My 2017 Iowa Football Prediction

trj said:
Their defense will be atrocious. If ultra-conservative KF rears its ugly head who knows how that game plays out.
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If Iowa loses that game its on the coaching staff. We definitely have a talent advantage everywhere except WR.
 
Mrke1 said:
How's does adding another player at the one position Iowa is actually stacked at add a win?
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More depth at RB is always a good thing and he's not just another RB ... 37 receptions last year and 2700 rushing yards the past two seasons. With a new QB and a thin WR core it's going to have to be ground and pound football behind that OL ... especially when the winds start blowing in November.
 
Hawk1960 said:
More depth at RB is always a good thing and he's not just another RB ... 37 receptions last year and 2700 rushing yards the past two seasons. With a new QB and a thin WR core it's going to have to be ground and pound football behind that OL ... especially when the winds start blowing in November.
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I agree he's a good RB, but its more of the same. If we had gotten a WR that can stretch the field on the other hand...
 
I would rather pay ten dollars a year to a guy who tells me the Hawks will win a National Championship. I don't know why I read the free stuff that tells me they won't.
 
FirstDownHawkeyes said:
This will be the best RB tandem Iowa has had since J Lewis and Fred Russell. They very well may both be drafted.
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How about the best tandem since Daniels and Wadley? I mean Iowa had TWO 1000 yard rushers last year. It's unfortunate there wasn't a comparable WR tandem.
 
WinOneThisCentury said:
I'm confused by all the negativity and the 6-6 season stuff. Our schedule hasn't changed that much...IMO we added one tough, tough opponent...OSU. Everybody else, we have been playing already. Really, substitute OSU for Michigan this year. Certainly road games at Wisconsin and Nebraska don't help, but we win at Nebraska due to it being Kinnick East these days. The other road games, NW and MSU, certainly appear tough, but NW isn't a difficult environment and I think it reminds our players what it was like to play on a high school field. MSU isn't the old MSU and they are replacing 88% of their starters.

There are serious strengths on this Iowa team. You have to look at the offensive line and RB as a serious strength. Usually, when Iowa has experience coming back on the OL, it bodes well offensively. This offensive line could be dominate...that opens up the offense since so much energy is spent trying to stop our running game. I would argue, this is the most experience on the OL we may have ever had coming back.

Sure, we are going to have a new QB, but you overcome that every few years in college...this is nothing new. Honestly, i don't think BF and KOK are going to change the offense that much. It's only going to be a few tweaks as that is all that is needed. You need to challenge defenses vertically with your WRs and TEs, period. Other than that, I liked GD's offense. Honestly, adding Polesak was a huge get IMO...I think he's going to add a few wrinkles to the OL scheme that are going to have defenses on their heels. He's also like having another offensive coordinator. You have BF, KOK, and Polesak...all have been OC's at some point in their careers...i think the offense is going to be very good. We need Vandenburg at full strength...that's key.

Defensively, it's all about shoring up the middle. Bazata will be fine, if he's healthy...that's one. We need at least two others to step up and have the ability to occupy people. Everywhere else on defense, I think we are going to be fine. We have corners who have played and showed skill and potential. I know people will point to the secondary and say, we are in trouble, but I seriously think we have recruited athletes that can play the safety position in Iowa's scheme.

8 wins is my low for the season...and I think it could be special if they can win the Penn State game. Penn State and NW are the two teams that I would say could go the other way. Here's why I think we win them. I think our pass rush is going to be special...and I mean special. Teams will not consistently have time to throw. Anthony Nelson is a beast, Hesse is now a junior and that's usually when guys really have developed into a pass rusher. Then throw in Simon, Gohlston, & a five star recruit and you think, hmmm...that's depth and that's pure athleticism.

Wins: Wyoming, ISU, N. Texas, Penn State, MSU, Illinois, NW, Minnesota, Purdue, & Nebraska

Losses: OSU & Wisconsin
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I like it. I think Iowa can definitely do this if they execute. Iowa is not going to blow anyone out. Every game will likely be close and if we control the line of scrimmage and field position, I think this is very attainable. I just hate big expectations. We seem to be the type of team when we have hype, we fall short. When we are counted out, we overachieve.
 
Games Iowa should win:
Wyoming
N. Texas
ISU
Illinois
Purdue

I think they go 4-1 here, as they always drop one they shouldn't

Games Iowa has no business winning:
OSU
Penn St.
@Wisconsin

I think they go 1-2 here, as Iowa always wins one they shouldn't

Toss ups:
Minnesota
@Northwestern
@MSU
@Nebraska

I think they split these 2-2

So I have Iowa 7-5.

In 2015 I think I predicted 7, and the obviously had 12 wins. In 2016 I predicted 9 and they ended up at 8 wins using this method.
 
Kennyfromminne said:
I'm with ya, most rbs can look good behind stellar olines.
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I think its a good thing to have two AW-like rbs. I hope I am right that AW and JB will be on the field at the same time. AW could shift into the slot and get matched up against lb's or S's, in any event, you'd could get him the ball in the middle of the field. That's a td waiting to happen. But we could run jet sweeps read options at any given time with both on the field. It's time to reduce the role of the fb in this offense.
 
I get the concern about our pass protection...I do. However, I will tell you this...I'm sure KF and Polesak know it needs work too. So, all Spring and Fall it's going to get attention. With the experience we have coming back, I think it's going to look different and the improvement will be apparent. When you are already the best run blocking offensive line in the country and you improve your pass protection and blitz pick-up...well that means you have one on one battles that given time in the pocket, even a mediocre QB can exploit them.

I like the way our offense is shaping up. Also, getting a 3 year player at RB is huge for depth at RB. Huge. Can you imagine if Wadley went down? Now, if we could also get a DT transfer...that would really be great.
 
trj said:
Their defense will be atrocious. If ultra-conservative KF rears its ugly head who knows how that game plays out.
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Wouldn't be the first time. I recall the 2014 game in Kinnick. ISU had a very weak defensive backfield...KFz absolutely refused to throw the ball and make any attempt to stretch the defense...almost as if we was trying to keep it close. There was no shortage of people in our section screaming "JUST THROW THE BALL". Even Marvin McNutt was posting it on twitter. This game, as much as any, began the "it's time to dump him" talk. Good god I hope we don't go back there again.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
Wouldn't be the first time. I recall the 2014 game in Kinnick. ISU had a very weak defensive backfield...KFz absolutely refused to throw the ball and make any attempt to stretch the defense...almost as if we was trying to keep it close. There was no shortage of people in our section screaming "JUST THROW THE BALL". Even Marvin McNutt was posting it on twitter. This game, as much as any, began the "it's time to dump him" talk. Good god I hope we don't go back there again.
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Isus strength is there secondary, Iowa's weakness is passing game. If we don't run the ball down that weak dlines throat would be stupid
 
bitmap said:
How about the best tandem since Daniels and Wadley? I mean Iowa had TWO 1000 yard rushers last year. It's unfortunate there wasn't a comparable WR tandem.
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L Daniels was a nice back but this kid is better and AW will be a year older. It's not a knock on LD and taking anything away from his season but no one was seriously talking NFL for LD.
 
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