It's pretty bad when

[Northside Hawk]

true story

You're right. It was true. We were the second or third best team in the conference. It's just that Kirkball embarrasses you and always will.

Perhaps you should follow the Big 12.

 

[#1DieHardHawk]

There are penalties not called on almost every snap (holding penalties in particular), but, I do give the coaches credit for having the team ready to go. We didn't commit any obvious penalties, including pre-snap brain fart ones.

That all goes back to preparation, focus and discipline, so kudos to the coaches for that.

 

[okeefe4prez]

The dual threat QB scared me. But at the end he had to almost single handedly win the game for them.

Which brings me to my main point, again. We were the more physical team. You could see it as the game wore on. Their skill position players started hearing footsteps. The only way Fitzgerald could complete a pass in the fourth quarter was to high point it. Otherwise his receivers were developing alligator arms and dropping TD passes.

Ironically, it was coach Moormann that was trumpeting to get ready for a physical game. Well, he got one. This reminded me of the bullies of the big ten days when we won several bowl games against SEC teams. That key goal line stand that held them to a FG, just before Gervase's interception in the end zone, was physicality personified.

Agreed. Ain't see an Iowa team like that bince the 2008-09 era. Watching Epenesa beat the left side of their line like a drum was sweet, too. They clearly weren't prepared for him to be a freaking beast. I hate it because I am getting excited for next year and I just hope they don't let us down. We won't get any respect going into the year, but could very well be in the playoff talk by mid October.

 

[Xerxes]

The dual threat QB scared me. But at the end he had to almost single handedly win the game for them.

Which brings me to my main point, again. We were the more physical team. You could see it as the game wore on. Their skill position players started hearing footsteps. The only way Fitzgerald could complete a pass in the fourth quarter was to high point it. Otherwise his receivers were developing alligator arms and dropping TD passes.

Ironically, it was coach Moormann that was trumpeting to get ready for a physical game. Well, he got one. This reminded me of the bullies of the big ten days when we won several bowl games against SEC teams. That key goal line stand that held them to a FG, just before Gervase's interception in the end zone, was physicality personified.

And the better conditioned team. Which is interesting being that players from Mississippi should be far more used to humid weather than Iowa players are. Good job by the staff and players getting themselves ready. You can't get hydrated for weather like that the day ahead of time. Somebody was doing their job well.

A lot of MST players getting stretched out and cramping. When the field reporter mentioned the MST players drinking pickle juice, I started to feel pretty good. Anybody that has done athletics outside in the humidity knows this. Once you start cramping up and feeling the effects of the humidity, its already too late.

 

[Northside Hawk]

More accurate to say we werent called on any penalties. MSU fans are sure talking about that.

Watch Brandon Smith on Easley's second TD catch, the one where he fights for the pylon. He was blocking in the end zone. You can be the judge as to whether or not it was holding.

 

[okeefe4prez]

There are penalties not called on almost every snap (holding penalties in particular), but, I do give the coaches credit for having the team ready to go. We didn't commit any obvious penalties, including pre-snap brain fart ones.

That all goes back to preparation, focus and discipline, so kudos to the coaches for that.

Agreed. For all the shit we can heap on the Ferentz family, when you watched the other bowl games, you could see their attention to the fundamentals pay off. Iowa is lacking the physical freaks at some positions, but they had the best gap discipline and tackling form of any team in the games thus far other than probably Clemson. And the lack of penalties was the result of some good coaching. Parker is a coordinator who is just a cut below Venables - both of those guys have a ton of experience and aren't seemingly chomping at the bit to get HC jobs and it definitely shows.

 

[okeefe4prez]

And the better conditioned team. Which is interesting being that players from Mississippi should be far more used to humid weather than Iowa players are. Good job by the staff and players getting themselves ready. You can't get hydrated for weather like that the day ahead of time. Somebody was doing their job well.

A lot of MST players getting stretched out and cramping. When the field reporter mentioned the MST players drinking pickle juice, I started to feel pretty good. Anybody that has done athletics outside in the humidity knows this. Once you start cramping up and feeling the effects of the humidity, its already too late.

That's part of having such an experienced staff. Ferentz might go out there and get blasted by some physical freak like McCaffery, Carson Palmer or a team that just flat out has way better speed like Florida, Tennessee or Oklahoma, but he has been around the block long enough to know he ain't gonna squander a bowl victory over controllable elements like guys getting piss drunk the night before the game or hydration issues.

 

[Fryowa]

If the CFB playoffs ever expand, I really think coaches like KF would flourish more. He'll likely never get a shot. It's unfortunate that they play a game that is more a of a beauty pageant than a football game when it comes to deciding who is the champ. Do you see teams in the NFL going undefeated along the way to their Super Bowl? No, not real often. It's hard to win football games. Otherwise, everyone would be doing it. The fact is, not every one is. Iowa wins more than they lose by a lot and I am always going to be thankful for that and not wish away a staff that now has as many bowl wins as EVERY other coach that coached at the school combined. That's a lot of winning. Of course it can be better, I am not satisfied either, but to be unhappy with a program that is this healthy seems disingenuous.

I would agree with the expansion giving Iowa a long shot once in a blue moon. With the performance of many of the players Iowa is putting in the pros, I think recruiting is going to get better. If a CFP berth is based on winning the conference, we could have a 2015 once every 15 years and maybe win the B1G title game.

