SB Nation - Matt Kroul

Two Years Ago Today...

RossWB — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:07:59 -0000

Worst. Senior Day. Ever.

Funny how much can change in just two years. Two years ago today the Iowa football team suffered arguably its worst -- or most humiliating, at least -- defeat of the last decade. Oh, there have been more lopsided defeats and there have probably even been defeats to teams worse than the 2007 Western Michigan Broncos (who were a pretty middling outfit). Many of those defeats happened during the formative years of Kirk Ferentz's tenure, when his Iowa teams played hard but frequently lacked talent and/or experience. Or they happened against bitter in-state rivals or hyper-motivated conference rivals, so it was easy to rationalize the loss by saying "they wanted it more."

But the November 17, 2007 loss to Western Michigan didn't fit any of those easy categories. It was far from the most talented or most experienced squads of the Ferentz Era, but it wasn't completely lacking in those departments, either. It featured Albert Young and Damian Sims, who had been a dynamite combination in years past. The defensive front seven was pretty well-stocked with talent and experience, too, between Kenny Iwebema, Mitch King, Matt Kroul, Bryan Mattison, Mike Klinkenborg, and Mike Humpal. It wasn't as if the team had nothing to play for, either -- beyond the standard pride of Senior Day, they needed one more win to ensure themselves a trip to a bowl game (Western Michigan didn't even have that to play for; they were just acting as spoilers).

Defeat and misery that week wasn't exclusive to the action on the field, either. The week of November 17, 2007 also saw the first news reports of a sexual assault involving Cedric Everson and Abe Satterfield. Eight months later those reports would explode into a nightmarish scandal that threatened to paint Kirk Ferentz, the athletic department, and the University of Iowa administration as badly negligent and aloof at best and guilty of conspiracy and obstruction of justice at worst; it made Iowa football the leading example of "Programs Gone Wild." That was two years ago.

Today, it seems like a lifetime ago. On the field, Iowa went from a team that was pushed around by Western Michigan to a team that was a play or two away from beating Ohio State in Columbus, winning the Big Ten title, and going to the Rose Bowl for the first time in nearly two decades. That's a pretty remarkable transformation. (The fact that they did it with a team that was ravaged by injuries and missing most of its offensive leaders is even more astounding.) Could you have ever envisioned such a quick turnaround? Many of the guys who have emerged as leaders and key performers on this team were blooded in the painful slog of 2007, like Adrian Clayborn, Christian Ballard, A.J. Edds, and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos. The transformation of DJK is a great example of Iowa's turnaround in general. My enduring memory of him from the Western Michigan game is of him seemingly quitting on a play and talking to some fans in the end zone while a Bronco defensive back was running back an interception. My enduring memories of him from the Ohio State game will be of multiple clutch catches and, of course, of the rally-igniting 99-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter when hope was slipping away. He's gone from a talented but raw and sometimes immature talent to an extremely reliable target in the passing game and an explosive playmaker in general.

Yes, he's totally checking out his runback on the Jumbotron.

But many of the top performers in 2009 would have never been predicted back in 2007. Pat Angerer, arguably the heart and soul of the 2009 defense, nearly quit football in 2007 after dealing with a serious of injuries and illnesses. Amari Spievey, one of the best cornerbacks in the conference in 2009, had washed out of Iowa in 2007 thanks to an inability to go to class. Brett Greenwood was, well, EPIC GREENWOOD back then; now he's a guy everyone was relieved to see take the field against the Buckeyes. The other defensive secondary spots were manned by the much-maligned Harold Dalton and the combination of Adam Shada (victim of the third indignity suffered by the Iowa football team that day/week, which was the betrayal of the Iowa fanbase as expressed through the boos directed at him) and Bradley Fletcher (who was burned more than a charcoal briquette back then) and there didn't seem to be much hope of better players in the program if they were the best we could send out there. (A year later, of course, Dalton was quickly replaced by Tyler "Motherfucking" Sash and Fletcher transformed himself into an NFL draft pick.)

Offensively, Iowa went from having one of the worst offenses in football in 2007 to having... well, a more timely offense, at least. Statistically, it's still not very good in most respects, but the ability of the 2009 Iowa team to come through in the clutch is almost unprecedented among other Ferentz Era teams. The 2007 team lost a pair of games in the fourth quarter (at Wisconsin and at Iowa State); the 2009 team has come from behind in the fourth quarter in four of its wins this year (and came from behind to send the game OT last weekend). A few of the faces remain the same from 2007 -- DJK, Tony Moeaki, Bryan Bulaga, Rafael Eubanks (to name a few) -- but experience and maturity have improved their performances tremendously.

Marvin McNutt owns the slant route and don't you ever forget it.

Since that loss to Western Michigan, Iowa has gone 18-6. That run has included a pair of upset wins over top-five teams (Penn State, twice), a program-best 9-0 start this year, wins over every Big Ten team but three (Ohio State, Illinois, and -ugh- Northwestern), a rare win over Iowa State in Ames, a 55-0 demolition of Minnesota in the final Gopher game ever played in the Metrodome, a dominant Outback Bowl victory, and perhaps more come-from-behind wins than in all the other years of the Ferentz Era combined. And while all six of those losses have been painful in their own way, there's something to be said of the competitive spirit that's been on display in all of them as well. The 2007 Western Michigan game was the fourth game that year that Iowa lost by nine or more points -- none of the six subsequent losses have been by more than seven points.

