ChosenChildren
Well-Known Member
A fun exercise would be to publish your two deeps, combining all three teams! For example, at QB you can pick from Stanzi, CJ and Banks. Pretty good choices! Every position is loaded with stars....
Which team was better: 02, 09 or 15?
- Thread starter ChosenChildren
- Start date
QB: Banks, CJ
RB: Russell, Lewis. However, if Russell were to get hurt, Canzeri would take his spot and Lewis continues in the #2 rotation
WR: McNutt, M. Brown, DJK, CJ Jones, T. Smith, R. Ochoa
TE: Clark, Moeaki
LT: Gallery, Bulaga
LG: Steinbach, Walsh
C:Blythe, Nelson
RG: Reiff, Richardson
RT: Bulaga, Calloway, Porter
DE: Clayborn, Ott
DT: Cole, Klug, Clauss
DT; Ballard, Johnson
DE: Binns; Ballard
SLB: Edds, Barr
MLB: Angerer, Jewell
WLB: Steen, Hunter
CB: King, Allen
FS: Bernstine, Pagel
SS: Sanders, Sash
CB: Prater, Mabin
P; Donahue
K; Kaeding
EstronHawkKing
Well-Known Member
when that 02 team was clicking on all cylinders, they were pretty darn awesome
HawkeyeWalker
Well-Known Member
Willies? I kid, I kid.
Actually a pretty interesting question. Jewel and Ott maybe, maybe playing backups. And I could be crazy, but I still think Tevaun Smith was underused a bit and was a stud.
A healthy CJ and Canzeri have a shot.
Just think, our super team from those 3 years has about the same talent level as '15-'16 Alabama. It's weird to even think that.
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That '02 pass defense was atrocious. Teams couldn't run on them but if they were able to keep the pressure off the quarterback, they had a field day with Iowa's secondary. Unfortunately, that didn't bode well for us in the Rose Bowl.
So I think the 2015 defense was better overall than 2002, especially with a healthy Ott.
The 2009 defense was by far the best unit of the 3 though.
I guess it depends on if we are talking about players in the prime of their college career or how good they were doing that year. If we are talking about their prime, no way we can leave Greenway off the list.
ThunderHawk
Well-Known Member
02 was loaded with elite talent. They were better than their record.
The thing is that a lot of those guys were relative nobody's in the recruiting world. I tend to think in today's recruiting environment, some of these guys would've gotten longer looks.
ColumbusHawk
Well-Known Member
Why not the '04 team that won the B1G Championship & finished eighth in the country. I'd go with the '02 & '04 teams over the '09 & '15 teams. They were champions & the other two didn't win a B1G championship. It's about winning not whether Stanzi got hurt. I may give the nod to the '04 team over '02 team because they won a bowl game. The '04 team was the only team under Ferentz to win the B1G and a bowl game. It's hard to argue with that!
MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
2002 for me. That team damn near scored on every first drive of every game. That team was solid at all offensive positions and were utilized by the coaches. Line was solid with an Outland Trophy winner. Russell ran behind it & was hard as hell to see him. WR position was solid. Clark at TE.
For me the X-factor to take them over top over the other two was Banks at QB who put so much pressure on the D and secondary. He'd throw if was there and if wasn't would tuck and run 8 yrds for a 1st down.
The stout run D stopped the run. They gave up passing yardage but usually only between the 20's. They gave up the passing yrds because they took the run away so well & of course had the lead late in games.
For me the X-factor to take them over top over the other two was Banks at QB who put so much pressure on the D and secondary. He'd throw if was there and if wasn't would tuck and run 8 yrds for a 1st down.
The stout run D stopped the run. They gave up passing yardage but usually only between the 20's. They gave up the passing yrds because they took the run away so well & of course had the lead late in games.
FBletterman
Well-Known Member
I was typing just now making a case for '15 then decided I need to step away from the computer.
I say '02.
I say '02.
ChosenChildren
Well-Known Member
You can definitely make a case for 04. That was a terrific defense with a very dangerous QB.
MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
Yes, but I think the '02 team had the best overall teams that was solid at almost every position.
ColumbusHawk
Well-Known Member
Do you realize that Banks finished second in the Heisman voting? Beathard really has to step up this season to even get a Heisman vote.
HawkeyeWalker
Well-Known Member
I loved Banks, but he had almost an NFL Oline, better receiving core. Those things, along with a very good running game (again, see Oline) helped him in the Heisman campaign quite a bit. CJ made a lot of plays when there was little time and no open receivers.
Stanzi was the Manzi as well.
Tate was an ultimate gamer.
This year will tell us more, but I think CJ may be the best, in a vacuum.
AreWeThereYet
Well-Known Member
Most second tier teams do lose the really big bowls. Teams that hang around the top tier like Michigan State and Wisconsin start to win their share. It's the perennial elite teams that win a majority of the top games.
