It was a fitting end to the home season. Before the game I thought that if Iowa were to lose the game it would be because of one part of the game that has plagued Iowa all year long: a special team’s blunder, the defense not being able to make a stop in the fourth quarter, or the offense not sustaining a drive late in the game. Instead, this game contained elements of all three. Freshman kicker Michael Meyer missed from 40 yards in the second quarter, the defense gave up a 12 play, 76 yard drive in the fourth quarter that put the Buckeyes ahead, and the offense was unable to sustain a drive prior to that Ohio State scoring drive and was once again unable to operate a two minute offense late in the game. While there were several other plays that Iowa was unable to execute, those three instances encapsulate what has gone wrong this season.
For the twenty six seniors that played their final game at Kinnick, it was another heartbreaking loss that simply furthered the point that the margin of victory at Iowa has been and always will be slim. In 2008, Iowa went 9-4 with the four losses coming by a total of twelve points. The margin of victory in the four losses this season has been by a total of fifteen points. College football is a fickle sport where the bounce of a ball here or there can completely change the dynamics of a game. Add the fact that 18-22 year olds are the ones involved and there is a recipe for uncertainty one week to the next. For whatever reason the ball has not bounced Iowa’s way this season. Some say that teams create their own luck, but for whatever reason Iowa has not been able to make the big plays when it has mattered this year to re-create the luck and magic of 2009.
As much as all of these losses have stung for the fans this year, they have hurt the players even more. After all of the 5 a.m. weightlifting sessions and the sprint workouts during the dead heat of July, the pain of the losses must make those workouts seem like exercises in futility—no pun intended. Thus, it was nice to see the Iowa fans give those seniors the applause and support they deserved as they ran on to the field for their final time as Iowa Hawkeyes.
At this point in the season Iowa is playing for pride. Iowa travels to rival Minnesota on Saturday where they will play at TCF Bank for the first time against a Gopher squad that has only won two games this year and sports a rush defense that is dead last in the Big Ten. While Iowa fans have circled this game as an automatic win for several months, it is hard to tell the mentality of this team given what has happened. I am looking forward to see how this team responds knowing that a quality bowl appearance is still possible, but I would not be surprised to see the offense sputter the way it has the past few weeks.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Ohio State Predictions
After a week of trying to shake the disappointment of the Northwestern loss, the entire Hawkeye nation has to face the reality of playing a very talented and daunting Ohio State Buckeye team that is going for an unprecedented sixth straight Big Ten championship. A day that has been circled on the calendars of Iowa fans since the end of the Orange Bowl lost some of its luster after Iowa’s loss last week, but with a group of seniors that have given so much to this football program playing their final game in Kinnick, I have a feeling that the Hawkeye faithful will respond in kind with a raucous environment. Here are my thoughts.
The Manzi. Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi will go down as one of the best quarterbacks in Iowa football history with a 25-7 record as a starter, 53 touchdown passes, and 6,855 yards career passing. Stanzi also gave Hawkeyes fans several memorable moments over his three years as a starter with the 4th quarter drive against Penn State in 2008, Stanzi to McNutt against Michigan State in 2009, the wild comeback against Indiana in 2009, and a win in the Orange Bowl. One of the biggest question marks heading into the season was whether Stanzi would be able to improve on the 15 interceptions he threw last season. Without question, Stanzi has made remarkable progress in this department this season. Stanzi has thrown 22 touchdowns to only four interceptions this year, two of which were arguably not his fault. More than his ability to throw a good deep ball and his ability to commandeer his offense, the Hawkeyes are going to miss Stanzi’s leadership and calm demeanor in the huddle and under center, both qualities that are impossible to teach.
Mr. Clayborn. While Adrian Clayborn has not had the type of season statistically that either he hoped for or that Iowa fans expected, he has still wreaked havoc in opponents’ backfields all season and has forced opposing offensive coordinators to structure their game plans around him. Clayborn’s career at defensive end has been one of the best at Iowa since Matt Roth. Regardless of his statistical production this season, I would argue that his decision to come back was good for him to spend another year learning the techniques and skill that he will need at the next level in the NFL. Despite what know-it-all, or at least they think so, draft experts Mel Kiper, Jr. and Todd McShay think, Clayborn will make the NFL team that drafts him very happy due to his ferocious hand fighting abilities and his quickness on the edge. Something tells me that Clayborn will give the Kinnick crowd a few reasons to cheer on Saturday.
