Unanswered questions remain for Hawkeyes

By Brian Heinemann
Special to the Herald

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. ----- Questions surrounding the Iowa Hawkeyes – who Tuesday night delivered one of the most dominating defensive performances in recent memory en route to a 24-14 Orange Bowl victory – remain mostly unanswered.

Everyone knows what they did this year by now. Only the second 11-win team in school history. Their first ever BCS victory. The biggest bowl win in 50 years.

“We did a lot of things this year, and it just wasn’t our senior class, it was a team effort,” said tight end Tony Moeaki. “To win our first BCS game for Iowa, second team to 11 wins, started out 9-0, that’s never been done. It was just a special year for us as a team, and to have it in our senior years is an exclamation point.”

Improbable comebacks, close games, devastating injuries ¬– this season had it all for the Hawkeyes.

What it had most, though, was big wins.

There’s no question the Orange Bowl victory will help the Hawkeyes in the future. They should finish this season ranked somewhere between No. 6 and No. 8, depending if voters put them ahead of teams like Florida and TCU. Next season, they very well could be a Top 10 team in the initial preseason polls. A win like the one over Georgia Tech is the type of victory that can earn a program more national respect and help them on the recruiting trail.

“It’s a testament to our coaching staff,” Iowa linebacker Pat Angerer said after the game. “Coach Ferentz is such a great guy and a great human being. I really think this program is going to stay put. I don’t think they are going anywhere.”

The best news for the Hawkeyes – aside from the win, of course – is that they won’t be losing much to graduation this spring. The Hawkeyes have 17 seniors, but only a handful were regular starters. On offense, the most notable departure is Moeaki. Offensive lineman Kyle Calloway and center Raphael Eubanks also played their last game as a Hawkeye on Tuesday, as did wide receiver Trey Stross.

The defense loses only two starters, albeit big names. Linebackers A.J. Edds and Angerer finished productive careers at Iowa in the Orange Bowl, but there is talent waiting in the wings behind them. And, with the way the Hawkeyes tend to replace quality players on a yearly basis, there isn’t much cause for concern, especially with the entire defensive line – and potentially starting secondary – returning.

“We’ve got a very strong junior class and some guys coming up the ladder,” said Ferentz. “Wegher had a nice night, and Robinson, certainly. So we’ll get some players back, but we’ll have our challenges.”

The questions start to come with regard to juniors who have the opportunity to depart for the NFL. Only one answer has been given to this point, and it’s from a fifth-year senior – lineman Dace Richardson will not be returning to Iowa next year.

Richardson has the opportunity to receive a sixth year of eligibility due to the injuries he’s suffered over his career, but he made it official Tuesday night that he will not take that chance.

That leaves Iowa with some major holes on the offensive line. But in the next two days, those holes could get a whole lot bigger.

Left tackle Bryan Bulaga told the media after the Orange Bowl that he will release a statement by the end of this week with his intentions on either returning to school for his senior year or entering the NFL draft. Nothing is certain, but signs are pointing heavily toward Bulaga leaving.

That would leave Iowa’s offensive line with Riley Reiff and Julian Vandervelde. Not a bad starting point by any means, but Ferentz and the Iowa staff will have a rebuilding job on their hands if Bulaga leaves.

One other junior is toying with the idea of entering the NFL draft. Cornerback Amari Spievey said that he will announce his decision as early as today. Like Bulaga, Spievey looks as though he will be entering the NFL draft.

His potential departure would leave the Hawkeyes without one of their starting secondary, but the unit loses only senior Joe Conklin out of the entire two-deep depth chart.

Ricky Stanzi will be back. All but Stross and Moeaki will be back on the receiving end. Not only will Robinson and Wegher return at running back, but Jewel Hampton will be back from injury, as will Jeff Brinson.

The Hawkeyes don’t like to look ahead. It’s an attitude that starts with Ferentz and permeates throughout the locker room. But with the returning experience and how close the Hawkeyes were to going unblemished this year, expectations are undoubtedly going to be high next year.

“We come back and we’ll have to earn it all again next year,” said Ferentz. “But it’s going to be fun trying.”

INJURY NOTES

Trey Stross wasn't supposed to play last night, but was likely forced into action with DJK going down. Stross played in the Orange Bowl despite having a torn MCL.

DJK did something to tweak his right knee and hip. Doctors think he just sprained some things, but nothing official yet. Hip injuries are bad news, so this bears following pretty closely.

Adam Robinson was favoring his shoulder during practice leading up to the bowl but played and played well. He should be fine.