Before this season started, even optimistic supporters believed we could be significantly better but end up with a 5-7 or 6-6 record because of how tough our schedule looked. The Hawks added Ohio State & Wisconson back to their schedule and they play Nebraska on the road. In addition, four teams on our schedule would be rested and have two weeks to prepare for us coming off their bye week. The Hawks are the best four loss team in the country. The opponents we lost to have a combined W-L record of 39-3 - really 40-2 given the Wisconson/ASU fiasco. The Hawks played all the teams we lost to tough and with a break or two we could have won a couple of them.
You can see this team growing and gaining confidence every week. The Hawks have yet to play their best complete game. We beat the meatchickens despite four turnovers. The odds of winning any game when you have four turnovers are less than 20%. Talent and good coaching are the only things that can overcome that many turnovers. This team played three games in sweltering hot 125+ degree on field temps and this game against Michigan was the coldest game ever played in Kinnick stadium. Iowa accomplished this with a first year quarterback, a true freshman cornerback, a fullback turned running back, no recievers that could catch the ball, a terrible punter and three linebackers who the negative posters claimed all last year were just coach's pets who couldn't start on any other team in America. Amazing coaching or talented players?
The Hawks are young and deep. The young players will grow & improve in the off-season and they'll be better next year. Our last two recruiting classes were made up of almost all three star players with a few four & two stars. Prior to that, most of our recruiting classes were made up of one and two star players with a few three & four stars added in. Recruiting has improved and there's some young talent waiting to play. The next few years are going to be fun because we have great coaches, great players and for the most part great fans.
