A couple things we learned about the basketball team

The Hawkeyes have been merrily rolling along accumulating wins that might help them get into the post season and help build some confidence but is there anything we can actually learn from playing against these opponents?

Last night, I think we learned a couple things.

First, if the team doesn’t pay attention, one guy on the other team can really put up some points.  Ed Tyson  scored 32 points including 7 of 10 from the 3 point line.  To put that in perspective, the Hawkeyes next opponent is Bradley.  Ed Tyson scored just 11 points against Bradley just two nights before lighting up the Hawkeyes.  In his other two games he has scored 20 each.  He clearly can score some points, but still 32?

The team defense is still pretty solid.  Other than the 32 points that he scored, MD Eastern Shore only scored 16 points.  Only one other player on their team scored more than 1 field goal.  That’s pretty decent defense.  I’m willing to let a guy get 30+ points a game if the final score is still going to be less than 50.

Freshman point guards are brutal.  Peterson has been playing pretty well so far this year.  I was watching the live box score on Yahoo! Sports for a few minutes to end the half and start the 2nd.  I saw Peterson’s name show up a few times in quick succession and started to get excited.  Then I realized that he had just committed 3 fouls in less than 2 minutes.  With his 1 foul in the first half, it was time for Peterson to spend some time sitting next to the coaches.

The Hawkeyes are still susceptible to the long scoring droughts.  I had hoped that getting rid of Alford would have taken care of our 5 minute plus scoring droughts but the Hawkeyes didn’t score a point for at least 6 minutes into this game.

I don’t think anybody is really expecting too much out of the Hawkeyes this season and we have to be prepared for a lot of unexpected moments of bad play as people learn the new system.  I’m sure Lickliter will be able to put together plenty of game tape of things the players need to practice after these first four games.

Still being 4-0 against weak teams is better than losing some of those games.

Football Season Recap

Ouch. What a bummer of a football season. Going 6-6 is disappointing but losing at home to Western Michigan kind of sucks.

Unlike Pat Harty, I’m not ready to turn into a complete cry baby and start saying that Ferentz better turn things around or else.

Check this out:

History shows that it’s hard enough turning around the fortunes of the Iowa football program once, but to do it twice with the same coaching staff is asking a lot, maybe too much.

Hayden Fry is probably the only Iowa coach to come close to rebuilding the program twice. The first time occurred in the early 1980s followed by another resurgence in the mid-1990s.

But it wasn’t as good the second time around under Fry.

Apparently it is time for Ferentz to accept one of those pro job offers and bring in a new Hawkeye coach. Whatever.

The team has a fair amount of extremely young talent. I think a summer of getting some practices in are going to result in a team that can score some points next year. Besides the crazy youth and inexperience at QB and WR, the offensive line was normally 1 JR, 2 SO, and 2 FR. They’ll be bigger, stronger, faster, and meaner next year.

The defense has been pretty solid for a while now as long as the offense can keep them off the field for more than 3 plays and a punt. The punter seems to be pretty solid after a season that saw him set the Iowa record for most punts in a season as a freshman.

One coach and position that I would like the team to really look at is whoever is in charge of the cornerbacks and safeties. It seems like when the opposing offensive line gives their QB any amount of time at all, he normally has no trouble throwing that ball about 10-20 yards down field which is a problem Iowa has had for several years now. I would love for Iowa to tighten down that area of their defense and really start making 3rd and long a punishment instead of an opportunity for the other team.

Anyway, hopefully there will be no bowl game and the team can head straight to the weight rooms and start watching game tape and the rest of us fans can move on to basketball.

Iowa Is Playing Western Michigan Right Now

The game isn’t on TV here, so I logged into Yahoo Sports to see what is happening.

Iowa started with a 3 and out. So at least some things never change. I really am amazed at how often Iowa goes 3 and out.

Then Iowa gives up what sounds like an easy touchdown because Western Michigan apparently knows that to beat Iowa, you try to pick on the secondary.

