Monday, September 27, 2010

No Hampton, no problem for Hawkeyes

By Brian Heinemann
For The Herald
IOWA CITY ––––– Running back was supposed to be a position of strength for the Iowa Hawkeyes this year.

It didn’t take long for it to become an area of concern after Jewel Hampton was lost to a torn ACL in last weekend’s 34-27 defeat at the hands of Arizona. Iowa was left with Adam Robinson and not a whole lot else.

Or so we thought. Much like last year, it was no Hampton, no problem for Iowa (3-1). The Hawkeyes ran the ball 44 times for 256 yards and throttled Ball State (1-3) 45-0 on a cold, rainy Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.
“I think right now our plan is Adam will be our featured back like Shonn (Greene) was a couple years ago,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “He’s our primary back, and we’ll do whatever it takes to fuel it around him.”

Robinson’s 115 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries were impressive. Perhaps more important was the emergence of running back-turned-fullback-turned-running back Brad Rogers, a redshirt freshman, and Marcus Coker, a true freshman. The duo ran 9 times for 66 yards and 10 times for 62 yards respectively.
Maybe, just maybe, running back is still a position of strength.
“I was very happy with the way they played,” quarterback Ricky Stanzi said of the freshmen. “Those guys, both very young, haven’t had a whole lot of experience. Marcus has had none; he had an injury in camp, so he’s seen very limited time. You can see the potential that’s there. You don’t just count on potential, you want to see production, and we were able to see that today from both of those guys.”

It helped that the offensive line was opening up “monster holes,” in Robinson’s words. It was an important bounce back from the 29 yards on 26 attempts the offense put up in the Arizona loss.
But run blocking was just half of the concern about the offensive line as we near Big Ten play. A week ago, they allowed their quarterback to get bounced around like a pinball, particularly on the final drive of the game.
Saturday, Stanzi couldn’t remember a single time he was even touched by a Ball State defender.
“We had all day to pass the ball,” he said.
With a homecoming date against Penn State looming, Iowa needed a quick turnaround after another failed trip west. 
They got it.
Special teams hunkered down, containing one of the best return men in the nation. The pass defense, torched by Arizona’s Nick Foles, allowed Ball State just 56 yards through the air.
But don’t call it bouncing back or righting the ship. Sure, the Arizona loss was a stumble.
That doesn’t mean it had to derail the Hawkeyes’ entire season. These Hawkeyes won’t let it.
“I wouldn’t say getting back on track,” Stanzi said. “I don’t think we were ever off the track – we just needed to do a couple things a little bit better. We were able to do that today and we came out with a big win.”
Iowa knows there’s still room for improvement. There were dropped passes, another fumbled snap and nine penalties. 
It’s hard to imagine the defense needing improvement after they pitched a shutout and allowed just 112 yards, thanks in large part to the play of the front four. The unit used some different looks and got huge production from junior tackle Mike Daniels, who leads the team in tackles for a loss after picking up four – and a sack – against Ball State.
“We see a lot of people have been scheming us, trying to get a bead on where we’re at,” Christian Ballard, who rotates with Daniels, said of the front four. “They’ve been sending a lot of running backs, a lot of tight ends to chip our ends. So, just to move them around a little bit so they can’t keep scheming us is going to be important going through the season.”
The Hawkeyes know their conference foes, starting with Penn State Saturday night, will be looking at what Arizona did to them, looking to exploit Iowa’s supposed weaknesses. Iowa had a chance Saturday to show improvement and tighten up some rough patches and, for the most part, they took full advantage.
The offensive line, special teams and the pass defense all looked greatly improved from where they were a week ago. And even though it was against a team that lost at home to Liberty, it was exactly what Iowa needed.
“We’ve been getting Big Ten ready,” guard Julian Vandervelde said. “It’s not something that you get in a week. I think we’re a little bit closer, and we’ve got a little more tape that we can look at now.
“We can kind of gauge the progression from Week 1 through Week 4 now, and see the sort of direction that we’re taking and the areas that we really need the most focus to improve to get ready for the Big Ten season.”

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Heinemann on the Hawkeyes - Iowa vs. Ball State


Brian Heinemann, who covers Iowa football for the Herald, previews this week's game.
IOWA CITY ––––– Their own lack of discipline in coverage allowed Iowa State and Arizona to gash them.
Now, injuries have started gutting the Iowa Hawkeyes’ special teams unit. Iowa took quite a hit in last weekends loss to Arizona when both Paki O’Meara and Bruce Davis, standouts on kick coverage, went down to injury.

