|
DT
Matt Kroul |
|
|
|
Coach:
Kirk Ferentz
61-49,
9 years |
2007
Record: 6-6 |
|
vs.
Northern Illinois |
WON
16-3 |
SYRACUSE |
WON
35-0 |
at
Iowa State |
LOST
13-15 |
at
Wisconsin |
LOST
13-17 |
INDIANA |
LOST
20-38 |
at
Penn State |
LOST
7-27 |
ILLINOIS |
WON
10-6 |
at
Purdue |
LOST
6-31 |
MICHIGAN
STATE |
WON
34-27 (2OT) |
at
Northwestern |
WON
28-17 |
MINNESOTA |
WON
21-16 |
WEST.
MICHIGAN |
LOST
19-28 |
|
2007
Final Rankings
AP-UR, Coaches-UR, BCS-UR
|
2008
Outlook |
There
have been three distinct stages
of head coach Kirk Ferentz’s
nine-year career – the
first three years that saw the
win total(s) go from one in
1999 then to three the next
year, and then to seven after
that; the next successive three
year span was arguably the most
successful ever in Iowa City,
save the 20-0 run that spanned
four seasons from 1920-23; and
the past three that have seen
his efforts result in mediocrity
and struggle. Ferentz was here
in the Eighties in midst of
the Hayden Fry Era. He coordinated
the running game and coached
the offensive line under the
legendary Hawkeye, finding great
success and the feel for how
things work here in capitol
city. But this might be a pivotal
season due to this current run
of three tough years, so Kirk
needs to pull something out
to keep the same alums who fell
in love with him after he resurrected
the program off of his back.
This
year’s situation poses
more of a struggle than the
effort necessary when Iowa last
faced the same kind of uphill
climb. Last year was the first
one without Drew Tate, and that
meant breaking in Jake Christiansen
most of last year. Coaches admit
now they had the then-sophomore
too worried about turnovers,
so much so that Jake wasn’t
himself. Spring has shown a
better hurler in Christiansen
and a good chance for reviving
the running game with the return
of Shonn Green and the arrival
of JUCO-transfer Nate Guillory.
A solid receiving corps and
OL consisting of five returning
starters means the offense bounces
back.
The
defense won’t long for
quality. The nation’s
returning 36th-ranked stoppers,
the entire team’s recent
lulls have yet to mean Iowa
fields a marginal D. It will
come down to whether the LBs
can do without Humpal. Moreover,
can the DBs deal with the lack
of quality depth at corner when
up against those multiple-receiver
sets? Kroul and King mean the
run stopping will be tough and
effective.
It
all comes full circle with the
opener – Ferentz’s
first head coaching job was
with Maine (1990-92). Perennial
power Pittsburgh and rival State
come early on. The big break
comes in that this year is like
last year – no Michigan
or Ohio State (the first time
since 1935-36 this has happened,
when they were all still playing
as part of the Western Conference).
The toughest run is the three-game
span that starts with Wisconsin
and ends with Penn State…but
both of those games are at home,
and the Illinois game in Champaign
comes after a bye week. This
is a slate through which Iowa
should be able to prop itself
back up and make a ten-win season
a realistic goal if most/all
of the spring injury issues
can find resolution.
One
of the things that helped bring
the team closer together was
the work they did in helping
the flood situation(s) in Parkersburg.
Bonding like this pays dividends
in many ways, many needed ways
to make these student-athletes
understand how teamwork applies
across many facets in life.
Whether more wins come from
such a thing remains to be seen,
but the resultant camaraderie
can’t hurt.
More
wins are needed to keep the
recruiting levels up to par;
2008’s class saw a substantial
drop-off in overall quality,
and how can one not think that
the team’s 19-18 mark
from 2005-07 is a major cause
in recruiting drop-off seems
absurd. There are to many rising
programs - in what might be
the greatest era of parity at
the FBS level since the late
1800s – for Iowa to rest
on its state-college status
as the reason they will reemerge.
Ferentz has to revive the level
of play to what was seen in
those 10+-win seasons of 2002-04.
That won’t be so easy,
but in a year with so many things
working for it, the Hawkeyes
are at a proverbial crossroads.
