09.30.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Hawks mired in miscues 09.30.08 - Football - Hawk Central Depth chart lists Greene as starter 09.30.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Scouting the Spartans 09.30.08 - Football - Quad City Times Michigan State's Hoyer hopes to build on strong effort 09.30.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Ex-Hawkeye tailback's allegiance now familial 09.30.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Hawkeyes shift attention to Ringer, Spartans 09.30.08 - Football - Daily Iowan Iowa-Indiana game set; Hawkeye Huddle on tap Saturday 09.30.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette The Takeaway: Northwestern 09.30.08 - Football - Blog: Black Heart Gold Pants

How the Mighty have Fallen

Before focusing too much on the present, it is sometimes important to reflect on the past. So let's start by remembering one of the greatest days in Hawkeye football history; January 1st, 2005 (thanks to HawkeyeFan123). "The Catch" is certainly one of, if not the, greatest moment in Hawkeye history. It gave Iowa a 30-25 win over LSU in the 2005 Capital One Bowl and helped the 2004 Big Ten Co-Champion Hawkeyes finish 10-2 overall. Iowa finished ranked #8 in the final AP Poll for the third consecutive season. At that time it appeared as though Iowa would be a major player on the national scene for years to come. Unfortunately, things haven't quite worked out that way. Since Drew Tate's last second touchdown pass to Warren Halloway in the 2005 Capital One Bowl, Iowa has failed to win more than 7 games in any of the past three seasons. With two straight losses this year and Iowa currently sitting with a 3-2 record, the Hawkeyes would have to win 5 of their last 7 to finish the season with 8 wins. Here now is a more in depth look at the slow, steady, and painful decline of the Iowa football program in recent years. The next season in 2005, the Hawkeyes finished 7-5 after losing to Florida in the 2006 Outback Bowl. Since that loss to Florida in the Outback Bowl, Iowa is 6-11 in Big Ten games (2006-Present). Only Michigan State (5) and Minnesota (3) have less Big Ten wins since 2006. If Michigan State beats us Saturday (and Kirk Ferentz has never won at Michigan State), then Minnesota would be the only team with fewer Big Ten wins than Iowa in the past 2+ years. Not good. Big 10 Record (2006-Present) Rank Team Record 1 Ohio State 16-1 2 Michigan 14-3 3 Wisconsin 12-5 4 Penn State 10-7 5 Purdue 8-8 6 Illinois 7-10 T-7 Northwestern 6-11 T-7 Indiana 6-11 T-7 Iowa 6-11 10 Michigan State 5-12 11 Minnesota 3-14 Comparing the winning percentage of conference games from 2006 on, one could argue that the only Big Ten team which has been worse than Iowa in the past 2+ years has been Minnesota. Iowa has won a total of 6 Big Ten games in the last 17 conference matchups. Northwestern and Indiana both have the same number (6) of wins against Big Ten opponents in that time frame. Unfortunately, head-to-head the advantage goes to the Wildcats and Hoosiers. Iowa has lost 3 of their last 4 meetings with Northwestern. Iowa has also lost 2 straight games to Indiana. It’s painfully obvious that the Hawkeyes have been one of the worst teams in the Big Ten over the last two seasons. In fact, Iowa has won only 4 of their last 14 games against conference opponents. It is past time for some things to change. There is an old quote – "You either change or get left behind." If the current coaching staff continues to be unwilling to make any changes in their general philosophies, then it may be time to think about making some changes within the coaching staff. We cannot continue to lose games to lesser opponents and lose games that should be won. The same old conservative approach that Iowa has displayed on both sides of ball throughout the Ferentz era is simply not working any longer. At some point something needs to change. It can start this Saturday with a win at East Lansing. A place Kirk Ferentz has yet to win a game in his career. Iowa can start by changing that. Just don't expect Hawkeye fans to be holding their breath.

09.29.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Tough stretch could turn Iowa's season 09.29.08 - Football - Quad City Times Tough road ahead 09.29.08 - Football - Hawk Central Ball protection will be hammered into Hawkeyes 09.29.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Young Hawkeyes hope to get the point - fast 09.29.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Hawkeyes reeling going into heart of schedule 09.29.08 - Football - Omaha World-Herald Iowa hoops gets 2010 pledge 09.29.08 - Basketball - Quad City Times

09.28.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Breaking down the Northwestern game 09.28.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Five turnovers, injured Greene costly for Iowa 09.28.08 - Football - Hawk Central Hawkeyes commit five turnovers in loss 09.28.08 - Football - Quad City Times High turnover rate dooms Hawkeyes 09.28.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Iowa continues to let things slip away 09.28.08 - Football - Quad City Times Errors bowl over Hawkeyes 09.28.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Iowa fumbles game down the drain 09.28.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette QB, check. Now Hawks need to find way to win 09.28.08 - Football - Hawk Central Stanzi rides peaks, valleys in loss 09.28.08 - Football - Quad City Times Stanzi completes 1st game 09.28.08 - Football - Hawk Central Natives getting restless 09.28.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Wildcats: Where's the respect? 09.28.08 - Football - Hawk Central 'Cats seize momentum 09.28.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Vandervelde goes the distance 09.28.08 - Football - Quad City Times Interference call thwarts Hawks 09.28.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette

09.27.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Breaking it down: Hawkeyes vs. Wildcats 09.27.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Greene monster: Junior back carrying Iowa offense 09.27.08 - Football - Quad City Times Hawkeyes will attempt to offer Greene help with running load 09.27.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Hawks need to say on Big Ten "roll" 09.27.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Hawk passing game back in the shop 09.27.08 - Football - Hawk Central Hawkeyes tight ends ready to take off 09.27.08 - Football - Quad City Times Of axes, jugs and Floyd the Pig 09.27.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Big Ten football matchup: Northwestern at Iowa 09.27.08 - Football - Chicago Tribune Northwestern's Bacher looks to brush off picks 09.27.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette

