Spring Ball Storylines

[HawkeyeDenis]

I can't explain why, but I am interested in the Amani Jones redemption story.

The coaches saw something in him last year to make him the starting MLB. The athletic talent must be there. Just needs to show he has the head for the game. I am rooting for him.

Also I feel like Ojemudia has had an up an down career, it would be intersting if he can step it up in 2019.

Finally, its put up or sit down time for Brandon Smith. The coaches have been patient. It's time to take it to next level.

Really liked Amani Jones' attitude. Enthusiastic up tempo guy but he just kept ending up in the wrong spot when he was on the field. Hopefully it all clicks and he's on the field a lot more

I would expect the other linebackers to take a step forward this year. Last year they were adequate but they definitely needed playing time.

 

[4thngoal]

Well it's almost spring!!
I'm expecting some good competition on the defense. From NT and lb to db's, should be an exciting group to watch this fall. The ceiling is pretty high for this group.
Nate, the Wr's will be interesting to see. What growth have they achieved? Will any rb flat out pull away in the competition? How's the center of the ol looking? Are we TEU or not? Who will step up?

Lots to look forward to!!!!

 

[NikeHawk21]

Well it's almost spring!!
I'm expecting some good competition on the defense. From NT and lb to db's, should be an exciting group to watch this fall. The ceiling is pretty high for this group.
Nate, the Wr's will be interesting to see. What growth have they achieved? Will any rb flat out pull away in the competition? How's the center of the ol looking? Are we TEU or not? Who will step up?

Lots to look forward to!!!!

Hoping it’s Beyer at TE. Heard some good things but hasn’t been able to stay healthy. I wonder if he will be full go for spring.

Althouh he won’t be here for spring Logan Lee is about the most “college ready” recruit I can remember landing (and AJE) so maybe he earns some PT.

 

[NikeHawk21]

 

[Grady]

Spring ball question: Will Iowa tweak its offense to take full advantage of their QB's "pro level arm strength" -- meaning, will they stop going from under center and work almost exclusively out of the shotgun? Or will it be more of the same?

 

[Adam]

Spring ball question: Will Iowa tweak its offense to take full advantage of their QB's "pro level arm strength" -- meaning, will they stop going from under center and work almost exclusively out of the shotgun? Or will it be more of the same?

Do you really have to ask?

 

[BVHawk95]

Spring ball question: Will Iowa tweak its offense to take full advantage of their QB's "pro level arm strength" -- meaning, will they stop going from under center and work almost exclusively out of the shotgun? Or will it be more of the same?

You do realize every single pro team works from under center, right?

All that is is a backfield set. Not to mention Nate's footwork is likely at it's best on 5 and 7 step drops from under center.

 

[HawksMN]

What should happen ..NONE of our experienced RB's will be starting next season.

 

[4thngoal]

Hoping it’s Beyer at TE. Heard some good things but hasn’t been able to stay healthy. I wonder if he will be full go for spring.

Althouh he won’t be here for spring Logan Lee is about the most “college ready” recruit I can remember landing (and AJE) so maybe he earns some PT.

Yeah we are starting to get some guys coming in ready to play. That is a testament to the mind set of the new guys.
I'm starting to get excited about the future of our lines. Those groups have a chance to be very special now and over the next few years.
We seem to hold the patent on TE, DB, and lb to an extent. I think we are going to see our linemen start moving up the draft board now too.
This is why it's important to get the rest of everyone up to speed. Qb, wr and rb. We are serviceable there, but we need some diamonds in the rough to really start to get polished up, not just now, but for the next few years to come.

 

[NikeHawk21]

Yeah we are starting to get some guys coming in ready to play. That is a testament to the mind set of the new guys.
I'm starting to get excited about the future of our lines. Those groups have a chance to be very special now and over the next few years.
We seem to hold the patent on TE, DB, and lb to an extent. I think we are going to see our linemen start moving up the draft board now too.
This is why it's important to get the rest of everyone up to speed. Qb, wr and rb. We are serviceable there, but we need some diamonds in the rough to really start to get polished up, not just now, but for the next few years to come.

I agree with most of what you have said here.

I don’t feel WR and RB recruiting have been very good. WR we all know has been a struggle but RB hasnt been much better. Goodson and Williams are a step in the right direction, but it may be a few years before they really make an impact.

Our current trio of running backs is at best unproven and at worst simply not that good.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

I thought B Smith got late intrest from both Bama and Auburn. Is my memory shit?

Ole Miss and even MS St came in late on him not Bama or Auburn. But they were way too late. He'd already long been committed to Iowa and wasn't jumping. We got lucky to get him. If the MS schools would have been after him 4 or 5 months earlier it'd have probably been tough to keep him. He was from just south of Memphis about an hour or so in the middle of nowhere small town. He didn't do any of the camps and just wasn't 'discovered' Even though he really stood out in HS on the field and clearly had the frame

 

[Hawkfnntn]

What should happen ..NONE of our experienced RB's will be starting next season.

I think Young should be our bell cow myself... I think all 3 of them are plenty good enough of RBs. The Oline and playcalling have to do their part in helping them out though. None of them are Barry Sandersish and can make something out of nothing.

 

[BVHawk95]

I agree with most of what you have said here.

I don’t feel WR and RB recruiting have been very good. WR we all know has been a struggle but RB hasnt been much better. Goodson and Williams are a step in the right direction, but it may be a few years before they really make an impact.

Our current trio of running backs is at best unproven and at worst simply not that good.

I think the light started to come on at the end of the season for Sargent. While I don't think he'll end up a superstar, I do think he's got the chance to be a good back. Not to mention he showed great willingness and ability as a pass blocker.

