Not much time to pick a winner, I'm already a few beers deep and getting ready to head west toward Melrose and Kinnick.
The Hawks' offense doesn't skip a beat without Adam Robinson or Dace Richardson and the defense holds the Hoosiers in check.
Iowa 31, Indiana 10
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Iowa City West girls basketball preview
Just one game separated the Iowa City West girls basketball team from the Iowa High School state tournament a year ago.
And anytime a team gets close to reaching the pinnacle of a season’s worth of competition it becomes hard to forget how it felt to fall short.
Lady Trojans head coach B.J. Mayer would be the first to say the feeling was not a good one, but something the 2009-10 West High squad can build off of.
“In sports, it’s really difficult to get to the next level until you’ve been there,” Mayer said. “Nobody in the West High girls basketball program has ever been to the state basketball tournament. So to get to the [Sub-State Final] last year was a huge confidence builder.”
The biggest issue facing the Women of Troy, however, will be how they replace their two leading scorers – Emma Krieger-Kittle and Madison Sedecky – from a year ago.
Krieger-Kittle led the team with an average of 15.3 points-per-game last year and also led the way in rebounds with 152.
Sedecky was a close second with 150 boards and 10.4 points-per-game. She also led the team with 45 three-pointers and shot 36.6 percent from beyond the arc.
With that in mind, Mayer said his players are going to have to grow up quick, particularly with as many as three new faces in the starting line-up to start the season. However, the coach has confidence in his athletes’ ability to handle the pressure in stride.
“Just getting the kids to play together because we have such a new background of kids,” Mayer said. “Getting our sophomores and our seniors on the same page has been the thing we’ve been working on in open-gym right now.”
The team will rely on a trio of seniors to carry the load.
Mackenzie Reed, Kristin Fomon, and Courtney Fritz all made significant contributions for West in 2008-09 and will be looked upon by Mayer to get the Women of Troy rolling early.
“We’re really looking for them to be our leaders,” Mayer said.
As far as a game plan, Mayer said the Lady Trojans will be shorter than most teams in the Mississippi Valley Conference. Thus the Women of Troy will be relying on an aggressive press defense and their ability to shot the ball from three-point-land.
“I think we’re going to be a lot deeper. Our goal is to play 10 kids,” Mayer said. “We’re not very tall. Our tallest kid is probably 5-10 and that’s going to be one of our weaknesses – defending people inside. So that’s one of the things we’re going to have to do is to try to create that tempo to almost be a little chaotic and crazy.”
And anytime a team gets close to reaching the pinnacle of a season’s worth of competition it becomes hard to forget how it felt to fall short.
Lady Trojans head coach B.J. Mayer would be the first to say the feeling was not a good one, but something the 2009-10 West High squad can build off of.
“In sports, it’s really difficult to get to the next level until you’ve been there,” Mayer said. “Nobody in the West High girls basketball program has ever been to the state basketball tournament. So to get to the [Sub-State Final] last year was a huge confidence builder.”
The biggest issue facing the Women of Troy, however, will be how they replace their two leading scorers – Emma Krieger-Kittle and Madison Sedecky – from a year ago.
Krieger-Kittle led the team with an average of 15.3 points-per-game last year and also led the way in rebounds with 152.
Sedecky was a close second with 150 boards and 10.4 points-per-game. She also led the team with 45 three-pointers and shot 36.6 percent from beyond the arc.
With that in mind, Mayer said his players are going to have to grow up quick, particularly with as many as three new faces in the starting line-up to start the season. However, the coach has confidence in his athletes’ ability to handle the pressure in stride.
“Just getting the kids to play together because we have such a new background of kids,” Mayer said. “Getting our sophomores and our seniors on the same page has been the thing we’ve been working on in open-gym right now.”
The team will rely on a trio of seniors to carry the load.
Mackenzie Reed, Kristin Fomon, and Courtney Fritz all made significant contributions for West in 2008-09 and will be looked upon by Mayer to get the Women of Troy rolling early.
“We’re really looking for them to be our leaders,” Mayer said.
As far as a game plan, Mayer said the Lady Trojans will be shorter than most teams in the Mississippi Valley Conference. Thus the Women of Troy will be relying on an aggressive press defense and their ability to shot the ball from three-point-land.
“I think we’re going to be a lot deeper. Our goal is to play 10 kids,” Mayer said. “We’re not very tall. Our tallest kid is probably 5-10 and that’s going to be one of our weaknesses – defending people inside. So that’s one of the things we’re going to have to do is to try to create that tempo to almost be a little chaotic and crazy.”
