Name your 'biggest weakness' to this 2018 Iowa team.
- Thread starter DEREKoh2
- Start date
1) Punting - although a healthy Gersonde should help
2) LB experience - we'll have to navigate through some growing pains sans Jewell & Niemann
3) OL Depth as mentioned - we will miss Daniels
4) WR - no surprise but I expect this position group to be much better than last year and another year in the system should help!
2) LB experience - we'll have to navigate through some growing pains sans Jewell & Niemann
3) OL Depth as mentioned - we will miss Daniels
4) WR - no surprise but I expect this position group to be much better than last year and another year in the system should help!
The downfield passing game. An extra second or two of protection from the line, and some separation and ability to win some 50/50 balls from the WR corp would do wonders for this team.
LB are my biggest concerns
the OL is not if it looks like this
LT FR AA Jackson backup RSFR Kallenberger 4* by 2 sites
LG SR Reynolds, RSFR Kirkpatrick converted from the DL
C SR Renders SO Barnwart
RG RSJR Levi RSJR Landen Paulson
RT SO Wirfs RSSR Dalton Ferguson
the OL is the least of my concerns.
the OL is not if it looks like this
LT FR AA Jackson backup RSFR Kallenberger 4* by 2 sites
LG SR Reynolds, RSFR Kirkpatrick converted from the DL
C SR Renders SO Barnwart
RG RSJR Levi RSJR Landen Paulson
RT SO Wirfs RSSR Dalton Ferguson
the OL is the least of my concerns.
My biggest weakness this football season is probably low alcohol tolerance.
QB depth. 2 transfers and a position change have left the Hawkeyes with 1 RS FR and 1 true FR as the only scholarship backups (talented but zero experience).
If Stanley gets hurt we in deep doo-doo.
If Stanley gets hurt we in deep doo-doo.
Iowa's likely going to be very average defensively.
I would watch to see how the new lbs and adequate (but non-dominant) DTs perform early in the season against running attacks from isu, wisky.
Also how the new lbs and cbs (at this point none has demonstrated lock down ability) hold up against isu's passing game.
DE and safety are strengths but will they be good/quick enough to cover up remaining weaknesses? If the O helps us get by early in the year, perhaps the overall D will come around later.
I would watch to see how the new lbs and adequate (but non-dominant) DTs perform early in the season against running attacks from isu, wisky.
Also how the new lbs and cbs (at this point none has demonstrated lock down ability) hold up against isu's passing game.
DE and safety are strengths but will they be good/quick enough to cover up remaining weaknesses? If the O helps us get by early in the year, perhaps the overall D will come around later.
1. Linebackers
2. Linebackers
3. Linebackers
4. Punting
2. Linebackers
3. Linebackers
4. Punting
LBs... just because its the biggest unknown. Wallace's comments on Hawk Central didn't do anything to ease those concerns either.
I like that there is a lot of competition for spots though... guys will be hungry. Working a safety with experience in one of the LB spots may ease the growing pains too.
Lots of time to work yourselves into a fervor one way or another for any position group though. Long ways til opening day guys so don't blow your loads in one thread.
I like that there is a lot of competition for spots though... guys will be hungry. Working a safety with experience in one of the LB spots may ease the growing pains too.
Lots of time to work yourselves into a fervor one way or another for any position group though. Long ways til opening day guys so don't blow your loads in one thread.
Linebackers I think will be the surprise position group this season. I'm sure the inexperience will show, at least in the beginning part of the season, but physically they're better than our last group.
On the offensive side of the ball I was not impressed by our veterans in the trenches. Our tackles will be lights out but the interior will be quite bad. If both of our tackles go down like last season I doubt we could run the ball 100+ yards/game.
Otherwise, every other position group is good enough (WR, led by Easley) to great (TE, DE, arguably safeties)
On the offensive side of the ball I was not impressed by our veterans in the trenches. Our tackles will be lights out but the interior will be quite bad. If both of our tackles go down like last season I doubt we could run the ball 100+ yards/game.
Otherwise, every other position group is good enough (WR, led by Easley) to great (TE, DE, arguably safeties)
At least there is comfort in the fact that linebackers best friends are a strong DL, plus we have a lot of experience returning in the secondary.
From what I can tell, besides LB, the biggest weaknesses or unknowns are with the punting unit, WR and interior OL. We've grown accustomed to solid play from the center position, but we are breaking in a new one and that is always cause for concern. While there is optimism and promise in the WR room, until they produce it remains a weakness on the team.
Biggest weakness: game strategy
Iowa has the kids to win 9 or more games with this schedule. (I'm including the bowl game with that number)
Going on year 20 of battle strategy being field position rather than point supremacy.
I would say Iowa's avg yearly win total would be 1 additional game if the latter was the strategy.
I think I read a thousand posts (including from mods at other websites) who said Brian should be OC because he could change his father's ultra-conservative battle strategy. I saw glimpses of it last year, but not nearly as much as is needed. Phil also needs to strategically blitz more.
Small tweaks to offense and defense could yield outsize results.
It will be interesting to see how things evolve in 2018.
