I don't know that I would call these breaks but the MSU and Michigan games were close games you guys won. Michigan had 5 turnerover and had the ball with 1:30 to kick a FG to win. I don't want to take anything away because good teams win close games like those, but they were games that could have gone either way. I guess I would also say that if UNI would have won, it makes the rest of the season a little different. I guess if I were an Iowa fan, the only thing I would be concerned with is the Oline if there happens to be any injuries. Other than that they will be very good.
To all the critics of the "Iowa National Title" talk
- Thread starter HawkeyeRyno
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I don't know that I would call these breaks but the MSU and Michigan games were close games you guys won. Michigan had 5 turnerover and had the ball with 1:30 to kick a FG to win. I don't want to take anything away because good teams win close games like those, but they were games that could have gone either way. I guess I would also say that if UNI would have won, it makes the rest of the season a little different. I guess if I were an Iowa fan, the only thing I would be concerned with is the Oline if there happens to be any injuries. Other than that they will be very good.
ShadasRevenge
Well-Known Member
I get all that, and I agree with that. What I don't agree with is the notion that Iowa got a lot of breaks or got lucky last year.
If a big part of going undefeated is avoiding injuries, doesn't that make what Iowa did last year that much more impressive?
busabus114
Well-Known Member
Yes it does...last years team was very resilient, I hope this years team is as well
homerHAWKeye777
Well-Known Member
I agree ... the Hawks faced A LOT of adversity throughout the '09 season and few folks seem to recognize that fact.
However, on the flipside, at many of the spots where we dealt with injuries, we actually had pretty nice depth. A problem that I see for the 2010 squad is that we're not as deep on the OL or TE as we were in '09. It may prove to be more difficult for us to contend with some injury issues in '10 than it was in '09. We'll see though ....
Rhoadhoused
Well-Known Member
I'm not even going to argue your point at all. An 8 win season last year is not a large success in your eyes is it? The two blocked field goals and Sash deflections were incredibly, insanely rare/"lucky". This years Iowa team can't depend on that to happen if they want to win a national title.
And for the injuries part, those were the bad breaks I mentioned. That sucks, but every team has injuries. Teams without injuries are lucky, teams with injuries are normal. IMO.
ShadasRevenge
Well-Known Member
I don't really know; going into the year with no running backs and a QB who had to put it on his shoulders, I don't know how optimistic we were.
I know this - I certainly wasn't expecting a BCS game.
Rhoadhoused
Well-Known Member
Well yeah. I would think you guys would be absolutely ecstatic about a BCS game last year. It's the difference between having a good year and having a landmark year.
Also if you lose to UNI, that really, really kills season momentum.
Hawke
Well-Known Member
I predict there will be no fat cats on the team this time.
SpecialKHawk
Well-Known Member
It's not impossible given what we have returning but it's not probable either. We have to have a number of things go right and a little luck.
Consider the following -
# 1 Non Con Schedule - Two tough games; ISU & Arizona. ISU could have one of their better teams in a few seasons and it's a rivalry game. They will play us well. Arizona is a sleeper pick to win the Pac 10. That game involves a time zone change and revenge factor also.
# 2 Big Ten Conference - Despite all of the national haters from previous seasons.... this will be the best and toughest conference in the nation this season. We have 3 potential stellar teams and a host of very strong teams. The chances of losing or stubbing your toe this year are very high. Yes the majority of the marquee games are at home but they are still tough games and some of the road games could be difficult; Michigan, Northwestern.
# 3 Player graduations from last year - We didn't lose much in terms of numbers but what we lost was prominent. A number of these guys were drafted and some may make an immediate contribution at the next level. Is the next guy in really an equivalent and as experienced?
# 4 O-Line maturation. This still remains a big question mark in my mind. Running the table means you do not have a lot of time to gel this year. We have to be good and maybe dominant right away (not just in November).
# 5 Key Injuries. As always a team has avoid injuries to key players. Lose any of the following; Claybourne, Rieff, Stanzi, Sash, etc. and the season could turn on a dime
I'll be happy with 9 wins. I hope to see more but 9 is fine anytime.
Consider the following -
# 1 Non Con Schedule - Two tough games; ISU & Arizona. ISU could have one of their better teams in a few seasons and it's a rivalry game. They will play us well. Arizona is a sleeper pick to win the Pac 10. That game involves a time zone change and revenge factor also.