O’Meara may be back for the beginning of Big Ten play next weekend. Davis, who started the season opener at middle linebacker, is done for the year with a knee injury. 
The unit needs to rebound fast, because things aren’t going to get any easier from here on out.
“Not to beat a dead horse, but our special teams leave a lot to be desired right now,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “And any time that you give plays up that are unearned, what I would categorize as unearned, it makes it really difficult to win against anybody and particularly against a team that’s favored to beat you.”
Ball State (1-2) doesn’t exactly fit into that “favored to beat you” category, but they have one of the most explosive kick returners in the country in running back Eric Williams. And though Iowa may be heavy favorites, they can’t afford to give up the big plays on special teams and let the Cardinals hang around.
So, how do the No. 18 Hawkeyes (2-1) fix the problem? Strong safety Tyler Sash has volunteered himself for the kick coverage unit several times, and while his name may not be called, the sentiment of having some more experienced players or starters on the unit is exactly what Ferentz is looking for. 
“Two things have to happen,” Ferentz said. “Either way we have to mix in some veteran guys that have done it. That’s one option. Another is some guys have to step up and grow up a little bit, and historically we have had a tradition of that.”
Special teams isn’t the only place Iowa is in desperate need for somebody to step up at. Jewel Hampton’s season is over after tearing an ACL for the second straight season, and coupled with Brandon Wegher’s departure from the team in camp, the Hawkeyes have gone from a glut of quality running backs to Adam Robinson and not much else.

The door has prematurely swung open for two true freshman, Marcus Coker and De’Andre Johnson. Coker is likely the next man in at running back and figures to get a solid look on Saturday.

He’ll need it, because before this week, Coker had just one full week of practice as a Hawkeye after being plagued by a shoulder injury. 
Both Coker and Johnson bring something a little different to the Iowa running game, at least from what one of the guys paving the way for them has seen in spring and summer.
“I think that both De’Andre and Marcus have great vision,” guard Julian Vandervelde said. “I think that they have a tempo to their running that really lends itself well to a zone scheme, so I think it’ll add another dimension to the offense.”
Iowa needs something to spark the running game after gaining a paltry 1.1 yards per carry against the Wildcats. Whether that spark comes from Robinson, one of the freshman backs, or the offensive line remains to be seen.
The line knows it needs to be better in all facets. They stood out like a sore thumb for their failures on Iowa’s final drive against the Wildcats, as quarterback Ricky Stanzi was sacked three times in a row officially, with a fourth negated by a penalty.
“When Rick’s got to be looking over his shoulder all the time, he’s feeling the pressure from five different directions, there’s no way that he can be comfortable,” Vandervelde said. “That’s something that we as an offensive line have to come together, we have to focus on and fix this week.”
This is Iowa’s chance, because after Ball State – a team that has lost to Liberty and Purdue – Penn State rolls into town to start Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes are a team known for having tunnel vision, not looking ahead, keeping their focus where it needs to be.
That’s exactly what they need to do Saturday, because Iowa has one week, one chance, to figure out how to fix what went wrong in Arizona before those kinds of mistakes start digging them holes that can’t dig out of again.
Who: No. 18 Iowa (2-1) vs. Ball State (1-2)
When: 11:00 a.m. Saturday
Where: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City
The series: Iowa leads 1-0
Last meeting: In their only previous meeting, Iowa beat Ball State 56-0 in 2005 at Kinnick Stadium
This week's challenge: Bouncing back. Iowa had a rough time out west in Arizona and has a lot to clean up before conference play starts next week. The challenge this week will be in how Iowa reacts after a disappointing loss and how they respond to key injuries. The offensive line was much maligned and the pass defense was nonexistent a week ago, both things Iowa needs to correct quickly.
To pull off an upset: Ball State is a huge underdog, and will need a lot to go right to topple the Hawkeyes. Special teams are where the Cardinals could do just that, as running back Eric Williams is one of the nation’s best kick returners so far this season at 36.1 yards per return. The Cardinals need their defensive line to do what Arizona did to the Hawkeyes offense on the final drive last Saturday night, pressuring Stanzi into sacks and mistakes, and the Ball State offense needs to find ways to score plenty of points and control the clock against the stalwart Iowa defense.
Players to watch: For Ball State, keep your eyes on the aforementioned Williams at running back and kick returns, and free safety Sean Baker, who leads the team with three interceptions in three games. For Iowa, most eyes will be squarely on special teams and the offensive line, but pay attention to whoever backs up Adam Robinson at running back, likely Marcus Coker. Coker is bigger than Iowa’s other backs and brings a different style, and this game presents an opportunity to get him solid playing time and experience before the brutal Big Ten slate begins.
Gettin' down with Brian (four keys for Saturday):
First down — Tightened special teams. Although Ball State is the weakest opponent Iowa will face the rest of the way, they have one of the better kick return units. Iowa’s coverage squads have to prove they can get the job done after two abysmal weeks in a row.
Second down — Domination from the offensive line. Despite what it looked like to outsiders, both Kirk Ferentz and Ricky Stanzi said the offensive line was pretty good against Arizona. They need to get back to doing what they did the first two weeks against Ball State though, opening gaping holes for Robinson and keeping Stanzi upright.
Third down — Putting the loss behind them. If Iowa plays hesitant or unsure because of the mistakes made in Arizona, the Cardinals could give them problems. While they don’t want to completely forget last week’s game, the way the team responds could be a defining moment for the rest of the season.
Fourth down — Holding coverage. Iowa’s defensive line hasn’t been the force it was expected to be this year, and the reason is simple – the corners aren’t holding coverage long enough. The line consistently gets pressure and gets close to making plays but is struggling to finish off quarterbacks for sacks. The corners need to hold longer against Ball State, letting Adrian Clayborn and company punish the Cardinals’ quarterback duo.
Trivial tidbit: For just the second time in team history, the Iowa Hawkeyes will be wearing throwback uniforms. The first was in 2004, when Iowa wore 1939 uniforms and defeated Kent State 39-7. Iowa will don 1960-era uniforms against Ball State in recognition of Iowa’s 1958 Big Ten championship and 1959 Rose Bowl victory.
Did you hear?: Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker has been in the hospital for several weeks now, and likely won’t be back with the team until the bye week heading into the Michigan games. That means that Hawkeyes will have been without him for Iowa State, Arizona, Ball State, and Penn State next weekend.
Bottom line: This is a game that should resemble Iowa’s first two wins of the season, not last week’s loss. Ball State simply isn’t a good team right now, and Iowa is going to be looking to bounce back in a big way. The defense needs to make a statement after Arizona passed all over it, and the offense should come out slinging the ball around to try to limit Robinson’s running load. Look for Iowa to open a big first half lead, allowing younger players to take over in the second half.
Final score: Iowa 42, Ball State 3

