Iowa- Preseason #25

Dude, '08 and '09 were against brutal schedules. Sports-reference.com has them at 21st and 8th toughest, respectively. Just off the top of my head you have a top 25 Pitt team, a top 20 MSU once, two top 5 PSU teams, one top 15 Wisconsin team, top 10 OSU, and a top 25 NW once.

'15 might have been weak, but the narrative that Iowa only has success against weak schedules is BS.

Was just going to post the same. '09 (which they started the season ranked #22, by the way) was...
  • UNI
  • @ Iowa State
  • Arizona
  • @ preseason #5 PSU (night game)
  • Ark State
  • Michigan
  • @ Wisc
  • @ MSU (night game)
  • Indiana
  • NW (arrrrrg!)
  • @ preseason #11 OSU
  • Minn
Almost every tough conference opponent on the road, 2 for night games.That stretch from game 4 through game 8 is about as tough a 5 game stretch as you're going to find.
 
Dude, '08 and '09 were against brutal schedules. Sports-reference.com has them at 21st and 8th toughest, respectively. Just off the top of my head you have a top 25 Pitt team, a top 20 MSU once, two top 5 PSU teams, one top 15 Wisconsin team, top 10 OSU, and a top 25 NW once.

'15 might have been weak, but the narrative that Iowa only has success against weak schedules is BS.

KFs only claim to fame is 09', green, and brad banks
 
  • @ preseason #5 PSU (night game)
  • Ark State
  • Michigan
  • @ Wisc
  • @ MSU (night game)
That stretch from game 4 through game 8 is about as tough a 5 game stretch as you're going to find.

That stretch included: Ark St, who finished 4-8. Michigan, 5-7. MSU, 6-7.

Yeah, that's a brutal stretch!
 
All we can do is play who lines up across from us on any given day. Don't care who they are, don't care about the past, don't care about two seasons from now.
You line up and beat them on this play. Let the rest fall however it does. Can't control other people's perceptions. To small, to big, ranked to high, to low, whatev, all one can do is line up and beat them this play.
 
My biggest worry is OLB...who will, I assume, again be tackling RBs and covering slot WRs.

Next worry is WR...hopefully IMS can remember how to catch and BS can get his shot RandyMossing a few deep balls.
 
Brief glance at the FPI subcomponents:
Offense: 38
Defense: 21
Special Teams: 18

Going from last years final FPI
Season Ending Rank: 23rd
Overall Efficiency Rank: 33rd
Offense: 54
Defense: 22
Special Teams: 37

The defense would be about right if we our incoming linebackers can hold their own, but that's not a given. I have my reservations about the offense and special teams improving that much in the off-season though it doesn't seem like an impossible leap. I would say that this prediction is about right, but leaning towards optimistic.
 
Brief glance at the FPI subcomponents:
Offense: 38
Defense: 21
Special Teams: 18

Going from last years final FPI
Season Ending Rank: 23rd
Overall Efficiency Rank: 33rd
Offense: 54
Defense: 22
Special Teams: 37

The defense would be about right if we our incoming linebackers can hold their own, but that's not a given. I have my reservations about the offense and special teams improving that much in the off-season though it doesn't seem like an impossible leap. I would say that this prediction is about right, but leaning towards optimistic.

The biggest thing with the lb play is learning the playbook and film study. The ability is there, it's who can do those the fastest. Who puts in the most work on and off the field. From there it's all about physical talent and instinct.
Special teams will have a dedicated coach and should improve. If not then what exactly is he doing?
 
Well they are always ranked somewhere. That's how perceptions work.
What's the best we had? Like 2 or 3rd a few times back in the 50's and 60's?
What we have before us is an opportunity.
Were you not alive when they were #1 for a while in 1985?
 
Were you not alive when they were #1 for a while in 1985?
Finished the season as.
Granted things have changed, but one thing remains the same, it's the final score, the final standings that matter.
Everyone knows we took OSU to the wood shed last year, many remember the final score, but very few remember what the score was after the first quarter.
 
Dude, '08 and '09 were against brutal schedules. Sports-reference.com has them at 21st and 8th toughest, respectively. Just off the top of my head you have a top 25 Pitt team, a top 20 MSU once, two top 5 PSU teams, one top 15 Wisconsin team, top 10 OSU, and a top 25 NW once.