The Ohio State. The gaudy statistics on both offense and defense that Ohio State has put up this year is scary for any Iowa fan to see, especially after the offensive and defensive woes that Iowa has had the past two weeks. Ohio State leads the Big Ten in both scoring offense and scoring defense, which is good enough for sixth and fifth nationally, respectively. To add injury to insult, Ohio State is fifth in the nation in rushing defense surrendering only 86 yards a game and sixth in the nation in pass defense allowing only 151 yards a game. Suffice it to say, the Iowa offense will have to be at its absolute best on Saturday. Although several factors have played a role in the Iowa offense sputtering the past two weeks, it has seemed as though there has been no rhythm to the offense or play calling in general. I would expect no drastic changes to the Iowa play calling on Saturday, but, as is always the case, execution and minimizing mental mistakes will be critical against this stout Buckeyes defense.
Defensive Determination. After Northwestern’s late scoring touchdown drive last week, Iowa fans have questioned whether this defense has lost its ability to stop opponents when needed after giving up late scoring drives in Iowa’s losses to Arizona, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and what should have been a touchdown against Indiana. While many have questioned the conditioning of this unit in recent weeks, it is obvious that due to the offense’s inability to sustain drives, the defense has been on the field longer than normal leading to tired players at the end of the game. The offense will have to move the ball on Saturday against Ohio State or we will see the same story of a tired Iowa defense in the fourth quarter.
With Dan Gable serving as the honorary captain, a planned Air Force flyover, and the emotions of Senior Day, it is hard to imagine Iowa coming out flat on Saturday. The proof is in the pudding, however, that this Ohio State team is very talented and will capitalize on any Hawkeye mistakes. Despite having many of the intangibles mentioned above in their favor on Saturday, the Hawkeyes will have to play a near flawless game to win. While it is certainly not an impossibility, the way this season has gone, it seems appropriate that Iowa players and fans’ hearts will be broken once again.
Prediction: Iowa 21 Ohio State 23
Pick to Click: The Seniors
The Manzi. Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi will go down as one of the best quarterbacks in Iowa football history with a 25-7 record as a starter, 53 touchdown passes, and 6,855 yards career passing. Stanzi also gave Hawkeyes fans several memorable moments over his three years as a starter with the 4th quarter drive against Penn State in 2008, Stanzi to McNutt against Michigan State in 2009, the wild comeback against Indiana in 2009, and a win in the Orange Bowl. One of the biggest question marks heading into the season was whether Stanzi would be able to improve on the 15 interceptions he threw last season. Without question, Stanzi has made remarkable progress in this department this season. Stanzi has thrown 22 touchdowns to only four interceptions this year, two of which were arguably not his fault. More than his ability to throw a good deep ball and his ability to commandeer his offense, the Hawkeyes are going to miss Stanzi’s leadership and calm demeanor in the huddle and under center, both qualities that are impossible to teach.
Mr. Clayborn. While Adrian Clayborn has not had the type of season statistically that either he hoped for or that Iowa fans expected, he has still wreaked havoc in opponents’ backfields all season and has forced opposing offensive coordinators to structure their game plans around him. Clayborn’s career at defensive end has been one of the best at Iowa since Matt Roth. Regardless of his statistical production this season, I would argue that his decision to come back was good for him to spend another year learning the techniques and skill that he will need at the next level in the NFL. Despite what know-it-all, or at least they think so, draft experts Mel Kiper, Jr. and Todd McShay think, Clayborn will make the NFL team that drafts him very happy due to his ferocious hand fighting abilities and his quickness on the edge. Something tells me that Clayborn will give the Kinnick crowd a few reasons to cheer on Saturday.
The Ohio State. The gaudy statistics on both offense and defense that Ohio State has put up this year is scary for any Iowa fan to see, especially after the offensive and defensive woes that Iowa has had the past two weeks. Ohio State leads the Big Ten in both scoring offense and scoring defense, which is good enough for sixth and fifth nationally, respectively. To add injury to insult, Ohio State is fifth in the nation in rushing defense surrendering only 86 yards a game and sixth in the nation in pass defense allowing only 151 yards a game. Suffice it to say, the Iowa offense will have to be at its absolute best on Saturday. Although several factors have played a role in the Iowa offense sputtering the past two weeks, it has seemed as though there has been no rhythm to the offense or play calling in general. I would expect no drastic changes to the Iowa play calling on Saturday, but, as is always the case, execution and minimizing mental mistakes will be critical against this stout Buckeyes defense.
Defensive Determination. After Northwestern’s late scoring touchdown drive last week, Iowa fans have questioned whether this defense has lost its ability to stop opponents when needed after giving up late scoring drives in Iowa’s losses to Arizona, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and what should have been a touchdown against Indiana. While many have questioned the conditioning of this unit in recent weeks, it is obvious that due to the offense’s inability to sustain drives, the defense has been on the field longer than normal leading to tired players at the end of the game. The offense will have to move the ball on Saturday against Ohio State or we will see the same story of a tired Iowa defense in the fourth quarter.