Analysis of Vincent's piece
In the piece, “Equitable Media Coverage of Female and Male Athletes: Is There a Solution?,” author John Vincent makes a lot of good points in regards to media coverage of athletics.
Vincent talks a lot about how portrayal of female athletes in the media strongly reinforces gender-role stereotypes. He claims that female athletes are allowed to be in the spotlight as long as they are appealing in the sense of the heterosexual relationships. In other words, sports sections would get more readers or hits if they do a story on (and have pictures of) someone like Anna Kournikova as compared to Diana Taurasi or Lisa Leslie.
He also raises the point of the sports journalism field being dominated by males. It would be much easier for a male sports writer to frame a female athlete into the stereotypical gender-role than it would be for a female reporter. A male writer would probably ask more questions about her private or social life rather than focusing on performance or skills.
Perhaps what I found most interesting, though, was peoples’ interest in female sports. According to Vincent females “competing in the traditionally ‘gender-appropriate’ individual sports such as swimming, diving, gymnastics, and tennis, which represent a narrow, culturally stereotyped view of female athleticism, receive more electronic and print media coverage than female athletes competing in the traditionally ‘gender-inappropriate’ team sports such as field hockey, softball, and rugby,” (Vincent 3).
When it’s all said and done, I don’t know how realistic his recommendations are. I think if more women were involved in sports journalism you could see the field start to change its ways over time. However, I think it is hard for sports fans to get overly excited about female athletics not because they are not of an equivalent skill level to male athletes, but because of the traditions of sport that are instilled in the sporting world and our society. If people don’t care enough to watch the game live, they sure as hell won’t be waking up the next morning to read about it in the paper. For example:
The World Series: Major League Baseball. Men
The Super Bowl: National Football League. Men
The Finals: National Basketball Association. Men
I think for some people it is hard to get past the traditional gender-role stereotypes that come with sports. Which begs the question, how far have we actually come with gender equality in sport? Title IX was a step in the right direction. However, I think a lot of people could look at Title IX and say it’s more a punishment of male athletics than advancement for female athletics.
Vincent talks a lot about how portrayal of female athletes in the media strongly reinforces gender-role stereotypes. He claims that female athletes are allowed to be in the spotlight as long as they are appealing in the sense of the heterosexual relationships. In other words, sports sections would get more readers or hits if they do a story on (and have pictures of) someone like Anna Kournikova as compared to Diana Taurasi or Lisa Leslie.
He also raises the point of the sports journalism field being dominated by males. It would be much easier for a male sports writer to frame a female athlete into the stereotypical gender-role than it would be for a female reporter. A male writer would probably ask more questions about her private or social life rather than focusing on performance or skills.
Perhaps what I found most interesting, though, was peoples’ interest in female sports. According to Vincent females “competing in the traditionally ‘gender-appropriate’ individual sports such as swimming, diving, gymnastics, and tennis, which represent a narrow, culturally stereotyped view of female athleticism, receive more electronic and print media coverage than female athletes competing in the traditionally ‘gender-inappropriate’ team sports such as field hockey, softball, and rugby,” (Vincent 3).
When it’s all said and done, I don’t know how realistic his recommendations are. I think if more women were involved in sports journalism you could see the field start to change its ways over time. However, I think it is hard for sports fans to get overly excited about female athletics not because they are not of an equivalent skill level to male athletes, but because of the traditions of sport that are instilled in the sporting world and our society. If people don’t care enough to watch the game live, they sure as hell won’t be waking up the next morning to read about it in the paper. For example:
The World Series: Major League Baseball. Men
The Super Bowl: National Football League. Men
The Finals: National Basketball Association. Men
I think for some people it is hard to get past the traditional gender-role stereotypes that come with sports. Which begs the question, how far have we actually come with gender equality in sport? Title IX was a step in the right direction. However, I think a lot of people could look at Title IX and say it’s more a punishment of male athletics than advancement for female athletics.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Talkin' Hawks
A lot of things happened for the Iowa football program on Saturday night when the Hawkeyes stole a 15-13 win from Michigan State.
A lot of them happened for the first time in over 100 years of Hawkeye football.
Kirk Ferentz got his first win at Spartan Stadium when Ricky Stanzi hit Marvin McNutt for a seven-yard touchdown on the final play of the game. It was also Iowa’s first win against Sparty on Sparty’s turf since Sedrick Shaw, Matt Sherman, Tim Dwight and company did it in 1995.
The 2009 squad became the first team in school history to be 8-0, surpassing the legendary 1985 team of Chuck Long, Ronnie Harmon, and Larry Station who started 7-0 – a team that ended its season in Pasadena.