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Heinemann on the Hawkeyes - Iowa at Arizona

Brian Heinemann, who covers Iowa football for the Herald, previews this week's game.
IOWA CITY ––––– This is a totally different Iowa Hawkeyes football team than the one that fell flat on its face the last time it traveled to Arizona.
Not one current player was on the roster back in 2004, when the Hawkeyes received a 44-7 whipping at the hands of Arizona State. It doesn’t matter that this is a new opponent or a new Hawkeyes team – the lessons of that game haven’t been lost on head coach Kirk Ferentz.
“We had beaten Arizona State the year before at home,” Ferentz said. “And, I think we probably underestimated what the game was going to be. Boy, that’s a bad thing to do in sports.
“If we do that this week we’ll be beaten by 60. It will be ugly.”
It’s the same scenario. The No. 9 Hawkeyes (2-0) rarely travel west, and they are coming off a 27-17 home win against Arizona last year. Like Iowa, Arizona missed out on the Rose Bowl in 2009 only by an overtime loss.

Like Iowa, No. 24 Arizona (2-0) has started strong, beating Toledo 41-2 and The Citadel 52-6. 
“They’re going to be tough this year; it’s going to be tough at their place,” Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi said after beating Iowa State. “To be 3-0, we have to work very hard. It’s not going to be easy. They’re a great football team. If we want to even give ourselves a chance to win the ball game over there in their place, we have to have a great week of practice.”
Neither team has faced competition anywhere near the level that they’ll see tomorrow night. Both have been impressive against inferior teams, racking up numbers offensively and stifling their opponents with stingy, overpowering defense.
But this is the first true test for either team, a battle of ranked foes that will shed a whole lot of light on the identity of each.
“None of us really know how good we are at this point,” Ferentz said. “It’s going to be a heck of a test. Regardless of who we played the last two weeks or who they played, they’re an excellent football team. We hope to be a good team. And we certainly are going to learn a lot about our football team this week.”
A lot has been made of the fact that this isn’t just a regular road game for the Hawkeyes. Concerns about the weather and about the late start time – 9:30 p.m. Iowa time – have swayed some of the experts to the side of the Wildcats and have left Iowa a miniscule 1-point favorite despite being the higher ranked team.
The Hawkeyes don’t really buy into any of that talk, though. They know what they have to do, and they are treating this like any other road trip.
“I think that’s just something else to talk about,” right tackle Marcus Zusevics said. “It doesn’t matter. We’re still going to be playing football, we’re still going to be ready to go and prepared.”
The one area Iowa has been focusing on, preparing for, is special teams. The offense and the defense have been fine through two games, albeit not completely mistake-free. But special teams was a sore spot for Iowa after last week’s win.
If they have the same kind of lackluster performance again in any facet of special teams, they could be in trouble quick. Arizona has fantastic return units, and the Hawkeyes know it. They are considering putting starters back on their kick coverage team – a few part-time starters have already been shifted back to that role.
“It was pretty pathetic the other day. It was really bad,” Ferentz said of the special teams’ play a week ago. “And I’m not discrediting (Iowa State) – they did a nice job. They did what they’re supposed to do. And we certainly let them get some big plays and that’s not good.
“We better be the Monsters of the Midway on defense. If we try that on Saturday, too, we’ll be down by about 28 points in the first half.”
Who: No. 9 Iowa (2-0) at No. 24 Arizona (2-0)
When: 9:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Ariz.
The series: Tied at 6-6
Last meeting: Iowa won 27-17 last year at Kinnick Stadium