With Dan Gable serving as the honorary captain, a planned Air Force flyover, and the emotions of Senior Day, it is hard to imagine Iowa coming out flat on Saturday. The proof is in the pudding, however, that this Ohio State team is very talented and will capitalize on any Hawkeye mistakes. Despite having many of the intangibles mentioned above in their favor on Saturday, the Hawkeyes will have to play a near flawless game to win. While it is certainly not an impossibility, the way this season has gone, it seems appropriate that Iowa players and fans’ hearts will be broken once again.
Prediction: Iowa 21 Ohio State 23
Pick to Click: The Seniors
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Thoughts on Northwestern Game
The Iowa football team received a big dose of reality on Saturday. Moreover, Iowa fans received a dose of what they have known deep down in their hearts for a long time. Iowa football and basketball have been and always will be just below the threshold of being considered elite. Teams that have a fifth year senior starting quarterback, top wide receivers, and an all-American defensive end do not play close games back-to-back against opponents like Indiana and Northwestern, especially when Wisconsin beats that same Indiana team by 63 points. I considered characterizing Northwestern as an inferior opponent, but that would be disservice to Pat Fitzgerald and his coaching staff who have outcoached the Iowa coaching staff and for Fitzgerald’s players who have made Iowa look like a high school team the past three years. For a team composed of this talent and this leadership, it is inexcusable to come out with the number of mental mistakes that this team committed yesterday. Holding penalties, false starts, and poor decisions all contributed to a loss to a Northwestern team that has now won five out of the last six against Iowa.
Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa did what Mike Kafka, Bret Basanez, and the other short, fleet-footed Wildcat quarterbacks before him have done against Iowa—make patient throws to the outside and outrun a slow linebacker corps. Before the game Persa made a comment that he believes one of the reasons for Northwestern’s success against Iowa is that they know exactly what the Iowa defense is going to do on each play. While I do not necessarily disagree with Iowa’s defensive philosophy, it has been the same play every year against Northwestern: six-seven yard passes to the outside and, when the coverage breaks down, an opportunity for the quarterback to scramble down the field for big gains. It would be very difficult to convince me that Iowa’s cornerbacks are not athletic enough to play closer to the line of scrimmage like every other team in the country does. Likewise, while I do not have the answers to explain what needs to be done on defense on Northwestern, I do know that Iowa cannot continue to run its simple, base defense against teams like Northwestern. The best example I can think of is using a school analogy. Certain professors like answers written in a particular manner. Going into a test, students that receive the best grades are able to adapt to that style and tailor their answers accordingly. Writing an answer in the same style or, in this case, playing the same type of defense, simply for the sake of not wanting to change is just plain ignorant and leads to unexpected grades and losses.
A wise friend once told me that the Hawks will always break your heart. Without a doubt, they always do break it and, no matter how much I care, they always will. Nevertheless, despite knowing that the Hawkeyes and sports in general can never give back what I put in and knowing that the Hawkeyes will break my heart several times for the rest of my life, I am going to cheer my heart out for the Hawkeyes on Saturday. I hope that everyone that is at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday gives Ricky Stanzi, Adrian Clayborn, Christian Ballard, Karl Klug, Julian Vandervelde, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Jeff Tarpinian, and Ryan Donahue the support and appreciation they deserve for all of the memories they created during their time at Iowa and to show them that win or lose, Iowa fans will continue to support their Hawkeyes. With the Hawkeyes in the underdog role, a role they cherish,Ohio State
Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa did what Mike Kafka, Bret Basanez, and the other short, fleet-footed Wildcat quarterbacks before him have done against Iowa—make patient throws to the outside and outrun a slow linebacker corps. Before the game Persa made a comment that he believes one of the reasons for Northwestern’s success against Iowa is that they know exactly what the Iowa defense is going to do on each play. While I do not necessarily disagree with Iowa’s defensive philosophy, it has been the same play every year against Northwestern: six-seven yard passes to the outside and, when the coverage breaks down, an opportunity for the quarterback to scramble down the field for big gains. It would be very difficult to convince me that Iowa’s cornerbacks are not athletic enough to play closer to the line of scrimmage like every other team in the country does. Likewise, while I do not have the answers to explain what needs to be done on defense on Northwestern, I do know that Iowa cannot continue to run its simple, base defense against teams like Northwestern. The best example I can think of is using a school analogy. Certain professors like answers written in a particular manner. Going into a test, students that receive the best grades are able to adapt to that style and tailor their answers accordingly. Writing an answer in the same style or, in this case, playing the same type of defense, simply for the sake of not wanting to change is just plain ignorant and leads to unexpected grades and losses.
