I know recent history (i.e. the mess that was the '21 O) muddles the memory of many an Iowa fan ... however, I think that we all understand that Iowa's O is a deliberate-paced, ball-control O. That's a significant reason why Iowa Os traditionally don't rack up video game stats.
However, all that aside, I think that we can also agree that Iowa's Os still have historically underperformed/underachieved. I've long attributed that to the Hawks either having insufficient depth or talent at RB. It's almost laughable that Iowa is viewed as a "run-first" team (we actually ARE) ... and we've had little to no depth behind our top RB. In 2009, when Jewel Hampton went down to injury we had to move Adam Robinson back from safety to RB ... our feature backs that year were a RS FR (ARob) and a TR FR (Wegher). The next year, Adam gets his bell rung ... and the main guy behind him is Coker ... a guy who himself was injured through AT LEAST the first half of the season. Coker was a decent big back ... but he was still just a TR FR that season. The following season, the '11 season, Coker is "the man" ... and again after McCall quits on the team ... we essentially have no depth behind him.
I think that we've all seen that Wisconsin is a pretty elite squad when they have an elite-level RB shouldering the load ... but, when their personnel isn't there in the RB room ... and that happens every so often ... they're a VERY vulnerable team. It's like the Hawk O has been sitting at that precarious, vulnerable position for a long time.
Since maybe around 2015 ... the Hawks finally have attempted to have some depth at RB. Not shockingly, since that time, the Hawks have really enjoyed some nice success on the field. However, while Goodson was definitely a highly skilled back ... we haven't had backfield that has matched what Russell and Lewis brought to the table in '02. Greene and Hampton, in '08, was maybe the closest we've seen.
Anyhow, I know I'm an overly hopeful homer, but if you look at the guys the Hawks will be having in the RB room ... Williams, Williams, Hilson, Patterson, Johnson, and now Raphael (in '23) ... we're looking at a RB room with a nice variety of skill sets and quite a bit of talent! That seems to me to be "upping the ante" for the Hawks ... putting us in better position to contend for the division and the conference!
However, all that aside, I think that we can also agree that Iowa's Os still have historically underperformed/underachieved. I've long attributed that to the Hawks either having insufficient depth or talent at RB. It's almost laughable that Iowa is viewed as a "run-first" team (we actually ARE) ... and we've had little to no depth behind our top RB. In 2009, when Jewel Hampton went down to injury we had to move Adam Robinson back from safety to RB ... our feature backs that year were a RS FR (ARob) and a TR FR (Wegher). The next year, Adam gets his bell rung ... and the main guy behind him is Coker ... a guy who himself was injured through AT LEAST the first half of the season. Coker was a decent big back ... but he was still just a TR FR that season. The following season, the '11 season, Coker is "the man" ... and again after McCall quits on the team ... we essentially have no depth behind him.
I think that we've all seen that Wisconsin is a pretty elite squad when they have an elite-level RB shouldering the load ... but, when their personnel isn't there in the RB room ... and that happens every so often ... they're a VERY vulnerable team. It's like the Hawk O has been sitting at that precarious, vulnerable position for a long time.
Since maybe around 2015 ... the Hawks finally have attempted to have some depth at RB. Not shockingly, since that time, the Hawks have really enjoyed some nice success on the field. However, while Goodson was definitely a highly skilled back ... we haven't had backfield that has matched what Russell and Lewis brought to the table in '02. Greene and Hampton, in '08, was maybe the closest we've seen.
Anyhow, I know I'm an overly hopeful homer, but if you look at the guys the Hawks will be having in the RB room ... Williams, Williams, Hilson, Patterson, Johnson, and now Raphael (in '23) ... we're looking at a RB room with a nice variety of skill sets and quite a bit of talent! That seems to me to be "upping the ante" for the Hawks ... putting us in better position to contend for the division and the conference!