CFN: Iowa Look-ahead

[Wesley]

I expect the hawks to crush Northwestern next year.

[jdoggivjc]

Originally Posted by SouthernHawk

What about Clone fans that think their program is on the rise and Iowa's is on the fall, even though Iowa finished .500 and ISU finished with 3 wins?

It's a two way street - both fan bases have their annoying little habits.

Personally, even with the weakened schedule, I think we're lucky if we win 7 games. Realistically I think we win 5-6. Much different than Iowa fans thinking that a team that has 6-6 talent is going to once again compete for the Big 10 title on schedule strength alone. BIG DIFFERENCE between expecting a team that has 5-6 win talent to win 5-6 games and expecting a team that has 5-6 win talent to win 9-10 games.

Originally Posted by SouthernHawk

One win does not a program make.

I guarantee that's not what those wearing the old gold 'n black are going to be saying when we roll out of Iowa City with a win on September 13

[BryceC]

So is Iowa on better ground than Illinois since they beat them last year?

Iowa's program is fine, but the days of top 10 finishes are long gone.

[Cyclone711]

Originally Posted by SouthernHawk

What about Clone fans that think their program is on the rise and Iowa's is on the fall, even though Iowa finished .500 and ISU finished with 3 wins?

It's a two way street - both fan bases have their annoying little habits.

Wellllllllllll ISU has a new coach, new system, new j's, new facility improvements, new state of mind (no more just being happy with a 6 win bowl game), and pretty much a whole new identity that Pollard is trying to shape and mold.

Whereas Iowa has an overpaid coach that has done nothing with great recruiting classes, fans that boo their seniors in their last game ever played at Kinnick, the most arrogant state of mind I have ever heard or seen, and have had year after year of letdowns when they were "supposed" to win the big 10.

I think that would qualify for ISU being on the rise and Iowa on the down.

[ISU_Alum_2000]

Good points being made by SouthernHawk here.

Of course each team's fans are going to be excited about the possibilities of the upcoming season. Hell... it's January and here we are discussing next season already, and we don't even know who our new recruits will be. That's what makes it so fun to be a fan!

Hawk fans reserve the right to be excited about their team, as do we.

(Do I need to find some links back to some of our predictions about OUR team going into last year?)

I enjoy the perspective that SH brings to this board. Most of the time his comments are level-headed, and offer a non-Cardinal/Gold kool-aid look at how things in our camp are developing.

SH - what is the general feeling about the RB situation in the Hawkeye camp? It seems pretty grim from the outside, but it's just that: from the outside.

[CTTB78]

Is this another write-up where the author mentions the weak Iowa schedule and then fails to mention that Iowa Sate team is still there, and they still can't beat them? Why talk about Michigan and Ohio St.? It's because nobody expects Iowa to beat them. Same should be said of Iowa State, based on the last 10 years. Let's stay present-- based on last year.

[SlyCy]

Originally Posted by SlyCy

The loss of Albert Young and Damian Sims from the running game means that Jevon Pugh is the only scholarship back on the roster, and he was thinking of transferring.


Pugh is not enrolled in classes.

Gazette says he enrolled today for classes, wasn't on Friday of last week.

[SouthernHawk]

Originally Posted by Cyclone711

Wellllllllllll ISU has a new coach, new system, new j's, new facility improvements, new state of mind (no more just being happy with a 6 win bowl game), and pretty much a whole new identity that Pollard is trying to shape and mold.

Whereas Iowa has an overpaid coach that has done nothing with great recruiting classes, fans that boo their seniors in their last game ever played at Kinnick, the most arrogant state of mind I have ever heard or seen, and have had year after year of letdowns when they were "supposed" to win the big 10.

I think that would qualify for ISU being on the rise and Iowa on the down.

Year after year let down? I guess if you mean a 3 year drought without a Big Ten Title is a let down, I guess you are right.

It's not like Iowa fans don't have these expectations for a reason. I know ISU fans like to bring up that the 3 year span in which Iowa finished in the top 10 doesn't mean Iowa is a great program, but IMO, the 3 year span that Iowa finished out of the top 25 doesn't mean Iowa is a bad program that should lack expectations.

The point is, Iowa fans aren't expecting a Big Ten Title. We are hoping for one, much as ISU fans are hoping for an NCAA Tournament bid this year (even after a sub .500 season in bball last year). It's hopes and expectations - all fan bases have them. It doesn't make them arrogant.

Originally Posted by ISU_Alum_2000

Good points being made by SouthernHawk here.

Of course each team's fans are going to be excited about the possibilities of the upcoming season. Hell... it's January and here we are discussing next season already, and we don't even know who our new recruits will be. That's what makes it so fun to be a fan!

Hawk fans reserve the right to be excited about their team, as do we.

(Do I need to find some links back to some of our predictions about OUR team going into last year?)

I enjoy the perspective that SH brings to this board. Most of the time his comments are level-headed, and offer a non-Cardinal/Gold kool-aid look at how things in our camp are developing.