Iowa vs. Northwestern: What 2 Watch 4

The Big Ten season begins on Saturday as Northwestern comes to Iowa City hoping to improve on their best start in 46 years. For the first time since 1962, the Wildcats are 4-0 and hoping to stay perfect with a win against Iowa. The Hawkeyes will try to rebound from a very disappointing and head scratching 21-20 loss last weekend at Pittsburgh. Here’s our list of five things to watch for during Iowa’s Big Ten opener. Shonn Greene Through four games, Shonn Greene has been Iowa’s best and most consistent player on offense. Greene has rushed for over 100 yards and scored a touchdown in each of the Hawkeye’s first four games. The only questions left to answer are: 1.) How much can he be relied on to carry this year’s offense, and 2.) Can he continue racking up the yards against Big Ten defenses? Hopefully as the schedule continues, Greene’s carries will continue to grow. He carried the ball 23 times (season high) in Iowa’s loss at Pitt and only three times in the entire 4th quarter. Whether it was tired legs or strange play calling, Greene needs to be a bigger part of the Hawkeye’s offense early, late, and often. As for Big Ten defenses, Iowa will be going up against a much-improved Northwestern defense on Saturday. The Wildcats’ rush defense is ranked 28th in the nation through four games after holding Ohio to only four total yards rushing last Saturday. Ricky Stanzi Stanzi is back off the bench and starting again at quarterback on Saturday. After Jake Christensen failed to impress in the 2nd half against Pittsburgh, Coach Ferentz seems poised to end Iowa’s quarterback rotation and make Stanzi the permanent starter…for now. Ricky was impressive in the Hawkeye’s first two wins at home over Maine and Florida International before taking a step back in his start against Iowa State. While he is certainly the best option Iowa has at quarterback this season, Stanzi is still a young QB with a lot to prove. Ricky has yet to throw for a touchdown against any team not named Florida International (he threw for 3 TD’s in Iowa’s win over FIU). One thing is for sure, as defenses start to focus more and more on stopping Shonn Greene, Stanzi’s arm and decision making will be a major key towards Iowa’s success, not only this Saturday but throughout the rest of this season. Tyrell Sutton’s Hamstring The key to Northwestern’s offense is without a doubt senior tailback Tyrell Sutton. Sutton is averaging 6.1 yards per carry this season with 5 TDs. He has also caught 12 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown out of the backfield. His importance to the Wildcat offense was scene first hand in their victory over Ohio. Sutton left the game in the 2nd quarter due to a hamstring injury, the NU offense struggled mightily without him. The Wildcats did not score a point after halftime against the Bobcats, in their 16-8 win. Sutton has said this week that he is “100%” and ready to go against Iowa, and Northwester coach Pat Fitzgerald says he will start on Saturday. How effective he will be and how serious the hamstring injury really is remains to be seen. Sutton has definitely tormented the Hawkeyes in past meetings, and an Iowa defense that has not allowed a touchdown at home will have their hands full if Tyrell is at full strength on Saturday. Play Calling All the La-Z-Boy offensive coordinators returned in full force after Iowa’s disappointing loss last Saturday and rightfully so. Offensive play calling has been a hot topic in Iowa City for quite a few years and this season will certainly be no different. There were quite a few heads being scratched during the second half against Pittsburgh and many questions being asked after the loss. Among the questionable decisions were rolling left-handed Jake Christensen out of the pocket to his right on a fist down play after an interception by Amari Spievey. Also, we were not alone in voicing displeasure with the fact Shonn Greene was not handed the ball once in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter. Even Kirk Ferentz was second-guessing those decisions when brought to his attention during this week’s press conference. Bottom line is play calling in the second half against Pittsburgh left a lot to be desired and needs to improve. If it doesn’t we may be sitting through another long season in Iowa City. Who's the kicker? Much like at quarterback, the Hawkeyes have also been rotating kickers through the non-conference schedule. Ferentz has said that freshman Trent Mossbrucker will handle most of the field goal duties on Saturday against Northwestern. Mossbrucker has connected on 5 of 6 kicks this season with a long of 39 yards. He has been splitting time with Daniel Murray who has made just 1 of 3 field goals, that one being a 44-yarder. Murray has been booting the longer kicks and Mossbrucker has handled almost every field goal under 40 yards. Iowa saw first hand how important three points can be in their one-point loss at Pitt. Mossbrucker has been more consistent through four games and appears to have won the kicker job, although we may still see Murray trying kicks longer than 45 yards. With the make up of this year’s team (strong defense, inconsistent offense), the Hawkeyes are going to be in their fair share of tight games and field goals will continue to be very important. The Hawkeyes have won in 4 of their last 6 meetings with Northwestern, including last year’s 28-17 win in Evanston. This year the Wildcats bring one of their most balanced teams in recent history into Kinnick Stadium. This isn’t your granddad’s Northwestern. The Hawkeyes will have to play focused and inspired football to get back in the win column. It’s hard to imagine a “must win” game in September, but if you collectively asked the Iowa fanbase, this game is extremely important. The sour taste of last year’s 6-6 season is still very evident and fan’s impatience was confirmed by the grumbling heard after a one-point road loss last Saturday. It is also homecoming weekend in Iowa City, and Kinnick will be rockin’ as usual.

09.26.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Stanzi may look to tighte ends for relief as Wildcats close in 09.26.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Tightening up loose ends 09.26.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Series tilting in Wildcats' favor 09.26.08 - Football - Quad City Times Has Christensen lost his confidence? 09.26.08 - Football - Hawk Central Fearless Friday 09.26.08 - Football - Blog: Lake the Posts Undefeated 'Cats head to Iowa City for Big Ten opener 09.26.08 - Football - North by Northwestern Jackson named honorary captain 09.26.08 - Football - Quad City Times Regents stick by athletics, give no raise to Mason 09.26.08 - Misc - Hawk Central

Iowa-Northwestern Statistical Analysis

A quick look at the stats would tell you that we may be in for a defensive struggle on Saturday. However, this early in the season stats can certainly be misleading. Also keep in mind the level of competition for both teams so far has been less than spectacular. Nevertheless, here is the breakdown: Category Northwestern NCAA Rank Iowa NCAA Rank Rushing Off. 160.1 59 190.5 33 Passing Off. 196.0 78 202.0 75 Total Off. 356.3 72 392.5 52 Scoring Off. 25.8 69 31.3 44 Rushing Def. 97.3 28 99.0 30 Pass Defense 200.75 56 156.5 18 Pass Eff. Def. 101.8 26 80.3 2 Total Defense 298.0 32 255.5 19 Scoring Defense 11.3 13 7.3 5 TO Margin -0.25 75 +1.0 18 All of a sudden the Wildcat's 4-0 record doesn't look so impressive does it? Especially when you take into account Northwestern hasn't really played anybody yet. NU's defense has looked impressive but against Syracuse, Duke, Southern Illinois, and Ohio. Not exactly offensive powerhouses. To be fair, half of the Hawkeye's impressive defensive numbers came against Maine and Florida International. The most surprising stat is the fact Iowa has actually average more yards passing per game despite our QB "rotation" and the Wildcats returning experienced signal caller CJ Bacher. One would assume Northwestern's sputtering pass offense is a major concern for 'Cat fans going into Saturday.

