Iowa insider comments

Cyclonesrule91 · 04-21-2008, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by DJK15

I'd still like to see a Clone fan give me an honest prediction to the Hawkeye schedule.

In order to give an honest prediction I would have to:

Know the team and who is coming in to replace key positions that left last year or didn't play well. I couldn't care less about EIU football so that won't be happening. I just go off of last year.

Would have to know how new players coming in will react in real time game situations. Again don't care.

How can you possibly provide an honest prediction to any season knowing what you know now and take from August to November of last year in any sort of consideration? Any guess on the season is the equivalent of skewed optimism on your part.

dornstar44 · 04-21-2008, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by DJK15

I'd still like to see a Clone fan give me an honest prediction to the Hawkeye schedule.

Here's my attempt:

Maine - Easy W
FIU - Easy W
ISU - W (the home team argument is as valid as anything I've heard as far as predicting this game of late, as much as it pains me to say)
@ Pitt - L
Northwestern - W
@ MSU - L
@ Indiana - L (just because they "suck" doesn't mean Iowa's been able to win there of late)
Wisconsin - L
@ Illinois - L
PSU - L (Like you, it could go either way - are they really supposed to be better than Wisky?)
Purdue - W at home, but could go either way - I'll give it to you for now
@ Minny - W

That's 6-6, and I'd be very surprised to see you win any of the games I put as losses, whereas I could see you losing to ISU and Purdue.

But, that's all being said with cardinal-and-gold colored glasses on, so take it as being worth as much as your own opinion

jumbopackage · 04-21-2008, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by DJK15

Maine - W
Florida Int'l - W
ISU - W (This game is impossible to predict, I'm going with the home team from now on.)
@ Pitt - L (Iowa is horrible on the road against early non-conference opponents.)
Northwestern - W
@ MSU - L (Kirk has never won at E. Lansing and they'll be hungry for revenge after last season.)
@ Indiana - W (No Hardy and no Lewis = Indiana sucks again.)
Wisconsin - W (almost beat them at Camp Randall, Iowa wins at Kinnick.)
@ Illinois - L (The Zooker will have these guys pumped for pay-back and they're loaded with talent.)
PSU - L (This one could go either way, I'll say loss for now.)
Purdue - W (Dorian Bryant and Adam Shada are both gone, this bodes well for the Hawks.)
@ Minnesota - W (Brewster has them on the upswing, but for at least 2 more years...they're still the Goophers.)

8-4...could be 7-5, could be 9-3. Anything under 7-5 and heads are going to start rolling.

Maine: W
FIU: W
ISU: W
@Pitt: L
Northwestern: W
@Michigan State: L
@Indiana: L
Wisconsin: L
@Illinois: L
Penn State: L
Purdue: W
@Minnesota: W

That's 6 wins, and a CHANCE at a bowl game.

If you give Iowa an L to every team that ESPN has ranked above them in their pre-season Big 10 rankings, Iowa would be 1-7 in the Big 10, and even going 4-0 in the preseason would only give them 5 wins.

I see Iowa winning anywhere from 5-7 games this year. Much beyond that is going to require them to play significantly above the level they did last year, and given the losses on both sides of the ball, I don't see that happening.

Having all those mediocre receivers won't help much when the abject lack of a running game leaves Ds playing dime and nickel all game. And that's given that there's a QB that can actually throw the ball.

DJK15 · 04-21-2008, 11:23 AM

Thanks for the predictions guys. A couple things though...

ISU: I think the home team will continue to win until one of the teams takes a big step.

Indiana: They had a couple good years as far as Indiana football goes but they're definitely back to typical Indiana football. James Hardy and Tracy Porter are both gone and potential 1-2 rounders in the draft. QB Kellen Lewis has been suspended indefinitely. The Hawks will win this game and the Hoosiers will be bad this season.

Wisconsin: For whatever reason the Hawks always match up well with Wisconsin. They SHOULD have won at Camp Randall last season and I think they will pull it off at Kinnick.

MSU and Illinois: Don't forget, Iowa won these games last season, and even though I'm also predicting losses, they could easily become wins.

SouthernHawk · 04-21-2008, 11:24 AM

Wait. OK. So, I've read on this board from ISU fans that if KF doesn't win at least 7 games, he should be on the hot seat. Especially given the schedule.

However, when I agree, I'm being a homer and there's no way that should happen.

I don't think expecting 8 wins or so is unreasonable. Beating Maine, FIU, ISU, UW, Purdue, NU, Minnesota, and IU isn't asking too much. Could they lose one? Sure. Could they lose two of those games? Absolutely. Do I expect it? No. I don't see the problem with expecting to beat average opponents.

everyyard · 04-21-2008, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by ketelmeister

Talked to a parent of a starter for Iowa. A couple of comments
1. Iowa sat several starters all Spring to avoid injuries. Some just simply did not practice because of "injuries", but in reality to keep them from occuring. They are that thin.
2. The QB Controversy is at Iowa, not at Iowa State. We have two good QBs imo, Jake C. is not seen as a leader by players there, and neither of the other two impressed. If Jake C performs badly at the start of the season, the boo birds will be out in force for anyone else.
3. The Spring game was a wet and cold mess and didn't really show much. Tough conditions to wrap up in for any team.
Overall outlook: They have a lot of holes to fill. KF will earn his money this year if he can put together a solid team in Iowa City.

