Prepping for a glorious 2016-17 season

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desihawk

Well-Known Member
While I would much rather have won the Rose bowl, the humiliating loss could be the motivation that coaches and players need to make this off-season really count. Some general thoughts to put it to good use--

1. It was obvious that our guys had worked like dogs last off-season but if possible kick it up another notch. Doyle and his disciples gotta keep at it. 2015 was the first season since the R incident that I felt our guys stayed strong/conditioned (perhaps thanks to depth) through 4 quarters of every game. The kickers also should put the off-season to great use.

2. It is inevitable that better Iowa teams run into more "athletic" teams that are also well coached. Such games require more than physicality and execution. If bread and butter doesn't work, you must be able to whip out apple-pie and ice-cream through 4-quarters. GD and Kirk get credit for putting out a decent offense in 2015 but it would be great to see them develop a couple (entire) game-plans that can be deployed against superior teams (personnel wise) to keep them off-balance through 60 minutes. Basically when we run into a tOSU or Bama that disrupt regular plans, I want the coaches ready to do things that make those guys panic.

3. Develop and practice a larger portfolio of trick plays on O. Call at least a couple each game (ideally at opportune moments). Keep the players (and fans) excited. I loved the aggression this year-- not going for it on 4th down against MSU in the 4th was the one instance that was disappointing.

4. Finally learn from the past. i.e, the HN publisher should NOT predict an undefeated season. :)

So far a number of things seem to be in the right places for Iowa. King returns (unlike Spievey for 2010, which coulda made 12-0 possible 5 years easlier). Ott likely will. The lines are deep and reasonably experienced. The running backs are running backs. No obvious weak links except receivers are unproven (outside V) but if the O-line holds, the young guys will have time to develop. . The backup QB has taken quality practice reps in 2015. These are all small but significant advantages in comparison to previous so-close seasons.
 
And I would add to not hold back on using some trick plays and counter type plays during the season. Give other teams something to prep for besides our base offense and defense.

I think the hawks should definitely be more aggressive against Miami OH and ISU the first two games of the year in 2016. dont sit back passively against those teams and let them stay in the game with you. Same with NDState. The rest of the games we are a known quantity to the Big 10 teams but be ready to show them something new.

The wide receiver pass by Tevaun Smith is a perfect example of a play that has counter direction action and gives the player run/pass option.
 
desihawk said:
GD and Kirk get credit for putting out a decent offense in 2015 but it would be great to see them develop a couple (entire) game-plans that can be deployed against superior teams (personnel wise) to keep them off-balance through 60 minutes. Basically when we run into a tOSU or Bama that disrupt regular plans, I want the coaches ready to do things that make those guys panic.
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One thing I don't think enough Hawk fans realize is a team like Alabama has enough 4 star recruits who ride the pine to make an entire team and we have what, 2 or 3 total? At some point their size and athleticism become insurmountable regardless of their game plan and play calling. Even Mike Riley would win titles with that squad. The MSU game and the Rose Bowl should have been enough to wake people up and see that this Hawkeye team, even though I love it, is not anywhere near top-tier. I shiver when I think of what a Clemson or Alabama team would have done to the Hawks. People went on and on about Iowa's OL, but what happened when we finally played a team with a D-line like Stanford? CJ gets his helmet removed.
 
Fryowa said:
One thing I don't think enough Hawk fans realize is a team like Alabama has enough 4 star recruits who ride the pine to make an entire team and we have what, 2 or 3 total? At some point their size and athleticism become insurmountable regardless of their game plan and play calling. Even Mike Riley would win titles with that squad. The MSU game and the Rose Bowl should have been enough to wake people up and see that this Hawkeye team, even though I love it, is not anywhere near top-tier. I shiver when I think of what a Clemson or Alabama team would have done to the Hawks. People went on and on about Iowa's OL, but what happened when we finally played a team with a D-line like Stanford? CJ gets his helmet removed.
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On a cell ph, so excuse brevity and typos. I know what u r saying but disagree with the fatalistic premise. First, Bama or Clem would not have rammed Iowa any worse than the trees. Also I daresay the Stamford game was not representative of a typical iowa-stan matchup...things snowballed yielding worse than reality perception. Second, the talent differential wyth bama while it exists is not insurmountable with prep-- at least the probability of a win can be dramatically improved. Kirk with Norm almost never got obliterated by anybody, and I think Phil and GD have the potential to do better than kok+np.
 
To get Michigan Wisconsin Nebraska at home is an amazing thing from an outsiders perspective!

