Three Keys to Saturdays Game

[isulive2train]

13. a good pregame dump

 

[VeloClone]

I wish I was a saison tacket hoder.

I usually try to restrain myself from being the grammar oliceman: on here, but misspelling every word over four letters long in a one sentence post has to set some kind of record.

 

[homerHAWKeye777]

As I recall, the '09 UNI squad was picked by many to win the national championship. They were clobbering everybody they faced through the first half of the season ... but then they fell apart.

Anyhow, when I said that the two UNI squads were rather different ... the implication had more to do with STYLE of play. I was NOT suggesting that the 2011 UNI squad wasn't good.

I agree with you that the Clone's beat an excellent UNI squad.

So please remind me ... how exactly did I articulate a poor knowledge of the UNI squad?

I dont recall anything in your post about STYLE. Your post stated that the two UNI teams that Iowa and ISU faced "are not the same" because in 09 UNI had:SR (experienced) QB & SR leadership on the OL with a Stout Defense.

My reply to that is while the QBs may excel in different aspects of the game (Rennie is more of a runner/scrambler while the 09 QB was a passer) the two teams are pretty darn comparable.


I also think that the two teams that UNI faced were maybe not all that different. In the begginning of 2009 Iowa really didnt know what they had on offense. Stanzi played a bit as a So. but was sporadic, they were breaking in new RB's who were trying to replace NFL talent (Shonn Greene) and Iowa's starting WR was listed as Trey Strauss. The advantage here was Iowa's OL which if ISU's gets healthy in 2011 could be at least comparable to the 09 Hawks.

The morale of the story is that UNI is a good enough program that in the years where they return upperclassmen to challenge BCS schools who are trying to replace a lot of production.

I can only hope that ISU's season goes half as good as the 09 season did for Iowa

Just because there are some parallels still doesn't mean that the teams are the same. That was my bigger point. For a team to basically be the SAME ... the personnel has to be the same. Given the personnel difference between the the '09 and '11 UNI squads ... they definitely are both very good teams ... but they're still DIFFERENT teams too.

 

[Lanny]

Keys for ISU:

1. Big Plays on offense. The offense is supposed to be designed to make big plays and will not be effective getting 4-5 yards at a time. They also need to keep the defense off balance - predictability would give Iowa a big advantage.
2. Force turnovers & negative plays for Iowa. With an inexperienced QB and running back with fumble problems this is a must.
3. Protect Janz. If the QB does not have time to make throws the offense is in trouble.

Keys for Iowa:

1. Run the ball efficiently. If can't run it puts a lot of pressure on a young QB against a good secondary.
2. Start quickly. If Iowa makes mistakes early ISU will gain confidence and the crowd will get/stay loud.
3. Tackle well. Missed tackles will spring big plays and keep the defense on the field too much.

Also, for both teams getting 3rd down conversions (or stopping them for the defenses) and keeping drives going is critical. Whichever offense can best find a rhythm will be able to best take the pressure off of their teams defense.

 

[swammi]

I think you are right, Hawkfan. If ISU can rush the football, they can win. If they cannot rush the football they cannot win. If ISU can rush the football and stop Iowa's rushing attack, then ISU will win (barring a rash of TO's).

I will add that Iowa has 2 big play guys, McNutt and Davis. ISU has none. With good protection by Iowa's O-line, Vandenberg to these 2 guys will be very hard to stop.

 

[BCClone]

Unfortunately I know the answer, but I hope there aren't any ISU fans on HN shooting their mouths off like hawk fans. Let them pop their mouths, stay out of their murky mess that they wallow in.

If we do win they run away anyhow so it's not worth the effort. After every hawk win I receive calls from them and let them go off. Made a call after the 05 game and got yelled at and hung up on immediately. Never seen a fan base that likes to dish it out do much but cant take it.

Btw, this whole super bowl thing, mac always said that fry was the one who said that was the most important game and had "beat state" plates on their desks. They put more into than us.

 

[rebecacy]

I guess I've taken the approach that the underdog in a game is typically the one who needs to dot their i's and cross their t's to get the victory.

If Iowa avoids turnovers and can stop the ISU run game, I say Iowa wins easily....so those would be my two keys for Iowa - stopping ISU's run game will go a LONG way toward an Iowa victory. If ISU can run the ball successfully on Iowa, I think Iowa could be in a nail biter.

How about Coker improving his ability to hang on to the ball or not get hurt like every other hok RB. I think that puts a young walk-on in the game.