JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
Don't tell that to the 2009 Iowa Hawkeyes that were ranked 99th in the nation in rushing. Or the 2004 Hawkeyes that were 116 out of 117 rushing the ball
Last year after four games...
- Thread starter JonDMiller
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Don't tell that to the 2009 Iowa Hawkeyes that were ranked 99th in the nation in rushing. Or the 2004 Hawkeyes that were 116 out of 117 rushing the ball
tm3308
Well-Known Member
Perhaps the better way to put it is that we need a dominant rushing game if we want to be a true NC contender. I still feel like if Greene had come back for his senior year, he wins the Heisman and takes us to a title. For as good as Ingram was last year, he didn't hold a candle to Greene.
Howler
Well-Known Member
That wasn't a commentary/dig on Robinson. It was a commentary on our RB corps as a unit. A-Rob isn't a single, feature back to my eyes, so we need the 1-2 punch to succeed, very much in the way we relied on Wegher's contributions last year. It's not a slam on Robinson to think Jewel has more upside, productive as A-Rob has been. Jewel just hasn't had the opportunities yet.
JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
If you are going to compete for a NC, you have to have a great defense. Iowa has it. It helps to have a dynamic offense with a great ground game, but not a requirement. But you cannot have the special teams lapses that Iowa has had this year.
The circumstances of the early deficit last night allowed Arizona to play a brand of defense that would have lost them the game had they played like that without Iowa putting itself in the hole. I suspect they would have played the game much more honest were it not for the circumstance.
But that's the game of football. Iowa invited more blitzes than it typically does because it was in a hole and the sharks smelled blood.
Jon:
Neither of those teams was strong enough to end up in the Rose Bowl. While they were able to put together strong seasons, they both finished behind other teams. In 2004 it was UM, in 2009 it was OSU. That is what I meant. They were good, but the lack of an overpowering run game left them out of the top spot in the Big Ten.
Now, that being said, the running situation right now looks a bit more like it has the potential to be like 2004 than 2009. That would mean the Hawks would probably need other B10 teams to stumble to get a share of the title instead of being able to win the title outright. Now if they were able to find another back who could ramp upnthe run game things would be different.
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bcl20
Well-Known Member
That's every passionate fan base.
Jon,
The concern over the run game comes from going from 4 deep to start the season to two.
We are one injury away from having Paki O'Meara as our starting running back. If that happens Iowa is in for a looooong season of seeing blitzes like we did last night. Our wideouts are big but don't have the top speed to make defenses respect the deep ball. The only way they get open is off of the play-action pass sucking up the safeties. If Iowa cannot get the run game going, after last night, and I was an opposing D-coordinator, I would blitz every play.
The concern over the run game comes from going from 4 deep to start the season to two.
We are one injury away from having Paki O'Meara as our starting running back. If that happens Iowa is in for a looooong season of seeing blitzes like we did last night. Our wideouts are big but don't have the top speed to make defenses respect the deep ball. The only way they get open is off of the play-action pass sucking up the safeties. If Iowa cannot get the run game going, after last night, and I was an opposing D-coordinator, I would blitz every play.
DuffMan
Well-Known Member
There are two things wrong with this.
1) Paki O'Meara is hurt, he's not going to be stating any time soon.
2) Our WR's are plenty fast, they got behind single coverage all night long and we threw deep at will. We owned the Arizona secondary, the corners specifically.
hawkeyescott
Well-Known Member
You should be glad stupidity doesn't get a person banned around here.
latrans
Well-Known Member
This.
I said before this game that national perception matters and that the national perception of Iowa was not good. I think that dropping 9 spots after losing to a ranked team by one score on the road two time zones to the west proves it. Barring the most exceptional circumstances we will not crack the top 4 or 5 even if we win out. That is the reality of being Iowa and one that I am willing to accept if it means that I do not have to embrace the moral terpitude of being a USC fan.
Again, this.
We're IOWA. No matter what some people think, this is not a 'glamour' team - it never has been. No one outside of the alumni and people who live in Iowa (especially on the coasts and in the media) will ever look at the Hawkeyes in the same way they look at OSU or Michigan. We don't have the cachet those teams have. We grind. We work as a team - remember we had other standout players than just SG in '08. We win ugly (observe - last year). But we have earned the respect of coaches and teams, especially in the hard knocks conference we play in.
National title? Even if we blew out every single team and ran up the score for the coveted 'style points' (do I hear quacking?), the powers that be would never let it happen. And as much as it would be well-deserved if we had gone 12-0, I'd rather play well - our way - and finish the season taking out the Big 10 before the playoffs start and grab the roses.
KF will make sure the team remembers this game - I'm sure the image of an AZ player sitting on Stanzi has been sent to every O-lineman with the words, "Don't EVER let this happen again." Our special teams players probably won't be able to sit for at least a week (if you catch my drift ;p). And the D? I wouldn't go anywhere near the front four - they're mad now.
This may have been the best thing for this team. They won't forget...
GO HAWKS.
"Dress well, and drink a lot - that's what college is for."
- Ian Shoales
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DesMoinesHawki
Well-Known Member
I dont think that is unique to iowa fans. That is human nature my friend and every fan base has em
Rawkhawk73
Banned
Iowa was unranked. They beat PSU on the road and moved up to 13, so if Iowa wins the next two, they probably will be around the same ranking IMO.
I think everything the team felt it could play for this year is still conceivably on the table. But as always, they have to take care of their own business and deal with what they can deal with in the games they play.
This team is still good enough to win a Big Ten title. They are still good enough to beat every team that is on their schedule. Having more time elapse since last night, I am even more impressed with the way Iowa came back given the special teams collapse. That showed a lot of character.
If they can shake this loss out of their heads, and having Ball State this week is the best tonic for that, and they show the level of heart they displayed last year, they will be just fine.
I wish I could say the same about some of the fans...perhaps some of you will shake it off by tomorrow
Bottom line is that last year, after four games, we were 4-0. Regardless of where we were ranked or how close the games were or how bad we looked, the difference thus far is that last year's team pulled out the tough wins.
On a side note, we are now 0-3 in the last 3 games decided by 7 points or fewer.
SDK46
Well-Known Member
+1
The game was hurtful to Iowa in many ways, not the least of which we're suspect on the OL apparently, and the already luke-warm national perception of Iowa just went cold.
It was a bummer on many fronts. Man....at least last year we had an "excuse" why we didn't go 12-0 (Stanzi being hurt).
This game hurt.
hawkeyescott
Well-Known Member
How? I'm not the idiot that watched Arob run for almost 900 yards last year then watched the game last night and come to the conclusion he can't get it done in Big Ten play.
