Iowa looked very good against a good team

[NewMexHawk]

The only thing I would argue..."...Iowa will be taking a huge step up in class the next two games and into the B10 season."

The next game will not be a huge step up. The competition will slightly above TT and UNI. That doesn't mean the clowns would put their season into next week's game. They just are not very talented.

 

[treychase]

My honest opinion...
This Iowa team has less margin for error than the previous several seasons.

 

[ShadasRevenge]

My honest opinion...
This Iowa team has less margin for error than the previous several seasons.

True statement.

 

[okeefe4prez]

If this squad comes together in the next 3 weeks and stays healthy, it will be a 10 win squad. One key injury or if Ferentz loses the team, I thinks it is a 6-6 team. The only saving grace is that some of our opponents looked very beatable, but I think Nebraska and Northwestern are going to be pretty tough this year (Northwestern especially if Persa comes back at 100% - winning at BC with the backup was the best win the conference had this week). Minnesota hung with USC, Indiana didn't look great, Purdue took some time to get things going but if their offense is clicking, they'll be tough, MSU and UM didn't show much, but both will be tough. We're going to need to see a lot of incremental improvement during the season, and if we do, we can play with anyone, but this team looks capable of losing to anyone in the conference as well.

 

[kirby]

My honest opinion...
This Iowa team has less margin for error than the previous several seasons.

True w/ every KF coached Iowa team (small margin for error). How many field goals did we have to block to beat UNI? His team wins w/ attitude and leadership. Mike Daniels and Nielson and potentially Bernstine (he could be a nice story this yr, if healthy) on D could be leaders. Offense will be McNutt and Vande and the O-line. If these individuals/units stay healthy it could be a solid yr.

 

[hawkinn3]

My honest opinion...
This Iowa team has less margin for error than the previous several seasons.

I couldn't disagree more. Our defense is much faster than in previous years and our blitzing will be more effective.

I think Vandy will be able to put up more points than Stanzi did and be able to get it downfield better and our O line is one of the best in the country.


This is just the typical doom and gloom we get from most posters after week 1, win or lose most seem to see negative.

 

[treychase]

I couldn't disagree more. Our defense is much faster than in previous years and our blitzing will be more effective.

I think Vandy will be able to put up more points than Stanzi did and be able to get it downfield better and our O line is one of the best in the country.


This is just the typical doom and gloom we get from most posters after week 1, win or lose most seem to see negative.

First, it is pure fantasy land to think that Iowa is going to blitz more. Norm Parker is Norm Parker. To think that Parker is going to suddenly, after 40+yrs, going to man up on the outside and blitz, is crazy talk. Same as all the 3-4 talk this summer. If Iowa is blitzing more that likely means they're not getting any pressure with their front and that likely means they're losing.

Second, every year there is this same group of people that "believe" Iowa will put up more points, they usually claim 30+pts/gm. Heck, if I recall correctly, even Miller claimed that the offense led by JC6 would put up 30+pts/gm. Iowa's offense is Iowa's offense, they'll average around 24-28pts/gm. The 2009 Orange Bowl season, Iowa averaged 23pts/gm. Last yr 29pts/gm.

Third, I'm not "doom & gloom", just realistic. This team has lost what, 15 NFL caliber players, to the NFL over the last 2 seasons. Iowa has a lot of good players but that's a lot to replace for Ohio St, let alone Iowa.

I think Iowa can win 8-9 games, but I also think that losing 6 isn't out of the question either. To sit here and know that Iowa has lost 15 NFL caliber players the past two seasons and think they're going to IMPROVE is just flat out blind faith.

 

[silvanthalas]

You are giving TTU too much credit. they are not a good team.

Hey, they went 5-6 last years as a 1-AA school. Of course we're not dropping our standards of what constitutes 'good' in order to feel that much better about our teams' performance yesterday!

 

[okeefe4prez]

First, it is pure fantasy land to think that Iowa is going to blitz more. Norm Parker is Norm Parker. To think that Parker is going to suddenly, after 40+yrs, going to man up on the outside and blitz, is crazy talk. Same as all the 3-4 talk this summer. If Iowa is blitzing more that likely means they're not getting any pressure with their front and that likely means they're losing.

Second, every year there is this same group of people that "believe" Iowa will put up more points, they usually claim 30+pts/gm. Heck, if I recall correctly, even Miller claimed that the offense led by JC6 would put up 30+pts/gm. Iowa's offense is Iowa's offense, they'll average around 24-28pts/gm. The 2009 Orange Bowl season, Iowa averaged 23pts/gm. Last yr 29pts/gm.

Third, I'm not "doom & gloom", just realistic. This team has lost what, 15 NFL caliber players, to the NFL over the last 2 seasons. Iowa has a lot of good players but that's a lot to replace for Ohio St, let alone Iowa.

I think Iowa can win 8-9 games, but I also think that losing 6 isn't out of the question either. To sit here and know that Iowa has lost 15 NFL caliber players the past two seasons and think they're going to IMPROVE is just flat out blind faith.