A wise friend once told me that the Hawks will always break your heart. Without a doubt, they always do break it and, no matter how much I care, they always will. Nevertheless, despite knowing that the Hawkeyes and sports in general can never give back what I put in and knowing that the Hawkeyes will break my heart several times for the rest of my life, I am going to cheer my heart out for the Hawkeyes on Saturday. I hope that everyone that is at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday gives Ricky Stanzi, Adrian Clayborn, Christian Ballard, Karl Klug, Julian Vandervelde, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Jeff Tarpinian, and Ryan Donahue the support and appreciation they deserve for all of the memories they created during their time at Iowa and to show them that win or lose, Iowa fans will continue to support their Hawkeyes. With the Hawkeyes in the underdog role, a role they cherish,
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Northwestern Predictions
Every team has that one opponent that gives them trouble and for the Iowa Hawkeyes it is clear that the Northwestern Wildcats is that opponent. With four wins over Iowa in the last five games, the Wildcats will once again be out to ruin Iowa’s hopes for a BCS berth and a Big Ten championship. Here are my thoughts.
Offensive Playbook. With the planned return of Adam Robinson, it will be curious to see what type of offensive game plan Ken O’Keefe will roll out on Saturday. The current forecast for Saturday in Evanston is a fifty percent chance of rain, which always favors teams that run the ball well. As evident by last week’s inability to score touchdowns in the red zone, Robinson is an integral part of this offense due to his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and get those extra two-three yards on rushing attempts. The weather notwithstanding, Ricky Stanzi and the Iowa passing game should be able to move the ball at will through the air against a Northwestern defense that ranks 100th in the nation in pass defense allowing an average of 247 yards per game. If the weather is a factor, I would guess that the Iowa passing attack will revolve around throwing short routes and, hopefully, getting the ball to tight end Allen Reisner, which they failed to do last week.
Protection Problems. While not quite a spread offense, Northwestern’s passing game relies heavily on quick developing pass plays and short routes. In light of that type of offense, it is stunning that the Wildcats rank last in the Big Ten in sacks allowed this year giving up 31 sacks, which is twelve more sacks than the 10th ranked team. For an Iowa defensive line that has been unfairly criticized for its lack of sacks, it will be an interesting to watch how much pressure the defensive line can apply to Dan Persa in the pocket and how many sacks, if any, they produce on Saturday. Despite the lack of protection, Persa is the most accurate passer in the entire nation completing just above 73% of his passes. Thus, it was good timing for Iowa to have played against a quality quarterback like Ben Chappell in preparation for the Wildcat passing game.
Coverage. Just when it appeared as though Iowa was improving with its kickoff coverage, it took two steps back against Indiana allowing 25 yards a return. For the season Iowa now ranks 83 in the country allowing just over 22 yards a game. Iowa’s special teams play in prior years played a quiet role in Iowa being so successful, but this year it is arguably one of the reasons why Iowa lost against Arizona and Wisconsin. As the weather turns cold and the ball gets harder, Michael Meyer will have a more difficult time kicking the ball deep, which forces the coverage unit to be at its best. While turnovers have been the demon in the past against Northwestern, it is very possible that Iowa’s special teams woes may rear their ugly head again on Saturday.
Linebacker Limbo. Two freshman will likely start at linebacker for Iowa on Saturday, as James Morris and Shane DiBona are listed alongside Jeremiha Hunter for the Hawkeyes. Morris is playing remarkably well at a position that is not exactly easy for anyone to just jump in and play mid-season, let alone for a true freshman. Jeff Tarpinian has slowly worked his way back into some playing time as the effects of a neck stinger suffered five weeks ago continue to linger. If Tarpinian is able to go, he would likely play in the place of DiBona, who is playing for the injured Tyler Nielsen. The play of Iowa’s linebackers will be crucial on Saturday against the Wildcats who live off of short pass plays and slants over the middle. The combination of that style of offense with a pinpoint accurate passer like Persa is a recipe for potential disaster; however, as I mentioned earlier this week, this defense could statistically turn out to be one of the best defenses in the Kirk Ferentz era and, if they play to their potential, have the ability to stop the Wildcat offense.
One of the most surprising statistics that I read earlier this week is that Iowa has not beat Indiana and Northwestern in the same season since 2002. As has been the case most of the time in the last four losses to Northwestern, this Iowa team is head and shoulders above the Wildcats, but in this matchup such disparity means nothing. With some of the unintended bulletin board material that likely found its way into the Iowa football complex this week and the way the Wildcats ruined Iowa’s undefeated season last year, it would seem impossible for Iowa to overlook Northwestern this year.
