The 120th season of Iowa football filled the entire spectrum of feelings one can feel during a season. Remember the feeling after the UNI game? A feeling that the season could be a long one. How about the win at Happy Valley? A feeling that we were on top of the world. The last second victory against MSU? A feeling that maybe this was our year. The loss against Northwestern? A feeling of what might have been. The heartbreaking loss against Ohio State? Oh so close. After riding this emotional roller coaster all year, it is hard to imagine what else we as fans might experience in the bowl game. At the end of the rollercoaster ride was the Minnesota game, which certainly was a microcosm of the entire season. Here are my thoughts.
Defense Rules the Day. The Iowa defense has been, as the defense puts it, putting out fires all season long. Yesterday’s game was no different. The Iowa defense caused two turnovers and five sacks while shutting out Minnesota for the second consecutive year. The goal line stand by the defense encompassed how the defense has responded to precarious positions all year. The defensive line looked dominate and the Iowa linebacker corps was stout. Speaking of which, Troy Johnson fit the “next man in” manta perfectly. Johnson ended up with eleven tackles, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a sack. If he can build on that performance, he will be able to fill in nicely for AJ Edds. I mentioned this earlier in the year, but I am even more convinced that Iowa will miss Edds more than any other player on defense next season, even if Adrian Clayborn or Amari Spievey decide to enter the draft. Edds’ ability to cover receivers in space and be in the right position to make tackles will sorely be missed next year. I place the probability of Clayborn and Spievey turning professional at about 50/50 for each. Regardless of Iowa’s bowl opponent, I like Iowa’s chances to be able to shut down any offense in the country.
Offensive Struggles. As much as this game was a great example of how the defense has performed all season, the offense looked the way that it has looked most of the season. The inability of the offense to sustain drives and effectively establish a running game hurt Iowa again on Saturday. I think many of the problems resulted from Adam Robinson’s injury. Before Robinson left with an injury, he was averaging 6 yards a carry. Given that Brandon Wegher has been dealing with an injury to his intercostal muscles for a long time, it is no wonder that the running game has struggled at times since the Wisconsin game. My prediction about the offense stepping out did not come true, but I am really convinced that with a healthy Ricky Stanzi, Adam Robinson, and Dace Richardson, the Iowa offense will look completely different than the way they looked on Saturday.
Playbook. I know that the offensive game plans have been criticized at times this year and that people have been upset with the play calling at times. There were certainly times yesterday that I was frustrated with some of the calls that were made, but I also think that the coaches did not have the confidence in James Vandenberg to call pass plays that involve routes between the hash marks. In re-watching the game, it appears that most, if not all, of Vandenberg’s throws were either out routes or patterns that were thrown to the sideline. With more than three weeks to prepare for their bowl opponent, I am going to give the benefit of the doubt to Ken O’Keefe and Kirk Ferentz to develop a gameplan that will surprise Iowa’s opponent, especially with a healthy Stanzi.
Bowl Prediction. Iowa will able to sit back for the next two weeks and let teams ahead of them in the BCS rankings fall down, but on the other hand, they will not have the opportunity to win any games and impress voters. I still think that Iowa has all but secured a spot in the Fiesta Bowl. Even with an Oklahoma State win, the Fiesta Bowl representatives have to look at Iowa’s fanbase and the economic impact that Iowans would have in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area over the course of two to four days. Unless things change dramatically, I am going to hold strong with the Fiesta Bowl prediction that Iowa will play Boise State on January 4th in Glendale, AZ.
The comments made by AJ Edds in the postgame make me think that Iowa will be focused like they were for the 2004 Outback Bowl when they played Florida. Depending on how the rest of the regular season plays out, with a bowl victory Iowa would likely finish the season in the top five. Likewise, depending on the personnel that could return next year, I think that Iowa is looking at a preseason ranking in the top ten at worst. Get ready for a whirlwind two weeks, Iowa fans. December 6 will be an exciting day and given all of the possibilities out there, I still think we will hear Iowa announced as one of the teams to play in the Fiesta Bowl.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Minnesota Predictions
It is hard to believe that the regular season is almost over. The anticipation that begins to brew all summer once the preseason magazines begin to come out is followed by the beginning of camp and the opening weekend, and before you know it, we are at the final game. Here are my thoughts.
Leadership. Saturday marks the final time that fourteen seniors have the opportunity to don the black and gold and run out with the Swarm. I can only imagine the emotions that those seniors feel as they play in their last home game and go through the ritual of being announced to the Kinnick faithful before running out to midfield to greet their parents or loved ones. What a special moment, especially for those players from the state of Iowa that likely dreamed about playing for the Hawkeyes at a young age. One of the things that I will remember about this class is the leadership that it has provided throughout this season. AJ Edds, Pat Angerer, Rafael Eubanks, Tony Moeaki, Kyle Calloway, Trey Stross and Joe Conklin have all provided outstanding leadership and have shown the underclassmen what it takes to succeed. I think one of the primary reasons for Iowa’s success the past two seasons has been the outstanding leadership that the past two senior classes provided. During the lean years of 2006 and 2007, leadership seemed to be one of the elements that was lacking. Congratulations and thank you, seniors, for all of your hard work the past four or five years.
Offensive Explosion. Similar to my prediction of a kickoff return for a touchdown, I have been thinking that each week is the week that the Iowa offense will finally break out of its shell and explode. Minnesota ranks in the middle of the Big Ten in both run defense and pass offense, and while they have several talented linebackers with Simoni Lawrence, Nate Triplett, and Lee Campbell, they have had a tendency to be susceptible to the deep ball. I look for Iowa to come out throwing the ball from the start and will not be surprised if Ken O’Keefe calls for the play action pass with a deep route in the first series. Iowa should be back to the Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher one-two punch this week, and with the way the offensive line played last week against one of the best defensive lines in the country, I think Iowa will be able to establish the run and use the play-action pass effectively late in the game.
Double Shutout? After being shutout from the scoreboard last year, Minnesota likely has some thoughts of revenge on its mind. Unfortunately, after losing Adam Decker, their offense has resembled a very battered unit. Minnesota ranks dead last in the conference in total offense and dead last in rushing offense. To make matters worse for the Gophers, they have given up 34 sacks, which is good for first or last in the Big Ten, depending on how one views it. I am hopeful that the Iowa defense will be able to get back to its ball-hawking, turnover ways. Iowa has not had a meaningful turnover since Indiana. The key to Iowa’s success towards the end of last year and during the 9-0 run was the ability of the defense to force turnovers and setup the Iowa offense with good field position. Be sure to enjoy it while it lasts, because it very well could be the last home game for Adrian Clayborn and Amari Spievey, who certainly are in the discussion for being in the starting lineup for the All-Ferentz era team. Likewise, this could be one of the last games that Norm Parker coaches. Evidently, he has not been attending practices and has been struggling with his health since the Northwestern game. The attitude and consistency that Norm Parker has brought to Iowa defenses for the last eleven seasons has been remarkable. His outstanding coaching abilities, down to earth personality, and sense of a humor would certainly be missed.