I don't think Iowa will improve, but I think many other teams in the conference have taken hits in terms of talent. I think the o-line will be better and when Iowa has a good team, it ALWAYS starts with a good o-line. Iowa's average scoring O last year would have been much higher if we hadn't lost the best guards in the MSU game. It fell off a cliff after that game. The other factor we need is a lot of luck. I can't think of a stretch of luckier football in Iowa history than what we experienced from the INT late in the 4th quarter against PSU until the play Wootten destroyed Stanzi against NU in 2009 (maybe the 2004 season after the Michigan game and the 2002 season after ISU - though that 2002 squad was so good it only needed to get bailed out by lady luck a few times).

The timely INTs, the Sash pick 6 against Indiana, the McNutt TD against MSU, the 2 blocked FGs against UNI, the Clayborn blocked punt against PSU, etc., etc., etc. We burned through about 5 seasons worth of luck in that run and other than the dropped TD against Indiana in 2010, the luck pendulum swung the other way. This team can prolly still play with just about anyone out there, but we do need that lucky play or two per game to swing our way.

 

[treychase]

I don't think Iowa will improve, but I think many other teams in the conference have taken hits in terms of talent. I think the o-line will be better and when Iowa has a good team, it ALWAYS starts with a good o-line. Iowa's average scoring O last year would have been much higher if we hadn't lost the best guards in the MSU game. It fell off a cliff after that game. The other factor we need is a lot of luck. I can't think of a stretch of luckier football in Iowa history than what we experienced from the INT late in the 4th quarter against PSU until the play Wootten destroyed Stanzi against NU in 2009 (maybe the 2004 season after the Michigan game and the 2002 season after ISU - though that 2002 squad was so good it only needed to get bailed out by lady luck a few times).

The timely INTs, the Sash pick 6 against Indiana, the McNutt TD against MSU, the 2 blocked FGs against UNI, the Clayborn blocked punt against PSU, etc., etc., etc. We burned through about 5 seasons worth of luck in that run and other than the dropped TD against Indiana in 2010, the luck pendulum swung the other way. This team can prolly still play with just about anyone out there, but we do need that lucky play or two per game to swing our way.

I agree with all of that.
Iowa will be competitive, certainly.
IF they get the breaks, they can win 8-9 games.
IF they don't, they can easily lose 6, maybe more games.

As I said previously, I believe the margin for error is significantly smaller for this years team. Putting the ball on the ground 3-4 times and dropping catchable passes will cost this years team, where maybe the past couple of years they could overcome those things.

 

[hawkinn3]

I agree with all of that.
Iowa will be competitive, certainly.
IF they get the breaks, they can win 8-9 games.
IF they don't, they can easily lose 6, maybe more games.

As I said previously, I believe the margin for error is significantly smaller for this years team. Putting the ball on the ground 3-4 times and dropping catchable passes will cost this years team, where maybe the past couple of years they could overcome those things.

I don't believe in breaks, I believe you make your own. Last year we were tired and lazy in the 4th and lost more games than we should have. There is something to be said for a younger unproven team that may play just a bit harder to prove themselves.

 

[treychase]

I don't believe in breaks, I believe you make your own. Last year we were tired and lazy in the 4th and lost more games than we should have. There is something to be said for a younger unproven team that may play just a bit harder to prove themselves.

I believe you make or don't make a lot of your own "breaks" but not all of them.
DaMarlo Belcher didn't drop a sure TD because of anything Iowa did or didn't do. Sometimes things go your way and sometimes they don't.

The things Iowa CAN control, they need to be exceptionally good at this year. That's really all I'm saying. This team isn't overcoming 3 and 4 turnover games and games where they drop 3 or 4 passes. They just aren't this year.

 

[imported_ankle23]

I don't believe in breaks, I believe you make your own. Last year we were tired and lazy in the 4th and lost more games than we should have. There is something to be said for a younger unproven team that may play just a bit harder to prove themselves.

this tired and lazy bit is a bit overplayed. the DL had to work more during the games last year given the play of the LBs (due to injury and attrition). The better the LBs in pass coverage, for example, the more time our DL has to work to get the sack or otherwise disrupt the play. if the qb can get rid of the ball faster - due to lb coverage deficiencies - that is going to take a toll. that one xtra second can make a big difference to a DL's pursuit. if LBs aren't making the plays, the DL doesn't make the plays, and the other team makes long drives, wearing out the DL.

if you look at the difference in the LB from last year to the year before, you might see a difference and a reason we were getting worn by 4th qtr. i certainly don't think strength and conditioning program changed that much from '09 to '10.

 

[DesMoinesHawki]

Was at the game and you have to remember a couple of things .... the weather was indeed horrible. It rained hard and it rained pretty much all game. TTU was not a very good team. That being said, Iowa did what it needed to do. Iowa could have named the score but chose to take out the majority of starters after the conclusion of the rain delay. Iowa did what it needed to do. Vandy looked good. The o-line did pretty good. On defense, I liked the pursuit speed we showed collectively. We need to shore up the tacking once we get in the backfield. Overall, our hiccups are things we can and will correct. The talent is there. This was a hard game to judge because of the bad weather, the delay, and against a bad team. But, we did what we needed to do ... A win is a win ... Now the Iowa coaches have lots of film to look at to correct the mistakes. We will be ready to go next week ...

 

[HawkeyeDenis]

I think we fans need to remember that the first, third quarters were rain hampered and the last quarter was the subs. I think there is a lot to be optimistic about but we still haven't seen the true nature of this team.