Not be be gloomy but next year...

Bigtenchamp

Well-Known Member
How are things going to get better...

Losing McNutt... losing more defensive people... and at the line...

The way that everythign is falling into place... we're not set up in a linear fashion for improvement.

I hope I'm wrong and we end up better.
 
1 Northern Illinois (Chicago)
8 Iowa State (Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series)
15 Northern Iowa
22 Central Michigan
29 Minnesota (HC)

On the bright side the schedule sets up very nicely to start the season off 5-0.
 
Still think that some immediate help on the DLine is necessary.

Also, think Nolan MacMillan being able to return to play is important. However, up to 35% of people with his injury never play competitive sports again, to say the least B1G football.
 
Good news on offense - 2 of top 3 receivers back.
Top TEs returning and Hamilton should make some noise.
Top RB is back. and excellent blocking FB will only be a junior.
2 to 3/5 of OL back and behind them are highly recruited kids waiting for their chance.
Very good QB back for senior season.

Good news on defense - DL was not a strength this year so there is a good chance there will not be much of a drop next year. There is some up and coming talent there as well. Next fall should be similar to this year where we have 2 DL who have started at some point coming back.
Derby will make an impact somewhere on defense.
2 of 3 (or 3 of 4) top linebackers return with more experience, and probably more strength.
2 of 4 return in secondary. Coaches and observers very high on probable Prater replacement Lowery. Law looks like the real deal at safety.
Overall, the past 2 excellent recruiting classes will provide more quality depth than we have had recently.
Can't wait until next year!
 
I agree that the D line needs immediate help. Eventually they'll be fine on the D line, but it is a weakness.

I think the offense will be pretty good. Iowa tends to do well with a good, senior QB in this system. KMM will be a solid receiver. Davis will be a senior. I saw CJF riding a moped and I think he'll be starting by mid season as well. Coker will be a Junior. Mabye McCall will be "all that" and we actually have two solid backs that can rotate. The line will have to replace proven performers but I think young guys will step up.
 
Good news on offense - 2 of top 3 receivers back.
Top TEs returning and Hamilton should make some noise.
Top RB is back. and excellent blocking FB will only be a junior.
2 to 3/5 of OL back and behind them are highly recruited kids waiting for their chance.
Very good QB back for senior season.

Good news on defense - DL was not a strength this year so there is a good chance there will not be much of a drop next year. There is some up and coming talent there as well. Next fall should be similar to this year where we have 2 DL who have started at some point coming back.
Derby will make an impact somewhere on defense.
2 of 3 (or 3 of 4) top linebackers return with more experience, and probably more strength.
2 of 4 return in secondary. Coaches and observers very high on probable Prater replacement Lowery. Law looks like the real deal at safety.
Overall, the past 2 excellent recruiting classes will provide more quality depth than we have had recently.
Can't wait until next year!


What he said. Especially agree with bolded statement.
 
Next man in!!

DL is going to be young but have the talent to do well. Throw in a Davis with another year to develop,Cooper will have an off season to develop, Trinca Pasat will have another year to develop. Melvin Spears at DE will have a year to develop, McMinn has a year to develop, Mike Hardy has a year to develop. Bigach, Alvis, Gaglione come back.

Then get a Juco or Two as some depth to go with Venkus and Jaleel Johnson and we are not to bad, but inexperienced again..

LB is actually loaded with Morris, Alston, Hitchens, Kirksey, and Derby(he could be a rush end also....why not!) 2 three year starters on that unit will be huge.

Secondary, strong here but lack depth with Hyde, Lowery, Miller, Sleeper, Nico Law, Lomax

We have talent but lack experience




OFFENSE

Line has some great young talent in Shereff, Donnal, Walsh, Blythe, to go with Reiff(if he stays) Ferentz, McMillan...... Depth includes Bofelli and the young guys and im sure im missing someone.

RB, no need to discuss we have the young horses


QB, solid with Vandy, Weinke, and Rudock

WR, We have staggs, martin-manley, davis, shumpert, bullock, hillyer, grant.... McNutt is a huge loss but even he was a surprise his sophomore year to us. People can improve!

TE, Set for a while with CJF, Hamilton, and maybe Duzey and Krieger-Coble

Honestly if we turn in a nice recruiting class to round out the year and get some good DE/ DT Jucos for next year we are going to be fine. Leadership is starting to build with the young guys as is confidence. Going to a bowl game really helps for development!!
 
I think our defense can be decent if our D-Line can hold up. Losing Daniels, Binns and even Nardo will be huge losses. Especially since the depletion we have suffered from defensive linemen transferring out of the program. IMO we will need to see Carl Davis and Darian Cooper really step up next year if we don't want a repeat of this year. Linebackers look solid with Derby stepping in next year with Morris and Kirksey. My dream four in the defensive backfield would be Hyde,Lowery,Miller and Nico Law.

Offensively our O-Line will be good, not as good as this years as we lose Gettis and Zus but we will be steady. Really hope we see more Mccall next year as he could be the perfect lightning to Cokers Thunder. The TE position is making me drool. Holy sh** CJF has the ability to be one of the best TE's ever at Iowa and I think Ray Hamilton will live up to the hype. At WR Mcnutt will obviously be a huge loss, but didn't we say the same thing about DJK? Keenan will have to step up as well as KMM moving into that #2 role. Overall i'm not overly optimistic about the hawks next year but Iowa usually does better in the years we don't expect much
 
It depends on what you believe. If you believe Vandenburg won't improve then losing McNutt will be a big blow to this offense. If you believe he will improve, then losing McNutt is mitigated somewhat.

I don't think the defensive line will be much worse than it is right now.

The schedule is easier next year than it was this year, at least looking at it right now.

Don't go expecting 10 wins or anything, but there's no reason to fear 6 wins either.
 
That soft start "should" help us get to 5-0 and I think we will be very good on O. Keenan gets his year to shine. Hopefully, we can also grind out wins with long drives behind MC and MM while keeping our defense off the field.

I don't think the D can get much worse to be honest. The LBs will be a year more experienced and Derby will get in there to make an impact. The secondary looks decent with Hyde, Miller and some younger talent. A decent season could ride on whether Iowa grabs these 2 DL out of California JUCO and if they are serviceable. More often than not, these guys just don't turn out, which is why Iowa does not grab them often. However, the line is in such bad shape that they are probably going to be forced to take a chance and hope for the best.
 
I think the offense has a chance for more consistency due to Vandenberg's development, having a 1-2 punch in the running game and a solid OL. Keenan Davis and KMM will be more than competent, and more consistency from the TE. If Iowa can get CJF working in the offense next year on par with historical production, I think Davis/KMM/CJF can have similar production to what Iowa has had this year in its passing game.

Now, up front on defense? Without a couple of Juco players, there is trouble.
 
How can it be any worse? It really can only be the same or be better. But I don't think any believes it will be a great line.
 
actually i do expect the D-L to be better, there was very little motivation in the fact there was very little if any inter-team competition, there will be 4 rs-fr and 4 rs-sophs looking for playing time and with just 2 sr and 1 jr [who is questionable at this point if he will be healthy], the competion will be fearce for a starting spot, nothing motivates a player than other players trying to get that spot,
they will be young but but after 2-3 years in practices they should be familiar with assignment
 
Alvis going down with an ACL injury was a HUGE loss just because he probably won't be available until at least mid-season next year. We are going to have to rely on a lot of youth there outside of Bigach. So that means Cooper, Davis, McMinn, and probably incoming recruit Jaleel Johnson are going to be pushed into service.
 
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