Monday Morning Musings: Hope?

Good Morning and a very Happy Monday!

Week One is in the books - well, kinda - and our Iowa Hawkeyes are a perfect 1-0. It was awesome and frustrating and boring and annoying and a terrible reason to miss Deion Sanders unleash his “Leaders” and “Dawgs” all over TCU all wrapped in one game.

And yet, I’m still feeling pretty ok about what we saw. Was it perfect? Nope. But I watched a lot of college football over the last three days and there wasn’t much perfection to be found.

Which ultimately is giving me hope for a few reasons:

1.) I know it’s going to come as a GIANT surprise, but I’m not willing to freak out about everything beyond the first three series of the game. Sure, I might be squinting and might even have my Guzzler Goggles still on, but what I saw was…better? Hear me out: Cade McNamara was at best 50-60% after spending the last several weeks nursing himself back to just “Questionable” status and he STILL looked better than anything we’ve seen captain the offense the last two years. The way he ripped throws was a welcome site. He seems to have pretty good command of almost everything and was a leader through and through. He took a few shots, made a few phenomenal throws, most likely reaggravated the quad and will probably be on injury watch all season long (which will be extremely annoying). But if you squinted it was pretty satisfying to watch all things considered. With a little more time in practice to gel, it should only get better.

Again, maybe I’m just an idiot eternal optimist, but I can see “it”. Does the offensive line need to be better? Hell yes! Does Iowa need to figure out how to run the ball more efficiently. Hell yes. Is it concerning that Utah State was talking trash about our inability to do it? Gutting honestly.

But just seeing a competent quarterback that has some zip with weapons (that seemingly were as shocked by that zip as I was) at his disposal was enough for me in a Week 1 that had way more questions than answers across the league.

2.) Say what you want about Brian Ferentz but I’m going to give it a few more weeks before I make up my mind on if he’s the same guy or not. I think I saw something different enough to give the man SOME slack. Something USC-Holiday Bowl-like. Does he deserve that slack? Maybe not. But the offense owed him a few more points for his efforts than he ultimately got. Juries out in my house but there were parts that WERE better and I’m choosing to be positive about that. Sue me. Actually don’t.

3.) Erick All Jr. and Luke Lachey can be this years Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson but I’m thinking they could potentially be better because of the QB play. Those two are mismatch nightmares and if the offensive line can just be average for Iowa the tight ends should create a gravity that allows others to eat too.

4.) Maybe it’s just me but holy moly did Kirk Ferentz look swole in his white polo. Sorry not sorry. I don’t know if he’s in the weight room more these days or started a new program but the man looks like he’s aging in reverse which depending on what side of the Iowa fence you’re on is a good thing or bad thing.

5.) I think my early leader for favorite player for the season is going to be linebacker Jay Higgins. He was an absolute monster on the field Saturday and reminded me of everything I had hoped Bruce Davis would’ve been back when I was on campus.

6.) 301 points left for Mr. 325…but it should be 297 or less.