Your toughest non conf is ndsu, but with Rutgers after them, it's not like it's a trap game (if you played Nebraska etc after)

Build off this year's success & get into that Playoff!



Sep. 3Miami (OH) RedHawks*
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Sep. 10Iowa State Cyclones*
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Sep. 17North Dakota State Bison*
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Sep. 24at Rutgers Scarlet Knights*
High Point Solutions Stadium, Piscataway, NJTBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Oct. 1Northwestern Wildcats*(HC)
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Oct. 8at Minnesota Golden Gophers*
TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MNTBA---Saturday
Oct. 15at Purdue Boilermakers*
Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, INTBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Oct. 22Wisconsin Badgers*
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Oct. 29Open Date------Saturday
Nov. 5at Penn State Nittany Lions*
Beaver Stadium, University Park, PATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Nov. 12Michigan Wolverines*
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Nov. 19at Illinois Fighting Illini*
Memorial Stadium, Champaign, ILTBABuy
TicketsFriday
Nov. 25Nebraska Cornhuskers*
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Dec. 3Big Ten Championship Game
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, INTBA---
 
Lakesbison said:
To get Michigan Wisconsin Nebraska at home is an amazing thing from an outsiders perspective!

Your toughest non conf is ndsu, but with Rutgers after them, it's not like it's a trap game (if you played Nebraska etc after)

Build off this year's success & get into that Playoff!



Sep. 3Miami (OH) RedHawks*
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Sep. 10Iowa State Cyclones*
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Sep. 17North Dakota State Bison*
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Sep. 24at Rutgers Scarlet Knights*
High Point Solutions Stadium, Piscataway, NJTBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Oct. 1Northwestern Wildcats*(HC)
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Oct. 8at Minnesota Golden Gophers*
TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MNTBA---Saturday
Oct. 15at Purdue Boilermakers*
Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, INTBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Oct. 22Wisconsin Badgers*
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Oct. 29Open Date------Saturday
Nov. 5at Penn State Nittany Lions*
Beaver Stadium, University Park, PATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Nov. 12Michigan Wolverines*
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Nov. 19at Illinois Fighting Illini*
Memorial Stadium, Champaign, ILTBABuy
TicketsFriday
Nov. 25Nebraska Cornhuskers*
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IATBABuy
TicketsSaturday
Dec. 3Big Ten Championship Game
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, INTBA---
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As in 2015, it will be the schedule and competitions' situations that will be the primary reasons for Iowa's success. Not only the toughest teams at home but the toughest opponents (Michigan, Penn State, Wisky) ALL with new QB's.

At least in 2015, Hawks finally made hay while they could. Need to do so again in 2016 -- take advantage of the extremely favorable situations because it's all uphill again starting in 2017.
 
I still have the feeling that if Kirk Ferentz is thinking of stepping down, following the 2016 season would be the time to do it.

The 2016 schedule is decent but that schedule in 2017 is brutal. Plus 2016 will be CJB and King'size last season. 2017 could be a tough season. 2016 may be Kirk Ferentz last chance to do something special and I don't think he would want to stick around to 2021 for Ferentz 4.0
 
We have enough talent that next season will come down to a combination of about 6-10 plays/turnovers/injuries, given our small window of error/opportunity. Frankly, this could be said about a majority of teams and seasons.

tMSU came down to about 4 plays.

Did not attend the Rose Bowl. Have no interest in West Coast games, and especially after tMSU, which was in my opinion the largest game in recent program history.

Look, people hate it when I say it, but if we had to compare damage between Tennessee and Stanford games, we did the future of the program more harm at last years game given exactly who and where we recruit.

While this last season was a lot of fun, we didn't have nearly the teams (in recent history) we had in 2002 , or even 2009. The schedule was extremely favorable. We had a good share of breaks going our way. What changed for me is that I've never seen backups as ready to play after injury in recent seasons as this last season. And the intangible, which really can't be proven or disproven, was team chemistry and leadership.

I do think at some point new coaching blood is needed, and will marginally) bring us up one level. But it's a crap shoot if it is a dramatic change, and the odds aren't good for this.
 
Golfer said:
We have enough talent that next season will come down to a combination of about 6-10 plays/turnovers/injuries, given our small window of error/opportunity. Frankly, this could be said about a majority of teams and seasons.

tMSU came down to about 4 plays.

Did not attend the Rose Bowl. Have no interest in West Coast games, and especially after tMSU, which was in my opinion the largest game in recent program history.

Look, people hate it when I say it, but if we had to compare damage between Tennessee and Stanford games, we did the future of the program more harm at last years game given exactly who and where we recruit.

