CJ prediction.

[gohawkz]

We all saw his groin injury halfway through this season, guy could literally barely walk back to the huddle. I still can't believe he was able to keep playing.

Now he's moving better but the last two games have been sub freezing temps with strong winds.

I think that playing in the dome on Saturday we'll see CJ connect on a couple of nice down the field passes that we haven't seen for a while.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

I hope so, Iowa will need to hit a few over the top to have a chance.

 

[citizenHawk]

It largely depends on the time he can get in the pocket. It's going to be nothing but screens and short routes to the tight ends until MSU slows down a little bit.

It seems the injury took a lot of those deep shots away, but it also seems like Iowa decided their game could rely on longer drives. That may change playing against a tougher defense.

 

[ICHawk95]

I think he'll have a huge game. He doesn't seem to love the cold weather and it was smart to play it safe with the weather conditions in Lincoln. Someone else posted this and I agree with it, it feels like the coaches are holding some thing back so as not to show their cards. Something tells me the offense will fire on all cylinders this Saturday.

 

[sloehawk]

I think he'll have a huge game. He doesn't seem to love the cold weather and it was smart to play it safe with the weather conditions in Lincoln. Someone else posted this and I agree with it, it feels like the coaches are holding some thing back so as not to show their cards. Something tells me the offense will fire on all cylinders this Saturday.

Kirk is going to play it safe if it's 85 and sunny and wind at your back. That's who he is and that hasn't changed (other than letting CJ try to score at the end of the 1st half - that has been a delightful change!). Remember those fake field goals in the early part of the season? Me thinks that was a lot of show, and wasn't going to happen when the Conference season started, and I don't recall it happening. But he may have planted a little seed that it was possible, no matter how unlikely.

You have to remember Iowa has been ahead about 99% of the year have they not? Kirk playing with a lead, the air gets taken out of the ball, always has, always will. I'm not even trying to be critical, I believe it's factual. I believe this QB and this Offense were quite capable of putting several teams away this year that ended up with onside kicks that were completely unnecessary. The ground game has been the biggest factor, and as long as that keeps working it ain't changing.

New Kirk or Old Kirk, he doesn't do a whole lot of "holding back", IMO of course. We won't see anything different in the Title game IF we can manage to get a lead and maintain it for awhile (or be within sniffing distance at all times). I'm assuming this game will come down to an onside kick too, and I hope MSU is the one doing the kicking...................

 

[RocknRollface]

Well, we are going to throw the ball more than we have the last few weeks, that's almost guaranteed.

Were not going to be able to sit back and play it safe, this opponent is too good.

I really wish CJ was 100 percent, his mobility has improved but still hasn't looked close to what it was early in the year and he's not taking those big shots down field anymore either. We really haven't seen him air it all the way out since last season when he had a true speedster in Powell to throw to.

If he's healthy there's no doubt in my mind he's the most dynamic QB in the league.

As it stands I'm not sure.

 

[Herkmeister]

I think he'll have a huge game. He doesn't seem to love the cold weather and it was smart to play it safe with the weather conditions in Lincoln. Someone else posted this and I agree with it, it feels like the coaches are holding some thing back so as not to show their cards. Something tells me the offense will fire on all cylinders this Saturday.

Totally agree.

 

[Herkmeister]

Well, we are going to throw the ball more than we have the last few weeks, that's almost guaranteed.

Were not going to be able to sit back and play it safe, this opponent is too good.

I really wish CJ was 100 percent, his mobility has improved but still hasn't looked close to what it was early in the year and he's not taking those big shots down field anymore either. We really haven't seen him air it all the way out since last season when he had a true speedster in Powell to throw to.

If he's healthy there's no doubt in my mind he's the most dynamic QB in the league.

As it stands I'm not sure.

We might see a little more J Smith for this very reason.

 

[hawkedoff]

We took shots down the field. We just didn't connect.

 

[Mohawkeye]

I look for CJ to run a lot. He has been playing conservative due to his injury and the cold and our leads. MSU brings s lot of pressure up front, but that tends to open up the running lanes.

 

[bravehawks1]

Biggest concern with MSU is their WR if he gets matched up on Mabin and their LB's. In the past, we have struggled with the speed of these LB's filling from the backside on our running game. However, our RB are a little quicker this season and get to the hole to offset this situation. Healthy Wadley would help with this. That and some play action with TE running seam routes or running across the flow. That TD to Hank against Purdue is perfect example of play to beat an aggressive front seven. Getting screen passes to Canzeri or Mitchell would be good to see as well.

