Tempered Expectations

[broth87]

I don't know how everyone else feels, but I remember being crushed in 2009 when we lost to Northwestern. That was as close as many of us have ever seen to Iowa doing something truly remarkable. This time around, I'm trying to stay level headed about this. I still see some things that give me concern, but I see some really really good stuff too. I think Brian Ferentz deserves massive kudos for how the offensive line is playing, and the decision this last week to move Welsh and keep Daniels inside. I think Greg Davis is doing some good things with his play calling but I also wonder how much of it is having a quarterback who isn't afraid to push the ball down the field.
My biggest pause still rests with our head coach. I think our coaching staff is absolutely tremendous at developing football players. I really don't think that point can be argued. Even in years where we've struggled, his program has been competitive and games come down to the wire. I'm scared to death of our coaching staff's game management and decision making. One of these remaining 5 games is gonna be tight and come down to the 4th quarter and I continue to believe our coaching staff struggles with game management. And my fear is that is what derails this team and the run they're on. The biggest fear is that it happens in Lincoln on Black Friday.
We are a special football team on both lines of scrimmage. Hopefully that continues and our staff continues to develop the toughness and attitude on the line to sustain it the rest of the way. If that happens, we will be an awfully difficult team to beat. I saw nothing out of Michigan State or Michigan, and frankly Ohio State for the matter too, that says to me that they're out of our league.

 

[slugar]

As long as we take it one game at a time we should be fine!

 

[FranklinHawk]

I don't know how everyone else feels, but I remember being crushed in 2009 when we lost to Northwestern. That was as close as many of us have ever seen to Iowa doing something truly remarkable. This time around, I'm trying to stay level headed about this. I still see some things that give me concern, but I see some really really good stuff too. I think Brian Ferentz deserves massive kudos for how the offensive line is playing, and the decision this last week to move Welsh and keep Daniels inside. I think Greg Davis is doing some good things with his play calling but I also wonder how much of it is having a quarterback who isn't afraid to push the ball down the field.
My biggest pause still rests with our head coach. I think our coaching staff is absolutely tremendous at developing football players. I really don't think that point can be argued. Even in years where we've struggled, his program has been competitive and games come down to the wire. I'm scared to death of our coaching staff's game management and decision making. One of these remaining 5 games is gonna be tight and come down to the 4th quarter and I continue to believe our coaching staff struggles with game management. And my fear is that is what derails this team and the run they're on. The biggest fear is that it happens in Lincoln on Black Friday.
We are a special football team on both lines of scrimmage. Hopefully that continues and our staff continues to develop the toughness and attitude on the line to sustain it the rest of the way. If that happens, we will be an awfully difficult team to beat. I saw nothing out of Michigan State or Michigan, and frankly Ohio State for the matter too, that says to me that they're out of our league.

You mean a game is going to be tight and come down to the 4th quarter like the Pitt game? That turned out pretty well for us.

 

[Packer54]

I believe the biggest key to the game with Nebraska is make it meaningless relative to the West title. In other words win the other 4 games. Heck, who knows, Wisky may lose to Illinois. The way they played against Purdue at home they are going to have a tough game this week. Anyway, regardless, take care of Maryland and move forward. These next four games we should be able to pound the ball and sprinkle in some play action, control the clock and take care of business. Do that and the game at Nebraska becomes less pressurized.

 

[swihawkeye]

The game at neb is already less pressurized. I expect we will win that that game. We have already beaten better teams than them on the road. Ranked teams to boot.

Not worried.

 

[ichawk24]

 

[IACub]

I don't know how everyone else feels, but I remember being crushed in 2009 when we lost to Northwestern. That was as close as many of us have ever seen to Iowa doing something truly remarkable. This time around, I'm trying to stay level headed about this. I still see some things that give me concern, but I see some really really good stuff too. I think Brian Ferentz deserves massive kudos for how the offensive line is playing, and the decision this last week to move Welsh and keep Daniels inside. I think Greg Davis is doing some good things with his play calling but I also wonder how much of it is having a quarterback who isn't afraid to push the ball down the field.
My biggest pause still rests with our head coach. I think our coaching staff is absolutely tremendous at developing football players. I really don't think that point can be argued. Even in years where we've struggled, his program has been competitive and games come down to the wire. I'm scared to death of our coaching staff's game management and decision making. One of these remaining 5 games is gonna be tight and come down to the 4th quarter and I continue to believe our coaching staff struggles with game management. And my fear is that is what derails this team and the run they're on. The biggest fear is that it happens in Lincoln on Black Friday.
We are a special football team on both lines of scrimmage. Hopefully that continues and our staff continues to develop the toughness and attitude on the line to sustain it the rest of the way. If that happens, we will be an awfully difficult team to beat. I saw nothing out of Michigan State or Michigan, and frankly Ohio State for the matter too, that says to me that they're out of our league.