This week's challenge: Keeping composure if things don’t go right. Iowa imposed its will on Eastern Illinois and Iowa State, but this stands to be a different kind of game. If Iowa struggles on either side of the ball, the key will be how well they maintain composure and stick to their game plan against one of the better opponents on their schedule.
To pull off an upset: Iowa is favored in this game, but barely. For Arizona to pull off the “upset” at home, they’ll need Nic Grigsby to escape the Hawkeyes defense and have a big game, while their defense contains Iowa’s rush attack, forcing Ricky Stanzi to beat them through the air. Stanzi can do that, so disguising coverages and forcing him into mistakes will be crucial in slowing down the Hawkeyes’ efficient offense.
Players to watch: If you don’t know Arizona’s Juron Criner yet, you probably will Saturday night. The junior receiver poses big match up problems with the Hawkeyes corners. At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Criner has emerged as the Wildcats’ big-play threat, with the speed and hands to make life miserable for a secondary. For the Hawkeyes, center James Ferentz will be the key. Ferentz makes all the adjustments on the offensive line, and this is his first true test against a stout defense and on the road, so much of the Iowa offense’s success will rest on how he responds.
Gettin' down with Brian (four keys for Saturday):

First down — Keeping Arizona running back Nic Grigsby bottled up. Kirk Ferentz said this week that he secretly hoped Grigsby would turn pro after last season so the Hawkeyes wouldn’t have to face him again, and there’s a reason for it. He rushed 11 times for 75 yards last year against Iowa – not mind-blowing numbers – but his speed and shiftiness make him a threat every time he touches the ball.

Second down — Converting third downs. Iowa’s offense has been incredibly efficient to start the season, sustaining drives and keeping the defense off the field. With Arizona’s explosive offense, Iowa will want to do the same to help out their defense.

Third down — Discipline from the back end. Nick Foles is one of the best quarterbacks Iowa will see this year, and with solid receivers and a strong running game, Iowa’s safeties will need to keep to their assignments and not lose focus. Staying over the top of Juron Criner is essential, but quick reaction to running plays to help keep the ground game in check will also be crucial.

Fourth down — Ricky Stanzi’s decision-making. In the spring and throughout camp, Stanzi constantly talked about how he’s learned from his mistakes last year, and knows he doesn’t have to go for a big play all the time. He’s backed up his words through two games. Even if it means dumping off to a back and coming up short on third, Stanzi would be better suited living to fight another day than risking a turnover against the Wildcats.
Trivial tidbit: Iowa is the only Division 1 program in the entire nation that will play two regular season games that feature an opposing head coach coaching against his alma mater. The first is this game, against Mike Stoops. The second is the Wisconsin game, against Bret Bielema.
Did you hear?: Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker hasn’t been with the team since last Friday and won’t be making the trip to Arizona. Parker has been hospitalized for complications from diabetes, and Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said he hopes Parker can get out of the hospital some time next week.
Bottom line: Despite impressive wins to open the season, there is still a lot of doubt about the 2010 Iowa Hawkeyes. Tomorrow night, they’ll lay that doubt to rest. A year ago, Iowa’s chances traveling to Arizona may have been significantly worse. But with this team, with how they’ve come together and played two nearly complete, dominant games, it’s a different story. The offense may get slowed down a bit against the better competition, but the defense, despite missing Parker, should be fired up to face such talent on the opposite side of the ball. Both Adam Robinson and Jewel Hampton will find running room against the relatively inexperienced Wildcats defense, and the Iowa defense should put a massive dent in Arizona’s 46.5 point-per-game average en route to a 3-0 start for Iowa and their first marquee win of the year.
Final score: Iowa 24, Arizona 13