# 2 Big Ten Conference - Despite all of the national haters from previous seasons.... this will be the best and toughest conference in the nation this season. We have 3 potential stellar teams and a host of very strong teams. The chances of losing or stubbing your toe this year are very high. Yes the majority of the marquee games are at home but they are still tough games and some of the road games could be difficult; Michigan, Northwestern.
# 3 Player graduations from last year - We didn't lose much in terms of numbers but what we lost was prominent. A number of these guys were drafted and some may make an immediate contribution at the next level. Is the next guy in really an equivalent and as experienced?
# 4 O-Line maturation. This still remains a big question mark in my mind. Running the table means you do not have a lot of time to gel this year. We have to be good and maybe dominant right away (not just in November).
# 5 Key Injuries. As always a team has avoid injuries to key players. Lose any of the following; Claybourne, Rieff, Stanzi, Sash, etc. and the season could turn on a dime
I'll be happy with 9 wins. I hope to see more but 9 is fine anytime.
HawkeyeDenis
Well-Known Member
I think this is the best team Iowa has had in the past 10 years. Granted there are things that are scary, like the fact that the B10 is the deepest its been in years. Almost every B10 team is bringing back a lot of starters.
Its going to be a good year. Possibly a great year!
Its going to be a good year. Possibly a great year!
ShadasRevenge
Well-Known Member
Considering that the seniors on this teams were freshman in 2007, I'd say that's dead on. If anyone gets a big head, just pop in the game tape from Western Michigan.
NewMexHawk
Well-Known Member
The really fun part would be cutting down all the clown fans from the trees all over central Iowa if we went 12-0... They would commit suicide...
83Hawk
Banned
Can we stop with the childish "haters" nonsense? Honestly, the use of this term is getting ridiculous. So someone who doesn't think Iowa will go 12-0 "hates" the Hawks? Or someone who disagrees with your opinion hates you? Good grief.
That being said.....I don't see Iowa going 12-0. That is a very, very difficult thing to do. One stumble...one bad bounce...one ill-timed penalty or turnover and it is all over.
I guess that means I "hate" the Iowa Hawkeyes.
silvanthalas
Well-Known Member
Let's face it, in several of those games, it should not have been close; Iowa should've had the game in hand going into the final minutes.
If anything, a lot more 'breaks' went against Iowa than people remember. How many pick-6's did Stanzi throw? That alone kept several games closer than they otherwise would have been, including the Orange Bowl.
The assumption seems to be that since Iowa went 11-2, they obviously got more good breaks than bad. I'm not sure that was really the case.
Not only that, but it pretty much takes any credit away from what the offense and defense did. For example, is blocking a punt against PSU and returning it for a TD simply a good break, or simply playing fundamental football?
And blocking two field goal attempts against UNI was easily negated by Stanzi getting hurt, which cost us that game.
homerHAWKeye777
Well-Known Member
Here's a list of factors that didn't favor Iowa:
- 20 interceptions thrown
- 4 "pick-six" INTs thrown + 1 fumble for TD given up (35 points "given" away)
- Bulaga's thyroid
- Calloway's runners knee
- Dace's broken lower leg/foot
- Vandervelde's torn pec
- Bulaga's preseason injury
- Moeaki's injury
- DJK's and Sandeman's early season hammy issues
- Prater's injury issues (missed the AState game)
- Wegher's rib + Robinson's ankle
- season ending injuries to Hampton and Brinson that proved to be season ending
- Stanzi's ankle
- Bernstine's ankle (preseason)
- Greenwood's stinger injury (missed around 2 games)
- Untimely missed FGs
- Hunter's injury (missed part of tOSU game and all of Minny game)
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busabus114
Well-Known Member
After reading this I cant even remember how we managed to win 11 games!
homerHAWKeye777
Well-Known Member
And I forgot to add in Hunter's injury (I've added it since).
Yeah ... Norm mentioned how shocked he was that the O kept persevering so well despite the fact that the weekly injury reports were so extreme.
The "next man in" definitely deserves plenty of props last year. Hopefully guys similarly step up in the 2010 season too ... because NOTHING is a given!
Just as Clauss has written recently ... the Hawks weren't at all dominant during hte 2009 season. It really is pretty darn impressive what the squad managed to do. And, they're going to have to do a whole lot more of the same if they want to make the 2010 season special too ....
whammer33024
Well-Known Member
i'm tired of hawkeye nation being debbie downers. its okay to dream sometimes. we have "potentially" one of the best teams iowa has ever assembled. as jon has stated, theres not a single game this team can't win this season.
enjoy the opportunity
enjoy the opportunity