The journey of 2009 is far from over -- a 10-win season is still in our grasp, there's some Gophers to destroy, a big bronze pig to keep, and a bowl game somewhere warm to win -- but on this day, the anniversary of one of the darkest and most depressing moments in recent Iowa football history, it's worth taking a moment to stop and think about how far we've already come in such a short period of time. The pain of losing the de facto Big Ten Championship Game to Ohio State stings, but it feels a hell of a lot better than the ache of losing to Western Michigan and being lost in the college football wilderness.

Kenny bled to get that pig back, man. Floyd is ours, dammit.

Bucknotes states the obvious

Sam @ WWAHT — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:00:12 -0000

More photos » by Terry Gilliam - AP

Browse more photos »

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : Ohio State football: Season hinges on key players
Breaks the list down into "knowns" and "little-knowns". Why aren't the unknowns getting any love?

Evan Turner (TheVillain21) on Twitter
No, it's not actually Evan Turner. It's Mark Titus, being Mark Titus. Not quite news, but hilarious.

It's Alcorn State, not Florida International (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)
Ohio State's opening opponent on the court has changed to Steve McNair's alma mater. Following the game against Alcorn State, the Buckeyes will host James Madison before traveling to New York to play North Carolina.

2009 Bowl Projections - Preseason - The Rivalry, Esq.
The Rivalry Esq. puts Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, Notre Dame in the Fiesta, and Penn State all the way down in the Alamo Bowl. Iowa and Illinois both make New Years' Day games.

Comparing the Online Recruiting Ranking Services - The Daily Gopher
Fun... with statistics! TDG evaluates EPSN, Rivals, and Scout's recruiting services and come to the conclusion that Rivals had the "best trendline" for ranking future NFL talent. Recruiting in general: still creepy.

Assume The Position 2009: Defensive Tackle - Black Heart Gold Pants
Last week, I sorta banked on Iowa not having a great set of DTs to follow up the team of Mitch King and Matt Kroul. The Hawkeyes got a needed injection of talent on the interior to go along with Karl Klug by moving Christian Ballard, a big, Cam Heyward-type DE to the inside. Fortunately, this still leaves a question mark at defensive end, and I prefer to focus on that, stick my index fingers in my ears, close my eyes and think of it no more.

LeBeau Named HOF Finalist by Seniors Committee | Eleven Warriors
I never understood how Dick LeBeau could be arguably the greatest defensive coordinator in NFL history and such an awful head coach. Oh, right, he coached the Bengals. Silly me.

Rescue the Queen - Maize n Brew

I know these Evony advertisements have popped up here on WWAHT as well, and for that, I apologize. They're unbelievably sleazy, and they're a malware trap to boot. Don't click them. Don't be enticed by the boobage. Click the above link, however, for a bit of Evony-inspired Jim Tressel nightmare fuel.

An Early Look: Iowa

Sam @ WWAHT — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:00:16 -0000

Ah, the memories...

I did an interview not too long ago in which I said that I, unlike most college football fans my age, have teams that I root for outside of Ohio State. I just never grew out of that habit. Texas, despite the heartache they've given me, is one, and Iowa is the other. I like Iowa. Really, I do. Not in just a "they gon' be good this year hurrr" way, but in an I-genuinely-like-the-football-program way. Like us, they hail from a state many consider "flyover country", and since as a result they aren't one of the top destinations in college football for big-name recruits, they're a player-development-oriented team, as Hawkeye State from BHGP will later explain. Their entire program rests on the shoulders of their coaching staff; most of the guys they trot out each Saturday do not have the same level of innate ability as some of the guys on Penn State's, Ohio State's and Michigan's respective benches, but they still win, and heck, they've shown up in OOC games quite a bit more often that the conference's big dogs, and that's a plus in my book. Despite not having the best hand on the table, talent-wise, they win enough to keep the denizens happy. Even though I hate the team that inspired them, I love the uniforms too.

For a while there, I thought Kirk Ferentz had lost control of his program. The unbelievable string of arrests, the disturbing sex scandal, and a 19-18 overall record from 2005 to 2007 led me to believe the wheels had come off the wagon, or that at the very least, were threatening to. 2008 did not prove me entirely wrong; Iowa still lost 4 games - including mistifying losses to Pitt, Northwestern and Illinois - but managed to make a bowl game and beat an SEC team. Sure, that SEC team was about as threatening as a bag of dickless weasels, given that it was South Carolina, but they won their bowl game, which more than anyone else in the conference could say. 2009 is a pivotal year for the Hawkeyes, and it's pivotal for many of the same reasons the year will be pivotal for Penn State. The Hawkeyes also have to prove that an earlier malaise is officially behind them, and in doing so prove that they belong in the conference's top tier. They may even be competing with the Lions for the spot vacated - for now - by the Michigan Wolverines. Losing Shonn Greene doesn't help, but as you will see, there are reasons for optimism among the Hawkeye faithful.

Iowa players you should care about:

If you've been living under a rock since the bowl season, breathe a sigh of relief: Shonn Greene is gone. But the Iowa running back situation isn't quite as desperate as it seemed a year ago, when the prospect of Starter: Paki O'Meara horrified the Hawkeye masses prior to Shonn Greene's triumphant arrival. Looking to fill Greene's Shaq-sized 1800-yard back shoes will be Jewel Hampton, provided. Hampton played pretty well in spot duty last year, carrying the ball 91 times for 5.1 yards a pop. He has to stay healthy, and that's not going so well. The passing game revolves around Ricky Stanzi, who has given Iowa football something it has sorely lacked since Drew Tate's sophomore year with consistent play at the quarterback position, but Derrell Johnson-Koulianos needs to get himself back in the good graces of the coaching staff, who have placed him third (!) on the fall depth chart. Ferentz isn't a total idiot, so I imagine Koulianos will get back on the field, in a starting capacity, and he'll do it by September 5th.