Skill Players. Even when compared to the 2002 season, the skill players on this team are something that we have not seen at Iowa in awhile, if ever. There is so much talent on this team that it is a problem to distribute the wealth. I do not think Iowa has ever had hands like Marvin McNutt, big play ability like Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, the ability to throw the deep ball by Ricky Stanzi, and the athleticism of Tony Moeaki as a collective group ever. As I alluded to earlier, I really think that this is the game that we will see all of these offensive talents on display in one game. The scary part is thinking about all of the skill players that will be wearing an Iowa uniform for the next two seasons.
A win Saturday will give Iowa a very, very good opportunity to be selected as an at-large BCS team. I am of the thought of Jon Miller and many of the national pundits that an Iowa win all but guarantees the Hawkeyes a spot in the Fiesta Bowl. A BCS bowl berth would be a very handsome reward for this team given all of the adversity and odds that they have faced the entire season. I cannot think of a better way to send the seniors out than with a BCS bowl clinching win on a beautiful fall Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.
Prediction: Iowa 28 Minnesota 7
Pick to Click: The Seniors
Leadership. Saturday marks the final time that fourteen seniors have the opportunity to don the black and gold and run out with the Swarm. I can only imagine the emotions that those seniors feel as they play in their last home game and go through the ritual of being announced to the Kinnick faithful before running out to midfield to greet their parents or loved ones. What a special moment, especially for those players from the state of Iowa that likely dreamed about playing for the Hawkeyes at a young age. One of the things that I will remember about this class is the leadership that it has provided throughout this season. AJ Edds, Pat Angerer, Rafael Eubanks, Tony Moeaki, Kyle Calloway, Trey Stross and Joe Conklin have all provided outstanding leadership and have shown the underclassmen what it takes to succeed. I think one of the primary reasons for Iowa’s success the past two seasons has been the outstanding leadership that the past two senior classes provided. During the lean years of 2006 and 2007, leadership seemed to be one of the elements that was lacking. Congratulations and thank you, seniors, for all of your hard work the past four or five years.
Offensive Explosion. Similar to my prediction of a kickoff return for a touchdown, I have been thinking that each week is the week that the Iowa offense will finally break out of its shell and explode. Minnesota ranks in the middle of the Big Ten in both run defense and pass offense, and while they have several talented linebackers with Simoni Lawrence, Nate Triplett, and Lee Campbell, they have had a tendency to be susceptible to the deep ball. I look for Iowa to come out throwing the ball from the start and will not be surprised if Ken O’Keefe calls for the play action pass with a deep route in the first series. Iowa should be back to the Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher one-two punch this week, and with the way the offensive line played last week against one of the best defensive lines in the country, I think Iowa will be able to establish the run and use the play-action pass effectively late in the game.
Double Shutout? After being shutout from the scoreboard last year, Minnesota likely has some thoughts of revenge on its mind. Unfortunately, after losing Adam Decker, their offense has resembled a very battered unit. Minnesota ranks dead last in the conference in total offense and dead last in rushing offense. To make matters worse for the Gophers, they have given up 34 sacks, which is good for first or last in the Big Ten, depending on how one views it. I am hopeful that the Iowa defense will be able to get back to its ball-hawking, turnover ways. Iowa has not had a meaningful turnover since Indiana. The key to Iowa’s success towards the end of last year and during the 9-0 run was the ability of the defense to force turnovers and setup the Iowa offense with good field position. Be sure to enjoy it while it lasts, because it very well could be the last home game for Adrian Clayborn and Amari Spievey, who certainly are in the discussion for being in the starting lineup for the All-Ferentz era team. Likewise, this could be one of the last games that Norm Parker coaches. Evidently, he has not been attending practices and has been struggling with his health since the Northwestern game. The attitude and consistency that Norm Parker has brought to Iowa defenses for the last eleven seasons has been remarkable. His outstanding coaching abilities, down to earth personality, and sense of a humor would certainly be missed.
Skill Players. Even when compared to the 2002 season, the skill players on this team are something that we have not seen at Iowa in awhile, if ever. There is so much talent on this team that it is a problem to distribute the wealth. I do not think Iowa has ever had hands like Marvin McNutt, big play ability like Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, the ability to throw the deep ball by Ricky Stanzi, and the athleticism of Tony Moeaki as a collective group ever. As I alluded to earlier, I really think that this is the game that we will see all of these offensive talents on display in one game. The scary part is thinking about all of the skill players that will be wearing an Iowa uniform for the next two seasons.
A win Saturday will give Iowa a very, very good opportunity to be selected as an at-large BCS team. I am of the thought of Jon Miller and many of the national pundits that an Iowa win all but guarantees the Hawkeyes a spot in the Fiesta Bowl. A BCS bowl berth would be a very handsome reward for this team given all of the adversity and odds that they have faced the entire season. I cannot think of a better way to send the seniors out than with a BCS bowl clinching win on a beautiful fall Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.
Prediction: Iowa 28 Minnesota 7
Pick to Click: The Seniors
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Thoughts on Ohio State Game
Oh so close. As I left Ohio Stadium on Saturday, I had nothing but feelings of pride for the way Iowa competed. No, I do not believe in moral victories, but there were several good things to come out of the game against the Buckeyes. Here are my thoughts.
Signal Caller. James Vandenberg’s performance on Saturday was nothing short of remarkable. While I think we had an idea that Vandenberg has a strong arm, what he showed on the field simply reinforced that notion, maybe even more than anyone outside of the Iowa football complex thought. The other quality that impressed me about Vandenberg was his poise on the field. As I have been saying all year with respect to Ricky Stanzi, the most important characteristic of a quarterback is an ability to show poise by not getting too high after great plays or getting too low after poor plays. Vandenberg seemed to mirror Stanzi in this regard and it showed, especially in the fourth quarter when Vandenberg led the Hawkeyes on an eight play, seventy yard scoring drive that ended with a ten yard touchdown pass to Marvin McNutt. While I am curious to see how Vandenberg performs this upcoming week, Iowa fans can be thankful that it appears as though the quarterback situation for the next three years will be set. If anything, Vandenberg’s performance is going to push Stanzi harder in practice this spring and into next year, which will do nothing but help Stanzi improve.
