Win or lose, I love my Hawkeyes!! All you gloom & doom fanatics need to do a character check. I can see the potential in this team.
Here's my positive outlook:
Running backs: Weisman is a bull. He hits the holes quick and runs physical - he's fun to watch. A mini Shonn Green inflicting pain on would be tacklers. Bullock has shown talent too. He is quick, runs hard and is a receiving threat. Garmon is fast, he's an explosive kick returner for now. Canzeri is nearly ready to play and he's fast and elusive. Rogers is getting healthy too and he's an excellent blocker. All these backs are young and improving every game.
Tight Ends: We're loaded with young NFL caliber talent here - Hamilton, CJ & others - youth and size and speed.
Offensive line: We are loaded with young talent and depth. The lineman are beginning to blossom as a unit. Protection is getting good and they are blowing open huge holes in the running game. Experience will eliminate the occasional missed assignment that currently stalls drives. You can see the improvement every game.
Kicker: Meyer is an All Big 10 kicker. Hits the field goals, never misses PAT's and drills kickoff's thru the endzone and he's young.
Punter: one of the highest rated in country - true freshman. He needs a few games under his belt. Solid senior backup in Weinke.
Wide Receiver: Davis is coming around and showing his talent. Manley is young, but talented and is exciting to watch. We really need a world class speedster here to stretch defenses and a clutch third down glue for hands kind of guy who runs precision routes.
Defense was supposed to be our weakest link. They've played brilliantly in the 2nd half of every game this year. It's just a matter of time before we start seeing complete games from them in my opinion. Halftime coaching adjustments have been brilliant all year. We're playing more nickel & dime packages, more man press coverages and even blitzing occasionally. We seem to be able to get crucial stops when we need them. Quite a few shutdown three & outs by this defense. We're young as a unit and still missing assignments at times, but experience will clean that up.
Defensive backs: Playing excellent - maybe the best overall unit Iowa's had in a long time and they're young.
Linebackers: talented and young linebacking group, If anything, a bit undersized in the middle -especially since we're playing a smaller line. Personally, I think Alston needs to anchor the middle and shift Morris to the side like late last year. That's a better spot for him.
D-line: was supposed to be our weak link - they've been steady with occasional bursts of talented play. D-line is light on experience but improving. We're a bit undersized on the D-line....we'll see if that becomes a liability.
QB: Vandenberg - experienced starter, senior. A real mystery to me. Great one series, then lost the next. Not seeing the field well at all, missing wide open receivers. Lacks touch on short passes. Seems afraid to throw deep at times. Stares down receivers, fails to find or look for 2nd & 3rd options. Even his supposed flawless mechanics have abandoned him. Is he hurt? Happy feet? Feeling the pressure of losing his job to the kid? Struggling with the system? Rare to see such regression from a senior starter.
The pieces are in place for the Hawks to be very good. Youth and inexperience are hurting us. We lack that polished organized confidence that experience provides. I think the team seriously lacks leadership. On both those onside kicks, Derby (a senior) and another receiver jumping out of the way of the ball - like they don't want to make the play or possibly a mistake. Derby's been there, no confusion, he's a senior...make the play. Vandenberg seems to lack that "play to win" killer instinct too. Not sure this team has a bad *** "Angerer type" showing everyone what it takes to win on defense. Have yet to see that "Stanzi type" leader on offense who is unfazed by mistakes and possesses complete confidence in their ability to lead the team to a win. There's hope for the defense...I think we're starting to see some swagger. On offense, that leader needs to be the QB. All the successful Hawk teams had QB leaders - Stanzi, Tate, Banks, Hartlieb, Long etc. who were confident leaders. I'm not sure Vandy has "IT". The talent's there. Leadership is what's missing.
Here's my positive outlook:
Running backs: Weisman is a bull. He hits the holes quick and runs physical - he's fun to watch. A mini Shonn Green inflicting pain on would be tacklers. Bullock has shown talent too. He is quick, runs hard and is a receiving threat. Garmon is fast, he's an explosive kick returner for now. Canzeri is nearly ready to play and he's fast and elusive. Rogers is getting healthy too and he's an excellent blocker. All these backs are young and improving every game.
Tight Ends: We're loaded with young NFL caliber talent here - Hamilton, CJ & others - youth and size and speed.
Offensive line: We are loaded with young talent and depth. The lineman are beginning to blossom as a unit. Protection is getting good and they are blowing open huge holes in the running game. Experience will eliminate the occasional missed assignment that currently stalls drives. You can see the improvement every game.
Kicker: Meyer is an All Big 10 kicker. Hits the field goals, never misses PAT's and drills kickoff's thru the endzone and he's young.
Punter: one of the highest rated in country - true freshman. He needs a few games under his belt. Solid senior backup in Weinke.
Wide Receiver: Davis is coming around and showing his talent. Manley is young, but talented and is exciting to watch. We really need a world class speedster here to stretch defenses and a clutch third down glue for hands kind of guy who runs precision routes.
Defense was supposed to be our weakest link. They've played brilliantly in the 2nd half of every game this year. It's just a matter of time before we start seeing complete games from them in my opinion. Halftime coaching adjustments have been brilliant all year. We're playing more nickel & dime packages, more man press coverages and even blitzing occasionally. We seem to be able to get crucial stops when we need them. Quite a few shutdown three & outs by this defense. We're young as a unit and still missing assignments at times, but experience will clean that up.
Defensive backs: Playing excellent - maybe the best overall unit Iowa's had in a long time and they're young.
Linebackers: talented and young linebacking group, If anything, a bit undersized in the middle -especially since we're playing a smaller line. Personally, I think Alston needs to anchor the middle and shift Morris to the side like late last year. That's a better spot for him.
D-line: was supposed to be our weak link - they've been steady with occasional bursts of talented play. D-line is light on experience but improving. We're a bit undersized on the D-line....we'll see if that becomes a liability.
QB: Vandenberg - experienced starter, senior. A real mystery to me. Great one series, then lost the next. Not seeing the field well at all, missing wide open receivers. Lacks touch on short passes. Seems afraid to throw deep at times. Stares down receivers, fails to find or look for 2nd & 3rd options. Even his supposed flawless mechanics have abandoned him. Is he hurt? Happy feet? Feeling the pressure of losing his job to the kid? Struggling with the system? Rare to see such regression from a senior starter.
The pieces are in place for the Hawks to be very good. Youth and inexperience are hurting us. We lack that polished organized confidence that experience provides. I think the team seriously lacks leadership. On both those onside kicks, Derby (a senior) and another receiver jumping out of the way of the ball - like they don't want to make the play or possibly a mistake. Derby's been there, no confusion, he's a senior...make the play. Vandenberg seems to lack that "play to win" killer instinct too. Not sure this team has a bad *** "Angerer type" showing everyone what it takes to win on defense. Have yet to see that "Stanzi type" leader on offense who is unfazed by mistakes and possesses complete confidence in their ability to lead the team to a win. There's hope for the defense...I think we're starting to see some swagger. On offense, that leader needs to be the QB. All the successful Hawk teams had QB leaders - Stanzi, Tate, Banks, Hartlieb, Long etc. who were confident leaders. I'm not sure Vandy has "IT". The talent's there. Leadership is what's missing.
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