What expectations are fair for 2017 ???
- Thread starter Joshbrown
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Joshbrown
Well-Known Member
I'm kinda waiting for an article by the media predicting 5 wins. "With Iowa losing their stars on offense and defense look for Iowa to take a step back in 2018."
It's almost magical that I can write their articles for them 6 months in advance.
tksirius
HN's Love Doctor
Well, like Jon said: it's all about expectations. Keep em low and you'll be happy.
Joshbrown
Well-Known Member
Well, like Jon said: it's all about expectations. Keep em low and you'll be happy.
It takes a legend to drive the expectations ever lower.
tksirius
HN's Love Doctor
Seriously, every article has at least one excuse built into it. Kurt's lil ole not sexy Iowa attitude has spread like herpes on rumchata.
AreWeThereYet
Well-Known Member
I think I voted 7 or maybe 8. My default expectations for a KF led team is 8 wins. The primary reason for expecting lower than 8 was the tough schedule. The season had it's moments and I am not generally unhappy, but it was by no means an exceptional season.
I am happiest about:
1. Ending the bowl drought at five losses. I think that had become a label for the team.
2. Kicking Ohio State's ass. Lets face it Urban Meyer decided to treat the Iowa game as a low level speed bump on the way national championship playoff. They went in with base defense and looked like they were going through the motions. The panic in the second half was like the deck of the Titanic when they realized the ship was going down.
3. We didn't know it at the time, but this might be Kirk's best win against Iowa State during his tenure.
4. Kicking Nebraska's ass again. Next coach up.
Not too happy about.
1. Iowa's offense was hard to watch at times.
2. Losing to Purdue in a home game. It didn't look like a fluke either. I was impressed with Purdue's coaching.
3. Having to admit Northwestern has caught up with Iowa. It isn't losing to a lesser team anymore.
4. Wisconsin's program fully dominates the Western division. They are now the perennial favorite to win the West. They will have their occasional down years and their competitors will have occasional up years. Nobody in the West is consistently challenging them anymore.
I am happiest about:
1. Ending the bowl drought at five losses. I think that had become a label for the team.
2. Kicking Ohio State's ass. Lets face it Urban Meyer decided to treat the Iowa game as a low level speed bump on the way national championship playoff. They went in with base defense and looked like they were going through the motions. The panic in the second half was like the deck of the Titanic when they realized the ship was going down.
3. We didn't know it at the time, but this might be Kirk's best win against Iowa State during his tenure.
4. Kicking Nebraska's ass again. Next coach up.
Not too happy about.
1. Iowa's offense was hard to watch at times.
2. Losing to Purdue in a home game. It didn't look like a fluke either. I was impressed with Purdue's coaching.
3. Having to admit Northwestern has caught up with Iowa. It isn't losing to a lesser team anymore.
4. Wisconsin's program fully dominates the Western division. They are now the perennial favorite to win the West. They will have their occasional down years and their competitors will have occasional up years. Nobody in the West is consistently challenging them anymore.
Joshbrown
Well-Known Member
Meyer pulled a "Kirk" by under-estimating an opponent.
One thing that has helped make our opponents "better" is Iowa took their foot off their throat. Well, if your number 1 priority is being liked, blow-outs can hinder that. Better to trot across the field and whisper an apology into the ear of the rival coach. Classy.
One thing that has helped make our opponents "better" is Iowa took their foot off their throat. Well, if your number 1 priority is being liked, blow-outs can hinder that. Better to trot across the field and whisper an apology into the ear of the rival coach. Classy.
Joshbrown
Well-Known Member
I don't know what Fry was thinking driving expectations up all those years. Not the Iowa way.
CJHawkeye
Well-Known Member
Jon's MO is "I didn't expect to win more than 6 so YOU are not entitled to be upset that Iowa lost games it should have won and played bland oatmeal football for the 19th year."Well, like Jon said: it's all about expectations. Keep em low and you'll be happy.
Joshbrown
Well-Known Member
Reasonable post but something caught my eye. Your default expectations for a KF team is 7-8 wins. I'm curious if you have a default expectation for the program? I think many share your KF expectations while having different expectations for the program itself. It is the difference between these two which motivates many, if not most of the discussions on this board. Would you agree with that?
AreWeThereYet
Well-Known Member
It's a simpler, and more boring, than all that. The team has averaged between 7 & 8 wins a year since KF has been here as coach. (or maybe since HF's days) Than I try to factor in how hard the schedule is. Than other lesser factors such as: a new quarterback, major player turnover, coaching turnover, etc.
Expectations? As far as where I see the program. I see Iowa as a tier two competitive program (above average). Their chances of competing for a national championship in any given year are very low. (They were a bit better in the 2000's, but not a lot.) Under KF's tenure Iowa has been a consistently above average team. Few losing seasons. They'll take a stab at a higher level bowl every once in a while. Iowa is a bit of a party crasher and a frequent spoiler.
I'd like to see them back at the level they were in the 2000's. There is an open competition for the #2 team in the West between Northwestern, Iowa, and Nebraska.
BigD
Well-Known Member
Well, like Jon said: it's all about expectations. Keep em low and you'll be happy.
I would say that was one of the more accurate and honest assessments I have heard. I also don’t see any game changing recruits coming in that would lead anyone to expect much to change.
BILLYBOBSTEXAS
Well-Known Member
Would you agree that there has been an uptick in recruiting?
AreWeThereYet
Well-Known Member
Yep. They have their work cut out for them. It does appear that they have talent to adequately fill the positions. Wide receiver being the chronic weak point. There are plenty of question marks but those do tend to get addressed. I don't see a lot of holes that don't have serviceable players to fill them. (Punter?)
High turnover can hit on the back end of the season as much as the front. Units generally come in fairly well prepared, but tend to lack in depth if there has been a lot of turnover from the previous season. We've seen units come in and play well but unravel due to multiple injuries, defensive backs in 2006 and linebackers in 2010 come to mind.
BigD
Well-Known Member
I thought so but KF’s system usually takes years for player development and now Daniels is going pro. Now the offensive line is in question. Linebackers will be inexperienced and an all new backfield. This ought to be fun.
BigD
Well-Known Member
In other words we are going to see how good Kirk’s recent recruiting has been.
AreWeThereYet
Well-Known Member
Hopefully they have already been working on a replacement at center. I expect both tackle positions to be improved from last year. Paulson in at guard. Not much proven depth after that though.
AreWeThereYet
Well-Known Member
On the offensive line, I think they are still seeing some of the aftereffects of the failed plan to boost wide receiver recruiting at the expense of offensive line recruiting. They brought in all those walk-ons about five years ago. They got away with it in 2015, but it started to show in 2016. Than you get player turnover and early season injuries in 2017. They look a bit thin going into 2018. Hopefully there are other linemen in development that can step up. The plan to boost wide receiver was a bust anyway. Receiver development was a train wreck under Kennedy and Davis.