Projected
2008 record: 5-7
|
|
IOWA
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 4 |
DL
- 4 |
RB
- 2 |
LB
- 3.5 |
WR
- 3.5 |
DB
- 3 |
OL
- 3 |
.. |
|
IOWA
2007 Statistical Rankings |
OFFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
92 |
10 |
Passing: |
94 |
10 |
Total
Off: |
109 |
11 |
Sacks
Allow: |
114 |
11 |
|
DEFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
24 |
3 |
Passing: |
62 |
6 |
Total
Def: |
36 |
5 |
Sacks: |
45 |
8 |
|
|
RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
Jake Christensen, 198-370-6,
2269 yds., 17 TD
Rushing: Derrell Johnson-Koulianos,
2 att., 19 yds., 0 TD
Receiving: Derrell Johnson-Koulianos,
38 rec., 482 yds., 2 TD
Scoring: Daniel Murray,
7-10 FG, 16-18 PAT, 37 pts.
Punting: Ryan Donahue,
86 punts, 41.1 avg.
Kicking: Daniel Murray,
7-10 FG, 16-18 PAT, 37 pts.
Tackles: A.J. Edds, 80
tot., 51 solo
Sacks: Mitch King, 4.5
sacks
Interceptions: Brett
Greenwood, 2 for 12 yds.; Bradley
Fletcher, 2 for 0 yds.
Kickoff Returns: Derrell
Johnson-Koulianos, 22 ret.,
23.7 avg., 0 TD
Punt Returns: Andy Brodell,
14 ret., 14.4 avg., 0 TD
|
|
|
DT
Mitch King |
|
|
|
OFFENSE
- 9 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 5 |
|
KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Tom Busch-FB, Albert Young-RB,
Damian Sims-RB, James Cleveland-WR |
DEFENSE:
Ken
Iwebema-DE, Bryan Mattison-DE,
Mike Klinkenborg-LB, Mike Humpal-LB,
Charles Godfrey-CB, Adam Shada-CB,
Devan Moylan-FS |
|
|
2008
OFFENSE |
QUARTERBACK
This year under the leadership of
Jake Christiansen will be different
than the last. In his first season
as a starter, Jake looked pretty comfortable
and made good decisions for his developmental
stage…17 TDs vs. six INTs offers
much promise for ’08. Still,
46 sacks were way too many, and accordingly,
throwing it away has to become one
of his traits if the win total is
to increase. Coaches say they had
Jake spooked too much about turnovers
in ‘07, so he never relaxed
into his own grove. In analyzing Christensen’s
ground numbers, he seems to be good
for about five yards per carry when
he’s not tackled behind the
line. The junior hurler should show
improvements, but he may not complete
more than 60% of his passes (has trouble
throwing on the run). When Drew Tate
left – now two years ago –
he took the nation’s No.27 passing
attack with him, but Christensen will
bring back similar numbers sooner
than later. 6’4 Stanzi was the
11th-rated dual-threat QB upon entering
collegiate ball, and he is an accurate
arm if he can get in long enough to
work some kinks out.
RUNNING
BACK
If the passing attack is what many
expect, the running backs can develop
at a natural pace. The backfield talent
is inexperienced, but it doesn’t
lack talent. JUCO All-American Nate
Guillory will provide both speed and
toughness. And speaking of junior
college ranks, Shonn Greene reemerges
after a year at that level (due to
grades); his productive freshman year
means he’s proven his worth
already at this level. Greene is a
size or two up from Guillory, but
Greene’s speed is about the
same. Both block well, too. McLaughlin
is the main plow, but he will probably
go underutilized as a ball-carrier
(like most qualified fullbacks in
today’s football world).
RECEIVER
/ TIGHT END
The passing game looks good with so
many experienced snarlers back. Most
important is the return of senior
Andy Brodell from a hamstring that
took him from coordinator Ken O’Keefe
in the fourth game (Wisconsin won
17-13). Brodell set the Alamo Bowl
record for receiving yards against
Texas in 2006. Whether he’s
back to his normal (sub-4.4) self
won’t be known until September.
The guy who stepped into the role
of ‘go to’ guy was Derrell
Johnson-Koulianos. As a RS frosh,
he led the team in both receptions
and the yardage associated with it.
The new position coach is ex-Michigan
perennial Erik “Soup”
Campbell, and Johnson-Koulianos has
developed under his tutelage into
a superior WR. He will break out,
as will 6’3 Trey Stross. “He's
a very exciting guy.” Stross
says of Soup. “He's very confident
and his biggest thing is to be confident
about ourselves and as a squad. He's
always running around everywhere,
so you just kind of feed off his energy.”