Prediction: Iowa 24 Northwestern 13
Pick to Click: James Morris
Offensive Playbook. With the planned return of Adam Robinson, it will be curious to see what type of offensive game plan Ken O’Keefe will roll out on Saturday. The current forecast for Saturday in Evanston is a fifty percent chance of rain, which always favors teams that run the ball well. As evident by last week’s inability to score touchdowns in the red zone, Robinson is an integral part of this offense due to his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and get those extra two-three yards on rushing attempts. The weather notwithstanding, Ricky Stanzi and the Iowa passing game should be able to move the ball at will through the air against a Northwestern defense that ranks 100th in the nation in pass defense allowing an average of 247 yards per game. If the weather is a factor, I would guess that the Iowa passing attack will revolve around throwing short routes and, hopefully, getting the ball to tight end Allen Reisner, which they failed to do last week.
Protection Problems. While not quite a spread offense, Northwestern’s passing game relies heavily on quick developing pass plays and short routes. In light of that type of offense, it is stunning that the Wildcats rank last in the Big Ten in sacks allowed this year giving up 31 sacks, which is twelve more sacks than the 10th ranked team. For an Iowa defensive line that has been unfairly criticized for its lack of sacks, it will be an interesting to watch how much pressure the defensive line can apply to Dan Persa in the pocket and how many sacks, if any, they produce on Saturday. Despite the lack of protection, Persa is the most accurate passer in the entire nation completing just above 73% of his passes. Thus, it was good timing for Iowa to have played against a quality quarterback like Ben Chappell in preparation for the Wildcat passing game.
Coverage. Just when it appeared as though Iowa was improving with its kickoff coverage, it took two steps back against Indiana allowing 25 yards a return. For the season Iowa now ranks 83 in the country allowing just over 22 yards a game. Iowa’s special teams play in prior years played a quiet role in Iowa being so successful, but this year it is arguably one of the reasons why Iowa lost against Arizona and Wisconsin. As the weather turns cold and the ball gets harder, Michael Meyer will have a more difficult time kicking the ball deep, which forces the coverage unit to be at its best. While turnovers have been the demon in the past against Northwestern, it is very possible that Iowa’s special teams woes may rear their ugly head again on Saturday.
Linebacker Limbo. Two freshman will likely start at linebacker for Iowa on Saturday, as James Morris and Shane DiBona are listed alongside Jeremiha Hunter for the Hawkeyes. Morris is playing remarkably well at a position that is not exactly easy for anyone to just jump in and play mid-season, let alone for a true freshman. Jeff Tarpinian has slowly worked his way back into some playing time as the effects of a neck stinger suffered five weeks ago continue to linger. If Tarpinian is able to go, he would likely play in the place of DiBona, who is playing for the injured Tyler Nielsen. The play of Iowa’s linebackers will be crucial on Saturday against the Wildcats who live off of short pass plays and slants over the middle. The combination of that style of offense with a pinpoint accurate passer like Persa is a recipe for potential disaster; however, as I mentioned earlier this week, this defense could statistically turn out to be one of the best defenses in the Kirk Ferentz era and, if they play to their potential, have the ability to stop the Wildcat offense.
One of the most surprising statistics that I read earlier this week is that Iowa has not beat Indiana and Northwestern in the same season since 2002. As has been the case most of the time in the last four losses to Northwestern, this Iowa team is head and shoulders above the Wildcats, but in this matchup such disparity means nothing. With some of the unintended bulletin board material that likely found its way into the Iowa football complex this week and the way the Wildcats ruined Iowa’s undefeated season last year, it would seem impossible for Iowa to overlook Northwestern this year.
Prediction: Iowa 24 Northwestern 13
Pick to Click: James Morris
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Thoughts on Indiana Game
It is virtually impossible for a college football team composed of 18-22 year olds to play to their potential every game over the course of twelve Saturdays. Nonetheless, successful teams are able to overcome games in which they do not play their best. Iowa’s 18-13 win over Indiana was such a game. Here are my thoughts.
Red Zone Woes. Is there any doubt that Adam Robinson is one of the most valuable players on this team? Granted, Marcus Coker had a fantastic premiere as the starting running back rushing for 129 yards on twenty two carries, but Iowa’s offense struggled the entire game in the red zone walking away with only twelve points. With Robinson in the lineup, the Iowa offense is much more dangerous in the red zone due to Robinson’s ability to gain the extra two to three yards as he is being tackled. If Iowa had scored on one of those drives, the game would have likely had a completely different outcome. Hopefully the Iowa coaching staff re-evaluates their red zone and goaline playbook this week.