Gutsy Performance. In addition to Vandenberg, I thought Adam Robinson’s performance was illustrative of the heart that this team has shown the entire year. To think that he severely sprained his ankle just three weeks ago against Michigan State and was able to carry the ball twenty times for seventy-four yards was incredible. No, Robinson does not have great breakaway speed, but what he lacks in speed he makes up with his ability to gain that extra one or two yards, which makes a big difference between facing a third and seven situation versus third and five. I hope that Brandon Wegher will be able to move out to the slot position next year, as I think that Iowa will have two pretty special running backs in Robinson and Jewel Hampton.
Special Teams. We saw both the good and the bad with special teams. I will not go so far to say that I called the return by Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, but I did feel some sense of satisfaction when he returned the kick 99 yards to get Iowa back in the game. On the opposite side, we saw two poor kicks from Daniel Murray with the miss from 22 yards and the kickoff that went out of bounds. With the slim margin of error that Iowa had to work with in the first place, mistakes and missed opportunities like that make the margin of error paper thin, especially on the road at the Shoe. Although I think Murray will get back on track, it will interesting to see how the battle between him and Trent Mossbrucker will work out next season.
Coaching Decision. Much has been made about Kirk Ferentz’s decision to sit on the ball in Iowa’s final possession of regulation. When Iowa decided to run out the clock following the first play from the line of scrimmage, I was happy with the decision and I am still fine with the decision. Even though Iowa had some success moving the ball in the fourth quarter, the possible outcomes that could have resulted had Iowa tried to get in field goal range outweighed taking the game into overtime. In addition to the possibility of a turnover, if Iowa had tried to throw the ball with no success, the clock would have stopped and with all of their timeouts left, Ohio State might have had the opportunity to not only block a punt but also come up with their own drive, even if it would have only been with 30 seconds or so. Kirk Ferentz plays the percentages with his decisionmaking process. As I told many people after the game, if you asked the best coaches in the game what they would have done in a similar circumstance with a redshirt freshmen at the helm, I would venture to guess that 90% of them would say that they would do exactly what Kirk Ferentz did. To those calling out Kirk Ferentz and his staff for their decision, keep in mind that very coaching staff came up with an incredible game plan and have made several other crucial decisions that have allowed this team to be at 9-2.
The loss was hard to take because of the opportunities that Iowa had to win the game. As I mentioned in my last installment before the game, I noted that Iowa would have to force at least three turnovers against Ohio State to have a chance to win. Instead, they turned the ball over to the Buckeyes three times. Speaking of interceptions, while Iowa is second in the country in interceptions, they are also ranked second in the country for interceptions thrown, chew on that statistic for a bit. As we head to the final game of the season, there is still so much on the line for Iowa to accomplish. I share the same opinion as much of the media who believe that if Iowa wins against Minnesota, they will likely play in the Fiesta Bowl. If I told you that Iowa had the opportunity to go to a BCS bowl game after leaving Kinnick Stadium on September 5 when Iowa narrowly escaped with a victory against UNI, I think I would be able to guess your answer.
Signal Caller. James Vandenberg’s performance on Saturday was nothing short of remarkable. While I think we had an idea that Vandenberg has a strong arm, what he showed on the field simply reinforced that notion, maybe even more than anyone outside of the Iowa football complex thought. The other quality that impressed me about Vandenberg was his poise on the field. As I have been saying all year with respect to Ricky Stanzi, the most important characteristic of a quarterback is an ability to show poise by not getting too high after great plays or getting too low after poor plays. Vandenberg seemed to mirror Stanzi in this regard and it showed, especially in the fourth quarter when Vandenberg led the Hawkeyes on an eight play, seventy yard scoring drive that ended with a ten yard touchdown pass to Marvin McNutt. While I am curious to see how Vandenberg performs this upcoming week, Iowa fans can be thankful that it appears as though the quarterback situation for the next three years will be set. If anything, Vandenberg’s performance is going to push Stanzi harder in practice this spring and into next year, which will do nothing but help Stanzi improve.
Gutsy Performance. In addition to Vandenberg, I thought Adam Robinson’s performance was illustrative of the heart that this team has shown the entire year. To think that he severely sprained his ankle just three weeks ago against Michigan State and was able to carry the ball twenty times for seventy-four yards was incredible. No, Robinson does not have great breakaway speed, but what he lacks in speed he makes up with his ability to gain that extra one or two yards, which makes a big difference between facing a third and seven situation versus third and five. I hope that Brandon Wegher will be able to move out to the slot position next year, as I think that Iowa will have two pretty special running backs in Robinson and Jewel Hampton.
Special Teams. We saw both the good and the bad with special teams. I will not go so far to say that I called the return by Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, but I did feel some sense of satisfaction when he returned the kick 99 yards to get Iowa back in the game. On the opposite side, we saw two poor kicks from Daniel Murray with the miss from 22 yards and the kickoff that went out of bounds. With the slim margin of error that Iowa had to work with in the first place, mistakes and missed opportunities like that make the margin of error paper thin, especially on the road at the Shoe. Although I think Murray will get back on track, it will interesting to see how the battle between him and Trent Mossbrucker will work out next season.
Coaching Decision. Much has been made about Kirk Ferentz’s decision to sit on the ball in Iowa’s final possession of regulation. When Iowa decided to run out the clock following the first play from the line of scrimmage, I was happy with the decision and I am still fine with the decision. Even though Iowa had some success moving the ball in the fourth quarter, the possible outcomes that could have resulted had Iowa tried to get in field goal range outweighed taking the game into overtime. In addition to the possibility of a turnover, if Iowa had tried to throw the ball with no success, the clock would have stopped and with all of their timeouts left, Ohio State might have had the opportunity to not only block a punt but also come up with their own drive, even if it would have only been with 30 seconds or so. Kirk Ferentz plays the percentages with his decisionmaking process. As I told many people after the game, if you asked the best coaches in the game what they would have done in a similar circumstance with a redshirt freshmen at the helm, I would venture to guess that 90% of them would say that they would do exactly what Kirk Ferentz did. To those calling out Kirk Ferentz and his staff for their decision, keep in mind that very coaching staff came up with an incredible game plan and have made several other crucial decisions that have allowed this team to be at 9-2.
The loss was hard to take because of the opportunities that Iowa had to win the game. As I mentioned in my last installment before the game, I noted that Iowa would have to force at least three turnovers against Ohio State to have a chance to win. Instead, they turned the ball over to the Buckeyes three times. Speaking of interceptions, while Iowa is second in the country in interceptions, they are also ranked second in the country for interceptions thrown, chew on that statistic for a bit. As we head to the final game of the season, there is still so much on the line for Iowa to accomplish. I share the same opinion as much of the media who believe that if Iowa wins against Minnesota, they will likely play in the Fiesta Bowl. If I told you that Iowa had the opportunity to go to a BCS bowl game after leaving Kinnick Stadium on September 5 when Iowa narrowly escaped with a victory against UNI, I think I would be able to guess your answer.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Ohio State Predictions
It is hard to believe that the regular season is down to two games. Can you think of a more intriguing storyline than a Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl berth on the line with a redshirt freshmen’s first start to occur at Ohio Stadium? Given the way this season has transpired thus far, who knows what could happen on Saturday. Here are my thoughts on the game.