Another guy lost in the Wisconsin
game was TE Tony Moeaki, but he has
proven to be back to his same form.
Natural athlete Brandon Meyers stepped
in admirably for Moeaki, giving the
Hawkeyes extra targets at this current
time when injuries have the corps’
health in question heading into August.
OFFENSIVE
LINE
The running game, like the passing
dimensions, ostensibly needs the five
returning starters up front if it
is to fulfill its destiny and/or if
it is to hit its stride. The sacks
were excessive, but the steady decline
in the yards-per-game totals over
the past three years has fans realizing
which area has cost their team the
most. Dan Doering is a former five-star
prospect, so his upside needs to come
this year. Seth Olsen has shown the
most consistency inside, via both
leadership and his all-conference
status. Close behind is Eubanks, who
will likely make the Rimington watch
list again after his Freshman All-American
designation two years ago. Bryan Bulaga’s
development is crucial, for Olsen
may have to bump inside if Bulaga
can’t hold his own. Kyle Calloway
seems established, but he, too, is
a work-in-progress due to hot/cold
results. Ex-TE Kuempel will push Calloway
and Bulaga, but this is the marginal
area that just might affect production
in a domino sequence if the tackles
falter again. The best advice we can
give Ferentz and O’Keefe is
to keep it simple and build from there.
|
|
QB
Jake Christensen
|
|
|
IOWA
2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Jake
Christensen-Jr (6-1, 215) |
Ricky
Stanzi-So (6-4, 215) |
FB |
Jordan
McLaughlin-Sr (6-0, 230) |
Brett
Morse-So (6-3, 230) |
RB |
Nate
Guillory-Jr (5-10, 185) |
Shonn
Greene-Jr (5-11, 225) |
WR |
Andy
Brodell-Sr (6-3, 200) |
Colin
Sandeman-So (6-1, 195) |
WR |
Derrell
Johnson-Koulianos-So (6-1, 205) |
Trey
Stross-Jr (6-3, 195) |
TE |
Tony
Moeaki-Jr (6-4, 255) |
Brandon
Myers-Sr (6-4,250) |
OT |
Bryan
Bulaga-So (6-6, 290) |
Andy
Kuempel-Jr (6-7, 295) |
OG |
Dan
Doering-Jr (6-7, 300) |
Julian
Vandervelde-So (6-3, 295) |
C |
Rafael
Eubanks-Jr (6-3, 285) |
Rob
Bruggeman-Sr (6-3, 287) |
OG |
Seth
Olsen-Sr (6-5, 305) |
Travis
Meade-Jr (6-2, 285) |
OT |
Kyle
Calloway-Jr (6-7, 305) |
Wesley
Aeschliman-Sr (6-8, 318) |
K |
Austin
Signor-Jr (6-4, 230) |
Daniel
Murray-So (5-10, 175) |
|
|
2008
DEFENSE |
When
Iowa tries to stop their opponents,
they’ll find much better results
than on offense. Defense won the Northern
Illinois, Michigan State, Illinois,
and Minnesota games, and the Hawkeye
stoppers had their team in position
to win against Iowa State and Wisconsin
(both early season battles/losses
before Christensen was in gear). Only
residual affects from the 28 points
allowed in the Western Michigan loss
(closing game) can get in the way
of Iowa again having a quality defensive
effort.
DEFENSIVE
LINE
Run stopping looks good when the returning
DTs were the fourth- and seventh-best
tacklers on the team. Kroul and King,
respectively, play lighter, each having
the speed of a DE but the stoutness
needed to plug the middle. Kroul gets
the job done, but King’s stat
line is even more impressive (14.5
TFLs led the team, while the seven
passes he broke up were the team’s
second most). Klug was a finalist
for Minnesota’s “Mr. Football”
as a prep senior, while Hundertmark
was one of 11 true freshmen to see
action last year. The ends are listed
as being heavier than the All-Big
Ten King, so you see how the Hawkeye
line can/will stunt and pose ever-changing
fronts.
LINEBACKER
Another “Mr. Football”
finalist (Indiana), A.J. Edds is the
lone returning starter around which
the linebacking corps will be formed.