TY is what he is. A one-cut, down hill, power back that you can use to wear down a defense, but the holes need to be there for him. Could be a good 3rd down back as well, as the coaches noted his ability to catch out of the backfield.

IKM needs to get healthy. The coaches obviously see something in him, and his HS film shows that Wadley-like ability for big plays, but he needs to prove it.

All of them had issues both with the OL, but seeing holes that were there as well. I know TY missed a huge cutback lane in the Outback bowl that likely would have gone for 40+, if not a TD. That can come with experience, but some guys just have that vision down pat as well.

If anyone on the roster is gonna have "that" type of vision, it's probably Goodson, and I'm wondering if he doesn't push for PT and maybe force IKM to the slot.

 

[Adam]

Ole Miss and even MS St came in late on him not Bama or Auburn. But they were way too late. He'd already long been committed to Iowa and wasn't jumping. We got lucky to get him. If the MS schools would have been after him 4 or 5 months earlier it'd have probably been tough to keep him. He was from just south of Memphis about an hour or so in the middle of nowhere small town. He didn't do any of the camps and just wasn't 'discovered' Even though he really stood out in HS on the field and clearly had the frame

Thanks for buttoning up the deets. I believe Ole Miss and Miss St still qualify as legitimate places to steal a WR from under the noses of. Most years we would give our left scrotie for a Ole Miss or Miss St quality level WR.

 

[4thngoal]

I agree with most of what you have said here.

I don’t feel WR and RB recruiting have been very good. WR we all know has been a struggle but RB hasnt been much better. Goodson and Williams are a step in the right direction, but it may be a few years before they really make an impact.

Our current trio of running backs is at best unproven and at worst simply not that good.

We definitely need to improve in wr and rb.
They seem to struggle there, or just aren't giving those positions enough attention or something.
We are seeing progress in the right direction and it's the world we live in to be impatient.
Wadley proved we know what we are doing, good Lord could you imagine him a couple inches taller and a little more muscle mass???
Same with wr.
It would be nice to see some recruits in those positions come in ready to play and push for play time. That would be a good sign we are gaining ground in those areas.
But holy Jesus, I would be having any rb recruit in at the same time as the ol recruits. Several of those boys will be playing on Sundays after going through Iowa City.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Thanks for buttoning up the deets. I believe Ole Miss and Miss St still qualify as legitimate places to steal a WR from under the noses of. Most years we would give our left scrotie for a Ole Miss or Miss St quality level WR.

Ole Miss this year alone at WR holy crap... The south has talent all over it's unreal. There's too much of it for them all to stay home though. I mean sure the MS and Bama schools mop up who all they want locally for the most part. But they do a ton of National recruiting as well so late bloomers or kids that aren't highly rated due to just not going to the camps where most of em are really noticed and evaluated can easily fall through the cracks. B Smith pretty much falls right into that category.

 

[NikeHawk21]

I think the light started to come on at the end of the season for Sargent. While I don't think he'll end up a superstar, I do think he's got the chance to be a good back. Not to mention he showed great willingness and ability as a pass blocker.

TY is what he is. A one-cut, down hill, power back that you can use to wear down a defense, but the holes need to be there for him. Could be a good 3rd down back as well, as the coaches noted his ability to catch out of the backfield.

IKM needs to get healthy. The coaches obviously see something in him, and his HS film shows that Wadley-like ability for big plays, but he needs to prove it.

All of them had issues both with the OL, but seeing holes that were there as well. I know TY missed a huge cutback lane in the Outback bowl that likely would have gone for 40+, if not a TD. That can come with experience, but some guys just have that vision down pat as well.

If anyone on the roster is gonna have "that" type of vision, it's probably Goodson, and I'm wondering if he doesn't push for PT and maybe force IKM to the slot.

A quality summation of our RB group but doesn’t change my thought about where they are at as a group. Maybe they will make big strides but I’m not exactly seeing it right now.

Goodson I’m very high on but likely going to take some time to see the field given 3 guys who played in front of him.

 

[4thngoal]

Ole Miss this year alone at WR holy crap... The south has talent all over it's unreal. There's too much of it for them all to stay home though. I mean sure the MS and Bama schools mop up who all they want locally for the most part. But they do a ton of National recruiting as well so late bloomers or kids that aren't highly rated due to just not going to the camps where most of em are really noticed and evaluated can easily fall through the cracks. B Smith pretty much falls right into that category.

I think Goodson and to some degree McDonald fall into that category as well.
I remember watching McDonald's tape and I can't imagine him not finding a spot sometime.
I think he will impress at some point. Maybe the light bulb hasn't come on yet or something, idk.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

I think Goods on and to some degree McDonald fall into that category as well.
I remember watching McDonald's tape and I can't imagine him not finding a spot sometime.
I think he will impress at some point. Maybe the light bulb hasn't come on yet or something, idk.

I agree. Goodson was pretty well known playing for the high profile school he was yet for some reason was under rated. I would think he could play for anyone. Same with McDonald only he was pretty highly rated just not as highly recruited as one would think. Recruiting is an inexact science to say the least. Every kid and situation is unique. Speaking of any one heard anything on Nixon? He still trying to find a new home or is he coming to spring ball? Hell it's gotta be starting up here in a couple weeks or so I bet

 

[BVHawk95]

I think Goods on and to some degree McDonald fall into that category as well.
I remember watching McDonald's tape and I can't imagine him not finding a spot sometime.
I think he will impress at some point. Maybe the light bulb hasn't come on yet or something, idk.

McDonald was easily on track to play last fall, but was injured.