09.25.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Iowa getting in the zone 09.25.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Running Wild 09.25.08 - Football - Hawk Central Left guard: The other Iowa controversy 09.25.08 - Football - Quad City Times Hawkeyes' toughest 09.25.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Hawks on Mediacom Connections 09.25.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Better Know a Nemesis: Northwestern 09.25.08 - Football - Blog: Black Heart Gold Pants NU's Sutton declares himself '100 percent' for Iowa 09.25.08 - Football - Chicago Sun-Times College professors slam Iowa's basketball ad 09.25.08 - Basketball - Cedar Rapids Gazette Jones appeals, blames Athletic Dept. 09.25.08 - Misc - Hawk Central

Unanswered Questions

If you followed Coach Ferentz’s press conference yesterday or have read any of the recaps on what took place, you should know that he was asked quite a bit about his decision to play Jake Christensen at quarterback the entire second half against Pittsburgh. While Jake struggled through the 3rd and 4th quarters, this week’s starter Sophomore Ricky Stanzi watched from the sideline as the Hawkeyes lost 21-20. Sure it seemed like a questionable decision at the time, and is still hard to understand today. Especially when considering Stanzi’s 7-for-10 effort in the first half at Pitt compared to what we saw from Jake. But there is a bigger concern that should have been taken from the Pittsburgh loss and a better question that I wish would have been asked at yesterday's press conference. What happened to the run game and why was Shonn Greene only given 3 carries the entire 4th quarter? You didn’t have to know much about football to understand on Saturday that Iowa’s running back Shonn Greene was the best player on the field. Certainly, Greene was the best player on the offensive side of the ball for the Hawkeyes. Through three quarters, Greene had rushed for 134 yards on 20 carries. How is it then, in a tight ball game, he only carries the ball three more times in the 4th quarter for a total of 14 yards? For whatever reason, the running game was forgotten down the stretch and it definitely shouldn’t have been. Shonn Greene should have been at the center of Iowa’s fourth quarter offense, and because he wasn’t, the Hawkeyes lost a game that was there for the taking. Pittsburgh punted to Iowa with 4:42 left in the game clinging to a slim 21-20 lead. The Panther’s punt would sail into the endzone for a touchback, and the Hawkeyes took over at the 20 needing just a field goal to take the lead with more than 4 ½ minutes to play. Frankly, it doesn’t matter who Iowa had under center at that point, in the most important drive of the game, facing just a one-point deficit, Shonn Greene should have gotten the ball. But instead the Hawkeyes ran six straight pass plays, gained 14 yards, and were forced to punt the ball back to Pitt. At that point in the game, down just one point, Iowa had all three timeouts, and a running back averaging 6.4 yards per carry. Instead of riding Greene to victory, the game was lost thanks to an inconsistent passing game and some very strange play calling. Why was your best offensive player not given a chance to win the game? Why was Shonn Greene not given even ONE carry in the final five minutes of a 1-point game? Those are the questions that should have been asked yesterday. If he’s strong enough and healthy enough to be in the game, then he should have been given the chance to help Iowa get into field goal position for the potential game-winner.

09.24.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

QB carousel slowing down 09.24.08 - Football - Hawk Central Ferentz, Stanzi say all is well on sideline 09.24.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Ferentz will give Stanzi more leash 09.24.08 - Football - Quad City Times Playing or not, Stanzi is content 09.24.08 - Football - Hawk Central Re-re-return of Stanzi 09.24.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Freshman gets leg up 09.24.08 - Football - Hawk Central NU's Bacher, Sutton expected to play 09.24.08 - Football - Southtown Star Bacher, Sutton look good for Iowa game 09.24.08 - Football - Chicago Sun-Times Iowan Hilgenberg succumbs to ALS 09.24.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Hilgenberg loses battle with ALS 09.24.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Ejiasi will help educate Iowa players 09.24.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Mason fires Mills and Jones 09.24.08 - Misc - Hawk Central Mills says Mason knew what was happening 09.24.08 - Misc - Hawk Central Elliott is limited by kidney problem 09.24.08 - Football - Des Moines Register

Scouting the Enemy: Northwestern Wildcats

Record: 4-0 2007 Record: 6-6 Head Coach: Pat Fitzgerald (3rd Season, 14-14 at Northwestern) All-Time Series: Iowa leads 46-20-3 Last Meeting: Iowa 28 Northwestern 17 (Nov. 8, 2007 at Northwestern) The Hawkeyes will celebrate homecoming and open the Big Ten season on Saturday as they welcome Northwestern to town. After non-conference wins over Syracuse, Duke, Southern Illinois, and Ohio, the Wildcats find themselves a perfect 4-0 for the first time since 1962. Iowa is looking to rebound from a very disappointing 1-point loss at Pittsburgh and will once again make a change at quarterback with Ricky Stanzi returning to the starting spot for Saturday’s game. Big Ten play is here and it’s time to take a closer look at Iowa’s opponent as we Scout the Enemy once again. OFFENSE If it wasn’t clear through Northwestern’s first three games that senior running back Tyrell Sutton was the key to the Wildcat offense, it became blatantly obvious in Saturday’s win over Ohio. Sutton left the game in the second quarter due to injury in Northwestern’s less than spectacular 16-8 win over the Bobcats. After his departure, the Wildcat offense sputtered and failed to score any points after halftime. NU coach Pat Fitzgerald does expect Sutton to be ready to play against Iowa which is a huge relief for the tens of Wildcat fans that will be watching. Sutton rushed for 76 yards on just 9 carries against Ohio before his injury forced him out of the game. He has 387 yards and five touchdowns this season and is averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Senior C.J. Bacher is once again the signal caller for Northwestern’s offense this season. Bacher has been pretty inconsistent this season and struggled badly in the Wildcat’s win over Ohio throwing 4 interceptions to the Bobcats. On the season, Bacher has completed 58.5 percent of his passes for 758 yards with 3 TDs and 5 INTs. His main target and Northwestern’s leading receiver is Eric Peterman. Peterman has caught 14 passes for 195 yards through four games. DEFENSE The level of competition has been less than spectacular, but it does appear that Northwestern’s defense is much improved from last season. The Wildcats yielded only four total yards rushing against Ohio on 28 carries. They also sacked the Bobcat quarterback five times and caused 4 turnovers (2 INTs, 2 fumbles). For the year, Northwestern’s defense is giving up only 298 yards per game and holding opponents to just 11.2 points per game. Including their effort against Ohio, the Wildcat defense has given up an average of 97.2 yards rushing through four games. Linebacker Malcolm Arrington leads the ‘Cats with 34 tackles and has 1.5 sacks. Defensive ends Corey Wootton and Vince Browne both have 3 sacks in NU’s first four games. The Wildcat defense has a total of 15 sacks on the season. SPECIAL TEAMS Not only did Northwestern’s defense come up big in their win last week, but the Wildcats also blocked two Ohio field goal attempts that helped preserve their 16-8 victory. NU’s kicker Amado Villarreal is a perfect 8-for-8 this year with a long of 46 yards. Stefan Demos handles the punting, averaging 37.5 yards per punt and has dropped 10 of 22 kicks inside the 20. In the return game, Stephen Simmons handles most of the kickoffs, and WR Peterman returns punts for Northwestern. Simmons is averaging 23.8 yards per return, and Peterman has returned seven punts for an average of 6.3 yards. After last Saturday’s offensive collapse at Pittsburgh, it’s hard to imagine any remaining game on Iowa’s schedule will be overlooked, but this is definitely a game not to be taken lightly. As mentioned earlier, Northwestern is off to their best start in over four decades and will certainly be hungry to make a statement early in Big Ten play. The Wildcats will also be looking to avenge their home loss to the Hawkeyes last year that ruined Northwestern’s dim bowl hopes. Iowa fans also certainly remember the last time NU came into Kinnick when the Wildcats won 21-7 in the 2006 season. This Saturday’s game will most likely come down to which team has more success with their running attack. Shonn Greene has emerged as one of the premiere backs in the Big Ten, and Northwestern’s Tyrell Sutton may be the most underrated back in the conference. It is hard to say how Sutton’s injury will limit his play, if at all. Saturday’s contest has almost become a must win game if the Hawkeyes want to be considered a realistic candidate for a January Bowl game again.