Monday, September 13, 2010

Hawkeyes make a statement against instate rivals

By Brian Heinemann
For The Herald
IOWA CITY ---- They may have the same record after the opening two games as they did last year, but there is something special, something different about the 2010 Iowa Hawkeyes.
This year’s Hawkeyes are relentless, merciless, and efficient, exemplified by a 35-7 beat-down of instate rival Iowa State in one of the teams’ most complete games in years. Last year, Iowa barely scraped by Northern Iowa and a host of supposedly inferior teams. 

Iowa’s margin of victory was actually larger against the Cyclones last year, at 32 points. This time, the Hawkeyes were infinitely more impressive.
This year, Iowa looks like a team worthy of their Top 10 ranking.
“Top to bottom, there are no weaknesses,” Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads said of the Hawkeyes. “They have the ability to run it. They have the ability to throw it. People are not going to score very many points on them.”
Rhoads said that Iowa was definitely the best team he’s faced since arriving at Iowa State (1-1), but he wasn’t done heaping praise on the team that had just finished manhandling his squad.
“I thought we played a hell of a football team,” Rhoads said. “They’re talking about Iowa contending for a national championship, and they should. That’s a good football team.
“They’re 12 years into their program. They look like it, they play like it, they run like it, they hit like it, they tackle like it.”
For their part, the Hawkeyes (2-0) would scoff at the championship talk. Beating Eastern Illinois and Iowa State handily isn’t the most impressive of feats, but there is no denying that Iowa has looked much more impressive through two games than they did last year.
Sure, for the first time in four years, Iowa State scored a touchdown against the Hawkeyes. But it hardly mattered, and it came against what defensive end Adrian Clayborn said was the “third or fourth” string Hawkeyes defense. 
This was a dominant performance from start to finish, and it started in the trenches, a place where Iowa struggled against the Cyclones a year ago.
Adam Robinson ran 14 times for 158 yards, Jewel Hampton made his return with a 20-carry, 87-yard performance, and the line protected quarterback Ricky Stanzi well enough to allow him to methodically pick apart Iowa State, throwing for 204 yards and two touchdowns.
“We wanted to come out and make a statement, and get another win,” Robinson said. “I think we did that. The o-line did a great job, as they did last week; I think they even stepped up a little bit.”
The offense has been the surprise so far this year. Everybody knew coming in that the Hawkeyes defense would once again be among the nations’ elite. But the offense, plagued by mistakes and a subpar running game, was carried all last year by their counterparts on the other side of the ball.
Not so much this year. The offense was so efficient, so precise, that the defense only made it onto the field for three plays in the first 17 minutes of the game Saturday.
“First drive, what’d they take, like six minutes off the clock, maybe more?” defensive tackle Karl Klug said. “That’s what you’re looking for. You want the defense to stay off the field; they did a hell of a job.”
They did so with a suddenly potent running attack, led by the power-running Robinson and complemented by Hampton. 
“Adam and Jewel are both real tough runners,” guard Nolan MacMillan said. “They’re willing to get their nose dirty, and they’ll stick their head in their and they’ll punish anybody trying to tackle them.”
The defense did their share of punishing, too, stuffing the Cyclones’ running game – they ran 25 times for 78 yards, a far cry from 2009’s 190 yards on the ground – and making Austen Arnaud’s life miserable, intercepting him three times, sacking him twice and harassing him all day.
It was a dominant performance on both sides of the ball, and, for a change, stayed that way throughout the game.
“There were glimpses last year, but I don’t think we put a full one together like we did today,” Robinson said. “That just came from concentration from everybody on the field.”
There’s no denying that the competition hasn’t been up to par with what the Hawkeyes are going to face the rest of the year, starting with Saturday night in Arizona. Iowa has given themselves a heck of a lot of momentum, though, after executing their game plan nearly to perfection for the better part of both games.
“Going on the road, it’s always a challenge, a different environment,” safety Brett Greenwood said. “Nobody’s really been down there to Arizona, so it’s going to be all new to us. And on top of it, they’re a very good team, so it’s going to be a big challenge.”
Last year, Iowa faced some different types of challenges. They had to be resilient. They had to fight tooth-and-nail to eek out wins against teams that should have been overmatched. Teams they should have put away early.
This year, so far, the only challenge has been whether or not the Hawkeyes could stay focused enough to keep their foot on the gas and take it to the opposition. They let up a bit in the middle of the Eastern Illinois game. 