Iowa scored its first walk-off touchdown since Warren Holloway’s “The Catch” the 2005 Capital One Bowl against LSU.
The Hawkeyes also appeared in the BCS rankings at no. 4, jumping ahead of Boise State and Cincinnati from last week, marking the first time since the 2002 squad went into the Orange Bowl ranked fifth.
And while all of that is proof of the appeal of the Hawkeyes as a big-time BCS player, there are still reasons to believe that not everything is certain to up roses in Iowa City.
Iowa’s two head-scratchers against Northern Iowa and Arkansas State – which the Hawkeyes won by a combined four points – continue to hurt the Hawkeyes’ credibility on the national stage.
Eventually the Hawkeyes playing to the level of their opponents could hurt them, particularly with looming threats from Indiana, Northwestern, and Minnesota in three of the next four weeks.
Thankfully for Iowa, all three of those games are at home.
Well, kind of.
Kinnick Stadium is said to be a safe haven for Iowa, but the UNI and ASU games were both at home where Iowa’s average margin-of-victory is just four points in four games. Yet, on the road, Iowa has wins of 32 (Iowa State), 11 (Penn State) and 10 (Wisconsin). With just one road game left – at Ohio State, Nov. 14 – Iowa has to be confident in its ability to walk into a hostile environment and perform at a high level.
If the Hawks can drop the hammer on the Hoosiers, the Wildcats, and the Golden Gophers on their turf like they are capable of, then it wouldn’t be out of the question for Iowa to be one of three or four teams in the national title discussion.
Nor should it be.
The last time a Big Ten team won at Penn State, at Wisconsin, and at Michigan State in the same year was 1997, when Michigan beat Drew Bledsoe’s Washington State in the Rose Bowl and finished 12-0 to share the national title with Nebraska.
A lot of them happened for the first time in over 100 years of Hawkeye football.
Kirk Ferentz got his first win at Spartan Stadium when Ricky Stanzi hit Marvin McNutt for a seven-yard touchdown on the final play of the game. It was also Iowa’s first win against Sparty on Sparty’s turf since Sedrick Shaw, Matt Sherman, Tim Dwight and company did it in 1995.
The 2009 squad became the first team in school history to be 8-0, surpassing the legendary 1985 team of Chuck Long, Ronnie Harmon, and Larry Station who started 7-0 – a team that ended its season in Pasadena.
Iowa scored its first walk-off touchdown since Warren Holloway’s “The Catch” the 2005 Capital One Bowl against LSU.
The Hawkeyes also appeared in the BCS rankings at no. 4, jumping ahead of Boise State and Cincinnati from last week, marking the first time since the 2002 squad went into the Orange Bowl ranked fifth.
And while all of that is proof of the appeal of the Hawkeyes as a big-time BCS player, there are still reasons to believe that not everything is certain to up roses in Iowa City.
Iowa’s two head-scratchers against Northern Iowa and Arkansas State – which the Hawkeyes won by a combined four points – continue to hurt the Hawkeyes’ credibility on the national stage.
Eventually the Hawkeyes playing to the level of their opponents could hurt them, particularly with looming threats from Indiana, Northwestern, and Minnesota in three of the next four weeks.
Thankfully for Iowa, all three of those games are at home.
Well, kind of.
Kinnick Stadium is said to be a safe haven for Iowa, but the UNI and ASU games were both at home where Iowa’s average margin-of-victory is just four points in four games. Yet, on the road, Iowa has wins of 32 (Iowa State), 11 (Penn State) and 10 (Wisconsin). With just one road game left – at Ohio State, Nov. 14 – Iowa has to be confident in its ability to walk into a hostile environment and perform at a high level.
If the Hawks can drop the hammer on the Hoosiers, the Wildcats, and the Golden Gophers on their turf like they are capable of, then it wouldn’t be out of the question for Iowa to be one of three or four teams in the national title discussion.
Nor should it be.
The last time a Big Ten team won at Penn State, at Wisconsin, and at Michigan State in the same year was 1997, when Michigan beat Drew Bledsoe’s Washington State in the Rose Bowl and finished 12-0 to share the national title with Nebraska.
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.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Spartans big hurdle for Hawks
If you've followed Iowa football pretty closely the last week or so, you've probably heard the Hawkeyes are 7-0.
You may have also heard that Iowa has never been 8-0 in over 100 years of football.
Never, ever.
The Hawkeyes find themselves in unfamiliar territory as the Big Ten's top dog half way through the season.
