what does it mean?

[Hawknigh]

Haha, when I first read the title of this thread, I thought it was about the Spring scrimmage!

 

[AreWeThereYet]

2010 was a puzzling year on the surface, but when you look back at the injuries at OL, plus already being hampered at RB (Wegher not coming back, Hampton going down against Arizona), it makes more sense.

The Wisconsin game was frustrating, as we should have played for a TD after the INT in Wiscy territory.

Northwestern was just sloppy. Down at half, we scored two TDs in the second half to take the lead, but when Stanzi threw that long INT into the wind (which DJK seemed to get turned around, so he didn't make even a half-hearted attempt to become a DB-in-reverse), you could actually feel the game turn back in NWs favor. I couldn't even watch the last drive as it was easy to see we wouldn't pull it out.

Add to that the linebackers were decimated that year.
Starting Middle Linebacker Bruce Davis injured in Arizona Game - Out for season.
Backup Middle Linebacker Jeff Tarpinian suffered a shoulder/neck stinger during fall practice, had a nice stretch against Iowa State, Arizona, and Ball State. Injured again against Ball State, limited against Penn State, out against Michigan, out more than in the rest of the way.
Outside Linebacker Tyler Nielson - Suffered a neck injury (turned out to be a cracked vertebra) colliding with Michigan QB. Tried to come back for part of one game and missed the rest of the season.
Weakside Linebacker Jeremiha Hunter came into the season with a nagging leg problem. I think it was a calf injury. Played extensively anyway but was often pulled in the second half of games. Injured knee in MSU game.
The often injured backup linebacker Troy Johnson had issues with his legs and was just slow.

It was down to True freshman James Morris, Shane DiBona, walk on Ross Peterson and Lance Tillison who also went down very late in the season. I also think a number of defensive backs were out for the second half of the Minnesota game.

On offensive line Adam Gettis had an ankle injury and Vanderveide a hip injury down the stretch.

So the late season difficulties in 2010 aren't much of a mystery. That said, I still have my problems with how Ferentz called many of those games. To his credit, he kept a decimated team competitive and often established a first half lead. Unfortunately, he also has the tendency to sit on leads late in games and try to avoid having the team beat itself or make a fatal mistake. Iowa's opponents picked them apart late in games and the defense was in no condition late in games to stop them.

 

[NCHawker]

2 deeps from OSU and Minnesota games in 2010