Schwartz - 10 Misguided Thoughts

[tanaros]

I never really understand this. If you generally know in advance that you're going to disagree with someone's take, why read the article?

I don't agree with that particular item, I think its pointless to a year before the games are played, to say a schedule is guaranteed to be weak. A year ago, I would have said Purdue 2017 was a sure thing, but it didnt work out that way. now they're 0-3, who saw that coming?

I don't know how long Miami (OH) has been on the schedule, but they used to be a fairly solid MAC team that would be able to make us work. They're not good now, but who knows what next year will bring?

 

[hawkinn3]

He’s not my cup of tea

 

[pythagoras]

. A year ago, I would have said Purdue 2017 was a sure thing, but it didnt work out that way. now they're 0-3, who saw that coming?

Quite a few of us, you don't simply replace most of your defence and remain at the same level. They're not able to reload like bama

 

[PawkHawk1]

.......Iowa should have followed the example of Purdue, NW, etc who scheduled 1 MAC team and 2 P5 schools OOC......

Sure. And how’s that working out for those guys? Would you rather be 0-3 like Purdue?

 

[tanaros]

Quite a few of us, you don't simply replace most of your defence and remain at the same level. They're not able to reload like bama

Sure, but my point is that no one saw the 2017 Purdue turnaround in the first place. Roster turnover or retention isn’t an indicator on it’s own of stuff like that.

 

[pythagoras]

Sure, but my point is that no one saw the 2017 Purdue turnaround in the first place. Roster turnover or retention isn’t an indicator on it’s own of stuff like that.

Actually retention and turnover is a very big indicator of stuff like that........

 

[Jonrn]

I'm absolutely fine with scheduling cupcakes to begin each season. Since we don't have a pre-season like the NFL, we need it for a tune-up before the games that count. If we ever make it to the playoff, it will only be through winning the B10, not because of a tough OOC schedule. However, a couple OOC losses could certainly keep us out.

This I agree with. I’m okay with 1 cupcake but not 2. Iowa isn’t alabama or Georgia reloading with 5 Star recruits every year. They need an easy game to iron out problems before big ten season.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

He’s not my cup of tea

Mine either. I'm not going to bash the guy cause to me it's a cup of tea thing. Some may enjoy his writing style. That's fine. I do read his articles cause of the content being all Iowa related and maybe I can learn something new. Can't say I'm a fan of some of the topics and where he takes things but I'm not going to rail against him or anything.

 

[Ree4]

11-1 Ohio State helped themselves in 2016 by beating Big 12 champ Oklahoma.

In 2017 OSU was kept out because they lost to that same Oklahoma team.

You could even argue 12-1 Iowa was kept out in 2015 because of a weak schedule.

I don't think you can argue this, we were kept out because we lost the CCG. Are you saying if we would have beaten a good team OOC we would have jumped Michigan St even though they won the CCG?

 

[tanaros]

Actually retention and turnover is a very big indicator of stuff like that........

It’s one indicator absolutely but it’s not a be-all, end-all.

In Purdue’s case, a much bigger factor was the drastically improved coaching. In the case of say, Michigan last year, you didn’t a drop off like you might expect after losing 10 starters because they recruited very well.

 

[pythagoras]

It’s one indicator absolutely but it’s not a be-all, end-all.

In Purdue’s case, a much bigger factor was the drastically improved coaching. In the case of say, Michigan last year, you didn’t a drop off like you might expect after losing 10 starters because they recruited very well.

Purdont starting rosters were heavy with Jr and Sr. players, those players are now gone. Same coach is still there. They're 0 and 3

Remind me again how i'm still right?

 

[mopkins]

Every week we will be pointing out which thought from Schwartz is the most misguided or off target. This week it's thought #5.

5. By the way, the athletic department assembled a nonconference schedule in which Iowa’s opponents are currently a combined 1-6, and shout out to next year’s nonconference slate of Miami of Ohio, Iowa State, and Middle Tennessee State.

At first glance it appears there should be no discernable value in any of the Hawkeye wins since the records of the teams that Iowa has played are 1-6. Well, three of the losses are to Iowa, so let's breakdown the 1-3. Utah and Oklahoma are two of the losses that make up the 3...two very good teams and if anything, the way NIU and Iowa State played the competition would provide fuel to say Iowa is a pretty good team, and very good defensively.

Next year...yeah...two of the three are looking like cupcakes...but as long as Matt Campbell stays at Iowa State, they will always be a good barometer of where Iowa is heading into the B10. This year is no different.

