re: Iowa vs LSU breakdown

I look forward to this game for a lot of different reasons. The most important to me is so I can see what type of progress we've made this year. It was a strange path to 8 wins, and until the final two games of the season (Mich & Nebby), it wasn't pretty. I really don't know what we have as a team right now. I do know they've improved greatly, and this is a good sign as past patterns for us under KF usually take this course. A slow, painful course given who and what we are.

I would expect next year to be similar, with better results given what looks like a weaker schedule.

I think we make another T10 run in the next 3-5 years.

This game, more than any other game this year, will tell me a lot about what to expect in the future. I think we'll be a T10 team again, I'm not sure how far along we are toward that goal right now.

This game should be a good test for both teams. I think LSU wins and I think it's our defense that does it for us.

THIS

College football is a lot like golf. You might know your team, but you never really know what you're gonna get.

Bowl games are very very hard to pick because often times one team views it as a party or prize and not a game, and doesn't show up like Florida and LSU last year. Also, you have all these agents telling their "players" just don't get hurt in that meaningless bowl game and you will be a first rounder. (Said to about 200 kids btw)

LSU is the better team, top to bottom but who knows if they will show up ready to play?

The keys to this game, as they so often are, rest with a)protecting the QB, b)quality of QB play, and c)establishing the run. Iowa is definitely run-first--if we cannot run, we are likely in big, big trouble. Our WR's are average at best; the TE's are way above average, but can disappear at times.

Same for LSU, I think--if the Tigers can run well, we are in big, big trouble. If we can get a pass rush going, and disrupt their QB, the Tigers are in big trouble. Simple as that.

My gut feeling is that Iowa will run decently, but must get above average play from Rudock the QB to win. LSU won't be able to run well, but if the new QB has any accuracy at all, he may have a field day--Iowa has a habit of laying off new QB's to 'let them make mistakes', only some of them don't, and torch us all day long, as we go into soft coverages and three man rushes, yet somehow WR's end up with no one within 5 yards of them, for easy completions.

This is my big worry--LSU getting 300+ passing yards with about 100 on the ground. It's more realistic a possibility than some will admit.

Assuming turnovers aren't a big factor, I'm predicting a 31-20 LSU win, mainly through the air.

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Without Zach M, I don't see our Passing Game torching anyone.

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youre not well acquainted with Iowa soft zone. Gabert from Mizzou threw for 434 yards against us. But they only scored 24 points.

We had 258 vs. Western Michigan.

Solid post, guy. welcome.

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Overall this will be a physical game. If LSU makes mistakes and/or is not motivated to play, Iowa can win and make it interesting at the very least.

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Can we please put this comment away for awhile (until after the game)?

A lot of the time the opponent is the reason for another team's poor play and the Hawks are good enough to wreak some havoc.

We will try to take away the explosive play and make you earn every stinkin' yard. We will play ball possession with the running game to keep the ball out of your offense's hands. We will play field position and our punter will be either a key or a detriment in our gameplan depending on just how effective he is at either pinning you deep or flipping the field.

Everything the Hawks do on both sides of the ball (and on special teams) is generated to work in concert. Iowa will not make many mistakes and they will occasionally go for a big play just to check if the Tigers are still paying attention.

If LSU can get up by more than 2 TDs, Iowa is probably out of luck, but that just doesn't happen that much to them. The Hawks lead every game but two at the half this year, and have learned how to close out games toward the end of the season.

This attitude that a 9-3 LSU team with a first time starter at QB being so superior is laughable at best and really starting to get old.

Good teams will play good football when the chips are down. I believe the Hawks will play well, why don't you guys expect the same from your Tigers? Are they just not that good?

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Iowa is totally capable of causing LSU mistakes. I apologize if it came across otherwise; that's not what I intended. LSU is a very good team, but there have been bowl games in the past in which they didn't seem motivated to be there; that is all. It wasn't meant as an indictment against Iowa in any regard. Iowa can cause havoc; I've seen it. Sometimes LSU shoots themselves in the proverbial foot with penalties.

Each team is built similarly, except LSU has an overall athletic and talent advantage. If Iowa can force mistakes from LSU, it will be a great game. It's impressive that Iowa has 8 wins this season considering the preseason expectations y'all have discussed. I'm looking forward to a great contest.

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No worries, I've just seen the comment that the only way Iowa can win is if LSU doesn't come to play too many times. Good teams come to play. If they don't, then they just aren't very good (talent level notwithstanding).

We are fairly happy with how things turned out, especially after such a turd of a season last year. That doesn't mean that we settle for less, because Ferentz was on the proverbial "hot seat" if things didn't go better and most of us are hoping for even bigger things next year. It's a process.

Just a couple other thoughts/insight about Iowa's football program...

1. The state of Iowa produces about 5-10 D1 level recruits each year. Most of these are 2-3 star level recruits with occasionally a couple four stars. These are split between the Hawks and Iowa St, with Iowa typically getting the better of things.

2. Because of this, Iowa has to go out of state to get better talent. A study has been done to determine what factors most influence where a recruit ends up with the top reason being proximity to where they grew up.

3. Iowa is a developmental program that relies on players being in the program for 2-3 years before they're ready to contribute. We just don't get many players that are ready to go when they step on campus due to the inherent recruiting challenges.

4. When Iowa has to go out on a limb to get talent and take players far away from where they grew up, many of these get homesick and/or have other difficulties and end up leaving the program (wasted scholly). This is the main reason that Iowa has struggled more recently as several of the classes have had up to a 50% attrition rate.

5. The reason I'm so optimistic for next year is that several of the players who are contributing are younger and seem more ready to contribute earlier than they might have 5-10 years ago. Hopefully this is an indication that we're bringing more talent in.

6. Iowa's best predictor for success has been the play of the DL. We're at our best when the front four is good enough to both stuff the run game and generate pressure on the QB while allowing the LBs to do their thing and not have to provide additional pressure. Compared to previous DLs at Iowa, I would give this year's a 7/10. Last year's was a 4/10 and a big reason we were 4-8. The fact that the LBs are so talented really helps to compensate for any deficiencies.

I would give the 2005 edition a 8/10 with each of those guys making an NFL roster. There just wasn't any depth which was why they were gassed and why Russell was able to generate the rally he did. We actually have a bit of a rotation this year which has allowed guys to remain fresh.

7. Iowa has been a program in transition these past two years, replacing both OC and DC along with multiple new position coaches. Things seem to be progressing nicely and should only become more cohesive as the team adapts to the new approaches.

8. This season has reminded many Iowa fans of our 2008 season where we crushed South Carolina in the Outback Bowl and then went on the next year to start 9-0 prior to losing our starting QB and then dispatching with GT in the Orange Bowl. That same optimism exists for next year due to the similarities. We've had several players leave after their junior seasons (Dallas Clark, Bryan Bulaga, Amari Spievey, Reilly Reiff and Shonn Greene). In a developmental program, these guys are impossible to replace. It will be nice to have Scherff back at LT next year. You guys will be impressed with him.