game is played. If played at 11 or 2 Iowa will get blown out, if played at night it’ll be a 50/50% game like penn state last year. The biggest mismatch to me is taylor/Wisconsin o-line vs Iowa’s interior defense. I don’t like the brincks/nelson/lattimore and 3 new LBs slowing things down versus taylor.

Yeah that ol could be a bear to deal with. We are experienced on dl but so are they on ol. That is going to be a test of wills for sure.
What the kicker is if we win, we are going to have to go hammer down all season long. Because who else is going to slow them down?? Possibly Michigan.
So even with a decent schedule beating them out for the west isn't going to be easy.
But if it were easy it wouldn't be worth it.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Heck, 4thngoal, we often only had 2 DLs on the field, playing essentially a 2-4-5. Our standard D is a 3-4-4. We didn't play you any different than how we played anybody else. Remember! You had just tore up Tosu on big plays by Stanley and his receivers. If ever Wisconsin was going to go into a game playing off (loose) it would have been that game.

I just think we confused your OL and perhaps Stanley at times. You would expect both to do better next time.

I think that's a true fair assessment. Iowa's Oline was terrible. Couldn't run or give Stanley time to pass all game long. What'd Iowa have 80 something yards of O? It was beyond pitiful. It all snowballed as the game went on but that was as one sided of a game as I've seen in that way for awhile... It'll be different this year in Kinnick especially.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Any domination will have to start with game four against Wisconsin. Beating Wisconsin at home means Iowa controls their destiny. The loser of that game will be fighting for second place.

I agree... Playing that game right out of the gates is such an interesting time to schedule it. Win that game and the skys the limit. Lose it and who knows how the dominos might slide...

 

[Northside Hawk]

I agree... Playing that game right out of the gates is such an interesting time to schedule it. Win that game and the skys the limit. Lose it and who knows how the dominos might slide...

A game of that magnitude is literally a two game swing in the standings. It's as big a week four game as we've ever had.