Iowa's defense was solid last year, and the fact that seven of the top ten tacklers return may may you a bit queasier about the game, but remember: two of the best players on last year's defense, Mitch King and Matt Kroul, are goners. Iowa won't find anyone who'll even approximate their interior dominance, but if they can just get close enough to it, they're a lock to be a top-3 Big Ten defense. Pat Angerer - who continues a proud Iowa tradition of fantastically-named defenders like Klinkenborg and Humpal - is the leader of the defense.

Fun with statistics:

I do not doubt that Ricky Stanzi is good, but I must admit, I smirked a bit when I saw that 8 of his 14 touchdown passes came against FIU, Indiana and Minnesota.

With the departure of Andy Brodell and Brandon Myers, Iowa loses 37 percent of its receving production from last year. Might not seem like much, but Myers notched 34 grabs on the year last year, and the next-most productive receiver caught just 11. The passing attack will rely more on Johnson-Koulianos than ever.

As good as Iowa's defense was last year, the team as a whole notched just seventeen sacks on the season, five of which left with King and Kroul.

My prediction: Ohio State and Iowa have a quite a bit in common this year - quarterbacks looking to improve on breakout first-year seasons, a star runningback being replaced with a capable back-up and a spectacular defense that might end up being sub-par in one key area: the defensive interior. While I expect Ohio State to find a fairly good replacement to Nader Abdallah, it seems Iowa is just going to throw in a batch of random bodies alongside Karl Klug and hope someone does something other than breathe. Iowa's defense will still be very good, but it almost has to take a hit with the departure of "Kroul and Unusual Punishment", and I'm banking on that. At the very least, I'm hoping it does take a hit, because Iowa's '08 defense was statistically superior to Ohio State's, though it's doubtful they played an offense as good as USC's or Texas'. Expect this game to look a lot like the trip to Happy Valley the week prior, only this time, Ohio State will be able to pass its way out of an early deficit to secure a 24-16 win.

A Hawkeye's Thoughts: Hawkeye State from BHGP was kind enough to give us his thoughts on the game, and Iowa's season in general.

1. Give me one reason the Big Ten should fear Iowa in 2009.

Which team in the top half of the final Big Ten standings returns 18 of 23 starters from a year ago, including five all-Conference selections, a quarterback with a year of experience under his belt, the conference's best offensive lineman (and arguably the best line in general), and six of a defensive back seven that led the conference in interceptions. In fact, only Minnesota has more returning starts, and they're still coached by Tim Brewster. Inexperienced Iowa is scary for us. Experienced Iowa is scary for you.

2. Name a player whose name opposing fans should keep in mind when discussing Iowa. Preferably one we don't already know about..

The beauty of the current Iowa depth chart is there are so few unknown quantities: There are only 3 starters to replace on each side of the ball, and the openings on offense have ready-made, experienced replacements. If you need someone you haven't heard of, watch for Broderick Binns, a defensive end. It looks increasingly likely that one of Iowa's returning ends will move inside as a replacement at defensive tackle and open a spot for Binns, who stood out in rotation duty during the second half of last season and has been described as "unblockable" this fall by the staff. Iowa lost Mitch King and Matt Kroul, but it's not completely out of the question that the defensive line will be better against the pass and competent against the run. Binns will likely be the key.

3. Taking off the black and gold rec specs for a minute - what do you think Iowa's record will be in 2009?

I'm saying 8-4, followed by a bowl win. Ferentz made a good point last week: It's possible - maybe even likely - that Iowa is a better team this season but doesn't have the record to show for it. Road games against Iowa State, Penn State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Ohio State are all certainly losable, and the home contests against Northwestern and Michigan are far from gimmies. I can't see Iowa getting through the road schedule with less than three losses, and it's certainly possible they lose a fourth or drop a game at Kinnick. With that said, getting Ohio State late in the schedule gives the Hawks a shot to repeat the Penn State upset from last season; Ferentz-era Iowa teams show near-uniform improvement over the course of the year, and getting them late in the season is a curse generally reserved for Wisconsin and Minnesota.

4. Was Kirk Ferentz ever genuinely on the hot seat in Iowa city? If so, did last season cool it off quite a bit?

No, not really; if he was, he's not anymore. There is a small but vocal minority of the fanbase who call the postgame show and break into hysterics after every loss, but they're not any real threat to the throne. Iowa football, by the very nature of the recruiting base, is a player-development-heavy operation. It's inevitable that, if players don't develop as expected and/or scholarship limits and player attrition force Iowa to field a young lineup, there will be down cycles. That is precisely what happened in 1988-89, when a national championship contender with 29 wins in 3 years, went 11-10-3. It happened in 1992-94, when a 10-1-1 team was followed by three consecutive .500 seasons. And it happened 2006 and 2007, as off-the-field issues decimated the ranks and the most highly-touted (and now clearly most disappointing) recruiting class in school history flamed out. Those with a long view of Iowa football, who have some historical perspective, understand that and refrain from breaking out the torches and pitchforks.