They also take on a Michigan State team who has turned out to be more like them as far as resiliency. After a 1-3 start (including a loss to mighty Central Michigan), Sparty has rebounded with three straight Big Ten wins.
In fact, a win for Sparty this weekend would vault Michigan State into a tie for first-place in the conference with the Hawkeyes.
Want anymore pressure on you to win this weekend, Hawkeyes?
The Spartans are led offensively by sophomore quarterback Kirk Cousins and wide out Blair White.
Cousins sat out of Michigan State's 24-14 win over lowly Illinois on Oct. 10. The week before, he threw two picks and no touchdowns against a Michigan defense who Ricky Stanzi had his way with on Oct. 10.
The key for the Hawkeyes against MSU is to focus on going 1-0 this week, not being 8-0 on the season. The nation is foaming at the mouth for Iowa to stumble and this could be the week it happens, but no one handles doubters better than Adrian Clayborn, Tyler Sash and company on the Iowa defense.
You may have also heard that Iowa has never been 8-0 in over 100 years of football.
Never, ever.
The Hawkeyes find themselves in unfamiliar territory as the Big Ten's top dog half way through the season.
They also take on a Michigan State team who has turned out to be more like them as far as resiliency. After a 1-3 start (including a loss to mighty Central Michigan), Sparty has rebounded with three straight Big Ten wins.
In fact, a win for Sparty this weekend would vault Michigan State into a tie for first-place in the conference with the Hawkeyes.
Want anymore pressure on you to win this weekend, Hawkeyes?
The Spartans are led offensively by sophomore quarterback Kirk Cousins and wide out Blair White.
Cousins sat out of Michigan State's 24-14 win over lowly Illinois on Oct. 10. The week before, he threw two picks and no touchdowns against a Michigan defense who Ricky Stanzi had his way with on Oct. 10.
The key for the Hawkeyes against MSU is to focus on going 1-0 this week, not being 8-0 on the season. The nation is foaming at the mouth for Iowa to stumble and this could be the week it happens, but no one handles doubters better than Adrian Clayborn, Tyler Sash and company on the Iowa defense.
Class Column
Brett Favre is a jerk.
Not because I cheer for the Packers on Sundays. Not because Favre flip-flops on his retirement decisions almost as much as Junior Seau. Not because he plays for the Minnesota (expletive) Vikings.
“This is the best team I have ever been on,” Favre said recently.
That’s why Brett Favre is a jerk.
Does being 6-0 for the first time in your career really merit the “best team ever” label, Brett?
If at the end of the season (God forbid) the Vikings stand on the podium at Landshark Stadium in Miami and the old man hoists the Lombardi trophy, then Favre may be right. This may be the best team he has ever played for. Jerrod Allen is probably the best pass rusher in the NFL. The Williams brothers in the middle of the defensive line are ferocious. Bernard Berrian was a good receiver on Bears teams that had a pretty bad quarterback (Rex Grossman).
But if the Vikings fail to win the Super Bowl, hell, if they fail to make the Super Bowl then Favre has affirmed to the public that he is the biggest jerk in professional football.
Instead, he will be the man hell bent on spitting in the face of Ted Thompson and the rest of the Green Bay Packers’ organization for something as simple as not overwhelmingly welcoming him back to the team with a month before the start of the regular season with a young quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, already in place.
While 6-0 may be an example of a team on its way to the postseason, it doesn’t guarantee a week seven (or eight, or nine, and so on) victory, regardless of the opponent.
The NFL, which means Not For Long.
Remember last year, when the New York Jets were 7-3 and Favre had thrown the team on his old, faithful back?
Then recall why the Jets finished 9-7 and didn’t make the playoffs in a Tom Brady-less AFC East. Because Favre faded down the stretch. It may have been poor play or an injury, but who’s to say he doesn’t get hurt again this year? He is 40.
But that isn’t the most peculiar thing with the Jets – now Vikings – situation.
How is it that Favre had such a hard time bonding with his teammates last season when he was with the Jets? Why did Thomas Jones come out at the end of last season and say to the public that Favre was just never around and that he, “didn’t really make an effort to get to know his teammates,”?
Yet, in Minnesota, everyone seems to be riding the Favre train, particularly head coach Brad Childress and rookie wide receiver Percy Harvin.
Favre simply used the Jets as a way to cool the heat from Packer fans after asserting he wanted to play for the Vikings. Then after telling the Jets he was done, he took a two liter filled with gasoline and poured it on the still hot embers.
What is this charade you continue, Brett? Who is the real you?
After watching Favre for the first six weeks of the season, the guy looks like he’s still got it. The Vikings’ play and record reflects that. With a two-and-a-half game lead already in the NFC
But lest we forget this “best team” of who Favre speaks.