Defensive Performance. During and shortly after the game, I was thinking about how disappointing the defense played against Indiana and how disappointing they have seemed to be at some points during the season, but after further reflection, the Iowa defense actually played a great game against the Hoosiers. Indiana quarterback Ben Chappell was limited to 222 yards through the air, well short of his 296 yard average. Likewise, the Iowa defense held the Hoosiers to only 91 yards on the ground, which was also below their average of 97 yards. Iowa fans have become spoiled with Iowa defenses of yesteryear that were able to come in and, as Norm Parker is fond of saying, “put out the fire.” As I thought about it more, I wondered if the statistics reflect the perception that this defense has not been able to put out the fire. My first thought was that the defense may not be as good on third down; however, when one looks at the actual numbers, Iowa is third in the Big Ten in third down conversion defense allowing opponents to convert at only a 33% clip. My next thought was that the number of sacks are low. However, the Iowa defense has 14 sacks on the year, which ranks in the middle of the Big Ten. Last year’s defense had 31 on the season, which was also in the middle of the Big Ten. Finally, Iowa’s pass defense is the best in the Big Ten allowing only 152 yards per game in conference play. So while the perception is that this defense has struggled at times this season, the numbers tell a completely different story. Thus, it seems as though Iowa fans’ expectations might be unrealistic especially given that last year’s unit featured two of the best linebackers in the Kirk Ferentz era and a shutdown corner that Iowa has not had in a long time.
Fearless Freshman. Say what you want about the suspect Iowa special teams this season, but Michael Meyer is having a very solid season as a freshman kicker. Meyer converted on four of five attempts on Saturday with a long of 42. Meyer is nine of eleven thus far on the season. As a freshman, Nate Kaeding missed eight field goals over the course of his inaugural campaign. Meyer’s miss came on a 22 yard attempt from the right hash mark. For a right footed kicker, a short kick from that hash mark is one of the more difficult kicks to ask a kicker to convert. Meyer’s ability to shake off his 22 yard miss and connect on a crucial 27 yard field goal showed me that he has the mental ability to be a kicker at the collegiate level.
The Leader. It was clear that Ricky Stanzi did not have one of his better games on Saturday, but when it mattered in the fourth quarter, Stanzi made the throws necessary to put his team in a position to win. Stanzi’s leadership in the huddle and calm presence in the fourth quarter is something that I am going to miss next year when he is gone. With only three regular season games and a bowl game left, I have to continue to remind myself how much I enjoy watching Stanzi play quarterback and how much Iowa fans will miss the intangibles that he brings to the position.
After breathing a collective sigh of relief on Saturday after Demarlo Belcher’s dropped pass, Iowa fans now have to look forward to Iowa’s most pesky opponent, the Northwestern Wildcats. While the fans have every reason to be concerned about the Wildcats, something tells me that this team is going to be focused in practice and will come out with a chip on its shoulder next Saturday.
Red Zone Woes. Is there any doubt that Adam Robinson is one of the most valuable players on this team? Granted, Marcus Coker had a fantastic premiere as the starting running back rushing for 129 yards on twenty two carries, but Iowa’s offense struggled the entire game in the red zone walking away with only twelve points. With Robinson in the lineup, the Iowa offense is much more dangerous in the red zone due to Robinson’s ability to gain the extra two to three yards as he is being tackled. If Iowa had scored on one of those drives, the game would have likely had a completely different outcome. Hopefully the Iowa coaching staff re-evaluates their red zone and goaline playbook this week.
Defensive Performance. During and shortly after the game, I was thinking about how disappointing the defense played against Indiana and how disappointing they have seemed to be at some points during the season, but after further reflection, the Iowa defense actually played a great game against the Hoosiers. Indiana quarterback Ben Chappell was limited to 222 yards through the air, well short of his 296 yard average. Likewise, the Iowa defense held the Hoosiers to only 91 yards on the ground, which was also below their average of 97 yards. Iowa fans have become spoiled with Iowa defenses of yesteryear that were able to come in and, as Norm Parker is fond of saying, “put out the fire.” As I thought about it more, I wondered if the statistics reflect the perception that this defense has not been able to put out the fire. My first thought was that the defense may not be as good on third down; however, when one looks at the actual numbers, Iowa is third in the Big Ten in third down conversion defense allowing opponents to convert at only a 33% clip. My next thought was that the number of sacks are low. However, the Iowa defense has 14 sacks on the year, which ranks in the middle of the Big Ten. Last year’s defense had 31 on the season, which was also in the middle of the Big Ten. Finally, Iowa’s pass defense is the best in the Big Ten allowing only 152 yards per game in conference play. So while the perception is that this defense has struggled at times this season, the numbers tell a completely different story. Thus, it seems as though Iowa fans’ expectations might be unrealistic especially given that last year’s unit featured two of the best linebackers in the Kirk Ferentz era and a shutdown corner that Iowa has not had in a long time.