Quarterback Play. At the beginning of the week I thought that there was no way that James Vandenberg, even with a week of practice, would be able to lead this team to victory. That is not a slight at Vandenberg, rather it was a thought that was based in reality. As the week has progressed, however, I am starting to feel better about Vandenberg and the opportunity that is before him on Saturday. I think that Vandenberg may have a stronger arm than Ricky Stanzi. That arm strength was shown on Saturday in several of the out routes that Vandenberg threw. If Vandenberg can find a way to avoid the big mistakes and do his best to keep his composure, the Iowa offense has an opportunity to move the ball on Saturday.
Running Game. One of the more disappointing developments of the season has been the inability of the offensive line to consistently establish a running game. The talent on this line is certainly there, but the inability to consistently establish a run game has placed incredible pressure on the passing game and has resulted in the offense being forced to play from behind, resulting in more pass attempts, and thus, more opportunities for interceptions. If Adam Robinson is able to contribute 5-10 carries on Saturday it would certainly provide a big boost to the offense and lift some of the burden off of Brandon Wegher. Ohio State is, however, the best defense that Iowa has faced this entire season. Ohio State ranks first in the big ten in rush defense allowing a paltry 85 yards a game and ranks second in the Big Ten in pass defense allowing only 168 yards a game. Regardless of the outcome, if Iowa is able to score more than 14 points, I would consider it to be an extremely impressive accomplishment.
Defense the Key. While Ohio State certainly has the clear advantage when Iowa has the ball, as it has done all year, the Iowa defense can keep this team in the game. Terrelle Pryor has shown to be interception prone at times and, despite his performance at Penn State last week, is not a scary passing threat. If Adrian Clayborn and the rest of the defensive line are able to put enough pressure on Pryor to force him to make poor decisions, Iowa may be able to benefit in the field position game. One of the most important keys to this game is whether the Iowa defense can keep the game low scoring and create turnovers. If the Iowa defense can produce at least three turnovers, the Hawkeyes can stay in this game. Fortunately, Ohio State runs a traditional offense, which plays into the strength of Iowa’s defensive scheme. I would be very surprised if Ohio State is able to be successful on the ground.
Special Teams. Daniel Murray will have at least two chances on Saturday to put three points on the board. It will be absolutely crucial for him to be accurate on Saturday, as points will be hard to come by for the Iowa offense. Colin Sandeman is rumored to be playing on Saturday, which will certainly help the punt return game. The past few weeks, I have been very impressed with Derrell Johnson-Koulianos as a kick returner. He seems to have solid vision when picking a lane to run. Speaking of which, I am still waiting for the first kickoff return for a touchdown since 2002. As has been the case the entire season, Ryan Donahue will be a weapon on Saturday. His long punts may change the field position battle and help keep Ohio State out of Iowa territory, which is vital in order to keep this game low scoring.
Look, I am not going to wear black and gold shades while drinking Hawkeye kool-aid to say that Iowa is going to win this game. An Iowa win on Saturday would be something so remarkable that it is even hard to picture. Three wins in Columbus since Eisenhower was in office? The odds are stacked against Iowa in the worst way, but as I mentioned at the beginning, with the way this season has gone, who knows what may happen. If Iowa can keep the game low scoring, create at least three turnovers, and have no turnovers of their own, they will have a chance. Regardless of the outcome, I am looking forward to watch this Iowa team compete for the eleventh time this season and making my first visit to the Horseshoe.
Prediction: Ohio State 20 Iowa 13
Pick to Click: Tony Moeaki
Quarterback Play. At the beginning of the week I thought that there was no way that James Vandenberg, even with a week of practice, would be able to lead this team to victory. That is not a slight at Vandenberg, rather it was a thought that was based in reality. As the week has progressed, however, I am starting to feel better about Vandenberg and the opportunity that is before him on Saturday. I think that Vandenberg may have a stronger arm than Ricky Stanzi. That arm strength was shown on Saturday in several of the out routes that Vandenberg threw. If Vandenberg can find a way to avoid the big mistakes and do his best to keep his composure, the Iowa offense has an opportunity to move the ball on Saturday.
Running Game. One of the more disappointing developments of the season has been the inability of the offensive line to consistently establish a running game. The talent on this line is certainly there, but the inability to consistently establish a run game has placed incredible pressure on the passing game and has resulted in the offense being forced to play from behind, resulting in more pass attempts, and thus, more opportunities for interceptions. If Adam Robinson is able to contribute 5-10 carries on Saturday it would certainly provide a big boost to the offense and lift some of the burden off of Brandon Wegher. Ohio State is, however, the best defense that Iowa has faced this entire season. Ohio State ranks first in the big ten in rush defense allowing a paltry 85 yards a game and ranks second in the Big Ten in pass defense allowing only 168 yards a game. Regardless of the outcome, if Iowa is able to score more than 14 points, I would consider it to be an extremely impressive accomplishment.
Defense the Key. While Ohio State certainly has the clear advantage when Iowa has the ball, as it has done all year, the Iowa defense can keep this team in the game. Terrelle Pryor has shown to be interception prone at times and, despite his performance at Penn State last week, is not a scary passing threat. If Adrian Clayborn and the rest of the defensive line are able to put enough pressure on Pryor to force him to make poor decisions, Iowa may be able to benefit in the field position game. One of the most important keys to this game is whether the Iowa defense can keep the game low scoring and create turnovers. If the Iowa defense can produce at least three turnovers, the Hawkeyes can stay in this game. Fortunately, Ohio State runs a traditional offense, which plays into the strength of Iowa’s defensive scheme. I would be very surprised if Ohio State is able to be successful on the ground.
Special Teams. Daniel Murray will have at least two chances on Saturday to put three points on the board. It will be absolutely crucial for him to be accurate on Saturday, as points will be hard to come by for the Iowa offense. Colin Sandeman is rumored to be playing on Saturday, which will certainly help the punt return game. The past few weeks, I have been very impressed with Derrell Johnson-Koulianos as a kick returner. He seems to have solid vision when picking a lane to run. Speaking of which, I am still waiting for the first kickoff return for a touchdown since 2002. As has been the case the entire season, Ryan Donahue will be a weapon on Saturday. His long punts may change the field position battle and help keep Ohio State out of Iowa territory, which is vital in order to keep this game low scoring.