Iowa has the kids to win 9 or more games with this schedule. (I'm including the bowl game with that number)
Going on year 20 of battle strategy being field position rather than point supremacy.
I would say Iowa's avg yearly win total would be 1 additional game if the latter was the strategy.
I think I read a thousand posts (including from mods at other websites) who said Brian should be OC because he could change his father's ultra-conservative battle strategy. I saw glimpses of it last year, but not nearly as much as is needed. Phil also needs to strategically blitz more.
Small tweaks to offense and defense could yield outsize results.
It will be interesting to see how things evolve in 2018.
Linebacker-I think there is a lot of talent there but it will take a while to gel.
CB is my biggest concern. There are 3 guys who have played considerable snaps. They may grow into the role and become stars. Parker definitely has a history of shaping solid corners. I just haven't seen anything from those three players YET that creates confidence.
CB is my biggest concern. There are 3 guys who have played considerable snaps. They may grow into the role and become stars. Parker definitely has a history of shaping solid corners. I just haven't seen anything from those three players YET that creates confidence.
the DL is not a issue, there are 7 of the top 8 returning and Morgan rotated them all season. rememnber neither Carl Davis or Johnson did much till their JR and SR seasons.
this should be this years starting line
RSJR DE 6'7 Anthony Nelson who led the team in sacks
RSSR DE 6'3 Hesse a 4th year starter after replacing All BT DE Ott
RSSR DT 6'8 295 lb Matt Nelson
JR DT 6'3 295 lb Lattimore
key backups
SO DE 5* DE Eppinesa 6'5 275 lb
RSSR DE Brinks 6'5 275 lbs
and we have yet to here about 6'3 305 lb FR Shannon
this should be this years starting line
RSJR DE 6'7 Anthony Nelson who led the team in sacks
RSSR DE 6'3 Hesse a 4th year starter after replacing All BT DE Ott
RSSR DT 6'8 295 lb Matt Nelson
JR DT 6'3 295 lb Lattimore
key backups
SO DE 5* DE Eppinesa 6'5 275 lb
RSSR DE Brinks 6'5 275 lbs
and we have yet to here about 6'3 305 lb FR Shannon
Most concerning unknown weakness: Linebackers. We all hope, as KF likes to say, that a bunch of good stories emerge from this position group. But we just haven't seen them enough to know anything at this point.
Most concerning known weakness: Punting. Unfortunately, we were all witness to more than enough ineptitude out of this position group last season. If it doesn't improve, we'll have real trouble again this year in flipping field position, which we know is one of the tent poles of KF's overarching football philosophy.
Most concerning known weakness: Punting. Unfortunately, we were all witness to more than enough ineptitude out of this position group last season. If it doesn't improve, we'll have real trouble again this year in flipping field position, which we know is one of the tent poles of KF's overarching football philosophy.
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LBs, particularly recognizing pass and disrupting and/or covering TEs and RBs. I do expect that the LBs might surprise vs the run.
Not being able to protect stanley. Wr getting better with easley and groeneweg. But still to many drops. Not going out and getting an experienced OC last year. I think BF will be good. But it will take until year three. Until then it will be up and down like last year. Not enough depth on the oline if injuries come.
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Nobody but me notices how many passes we flat out drop compared to other teams. Lol lol they dont keep stats on dropped passes but they should. Dont you people watch other teams. Wisc WR way better and they dont drop passes when wide open.
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O-line. This team will go as far as that group takes them. Everything else has the potential to fall into place offensively with that.
If Iowa is better offensively, it can help to cover up any defensive issues that may occur.
Not worried about LB's or the defense in general at all. Sure there will be growing pains with that LB unit, but my hope is the secondary and d-line will help mitigate that.
If Iowa is better offensively, it can help to cover up any defensive issues that may occur.
Not worried about LB's or the defense in general at all. Sure there will be growing pains with that LB unit, but my hope is the secondary and d-line will help mitigate that.
If Iowa's D doesn't take a step backwards after losing players like Jackson and Jewell in fact all LBers then the program has took a huge turn to the positive. Very tough to replace this talent.
Only concern I have is a key player getting hurt or in trouble in some way.....Losing Josh Jackson and Josey Jewel were huge losses. Need those repacements to step up. Expect big season from Rugumba (sp ? )
"How can we ever replace Desmond King?"
Good coaches replace good players. Next man in. Not rocket science. Also, apparently only Iowa loses players each year, every other team has zero injuries or graduations or transfers. Very confusing how that works.
Could some returning starters actually be better this year than last? Does chemistry sometime improve with players exiting and new ones entering? Could the OC be better this year than last? Could other programs be breaking in new systems or coaches which handicaps them? Could these things offset Iowa losses?
Good coaches replace good players. Next man in. Not rocket science. Also, apparently only Iowa loses players each year, every other team has zero injuries or graduations or transfers. Very confusing how that works.
Could some returning starters actually be better this year than last? Does chemistry sometime improve with players exiting and new ones entering? Could the OC be better this year than last? Could other programs be breaking in new systems or coaches which handicaps them? Could these things offset Iowa losses?
If past performance has any influence on future predictability, we won't have Redbull55 to look forward to for very long ( Redbull55 meet the ban hammer).