'15 might have been weak, but the narrative that Iowa only has success against weak schedules is BS.

We finished 9-4(5-3) in ‘08. I’m talking about we we go on our BCS runs.

Top 25 Pitt - Loss
Top 20 MSU - Loss
Top 10 OSU - Loss
Top 25 NW - Loss

PSU and the Wisky wins were good wins. But this doesn’t change the fact that we prey on the weak in our “historic” seasons.
 
We finished 9-4(5-3) in ‘08. I’m talking about we we go on our BCS runs.

Top 25 Pitt - Loss
Top 20 MSU - Loss
Top 10 OSU - Loss
Top 25 NW - Loss

PSU and the Wisky wins were good wins. But this doesn’t change the fact that we prey on the weak in our “historic” seasons.
'02: Top 10 PSU and Michigan, and above average teams throughout the schedule.
'03: Ranked ASU, Minny, Purdue, Florida, top 10 Michigan and OSU.
'04: Ranked Michigan, OSU, LSU, top 10 Wisconsin
'09: Top 10 OSU, PSU, GT, 10 win Wisconsin

All of these seasons were in a good big ten as well, especially the 02-04 stretch. Also, everyone "preys on weak teams" during good seasons, that's part of having a good season.
 
This one is simple, schedule. Iowa usually takes advantage of weak schedules. See 2015...basically every season since 05.
Will I ever live to see Iowa have a good season against an also tough schedule....I do not know.

Gotta disagree here. Some of Iowa's worst seasons have come with easy schedules.
2007 was a joke schedule and Iowa flopped
2011 Iowa missed Ohio St and Wisconsin with Michigan and Michigan St and home.
2012 Iowa's didn't play a single opponent that ended the season in the top 15
2014 Finished 7-6 while only playing one ranked opponent

And some of their best teams have happened against their toughest schedules
2002 played their best opponents on the road (Michigan & Penn St, Minnesota even had a good year by their standards)
2009 played their best opponents on the road again (Ohio St, Penn St, Wisconsin)
2015 again played their toughest opponents on the road (Wisconsin, NW, ISU)
 
That stretch included: Ark St, who finished 4-8. Michigan, 5-7. MSU, 6-7.

Yeah, that's a brutal stretch!

Ark St. was the one easy one. Michigan was a middle-of-the-road B1G team as the 2nd easiest, far from a gimme. I think you would be in the extreme minority if you don't think playing a Dantonio-era MSU team on the road at night is tough.

I would be surprised if you could find many 5-game stretches tougher than that for a B1G team. Nebraska probably had a couple similar to that as they were getting "introduced" to the conference.
 
Gotta disagree here. Some of Iowa's worst seasons have come with easy schedules.
2007 was a joke schedule and Iowa flopped
2011 Iowa missed Ohio St and Wisconsin with Michigan and Michigan St and home.
2012 Iowa's didn't play a single opponent that ended the season in the top 15
2014 Finished 7-6 while only playing one ranked opponent

And some of their best teams have happened against their toughest schedules
2002 played their best opponents on the road (Michigan & Penn St, Minnesota even had a good year by their standards)
2009 played their best opponents on the road again (Ohio St, Penn St, Wisconsin)
2015 again played their toughest opponents on the road (Wisconsin, NW, ISU)

Everything you just posted is 100% accurate, look at that schedule and it sets up so perfectly. It just screams easy path to the B1G title game. Realistically, 9-3/8-4 is what I should expect. They don’t leave Iowa City until October.....man I wish they could take advantage of how this schedule sets up.
 
Finished the season as.
Granted things have changed, but one thing remains the same, it's the final score, the final standings that matter.
Everyone knows we took OSU to the wood shed last year, many remember the final score, but very few remember what the score was after the first quarter.

Who exactly are you??? Or I should write what kind of a troll are you??? you certainly are not a hawk fan.
 
Who exactly are you??? Or I should write what kind of a troll are you??? you certainly are not a hawk fan.
Been a hawk fan for a long long time.
I unlike many here am pleased with how things are going in the program. It's had a lot of moving parts, and it's not exactly what everyone wants, but it's undeniable that progress has been made.
Or as the dude would say,
Yeah well, that's just like, your opinion man.
 
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