5. Make an off-the-cuff prediction for the Ohio State game.

The Iowa defensive line, never great at getting to the quarterback but always disciplined in containment, stops Pryor from scrambling outside/running the pistol option, and forces him to throw. Given what I saw from your quarterback last year, your returning receivers, and the November date, I feel good about any game where Terrelle Pryor has to throw the ball more than 20 times. Hampton runs effectively behind that line, Stanzi throws as necessary, and Iowa squeaks out a 21-17 win.

That, or we lose by 40.

Pryor has his share of doubters, doesn't he? Nick Siciliano, your time is now.

Previewin': Iowa

Beauford — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:09:08 -0000

Maize n' Brew mercilessly drifts through yet another preview; this one long overdue. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Previously: Illinois, Northwestern, Penn State

Explanation and indemnifications found: here

The Hawkeyes finished last season with a bang, beating Steve Spurrier's South Carolina Gamecocks in the Outback Bowl 31-10 (of the SEC, no less!). As damn near the only Big Ten team to have anything approaching a resounding bowl victory, Hawkeye fans come into this season with super-high expectations, especially given the effusive praise the defense has received this off season. Of the teams that SCM, MnB Dave, and I have had "roundtable-like-substance" discussions about, Iowa was among the most divergent in opinion, with SCM checking in as "not too concerned" about the Iowa game, and MnB Dave stating it would be the toughest road test of the season. I landed in the middle. On the administrative side, Kirk Ferentz recently signed a 7-year 21-million dollar contract extension. This figures to keep him in Iowa for a long time; he is already the second longest tenured head coach in the Big Ten.

More Previewin' Dead Ahead.

2009 Schedule:

9/05	Northern Iowa	12:05 PM
9/12	@ Iowa State	12:05 PM
9/19	Arizona	3:35 PM
9/26	@ Penn State	8:00 PM
10/03	Arkansas State	TBA
10/10	Michigan	8:05 PM
10/17	@ Wisconsin	12:00 PM
10/24	@ Michigan State	7:00 PM
10/31	Indiana	TBA
11/07	Northwestern	TBA
11/14	@ Ohio State	TBA
11/21	Minnesota	TBA

A "meh-ish" OOC slate, followed by the typical Big Ten fare. I will point out that Iowa has a brutal road schedule this year, traveling to Penn State, Michigan State, and Ohio State - all of which figure to be angling for a New Years Day bowl.

One thing the media will harp on that is off base:

With the early departure of Shonn Greene, destroyer of defenses; worlds, to the NFL, people have been focusing on Jewel Hampton and Jeff Brinson as the flag carriers for the Hawkeye running game that was so effective last year (26th in the nation). What might matter more is the development of the interior offensive line who must find replacements at Center and Guard respectively. New starters-ish (see below) Rafael Eubanks and Dace Richardson look to step into the starting roles. Eubanks is certainly no slouch, a 4-star to Scout who competed for the starting position last year with departed senior Rob Bruggeman. Eubanks had started at Center as a Freshman and a Sophomore before Bruggeman ultimately won the job last year. However, Eubanks should do just fine in the middle. Dace Richardson looks to get the start at Right Guard. Dan Doering was named a starter last year until injury side-tracked much of the season. A 5-star all-world recruit in 2005 with offers from Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and anywhere else he mentioned as possibly having a shot, Iowa is downright USC-esque with their offensive line replacements. Lose a starter? Plug in another top-100 recruit. Richardson is another 5-star recruit. All have seen significant time in back-up rolls or, in Eubanks case, as a former starter, so it's not as if they're true freshman or anything.

The line looks like this, where ** denotes returning starter:

LT: Bryan Bulaga**	Jr.
LG: Julian Vandervelde**	Jr.
C: Rafael Eubanks	Sr.
RG: Dace Richardson	Sr.
RT: Kyle Calloway**	Sr

This offensive line has the potential to shove Iowa towards yet another stellar rushing year, regardless of Shonn Greene's departure.

One thing the media will completely ignore that is integral to this team's success:

While focusing, and deservedly so, on Iowa's stellar trio of linebackers, people are forgetting that they must replace the 95 combined starts of the ferocious defensive tackle duo of Mitch King and Matt Kroul. That Mitch King guy? Yeah, he was an All American. Kroul was a second-team All-Big-Ten selection last year as well. Replacing those bodies isn't going to be easy, and may put an additional strain on the linebacking corp that is expected to carry this defense. Another thing worth mentioning, courtesy of a discussion with OPS, is the fact that new Cornerback Shaun Prater is suspended for two games, and his backup Jordan Bernstine seems not to be able to stay healthy. A situation worth watching.

Most important contributors on each side of the ball:

Offensively, and I hate to pound this into the ground, but this is going to be the offensive line unit as a whole. Ricky Stanzi was good and effective when he could turn and hand the ball to Shonn Greene only throwing when necessary. Granted, he engineered the drive that ended Penn State's national title run, but I just wonder how he will fare if the running game isn't as dominant as it was last year. If the offensive line is as good as it looks on paper, we may not have to find out, which is good for the Hawkeyes, and bad for everyone they play.

Defensively, it's got to be Pat Angerer, the senior outside linebacker and All-Big-Ten selection from 2008. He is undoubtedly the leader of this defense, and with the departure of King and Kroul, will be asked to step up even further this year. A good season this year virtually guarantees a first-round selection come the 2010 NFL draft.

Area that scares you as Michigan Wolverines:

How about that defense? The unit ranked 5th in scoring defense last year in the country and returns all but three starters. The loss of King and Kroul hurts, but jeeeeeezus thats a talented, experienced group.