09.23.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Stanzi to start as Iowa opens Big Ten play 09.23.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Stanzi under center, again 09.23.08 - Football - Hawk Central UI hires player development director 09.23.08 - Football - Hawk Central Former Hawk Ejiasi hired as director of player development 09.23.08 - Football - Quad City Times UI football player development director will earn $44,000 09.23.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Ex-Prairie prep Ejiasi named to post at Iowa 09.23.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette C.R., I.C. Mediacom looking into televising Iowa-Northwestern 09.23.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Wildcat looks ready 09.23.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Northwestern: The Big Ten's Purple Surprise Package 09.23.08 - Football - Blog: Bleacher Report Cats-Iowa Stat Breakdown - First Look 09.23.08 - Football - Blog: Lake the Posts The Takeaway: Pitt 09.23.08 - Football - Blog: Black Heart Gold Pants

09.22.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Iowa needs to pick a QB already 09.22.08 - Football - Blog: ESPN.com Greene wants to run the ball whenever possible 09.22.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Greene carrying the load for Iowa 09.22.08 - Football - Hawk Central Color the Hawkeyes Greene 09.22.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Iowa linebacker suspended 4 games 09.22.08 - Football - Hawk Central Iowa had no business losing to Pittsburgh 09.22.08 - Football - Daily Iowan Panthers come up stronger in the end 09.22.08 - Football - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Wasted oppurtunities cost Hawkeyes at Pitt 09.22.08 - Football - Quad City Times Shot at Pitt slips away 09.22.08 - Football - Des Moines Register

09.20.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Backs will go forth 09.20.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Hawkeye Gameday: Return is the thing 09.20.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Hawks bring spruced up defense to Pitt 09.20.08 - Football - Hawk Central The real McCoy: Running back will test Iowa defense 09.20.08 - Football - Quad City Times Pitt: In an NFL stadium, NFL town 09.20.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Panthers want to make statement against Iowa 09.20.08 - Football - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette There's a Game on Saturday? Wannstache 09.20.08 - Football - Blog: Black Heart Gold Pants Capsule: Iowa at Pittsburgh 09.20.08 - Football - Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier Legislator expects firings in assault case 09.20.08 - Misc - Hawk Central

Iowa at Pittsburgh: What 2 Watch 4

The Hawkeyes will be looking to remain perfect and improve their record to 4-0 on Saturday as they travel to Pittsburgh for their first road test of the season. Iowa has struggled away from Kinnick in recent years having lost 7 of their last 8 road games. Pittsburgh has had two weeks to prepare for the Hawkeyes after a bye last weekend. The Panthers started this season ranked in the Top 25 before dropping their season opener to Bowling Green 27-17. Pitt defeated Buffalo 27-16 at home in week 2 to improve to 1-1 on the season. Here are a few things to watch for as the Hawkeyes travel out of state for the first time this season. Iowa Run Defense The Hawkeye defense will face their toughest test of the season so far on Saturday when they face off against Pittsburgh’s sophomore sensation, running back LeSean McCoy. Through Iowa’s first three games, opponents are rushing for only 88.7 yards per game and 3.0 yards per carry. McCoy will be the best back the Hawkeye run defense has seen so far this season. McCoy rushed for 1,328 yards and scored 14 touchdowns last year as a freshman, and he has already scored 4 touchdowns in Pitt’s two games this season. Iowa will have their work cut out for them this weekend if they plan to keep the streak of holding opponents without a touchdown alive for another week. Shonn Greene Of course the Hawkeyes have their own running attack on the other side of the field in the name of Shonn Greene. Greene has been more than impressive during the non-conference schedule rushing for over 100 yards in all three Hawkeye victories. He has also scored a touchdown in each of Iowa’s first three games. The only thing Greene hasn’t done is carry the ball more than 22 times. For Iowa to win at Pittsburgh, they are going to want to ride Shonn Greene and get him at least 25 carries against a good Panther defense. So far this season, Pitt is giving up an average of 94.5 rushing yards per game. The key to their success is middle linebacker Scott McKillop, an All-American candidate who led the nation last season in tackles. Hawkeye fans will find out a lot about Iowa’s improved offensive line and running game on Saturday at Pittsburgh. If the Hawkeyes give the ball to Shonn Greene at least 25 times and he can rush for over 100 yards again, they will be in very good shape no matter who is taking the snaps at quarterback. Youth on Defense One of the main keys for Iowa’s success on defense is the emergence of young stars in the secondary like redshirt freshman safety Tyler Sash and sophomore cornerback Amari Spievey. Sash had a goal line interception and recorded 8 tackles against Iowa State, which was second most on the team behind only linebacker A.J. Edds. True freshman Shaun Prater and sophomore Diauntae Morrow have also seen a lot of playing time in Iowa’s dime and nickel packages. Prater came up huge last weekend against Iowa State knocking down a pass in the endzone on 4th down late in the game. With all these young faces contributing this early in the season, the future of Iowa football looks bright. Kicking Game Most of the experts are expecting a defense dominated close game on Saturday. Pittsburgh opened up as 2.5 point favorites in Vegas, but the line has moved in Iowa’s favor throughout the week, with Pitt currently only a 1-point favorite. This one may very well come down to a field goal for the Hawkeyes to win a close game on the road. So far this season, Iowa has rotated kicking duties between Trent Mossbrucker and Daniel Murray. Mossbrucker has made 3 of 4 field goals on the year with a long of 35 yards. Murray generally handles the deeper kicks and has made 1 of 2 through Iowa’s first three games. On the other sideline, Pittsburgh’s kicker Conor Lee is the Big East’s active career leader with a field goal percentage of 83.3 percent. He is 3-4 this season after making 18 of 22 field goal attempts last year. Of course most of the talk amongst fans this week has once again been focused on the quarterbacks. After Jake Christensen spelled Ricky Stanzi in the second half of Iowa’s win against Iowa State, it sounds like the junior Christensen will be back under center to start on Saturday. As long as the Hawkeyes can get Shonn Greene going and play well defensively again it probably won’t matter who ends up taking most of the snaps. Whether Jake or Stanzi start, Iowa’s recipe for success this season will be solid defense, a strong running game, and limiting turnovers on offense, and Saturday will be no different. If the Hawkeyes can succeed in those three areas, they will find themselves a perfect 4-0 going into the Big Ten conference season.