 

[whatsup13579er]

Throwing conditions the last 2 weeks have been brutal. Cold temps plus wind. Throwing a cold, slick football (and catching said football) is not an easy thing to do.

Hopefully CJ is as heathy as he has looked. I think his groin/hip injury really impacted his deep throws the last month or two. A couple long completions could be a game changer Saturday.

 

[1971hawkeye]

Look out if we do the bend and break. We at least need a pass rush. Cook will eat us alive and ware our D out all the way down the field. We need to blitz often if we aren't going to play man (which we never do). At least blitz on passing downs.
We can not stand back 10 to 15 yards off their recievers and expect cook not to hit them consistently and often.
CJ will do good this week, but if D doesn't hold on 3rd downs we are in for a long day.

 

[Jonesingforhawkeyes]

I honestly do not think we will see any difference in the offense other then maybe a few more "shots down field". Why change anything that has been working all year. We just do not have the time to put in any "new wrinkles". So with that being said IMO I personally will not be looking for any changes in our offense.
My main concern is that if our O-line can keep sparty from getting to CJB when he does have to chuck the rock. If CJB does have to scramble around and can not keep from taking that big hit when he does have to run, well then...............

I for one am hoping that KF & BF are putting emphasis on making sure that everyone knows their place in pass protection and picking up the blitzing backs. CJB has to come out of this game unscathed, he is getting healthier every week.

After our HAWKEYES beat sparty they will have around a month to prepare for the next team on the HAWKEYES hit list. That's when with a near 100% healthy CJB and the first game of the CFPs is when you can expect to see the HAWKEYES with a few "new wrinkles".

 

[cedarvalleykid14]

If you go back and look at the first four or five games, and even last year, when CJ is healthy, he is dynamic on the ground and in the air. I'm thinking we see the early season CJ on Saturday. His health is much better than it has been, and playing in excellent conditions could be a perfect storm for CJ and the Iowa offense. The Hawkeye offense has been on the verge of blowing people away much of the season, but the combination of injuries, weather conditions, and the maddening conservative play calling have combined to keep things in check.

Saturday needs to be Iowa's first, or at least best, 60-minute effort on both sides of the ball. I know it won't happen, but I will continue to wish for KF and GD to get aggressive with the ball. Give CJ time to burn the Sparties deep and he will. Again, I know it won't happen, but I'd LOVE to see Parker, Tevaun and Jerminic on the field together for about a dozen snaps. See what MSU can do to handle three speedsters at once. Why would that be so difficult for Iowa to try?

And please, football gods, let's see some misdirection in the running game. Aggressive defenses like Pitt and MSU are begging for counter action, and with Canzeri, Daniels, and Wadley, they don't need much to take it all the way. We've seen it plenty of times.

And while I'm at it, it would be awesome to throw a trick play in every quarter: a throwback (like Minnesota used), another halfback pass, a flea-flicker, and a hook-and-lateral would be awesome. Even a shovel pass or two would be something....

Iowa's offense has SO many options. It could be so much more entertaining AND effective. I'm just hoping CJ & Company can get it done one more time.

 

[J_Heater]

I hope so, Iowa will need to hit a few over the top to have a chance.

They hit exactly 0 over the top and they never trailed in this game. They controlled it from start to finish. You really have no idea what you are watching do you?

 

[acic1]

Throwing conditions the last 2 weeks have been brutal. Cold temps plus wind. Throwing a cold, slick football (and catching said football) is not an easy thing to do.

Hopefully CJ is as heathy as he has looked. I think his groin/hip injury really impacted his deep throws the last month or two. A couple long completions could be a game changer Saturday.

I could be mistaken, but I believe that last week, the commentators said that CJ claimed that (Neb. Game week) he was feeling the best he has since the injury.

 

[hawkeyesx6]

Rematched the ISU game this weekend.....CJ looked like he was shot out of a cannon running the fb....can't even imagine how many points we would have put up all year if he was 100%.

 

[whatsup13579er]

I could be mistaken, but I believe that last week, the commentators said that CJ claimed that (Neb. Game week) he was feeling the best he has since the injury.

You can tell he feels healthier just by the way he moves around at the start of the last couple games. I just hope he doesn't tweak anything again because you can easily tell when he does that too. A healthy CJ is a dangerous weapon.