They never did let up on Iowa State, late touchdown notwithstanding.
“We wanted to make a statement as a team that we’re for real and we can compete with anybody,” Robinson said. “I think we did a good job today.”

Friday, September 10, 2010

Heinemann On The Hawkeyes - Iowa State at Iowa

Brian Heinemann, who covers Iowa football for the Herald, previews this week's game.
IOWA CITY ––––– Iowa got dominated last year by Iowa State.
Not on the scoreboard, of course. Iowa won 35-3, in large part thanks to six Iowa State turnovers. But up front? The Cyclones offensive line embarrassed and humbled the Hawkeyes vaunted defensive line, opening gaping holes en route to 190 yards rushing as a team.
That didn’t go unnoticed last season, as the Iowa coaching staff tore into the defense and quickly turned things around. It hasn’t gone unnoticed this week, either.
“The one thing I do know, they had a lot of success running the football,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said. “We couldn’t stop the run last year, and it’s going to be tough to win if we give up 190 yards on the ground. That’s going to make it a little tough.
“You don’t stumble into 190 yards rushing.”
No, you certainly don’t. Iowa State got their yards last year by blowing the Iowa defensive line off the ball, effectively running their zone read scheme at will. It’s not a game tape the Hawkeyes have particularly enjoyed watching again – after all, this is the same front four. 
Ever since that 32-point win last year, the unit has gone on a mostly uninterrupted tear through opposing offensive lines, running backs and quarterbacks. 
But the talk from the Iowa defense this week has been rife with negative comments in describing their performance last year – “I felt like we played like crap,” defensive end Adrian Clayborn said – so the motivation is there to make a statement against their instate rivals.
For their part, the Cyclones aren’t underestimating the Hawkeyes or letting last year’s success running the ball get to their heads.They know the talent Iowa has up front.
“The thing that stands out with Iowa’s defensive line is they shed blocks extremely well, they play with their hands, and they make plays, just like the rest of their defense,” Iowa State running back Alexander Robinson said. “Obviously their front four is going to create some problems, but we’re going to get out there, give it our best shot, and see what we can do.”
Last year it was the back end of the Hawkeyes defense that paved the way to the win, with safety Tyler Sash recording three of the defense’s five interceptions. 
This year, that unit looks to be a possible weakness, at least after the opener.
“I know that I made a couple of mistakes, and the secondary made a couple of mistakes,” cornerback Micah Hyde, who gave up the lone touchdown last week, said. “We’ve got to go in and watch film and improve on some things.”
The front four getting some payback for last year would go a long way toward helping the secondary, who will likely be without Shaun Prater again, this week. Another four-interception day from Cyclones quarterback Austen Arnaud isn’t likely, so stopping the ground game will be even more important.
“Knowing that solely it was my fault we lost the game with four interceptions and turnovers in key times, that hurts,” Arnaud said. “But like we talk about, it’s a new year, it’s a new game, it’s a new season.”
The offense should be able to move the ball and score points against the Iowa State defense. After a strong debut from the new offensive line, hard running from Adam Robinson and a rare interception-free game from Ricky Stanzi, there is plenty of reason for optimism. 
And that’s not to mention the return of Jewel Hampton, finally back after missing all of last season to injury and last Saturday’s opener to suspension.
But this is a rivalry game. Anything can happen, and the Hawkeyes know it.
“I know they’re a good ball club,” Stanzi said. “They’re fired up. It’s a rivalry. We need to be ready to go.”
IOWA CITY –––– Who: Iowa State (1-0) at No. 9 Iowa (1-0)
When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City

The series: Iowa holds a 38-19 lead and a 22-12 edge at Kinnick
Last meeting: Iowa won 35-3 in Ames in 2009

This week's challenge: Keeping the level of play elevated to where it was in the opening quarter of the Eastern Illinois game. Many Iowa players suggested the team got complacent after jumping on the Panthers early. With the level of competition ramping up from here on out, they can’t afford to do so again, especially not against a rival.

To pull off an upset: Iowa State needs a repeat of last year’s punishing rush attack against the Hawkeyes, Austen Arnaud needs to stay turnover free, and Ricky Stanzi would have to have a similar outing to Arnaud’s four-pick performance last year.

Players to watch: Keep an eye on the match up between Adrian Clayborn and all-Big 12 left tackle Kelechi Osemele of Iowa State. Iowa State linebacker A.J. Klein also bears watching after a 15-tackle outing last week. For Iowa, Jewel Hampton’s return will be the focal point.