The Vikings.
The team with a Super Bowl track record about as good as the Buffalo Bills (0-4). At least the Vikings’ four Super Bowl losses weren’t consecutive.
Minnesota is a place where championship-level teams rise and fall about as fast as the New York Stock Exchange.
1998: the Vikings, behind another infamous fading quarterback, Randall Cunningham, went 15-1 before falling the NFC title game at home to the Atlanta Falcons.
2003: Daunte Culpepper, Randy Moss and company were rolling at 6-0. Four weeks later – after losses to the Giants, Green Bay, San Diego and Moss’ future team, the Raiders – the Vikings were reeling at 6-4.
Didn’t the die-hard Vikings come back and salvage their once-promising season?
Somebody cue Jim Mora on this one (Playoffs? Playoffs?! Don’t talk about... psh … playoffs).
Then there’s this year’s team. The so-called “best ever” by a Hall of Famer and former Super Bowl champion.
The 2009 Vikings are not that different. A streaky quarterback who most people are tired of hearing about (but apparently still’s got it), surrounded by a bunch of young studs.
The team has a 0-4 Super Bowl record. Like it or not, the goal of every team in the League at the beginning of the season is to win the Super Bowl. Only one team can do it, the other 31 are failures.
Sure Dorsey Levens, Ahman Green and Ryan Grant are not Adrian Peterson by any means.
Favre is just an unfair guy. He will do whatever it takes to win, even if it means marring his once golden name in the city that made him a legend.
Just so you can play inside in December and January, Brett?
But what does 6-0 really mean? Nothing – if you start losing. No team has ever won the Super Bowl after a week six win. And they never will.
Not because I cheer for the Packers on Sundays. Not because Favre flip-flops on his retirement decisions almost as much as Junior Seau. Not because he plays for the Minnesota (expletive) Vikings.
“This is the best team I have ever been on,” Favre said recently.
That’s why Brett Favre is a jerk.
Does being 6-0 for the first time in your career really merit the “best team ever” label, Brett?
If at the end of the season (God forbid) the Vikings stand on the podium at Landshark Stadium in Miami and the old man hoists the Lombardi trophy, then Favre may be right. This may be the best team he has ever played for. Jerrod Allen is probably the best pass rusher in the NFL. The Williams brothers in the middle of the defensive line are ferocious. Bernard Berrian was a good receiver on Bears teams that had a pretty bad quarterback (Rex Grossman).
But if the Vikings fail to win the Super Bowl, hell, if they fail to make the Super Bowl then Favre has affirmed to the public that he is the biggest jerk in professional football.
Instead, he will be the man hell bent on spitting in the face of Ted Thompson and the rest of the Green Bay Packers’ organization for something as simple as not overwhelmingly welcoming him back to the team with a month before the start of the regular season with a young quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, already in place.
While 6-0 may be an example of a team on its way to the postseason, it doesn’t guarantee a week seven (or eight, or nine, and so on) victory, regardless of the opponent.
The NFL, which means Not For Long.
Remember last year, when the New York Jets were 7-3 and Favre had thrown the team on his old, faithful back?
Then recall why the Jets finished 9-7 and didn’t make the playoffs in a Tom Brady-less AFC East. Because Favre faded down the stretch. It may have been poor play or an injury, but who’s to say he doesn’t get hurt again this year? He is 40.
But that isn’t the most peculiar thing with the Jets – now Vikings – situation.
How is it that Favre had such a hard time bonding with his teammates last season when he was with the Jets? Why did Thomas Jones come out at the end of last season and say to the public that Favre was just never around and that he, “didn’t really make an effort to get to know his teammates,”?
Yet, in Minnesota, everyone seems to be riding the Favre train, particularly head coach Brad Childress and rookie wide receiver Percy Harvin.
Favre simply used the Jets as a way to cool the heat from Packer fans after asserting he wanted to play for the Vikings. Then after telling the Jets he was done, he took a two liter filled with gasoline and poured it on the still hot embers.
What is this charade you continue, Brett? Who is the real you?
After watching Favre for the first six weeks of the season, the guy looks like he’s still got it. The Vikings’ play and record reflects that. With a two-and-a-half game lead already in the NFC
But lest we forget this “best team” of who Favre speaks.
The Vikings.
The team with a Super Bowl track record about as good as the Buffalo Bills (0-4). At least the Vikings’ four Super Bowl losses weren’t consecutive.
Minnesota is a place where championship-level teams rise and fall about as fast as the New York Stock Exchange.
