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Football
Big Ten Countdown - Number Three (Tie)
By Tony Gerdeman

3. (tie) Iowa

Predicted Finish

9-3 (6-2)

Two-Cent Overview

Everybody's All-American (without ever even being named All-Conference) Ricky Stanzi returns at quarterback, and he'll be handing the ball off to at least two talented running backs, and throwing the ball to at least two talented receivers. Fittingly, only two talented offensive linemen return from last year's starting lineup. The defense returns one of the best front fours in the nation, but they'll be looking for two new linebackers. The secondary will be a strength as long as safety Tyler Sash is slinking around back there.

Schedule

Sept. 4 Eastern Illinois (W)
Sept. 11 Iowa State (W)
Sept. 18 at Arizona (L)
Sept. 25 Ball State (W)
Oct. 2 Penn State (W)
Oct. 16 at Michigan (W)
Oct. 23 Wisconsin (W)
Oct. 30 Michigan State (W)
Nov. 6 at Indiana (W)
Nov. 13 at Northwestern (L)
Nov. 20 Ohio State (L)
Nov. 27 at Minnesota (W)

Team Motto

“Ricky!?!! Waaaaahhhhhhh!!” [/Lucille Ball]

Goal

National Championship. What else is left? Since Iowa is expected to be good this year, the normal goal of a Coach of the Year Award for Kirk Ferentz is off the table.

Best Case

An undefeated season. Their toughest conference games are at home, and there's a chance they could be favored in all of them.

Worst Case

“The Usual”. In other words, when great things are expected of Iowa, they disappoint. Still, there's enough talent here to where the absolute worst case would be six wins. (Basically, Iowa's worst case is Michigan's best case. Suck on that, Wolverines. Carry on.)

Five Questions Looking For Answers

1. Can Ricky Stanzi stop throwing the ball to the defense all the time?
2. If Brandon Wegher doesn't return from his leave of absence, will two running backs be enough?
3. How well will they replace 60% of last year's very experienced offensive line?
4. Will a defensive line that is essentially only five men deep wear down as the season goes on?
5. Can this team finally live up to expectations?

Something To Look For

Wide receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos will have a career year. Despite leading the Hawkeyes in receiving in his first three seasons on the field, DJK only has seven touchdown receptions in his career. He will surpass that touchdown number this season alone. He is as dangerous a receiver as there is in the Big Ten, and capable of far more than he's achieved in his first three seasons. Despite being repeatedly doghoused and starting just 25 games in his career, he is only 31 receptions and 401 yards away from setting the school record in both categories.

Returning Starters

Seven on offense, eight on defense and both kicking specialists.

Best Player

Defensive end Adrian Clayborn. Clayborn finished the season with 20 tackles for loss last year, including 8.5 sacks. He is on every major watch list, and an enemy of the state according to offensive tackles everywhere. He makes the entire defensive line better, and it trickles all the way down to the secondary. He is as important to this defense as a quarterback is to an offense.* (*Non-Forcier quarterbacks, of course.)

Second-Best Player

Safety Tyler Sash. Sash has eleven interceptions in his first two seasons as a Hawkeye. He has a nose for the football like few others. He's like the guy from A Beautiful Mind who sees math in everything he looks at. Sash sees math on the football field and can calculate where the ball is going to bounce—and then get there before it hits the ground. He's also socially awkward.

Best Chance For a Big Loss

At Arizona. There shouldn't be any blowout losses, but an early season loss in Tucson after being hyped as a top ten program would be as deflating as losing to Rich Rodriguez in a two-person race for any type of coach of the year award.

Most Important Game

Ohio State. Kirk Ferentz's lone win against Ohio State (2004) came against Jim Tressel's worst team. In the 1990s, Hayden Fry didn't do much better against John Cooper. The '80s were really no different. To put it another way, the Buckeyes have dominated the Hawkeyes since way before Chuck Long first stepped into his barbershop and said, “You know what? Give me the Greg Brady!” However, a win over this Ohio State team, which is expected to make some very serious BCS noise would certainly exorcise some demons, and possibly clinch a Big Ten Championship along the way.”

Best Road Game To Pack Up The Family Truckster And Travel To

At Michigan. We won't have Rich Rodriguez to kick around much longer, and this is likely your last chance. You might want to bring your old boots, however, because things might get pretty bloody.

Best Reason They Won't Be Undefeated

Because this isn't 1922 and the forward pass isn't still just the figment of some football witch's imagination. Basically, if it hasn't happened in nearly 90 years, we probably shouldn't expect it now, right?

Best Reason They Will Be Undefeated

Because, surprisingly, they have the talent and coaching to do it. And somehow Ricky Stanzi always finds a way—he had a 184.3 passer rating in the fourth quarter last year. Sorry, we don't have his first-half rating, but it was probably somewhere between 75 and Morelli. While we're speaking of the offense, the running game should be a strength as well, with the re-addition of Jewel Hampton, who missed last season with a knee injury after rushing for 463 yards as a freshman in 2008. Last year's starter Adam Robinson is also back after leading the team with 834 yards rushing as a freshman.