While this last season was a lot of fun, we didn't have nearly the teams (in recent history) we had in 2002 , or even 2009. The schedule was extremely favorable. We had a good share of breaks going our way. What changed for me is that I've never seen backups as ready to play after injury in recent seasons as this last season. And the intangible, which really can't be proven or disproven, was team chemistry and leadership.

I do think at some point new coaching blood is needed, and will marginally) bring us up one level. But it's a crap shoot if it is a dramatic change, and the odds aren't good for this.
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I don't know why people say we caught a lot of breaks. If we miss the field goal against Pitt, we still have a pretty good chance of winning in ot. If Wisconsin doesn't fumble, we still have a chance to make a goal line stand or CJ has a chance to get us a win. Those are the only 2 games that were close enough to even point to breaks we got. 2 games out of 12 isn't enough to say we caught a lot of breaks in my opinion. Especially when we still have a chance to win those games without those breaks.
 
I hope next season is as good but I'm guessing 8-9 wins is most likely the end game. Schedule at home is good but the teams are tougher. I'm going to be hyped up but I expect a solid season and we need great recruiting because the 2017 schedule is brutal.......hoping we can really step forward next year.
 
PCHawk said:
I don't know why people say we caught a lot of breaks. If we miss the field goal against Pitt, we still have a pretty good chance of winning in ot. If Wisconsin doesn't fumble, we still have a chance to make a goal line stand or CJ has a chance to get us a win. Those are the only 2 games that were close enough to even point to breaks we got. 2 games out of 12 isn't enough to say we caught a lot of breaks in my opinion. Especially when we still have a chance to win those games without those breaks.
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No kidding, if you want to look at a team who was actually just a couple plays from being terrible, look at MSU. They were a play away from losing to: Oregon, Purdue (yeah, freaking Purdue), Michigan (literally took a miracle to beat them), Ohio St. and Iowa.

It is the dumbest arguement in the world, the we were 1 play away from X number of more wins, or 1 play away from X number of more losses. Well guess freaking what, they made or didn't make the play and the won or loss the game.
 
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Golfer said:
We have enough talent that next season will come down to a combination of about 6-10 plays/turnovers/injuries, given our small window of error/opportunity. Frankly, this could be said about a majority of teams and seasons.

tMSU came down to about 4 plays.

Did not attend the Rose Bowl. Have no interest in West Coast games, and especially after tMSU, which was in my opinion the largest game in recent program history.

Look, people hate it when I say it, but if we had to compare damage between Tennessee and Stanford games, we did the future of the program more harm at last years game given exactly who and where we recruit.

While this last season was a lot of fun, we didn't have nearly the teams (in recent history) we had in 2002 , or even 2009. The schedule was extremely favorable. We had a good share of breaks going our way. What changed for me is that I've never seen backups as ready to play after injury in recent seasons as this last season. And the intangible, which really can't be proven or disproven, was team chemistry and leadership.

I do think at some point new coaching blood is needed, and will marginally) bring us up one level. But it's a crap shoot if it is a dramatic change, and the odds aren't good for this.
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LOL to the idea that we did some kind of major damage to the future of the program because we lost to Stanford. The real damage being done to the program was only winning 7 or 8 games a year. The amount of national attention we gained in being talked about for a spot in the College playoffs was invaluable for this program. Most 16 or 17 year old kids won't even remember who won the Rose Bowl come August.
 
Well, what I said was basically the Rose Bowl was meaningless in terms of recruiting damage, and the Gator Bowl wasn't. Just to be clear.

And we did catch breaks. They went our way this season. A lot of them. I never indicated this was a bad thing, I'm just suggesting these things have a way of evening out. Look, you don't see me posting incessantly about holding by tMSU on the winning touchdown. We had at least two TDs, at critical points, this last season where we obviously held.

It's just my opinion, and I think it's reasonable and based on empirical data. I'm not ripping athletes or coaches. But it would be difficult to convince me a west coast game means more to our recruits, especially 2017 and forward, than the drubbing we took against Tennessee. And difficult to convince me in any one season, a series of 6-8 breaks/plays/injuries etc aren't the difference between 9 wins and 6 wins as an example.

Again, my opinion, which might or might not be the dumbest argument ever. But you have an opinion as well, and I make no real judgment on your opinion, so lay off.
 
Golfer said:
We have enough talent that next season will come down to a combination of about 6-10 plays/turnovers/injuries, given our small window of error/opportunity. Frankly, this could be said about a majority of teams and seasons.

tMSU came down to about 4 plays.