Even if you got beat in the first round, the benefits to being one of those 8 to the program and recruiting would be huge. Get a qualified OC with a head coach who listens to him next to Phil Parker, and all of a sudden you're dangerous.

 

[HawkGold]

Watch Brandon Smith on Easley's second TD catch, the one where he fights for the pylon. He was blocking in the end zone. You can be the judge as to whether or not it was holding.

Saw it at the time.

We would be upset if MSU had none, that I do know.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

More accurate to say we werent called on any penalties. MSU fans are sure talking about that.

My biased eyes can't remember anything happening where I thought we should have been called for one. If anyone else can bring up of one I'd be curious to know

 

[MoseSchrute]

The dual threat QB scared me. But at the end he had to almost single handedly win the game for them.

"Dual threat" qb's are much easier to deal with when they can't really throw all that well.

 

[Xerxes]

"Dual threat" qb's are much easier to deal with when they can't really throw all that well.

Yep. He did hit a few throws but every time he stepped into a throw I felt Iowa's chances were far better than we I saw him tuck it and run.

 

[Northside Hawk]

"Dual threat" qb's are much easier to deal with when they can't really throw all that well.

Yeah for whatever reason he didn't seem to be able to throw on the run nearly as well.

I was prepared for a McSorley type QB at the very least.

 

[Caddy]

The dual threat QB scared me. But at the end he had to almost single handedly win the game for them.

Which brings me to my main point, again. We were the more physical team. You could see it as the game wore on. Their skill position players started hearing footsteps. The only way Fitzgerald could complete a pass in the fourth quarter was to high point it. Otherwise his receivers were developing alligator arms and dropping TD passes.

Ironically, it was coach Moormann that was trumpeting to get ready for a physical game. Well, he got one. This reminded me of the bullies of the big ten days when we won several bowl games against SEC teams. That key goal line stand that held them to a FG, just before Gervase's interception in the end zone, was physicality personified.

Heard footsteps? Their receivers were wide open almost all day. Their Qb is even more inaccurate than ours, and when he did put one on the numbers they simply dropped it. They dropped 2 passes that would have been tds and we didn't have a db within yards of the receiver.

 

[Caddy]

Yeah for whatever reason he didn't seem to be able to throw on the run nearly as well.

I was prepared for a McSorley type QB at the very least.

It is well known that their qb really couldn't throw the ball at all, from the pocket or on the run. They were a completely one dimensional team.

 

[Northside Hawk]

It is well known that their qb really couldn't throw the ball at all, from the pocket or on the run. They were a completely one dimensional team.

They certainly looked like it yesterday. It turned out to be a good matchup for us. Fitzgerald's feet were their biggest weapon by far. Even there, we put the clamps on him after that long TD run.

 

[uihawk82]

It is a message board, if we all had the same perspective/opinions then this place wouldn't exist.

I'm happy with the bowl win but I still can't shake the disappointment of what 2018 could have been. I'm sure I will at some point and I'm optimistic that 2019 could be better.

You are right to be disappointed in the regular season. The hawks survived two turnovers yesterday but almost played a super clean game except for maybe missed blocks in the running game and some pass rush pickup. The defense played great and tackled really good except for a couple of runs.

In our losses this year we had drops, physical mistakes, mental mistakes and penalties (some phantom at Purdue), crazy awful turnovers, a few key injuries, and the dreaded 4th qtr letdowns etc.

 

[uihawk82]

Especially when you read someone on here saying they were embarrassed by the game yesterday. How anybody ever be embarrassed beating a ranked opponent?

Totally agree it is very quizzical how a so called fan can be embarrassed or feel bad after beating a very good opponent. MSU has a great defense, a good running game which the hawks held in check, and a somewhat challenged passing game like Iowa does but their receivers are athletic.

If as someone said Geno Stone tipped that pass which caused the bobbled incompletion and INT by Gervase then that is another great Hawk play and not a gift from Santa.

Go Hawks. I am hoping for more and better power running game next year and continued improvement in the passing game.

 

[uihawk82]

Watch Brandon Smith on Easley's second TD catch, the one where he fights for the pylon. He was blocking in the end zone. You can be the judge as to whether or not it was holding.

Yes that looks like a decently clean block by Smith but Easley was also about 1-2 yards downfield while our receivers were blocking their Dbacks which could have also been called OFF PI. That was a very close play but otherwise the hawks did not have any obvious penalties.

And that Sweat guy could have got called for unneccesary roughness late in the 3rd qtr I believe after Stanley threw the ball away and Sweat just shoved him hard late into the Iowa bench.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Yep. I'm negative often enough too, but I can't do it after a bowl game win. Especially when the Hawks should be ranked in the final poll. 9 wins and a ranked finish.. That's not too bad?

I was (am still am) kind of disappointed in the missed opportunity that was the regular season, but beating a ranked team in a bowl game helps to salvage that somewhat. Sure, it could have been, and probably should have been, at least a 10-2 regular season..

Suppose the thing is, most programs not named Ohio State, Alabama, etc. would be pretty happy to be 9-4.

So I find it hard to be too critical this morning. I'll save that for next fall.

FWIW, I find your takes more pragmatic than negative.