After the touchdown, and missed extra point, W. Michigan kicks off and Iowa fumbles.

What a horrible start. I think I’m glad it isn’t on TV. I still expect Iowa to be able to win this game but they really need to work on not collapsing so badly right at the opening kick off of games.

Here’s hoping Iowa gets to go to a bowl game so that we’ll have the extra few weeks of practice for next year.

College Basketball Gets Rolling

I haven’t been able to see the Iowa basketball team on TV yet but I did follow most of the Northern Colorado game on the internet.

What do we know about the Hawkeyes after two games against not so good teams? Probably nothing besides the fact that they can beat bad teams. Which is a start.

So far though, the defense seems to be showing up ready to play. The highest scorer for the other team in either game was 11 points. That is pretty good solid all around covering everybody defense. We’ll see if it holds up against teams with some big name players.

The highest fouls earned by any Hawkeye in those two games is 3. Nobody has been in foul trouble yet this year which means the defense is coming from playing good position, team defense.

On offense they are shooting just under .500 as a team and have had a different 20 point or more scorer in each game. That’s good news. If the team isn’t going to score very many points, they need to be able to have a few different guys that can score on any given night otherwise teams will just shut down whoever emerges as the main scorer.

The schedule is pretty favorable for a couple more games which will hopefully give the team some confidence and understanding of what every body’s role is going to be before the road game at Bradley (who just beat ISU) and the home game against Wake Forest.

I’m really looking forward to getting into Big 10 season and getting a chance to watch the Hawkeyes. I was definitely among the group ready for a coaching change. I’m really looking forward to seeing the new style with my own eyes.

All You Need To Know About The Most Recent Hawkeye Loss

Here is the only stat you need to know about Iowa - Purdue game.

Christensen ran the ball 8 times. Young ran the ball 7. They did let Sims run 11 times but I can pretty much guarantee that anytime Christensen is running the ball more times the Young, Iowa will lose.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Young needs at least 20 runs and Sims needs at least 15 runs. Every game. Whether they get 0 yards or 200. They give Iowa the best chance to win the game. They give Iowa the best chance to get first downs and give the defense a chance to rest. They give Iowa the best chance of not sending the punter out onto the field. They give Iowa the best chance of not having a receiver drop the ball or not be able to reach a ball thrown two yards behind them.

I don’t care if Iowa is down by 50. Young and Sims need to be running the ball.

Okay. Let’s hope they follow the game plan in next weekends game.

Will the road kill the offense

Over the last couple years, the Hawkeye team that goes on the road trips is not the same team that plays at Kinnick Stadium. Sure the players are the same, but they just don’t play with the same confidence or toughness.

This year, the offense has been pretty pathetic at home and away until they started moving the ball last week against Illinois. But now they are back on the road against Purdue and the Iowa offense is only a week older than they were last week.

The good news is that Purdue gives up nearly 400 yards a game. 250 through the air and 143 on the ground and they have given up 21 TDs in their 7 games. So the odds look good for the offense having some possibility of moving the ball.

Plus, Purdue lost handily to Michigan and Ohio State which happened to be the only two good teams they played. All of their wins were against some pretty sketchy teams and even those teams didn’t have too much trouble scoring some points.

But, can the Hawkeyes, with all of the young players on offense, actually move the ball at Purdue. One way or another, this appears to be a pivot game for the Hawkeyes. It is probably the toughest game left on the schedule and after this game 3 of the last 4 games will be at home.

I’m going to predict the Hawkeyes move the ball well enough, scoring 20 points when they actually let the field goal kicker play a few more times than against Illinois. Then the defense will pounce and hold Purdue to 13.

But I’ve been wrong before. Tune into ESPN2 at 11am tomorrow to see what happens.

Can the Hawkeyes get to a bowl game?

So, Iowa managed to beat Illinois.  They finally got around to really running the ball, play after play and getting first down after first down.  I have been begging for more running plays all season.  Don’t worry, Hawkeye coaches.  I don’t expect any compensation for helping you tweak your game plan.

