Someone needs to keep you guys informed. It’s a thankless job but I’m happy to do it. I couldn’t be gone if you hit the ignore member button. Feel free.
Informed? I clearly know more about your team than you do.
There was a period between those statements which means they are two different thoughts. I probably could have made that more clear. My apologies. Iowa will be Iowa unlike the poster I was quoting thinks. I was simply giving him a run down as to why he is likely wrong that Iowa will be 6-6 or 7-5.
They haven’t won fewer than 7 games but once in the last 13 years. They will be a solid group that will finish top 25 for sure.
Iowa's consistency has been driven by a program built to handle rebuilds mixed with fortuitous scheduling amongst an often marginal non con and Big Ten. Neither reality will present itself in 2021. I expect the Hawks to encounter a stretch similar to the 2012, 13, and 14 seasons.
1. Claiming the WR group at Iowa will be solid is laughable considering they lost two 2 NFL talents with more than 50 combined starts. Nico Ragaini and Tyrone Tracy wouldn't start for any other team in the Big Ten West in 2021. And the depth behind them will involve freshmen which presents itself as the anti Iowa way. One primary reason Ferentz has built such a consistent winner is because of always getting old and staying old.
2. Petras is not good enough to overcome the loss of Smith and Smith Marsette on the perimeter. Those two forced a lot of attention from the back end which created opportunities for a lackluster Iowa running game.
3. I laugh at how you're touting Sam LaPorta. His 1 TD catch in 14 starts is scaring the hell out of The Big Ten. He will be a bigger target now that The Hawks have a pedestrian receiver Corp. But he is nowhere close to the same level as TJ Hockensen, Fant or other Hawk greats. And he can't block like Shaun Beyer, who really gave the Hawks a boost on the perimeter. I've always liked Iowa tight ends, but in 2021, Nebraska likely has 3 of them that are better than LaPorta.
4. Tyler Goodson is a good running back. I'm a fan, and he fits well in a Zone Blocking scheme utilized by Iowa. But the Iowa running game has problems. It's designed to be a complimentary pro style attack utilized as a function of ball control. It helps run clock late and can be a tremendous boost in the aid of play action. Iowa averaged 3.1 yards per carry last season in 109 carries vs. Northwestern, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Sledding will get even tougher as division opponents outside of NW should all be better against run. Minnesota will be dramatically better. Illinois will have a better scheme. Purdue won't play the Hawks in week one. Nebraska returns everyone and Wisconsin will be good against the run again.
Despite all that listed above, Iowa's primary reason for a drop off is the losses of Big time players on that defensive line.
5. You mention Iowa's experience in their back seven, but Iowa's defensive dominance over the last half decade has been driven by their front 4. Iowa's talent at the point of attack in 2020 was among the best in the country. It was a more talented unit than Ohio State, and that will bare out in the NFL. Nixon, Golston, and Heflin were so disruptive up front that a very pedestrian player like VanFalkenburg was often left unblocked and able to make some easy stops behind the LOS. Going from Daviyon Nixon to Noah Shannon is like Jennifer Aniston going from Brad Pitt to me. Major recruiting Bust John Waggoner may be sliding inside to take over for Heflin. And Golston's 25 career starts including two seasons of All conference level play are not going to be immediately replaced. It's laughable to make that assertion.
I respect Iowa. I'm not showing up to make claims about them losing 5 or 6 games because I'm a Husker fan. But there are a lot of reasons to be pessimistic about the Hawks in 2021:
- Iowa State and Indiana out of the gates should both have their best teams in decades. Iowa usually gets Miami of Ohio and Eastern Illinois in games 1 and 2. Starting 0-2 will create a lot of unfamiliar territory in Iowa City.
- Iowa's offense is going to take a step back without Jackson protecting Petras and the major holes at receiver. The running game will be less effective without Smith Marsette garnering attention from opposing Safeties.
- It's one thing to feel positive about having good young players to fill in key spots in the defensive front 7. But it's absolutely foolish to believe young players with 0 combined starts and hardly any game experience can come in and pick up where all Americans or future NFL players left off. It's entirely possible that 4 starters from Iowa's 2020 front 7 will all be on NFL rosters in 2021. Iowa rarely loses that much talent in one offseason.
Lastly, I won't pretend to know anything about the Iowa kicking game. But Iowa has won 10 one score games the last 4 seasons. Keith Duncan was awesome and one of the greatest kickers in Big Ten history. I will give Iowa the benefit of the doubt here and assume Shudack can get the job done as his replacement. However, Duncan was mainly great because he never wavered with a game on the line. Can that mentality be replaced?
Indiana- L
@ Iowa State- L
Kent State - W
Colorado State - W
@ Maryland - W
Penn State - L
Purdue- W
@ Wisconsin - L
@ NW - W
Minnesota - L
Illinois - W
@ Nebraska - L