Gettin' down with Brian (four keys for Saturday):
First down — Rush defense. Iowa struggled mightily last year in stopping ISU’s running offense. Iowa State has the task of stopping both Adam Robinson and the biggest question mark of the game, Hampton.

Second down — Offensive line play. The Hawkeyes offensive line looked impressive last week, but Robinson had to make far too many blocks, meaning people were getting through more than they should. You don’t want your running back being your main protection for Stanzi, so the line needs to play better.

Third down — Avoiding miscues. Last year, Arnaud threw his team right out of the game. Both quarterbacks are capable of doing so this year.

Fourth down — Containment. Arnaud can run, and while the Hawkeyes showed good lateral movement and pursuit last week, discipline and outside speed will be key to keeping Arnaud contained and forcing him to throw.

Trivial tidbit: Iowa State hasn’t scored a touchdown against the Hawkeyes since 2006, as the Iowa defense has kept the Cyclones out of the endzone for 14 straight quarters.

Did you hear?: Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads jokingly sent Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz a text message after the announcement of Ferentz’s contract extension asking for spending money. Ferentz said that the text should have gone to his wife, because he has a $20 a week budget.

Bottom line: Don’t expect to see a score quite as lopsided as last year’s 35-3 game, or a game reminiscent to the 2010 opener for either team. Iowa has the talent edge over Iowa State at nearly every position, and both sides of the ball have the ability to impose their will on the Cyclones. Look for the defense to rebound from a poor showing against the rush in 2009 and force Arnaud to beat them with his arm – something he probably isn’t going to do – leading the way to another comfortable Iowa win.

Final score: Iowa 27, Iowa State 10

Monday, September 6, 2010

NCAA Football Top 25, post week 1

Preseason rankings, while typically laughably wrong, are unfortunately not entirely worthless. They can have a huge impact on what happens in the BCS in the latter stages of the year, which is why it’s so maddening to see the voters get things wrong to start the season.

Because of my hate for preseason rankings, I didn’t give mine this year. Sure, I ranked the Big Ten, but that’s different than telling you who the best 25 teams in the nation are. With one week of fantastic football finally out of the way, though, we have long looks at every team and can start to formulate where they belong in the national rankings.

The first thing you’ll notice about my rankings is they won’t be very detailed – an explanation to start things off, and then just the list. I don’t have time this year to go in depth on each team, but trust me, I have reasons for ranking teams where I do, even if I’m not explicitly stating them here.

To start, I thought from the minute the preseason rankings were released that it was ridiculous for Florida, Oklahoma, and Nebraska to be ranked so highly. After opening weekend, I was right on two of those. Florida mustered just 26 yards in the first three quarters against a team they should have beaten by 50, and Oklahoma barely survived Utah State. Even though they won’t be dropped to #10 and #11 by the national media, these two aren’t really Top 10 worthy at this point, and I ranked them accordingly.

Some teams that needed to impress did – Alabama, Ohio State, Boise State, TCU, Iowa, Florida State, to name a few – and some teams disappointed – previously mentioned Florida and Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, and unranked Ole Miss and Kansas – leaving us with a better picture of who belongs where.

One final note. The USC Trojans will not make an appearance in my rankings once this year. They can’t play in a bowl and can’t affect the BCS (outside of screwing the Pac-10 over by beating up on everybody), so I see no reason to rank them.

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Boise State
4. TCU
5. Texas
6. Iowa
7. Nebraska
8. Oregon
9. Miami
10. Florida
11. Oklahoma
12. Wisconsin
13. Georgia Tech
14. Arkansas
15. Virginia Tech
16. Penn State
17. Florida State
18. LSU
19. Georgia
20. West Virginia
21. Auburn
22. Arizona
23. Utah
24. South Carolina
25. North Carolina

Next five in: Oregon State, Stanford, BYU, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame

Hawkeyes roll in opener

By Brian Heinemann
For The Herald
IOWA CITY — The Iowa Hawkeyes narrowly avoided a season-opening disaster at Kinnick Stadium for the second straight year.
Last year, it was two Northern Iowa field-goal attempts in the waning seconds of the game. Saturday, it was the left knee of quarterback Ricky Stanzi, buckling as he slipped while trying to plant and change direction.

“I was a little worried that maybe it was something serious, so I wanted to get off and get it checked,” Stanzi said. “I didn’t want to make a big ordeal about it.”

Stanzi missed one series, started the second half and played well into the fourth quarter. Iowa fans can rest easy, because after a 37-7 cruise over Eastern Illinois, the heart and soul of the Hawkeyes said he’s fine.