SH - what is the general feeling about the RB situation in the Hawkeye camp? It seems pretty grim from the outside, but it's just that: from the outside.

Well, yeah, it's grim. It all depends on if Shonn Greene comes back, or if the JUCO guy Nathan Guillory can step up. Iowa has 3 new running backs coming in, and Mark Ingram Jr. favors Iowa (supposedly) at this point.

I think Iowa's offense will be a little improved over last year - the passing game can go nowhere but up. With the return of Brodelle, Moeaki, and possibly Anthony Bowman, JC will have more than just Freshmen to throw to. Also, the experience gained on the o-line last year and in the receiving corps. will be very valuable.

But of course, these are hopes. I think Iowa will win maybe 8 games next year - with a strong finish. But I wouldn't be surprised to see a few let downs next year. There are still going to be a lot of underclassmen playing significant minutes, and it's hard to go from a 6-6 season to a 9+ win season.

[MontyBurns]

ISU has a motivated and hard working coaching staff that is putting together a team of their players, that fit their system, and that are working hard. Iowa had that back in the early part of this decade and they had a lot of success for awhile. Then they gave their coach a contract extension for 8 years at $3 million per year plus guaranteed raises. As soon as the ink was dry on that contract he quit working and they've been a .500 team ever since. Iowa will win 5-7 games in 2008, the same as ISU. But we have more reason to be optimistic -- we're on the way up and they're on the way down. When Michigan and Ohio State return to Iowa's schedule in 2009, they could be looking at a 3 or 4 win season.

[ajk4st8]

Originally Posted by snowcraig2.0

No, but a head to head match-up is a pretty good indicator of which team is doing better than the other.

Very true... especially when you consider the last 10 years.

[ripvdub]

Pugh is now enrolled in class.

[SouthernHawk]

Originally Posted by MontyBurns

ISU has a motivated and hard working coaching staff that is putting together a team of their players, that fit their system, and that are working hard. Iowa had that back in the early part of this decade and they had a lot of success for awhile. Then they gave their coach a contract extension for 8 years at $3 million per year plus guaranteed raises. As soon as the ink was dry on that contract he quit working and they've been a .500 team ever since. Iowa will win 5-7 games in 2008, the same as ISU. But we have more reason to be optimistic -- we're on the way up and they're on the way down. When Michigan and Ohio State return to Iowa's schedule in 2009, they could be looking at a 3 or 4 win season.

You think Iowa is going to be sub-.500? I'd be interested to see who you predict Iowa loses to?

[cytheguy]

Originally Posted by Cyclone711

Wellllllllllll ISU has a new coach, new system, new j's, new facility improvements, new state of mind (no more just being happy with a 6 win bowl game), and pretty much a whole new identity that Pollard is trying to shape and mold.

Whereas Iowa has an overpaid coach that has done nothing with great recruiting classes, fans that boo their seniors in their last game ever played at Kinnick, the most arrogant state of mind I have ever heard or seen, and have had year after year of letdowns when they were "supposed" to win the big 10.

I think that would qualify for ISU being on the rise and Iowa on the down.

To play fair here, Kirk's great recruiting classes you mention were still just underclassmen last season. I give them this season and next to get back to 8+ win seasons. If they don't, with the quality classes Kirk's brought in since 2005 combined with his coaching ability, he'll be gone.

[MontyBurns]

Originally Posted by SouthernHawk

You think Iowa is going to be sub-.500? I'd be interested to see who you predict Iowa loses to?

Iowa 2008 schedule. I think 6-6 is possible, but a pretty optimistic prediction for them:

Aug 30 Maine - Win
Sep 6 Florida International - Win
Sep 13 Iowa State - Loss
Sep 20 at Pittsburgh - Loss
Sep 27 Northwestern - Win
Oct 4 at Michigan State - Loss
Oct 11 at Indiana - Loss
Oct 18 Wisconsin - Loss
Nov 1 at Illinois - Loss
Nov 8 Penn State - Loss
Nov 15 Purdue - Loss
Nov 22 at Minnesota - Win

[SouthernHawk]

Originally Posted by MontyBurns

Iowa 2008 schedule. I think 6-6 is possible, but a pretty optimistic prediction for them:

Aug 30 Maine - Win
Sep 6 Florida International - Win
Sep 13 Iowa State - Loss
Sep 20 at Pittsburgh - Loss
Sep 27 Northwestern - Win
Oct 4 at Michigan State - Loss
Oct 11 at Indiana - Loss
Oct 18 Wisconsin - Loss
Nov 1 at Illinois - Loss
Nov 8 Penn State - Loss
Nov 15 Purdue - Loss
Nov 22 at Minnesota - Win

You're really predicting ISU to beat Iowa? Based on what? Last year's game?

I understand that ISU is improving, but you don't think it's a little homerific to be predicting the first road win in the Chizik era to be against a team that is thirsty for a win, and looking for revenge at home?