09.19.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Report clears Ferentz of any cover-up 09.19.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Investigation result satisfactory for Barta 09.19.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette AD investigation was 'less than thorough', report says 09.19.08 - Football - Iowa City Press-Citizen Injuries continue to limit Moeaki 09.19.08 - Football - Quad City Times Safety Sash stepping up for Hawks 09.19.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Just one of the guys - Kind of 09.19.08 - Football - Hawk Central Fans, Vilsack flock to Steel City 09.19.08 - Football - Des Moines Register The State of the Hawkeyes 09.19.08 - Football - Blog: The Wizard of Odds Ferentz on hot seat at Iowa 09.19.08 - Football - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette O'Keefe keeps Iowa offense on the move 09.19.08 - Football - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review New volleyball coach pushing right buttons 09.19.08 - Volleyball - Cedar Rapids Gazette

09.18.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Defense by committee 09.18.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette King's grunt work frees up defense 09.18.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Hawks expecting defensive challenge 09.18.08 - Football - Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier Big-game Hunter 09.18.08 - Football - Hawk Central Morse morphs from QB to fullback 09.18.08 - Football - Quad City Times Hawks give Ferentz game ball 09.18.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Iowa defense dominates during 3-0 start 09.18.08 - Football - Detroit News Iowa RB poses concerns for Pitt 09.18.08 - Football - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Ferentz not sweating over who will start against Pittsburgh 09.18.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette

Big Ten At A Glance

We are now three weeks into the season and have learned some things about some of the other teams in the Big Ten. Other teams still have some question marks as to how they will respond when the talent level on the other side of the field starts to increase. As Iowa fans patiently await another weekend and another big game, this Saturday at Pittsburgh, let’s take a quick gander at the rest of the Big Ten conference. Michigan is terrible, and Ohio State can’t win the big game Hey national media, we get it already. But what most of you have forgotten is that contrary to popular belief, there are actually nine other teams in the Big Ten! Every year when one of the “Big Two” is down, it seems as though all the national pundits cannot wait to declare the Big Ten as weak, but what did we actually learn last weekend? Is USC better than the best of the Big Ten? Yes. Almost everyone agrees that USC looked like the best team in the nation on Saturday as they dominated Ohio State. Does that then mean the Pac 10 as a whole is a stronger conference than the Big Ten? Of course not. With what we’ve seen so far this season, the Big Ten probably ranks in as the third best conference in college football. Certainly the argument can be made that the SEC is stronger and deeper than any other conference in football. The Big XII can also make a strong case for being the superior conference in the nation. After that comes the Big Ten, Pac 10, Big East, and ACC. Is Penn State the best in the Big Ten? Penn State is 3-0 and scoring in a fashion Nittany Lion fans haven’t seen in a long time. Through three games, Penn State is averaging over 55 points per game. Sure the level of competition has been ridiculously poor (Coast Carolina, Oregon State, at Syracuse), but Big Ten fans would have to go back to the mid-90’s to remember a Nittany Lion offense that has looked this good. The only thing that can slow Penn State down now is the conference schedule. JoePa’s group has both Ohio State and Wisconsin away from home this season. Penn State should continue their offensive onslaught this weekend as they host Temple. Wisconsin has the Big Ten’s most impressive non-conference win The Badgers traveled West on Saturday to face Pat Hill’s “Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime” Fresno State Bulldogs. Wisconsin did what many Big Ten teams before them have failed to do, beat a very good Pacific Time Zone opponent in their house. For as much flack the Badgers have received for scheduling Cal Poly the last week of this season, most of it deserved, they should also get some props for getting Fresno on the schedule and taking care of their business. So how good are the Badgers? It won’t take long to answer that question as they open up Big Ten play at Michigan next weekend, and then face Ohio State and Penn State at home in back to back weeks. Northwestern AND Minnesota are undefeated? Seriously? Not joking. Not only has Northwestern defied history to this point as they have yet to drop a non-conference game against a lesser opponent (with Ohio at home this Saturday), but last year’s Big Ten bottom feeder Minnesota is also 3-0. Certainly the quality of their opponents hasn’t exactly been Big Ten caliber, but you can’t argue with a 3-0 record. Both teams also have a road win against opponents they lost to at home last year (NW at Duke, Minnesota at Bowling Green). The Wildcats and Gophers both have a great chance to enter conference play without a loss. Who would have thought that possible before the season? Of course Northwestern still has to take care of a stubborn 0-3 Ohio team on Saturday, and Minnesota has to do something they couldn’t do last year, beat Florida Atlantic. Conference play starts in one week and Hawkeye Sports News will continue to keep you updated with weekly looks around the Big Ten throughout the season.

