Not everyone has high expectations of Iowa

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PeoriaHWKI

Well-Known Member
This might have been posted already but this was NBC Sports Preview for Iowa... seems she is clueless on some things...

13. Iowa
Hawkeyes have what it takes again to contend for Big Ten title

NBCSports.com's Preseason Top 25
1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. TCU
4. Oklahoma
5. Oregon
6. Miami
7. Boise State
8. Nebraska
9. Florida
10. Wisconsin
11. Texas
12. Virginia Tech
13. Iowa 14. Pittsburgh
15. North Carolina
16. Arkansas
17. Florida State
18. USC
19. West Virginia
20. Auburn
21. Utah
22. Penn State
23. Notre Dame
24. Georgia Tech
25. LSU

By Joey Johnston
NBCSports.com contributor

2009 record: 11-2, 6-2 (2nd-tie in Big Ten)
2009 bowl: Beat Georgia Tech 24-14 in Orange
2009 final AP/coaches' ranking: 7/7
Coach: Kirk Ferentz (81-55, 12th year)
Offensive coordinator: Ken O'Keefe (12th year)
Defensive coordinator: Norm Parker (12th year)
Returning offensive starters: 6
Returning defensive starters: 8
Location: Iowa City, Iowa
Stadium: Kinnick Stadium (FieldTurf; 70,585)
Last league title: 2004 (tie)
2010 schedule: [view]
2010 roster: [view]
2009 statistics: [view]

Offensive: Senior quarterback Ricky Stanzi has so-so statistics — he had 15 interceptions last season against 17 touchdown passes and a pedestrian 56.2 completion percentage — but he is 18-4 as a starter. The Hawkeyes will need to utilize his resourcefulness. Other than senior wide receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, who needs 30 catches and 400 yards to become Iowa’s all-time leader in both categories, there isn’t an A-list skill player. Sophomore Adam Robinson (834 yards, five touchdowns) should again serve as the top ball-carrier. The offensive line, long an Iowa strength, is in transition with just two starters returning, but the Hawkeyes always seem to develop an effective unit.

Defensive: Iowa has one of the nation’s top defensive lines. The standout is senior defensive end Adrian Clayborn, who had 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for a loss last season. But there’s also muscle inside with senior tackles Karl Klug and Christian Ballard, plus an underrated performer in junior end Broderick Binns. There’s a three-year starter in senior linebacker Jeremiha Hunter. It gets better in the secondary — senior free safety Brett Greenwood is a fourth-year starter, while junior strong safety Tyler Sash enters his third season as a starter.

Story continues below ↓
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Specialists: The Hawkeyes have the luxury of two standout place-kickers — senior Daniel Murray, who converted 19 of 26 field-goal attempts last season, and sophomore Trent Mossbrucker, who made 13 of 15 in 2008 before sitting out with a redshirt season. The punting is solid with senior Ryan Donahue (40.9-yard average, 12 punts of 50-plus-yards). The coverage and return units are top-notch.

Coaching: Kirk Ferentz has made an art form out of transforming Iowa’s program to middle-of-the-pack on paper to conference championship contender (almost annually). Every other year, it seems, Ferentz is rumored as an NFL coaching candidate, but he has clearly built something to last at Iowa.

Heisman hopefuls: The Hawkeyes don’t have any realistic candidates this season.

Game of the year
Nov. 20 vs. Ohio State
This one could be for the Big Ten title. The Hawkeyes still have a bitter taste from last season’s 27-24 loss against Ohio State at Columbus.



Overview: Defense and special teams alone are strong enough to make Iowa an upper-tier team in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes will give the frontrunners a strong battle, but it looks like Iowa doesn’t have quite enough muscle for a repeat trip to a BCS bowl game.

Next up: No. 14 Pittsburgh
 
I don't really see what's wrong with her analysis. Sometimes we Hawkeye fans get wrapped up in thinking that nobody knows anything about our team or that we're being disrespected. But if you were to look objectively and if those offensive stats were for a different team we'd probably be saying the same thing. If we looked at a different Big Ten team and their leading rusher had 800+ yards, a QB that threw 15 ints, and a team that won so many close games, we'd probably think they were up for a letdown as well. But this lady thinks that we are contenders for the Big Ten. I'm fine with what she wrote. We'll do our talking on the field
 
hawkfan8691 said:
I don't really see what's wrong with her analysis. Sometimes we Hawkeye fans get wrapped up in thinking that nobody knows anything about our team or that we're being disrespected. But if you were to look objectively and if those offensive stats were for a different team we'd probably be saying the same thing. If we looked at a different Big Ten team and their leading rusher had 800+ yards, a QB that threw 15 ints, and a team that won so many close games, we'd probably think they were up for a letdown as well. But this lady thinks that we are contenders for the Big Ten. I'm fine with what she wrote. We'll do our talking on the field
Click to expand...

you'll do your talking over a bacon cheeseburger with an egg on it and you'll like it.

i do agree though...judging by last year's stats, her opinion is pretty valid. as hawkeye fans, we just have higher hopes and expectations
 
PeoriaHWKI said:
This might have been posted already but this was NBC Sports Preview for Iowa... seems she is clueless on some things...

