Miller & Deace: Picking Iowa Game By Game

[ArvadaHawk]

This X1000 If Iowa doesn't have their heads on straight and are not ready for a fight you can forget all about starting the season 10-0.

If this does happen (I don't believe it will), then I think KF should be fired (unless we go 12-1 and win the B1G title). I am just done rationalizing teams like UNI, ISU (and the rest of the non BCS non con teams we play) playing us "tough." Go beat the p*ss out of those you should and beat the teams that are equal to you. It is amazing reading through this thread how much we are all familiar with "We start slow under KF" or "We always drop at least one game we shouldn't."

With our schedule, we should have no more than 1 loss (I won't predict undefeated). If we have two losses, it better be from losing the B1G championship game.

 

[deanvogs]

If this does happen (I don't believe it will), then I think KF should be fired (unless we go 12-1 and win the B1G title). I am just done rationalizing teams like UNI, ISU (and the rest of the non BCS non con teams we play) playing us "tough." Go beat the p*ss out of those you should and beat the teams that are equal to you. It is amazing reading through this thread how much we are all familiar with "We start slow under KF" or "We always drop at least one game we shouldn't."

With our schedule, we should have no more than 1 loss (I won't predict undefeated). If we have two losses, it better be from losing the B1G championship game.

Why do people think that when Iowa lines up against other teams of similar talent, they should just win every game? It would be one thing when we are talking about the talent that was on the roster in 2010, and losing to teams that were inferior to us. It is another to think that this team has sooooo much more talent than say a Wisconsin, Nebby, Maryland, jNW that we should just bulldoze them all. That just isn't reality, as this roster isn't hands down more talented than the rest of the league. Expecting no more than 1 loss is as smart as holding out on dating women, cause you are waiting for Kate Upton to love you the way you love her.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

Why do people think that when Iowa lines up against other teams of similar talent, they should just win every game? It would be one thing when we are talking about the talent that was on the roster in 2010, and losing to teams that were inferior to us. It is another to think that this team has sooooo much more talent than say a Wisconsin, Nebby, Maryland, jNW that we should just bulldoze them all. That just isn't reality, as this roster isn't hands down more talented than the rest of the league. Expecting no more than 1 loss is as smart as holding out on dating women, cause you are waiting for Kate Upton to love you the way you love her.

First, I didn't in any way, shape or form, indicate that all we need to do against equally talented teams is line up and we'll win. I get you were using hyperoble, but that detracted from my statement. So, I ask, why shouldn't we expect it? As long as a fan base rationalizes losses before a season starts and embraces the "We start slow under KF" or "We always drop at least one game we shouldn't" then the staff has get out of jail free cards on what should be legitimate expectations. This Iowa team, with as many or more returning starters than WUs and kNU should be held to a high standard of winning, particularly, with the schedule we have. Come on, there is nothing wrong with Iowa fans having high expectations, especially, when they are warranted.

 

[DP5555]

I think people in general tend to take these predictions far too seriously (like Jon still getting crap for picking Iowa to go undefeated). No one ever knows what's going to happen. Injuries can really throw a cog into things obviously.

As far as this year goes, the schedule in front of the Hawks really gives them a chance to make some noise in both the B10 and potentially the Top 10. That's exciting enough for me. I fully understand that Iowa isn't usually a team that has the ability to go out and dominate opponents. Often times, they have shown they are a team who has a bad habit of playing down to the level of their opponents. However, they have also shown that they are usually a team who has the ability to go out and compete with anyone. Which means they have a fighters chance in every single game. There isn't one team on the schedule this year that I look at and say "There's no way Iowa is going to win that game". That alone gives me chills when I think about the possibilities.

 

[HawkeyeDenis]

This is a season where it is tough to pick the losses. On paper Iowa should win every game on the schedule. But we have been down this road before and here we are again. Iowa's secondary is the big concern, which means that Indiana could be a problem. But Iowa is strong up front on both sides of the line and looks to have a strong offense this year. So the edge is still with Iowa. Iowa should be strong against the run and adequate against the pass. On offense Iowa should be a threat deep and on the ground they should be able to run the ball. Something we haven't seen in a long time.

Pitt will be well coached and may not be searching for answers at a couple of positions but it's an away game. Let's hope that this isn't like when Michigan State came into Kinnick uncertain of their QB. And then he suddenly found his stride and left Iowa standing still.

Maryland gets Iowa in round three of the B10 welcoming committee as they play Indiana, Ohio State before Iowa. The B10 isn't the ACC. Maryland is about to find out what a grind the B10 season is. Iowa should go in and dominate.

Nebraska and Wisconsin at home. This is like a dream having both of these teams at home and not up their usual championship form. Of these two I think Wisconsin has the better chance of pulling out a win.