Fearless Freshman. Say what you want about the suspect Iowa special teams this season, but Michael Meyer is having a very solid season as a freshman kicker. Meyer converted on four of five attempts on Saturday with a long of 42. Meyer is nine of eleven thus far on the season. As a freshman, Nate Kaeding missed eight field goals over the course of his inaugural campaign. Meyer’s miss came on a 22 yard attempt from the right hash mark. For a right footed kicker, a short kick from that hash mark is one of the more difficult kicks to ask a kicker to convert. Meyer’s ability to shake off his 22 yard miss and connect on a crucial 27 yard field goal showed me that he has the mental ability to be a kicker at the collegiate level.
The Leader. It was clear that Ricky Stanzi did not have one of his better games on Saturday, but when it mattered in the fourth quarter, Stanzi made the throws necessary to put his team in a position to win. Stanzi’s leadership in the huddle and calm presence in the fourth quarter is something that I am going to miss next year when he is gone. With only three regular season games and a bowl game left, I have to continue to remind myself how much I enjoy watching Stanzi play quarterback and how much Iowa fans will miss the intangibles that he brings to the position.
After breathing a collective sigh of relief on Saturday after Demarlo Belcher’s dropped pass, Iowa fans now have to look forward to Iowa’s most pesky opponent, the Northwestern Wildcats. While the fans have every reason to be concerned about the Wildcats, something tells me that this team is going to be focused in practice and will come out with a chip on its shoulder next Saturday.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Indiana Predictions
After a complete and dominating performance against a top ranked team, the Iowa Hawkeyes are on letdown alert against an Indiana Hoosiers team that has yet to win a conference game this season. Saturday’s game also starts a two game road stretch against two opponents that have given Iowa fits over the past several years. Here are my thoughts.
Running Attack. Earlier this week, Cedar Rapids Gazette beat writer Marc Morehouse reported that Adam Robinson did not practice on Tuesday. It was speculated that Robinson did not practice as a result of an apparent concussion suffered in the fourth quarter against Michigan State. If Robinson is unable to go, true freshman Marcus Coker will get his opportunity to show off his abilities to Iowa fans and the Iowa coaching staff. While there is no doubt the Iowa coaching staff will exercise the utmost caution by relying solely on the team doctors’ decision on whether to play Robinson, given the number of carries that Robinson has had this year, it seems as though this is a perfect game for Robinson to take a breather. Robinson is 10th nationally in terms of carries with 172 on the season. Against a shoddy Indiana rushing defense that ranks 10th in the Big Ten, it seems as though it presents a great opportunity to give Robinson a rest and give Coker repetitions in a meaningful game.
Pass Happy. In light of the uncertainty at running back, it is likely that the Iowa coaching staff will put the ball in the hands of fifth-year starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi to attack the Indiana defense through the air. In addition to a poor run defense, Indiana is also suspect against the pass allowing 216 yards per game. While Stanzi will certainly be able to throw the ball downfield against Indiana, do not be surprised to see the Hawkeyes come out with a controlled passing attack that relies heavily on short passes to Allen Reisner, Marvin McNutt, and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos. I am curious to see whether the Iowa offense operates as efficiently as it did last Saturday especially in an atmosphere at Memorial Stadium that has been described as quiet.
Defensive Substitutions. Earlier this week it was announced that linebacker Tyler Nielsen will be out for the remainder of the year with neck issues. For a linebacker group that is already thin, this news added salt to an already gaping wound. On the positive side, however, Kirk Ferentz mentioned on his Wednesday call-in show that Jeremiha Hunter has been practicing this week after not playing last week. True freshman James Morris will get another start at middle linebacker this week after showing signs of great things to come last week against Michigan State recording nine tackles. When all is said and done at the end of his career, Morris may very well turn out to be one of those once-a-decade players at Iowa. It is likely that Troy Johnson or Ross Peterson will replace Nielsen at the WILL position. It was nice to see Jeff Tarpinian get playing time last week after nursing a neck stinger for the past month.
Style of Defense. Indiana’s offensive scheme, known as the Pistol, allows for flexibility with the running game by lining up the running back directly behind the quarterback. Indiana relies heavily on the pass out of the Pistol by typically running out of three wide receiver sets. Hoosier quarterback Ben Chappell is a solid quarterback who leads the Big Ten in passing, averaging a little over 305 yards per game. Chappell has several great targets at which to throw, including Demarlo Belcher, Tandon Doss, and Nick Turner. Belcher and Doss are both in the top five in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game. Expect the Hoosiers to attack the injured Iowa linebacker corps with short six-seven yard slant patterns. In response, I would suspect that the Iowa coaching staff will counter with a 3-4 scheme, which was used last week, or a nickel scheme with Greg Castillo as the other defensive back. Indiana has to rely on its passing attack as a result of an early season injury to star tailback Darius Willis. The Hoosiers rank 110th in the nation in rushing averaging only 97 yards per game. Because of this lack of a running game, the Iowa defense will be able to pin its ears back and force Chappell to make mistakes.
