I'm Baaaaaack

The new school year started today and so I'm returning my nose to the grindstone.

Stay tuned for full colorful Hawkeye football coverage all semester long...

Fiesta Bowl chatter

It's been a hot topic in Big Ten country, particularly here in Iowa City: which Big Ten team will get the nod as an at-large bid into the BCS, Iowa or Penn State?

I know why Iowa deserves the bid. So I'm going to tell you why Penn State doesn't.

The Nittany Lions are a good football team, no question. It's hard for any team to win 10 games in a season.

But...

• Iowa is ranked higher (9th) in the latest BCS standings than Penn State (11th).
• Penn State lacks a signature win. Sure, the Nits crushed Michigan State, Minnesota and Michigan down the stretch. But the Gophers and Spartans are average teams and a win over Michigan doesn't mean as much as it used to considering the Wolverines get the Big Ten cellar all to themselves this season.
• Penn State's non-conference schedule is less than impressive: Akron, Syracuse, Temple and Eastern Illinois of the FCS. Iowa has beaten two bowl-eligible teams from BCS conferences (Iowa State and Arizona).
  
• The Nits got smoked by Ohio State -- in Happy Valley, mind you. Iowa limped into The Shoe and took the Buckeyes to overtime without Ricky Stanzi, before falling 27-24 as a result of conservative decision making by the Iowa coaching staff.
• Finally, and most convincingly, the Hawkeyes not only won the head-to-head showdown but they did it AT Penn State. The Nits could have a beef if Iowa would've nipped them with a last second field goal like they did in 2008, but other than the first five minutes of the game the Hawks were in complete control. Penn State had minus-4 total yards in the second quarter and turned the ball over four times in the second half alone.

What more proof do you need, Fiesta Bowl reps? We're all waiting by the phone.

News and notes from week nine

Another week, another crazy, discombobulated, unpredictable win for the Iowa Hawkeyes. For the eighth time in nine games this season the Hawkeyes fell behind, this time by a pair of scores to the lowly Indiana Hoosiers. But again the Hawks rallied behind Ricky Stanzi and one of the nation's stingiest defenses and pulled off a ridiculous 42-24 win.

And the game ball goes to...: Ricky Stanzi. So he threw a career-high five interceptions and was the brunt of a few unnecessary boos from Hawk fans. But in the fourth quarter Stanzi did what he does best, win the game for the Hawkeyes. Going into the final period Stanzi was 10-for-23 for 160 yards and those five picks. Yet Stanzi's 3-for-3 for 177 yards and two long touchdowns, the first a 92-yarder to Marvin McNutt and the second a 66-yarder to DJK, are what told the story for the Hawkeyes. When the pressure was on, Stanzi delivered. End of story.

Tip of the cap: to Mr. McNutt. Four receptions, 155 yards and the 92-yard touchdown which cut Iowa's defecit to 24-21 at the beginning of the fourth quarter. It looked like McNutt took about 10 total steps on his way to the endzone. This kid needs to touch the ball more.

Also to freshman running back Brandon Wegher. In his first career start Wegher recroded his second career 100-yard game, ripping off 118 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries. I was worried before the game about Wegher's durability against a Big Ten team, but he got better as the game went on icing the Hawkeyes' win with a pair of fourth quarter touchdown runs.

Wag of the finger: to Iowa's slow starts. Eventually the Hawkeyes are going to need to come out from the opening kick and take control of their opponent because it just might cost them one of these times (Ohio State, I'm lookin' at you).

Final thoughts: What is there to say about that crazy Halloween near disaster? The Hawkeyes keep finding ways to win, but how long they can afford to spot their opponents two scores and continue to win?

Next week: the Hawks host those pesky Northwestern Wildcats. Iowa has dropped three of its last four against Northwestern, including two in a row in Kinnick Stadium. Anybody else starting to feel that pixie-dust waring off? Well, not waring off, but maybe running out? How about Iowa hammers the Wildcats to save a little more magic for that trip to Columbus that's coming up. I like it.

News and notes from week eight

Greetings from the hospital, Hawk Fans, as I recover from the stroke I had on Saturday night right before Ricky Stanzi's game-winning touchdown pass to Marvin McNutt as Iowa downed Michigan State, 15-13. If I can just convince the wonderful doctors here at the UIHC to shoot me up with some of the Hawkeyes' fourth quarter magic, I'd be up and kickin' in no time. But in the mean time, I've got some well deserved awards to hand out, and one big, angry finger to wag.