LOL, if it comes down to clock management, I'm certainly not worried about Nebraska. Have you watched their end-of-game coaching this year?

 

[broth87]

I'm more concerned about losing this special season and a chance to run the table than I am specifically Nebraska, although I do think that is the toughest game remaining. I understand we won the Pitt game. We weren't gonna lose that game. We were up 7. That situation I'm not worried about. It's when we're down 3 or 6 and have to put a drive together and work the clock that I worry about our coaching staff. I think what our coaches do well, they do exceptionally well. That's develop players and teach fundamentals and prepare guys for the next level. What our staff doesn't do well has the ability to influence the outcome of close games, as we've seen many times over the Ferentz tenure, and that is game management. I don't like all the fake field goals and 1st quarter decisions to take points off the board either. He's listened to too many people in our fan base who don't know their rear ends from a hole in the ground. Just be sound managing games and putting points on the board with this defense and I believe we'll run the table.

 

[Recruiting Violation]

I don't know how everyone else feels, but I remember being crushed in 2009 when we lost to Northwestern. That was as close as many of us have ever seen to Iowa doing something truly remarkable.
------------------------------------------
I'm more concerned about losing this special season and a chance to run the table than I am specifically Nebraska, although I do think that is the toughest game remaining.

Maybe I'm in the minority (though I suspect I'm not), but I consider 2009 to still have been a pretty special season.

 

[BUCKSNDUCKS]

Indiana's offense is more of a concern right now

 

[IACub]

Indiana's offense is more of a concern right now

Doesn't matter if you can score 872 points on them.

 

[broth87]

2009 was special. No doubt about it. But losing the undefeated season massively sucked, especially the way it went down. That's all I was saying.

 

[bagdropper]

It is ok to elevate expectations individually as a fan, as long as you understand that if you now expect Iowa to go undefeated and they don't, you set yourself up for the letdown. To my knowledge, Iowa has never had an undefeated, untied regular season...so I just will not count that as money in the bank quite yet.

That's just how I roll. I don't want to get crushed like 2009 and 1985's losses did to me.

I want to enjoy each and every game, one game at a time. For me, it's that simple. So while I am thrilled with the start, I'm tempering my expectations to literally one game at a time. I don't want to worry about 12-0 until Iowa's 11-0.

I've seen posts trying to hate on the 7-0 start, posts trying to assign blame to Ferentz over Mitchell/Wadley combo Derrick Willies style, I've see posters looking to play the victim card in the land of polls and national beat writers, I've see posts resurrecting old threads playing the gotchya game.

I just have a hard time letting anything get me down at this point I guess, but also want to remain level headed about the start because to me it just makes sense to take the games one at a time.

Everything will sort itself out over time. I say, lie back and enjoy the ride.

 

[HawkeyeinOmaha]

Hard to argue with 7-0.

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

It is ok to elevate expectations individually as a fan, as long as you understand that if you now expect Iowa to go undefeated and they don't, you set yourself up for the letdown. To my knowledge, Iowa has never had an undefeated, untied regular season...so I just will not count that as money in the bank quite yet.

1921 & 1922 called, they want their undefeated seasons back.

1921 7-0-0 Big Ten Conference Champions
1922 7-0-0 Big Ten Conference Co-Champions
http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/i/iowa/championships.php

 

[hawkit3113]

The OP needs to shut the hell up. What a stupid thread. I can't believe I just wasted my time. You go ahead and temper your expectations OP. I will be busy riding the wave.

 

[dcfan1]

It is ok to elevate expectations individually as a fan, as long as you understand that if you now expect Iowa to go undefeated and they don't, you set yourself up for the letdown. To my knowledge, Iowa has never had an undefeated, untied regular season...so I just will not count that as money in the bank quite yet.

That's just how I roll. I don't want to get crushed like 2009 and 1985's losses did to me.

I want to enjoy each and every game, one game at a time. For me, it's that simple. So while I am thrilled with the start, I'm tempering my expectations to literally one game at a time. I don't want to worry about 12-0 until Iowa's 11-0.

I've seen posts trying to hate on the 7-0 start, posts trying to assign blame to Ferentz over Mitchell/Wadley combo Derrick Willies style, I've see posters looking to play the victim card in the land of polls and national beat writers, I've see posts resurrecting old threads playing the gotchya game.

I just have a hard time letting anything get me down at this point I guess, but also want to remain level headed about the start because to me it just makes sense to take the games one at a time.

Everything will sort itself out over time. I say, lie back and enjoy the ride.