A 8-4 season with this schedule is a letdown.

 

[JHHawk]

I think Jon's done a decent job here.....Wis and Md. are reasonable picks to beat Iowa. Md has two high draft pick WR's and a 6th year QB. They spread it out, and the QB is a good runner also....all that could mean doom for Iowa.

Wis is now at the level that they might just re-load, not re-build. I was stunned with how they stifled Iowa's offense last year, but with their personnel losses, that defense cannot be as dominant. We did a reasonable job vs their vaunted rushing attack last year, until the dam burst late. I still think we match up well with them.

Pitt, NW, Neb, and IU are all danger games. Iowa might win them all but there will be some coin-flip games.

 

[deanvogs]

First, I didn't in any way, shape or form, indicate that all we need to do against equally talented teams is line up and we'll win. I get you were using hyperoble, but that detracted from my statement. So, I ask, why shouldn't we expect it? As long as a fan base rationalizes losses before a season starts and embraces the "We start slow under KF" or "We always drop at least one game we shouldn't" then the staff has get out of jail free cards on what should be legitimate expectations. This Iowa team, with as many or more returning starters than WUs and kNU should be held to a high standard of winning, particularly, with the schedule we have. Come on, there is nothing wrong with Iowa fans having high expectations, especially, when they are warranted.

Sure you did. You said we should go 12-1 with a B1G title. That would mean we have to beat teams who are very comparable or better on paper (Wisconsin, Nebby, Maryland, jNW, and the East division winner). So we need to go 4-1 against teams as good as us. We need to beat teams who are probably only a notch or two below us (Minny, Pitt, Indiana). I agree we should take care of the UNI's, ISU's, Ill, and Purdue's on the schedule.

That is fine, you can set your expectations wherever you want, it is a free country. Since it is a free country, I myself, I like to enjoy a 9-3 season. I choose to have fun, enjoy the wins, get upset about the losses for a day or so and then go on with my life. If you want to hang the staff out to dry for a 11-2 season, knock yourself out.

 

[guffus]

Ultimately the law of percentages catches up to a team. A team may have an 80% to win each game, but that means they will probably be 4-1 after 5 games.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

How electric would Kinnick be at 10-0.

Considering NO Iowa team has ever started 10-0, it would probably be in contention for Game Day, especially if Wisconsin is 10-0 or 9-1.

 

[Doublewide]

Purdue is going to struggle again...Iowa should handle them.

In the ESPN Big Ten Blog...Rittenberg looked at the characteristics that make up Big Ten Title winners over the last decade plus.

The keys are constant:

1. Run the ball......check
2. Stop the run....with our d-line, hopefully check.
3. Control the clock and win the turnover battle.....KF specializes in these areas, but turnovers can be tricky. Jake has got to reduce his interceptions, or we will be in trouble. In all of our losses last year, Jake throw picks.
4. Defense is more important than offense....that is again a KF deal.

That's it. Passing attack is not hugely meaningful, or even pass defense....it is still all about the ground in this league.
I think this is why KF schemes the way he does....he has studied these same stats and the winning formula is what he does.

5. Big Ten games are a good time to take a nap.

 

[deanvogs]

5. Big Ten games are a good time to take a nap.

I save my naps for 71-7 games.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

Sure you did. You said we should go 12-1 with a B1G title. That would mean we have to beat teams who are very comparable or better on paper (Wisconsin, Nebby, Maryland, jNW, and the East division winner). So we need to go 4-1 against teams as good as us. We need to beat teams who are probably only a notch or two below us (Minny, Pitt, Indiana). I agree we should take care of the UNI's, ISU's, Ill, and Purdue's on the schedule.

That is fine, you can set your expectations wherever you want, it is a free country. Since it is a free country, I myself, I like to enjoy a 9-3 season. I choose to have fun, enjoy the wins, get upset about the losses for a day or so and then go on with my life. If you want to hang the staff out to dry for a 11-2 season, knock yourself out.

No, I didn't, dean. Here is my original post. Please find the quote that says all Iowa has to do is line up against teams with similar talent and they should win. Go ahead and enjoy wishing for 9-3. I'll enjoy not being afraid of expecting to get to the B1G championship game.

Original Post (note: the statement of "if this does happen" was in reply to a poster saying they wouldn't be surprised if UNI beats Iowa): "If this does happen (I don't believe it will), then I think KF should be fired (unless we go 12-1 and win the B1G title). I am just done rationalizing teams like UNI, ISU (and the rest of the non BCS non con teams we play) playing us "tough." Go beat the p*ss out of those you should and beat the teams that are equal to you. It is amazing reading through this thread how much we are all familiar with 'We start slow under KF' or 'We always drop at least one game we shouldn't'."

"With our schedule, we should have no more than 1 loss (I won't predict undefeated). If we have two losses, it better be from losing the B1G championship game."