Did not attend the Rose Bowl. Have no interest in West Coast games, and especially after tMSU, which was in my opinion the largest game in recent program history.

Look, people hate it when I say it, but if we had to compare damage between Tennessee and Stanford games, we did the future of the program more harm at last years game given exactly who and where we recruit.

While this last season was a lot of fun, we didn't have nearly the teams (in recent history) we had in 2002 , or even 2009. The schedule was extremely favorable. We had a good share of breaks going our way. What changed for me is that I've never seen backups as ready to play after injury in recent seasons as this last season. And the intangible, which really can't be proven or disproven, was team chemistry and leadership.

I do think at some point new coaching blood is needed, and will marginally) bring us up one level. But it's a crap shoot if it is a dramatic change, and the odds aren't good for this.
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Oh hey, the damage done in that Rose Bowl game was so severe that AJ Epenesa just decided to commit to the Hawks, even though Saban had just set his sights on him.
 
I like ya Dean, as far as I know you on the internet, but you just aren't really reading or understanding what I posted. Perhaps I need to clarify. I stated last years game meaning the Gator Bowl. I should have been more specific. I can't be anymore clear about what I think about a Rose Bowl trip, unless it's part of the CFP. No one watched the Rose Bowl. No one cared. It was an unfortunate outcome, but in terms of recruits watching, the Gator Bowl caused damage, the Rose Bowl didn't. And at least one recruit has said something along this way of thinking.

Outside of that, I really have no intent of getting into an argument over it.
 
Golfer said:
I like ya Dean, as far as I know you on the internet, but you just aren't really reading or understanding what I posted. Perhaps I need to clarify. I stated last years game meaning the Gator Bowl. I should have been more specific. I can't be anymore clear about what I think about a Rose Bowl trip, unless it's part of the CFP. No one watched the Rose Bowl. No one cared. It was an unfortunate outcome, but in terms of recruits watching, the Gator Bowl caused damage, the Rose Bowl didn't. And at least one recruit has said something along this way of thinking.

Outside of that, I really have no intent of getting into an argument over it.
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Gotcha, I misread what you meant.
 
I'm still curious which breaks we caught this year besides the 2 I mentioned. Half of our offense was injured for half the year and we lost our best or second best defender. We also had quite a few bad breaks against us in the MSU game. I would say we were more unlucky this year than lucky.
 
We'd disagree about Iowa's football team being more unlucky this season than lucky. Not going to take time to point out good breaks game by game, and at extremely critical times. It isn't worth the effort to me. Suffice it to say, every season is comprised of good and bad breaks, and we were the recipient of many more good breaks this season. A team built the way Iowa's teams historically are, don't get to 12-0 without getting a majority of good breaks, and this year, some other favorable factors.

With respect to half our offense being injured this season, I'm not sure that's accurate, and even if it was, it had less to do with this season's outcome than did our OL being a work in progress. We did lose our only decent pass rusher. That part is true. But that's one bad break, and still doesn't come close to evening this season's ratio up after adding in whatever other bad breaks we had.

Great year. Great season. A lot of fun road trips. But I try to see things for what they are, and if the ball bounces differently next season, chances are the record will reflect this. We've had some decent football teams with worse records, and we've had the opposite. It's just how things are.
 
Golfer said:
We'd disagree about Iowa's football team being more unlucky this season than lucky. Not going to take time to point out good breaks game by game, and at extremely critical times. It isn't worth the effort to me. Suffice it to say, every season is comprised of good and bad breaks, and we were the recipient of many more good breaks this season. A team built the way Iowa's teams historically are, don't get to 12-0 without getting a majority of good breaks, and this year, some other favorable factors.

With respect to half our offense being injured this season, I'm not sure that's accurate, and even if it was, it had less to do with this season's outcome than did our OL being a work in progress. We did lose our only decent pass rusher. That part is true. But that's one bad break, and still doesn't come close to evening this season's ratio up after adding in whatever other bad breaks we had.

Great year. Great season. A lot of fun road trips. But I try to see things for what they are, and if the ball bounces differently next season, chances are the record will reflect this. We've had some decent football teams with worse records, and we've had the opposite. It's just how things are.
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You can say this every single year for every last team. Take away X turnover and games goes Y, blah, blah, blah. 2009 we received 50 more good breaks than this year. Bottom line is you gotta still win the games. Remember how KF got blasted for saying we were 2 plays from winning the west last year? He was rightfully blasted because we were what our record said it was last year. Now I'm blasting you because we are what our record says we are this year.
 
It's hard to talk about breaks when you're up 2 possessions with only enough time for 1 possession. Which we were in every single game but 2.
 
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