Area that makes you salivate as the Michigan Wolverines:

The strategy here, having not seen any games, seems to me to be stop the running game and let Stanzi beat you with his arm. While the line and the running backs have potential to be very very good, it still remains only potential. If there is a trouble spot on this team, it's the fact that if the running game isn't working, Stanzi remains a wild Stanzi-ball throwing wildcard.

Random factor that you think will come into play this season:

As always, the BHGP tailgate scares the shit out of me in only the way a few guys standing around a 2006 Hyundai in a gravel parking lot drinking beer can. Oops Pow; this is my serious face.

Overall Record:

9-3

Final Big Ten Standing:

3rd (after a tie for first, so 2nd if you want)

Bowl Destination:

Another New Years Day bowl, movin' on up to the Capital One to beat the shit out of another unwitting SEC team.

And for those coming via twitter, here.

Welcome To The NFL, Part 2: The Not Drafteds

Oops Pow Surprise — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 05:39:26 -0000

As mentioned to the right, Iowa had a few guys go to schools as undrafted free agents. These are they, or whatever the right grammar is.

In what we can all agree was the most egregious oversight by GMs across the league... Andy Brodell went undrafted. Luckily, the Galloping Ankenyman was quickly scooped up by the Green Bay Packers, where he's already drawing obvious comparisons to Sterling Sharpe. At least that's what this gnome is telling me, because I am fucking tripping balls like crazy right now. Did you know my fingers are made of music?

Matt Kroul is totally going to be roomsies with Shonn Greene after he signed with the New York Jets. We're not really sure why he went there. It's possible that he puts on 30 pounds and becomes a 2-gap stuffer or something; that seems more plausible than playing end in a 3-4 system, since Kroul is as much a defensive end as, oh, KOK is. Hope he goes somewhere else.

Rob Bruggeman went to Tampa Bay, so... say hello to the Brugganeers! Yes, I'm still higher than a kite. He's smallish, but Bruggeman's technical skills and pure work ethic are probably going to be enough for him to stick around--remember that Casey Wiegmann was in the exact same boat when he was coming out of Iowa a few years back.

And then there's Mitch King, who signed with the Titans. We don't have much to say about the Titans, but listen. If 32 general managers can't figure out a way to use a 275-280 pound defensive lineman who was generally regarded as the single most unblockable person in the Big Ten last season, we're pretty sure that's not the lineman's fault. King is like a healthier Jared DeVries, who was a 3rd round pick and has only been in the NFL for 11 years now. Further, if you think King can't learn to play at a high level wherever you need him to play, I'm sorry, you're goddamn foolish.

We can say this with a good amount of confidence: King will stick around and make some coach very happy, probably for longer than most of the 21 defensive tackles that got drafted instead of him.

Comparing South Carolina and Iowa: The DL

Gamecock Man — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 23:52:07 -0000

Contestants: Mitch King, Matt Kroul, Adrian Clayborn, Christian Ballard (Iowa); Ladi Ajiboye, Nathan Pepper, Jordin Lindsey, Cliff Matthews (South Carolina)

Iowa

The Hawkeyes boast the nation's tenth-best rushing defense, thanks in large part to a stout defensive line. Mitch King and Matt Kroul, Iowa's defensive tackles, are great run stuffers. Considering that we come into this game with one of the nation's worst rushing offenses, we likely won't be able to run between the tackles against Iowa. King will be especially difficult to contain; while a bit undersized, he's had a good enough year to make a unanimous selection for first-team All-Big 10.

Iowa doesn't like to blitz, so they also rely on their line to generate a pass rush. They haven't always generated a lot of pressure this year, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them have some success against our suspect offensive line.

South Carolina

South Carolina's defensive line, much maligned in 2007 after contributing to one of the country's worst rushing defenses, showed marked improvement this year. Our rushing defense ranks 37th at 128 ypg. Whereas we've continued to have trouble with teams like Florida that run the spread (our national ranking was much higher before we played that Gators and Clemson), we've been generally effective stopping teams that utilize traditional rushing attacks.

Our group also generates a potent pass rush and contributes to the occasional big play, such as Nate Pepper's fumble return for a TD against Ole Miss or Jordin Lindsey's INT return against Arkansas.

Final Thoughts

While I wouldn't call it a large advantage, Iowa is a little better than us here. We have a very good defensive line, but the fact is that Iowa has one of the best around.

When it comes to line play in this game, a lot of variables come into play. Can our offensive line play well enough to keep Iowa from generating a pass rush? Can we at least run well enough to move the chains in short yardage situations? Those are big ifs considering how our offensive line matches up against Iowa's defensive line. As far as our defense goes, I think we're capable of slowing down Shonn Greene early in the game, but what worries me is that if our offense falters and can't sustain drives, our defense will wear down by the second half. If that happens, we're probably toast unless we've built up a big lead by then.

Advantage: Iowa

Iowa's Defense: What to Expect

Gamecock Man — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 04:14:16 -0000

The most important thing you need to know about Iowa's defense is that they don't have speed. These guys are from places like Illinois, South Dakota, and, yes, Iowa. Because they spend all their time as children in doors and out of the snow over the winter, it's difficult for them to get the exercise they need to develop legitimate athleticism as they grow up. Compared to our guys, who have the entire year to work out and develop their abilities, these Hawkeyes are going to look like they're moving in slow motion while we run past them into the endzone.

Well, maybe this isn't Iowa. And maybe we don't have Tim Tebow. Oh well; would've been nice.