Look, I am not going to wear black and gold shades while drinking Hawkeye kool-aid to say that Iowa is going to win this game. An Iowa win on Saturday would be something so remarkable that it is even hard to picture. Three wins in Columbus since Eisenhower was in office? The odds are stacked against Iowa in the worst way, but as I mentioned at the beginning, with the way this season has gone, who knows what may happen. If Iowa can keep the game low scoring, create at least three turnovers, and have no turnovers of their own, they will have a chance. Regardless of the outcome, I am looking forward to watch this Iowa team compete for the eleventh time this season and making my first visit to the Horseshoe.
Prediction: Ohio State 20 Iowa 13
Pick to Click: Tony Moeaki
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Thoughts on Northwestern Game
As a good friend once told me, they are the Hawks and they always break your heart. Do not get me wrong, this season has been one for the ages and I am not down on any of the players at all. It is just unfortunate that one injury totally changed the direction of this season from a path to glory to a path to uncertainty. Here are my thoughts on the game.
One Play. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that if Ricky Stanzi had not been injured, Iowa would have won the football game by more than two touchdowns. Iowa was moving the ball at will against Northwestern early and would have been able to do so for the remainder of the game. Arguably the biggest play in the game was Stanzi’s first interception that completely shifted the field position match and resulted in Iowa having the ball at their own six yard line, which led to the play Iowa fans would like to forget. Some people have questioned and criticized Ken O’Keefe’s play call on that play. While I have gone back and forth on it, I am convinced that it was not a bad call. Marvin McNutt scored on a 92 yard pass play the week before on that same play, unfortunately Corey Wootten read the play correctly and made a great play. It is ironic to think that just a week ago people were talking about what play from this season would be the most memorable: the blocked field goals against UNI, Adrian Clayborn’s blocked punt against Penn State, McNutt’s catch against Michigan State? At this point in time, it appears as though the most memorable, yet forgettable play might be Stanzi’s fumble that led to his injury.
Defense. The defense this year has been absolutely incredible in their ability to be placed in difficult situations and keep the team in the game. The defense only gave up ten points on Saturday. An offense that is incapable of scoring more than ten points does not deserve to win many games. Likewise, Iowa lost one match against Northwestern that it has been winning most of the season, the turnover margin game. Although I am sure there is statistical analysis on this next point, the probability of a team that turns the ball over four times winning a game is very low. Iowa has been playing with fire all year with their inability to put teams away, and although they were able to overcome six turnovers against Indiana, it finally caught up with them on Saturday. The defense can only respond against adversity so many times, and although they did everything possible to create turnovers, it was not enough.
Special Teams. Other than Daniel Murray’s miss from 46 yards, the special teams play was vastly improved from Indiana. Ryan Donahue’s 73 yard punt was what we have expected from him the entire year. Likewise, I was very impressed with the return game. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos was impressive on kickoff returns and Tyler Sash was more than serviceable when he was forced into punt return duty.
Penalties. I am going to comment on penalties with two caveats. First, Iowa has been the recipient of several favorable calls and non-calls this season. Second, officiating is part of the game and if the official throws a flag, then that is the call on the field. With that said, why in the world was there a holding penalty called against Rafael Eubanks on Brandon Wegher’s touchdown run? Explain to me the logic in the defender getting flat out beat and out-muscled and then penalizing the lineman? There were also several missed defensive holding calls on Northwestern, but again, a team should be able to overcome those calls.
Well, we are essentially down to a two game season going from talk about a Rose Bowl trip to the potential of falling all the way to the Outback Bowl. Granted, if you would have told me at the beginning of the year that we would be 9-1 at this point in the season, I would have accepted it in an instance. The way in which Iowa lost to Northwestern was more upsetting and is why Hawkeye fans have been in a state of shock and, in some cases, a state of anger. It is now the James Vandenberg show from here on out. Can you imagine a more high-pressure situation for the first start of a redshirt freshmen quarterback than at Ohio Stadium with a Rose Bowl berth and Big Ten championship at stake? While I think that the chances are low, there is a reason teams play the game. With a week of practice, Vandenberg will look more comfortable under center on Saturday. If the defense can limit Ohio State to ten points and if Iowa commits no turnovers, Iowa has a chance.
One Play. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that if Ricky Stanzi had not been injured, Iowa would have won the football game by more than two touchdowns. Iowa was moving the ball at will against Northwestern early and would have been able to do so for the remainder of the game. Arguably the biggest play in the game was Stanzi’s first interception that completely shifted the field position match and resulted in Iowa having the ball at their own six yard line, which led to the play Iowa fans would like to forget. Some people have questioned and criticized Ken O’Keefe’s play call on that play. While I have gone back and forth on it, I am convinced that it was not a bad call. Marvin McNutt scored on a 92 yard pass play the week before on that same play, unfortunately Corey Wootten read the play correctly and made a great play. It is ironic to think that just a week ago people were talking about what play from this season would be the most memorable: the blocked field goals against UNI, Adrian Clayborn’s blocked punt against Penn State, McNutt’s catch against Michigan State? At this point in time, it appears as though the most memorable, yet forgettable play might be Stanzi’s fumble that led to his injury.
Defense. The defense this year has been absolutely incredible in their ability to be placed in difficult situations and keep the team in the game. The defense only gave up ten points on Saturday. An offense that is incapable of scoring more than ten points does not deserve to win many games. Likewise, Iowa lost one match against Northwestern that it has been winning most of the season, the turnover margin game. Although I am sure there is statistical analysis on this next point, the probability of a team that turns the ball over four times winning a game is very low. Iowa has been playing with fire all year with their inability to put teams away, and although they were able to overcome six turnovers against Indiana, it finally caught up with them on Saturday. The defense can only respond against adversity so many times, and although they did everything possible to create turnovers, it was not enough.
Special Teams. Other than Daniel Murray’s miss from 46 yards, the special teams play was vastly improved from Indiana. Ryan Donahue’s 73 yard punt was what we have expected from him the entire year. Likewise, I was very impressed with the return game. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos was impressive on kickoff returns and Tyler Sash was more than serviceable when he was forced into punt return duty.
Penalties. I am going to comment on penalties with two caveats. First, Iowa has been the recipient of several favorable calls and non-calls this season. Second, officiating is part of the game and if the official throws a flag, then that is the call on the field. With that said, why in the world was there a holding penalty called against Rafael Eubanks on Brandon Wegher’s touchdown run? Explain to me the logic in the defender getting flat out beat and out-muscled and then penalizing the lineman? There were also several missed defensive holding calls on Northwestern, but again, a team should be able to overcome those calls.