And as I’ve been saying all along, that Iowa defense is pretty insane when given the chance to catch their breath every now and then.

And just like that, people are starting to talk about the Hawkeyes chances of a bowl game which is probably actually fairly reasonable given the insane number of bowl games and the fact that you just need to win half your games to be eligible for one of those bowls.

The good news is that with Minnesota and Western Michigan at the end of the schedule, there is a great chance at getting at least 2 more wins which would make the Hawkeyes bowl eligible.

In the other 3 games, Iowa plays Purdue, Michigan State, and Northwestern.  Slam dunks right?  That would leave Iowa a very respectable 8-4.

Michigan State has scored 32 TDs.  Purdue has 30 TDs.  Northwestern only has 24 TDs but most of those have come during wins the last two weeks where they scored 48 and 49 points.  Iowa has only scored 14 TDs.

Iowa’s defense should do just fine but in addition to just moving the ball, the Hawkeyes are going to need to actually get the ball into the end zone which is still a problem with all the injuries and youth on the offensive side of the ball. Hopefully, they will continue running the ball a lot and start breaking a couple plays a game.  I don’t think 10 points will end up beating Purdue, Michigan State, or Northwestern.

I’d really like to jump on the bandwagon but this is still a team that has only beaten one team not named Syracuse or Northern Illinois, is second from last in the Big Ten and still has not won a real road game.  However, if the offense can show some ability to actually get the football in the end zone on the road against Purdue I’ll probably start feeling a lot more confident about doing a little trash talking.

How do you beat the Hawkeyes?

Just throw the ball more than 15 yards every single time.  We have no idea how to stop it.  In fact most of the time, there won’t be a Hawkeye anywhere near the receiver.

Disturbing Stat From the Iowa - Indiana Game

Young ran the ball 15 times for 95 yards (6.3 yards per carry).
Sims ran the ball 7 times for 38 yards (5.4 yards per carry).
Christensen ran the ball 15 times for -13 yards (-0.9 yards per carry).

I officially want 25+ carries from Young each game and 15+ carries
from Sims each game.  I want fewer than 5 runs from Christensen.

Sure, Christensen had a lot of yards in the air (308) but this team
MUST commit to running the ball.  Both backs averaged over 5 yards a
carry.  Run the ball.  Then run it again.  There were plenty of
opportunities for Young and Sims to run the ball before that game got
into desperation mode.

I want them to run the ball on almost every 1st down and almost
every 2nd down and almost any 3rd down shorter than 3 yards.  I would
be willing to bet that we end up with a lot fewer 3rd and 8+ yards.

Hoosier Daddy

Some quick notes at halftime of the Hoosier/Hawkeye game

When does doing a flip into the end zone mean you are being an ass?  Is ti when you jump or when you land?  If it is when you jump than that was not a dead ball penalty and should not have been a TD.  But what a stupid rule anyway.  Man up and take your well deserved taunting.  Or maybe do something to shut them up.

Some requests for the second half.

• No flea flickers.
• No shovel passes.
• No bubble screens.
• No passes.

Just run the damn ball down their throat.  Every time we do, we end up gaining 4 to 15 yards.  I’m happy with that.  Every time we don’t run the ball, bad things happen.

I don’t care how many defenders are in the box.  Put in 2 tight ends and a full back and keep running right behind the tackle and guard.

And can we please switch to the 10 guys on Hardy defense that I recommended last night? Or at least get him to agree to send 10% of his NFL paychecks to the Iowa booster club since we will go a long way toward boosting his draft position?

Also, can we please get the ball to start the second half someday?

Can we please just fair catch every punt the rest of the game…and maybe the season?

And Christensen.  With seconds to go and the clock running and everybody covered…just throw the ball away so you can have as many attempts as possible before the half.

But, nice odd play on the Hail Mary.

But, when did spiking the ball make them throw the “You’re an ass” penalty?