“I have no doubt that it will be fine,” said Stanzi, who returned to the field to chants of “USA, USA!” from the fans, a nod to the quarterback’s pro-America post-Orange Bowl comments. “I talked to the trainers. It’s all stable. It’s nothing to worry about. It’s just part of football — bumps and bruises.”

The Hawkeyes (1-0) escaped without many of those — middle linebacker Bruce Davis limped off in the second half, but it was just cramping — and Iowa looks to get only stronger heading into a home contest with heated rival Iowa State this week.

Jewel Hampton and Broderick Binns, both suspended for the opener, will be back. Jeff Tarpinian, slowed by a broken hand, will be further along. Kicker Daniel Murray, guard Adam Gettis and cornerback Shaun Prater all had a shot at playing against Eastern Illinois and could be back this week.

And Josh Koeppel? That was the first near-disaster the Hawkeyes faced last week. The senior center was dressed and cleared to play Saturday, and he could battle James Ferentz this week to start against Iowa State, despite being hit by a truck while riding his moped just one week ago today.

“That’s Koeppel, though,” James Ferentz said. “If there’s some sort of nutshell picture to explain Josh, that’s it. Get hit by a truck, bounce off and he’s at meetings the next day.”

That jaw-dropping incident would have served as a nearly perfect metaphor for the Hawkeyes’ 2009 campaign. No such resiliency was needed against the Panthers Saturday, a welcome change from the norm of last year.

There were some areas of concern, though.

“We got off to a good start and thought our guys were ready to play at kickoff, and (we) did an awful lot of good things and certainly some disappointing things, too, in that first half, not only giving up a fake punt but also letting it become a big play instead of just a first-down conversion,” coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Then, we turned around and gave up a big play right after that, and that’s something that we have to do a better job responding when something bad happens.”

There were two lost fumbles and a bout of what some players considered complacency in the middle quarters, but for the most part, things went fairly smooth for the Hawkeyes. Stanzi was efficient, going 18-for-23 for 229 yards, one touchdown, and most importantly no interceptions.

Adam Robinson had a monster game, rushing 24 times for 109 yards and three touchdowns, breaking a slew of tackles along the way and rushing with a style that wasn’t seen much last season.

“It was a phenomenal effort from him,” senior guard Julian Vandervelde said. “He was running real physical, and that’s something that I don’t think a lot of people thought that he was capable of. So for him to come out and really have a statement game, where he comes out and doesn’t dance around people, doesn’t run through clean holes but really takes it to the other team, it was impressive to say the least.”

Robinson wasn’t particularly interested in taking much of the credit.

“The o-line did a great job today,” he said. “They gave me some big holes to run through, and they really pushed the d-line back, which helped my field vision out a lot. I couldn’t have done what I did today without those guys.”

Neither did he have extra motivation to perform better with the knowledge that fellow sophomore Hampton will be back next week. He expects to split carries with Hampton, despite proving he’s capable of carrying the entire load Saturday.

“He had a lot of carries that he had to take care of because we really didn’t have another back that we could just throw in there,” Stanzi said.

You wouldn’t have known the Hawkeyes entered the opener with a badly depleted offensive line and backfield with the way they performed. Iowa outgained EIU 435-157, with 179 of those yards coming on the ground.

It wasn’t perfect, but perfect wasn’t what Iowa needed to get past Eastern Illinois and have a successful start to a season brimming with high expectations. What it was was exactly what the Hawkeyes needed — a fast start, a comfortable win, an opportunity to get some young players some playing time.

Now, they go back to the film room to get ready for instate rival Iowa State. Despite the 30-point margin of win, there will be plenty of work to do, as the level of competition will significantly ramp up from here on out.

“Like any season, any week, it’s all about what you can do to move forward as a team,” Kirk Ferentz said. “And that old axiom about week one to week two, it’s typically true. But you have to make it that way. It doesn’t just happen by showing up. We’ll look at the tape tomorrow and try to move forward from here.”

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Photos from Iowa vs. EIU

I...O...W...A!!!
The Manzi's knee looks fine here.
The hero of the day, Adam Robinson
Middle linebacker Bruce Davis
Redshirt freshman offensive guard Nolan MacMillan

Tight end Brad Herman, aka The Herminator
Defensive end / tackle Christian Ballard is big. And scary.
If he looks like someone you know... It's because this is center James Ferentz.
A-Rob, up close and personal
I'm a brilliant photographer. I know.
Less cool angle. More Ricky.
Senior guard Julian Vandervelde
Ricky, right at the end of the postgame interviews
A crappy representation of my amazing view
The D-line
The offense
Action shot