What is new? Iowa has always had a love affair with the back up QB. Even the mighty Chuck Long had people calling for the back-up at Iowa. While some schools can claim to be running back U or linebacker U, there is no doubt that Iowa has always been and will always be "back-up QB" U. When they pick the jersey number that will be marketed they would make a lot more money if instead of selling the starting QB's number they would use the back-up QBs.

cycloneG · 04-21-2008, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by SouthernHawk

Wait. OK. So, I've read on this board from ISU fans that if KF doesn't win at least 7 games, he should be on the hot seat. Especially given the schedule.

However, when I agree, I'm being a homer and there's no way that should happen.

I don't think expecting 8 wins or so is unreasonable. Beating Maine, FIU, ISU, UW, Purdue, NU, Minnesota, and IU isn't asking too much. Could they lose one? Sure. Could they lose two of those games? Absolutely. Do I expect it? No. I don't see the problem with expecting to beat average opponents.

I think predicting a win against an average team when your team is average or maybe even below average is a little arrogant. Iowa, at best, is an average team.

SouthernHawk · 04-21-2008, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by cycloneG

I think predicting a win against an average team when your team is average or maybe even below average is a little arrogant. Iowa, at best, is an average team.

I didn't predict. I said I expected. There is a difference.

So you're telling me that you don't expect ISU to beat the average teams on their schedule? Do you think that ISU is just going to beat South Dakota State and maybe Baylor? Afterall, Colorado, Kent State, UNLV, KSU, Iowa, and maybe Nebraska are "average".

I don't see ISU fans expecting a 2 win season. Why should they?

cycloneG · 04-21-2008, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by SouthernHawk

I didn't predict. I said I expected. There is a difference.

So you're telling me that you don't expect ISU to beat the average teams on their schedule? Do you think that ISU is just going to beat South Dakota State and maybe Baylor? Afterall, Colorado, Kent State, UNLV, KSU, Iowa, and maybe Nebraska are "average".

I don't see ISU fans expecting a 2 win season. Why should they?

Expecting a win is even more arrogant.

I don't expect ISU to win games when teams are so evenly matched. I want them to win but I don't expect it.

jberryma · 04-21-2008, 11:37 AM

"don't think expecting 8 wins or so is unreasonable. Beating Maine, FIU, ISU, UW, Purdue, NU, Minnesota, and IU isn't asking too much"

Based off what we saw last year, it very well might be!

SouthernHawk · 04-21-2008, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by cycloneG

Expecting a win is even more arrogant.

I don't expect ISU to win games when teams are so evenly matched. I want them to win but I don't expect it.

Sorry, I really disagree with you there. I don't believe that you have an expectation for a 2 win season. That's basically what you are saying.

letsgostate · 04-21-2008, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by SouthernHawk

Wait. OK. So, I've read on this board from ISU fans that if KF doesn't win at least 7 games, he should be on the hot seat. Especially given the schedule.

However, when I agree, I'm being a homer and there's no way that should happen.

I don't think expecting 8 wins or so is unreasonable. Beating Maine, FIU, ISU, UW, Purdue, NU, Minnesota, and IU isn't asking too much. Could they lose one? Sure. Could they lose two of those games? Absolutely. Do I expect it? No. I don't see the problem with expecting to beat average opponents.

Honest prediction for Iowa: 12-0. I don't see any teams that can be the powerful Hawkeyes. Let's fact it Cyclone Fans, big brother to the east is on a roll.

SouthernHawk · 04-21-2008, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by letsgostate

Honest prediction for Iowa: 12-0. I don't see any teams that can be the powerful Hawkeyes. Let's fact it Cyclone Fans, big brother to the east is on a roll.

That's the spirit!

cycloneG · 04-21-2008, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by SouthernHawk

Sorry, I really disagree with you there. I don't believe that you have an expectation for a 2 win season. That's basically what you are saying.

You're right. I don't have an expectation for a 2 win season. I don't expect to win games. That's the difference between you and I. I don't expect ISU to win games simply because they have some right to winning. Anything is possible when two teams take the field no matter what has happened in the past. My only expectations are to see improvement and be entertained. Winning, of course, is the desired outcome, but I don't go to a game expecting a win.

DJK15 · 04-21-2008, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by jberryma

"don't think expecting 8 wins or so is unreasonable. Beating Maine, FIU, ISU, UW, Purdue, NU, Minnesota, and IU isn't asking too much"

Based off what we saw last year, it very well might be!

ISU, UW and Purdue come to Kinnick this season...that will make a big difference, Iowa going to Indiana and Minnesota will not (Indiana sucks and the Hawks dominate in the dome).