13. Iowa
Hawkeyes have what it takes again to contend for Big Ten title

NBCSports.com's Preseason Top 25
1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. TCU
4. Oklahoma
5. Oregon
6. Miami
7. Boise State
8. Nebraska
9. Florida
10. Wisconsin
11. Texas
12. Virginia Tech
13. Iowa 14. Pittsburgh
15. North Carolina
16. Arkansas
17. Florida State
18. USC
19. West Virginia
20. Auburn
21. Utah
22. Penn State
23. Notre Dame
24. Georgia Tech
25. LSU

By Joey Johnston
NBCSports.com contributor

2009 record: 11-2, 6-2 (2nd-tie in Big Ten)
2009 bowl: Beat Georgia Tech 24-14 in Orange
2009 final AP/coaches' ranking: 7/7
Coach: Kirk Ferentz (81-55, 12th year)
Offensive coordinator: Ken O'Keefe (12th year)
Defensive coordinator: Norm Parker (12th year)
Returning offensive starters: 6
Returning defensive starters: 8
Location: Iowa City, Iowa
Stadium: Kinnick Stadium (FieldTurf; 70,585)
Last league title: 2004 (tie)
2010 schedule: [view]
2010 roster: [view]
2009 statistics: [view]

Offensive: Senior quarterback Ricky Stanzi has so-so statistics — he had 15 interceptions last season against 17 touchdown passes and a pedestrian 56.2 completion percentage — but he is 18-4 as a starter. The Hawkeyes will need to utilize his resourcefulness. Other than senior wide receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, who needs 30 catches and 400 yards to become Iowa’s all-time leader in both categories, there isn’t an A-list skill player. Sophomore Adam Robinson (834 yards, five touchdowns) should again serve as the top ball-carrier. The offensive line, long an Iowa strength, is in transition with just two starters returning, but the Hawkeyes always seem to develop an effective unit.

Defensive: Iowa has one of the nation’s top defensive lines. The standout is senior defensive end Adrian Clayborn, who had 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for a loss last season. But there’s also muscle inside with senior tackles Karl Klug and Christian Ballard, plus an underrated performer in junior end Broderick Binns. There’s a three-year starter in senior linebacker Jeremiha Hunter. It gets better in the secondary — senior free safety Brett Greenwood is a fourth-year starter, while junior strong safety Tyler Sash enters his third season as a starter.

Story continues below ↓
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
advertisement | your ad here
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Specialists: The Hawkeyes have the luxury of two standout place-kickers — senior Daniel Murray, who converted 19 of 26 field-goal attempts last season, and sophomore Trent Mossbrucker, who made 13 of 15 in 2008 before sitting out with a redshirt season. The punting is solid with senior Ryan Donahue (40.9-yard average, 12 punts of 50-plus-yards). The coverage and return units are top-notch.

Coaching: Kirk Ferentz has made an art form out of transforming Iowa’s program to middle-of-the-pack on paper to conference championship contender (almost annually). Every other year, it seems, Ferentz is rumored as an NFL coaching candidate, but he has clearly built something to last at Iowa.

Heisman hopefuls: The Hawkeyes don’t have any realistic candidates this season.

Game of the year
Nov. 20 vs. Ohio State
This one could be for the Big Ten title. The Hawkeyes still have a bitter taste from last season’s 27-24 loss against Ohio State at Columbus.



Overview: Defense and special teams alone are strong enough to make Iowa an upper-tier team in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes will give the frontrunners a strong battle, but it looks like Iowa doesn’t have quite enough muscle for a repeat trip to a BCS bowl game.

Next up: No. 14 Pittsburgh
Click to expand...


Considering the Hawks could have been 8-5 or even 7-6 last year and with an almost new offensive line, I have no problems with the Hawks being ranked 13th pre-season.
 
If #13 in the country is low expectations I'll take it.

And what exactly is she clueless about? Perhaps Jewell and McNutt warrant mention, but that's about it. (If anything I disagree with her assesment of our placekicking game)
 
The only thing I didn't agree with was her comment saying that other than DJK we don't have an A-list skill player. If he's healthy, Hampton could very easily be that kind of player (though I don't hold that against her, because who knows what he'll be like this fall). I'm a huge DJK fan (one of my favorites), but McNutt has as much or more potential to be a gamebreaker this year. He's an NFL receiver, no doubt.
 
Only thing is...is she expecting a low year in the Big 10? Or is she expecting us to finish 3rd or 4th or something? Because if we're second in the Big 10, we're going to the BCS, IMO. Unless other conferences have monster seasons.
 
I actually think this is a very accurate prediction. She has us losing 2 close games, one to Wisconsin and one to OSU and still finishing at 13. Our rb situation is wide open who the starter will be, much less if one will be a star. I will agree with a previous poster that said the only thing I disagree with will be the special teams. Our kickoff/kick return team and fg team is still questionable but should be adequate. But I do agree that our punting unit will be one of the tops in the nation.
 
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