Well, we are essentially down to a two game season going from talk about a Rose Bowl trip to the potential of falling all the way to the Outback Bowl. Granted, if you would have told me at the beginning of the year that we would be 9-1 at this point in the season, I would have accepted it in an instance. The way in which Iowa lost to Northwestern was more upsetting and is why Hawkeye fans have been in a state of shock and, in some cases, a state of anger. It is now the James Vandenberg show from here on out. Can you imagine a more high-pressure situation for the first start of a redshirt freshmen quarterback than at Ohio Stadium with a Rose Bowl berth and Big Ten championship at stake? While I think that the chances are low, there is a reason teams play the game. With a week of practice, Vandenberg will look more comfortable under center on Saturday. If the defense can limit Ohio State to ten points and if Iowa commits no turnovers, Iowa has a chance.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Northwestern Predictions
Any other year this game would be a game that Iowa would need to become bowl eligible or to improve its bowl position. This game and this season, however, is a totally different story. To make matters even more interesting, Iowa has not exactly played well against Northwestern at home, thus this game has all of the elements of a classic Big Ten showdown. Here are my thoughts.
Another Quarterback Showdown. Despite their lackluster play so far this year, the Big Ten’s quarterbacks are, in my humble opinion, an underrated group. Ricky Stanzi has shown uncanny leadership. Scott Tolzien is an efficient and steady passer. Kirk Cousins has the tools to play at the next level. Tate Forcier is a fiery signal caller who will only get better. Terrelle Pryor is an incredible athlete still learning his role at quarterback. Daryll Clark as the elder statesmen of the bunch has his team headed toward another BCS bowl berth. Finally, Mike Kafka is arguably the best all-around quarterback in the league. Kafka leads the league in passing yards per game with a 243 average and leads the league in total offense with an average of 271 yards a game. To say he means a lot to his team would be an understatement, as he is responsible for approximately 69% of Northwestern’s offense this season. Like his predecessor, C.J. Bacher, Kafka has the ability to pick apart a defense with short routes and precise passes. Unlike Bacher, however, Kafka can be deadly with his legs. Although the Northwestern injury report did not list Kafka under any status, it will be pretty incredible if he goes the entire game without his hamstring flaring up at some point. Pat Fitzgerald can say all he wants, but a hamstring injury that causes a player to miss an entire half does not suddenly get better in a week. If Kafka does indeed play, there is no way that he will be playing at a capacity higher than seventy-five percent. His backup, Dan Persa, is a steady quarterback, but is not good enough to beat this Iowa defense with his arm or legs.
Defensive Looks. Just so that you are prepared for it on Saturday, Northwestern will be able to move the ball at six and seven yard increments for most of the day. One of the keys to preventing Northwestern from marching up and down the field is the ability of Iowa’s front four to get penetration to disrupt the timing of the Northwestern passing attack. Granted, most of Northwestern’s pass plays are predicated on short routes leaving almost no time to even have a chance for the defense to get to the quarterback, but the front seven’s ability to disrupt the timing and force the quarterback to improvise will be important to shutting down the Wildcat attack. Other than Kafka, Northwestern does not have much of a running threat ranking 10th in the Big Ten in rushing offense at 121 yards a game. Look for Pat Angerer and AJ Edds to have busy days as they drop back in coverage and contain the Northwestern receivers to their initial 6 or 7 yards and no more. Because of health concerns, it sounds as though Norm Parker will be spending the rest of the year in the press box. Although his presence on the field will be missed, I do not think that having Parker in the press box will have much effect on the defense.
Stretching the Field. If Northwestern saw anything from the film from Iowa’s win against Indiana, they likely saw how Iowa was able to exploit Indiana with the play-action waggle. Indiana had eight, sometimes nine, defenders in the box, just begging Iowa to beat them deep. With the wind at its back, Iowa did just that scoring on consecutive series with just two plays. Given the forecast for Saturday, I think we will see Iowa set-up the play action early on by going to Brandon Wegher often. Northwestern’s defense is beaten up, as they have had twenty different players start for them on defense this season, including nine different players in the defensive backfield. I also hope that Ken O’Keefe gets Stanzi off on the right foot by slowly working him into the game by throwing short routes to Tony Moeaki and the rest of the receiving corps. Iowa has had a tendency to look for the deep ball on first down early in the game, and while I am happy with O’Keefe looking to throw the ball down field, I wish the timing were better. Maybe it is something that the defense is showing that leads to those calls. Either way, it would be nice to see the Iowa offense get out to an early start and move the ball convincingly.
Kicking Game. As I mentioned after the Indiana game, I think what we saw out of Iowa’s special teams was an aberration. Ryan Donahue will be back to his normal self after trying to knock one out of the park last week, which led to an eight yard punt. Likewise, I think Daniel Murray will have a few opportunities on Saturday to put some points on the board and work on increasing his trajectory. Fortunately, because Northwestern’s kicker doubles as their punter, Iowa will not have many opportunities to return a punt. Opponents have only returned ten punts against Northwestern this year, but that is due, in large part, to being dead last in the Big Ten in punting average. Given Iowa’s disaster of a punt return game last week, that is definitely a positive mark in Iowa’s column.
Normally, the week leading up to a game against Northwestern is always one filled with some anxiety due to their offensive scheme. However, I think Iowa went through their sleepwalking game of the year last week against Indiana. With all that is at stake and with the finish line of the regular season almost near, there is no way that this team will overlook Northwestern. If Kafka is a no go for the Wildcats, this game could get ugly. I think the Iowa offense gets on track and turns the keys over to the defense to do what they do best, which is stifling opponents’ offenses. Be sure to pay attention to the Ohio State/Penn State game on Saturday. An Iowa win and a Nittany Lion win almost assures Iowa a Rose Bowl berth, even if the Hawkeyes stub their toe in Columbus.
Prediction: Iowa 38 Northwestern 13
Pick to Click: Tony Moeaki
Another Quarterback Showdown. Despite their lackluster play so far this year, the Big Ten’s quarterbacks are, in my humble opinion, an underrated group. Ricky Stanzi has shown uncanny leadership. Scott Tolzien is an efficient and steady passer. Kirk Cousins has the tools to play at the next level. Tate Forcier is a fiery signal caller who will only get better. Terrelle Pryor is an incredible athlete still learning his role at quarterback. Daryll Clark as the elder statesmen of the bunch has his team headed toward another BCS bowl berth. Finally, Mike Kafka is arguably the best all-around quarterback in the league. Kafka leads the league in passing yards per game with a 243 average and leads the league in total offense with an average of 271 yards a game. To say he means a lot to his team would be an understatement, as he is responsible for approximately 69% of Northwestern’s offense this season. Like his predecessor, C.J. Bacher, Kafka has the ability to pick apart a defense with short routes and precise passes. Unlike Bacher, however, Kafka can be deadly with his legs. Although the Northwestern injury report did not list Kafka under any status, it will be pretty incredible if he goes the entire game without his hamstring flaring up at some point. Pat Fitzgerald can say all he wants, but a hamstring injury that causes a player to miss an entire half does not suddenly get better in a week. If Kafka does indeed play, there is no way that he will be playing at a capacity higher than seventy-five percent. His backup, Dan Persa, is a steady quarterback, but is not good enough to beat this Iowa defense with his arm or legs.