09.17.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Christensen gets a second chance 09.17.08 - Football - Hawk Central Iowa quarterbacks might continue platooning system 09.17.08 - Football - Quad City Times The Iowa quarterback campaign 09.17.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Who starts? Iowa QBs don't sweat it 09.17.08 - Football - Des Moines Register QB Quandry 09.17.08 - Football - Hawk Central QB spot unsettled heading into Pittsburgh game 09.17.08 - Football - Quad City Times Coleman relieved to learn father safe 09.17.08 - Football - Hawk Central Hawkeyes leading nation in total defense 09.17.08 - Football - Sporting News Illinois, Ohio starts choose Iowa, ISU 09.17.08 - Wrestling - Des Moines Register Decorated prep picks UI 09.17.08 - Wrestling - Hawk Central Iowa releases non-conference basketball schedule 09.17.08 - Basketball - Chicago Tribune

Scouting the Enemy: Pittsburgh Panthers

Record: 1-1 (L vs Bowling Green, W vs Buffalo) 2007 Record: 5-7 Head Coach: Dave Wannstedt (4th Season, 17-20 at Pittsburgh) All-Time Series: Pittsburgh leads 2-1 Last Meeting: Pittsburgh 26 Iowa 14 (1952 at Pitt) The Hawkeyes will face their first road test of the season this Saturday when they travel to Pittsburgh for a clash with the Panthers in Heinz Field. The game will serve as a homecoming of sorts for Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, who spent one season as a grad assistant for Pitt back in 1980 before joining Hayden Fry’s staff at Iowa. The Panthers are coming off a bye week after starting the season 1-1. Pitt defeated Buffalo 27-16 at home in week 2 after dropping their season opener to Bowling Green 27-17. Iowa will make the trip looking to improve to 4-0 on the season. Despite Pittsburgh’s early struggles at home this year, the Panthers should prove to be a tough test for the Hawkeyes. With another game day rapidly approaching, let’s take a closer look at Pitt in this week’s edition of “Scouting the Enemy.” OFFENSE Any analysis of Pittsburgh’s offense should start with sophomore running back LeSean McCoy. McCoy burst onto the college football landscape last year as a freshman when he rushed for 1,328 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. He had seven 100-yard games last season en route to setting the Big East freshman record for rushing yards. So far this year, McCoy has struggled a bit with 164 yards and 4 TDs in two games. He is averaging only 3.8 yards per carry. Some of that can be attributed to a young and inexperienced offensive line. The Panthers returned only one starter from last year’s offensive line, senior left guard C.J. Davis. Despite early struggles in the running game, McCoy is certainly the best back Iowa will have faced so far this season, and possibly the best the Hawkeye defense will see all year. He has breakaway speed and already has many Pitt fans comparing him to the great Tony Dorsett after just one year on campus. Pittsburgh is hoping the return of quarterback Bill Stull will give their offense more balance this season after he missed almost all of last year with a thumb injury. Through two games, Stull has thrown for 505 yards on 51 or 84 passing with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. His favorite target is junior receiver Oderick Turner. Turner leads the Panthers with 10 catches and 111 yards this season. DEFENSE Pittsburgh’s defensive front is very athletic, deep, and experienced. Defensive lineman Austin Ransom has emerged as a solid force on the front four alongside returning starters Mick Williams and Rashaad Duncan at defensive tackle. Pitt has five sacks as a team through two games. The Panthers also returned all three linebackers from last season, including All-American candidate Scott McKillop at middle linebacker. McKillop led the nation in tackles last year and has picked up where he left off with 21 tackles through two games so far this season. The Pitt defense has given up an average of 94.5 yards rushing in their first two games and 206.5 yards passing. Returning starters in the defensive backfield, free safety Eric Thatcher and cornerback Aaron Berry, lead a secondary unit that is expected to be one of the best in the Big East. SPECIAL TEAMS Senior kicker Conor Lee is the Big East’s active career leader in field goal percentage at 83.3 percent. He is 3-4 this season after connecting on 18 of 22 field goals last year. Punter Dave Brytus has punted seven times for an average of 39.3 yards this season. He has dropped three of those seven punts inside the 20. Cornerback Aaron Berry returns punts for the Panthers and back-up halfback LaRod Stephens-Howling is Pitt’s most dangerous kick returner. He leads the team this year with a return average of 21 yards. Pittsburgh’s defense will provide a good test for Iowa’s running attack, and the Hawkeye defense will also need to continue their solid play against a great running back in LeSean McCoy. After starting the season in the top 25, the Panthers started the season on a disappointing note with a 27-17 loss to Bowling Green, but this is still not a team for Iowa to take lightly. Despite that opening loss, Pittsburgh still figures to be contention for a Big East title this year and most certainly looks to be a bowl team. The last time Iowa traveled east to face a Big East conference opponent in non-conference play was in 2006 when the Hawkeyes won at Syracuse in overtime. That was also the last time Iowa started a season 4-0, which they will be attempting to repeat on Saturday.

09.16.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

QB race is a tossup vs. Pittsburgh 09.16.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Stanzi, Christensen listed as co-starters for Pittsburgh 09.16.08 - Football - Quad City Times Brodell returns to form 09.16.08 - Football - Hawk Central Iowa's Brodell earns Big Ten football honor 09.16.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Iowa key game for Pittsburgh 09.16.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Wannstedt's Take: Facing Iowa 09.16.08 - Football - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Scouting the Panthers 09.16.08 - Football - Quad City Times QB starter still up in the air 09.16.08 - Football - Hawk Central Iowa coach will lead clinic 09.16.08 - Basketball - Appleton Post-Crescent