And the game ball goes to...: Marvin McNutt. McNutt didn't see the field much during the game and didn't accumulate the most flattering stats, but the sophomore ex-quarterback delivered when the Hawkeyes needed him most. McNutt made the first and last reception (his only two of the game) in Iowa's miraculous final drive, the first going for 16 yards moving Iowa to its own 45 and the other being the seven-yard touchdown catch that won the game.

Tip of the cap: to Ricky Stanzi. Stanzi struggled again to post Drew Brees-esque numbers, but he did his best Super Bowl XXLII Eli Manning impression, leading his team down the field in the final 97 seconds to preserve the Hawkeyes' perfect season. Stanzi was 11-27 for 136 yards and a touchdown against the Spartans.

Also to ex-Iowa running back Shonn Greene, who ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries for the New York Jets on Oct. 25.

Wag of the finger: to Michigan State defensive back Jeremy Ware. Ware dropped Iowa receiver Colin Sandeman mid-way through the fourth quarter with a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit. Then Ware proceeded to stand over the clearly injured junior wide out and taunt him as he lay motionless on the ground. Iowa was awarded a 15-yard personal foul penalty, not for the helmet-to-helmet shot but for the taunt after the play. If the Big Ten suspended Ohio State safety Kurt Coleman for his "hit on a defenseless player," they have to be consistent and show Ware to the door.

Final thoughts: Isn't it funny how the Hawkeyes are still ranked behind Boise State, TCU and(one-loss) USC in either the AP or ESPN/USA Today poll, yet in the unbiased, no emotional attachment BCS computer, the Hawks are ranked No. 4? Rankings don't mean anything until the end of the season, but isn't it ironic?

Next week: the Hawks host Indiana (4-4, 1-3) on Halloween in Kinnick Stadium at 11 a.m. The only thing that can help the Hoosiers would be a guest appearance by Michael Meyers.

News and notes from week seven

Another weekend, another win for the Hawkeyes who improved to 7-0 (3-0) with a 20-10 win over the Wisconsin Badgers yesterday. The Hawks continue to improve each week and continue to show their resiliency. For the second time in as many games, the Hawkeyes fell behind 10-0 to a Big Ten opponent on the road, this time against a rival, only to come back and dominate the second half of the game. Despite only rushing for 65 yards, Iowa's defense and execution in the second half pulled out another huge win.

People like ESPN.com's Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg have said the Hawks will need to score some style points eventually. But Kirk Ferentz has never really been one for style points and I think he'd be the first to tell you that.

And the game ball goes to...: quarterback Ricky Stanzi. Stanzi was mistake-free (other than a fumble he lost at the Iowa 25, which resulted in no points for the Badgers) and it made a pretty significant impact on the game. The junior signal-caller from Mentor, Ohio, finished the game 17-23 for 218 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown was a thing of beauty. Facing a third-and-seven at the Wisconsin 24, Stanzi read blitz and narrowly escaped the pocket. Rolling to his right he found tight end Tony Moeaki with single coverage in the corner of the endzone for a stunning strike that blew the game open for the Hawkeyes. A receiver like Moeaki is open even when he is covered, and Stanzi threw an absolute gem for the touchdown. I've said it before and I'll say it again, when Stanzi plays well, the Hawks play well. This guy is a real game breaker.

Let's hand out another one to the Iowa defense. Amari Spievey's interception early in the third quarter put a crack in the dam so to speak. Nine plays later Stanzi hit Moeaki for the game-tying touchdown. Spievey (above) had another pick in the fourth quarter, as did linebacker A.J. Edds. Usually the difference in close games is who makes the fewest mistakes. For the seventh time this season, the Iowa defense forced its opponent to make too many mistakes. And thus, another win.

Tip of the cap: to Derrell Johnson-Koulianos. DJK was the glue that held the Iowa passing game together, snagging eight passes for a season-high 113 yards. When Stanzi needed some one to go to, DJK was the guy. The more this guy touches the ball, the better for the Hawkeyes offense.

Wag of the finger: to Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema. Bielema refuses to show the public his Iowa tattoo. Come on coach, tell us how you really feel.

Final thoughts: Iowa may be the most resilient team in the nation. The Hawks have been behind in six of their seven games, yet still stand 7-0. Young quarterbacks can learn from a guy like Stanzi. Few signal-callers are more cool when the heat is on.

