ESPN Does Not Think Highly of Iowa Football

by Adam Jacobi on Feb 21, 2008 2:30 PM CST in Iowa Hawkeyes News

Brutal. For those of you who won't be bothered to click, some jagoff named Adam Rittenburg puts Iowa at 10th in the Big Ten.

And you know what? Fine. Let him. Preseason--hell, pre-spring--ratings don't mean anything, at all. The team probably won't even hear about this, much less see it or read it. It's just one bored writer with a moderately big audience.

Also, shockingly enough, I disagree with the idea. Iowa stands to improve the most of any team in the conference. They hit rock-bottom and still went .500 on the year. Minnesota's rock bottom was, um, a bit worse.

Jake Christensen will have better receivers to throw to, ones who might actually be where they're supposed to be. The entire offensive line is back, save the unfortunate shell of a tackle that is Big Dace Richardson. The Flyin' Hawaiian, Tony Moeaki, is finally going to be healthy again. You think Christensen could have used him as a safety outlet in BXI play last year? Maybe? Not to cast aspersions against Brandon Myers, who emerged as a legitimate tight end, but Moeaki's one of the best in the conference, if not the nation.

Iowa used 38 freshmen last year. All but two are back. They're fielding a much more veteran team than last season. By all measures of logic, they're on their way back up, not down.

Are they going to go 12-0? Odds are pretty fucking slim on that one. There's a long way to go back to the top, and there aren't enough playmakers on the team to get there in 2008. Could they go 10-2 or 9-3? With this schedule, definitely. No Ohio State, no Michigan, and the toughest road game is, like, Illinois. I ain't scurred.

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But to be fair

Iowa hasn't exactly lit up the phone lines earning trust the past 3 years. Granted, they aren't 10th-place bad, and talent-wise are probably 4th-6th, but they have been the last 3 as well. I think, with this schedule, a 8-4 record should be expected, with a hopeful look to 10-2. Anything less than 8-4 should lead to certain dismissals from the coaching staff (KOK you douche) and revamping the offense.

by jason3kidd on Feb 21, 2008 3:49 PM CST reply actions

Phone lines

The only thing in the BXI to be lighting up phone lines recently has been Kelvin Sampson. ZING!!

I'm sorry everyone.

by Buddy Light on Feb 21, 2008 3:58 PM CST up reply actions

Dismissal (or a Heart Attack)?

Coach Ferentz just got an extension today so you can forget that.

by jebushchrist on Feb 21, 2008 5:02 PM CST up reply actions

I hope not heart attack, I like you guys

I was speaking more to an extension to KOK than KF. I believe in KF. I don't believe in his OC or DC.

by jason3kidd on Feb 22, 2008 9:52 AM CST up reply actions

sure thing

Thing is, Coach Ferentz won't cap an assistant. So whenever he's extended, so's KOK.

by jebushchrist on Feb 22, 2008 11:26 AM CST up reply actions

Fine, but...

I'm hoping that KF grows a set sometime this year. Hoping, not thinking he will. Anything less than 8-4 has got to show a need for change. Has to. And I really don't believe he's dumb enough to sit on his hands while he loses segments of the fan base.

by jason3kidd on Feb 22, 2008 12:49 PM CST up reply actions

Nope

(1) KF just went 6-6, missed a bowl game, and lost to Iowa State, Indiana (at home), and Western Michigan (also at home). He got an extension. So why would he change anything?

(2) Correct me if I'm wrong, but KOK gave KF his first full-time coaching job. There's no way he's getting fired. KF will go down with the ship before KOK gets the axe. There is a reason why Joe Philbin left for Green Bay (besides the fact that it's the NFL); the glass ceiling on Iowa's offensive staff is painfully obvious and clearly Irish.

by Patrick Vint on Feb 22, 2008 1:52 PM CST up reply actions

Not saying it WON'T

Simply hoping. I have faith KF isn't that stupid. I may be wrong, and this is the year to find out. But hoping nonetheless.

by jason3kidd on Feb 22, 2008 2:03 PM CST up reply actions

You gotta be kiddng me....

Christensen could have had Godzilla as a tight end, and over thrown him....(or behind..or at his feet).

Hawks....yup, I like 'em

by Rozhawkfan on Feb 21, 2008 4:47 PM CST reply actions

JC

He had some very bad moments. But not as many as most people think.

If a pass sails a foot behind a receiver, it's not automatically the quarterback's fault. Did the receiver make the right cut? Did the quarterback hurry the throw because Vandervelde was thrown into him by an angry giant? Do the offensive coordinator's late-night molestations linger in the quarterback's mind? All factors to consider.

by Adam Jacobi on Feb 21, 2008 4:55 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah.....Maybe

But...those moments don't include the missiles he throws...and when a missile goes off course, I don't care what kind of route you run...unless you have a 124" high-jump, it's not going to get caught. There were way to many of these types of passes last year with NOBODY rushing him...JC, out in the open with plenty of time. A "good" QB will adjust somewhat over the year, with just the practice time he gets with his receivers, and not throw fuckin' ballistic 98 times out of 100.

Hawks....yup, I like 'em

by Rozhawkfan on Feb 21, 2008 7:32 PM CST up reply actions