Hayden Fry Coaching Tree

It is hard to argue that anyone has had a bigger influence on Iowa football than Hayden Fry. After coming to Iowa from North Texas State in 1979, it wouldn’t take long before Hayden had given the Iowa Hawkeyes national recognition. He coached the Hawkeyes for two decades and is still the winningest coach in Iowa history. Fry led the Hawkeyes to three Big Ten titles, three Rose Bowl appearances, and a total of 14 bowl games. Hayden would retire from Iowa after the 1998 season, but his legacy is still prominent in college football today. There are currently seven different head coaches in Division 1-A that coached under Fry at one point during his Iowa career as well as many assistants. Here is a quick look at each of those head coaches and a glance at how they are currently doing at their respective schools. Kirk Ferentz – Iowa (1999-Present) Offensive line coach under Fry at Iowa from 1981-89 In his 10th season as Iowa head coach, Ferentz has the Hawkeyes 3-0 after Saturday’s 17-5 win over Iowa State. Iowa is currently unranked but received 12 votes in this week’s AP Poll and 14 votes in the coaches poll. Up next for Iowa is a road trip to Pittsburgh to face the 1-1 Panthers. Bob Stoops – Oklahoma (1999-Present) Played D-back for Fry at Iowa from 1979-82 (Grad Asst at Iowa in 1983) Coached for Bill Snyder (Former Fry asst) at K-State from 1989-1995 In Stoops’ 10th season at Oklahoma, the Sooners are 3-0 after Saturday’s impressive 55-14 victory at Washington. Oklahoma is currently ranked 2nd in both the AP and USA Today coaches Top 25 Polls. The Sooners received one first place vote in the coaches poll. Oklahoma has an off week before facing TCU at home on September 27th. Mike Stoops – Arizona (2004-Present) Played D-back for Fry at Iowa from 1982-84 Assistant coach at Iowa from 1986-91 This season is Mike Stoops’ 5th as head coach of the Arizona Wildcats. After finishing 2006 with a 6-6 record, the Wildcats ended last season at 5-7. This season Arizona is 2-1 after losing 36-28 at New Mexico on Saturday. Stoops has been on the hot seat in the desert in recent years and definitely needs to put together a winning season this year with his job most likely on the line. This week conference play gets started as the Wildcats travel to face UCLA on Saturday. Bret Bielema – Wisconsin (2006-Present) Played D-Line for Fry at Iowa from 1989-92 Assistant coach at Iowa from 1993-2001 In his 3rd season as head coach at Wisconsin, Bret Bielema has the Badgers perfect with a 3-0 record. Wisconsin won 13-10 at Fresno State on Saturday and are currently ranked 8th in both the AP and USA Today coaches Polls. The Badgers now have a week off before beginning Big Ten play with a road game against Michigan on September 27th. Chuck Long – San Diego State (2006-Present) Played QB for Fry at Iowa from 1981-85 Assistant under Fry and Ferentz at Iowa from 1995-99 Assistant/Offensive Coordinator at Oklahoma under Stoops from 2000-05 This season is Chuck Long’s 3rd as head coach of the San Diego State Aztecs. After a less than stellar 4-8 finish in 2007, the Aztecs have gotten off to a 0-3 start this season. San Diego State started the season with a home loss to Division 1-AA Cal Poly before dropping back to back road games at Notre Dame and last week at San Jose State 35-10. The Aztecs have this week off before their next game against Idaho at home on September 27th. Jim Leavitt – South Florida (1996-Present) Grad asst for Fry at Iowa in 1989 Assistant at K-State with Stoops under Bill Snyder from 1990-95 Jim Leavitt is in his 12th season as South Florida’s head coach, and his 8th since USF moved up to Division 1-A in 2001. After back to back 9-4 seasons, the Bulls are currently 3-0 after a 37-34 win over Kansas on Friday night. South Florida is ranked 12th in this week’s AP poll and 16th in the USA Today coaches Top 25. Up next for the Bulls is a road game at Florida International on Saturday. Bo Pelini – Nebraska (2008-Present) Grad asst for Fry at Iowa from 1991-92 Bo Pelini is in his first year as head coach at Nebraska after serving as LSU’s defensive coordinator from 2005 to 2007. After disappointing seasons in the past few years, Pelini has the Cornhuskers sitting at 3-0 this year after home wins against Western Michigan, San Jose State and New Mexico State. Nebraska received 21 votes in this week’s AP Poll and 49 votes in the USA Today Coaches Top 25. The Cornhuskers are idle this week before their first real test of the season at home against Virginia Tech on September 27th.

09.15.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Iowa heads to Pittsburgh riding high 09.15.08 - Football - Hawk Central Hawkeyes defense: Mission far from acomplished 09.15.08 - Football - Quad City Times QB becomes psych job 09.15.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Ferentz in need of some tickets 09.15.08 - Football - Des Moines Register The Takeaway: Iowa State 09.15.08 - Football - Blog: Black Heart Gold Pants Christensen showed poise under pressure 09.15.08 - Football - Blog: Eye on the Hawks Panthers eye first big test after a week off 09.15.08 - Football - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

09.14.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

HAWKEYE STATE Christensen, Hawkeyes snatch Cy-Hawk Trophy from ISU 09.14.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Cy-Hawk in the City 09.14.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Brodell, defense rescue Cy-Hawk trophy from ISU 09.14.08 - Football - Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier Hawks rule thanks to fourth-quarter heroics 09.14.08 - Football - Hawk Central Brodell punctuates Hawkeyes victory 09.14.08 - Football - Quad City Times Brodell blazes to return TD 09.14.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Brodell returns Iowa to Cy-Hawk win column 09.14.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Christensen spells struggling Stanzi 09.14.08 - Football - Quad City Times Which Iowa QB starts now? 09.14.08 - Football - Des Moines Register QB dilemma persists 09.14.08 - Football - Hawk Central Angerer takes out frustrations 09.14.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Angerer has strong starting debut 09.14.08 - Football - Quad City Times Defense lets Hawks feed their need 09.14.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Embrace the ugly 09.14.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Sash makes big impact in secondary 09.14.08 - Football - Quad City Times Extra emphasis pays off for Iowa 09.14.08 - Football - Quad City Times 'This game is for Iowa' 09.14.08 - Football - Hawk Central Singin' and cheerin' for Hawks 09.14.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Report card: Iowa vs Iowa State 09.14.08 - Football - Blog: Eye on the Hawks

09.13.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Iowa-Iowa State more than a game 09.13.08 - Football - Quad City Times Game analysis: Hawkeyes vs. Cyclones 09.13.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette War of the Worlds? Not yet, but could be 09.13.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Hawkeyes, Cyclones have revolving door under center 09.13.08 - Football - Quad City Times Hawkeyes know ISU quarterbacks can go mobile 09.13.08 - Football - Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier Now and then: Conklin will see other side of rivalry 09.13.08 - Football - Quad City Times Iowa's Super Bowl always brings out best in people 09.13.08 - Football - Creston News Advertiser