Defensive Looks. Just so that you are prepared for it on Saturday, Northwestern will be able to move the ball at six and seven yard increments for most of the day. One of the keys to preventing Northwestern from marching up and down the field is the ability of Iowa’s front four to get penetration to disrupt the timing of the Northwestern passing attack. Granted, most of Northwestern’s pass plays are predicated on short routes leaving almost no time to even have a chance for the defense to get to the quarterback, but the front seven’s ability to disrupt the timing and force the quarterback to improvise will be important to shutting down the Wildcat attack. Other than Kafka, Northwestern does not have much of a running threat ranking 10th in the Big Ten in rushing offense at 121 yards a game. Look for Pat Angerer and AJ Edds to have busy days as they drop back in coverage and contain the Northwestern receivers to their initial 6 or 7 yards and no more. Because of health concerns, it sounds as though Norm Parker will be spending the rest of the year in the press box. Although his presence on the field will be missed, I do not think that having Parker in the press box will have much effect on the defense.
Stretching the Field. If Northwestern saw anything from the film from Iowa’s win against Indiana, they likely saw how Iowa was able to exploit Indiana with the play-action waggle. Indiana had eight, sometimes nine, defenders in the box, just begging Iowa to beat them deep. With the wind at its back, Iowa did just that scoring on consecutive series with just two plays. Given the forecast for Saturday, I think we will see Iowa set-up the play action early on by going to Brandon Wegher often. Northwestern’s defense is beaten up, as they have had twenty different players start for them on defense this season, including nine different players in the defensive backfield. I also hope that Ken O’Keefe gets Stanzi off on the right foot by slowly working him into the game by throwing short routes to Tony Moeaki and the rest of the receiving corps. Iowa has had a tendency to look for the deep ball on first down early in the game, and while I am happy with O’Keefe looking to throw the ball down field, I wish the timing were better. Maybe it is something that the defense is showing that leads to those calls. Either way, it would be nice to see the Iowa offense get out to an early start and move the ball convincingly.
Kicking Game. As I mentioned after the Indiana game, I think what we saw out of Iowa’s special teams was an aberration. Ryan Donahue will be back to his normal self after trying to knock one out of the park last week, which led to an eight yard punt. Likewise, I think Daniel Murray will have a few opportunities on Saturday to put some points on the board and work on increasing his trajectory. Fortunately, because Northwestern’s kicker doubles as their punter, Iowa will not have many opportunities to return a punt. Opponents have only returned ten punts against Northwestern this year, but that is due, in large part, to being dead last in the Big Ten in punting average. Given Iowa’s disaster of a punt return game last week, that is definitely a positive mark in Iowa’s column.
Normally, the week leading up to a game against Northwestern is always one filled with some anxiety due to their offensive scheme. However, I think Iowa went through their sleepwalking game of the year last week against Indiana. With all that is at stake and with the finish line of the regular season almost near, there is no way that this team will overlook Northwestern. If Kafka is a no go for the Wildcats, this game could get ugly. I think the Iowa offense gets on track and turns the keys over to the defense to do what they do best, which is stifling opponents’ offenses. Be sure to pay attention to the Ohio State/Penn State game on Saturday. An Iowa win and a Nittany Lion win almost assures Iowa a Rose Bowl berth, even if the Hawkeyes stub their toe in Columbus.
Prediction: Iowa 38 Northwestern 13
Pick to Click: Tony Moeaki
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Thoughts on Indiana Game
Once again the Hawkeyes found a way to overcome adversity to win another football game and become 9-0 on the season. We have seen all kinds of once in a lifetime type plays this season, but nothing was more bizarre than the events that unfolded during the Indiana game. Here are my thoughts on the game.
Leadership. I have said it many times this season, but Ricky Stanzi has one of the best intangible attributes of a quarterback that is impossible to coach. His ability to stay in the moment and forget what has happened, whether good or bad, is one of the best intangibles a quarterback can possess. Two of Stanzi’s interceptions can be attributed to the swirling winds in Kinnick Stadium, and another can be attributed to the umpire interfering with Keenan Davis’s route. I would echo the sentiments of Stanzi’s teammates who all have said that they would not want anyone else leading this team at quarterback. As the old golf euphemism goes, it is not how, but how many. In Stanzi’s case, it is 9-0 this season and 16-3 as a starter. I will take that person as my quarterback and leader any day of the week.
Defense. The Iowa defense answered the call yet again on Saturday. They were placed in several precarious positions and were able to hold Indiana from putting the game out of reach. Tyler Sash’s interception was something out of a video game but was certainly needed at that juncture in the game as it seemed to breathe new life into the team and the Kinnick faithful. Sash is now two interceptions away from tying Lou King and Nile Kinnick for the Iowa single season interception record of eight. With three interception prone quarterbacks on deck, it is certainly possible that the pride of Oskaloosa will be able to tie or break the record. Despite being forced to coach from the press box on Saturday due to health reasons, Norm Parker again showed why he and his defensive coaching staff are incredible at making second half adjustments. Indiana was held to only 3 points and only 117 yards of offense in the second half. Granted, I still think that Iowa got away with one with the overturned touchdown call in the third quarter, but I still think that the Iowa offense would have put up 28 points in the fourth quarter even if they would have been down 28-14. Speaking of which, maybe it is because I have been subjecting myself to Joe Buck and Tim McCarver during the World Series and, unfortunately, Terry Bradshaw’s blabbering when the BCS standings were released, but why does everyone in our society point to officiating as reasons why a team loses a game? Indiana got beat on Saturday because Iowa was the better team. The officials may have missed a call or two, but to say that it had a bearing on the outcome is ludicrous. Likewise, it is asinine to imply that the officials were intentionally trying to keep Iowa undefeated to help the Big Ten’s BCS hopes, as CBSSports writer Gregg Doyel wrote. Although it will not happen, I wish that writers who write material like that were reprimanded by not receiving press credentials or were prevented from obtaining interview access.