1998: the Vikings, behind another infamous fading quarterback, Randall Cunningham, went 15-1 before falling the NFC title game at home to the Atlanta Falcons.
2003: Daunte Culpepper, Randy Moss and company were rolling at 6-0. Four weeks later – after losses to the Giants, Green Bay, San Diego and Moss’ future team, the Raiders – the Vikings were reeling at 6-4.
Didn’t the die-hard Vikings come back and salvage their once-promising season?
Somebody cue Jim Mora on this one (Playoffs? Playoffs?! Don’t talk about... psh … playoffs).
Then there’s this year’s team. The so-called “best ever” by a Hall of Famer and former Super Bowl champion.
The 2009 Vikings are not that different. A streaky quarterback who most people are tired of hearing about (but apparently still’s got it), surrounded by a bunch of young studs.
The team has a 0-4 Super Bowl record. Like it or not, the goal of every team in the League at the beginning of the season is to win the Super Bowl. Only one team can do it, the other 31 are failures.
Sure Dorsey Levens, Ahman Green and Ryan Grant are not Adrian Peterson by any means.
Favre is just an unfair guy. He will do whatever it takes to win, even if it means marring his once golden name in the city that made him a legend.
Just so you can play inside in December and January, Brett?
But what does 6-0 really mean? Nothing – if you start losing. No team has ever won the Super Bowl after a week six win. And they never will.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
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.
Friday, October 16, 2009
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
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
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
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.
Monday, October 12, 2009
News and notes from week six
Iowa is 6-0 and they have looked pretty solid through the first half of the season. But I think they could look better. Iowa should have beaten Michigan by more than two points (30-28) after forcing five turnovers and shutting down Michigan's Tate Forcier, yet once again, questionable playcalling on offense and another free touchdown handout by Ricky Stanzi kept the Maize and Blue in the game. Iowa is 6-0, though, regardless of style points and I'll take it
.
.And the game ball goes to...: TE Tony Moeaki. Moeaki went all Marvin McNutt on the young Michigan secondary, pulling in touchdown passes of 34 and 42 yards. All in all, the finally healthy senior from Wheaton, Ill., snagged six passes for 105 yards and that pair of touchdowns. The first touchdown could be credited mostly to Stanzi, who checked off at the line of scrimmage when he recognized an all out blitz from the Wolverines' D. But Moeaki did have to make it all the way to the endzone without getting hurt (knock on wood), which he did.
Tip of the cap: to Iowa's big hits. Jeff Tarpinian popped Michigan return man Junior Hemingway (awesome name!), and Adrian Clayborn dropped Forcier on a third down at the beginning of the fourth quarter. After the big hit, Forcier spent the rest of the game on the sideline.
Wag of the finger: at Iowa's cover two defense against Denard Robinson at the end of the game. I mean, come on guys. It's pretty obvious what the Wolverines use Robinson for. Next week though, a looooot of cover two.
Final thoughts: I usually spend a lot of time thinking about what could go wrong for Iowa in the next game, but this group really has made me a believer. How could anyone argue this is not the best team Kirk Ferentz has coached? Not once have the Hawks been 6-0 under Ferentz. Until now. The attitude in the locker room this week? I say bring on another road test.
Next week: the Hawks travel to Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisc., to take on the Wisconsin Badgers (5-1, 2-1) hoping to defend the Heartland Trophy. Wisconsin fell last week against Ohio State in the Horseshoe despite a respectable effort. The Badgers killed themselves with two pick-sixes and a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Ohio State's Ray Small. This game is always more like a bar fight than a football game, that's why the play for the bull.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
The Rabbit Hunter...
Sorry Hawk fans, but duty calls (this post won't be about the squad). Stay tuned.
I thought Frank Deford's piece, "The Rabbit Hunter," was interesting. Frank Deford threw in some dialog from infamous college basketball coach Bob Knight that blew my mind. For example, when Knight throws a zinger at Indiana women's basketball coach Maryalyce Jeremiah:
I thought Frank Deford's piece, "The Rabbit Hunter," was interesting. Frank Deford threw in some dialog from infamous college basketball coach Bob Knight that blew my mind. For example, when Knight throws a zinger at Indiana women's basketball coach Maryalyce Jeremiah:
Knight walks down to the other end of the scorer's table. "Hey, Maryalyce."
Brightly: "Yes, Bobby?"
"You know what a dab is?"
"A what?"
"A dab--D-A-B."
"No, what's that?"
"It's a dumb-assed broad," he says, smirking.
"I don't know any of those," she replies -- a pretty quick comeback.