The Hawks continue to make believers out of the rest of the nation as they made a significant leap in the polls this week (7th in the AP, 8th in the ESPN/USA Today). Iowa is ranked even higher in the season's first Bowl Championship Series rankings as well, climbing all the way to No. 6. Rankings don't mean anything until the end of the season but, needless to say, this is a good start for the Black-and-Gold.

Next week: the Hawks travel to East Lansing, Mich., for a date with a Michigan State team (4-3, 3-1) who seems to have found the stride most experts expected them to have at the beginning of the year. The Spartans have racked up three straight wins over Big Ten foes (Michigan, and Big Ten bottom-feeders Illinois and Northwestern) after a 1-3 start. The Hawkeyes haven't won in Spartan Stadium since a 21-7 triumph in 1995. And so the trap has been set.

Iowa vs. Wisconsin Pre-Game

No. 11/12 Iowa (6-0, 2-0) vs. Wisconsin (5-1, 2-1)
Kickoff: 11:00 a.m., Camp Randall Stadium
TV/Radio: ESPN, AM 800 KXIC
Line: Iowa, +3 (espn.com)

What to watch for
The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten with 19 takeaways. Iowa is yet to lose a turnover battle this season which has been a big part of the defense's success.

Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi has thrown an interception (or more) in every game so far this season, but still ranks second in the conference in touchdown passes (10) and fourth in yards (1359). Stanzi's quarterback rating is a solid 126.4.

Iowa's running backs (Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher) have yet to put the ball on the turf in 2009.

Key Stats
The Badgers are third overall in the Big Ten in total yardage, averaging 422.3 yards per contest. But the 'Sconis (pronounced scaaaa-knees) are a reflection of their head coach, ex-Hawkeye Bret Bielema. They favor their power running game, led by a dump truck of a running back John Clay and a massive offensive line. Through six games the Badgers lead the Big Ten with 200.7 rushing yards per game and Clay has done most of the damage rushing for 641 yards (106.8 ypg) and seven touchdowns on 132 carries (4.9 ypc). However, Clay was held in check most of last week against the Buckeyes, rushing for just 59 yards on 20 carries.

Iowa counters with a stout rushing defense. The Hawks have allowed 134.3 rushing yards per game, which is a bit misleading considering they gave up 190 to Iowa State on Sept. 12 and another 195 to Michigan last week. But against an Arizona team who came in as one of the top five rushing offense's in the nation, Iowa held the Wildcats and shifty running back Nic Grigsby to his lowest total of the season (75 yards) before sustaining an injury against Oregon State on Sept. 26. Iowa is also second in the conference in rushing touchdowns allowed (three) after ending a streak of 33 quarters without surrendering a touchdown on the ground against Michigan last week.

Prediction
Despite 'Sconi's physical style of play, their inexperience was exposed last week against Ohio State. Wisconsin junior quarterback Scott Tolzien threw two pick-sixes to the Buckeyes defense. And the Badgers also allowed a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. If the 'Sconis want to pull of this upset, they will have to play a flawless game because errors on special teams and on offense against Iowa will bury the Badgers.

It should be a close, hard-hitting contest, but I see this as the game where Stanzi is finally mistake-free and that is what makes the difference in this one.

Iowa 27, Wisconsin 21

Mid-Season Awards

We're half way through the schedule in the 2009 college football season. The Hawks are ranked 11th by the Associated Press and 12th by ESPN/USA Today and are off to the best start in Kirk Ferentz's tenure as head coach, sitting at 6-0. It's time to hand out the awards (and, in a few cases, demerits) for the first half of the season.


Team MVP -- Tyler Sash
The sophomore safety's five interceptions through six games is tied for the Football Bowl Subdivision lead with UCLA's Rahim Moore. Sash isn't only Mr. Interception, the "pride of Oskaloosa" also averages 7.8 tackles per game. His 47 tackles nearly equals his 2008 total of 53, showing his support in the running game. He picked off three passes and had a forced fumble in Iowa's 35-3 beat down of Iowa State on Sept. 12 in Ames.


Honorable mention -- Adrian Clayborn, Ryan Donahue, Adam Robinson.