Game They Shouldn't Lose, But Could

At Michigan. Somehow the Wolverines managed to play Iowa close in Iowa City last season. This year, Michigan will be just as flawed, but they'll be playing poorly in front of a friendly crowd, which will make them feel better about themselves and may actually make them forget about how bad they really are. If Iowa could struggle against Michigan at home last year, what happens when they go to Ann Arbor this year? Also, Ricky Stanzi could possibly be SO inaccurate as to allow Michigan's hilarious secondary to find a couple of interceptions.

Player People Are Expecting Too Much From

Middle linebacker Jeff Tarpinian. A senior with no starting experience and about 50 tackles in his career, Tarpinian will be asked to step in at middle linebacker for the departed Pat Angerer, who had 252 tackles over the last two seasons. He's a fifth-year senior and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, but to expect an Angerer-like season would be unfair. Especially when the defensive line will be stealing so many of his tackles.

Player People Will Be Pleasantly Surprised By

Right guard Adam Gettis. Gettis, a junior, is one of the new guys on the offensive line, and his coaches love his potential. Ferentz says he'll be one of the smallest guards in the league (6'4” 280), but thinks he be one of the Big Ten's best by the end of the season. He's your typical Hawkeye interior player—he's a little on the small side, but strong, feisty and quick.

Best Newcomer

Tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz. With the loss of tight end Tony Moeaki to graduation, the Hawkeyes are going to be looking for his replacement. It's unlikely that Fiedorowics will be that replacement—but he could replace Allen Reisner, who is last year's backup and this year's starter. Freshmen have made some impressive debuts over the last few years at Iowa, but it's doubtful anybody will make too big of a splash this season. If Fiedorowicz can match Reisner's 14 catches from last season, then his freshman season will be a tremendous success. He is, however, still a redshirt candidate at this point despite some impressive showings in practice.

Something They Do Well

Defend the run. Iowa hasn't had a season where they've allowed at least four yards per carry since 2000. In fact, the highest it's been in that span was 3.6 yards in 2006. Not coincidentally, 2000 and 2006 represent the last two times Iowa finished the season with a losing record. Everything starts up front with Iowa, and they produce tenacity on the interior line like Filipino children produce Nikes—non-stop and under budget. One of the staples of an Iowa defensive line is the undersized, high-motor guys. This year, that role is once again being played by defensive tackle Karl Klug, who had 65 tackles last season, which was two more than Wisconsin's starting middle linebacker.

Something They Don't Do So Well

Win on the road. Over the last decade, Iowa has a 51-14 record at home and a 23-27 record on the road. 2002 and 2009 have been the only seasons where they didn't lose multiple road games. However, with a road schedule that doesn't currently feature any ranked teams, things look fairly promising for the Hawkeyes—but they have before, as well.

What's Improved?

Depth at quarterback. Last season, redshirt freshman James Vandenberg was thrown into the fire in three games late in the year and the Hawkeyes went 1-2. This year Vandenberg will be much more prepared if he is once again called up. For instance, if in the hour of America's greatest need, Ricky Stanzi is called upon to defeat an extremist cell with guile, tact, good looks and a brief lesson in civics, then the Hawkeyes will be just fine with Vandenberg in his stead.

What's Gotten Worse?

Experience on the offensive line. Last season's offensive line combined for 138 career starts. This season, that number is 36—and 24 of them are guard Julian Vandervelde's. There are just three linemen on the roster with starting experience.

Anything Else We Should Know About?

There are definitely playmakers on this team. When you talk about the best player or second-best player on the team, and you don't even mention Ricky Stanzi or receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, that should tell you a little bit about the level of superior talent on hand. Yes, losing tailback Brandon Wegher hurts, because Iowa had plans for him in the passing game as well. But the skill positions are as talented at the top as anybody in the conference.

Anything Else?

The secondary is going to be a strength and the defensive line is only going to make it stronger. Both starting safeties return, which will make Iowa's search for a second cornerback a little easier to handle. Regardless of who that starter ends up being (likely sophomore Micah Hyde), he can expect to be picked on—but he can also expect the defensive line to disrupt the quarterback/receiver rhythm, which will give him a bit of a buffer zone between failing and succeeding.

One Prediction

Kirk Ferentz will refuse to answer questions about Michigan's interest in him for their open head coaching position during Iowa's Bowl Week.

Quote That Would Never Be Mistakenly Attributed To Any Of Rich Rodriguez's Players

“Nobody wants to be a 6-6 ball club and go to the Alamo Bowl. I know I don’t.” – Derrell Johnson-Koulianos

Coach Speak

“Pardon the pun, but hopefully it's [the running back situation] a healthier situation than it has been the last couple years.” – Kirk Ferentz

Translation

“Pardon the pun—just kidding, I love puns!”

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