 

[judzeehawk]

Offense defense both will be good enough to keep us in all the games. I would like to see the special teams step up and create some turnovers like we used to do. Blocked kicks punts nasty hits. Set the tempo for us. Just be aggressive. I am kind of worried about our field goal kicker. Haven't heard anything about the kickers. Maybe even turn the tables and pay back some of these teams for making us look bad on fake punts. When it comes to the clowns hope we stomp the crap out of them big time!!!!!!!!

 

[deanvogs]

No, I didn't, dean. Here is my original post. Please find the quote that says all Iowa has to do is line up against teams with similar talent and they should win. Go ahead and enjoy wishing for 9-3. I'll enjoy not being afraid of expecting to get to the B1G championship game.

Original Post (note: the statement of "if this does happen" was in reply to a poster saying they wouldn't be surprised if UNI beats Iowa): "If this does happen (I don't believe it will), then I think KF should be fired (unless we go 12-1 and win the B1G title). I am just done rationalizing teams like UNI, ISU (and the rest of the non BCS non con teams we play) playing us "tough." Go beat the p*ss out of those you should and beat the teams that are equal to you. It is amazing reading through this thread how much we are all familiar with 'We start slow under KF' or 'We always drop at least one game we shouldn't'."

"With our schedule, we should have no more than 1 loss (I won't predict undefeated). If we have two losses, it better be from losing the B1G championship game."

Ok, Mr. you can't paraphrase anything, lets take EXACTLY what you said then:

If this does happen (I don't believe it will), then I think KF should be fired (unless we go 12-1 and win the B1G title).

If Iowa DOESN'T go undefeated, then it MUST only lose 1 game and win the B1G championship, or you think KF should be fired.
You are right......I am the crazy one with unrealistic expectations.......

Who is afraid of expecting to get to the B1G championship game? Please tell me where I said that.

 

[vosov]

I save my naps for 71-7 games.

This is solid work.

Maybe I'm alone, but I do enjoy the occasional tackle.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

Ok, Mr. you can't paraphrase anything, lets take EXACTLY what you said then:

If this does happen (I don't believe it will), then I think KF should be fired (unless we go 12-1 and win the B1G title).

If Iowa DOESN'T go undefeated, then it MUST only lose 1 game and win the B1G championship, or you think KF should be fired.
You are right......I am the crazy one with unrealistic expectations.......

Who is afraid of expecting to get to the B1G championship game? Please tell me where I said that.

Wrong, again, dean. The statement I made: "If this does happen (I don't believe it will), then I think KF should be fired (unless we go 12-1 and win the B1G title)." was in responses to a poster stating they thought UNI could beat Iowa, this season. I even notated this in my previous post.

Read through the posts, dean. You're just all kinds of wrong and you haven't done a very good job of twisting my words around to change the context in which they were written, to support you stance. I would highly suggest you quit attacking my posts on this topic, since you cannot prove what you say I stated, because you're just flat wrong.

 

[MrPlastic]

Arvada I'm calling for 11-3. 11-1 regular season with a pair of loses in the post season. Also don't pay a lot of attention to Dean he's a real glass half full kind of guy.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

Arvada I'm calling for 11-3. 11-1 regular season with a pair of loses in the post season. Also don't pay a lot of attention to Dean he's a real glass half full kind of guy.

Thanks, MP. I really do think Iowa is better than every team on their schedule. We have a veteran team and if you can't rely on a veteran team, then when can you rely on a team? I think we have the best shot to win the West and get the B1G title game. Beyond that, who knows. But any undeated team from the B1G will make it to the playoff.

 

[deanvogs]

Wrong, again, dean. The statement I made: "If this does happen (I don't believe it will), then I think KF should be fired (unless we go 12-1 and win the B1G title)." was in responses to a poster stating they thought UNI could beat Iowa, this season. I even notated this in my previous post.

Read through the posts, dean. You're just all kinds of wrong and you haven't done a very good job of twisting my words around to change the context in which they were written, to support you stance. I would highly suggest you quit attacking my posts on this topic, since you cannot prove what you say I stated, because you're just flat wrong.

I was never trying to twist your words. I guess I just misunderstood what you posted. After re reading it, I can see that I was interpreting incorrectly what you were saying. I thought your point was that if Iowa loses more than 2 games KF should be fired, and that is not what you said.

 

[deanvogs]

Arvada I'm calling for 11-3. 11-1 regular season with a pair of loses in the post season. Also don't pay a lot of attention to Dean he's a real glass half full kind of guy.

HA. I'm almost always optimistic, and I do think we have an outside chance of winning the B!G. I just draw the line at firing a coach over a two loss season (or at least that is what I thought he was saying, and as I posted above, I was wrong about that).