But he won't leave it alone. The edge, again: "Yeah, you know one more than you think you do."
Are you kidding me? How golden of a quote is that?! Like it or not, that is a raw detail and it is one of the reasons I kept reading until the end.
This piece wasn't as great as it could have been based simply upon the structure of it.
Starting at the beginning, the quote from William Faulkner doesn't need to be there, in my opinion. In a way it contributes to this piece, particularly in the sense of physical abuse and Bob Knight. For me, though, it was a little distracting and unnecessary. Maybe something a little more sports related and less about spousal abuse?
Then there are four sections of the piece: Rabbits, Coaches, Older People, and Women.
I think the piece could have been broken up into three sections. I think it could have flowed nicely as one whole piece. If [Deford] had taken the Older People section and shrunk it down a bit, then made it part of the Rabbit section, it would have flowed nicely. The way those two sections kind of work together, to establish who Bobby is, where he comes from, and just why he acts like he does. The other sections kind of stand by themselves and don't really need much adjustment as far as placement.
Monday, October 5, 2009
News and notes from week five
Did Iowa really look better in the first half of Saturday's game against Arkansas State than it did in the second half? Yes, and that's a first for the season. But I'd rather see the Iowa team which played better in the second half of the first four games rather than the team who decided not to show up for the lowly Red Wolves on Oct. 3.
Also, kudos to Kirk Ferentz for reaching 5-0 for the first time in his career at Iowa. Ferentz was 0-2 in games where the Hawks entered 4-0. Consider those demons exorcised.
Wag of the finger: to offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe. This would have gone to Stanzi for throwing two picks (one was returned for a touchdown), but "Pretty Ricky" did manage to put up a season-high 296 passing yards and accounted for all three of Iowa's TDs. The real problem with Iowa's offense is not Stanzi's up-and-down play and that was evident on Oct. 3. O'Keefe was right in not abandoning the run in the second half, despite Iowa's lowest rushing output of the season (124 yards). But he continues to not make adjustments in the offense as the game goes on. Arkansas State made it a point defensively to stop the run and make Stanzi beat them with his arm (which he did). I'm not claiming to be an offensive mastermind, if that's what you want to call O'Keefe. I just have to believe somewhere in Iowa's two-page playbook there is a sweep, or a misdirection run play. Not every play can be a stretch play to the short side of the field, Mr. O'Keefe. If Iowa wants to continue on its roll, the offensive play calling has to improve. That's all there is to it.
Final thoughts: Iowa won and that's all that matters. Oct. 3 is over and now Iowa can focus on what it was probably focusing on last week: Michigan.
Next week: The Hawks host Michigan (4-1, 1-1). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be aired nationally by ABC. This will be the first meeting between the two Big Ten foes since 2006, when Mike Hart, Chad Henne and the Wolverines hammered Iowa, 20-6, at the Big House in Ann Arbor, Mich.
And the game ball goes to...: Marvin McNutt (right). The ex-quarterback turned wide receiver pulled in two long (41, 43) touchdown passes from Ricky Stanzi on Saturday. When all was said and done, McNutt finished with four catches for 121 yards and two TDs. McNutt's performance was the first 100-yard receiving game for an Iowa receiver this season and vaulted him to the top of Iowa's receiving yardage heap with 242 yards. His 12 receptions on the year are second on the team to Trey Stross' 15.
Tip of the cap: to Tyler Sash. Despite a lackluster defensive performance, Sash picked off his fifth interception of the year which equals his total from last year. The sophomore from Oskaloosa, Iowa, also tallied eight tackles (1.5 tackles-for-loss). At this rate, Sash is on pace to set an NCAA-record with 12 interceptions in a season.'
Also, kudos to Kirk Ferentz for reaching 5-0 for the first time in his career at Iowa. Ferentz was 0-2 in games where the Hawks entered 4-0. Consider those demons exorcised.
Wag of the finger: to offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe. This would have gone to Stanzi for throwing two picks (one was returned for a touchdown), but "Pretty Ricky" did manage to put up a season-high 296 passing yards and accounted for all three of Iowa's TDs. The real problem with Iowa's offense is not Stanzi's up-and-down play and that was evident on Oct. 3. O'Keefe was right in not abandoning the run in the second half, despite Iowa's lowest rushing output of the season (124 yards). But he continues to not make adjustments in the offense as the game goes on. Arkansas State made it a point defensively to stop the run and make Stanzi beat them with his arm (which he did). I'm not claiming to be an offensive mastermind, if that's what you want to call O'Keefe. I just have to believe somewhere in Iowa's two-page playbook there is a sweep, or a misdirection run play. Not every play can be a stretch play to the short side of the field, Mr. O'Keefe. If Iowa wants to continue on its roll, the offensive play calling has to improve. That's all there is to it.