Yep, pretty much summed it up. One game at a time is the only way to go. Nice post.

 

[bagdropper]

1921 & 1922 called, they want their undefeated seasons back.

1921 7-0-0 Big Ten Conference Champions
1922 7-0-0 Big Ten Conference Co-Champions
http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/i/iowa/championships.php

Maybe I should have caveated it with "post WWII" or "my lifetime" (b. 1962) or something to that effect. I did after all state "to my knowledge".

I just don't believe in setting myself up to get crushed when I don't have to. The team is going to publicly protray themselves as "one game at a time", I see no reason why a fan base can't (and maybe shouldn't) do the exact same.

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

Maybe I should have caveated it with "post WWII" or "my lifetime" (b. 1962) or something to that effect. I did after all state "to my knowledge".

I just don't believe in setting myself up to get crushed when I don't have to. The team is going to publicly protray themselves as "one game at a time", I see no reason why a fan base can't (and maybe shouldn't) do the exact same.

fair enough, just some friendly ribbing.

how about 1 week to think of the possibilities and next week we focus all our ire towards the hated evil Terps? is that fair?

 

[BigTenHawkeye]

You mean a game is going to be tight and come down to the 4th quarter like the Pitt game? That turned out pretty well for us.

Or Iowa St...Or Wisconsin...Or Illinois...

 

[bagdropper]

I know...I posted in a couple threads yesterday...this is going to be a LONG two weeks.

We're going to have rock throwers from posters from this site. Posters from OSU, MSU, and all the sites Iowa now lines up with as far as bowl games and the playoff. Other B10 team posters below us on the standings totem pole.

We are going to be told that we haven't beaten anybody, that we aren't playing anybody else, that we will lose, or what will truly be funny to see - that we will get our asses kicked in the B10CCG...we will be told that Ferentz owes us for back seasons.

We are also going to take a beating from writers, bloggers, and TV talking heads galore.


In short...we are going to get pummled with just about every single thing one can think of to somehow quantify that 7-0 really isn't 7-0.

 

[J_Heater]

Nobody should be tempering their expectations unless it's in regards to how you will feel about the season. If you predicted 7-5 right now your emotions should be playing with house money. You have nothing to be disappointed about even if we drop 5 straight.

However, every Hawkeye fan, including the ISU and Nebraska trolls that frequent this site should be thinking National title. Situations like this don't come along very often to Iowa City and they will continue to NOT come along very often.

Have some heart. If it gets broke, you pick up and move on. It's not that serious.

What is the fear here, that we go to the playoffs and get waxed. Happened to Florida State last year. You think there fans are tempering expectations?

 

[ChosenChildren]

I don't think this coaching staff will get too far ahead. Not with all of the injuries. Let's get healthier and try to beat Maryland, and then go from there. It's all about preparation for Maryland right now.

 

[Pepperman]

Situations like this don't come along very often to Iowa City and they will continue to NOT come along very often.

Have some heart. If it gets broke, you pick up and move on. It's not that serious.

As somebody who thought this year's team was going 8-4, maybe 9-3 if everything fell into place, I want to say two things:

1) I agree absolutely with what heat_dawg posted. At this point, we need to embrace it and hope for the best. These situations don't come about very often. We have a shot to play for the B1G championship, and if we win that, we might go to the playoffs. We certainly will be in the playoffs if we are 13-0.

2) If a loss does come, I'm just hopeful that once we've picked up the pieces of our broken hearts, we get back to realizing this team is special and surpassed 99% of each individual fan's expectations.

 

[swihawkeye]

Expectations like opinions, will vary. Every fan sets their own. That's OK.

 

[ABYPFCS]

One game at a time is definitely thinking the correct way, if you are a player or a coach. If you are a fan, nothing wrong with thinking 12-0 and then beating a team from either Michigan or Ohio, and playing in the National Championship playoff!

 

[7thsummitcoach]

The way some of you post reminds me of the guy who is afraid to ask the cheerleader out on a date. She might say no. So to temper my expectations, and not to get all butthurt I am going to go ask this little wallflower at least she will take me.

 

[Suterman]

Well...I love our head coach and his staff and this team. I am 100% invested and if we lose I will feel exactly the same way I do now.

 

[HobbieHawk]

1921 & 1922 called, they want their undefeated seasons back.

1921 7-0-0 Big Ten Conference Champions
1922 7-0-0 Big Ten Conference Co-Champions
http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/i/iowa/championships.php

I count 1921 as a National Championship since we were invited to the Rose Bowl but the Big Ten conference forced us to decline the offer.

Parke Davis select Iowa as 1921 National Champions (with Lafayette and Cornell)