Seriously, this time: these guys have a pretty good defense, certainly good enough to stop our offense unless Stephen Garcia suddenly wakes up with quadruple the QB smarts that he's displayed so far this year. They haven't given up more than 27 points this year and pitched a shutout in their last game to a decent Minnesota team. Let's take a look at them by position.

Defensive Line

The Hawkeyes start Adrian Clayborn and Christian Ballard on the ends and Matt Kroul and Mitch King in the middle. This group has done well against the run this year, having held several teams to under 100 total yards rushing, including Michigan State and Javon Ringer. That's pretty good, considering that most Big 10 teams run the ball quite a bit and feature solid offensive lines. These guys haven't combined for a lot of sacks (nor have the linebackers), although that could be because lots of their opponents like to run the ball and/or have mobile, scrambling QBs.

Of course, considering the King weighs around 260 pounds, I'm guessing he'll be unable to tackle Mike Davis.

Linebackers

From what I can gather, the Hawkeyes typically play three in the middle. Pat Angerer is the group's run stopper, leading the team with 101 tackles. Again, this group appears to be better against the run than the pass; they've been gashed a couple of times through the air by the likes of Northwestern and Illinois. They did, however, hold Penn State's Daryll Clark to less than 100 yards through the air, although bad weather may have had something to do with that.

Defensive Backfield

Not sure it's worth spending time on this. Everyone knows Big 10 defensive backs are slow. Illinois, which has a former SEC coach that knows how to recruit speed, will show you everything you need to know about the Iowa secondary at around the 1:20 mark of the following film.

Final Thoughts

All jokes aside, this is a talented, well-coached defense will come ready to play smart, tough football. I expect they won't have much trouble taking the run away from us unless we can get Eric Baker going on the edges. However, I do like our chances of gaining yardage against this team in the air. The fact that our lack of a running game will allow the Iowa linebackers to sit back in coverage worries me a bit, but Weslye Saunders and Jared Cook will give Iowa match-up problems that we should be able to exploit. Expect us to try to get the ball to these two on crossing and post patterns. I also expect that we'll try to get the ball to the receivers on screens and slant patterns to keep the Iowa defense honest if we indeed can't get the run going.

Countdown until Iowa fans hijack the comments thread with incoherent sarcasm about the SEC and innaccurrate statements about how we lost two straight Outback Bowls to Ohio State: 3... 2... 1...

You Like Me! You Really Like Me!

Hawkeye State — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:00:06 -0000

The 2008 Iowa football team is winning awards like Titanic Gladiator (yeah, definitely Gladiator). Shonn Greene and Mitch King won the big awards, but they weren't the only players recognized. Now, for awards given at an earlier ceremony:

First Team All-Conference
Shonn Greene, RB (media (unanimous) & coaches)*
Seth Olsen, G (media & coaches)
Brandon Myers, TE (coaches)
Mitch King, DL (media & coaches (unanimous))

Second Team All-Conference
Rob Bruggeman, C (media & coaches)
Bryan Bulaga, T (coaches)
Kyle Calloway, T (media)
Matt Kroul, DL (media)
Pat Angerer, LB (media & coaches)
Amari Spievey, CB (coaches)
Ryan Donahue, P (coaches)

Honorable Mention All-Conference
Kyle Calloway, A.J. Edds, Bradley Fletcher, Matt Kroul (coaches)
Bryan Bulaga, Ryan Donahue, A.J. Edds, Bradley Fletcher, Brett Greenwood**, Brandon Myers, Amari Spievey (media)

That's one hell of a haul, considering Iowa had just two honorable mentions last season. Congrats to one and all.

* -- Voters are allowed to choose two running backs for first team all-conference consideration. Greene didn't get a unanimous selection from the coaches for first team all-Big Ten, which means one coach inexplicably had him third or worse in the conference. It's either the result of a massive oversight (unlikely) or a petty, vindictive, childish vote by someone with a vendetta against Iowa. Whoever did it should be relieved of their duties as a voter on these awards, a coach in this conference, and a living being on this planet.

I'm looking at you, Fitzgerald.

** -- We don't get Greenwood's inclusion, either, but we're not going to rain on his parade. Besides, the Big Ten's official website has his name misspelled. That's just cruel.

Malicious Internet Interrogation with Black Heart Gold Pants

BSD — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:29:05 -0000

UPDATE: BHGP had some questions for us as well.

I think we've all been looking forward to this week if for nothing else than to see some good Penn State material up over on Black Heart Gold Pants. Just to stoke the fire a bit we threw our SBNation Big Ten bretheren some questions, and they didn't disappoint. May God have mercy on our souls.

BSD: Before we start, care to make any jokes about how old our coach is?

	Joe Pater
	MR. PATERNO WILL BE FINE THANK YOU
	Fine, Mr. Paterno is so old
	HOW OLD IS HE?
	He's so old he
	HE IS SO OLD HE CIRCUMCISED JESUS. .
	Hur, hur, nice joke Mr. Paterno.
	SILENCE, YOU IRISH DEVILS. THE BRIS WAS QUITE THE ORDEAL.

BSD: Hope you feel better now that you got that out of your system.

	Sadly, I don't. I never like to mock the eld
	THE FATHER REFUSED TO PAY ON ACCOUNT OF A PATERNITY DISPUTE AND THE CHILD'S FORESKIN KEPT GROWING BACK INSTANTLY
	Mr. Paterno, really, we don’t need de
	I HAVE THUS COME TO HATE BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

BSD: For the amount of money Iowa is paying Kirk Ferentz, I can't imagine winning six games a year along with all the off the field problems is going over well with the administration and alumni. Do you get the sense that Ferentz is coaching to save his job these last three weeks?