Best Offensive Player -- Ricky Stanzi
Say what you want about Stanzi's inconsistency, his eight interceptions (three of which have been housed by the other team), or his slow starts. The fact of the matter is this: Whenever Iowa needs him, Stanzi is there. Take game one against Northern Iowa.



Iowa started the game with a 14 play drive that ended in a Daniel Murray field goal. For the rest of the half, the Hawks' offense would be on the field for no more than five consecutive plays and managed no points, trailing 10-3 at halftime. Stanzi came out firing in the second half, throwing his first touchdown of the season to Tony Moeaki to give Iowa the lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Stanzi averages 225.6 passing yards per game and has thrown 10 touchdowns.


Best Defensive Player -- Adrian Clayborn
Clayborn would have been the team MVP if not for Sash. The St. Louis native has been everywhere for the Iowa defense this year and is a big part of the unit's success as a whole. He leads the team in sacks (3.0) and is second to Karl Klug with 4.5 tackles-for-loss. Clayborn's big hit on Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier in the fourth quarter of Iowa's 30-28 win on Oct. 10 sidelined the freshman for the rest of the game with a concussion. Is there a quarterback out there who doesn't fear Clayborn's very presence on the field? I don't know if there is.
Clayborn's blocked punt touchdown broke the game open against Penn State. No. 94 and fellow defensive end Broderick Binns harassed Nittany Lions quarterback Daryll Clark virtually the entire evening in Happy Valley. "If Daryll Clark never sees Iowa again, that would be just fine with him," Big Ten Network said after the game. Truer words have never been spoken.


Honorable Mention -- the other 10 starters.

Best Newcomer -- Adam Robinson
Robinson has made the most of his time in the spotlight. At the beginning of the season, Robinson was listed as the third-string running back. Six games later, Robinson leads the team with 429 yards on 88 carries (4.9 average) and four touchdowns. His 95 total touches are also tops on the team.

The most significant impact of Robinson's success isn't necessarily related to field, however. Robinson's impact on the game has led to Ferentz openly admitting his newly discovered willingness to throw young players into the line of fire. Robinson has responded superbly.


Honorable Mention -- Brandon Wegher, Keenan Davis.

Best Game -- @ Penn State
This game had it all: drama, big plays, nasty weather, ESPN's College GameDay. Iowa was an 11-point underdog to the then-No. 5 Nittany Lions. But with a wet, sloppy field, Penn State's high powered offense failed it's first major test of the season as the Iowa defense had it's way against the Nits' inexperienced offensive line.

Things looked bleak from the start as the Hawks went three-and-out on their first possession. Penn State then scored on it's first play from scrimmage on a 79-yard touchdown pass and Beaver Stadium was rockin'.

But Iowa did what it does best: Played damage control.

The Nits notched a field goal on their next drive, but would not scavenge another point for the rest of the game as the Iowa defense took control of the game. A Broderick Binns sack and forced fumble resulted in a safety near the end of the first half, drawing the Hawks into striking distance at 10-5. Nobody scored in the third quarter.


Then Adrian Clayborn made the breakthrough for the Hawks, blocking a PSU punt in the fourth quarter and rumbling 53 yards for a touchdown to give Iowa the lead for good, 11-10. Adam Robinson punched in a touchdown after a Pat Angerer interception and Iowa rolled to a 21-10 win, it's fifth win in six games in Happy Valley.

Honorable Mention -- Northern Iowa, Michigan.

Achilles Heel -- injuries
Iowa has been haunted by injuries during 2009. Running back Jewel Hampton was lost to a season-ending knee injury before the season even started. Tony Moeaki sat out three games with an ankle injury before returning against Michigan last week. Bryan Bulaga sat out three consecutive games with an undisclosed illness. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos has been hampered by a hamstring injury all year, but has played through it admirably. Other than Hampton, the Hawks haven't been nipped by the injury bug too bad this season, however any team is just one significant injury away from a melt down. It can happen any week.

Honorable Mention -- dropped passes, Stanzi's INT's, offensive play calling, offensive personnel selection.

Moeaki named Big Ten POTW

Iowa senior tight end Tony Moeaki was named the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the week after Iowa's 30-28 win over Michigan on Oct. 10. Moeaki had six receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns (34, 42 yards). It was the first time the 6-4, 250-pound tight end had earned the honor and also his first game for the Hawks since the Iowa State game on Sept. 12. The Wheaton, Ill., native has 17 catches for 192 yards and three touchdowns in three games for the Hawkeyes.