Final thoughts: Iowa won and that's all that matters. Oct. 3 is over and now Iowa can focus on what it was probably focusing on last week: Michigan.
Next week: The Hawks host Michigan (4-1, 1-1). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be aired nationally by ABC. This will be the first meeting between the two Big Ten foes since 2006, when Mike Hart, Chad Henne and the Wolverines hammered Iowa, 20-6, at the Big House in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Iowa vs. Arkansas State Pre-Game
No. 13/17 Iowa (4-0, 1-0) vs. Arkansas State (1-2, 0-1)
Kickoff: 11:00 a.m., Kinnick Stadium
TV/Radio: ESPN2, AM 800 KXIC
Line: Iowa, +22 (espn.com)
What to watch for
The Red Wolves rank ahead of Iowa in yards per game (358.3 for ASU, 347.8 for Iowa). They also average 32.3 points per game. That stat could be misleading, however, because of ASU's 61-0 over FCS opponent Mississippi Valley State in the season opener. In two losses against Nebraska and Troy, the Red Wolves have scored just 26 points.
Also, can Ricky Stanzi continue the form he showed at Penn State on Sept. 26? While Stanzi's touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio is even (5-5), he has thrown for 779 yards and his quarterback rating is 113.45.
Key Stat
Iowa has been 4-0 only two times under head coach Kirk Ferentz. And two times Iowa has come out of week five 4-1. In 2003, a 4-0 Iowa team fell 20-10 to Michigan State in East Lansing. In 2006, 4-0 Iowa got run out of Kinnick Stadium by No. 1 Ohio State to the tune of 38-17. In a match-up where they are the clear superior, can the Hawks stay focused with unbeaten, 20th-ranked Michigan looming for a homecoming date next weekend? Should Iowa win, it will be the first time since 1995 it has been 5-0.
Prediction
It might be a little messy and cold, but Iowa is going to impose its will on a feeble Arkansas State team. This one should be over by halftime.
Iowa 41, Arkansas State 3
Kickoff: 11:00 a.m., Kinnick Stadium
TV/Radio: ESPN2, AM 800 KXIC
Line: Iowa, +22 (espn.com)
What to watch for
The Red Wolves rank ahead of Iowa in yards per game (358.3 for ASU, 347.8 for Iowa). They also average 32.3 points per game. That stat could be misleading, however, because of ASU's 61-0 over FCS opponent Mississippi Valley State in the season opener. In two losses against Nebraska and Troy, the Red Wolves have scored just 26 points.
Also, can Ricky Stanzi continue the form he showed at Penn State on Sept. 26? While Stanzi's touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio is even (5-5), he has thrown for 779 yards and his quarterback rating is 113.45.
Key Stat
Iowa has been 4-0 only two times under head coach Kirk Ferentz. And two times Iowa has come out of week five 4-1. In 2003, a 4-0 Iowa team fell 20-10 to Michigan State in East Lansing. In 2006, 4-0 Iowa got run out of Kinnick Stadium by No. 1 Ohio State to the tune of 38-17. In a match-up where they are the clear superior, can the Hawks stay focused with unbeaten, 20th-ranked Michigan looming for a homecoming date next weekend? Should Iowa win, it will be the first time since 1995 it has been 5-0.
Prediction
It might be a little messy and cold, but Iowa is going to impose its will on a feeble Arkansas State team. This one should be over by halftime.
Iowa 41, Arkansas State 3
Montgomery named Honorary Captain
Former Iowa fullback and Waterloo, Iowa native Lew Montgomery has been named the honorary captain for tomorrow's showdown with Arkansas State.
Montgomery, a Waterloo East alum, was a letter winner at Iowa from 1989-92. He rushed for 1,093 yards and 17 touchdowns in his career with the Hawkeyes.
One of my first memories of Iowa football was at games in the early 90s. Every time Montgomery touched the ball, all the fans would yell "LLLLLEEWWWWWWW!" But, being just a little guy, I thought everyone was yelling BOOOOOOO.
Montgomery, a Waterloo East alum, was a letter winner at Iowa from 1989-92. He rushed for 1,093 yards and 17 touchdowns in his career with the Hawkeyes.
One of my first memories of Iowa football was at games in the early 90s. Every time Montgomery touched the ball, all the fans would yell "LLLLLEEWWWWWWW!" But, being just a little guy, I thought everyone was yelling BOOOOOOO.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)