I don't think there is a reasonable scenario (even 5-7) in which Ferentz is outright terminated. You have to realize, there is still significant support for Ferentz out there. There is a significant portion of the fanbase which gnashes its teeth at any mention of the absurdity of Ferentz's salary (over $3M before bonuses this season). There is still a group of people (generally those who host call-in shows or write newspaper columns) who treat him with a certain amount of reverence. Those people control enough of the levers of power in the Iowa Athletic Department, financial and otherwise, to effectively head off any out-and-out firing of the coach.

Where Ferentz could (and, if you ask me, almost certainly will) run into trouble is with his staff. There has been virtually no turnover in the coaching staff since he took over in 1999, and those coaches don't have anywhere near the institutional support Ferenz enjoys. In particular, offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe and offensive line coach Reese Morgan take a lot of heat. With every poor offensive performance (and there have been quite a few over the past 2 1/2 years), the heat turns up on KOK. This week, there was actually a newspaper column about the offense's struggles with getting plays called on time, which of course is a problem NINE WEEKS INTO THE SEASON for even the best of teams. I firmly believe there could be an edict from upon high that O'Keefe has to go at the end of the year. Problem is, O'Keefe gave Ferentz his first coaching job as a prep school assistant 30 years ago, and Ferentz will not Will Not WILL NOT fire him. I honestly believe he would not fire either of his coordinators, even if his job was at stake. He might pay for public insubordination with his own job.

Aside from a couple of postgame rants, I've not been one to call for KF's head. His strict adherence to cloud-of-dust football is infuriating at times, and I still believe he should have known better than to get involved in last fall's assault investigation, but I would like him to stay if only because there probably isn't anyone better available.

BSD: Is there any reason why I should be concerned about Rick Stanzi throwing the ball?

Despite the aforementioned radio guys' best efforts, Stanzi is now the unquestioned starting quarterback. He has the best set of receivers Iowa's fielded since Chuck Long's heyday (though, to be fair, they've suffered two straight seasons of repeated nagging injuries). Despite that, he's thrown for over 200 yards exactly once. So, yes, if O'Keefe lets him take a few shots, and Stanzi can deliver the ball downfield without stepping on his shoelaces and chucking it into quadruple coverage, the passing game can be legitimate. We just haven't seen that yet, and given O'Keefe's love of the three-yard out route and Stanzi's uncanny ability to audible to the fumblerooski without notifying any of his teammates, it's not likely.

BSD: Ok, so I'll admit Shonn Greene is kind of good. But does he really deserve a minor league hockey promotional stunt all to himself? And isn't it kind of racist for the University to call a "Black Out" considering the color of his skin? Wouldn't an African American Out be more appropriate?

Penn State makes fun of the "Black Out"? Penn State, whose "OMG LET'S ALL WEAR THE SAME COLOR LOL" gimmick is so blatantly race-driven that Pennsylvania congressmen are calling the entire region racist? A gimmick so mind-numbingly retarded that it was co-opted by the Miami Heat? Do you really think it's fair to show your support for Devlin over Clark so publicly?

If you want to mock us, mock the fact that this is the third shirt-color-related promotional stunt of the season. It's the second Black Out. The Athletic Department actually said that the first Black Out was rained out, as if the precipitation bleached all our shirts.

Look, I was behind the whole Greene Out thing when I could profit from it. Now that I've been prohibited from selling shirts by University fiat, I have to admit it's a meh-at-best idea that has been completely bungled by the stupidity of the Athletic Department and this hastily-organized Black Out.

But, yeah, Shonn Greene is good.

BSD: You have a defense. Tell me about these poor souls that will carry the emotional scars of this game for the rest of their lives.

This defense is completely legitimate, especially against the run. The front four is the best Iowa's fielded since 2004. The senior tackles, King and Kroul, get the press, but it's been Adrian Clayborn on the end that has been the key so far. He's not there yet, but he should develop into the best pass rusher Iowa's had since Matt Roth. The linebackers are typical Iowa linebackers: Probably not as fast as your guys, but always around the ball and deceptively good in coverage.

The cornerbacks, which were a source of concern in the spring, are now the key to the entire defense. Bradley Fletcher transformed himself from a target of opposing quarterbacks last season into something close to a lock-down cover corner this year. Amari Spievey doesn't have the cover skills, but is the surest open-field tackler I've seen in quite some time. In Iowa's soft cover 2 system, that's more than enough to play corner.

The only weakness, week-in and week-out, is free safety Brett Greenwood, who is attacked mercilessly by smart coordinators and seems to be perpetually out of position against the deep ball down the sideline. Good thing Penn State's receivers suck...

...dude, we are so screwed.

BSD: What is the difference between a Lemon Party and a Leman Party?

Some might say it's in the number of dead foreigners vs. the number of dead Republicans. Some might say it's no hair on three men vs. enough hair to weave a blanket for all three. Some might say it's clothes optional vs. flagtie required.

But, really, it's all about freedom. J Leman might hate a lemon party, but he'll mow through a battalion of Chinese soldiers to protect your right to have it (not available in California, Georgia, Ohio, and South Dakota). God Bless J Leman. God Bless America.

How can America lose either way?