While many people view this game as a potential trap game, I think it is possible that we will see this team come out with the same intensity that they had last week against Michigan State. There is no such thing as looking ahead by a Kirk Ferentz-coached team, especially given that Ferentz simply needs to play the tape of last year’s game for this team to realize that they were down 24-10 at the start of the fourth quarter. Games like this one against an opponent like Indiana are very telling as to the moxy of a team. A team that is destined for great things takes care of business against teams that it should beat.
Prediction: Iowa 38 Indiana 13
Pick to Click: Derrell Johnson-Koulianos
Running Attack. Earlier this week, Cedar Rapids Gazette beat writer Marc Morehouse reported that Adam Robinson did not practice on Tuesday. It was speculated that Robinson did not practice as a result of an apparent concussion suffered in the fourth quarter against Michigan State. If Robinson is unable to go, true freshman Marcus Coker will get his opportunity to show off his abilities to Iowa fans and the Iowa coaching staff. While there is no doubt the Iowa coaching staff will exercise the utmost caution by relying solely on the team doctors’ decision on whether to play Robinson, given the number of carries that Robinson has had this year, it seems as though this is a perfect game for Robinson to take a breather. Robinson is 10th nationally in terms of carries with 172 on the season. Against a shoddy Indiana rushing defense that ranks 10th in the Big Ten, it seems as though it presents a great opportunity to give Robinson a rest and give Coker repetitions in a meaningful game.
Pass Happy. In light of the uncertainty at running back, it is likely that the Iowa coaching staff will put the ball in the hands of fifth-year starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi to attack the Indiana defense through the air. In addition to a poor run defense, Indiana is also suspect against the pass allowing 216 yards per game. While Stanzi will certainly be able to throw the ball downfield against Indiana, do not be surprised to see the Hawkeyes come out with a controlled passing attack that relies heavily on short passes to Allen Reisner, Marvin McNutt, and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos. I am curious to see whether the Iowa offense operates as efficiently as it did last Saturday especially in an atmosphere at Memorial Stadium that has been described as quiet.
Defensive Substitutions. Earlier this week it was announced that linebacker Tyler Nielsen will be out for the remainder of the year with neck issues. For a linebacker group that is already thin, this news added salt to an already gaping wound. On the positive side, however, Kirk Ferentz mentioned on his Wednesday call-in show that Jeremiha Hunter has been practicing this week after not playing last week. True freshman James Morris will get another start at middle linebacker this week after showing signs of great things to come last week against Michigan State recording nine tackles. When all is said and done at the end of his career, Morris may very well turn out to be one of those once-a-decade players at Iowa. It is likely that Troy Johnson or Ross Peterson will replace Nielsen at the WILL position. It was nice to see Jeff Tarpinian get playing time last week after nursing a neck stinger for the past month.
Style of Defense. Indiana’s offensive scheme, known as the Pistol, allows for flexibility with the running game by lining up the running back directly behind the quarterback. Indiana relies heavily on the pass out of the Pistol by typically running out of three wide receiver sets. Hoosier quarterback Ben Chappell is a solid quarterback who leads the Big Ten in passing, averaging a little over 305 yards per game. Chappell has several great targets at which to throw, including Demarlo Belcher, Tandon Doss, and Nick Turner. Belcher and Doss are both in the top five in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game. Expect the Hoosiers to attack the injured Iowa linebacker corps with short six-seven yard slant patterns. In response, I would suspect that the Iowa coaching staff will counter with a 3-4 scheme, which was used last week, or a nickel scheme with Greg Castillo as the other defensive back. Indiana has to rely on its passing attack as a result of an early season injury to star tailback Darius Willis. The Hoosiers rank 110th in the nation in rushing averaging only 97 yards per game. Because of this lack of a running game, the Iowa defense will be able to pin its ears back and force Chappell to make mistakes.
While many people view this game as a potential trap game, I think it is possible that we will see this team come out with the same intensity that they had last week against Michigan State. There is no such thing as looking ahead by a Kirk Ferentz-coached team, especially given that Ferentz simply needs to play the tape of last year’s game for this team to realize that they were down 24-10 at the start of the fourth quarter. Games like this one against an opponent like Indiana are very telling as to the moxy of a team. A team that is destined for great things takes care of business against teams that it should beat.
Prediction: Iowa 38 Indiana 13
Pick to Click: Derrell Johnson-Koulianos
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
