hawkeyebob62
Well-Known Member
Gotta admit, despite your incessant negativity, that first sentence is a classic!
My 2017 Iowa Football Prediction
- Thread starter JonDMiller
- Start date
Gotta admit, despite your incessant negativity, that first sentence is a classic!
Those Nebraska teams from the nineties won with terrible wide receivers. I can't stand the guy who made one catch with his foot against Missouri and made a media career out of it. Like omg you made one catch get over it but he still talks about it on the radio every day twenty years later.
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
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
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
Yup, you are correct-it is normalized to 10. Subliminally I must have wanted 8 wins and the cold, hard, facts were overridden by my desire to get there. So the question now is MSU or Nebraska...
Using other than the points I see us as a favorite in 5 games with a tossup at Iowa State. We could certainly lose one of those maybe even the first game. We could also pick up one that we are not favored in like NW, MSU or Nebraska. I guess when the dust settles I expect us to be between 4 and 7 wins. 6 if we win the first game and Iowa State and 5 if we lose either.
I really like the optimism some have about our QB situation. I wish I could share that but I think we will be near the bottom of the league at that position. Alabama can win with a mediocre QB but its real tough for a team like Iowa to be good with a less than average QB
I really like the optimism some have about our QB situation. I wish I could share that but I think we will be near the bottom of the league at that position. Alabama can win with a mediocre QB but its real tough for a team like Iowa to be good with a less than average QB
ArvadaHawk
Well-Known Member
DT is a question mark and that will allow opposing OL's to get to our LB's. LB's could be making plays downfield instead of up field.
Offense: QB/WR, we just have no idea what it's going to be. Our best WR is damaged goods, at this point, and everyone else is new. No, I'm not counting on Young or Falconer. Stanley and Wiegers may as well not have the very small quantity of game experience they have since the offense will be different. Even so, they don't have the experience.
While Rugumba should be a stud, we're, essentially turning over our DB's this season.
Yes, our OL should be a strength, but their pass pro has been questionable the last 3 seasons. Who here has seen evidence that we will have an avg passing offense at minimum. We can tell ourselves our OL is used to going against a stacked box. But that's still 7 (5 OL + TE + FB/HB) against at least 8 and probably 9.
I'm treating this season like last seasons hoops team. Show me progress.
Yup. Here's the wild card and it's no secret it's Wadley. They can use him in the passing game a million different ways. They don't need to lineup in the I formation down in and down out to slam him between the tackles like traditional RBs. I think that threat will keep teams honest. And if Toks & or Young establish themselves that opens up Wadley to be in the slot or go in motion on plays. They don't have to play with a traditional FB all the time either. I think BF has lots of options to play with here that aren't high risk throws to WRs down the field. That should give whichever QB gets the gig easier throws and confidence to grow from there.
hawkdrummer1
Well-Known Member
The Wadley wild card is only effective as long as he's not the only back. Otherwise teams will key on him big time.
trj
Well-Known Member
I think Vandeberg is the wildcard in the passing game. He is going to be open a lot especially early in the season. If the QB can get him the ball remains to be seen.
guffus
Well-Known Member
I agree this year's schedule is similar in strength to last year, all teams are the same except
Wyoming = NDSU
Ohio State = Mich
North Tex = Miami-Ohio
MSU = Rut
Ok, some of that is a stretch, but MSU did finish 1-8 in the BigTen last year, and is expected to be bad again this year.
So much of the 6-6 negativism probably has more to do with losing Beathard, King, etc and its not clear who is going to step up to make Iowa better. Throw in a new OC and Iowa's offense is really expected to struggle.
Wyoming = NDSU
Ohio State = Mich
North Tex = Miami-Ohio
MSU = Rut
Ok, some of that is a stretch, but MSU did finish 1-8 in the BigTen last year, and is expected to be bad again this year.
So much of the 6-6 negativism probably has more to do with losing Beathard, King, etc and its not clear who is going to step up to make Iowa better. Throw in a new OC and Iowa's offense is really expected to struggle.
trj
Well-Known Member
Their defense will be atrocious. If ultra-conservative KF rears its ugly head who knows how that game plays out.
Obviously anything can happen. What I like about the next few seasons is the hope of an improved offense. I believe Brian Ferentz is on a working job interview right now for head coach. If the hawkeye offense is successful and has great seasons, the job is his. So he has all the motivation in the world needed, he could be a head coach at 40 something with a multimillion dollar contract. I also like the fact that 2 experienced offensive coordinators will give on the job training to Brian. Then it seems like the next OC is already on staff to replace Brian if gets the top job. Kirk needs to be willing to play to win. If he allows that to happen I think great seasons are here.
And DMX chose to leave... Hopefully it was because he felt that the young talent was better. Probably not, but still a possibility.
That's just it. How much confidence is there in whichever QB gets the reigns? Especially early on. I think the short passing game to Wadley and the TEs should be what they focus on. I love Vandeberg he's good. But he's also the only player there's any tape on to speak of catching the ball for other teams to have watched. So teams would be smart to shade coverage his way a lot too...
I think Iowa will be able to run the ball and be great there not to mention the front seven on defense. So how good the team will be on the QB and overall passing game ultimately.
HawkPowerlifter
Well-Known Member
I'm comfortable with saying we win 7 with an outside chance of stealing one to get 8. I think our line play on both sides will be the key. Even with questions at QB and WR, I think we move the ball with steady line play.
If you can't beat Iowa State...your team and coaching staff are a combined piece of crap...KF has been owned way too often...
Perhaps this is THE year Iowa can stun Ohio State...the quintessential piece of crap team and coaching staff combo.
That would put BF on the fast track to another long tenure of F blood in Iowa City.
Perhaps this is THE year Iowa can stun Ohio State...the quintessential piece of crap team and coaching staff combo.
That would put BF on the fast track to another long tenure of F blood in Iowa City.
How's does adding another player at the one position Iowa is actually stacked at add a win?
Agreed. They were improved last year on offense, but their defense has shown nothing.