A former tight end, Edds broke out
as a soph to now be the leading returning
tackler (was second behind Humpal).
Inside, MIKE Jacoby Coleman bulked
up as a true freshman, and he now
gives much promise that the departed
hats (and their production) can realistically
be replaced. The linebackers that
play at this school almost always
add up to be more than the sum of
their parts. Tarpinian was the 2005
Gatorade Player of the Year (Nebraska)
as an option QB and DB. He is the
fastest of the starters and will be
the main coverage nickel. Jeremiha
Hunter could be the biggest breakout
surprise, for his size-speed combo
highlights one of the best skill packages
for any Hawkeye. The only thing they
have to prove is if they can provide
the same level of run stopping as
seen the prior three campaigns.
DEFENSIVE
BACK
The corners have just as much to prove;
the ex-starters left Bernstine and
Fletcher to fill their shoes, and
senior Fletcher is broken-in enough
that there are few worries. His spring
was strong. Bernstine worked his kinks
out as a true frosh, giving more promise
for quality coverage. There is some
drop-off after the starters, so these
two need to stay healthy. The safeties
are emerging. Last year, Greenwood
and Dalton didn’t have to do
as much as many safety tandems do
(saving their teams from their deep
perches). These two finished 10th
and 11th, respectively, in team tackles,
reflects very un-safety like numbers
that will grow the more they work
together. Greenwood walked on and
was listed as the co-starting corner
for the opener versus Northern Illinois.
Then the Bettendorf native was thrust
into the permanent starting safety
role in the Penn State game after
Devan Moylan was lost for the season
the prior week. All the while, Greenwood
got better and better, a trend still
apparent this spring; he picked right
back up where he had left off, improving
every time he steps onto the gridiron.
Backup Morrow passed on joining the
Nittany Lions, and this four-star
recruit was employed in his first
season here with the loss of Moylan.
This unit runs deeper, and may be
able to lend a few hands/feet in coverage
since the dime package probably will
consist mostly of safeties. All that
has to happen for this secondary to
be one of the conferences’/nation’s
best is for Bernstine and Fletcher
to become good enough to be left alone.
If help has to come from the safeties
just to provide basic coverage when
only two opposing receivers are fielded,
such a stretching of the deeper players
will cost Iowa some wins. Moreover,
there is no reason this defense should
slip in any way.
|
|
LB
A.J. Edds
|
|
|
IOWA
2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Adrian
Clayborn-So (6-3, 275) |
Chad
Geary-Jr (6-3, 261) |
DT |
Matt
Kroul-Sr (6-3, 277) |
Karl
Klug-So (6-4, 235) |
DT |
Mitch
King-Sr (6-3, 264) |
Cody
Hundertmark-So (6-4, 260) |
DE |
Christian
Ballard-So (6-4, 270) |
Broderick
Binns-Fr (6-2, 245) |
ILB |
Jacody
Coleman-So (6-3, 240) |
Pat
Angerer-Jr (6-1,230) |
ILB |
Jeff
Tarpinian-So (6-3, 220) |
Jeremiha
Hunter-So (6-2, 222) |
OLB |
A.J.
Edds-Jr (6-4, 244) |
Tyler
Nielsen-Fr (6-4, 215) |
CB |
Bradley
Fletcher-Sr (6-2, 200) |
Chris
Rowell-Jr (6-1, 197) |
CB |
Jordan
Bernstine-So (5-11, 200) |
Drew
Gardner-Sr (5-10, 178) |
SS |
Harold
Dalton-Sr (6-1, 201) |
Lance
Tillison-So (6-2, 205) |
FS |
Brett
Greenwood-So (6-0, 200) |
Diauntae
Morrow-So (6-0, 190) |
P |
Ryan
Donahue-So (6-3, 175) |
Eric
Guthrie-Fr (6-6, 205) |
|
|
|
2008
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Ryan
Donahue had a solid first season after coming
in as a top 15 recruit (is a placekicker,
too). The net results need to keep up with
his pace. The place kickers are still neck-and-neck;
Murray is more accurate while Sigor has
the bigger foot. Expect shared duties to
continue. The starting receivers make great
return men (Johnson-Koulianos for kicks
and Brodell on PRs), but having them left
out there (prone to take jarring hits) alone
could be bad policy.
|
|