Special Teams Conundrum. This is not a slight at Colin Sandeman in any way, but I did not think that Iowa would miss him on Saturday as much as they did. Boy was I wrong. Yes, the wind was a factor, but Iowa’s punt return game was an adventure all day long. My prediction on Keenan Davis returning punts came true, but after mishandling his first return, Amari Spievey was given the duty. Spievey’s fumble at the end of the second quarter capped off what was one of worst halves of Iowa football that I have seen in a long time. Here is to hoping that it is a calm day this next Saturday. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, however, looked very comfortable returning kicks on Saturday and was able to give Iowa very favorable field position on two returns, even though one was called back for a penalty. By the way, the last time Iowa returned a kickoff for a touchdown was CJ Jones’s return in the Orange Bowl, and the last kickoff return for a touchdown during the regular season was in that same 2002 season against Michigan State by Jermelle Lewis. Given some of the parallels between this season and that 2002 season, do you think a kickoff return for a touchdown is in the cards? Daniel Murray has been a very reliable kicker this season, but the yanked 44 yard attempt looked like a kick made by those people who have to make a field goal on national television during a conference championship game as part of a contest in order to win a large cash prize. Likewise, Ryan Donahue’s shanked eight yard punt was essentially a turnover, as it gave Indiana great field position and led to a Hoosier touchdown. Here is to thinking that both kickers had a poor game and will bounce back this week.
Team Mentality. In each game this season, a different person has stepped up to make that special play to vault the Hawkeyes to victory. Tyler Sash was that person against Iowa State, Adrian Clayborn against Penn State, Tony Moeaki against Michigan, and Marvin McNutt against Michigan State. While those memorable plays and performances will be engrained in our memories forever, the ability of this team to pick one another up is one of the things I will remember the most about this season. The outside world, both fans and critics, has no effect on this team. The players view each week as just another opportunity to improve and, on each Saturday this fall, play the game they love. The famous Bo Schembechler quote seems very appropriate for this year’s Iowa team: No one man is more important than the team. No one coach is more important than the team. The team, the team, the team.
Boy is this fun. The Hawkeyes are 9-0 and have an opportunity to improve to 10-0 on Saturday against a deflated Northwestern team. I know it sounds like a broken record, but I really think that the Iowa offense is close to putting together a 60 minute ballgame. With the defense continuing to play great football, I have a great feeling about Saturday’s contest.
Leadership. I have said it many times this season, but Ricky Stanzi has one of the best intangible attributes of a quarterback that is impossible to coach. His ability to stay in the moment and forget what has happened, whether good or bad, is one of the best intangibles a quarterback can possess. Two of Stanzi’s interceptions can be attributed to the swirling winds in Kinnick Stadium, and another can be attributed to the umpire interfering with Keenan Davis’s route. I would echo the sentiments of Stanzi’s teammates who all have said that they would not want anyone else leading this team at quarterback. As the old golf euphemism goes, it is not how, but how many. In Stanzi’s case, it is 9-0 this season and 16-3 as a starter. I will take that person as my quarterback and leader any day of the week.
Defense. The Iowa defense answered the call yet again on Saturday. They were placed in several precarious positions and were able to hold Indiana from putting the game out of reach. Tyler Sash’s interception was something out of a video game but was certainly needed at that juncture in the game as it seemed to breathe new life into the team and the Kinnick faithful. Sash is now two interceptions away from tying Lou King and Nile Kinnick for the Iowa single season interception record of eight. With three interception prone quarterbacks on deck, it is certainly possible that the pride of Oskaloosa will be able to tie or break the record. Despite being forced to coach from the press box on Saturday due to health reasons, Norm Parker again showed why he and his defensive coaching staff are incredible at making second half adjustments. Indiana was held to only 3 points and only 117 yards of offense in the second half. Granted, I still think that Iowa got away with one with the overturned touchdown call in the third quarter, but I still think that the Iowa offense would have put up 28 points in the fourth quarter even if they would have been down 28-14. Speaking of which, maybe it is because I have been subjecting myself to Joe Buck and Tim McCarver during the World Series and, unfortunately, Terry Bradshaw’s blabbering when the BCS standings were released, but why does everyone in our society point to officiating as reasons why a team loses a game? Indiana got beat on Saturday because Iowa was the better team. The officials may have missed a call or two, but to say that it had a bearing on the outcome is ludicrous. Likewise, it is asinine to imply that the officials were intentionally trying to keep Iowa undefeated to help the Big Ten’s BCS hopes, as CBSSports writer Gregg Doyel wrote. Although it will not happen, I wish that writers who write material like that were reprimanded by not receiving press credentials or were prevented from obtaining interview access.
Special Teams Conundrum. This is not a slight at Colin Sandeman in any way, but I did not think that Iowa would miss him on Saturday as much as they did. Boy was I wrong. Yes, the wind was a factor, but Iowa’s punt return game was an adventure all day long. My prediction on Keenan Davis returning punts came true, but after mishandling his first return, Amari Spievey was given the duty. Spievey’s fumble at the end of the second quarter capped off what was one of worst halves of Iowa football that I have seen in a long time. Here is to hoping that it is a calm day this next Saturday. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, however, looked very comfortable returning kicks on Saturday and was able to give Iowa very favorable field position on two returns, even though one was called back for a penalty. By the way, the last time Iowa returned a kickoff for a touchdown was CJ Jones’s return in the Orange Bowl, and the last kickoff return for a touchdown during the regular season was in that same 2002 season against Michigan State by Jermelle Lewis. Given some of the parallels between this season and that 2002 season, do you think a kickoff return for a touchdown is in the cards? Daniel Murray has been a very reliable kicker this season, but the yanked 44 yard attempt looked like a kick made by those people who have to make a field goal on national television during a conference championship game as part of a contest in order to win a large cash prize. Likewise, Ryan Donahue’s shanked eight yard punt was essentially a turnover, as it gave Indiana great field position and led to a Hoosier touchdown. Here is to thinking that both kickers had a poor game and will bounce back this week.
Team Mentality. In each game this season, a different person has stepped up to make that special play to vault the Hawkeyes to victory. Tyler Sash was that person against Iowa State, Adrian Clayborn against Penn State, Tony Moeaki against Michigan, and Marvin McNutt against Michigan State. While those memorable plays and performances will be engrained in our memories forever, the ability of this team to pick one another up is one of the things I will remember the most about this season. The outside world, both fans and critics, has no effect on this team. The players view each week as just another opportunity to improve and, on each Saturday this fall, play the game they love. The famous Bo Schembechler quote seems very appropriate for this year’s Iowa team: No one man is more important than the team. No one coach is more important than the team. The team, the team, the team.
Boy is this fun. The Hawkeyes are 9-0 and have an opportunity to improve to 10-0 on Saturday against a deflated Northwestern team. I know it sounds like a broken record, but I really think that the Iowa offense is close to putting together a 60 minute ballgame. With the defense continuing to play great football, I have a great feeling about Saturday’s contest.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