Lets not forget Iowa State got a cupcake rained out which should've counted as a win. Also Northern Illinois only lost to Utah by 11. The same Utah team that hung with Washington. Context matters and Schwartz chose to not point any of that out.

Also, I'll never understand the complaint about non-conference opponents in football. Why do people care? Alabama has a home game against something called "the citadel" in mid November right before they take on Auburn. That same week Auburn plays Liberty and LSU plays Rice. Non conference schedule doesn't matter at all...as we saw back in 2015.

Almost every single power 5 school plays 1 power 5 non-conference opponent and 2-3 FBS schools. Unfortunately Iowa is stuck in the Iowa State quagmire and that's the way its forever going to be until the Big 12 dissolves and Iowa State ends up in the MVC or the Mountain West. It sucks but people need to get over it.

 

[tanaros]

Purdont starting rosters were heavy with Jr and Sr. players, those players are now gone. Same coach is still there. They're 0 and 3

Remind me again how i'm still right?

I’m not really sure what you’re arguing. I’m not disagreeing that retention isn’t a factor. Coaching and recruiting matters as well.

Purdue was DREADFUL on defense in 2016. Player retention alone can’t account for the major improvement they made, something like 60 spots in defensive rankings from one year to the next. They also have competent coaching now. Of course their defense took a step back because of graduation (which I talked about in preseason).

 

[kicker22]

I'd love to play 3 powerhouses every year, but the fact is our program sees it about being about wins and a "tune up" to conference play as opposed to putting marquee games on the schedule. The argument lies in the fact that the majority of Power 5 programs play schedules similar to ours, but its much easier to criticize one program for doing it while ignoring the fact that the large majority of programs do the exact same thing.

 

[NoBeer]

Not at all. I think I’m pretty lenient as a moderator and you guys are fine if you’re constructive and don’t make it personal. Dave can take it. He writes opinion.

I’m just providing information on our analytics. People read Dave’s pieces. The numbers show it.

I mean, it couldn't possibly the be the clickbait titles or garbage hot takes that result in people reading him. Not in today's discerning, serious, intellectual media climate.

 

[ICHawk24]

NIU, ISU, and UNI all won 8 games last year. Criticizing the scheduling due to their current records is short-sighted at best, stupid at worst.

Howe claims that Schwartz gets a lot of clicks. That is because he is a hack who writes clickbait.

 

[ChosenChildren]

Iowa plays in a brutal conference, and has to play NINE conference games now, which means 5 conference road games every other year (including this year).

We also play Iowa State every year, which is really a tenth conference game in many respects. Iowa always comes out of the Iowa State game with new injuries to key players.

The 11th and 12th game should be cupcakes. Every Year, with no exceptions. We gain NOTHING by scheduling strong teams out of conference. If you win the Big Ten and only have one or zero losses, you are probably going to end up in the 4 team playoff, regardless of your OOC schedule.

Iowa already has suffered numerous injuries to key starters this season, after only playing 3 games, two of which are so-called "cupcakes."

I remember 2015. We played Pitt after a tough game against Iowa State. Beathard suffered injuries in that game and was hobbled the rest of the season. It wasn't worth it.

This year, Iowa's non-conference schedule is currently ranked by Sagarin to be stronger than Michigan's, Ohio State's or Wisconsin's. Why are THEY playing easy schedules? I think the answer is obvious..
.

 

[RobHowe]

So you guys are saying the Iowa fan base is full of morons who can't see the forest through the trees and fall for clickbait? Got it. Well played.

 

[SteveGarvey1]

I always know when I read one of Schwartz's articles, I'm going to be somewhat entertained, agreeing with him sometimes, other times not. That's the whole point of why Schwartz writes what he writes, to incite a reaction. No problem here with that.

 

[ModebaSan]

Its not only about scheduling wins. Iowa likes to have 7 home games per year to bring in money into the Iowa City area. This is important for economic stability and development. Its nearly impossible to schedule a P5 team without agreeing to a home and home agreement. Its also important for smaller schools to help their programs financially because they dont have the luxury of big tv contrracts. There are many smaller schools out there that are struggling financially, and a game with P5 programs can make the difference between ending their seasons in the red or black. And who wants to see football disappear at smaller schools, at any level, nationally? Every year, somewhere across America, a school decides to shut down their football program. Besides, I’m looking forward to the day that an FCS school catches Alabama, on that rarest of occasions, take down the Mighty Crimson Tide! As the great prophet Kirk Ferentz once said, “THAT’S FOOTBALL!”