The Takeaway: Pitt

Oops Pow Surprise — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:19:25 -0000

Sure, Iowa just lost their first game of the year, 21-20. But how much do we really know? What was really important about losing to Pitt? What does it all mean, Basil? The Takeaway has the answer.

HASSAN CHOP!

Jake Christensen has officially played his way out of the starting lineup. There are myriad stories floating around about why Stanzi didn't see a single snap in the second half, and while none of them are anywhere near verifiable enough for publication (other than this nugget: "mutiny"?! Come on guys, Varsity Blues was an MTV joint. You can lie better than MTV), it's safe to say that bizarre, ineffectual one-minute drill by Stanzi to end the first half probably earned him a spot on the sidelines for two quarters.

And two quarters is it, because Stanzi is now your starter, according to Ferentz and the depth chart (pops to embedded PDF). This is probably for the best; Christensen was beaten into fear and insufficiency in 2007, and that sort of thing you just can't unlearn. After his offseason QB lessons with legendary NFL superstar Steve DeBerg, Christensen has now turned into the Big Ten's Dikembe Mutombo, a player of considerable athleticism and skills, but without the organic thought process to make it highly functional. He, like Mutombo, is like a robot on offense, deciding what steps his body will take before he executes them. The end result is awkward passes, pocket panic, and a game that cannot evolve as quickly as the play around him.

It's a genuine shame, because like Ladell Betts eight years prior, Christensen shouldered the load to the best of his ability, has little to nothing to show for it, and not one single time mouthed off publicly about it. Granted, Betts had plenty more room to gripe, but Drew Tate didn't, and that didn't stop the Five-Shooter, now, did it? We'll let Mike Gundy voice our opinion on the kid one last time, then tentatively relegate all Christensen talk to the trash bin of yesterday's news:

Stanzi is once again the Manzi against Northwestern, a role he has earned. While he's probably liable for a drive-killing Stanziball or two (or three), we're hard-pressed to imagine a scenario without injury or full implosion that involves a prominent role for Christensen from here on out. Shame that the era ends like this, but end it must.

Iowa's lone defensive weakness is at safety. On Pitt's first and third touchdowns, both long runs snaking through the Iowa secondary, FS Brett Greenwood was caught laughably out of position. The first run was especially egregious, as one unremarkable juke move left Greenwood with two broken ankles and utterly incapable of laying even a hand on the rusher five feet in front of him. Greenwood hardly made his presence known against this first tough opponent of the season (notable exception: saving a 20+ yard run with a dive tackle on McCoy's ankles in the second half), and we're thinking the comparisons to Sean Considine and Derek Pagel can wait until Greenwood cuts down on the mental errors that were famously absent from his predecessors' play.

E for Effort. Or Error.

Meanwhile, Tyler Sash (above), coming off a virtuoso performance against Iowa State, was downright pedestrian this Saturday, making some plays and missing just as many. We're not ready to give up the experiment on either safety so far (and looking at the depth charts, neither are the coaches), but they absolutely must perform at a higher level against a spread rush team like Northwestern--no position is put at higher stress levels against a spread offense than safety.

The cornerbacks, however, are doing just fine. It's safe to say Amari Spievey is doing just fine and will start until his career's over here. The Prodigal Hawkeye didn't miss a single tackle or lose coverage that we can remember, and he's still a sophomore in his first season of BXI action. We couldn't have known it at the time, but with Jordan Bernstine's problematic hammy, Spievey has become every bit as important an acquisition for the defense as Shonn Greene was for the offense. Bradley Fletcher has improved, yes, but without Spievey, we're either starting Shaun Prater (good, but definitely not ready) or Drew Gardner (horrrrk) right now. Those two are serviceable in spot duty. Spievey is undoubtedly a future NFL cornerback. The difference is palpable.

No Constitutional Amendments can help you now!

Meanwhile, after three unremarkable games, Kroul and Unusual Punishment have made their presence known once again. After Iowa went down 14-3, Pittsburgh tried to establish a running game, and it led to a two-quarter drought as the Panthers watched Iowa climb back into the lead. Statistics be damned; conventional rushing against Iowa is useless. Err, I mean, no! Anything but that! Please, opponents, don't rush up the middle on Iowa! We'd be doomed, I tell you, doomed!

Shonn Greene is doing an Earl Campbell impression for which he is unprepared. God bless Shonn Greene. Honestly. For someone who spent, as near as we can tell, almost two years away from the football field (first the ankle injury in 2006, then his academic hiatus), he is putting in a superhuman effort.

This is normal, Mr. Wannstedt. Be happy it only happened once. Northwestern's going to see it happen, like, four times.

Greene currently ranks eighth in the NCAA in rushing offense, which is remarkable; not only did he not run up gaudy stats on cupcakes and MACrifices, but that career high he put up against Pitt came in essentially three quarters. In the fourth, Greene was completely worn out, barely able to peel himself off the field or walk without a noticeable limp. In this sense, Greene is like 2006-07 Tony Freeman, a physical specimen, but noticeably lacking in conditioning. Freeman improved there, and we have no doubt Greene will too. We just hope it'll be soon; if he gets to the level where he can register thirty carries in a game, Iowa probably wins it. And really, if Greene rushes 30 times, no game is off the table. The sooner Greene reaches this level is the closer Iowa gets to a high-level bowl game.

PHOTO CREDITS:

1--Brian Ray/The Gazette
2--Press Citizen / Matthew Holst
3--Press Citizen / Matthew Holst
4--AP Photo/Keith Srakocic