Iowa vs. Iowa State: What 2 Watch 4

Iowa vs Iowa State. Not much more needs to be said. All week fans from both sides have been patiently awaiting 11 AM Saturday morning for kick-off of this year’s edition of the annual rivalry. This year both teams are undefeated and both teams understand the importance of this game. The players and coaches for both teams have made that clear. Kirk Ferentz is 3-6 against Iowa State as head coach at Iowa. It’s long past time for that to change. No excuses. Here is a list of a few things to watch for and what needs to happen for the Hawkeyes to recapture the Cy-Hawk Trophy. Ricky Stanzi This Saturday most eyes will be fixed on Iowa’s starting quarterback, sophomore Ricky Stanzi. Stanzi looked great in the first half against Florida International in his first career start, but there is no doubt that the young Hawkeye will face his first serious test against Iowa State. Not only will Iowa State be the most talented team Iowa will have faced thus far, but the excitement, intensity, and pressure will be unlike anything Stanzi has seen before. How he reacts in only his second career start will be interesting to watch. Ricky’s presence and poise in the pocket have been impressive in Iowa’s first two wins, but whether he can handle the pressure and all the blitzes ISU will likely bring at him will be one of the biggest keys to Iowa’s success on Saturday. The Hawkeye Running Game Another key to an Iowa victory will be Shonn Greene and the Hawkeye running attack. Iowa State’s first two opponents (South Dakota St and Kent State) have averaged 210 rushing yards per game and a staggering 6.2 yards per carry. In Iowa’s wins over Maine and FIU, the Hawkeyes have rushed for 486 yards. Iowa’s improved offensive line play paired with ISU’s struggles against the run this season, may be a formula for big games from Hawkeye running backs. Through two games, Shonn Greene has yet to be tackled for a loss. If Greene and the Iowa O-Line can establish the run early that will go along way towards taking the pressure off Stanzi and help lead the Hawkeyes to a win. Turnovers Winning the turnover battle is a key to any game, but it will be especially important against Iowa State on Saturday. So far this season the Cyclones have been very opportunistic on defense, forcing 10 turnovers in their first two games. Five different Cyclones on defense have intercepted a pass, and ISU has also recovered five fumbles as a team. Hawkeye back Shonn Greene did lose a fumble last week against FIU. He and the rest of Iowa’s running backs will have to take special care of the ball this Saturday. Cyclone QB Rotation The Hawkeyes may have settled on a quarterback, but Iowa State will continue to use a rotation between Austin Arnaud and Phillip Bates on Saturday. Arnaud will start the game under center, but Bates will also play and provide a change of pace to ISU’s offense. Iowa fans will remember Bates from his catch along the sideline in the 4th quarter last year that set the Cyclones up for the game winning field goal. This season, Bates leads the team in rushing with 138 yards on 17 carries. In the past, Iowa’s defense has had some trouble with mobile quarterbacks, and it will be very important for the Hawkeyes to contain Bates if they expect to have success stopping the Cyclones. Kicking Game Special teams have played a key role in recent meetings between Iowa and Iowa State, and most likely this year will prove the same. In last season’s meeting, the Cyclones never got into the endzone but managed to win 15-13 thanks to five field goals. The Hawkeyes also had a field goal blocked in that loss which ended up being the difference in the game. Iowa will have to execute in the kicking game on Saturday as the Cyclones have already blocked two kicks this season. Tony Moeaki & Trey Stross The Hawkeye passing attack will get a much anticipated boost on Saturday with the return of TE Tony Moeaki and WR Trey Stross. Moeaki has missed Iowa’s first two games due to a foot injury, and Stross has been out with a hurt hamstring. Both are expected to play against Iowa State. How much action they will see and how effective each will be remains to be seen, but it will certainly be nice to see both back in uniform. Weather One thing to watch that neither team has any control of is the weather. The current forecast shows a 60% chance of showers on Saturday. It is not clear which team if any would gain any significant advantage from wet conditions, but stormy weather does generally even the playing field. If it means that each team’s ability to move the ball through the air is effected, then the advantage probably shifts towards Iowa. So far this season the Hawkeyes have been able to establish the run in their two victories, while Iowa State has struggled with their run defense. Either way for those planning on attending the game at Kinnick on Saturday, it would probably be a smart move to pack a poncho (preferably a black one).

09.12.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Iowa State a point of emphasis for Hawks 09.12.08 - Football - Hawk Central Hawkeye expects ISU to stack defense against the run 09.12.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Cyclones say it will take team effort to stop Greene 09.12.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Hawkeyes seeking payback against Iowa State 09.12.08 - Football - Chicago Tribune It's about time 09.12.08 - Football - Fort Dodge Messenger Ferentz said WHAT about Iowa State? 09.12.08 - Football - Blog: Doc's Office ISU is winning at this game 09.12.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Rivalry game rarely lives up to hype 09.12.08 - Football - Hawk Central Cyclones' Bates hopes to impact rivalry again 09.12.08 - Football - Quad City Times There's Game on Saturday? Hee Haw Hayride 09.12.08 - Football - Blog: Black Heart Gold Pants Area law enforcement helps to staff up big game 09.12.08 - Football - Hawk Central Iowa State's Bates isn't getting caught up in last year 09.12.08 - Football - Quad City Times "The Bubble" on the bubble 09.12.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette

Where are they now? Randy Duncan

Randy Duncan played quarterback for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 1955 to 1958. Duncan was coach Forest Evashevski’s starting quarterback for the 1957 and 1958 seasons. Duncan was born in Osage, Iowa but moved to Des Moines and attended Roosevelt High School where he excelled in both football and basketball. He was heavily recruited out of high school and decided to attend Iowa thanks in large part to his friendship with then Iowa assistant coach Bump Elliott. After serving as backup in 1956, Randy Duncan became Iowa’s starting quarterback for his junior season of 1957. The Hawkeyes finished with a 7-1-1 record that season but were not invited to a bowl game. Duncan led the team in passing and was named 1st Team All-Big Ten as a junior. As a senior in 1958, Duncan led Iowa to an 8-1-1 record and the Big Ten Championship. The Hawkeyes were invited to the 1959 Rose Bowl and beat California by a score of 38-12. Duncan led the nation in total offense that season and was named the 1958 Big Ten MVP. He was also voted a consensus 1st Team All-American and finished 2nd in Heisman Trophy voting to Army quarterback Pete Dawkins. Duncan remains one of only 5 Hawkeyes to ever finish in the top 2 of Heisman voting. Randy Duncan is still the only Hawkeye to ever be selected with the #1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. The Green Bay Packers picked Duncan first overall in the 1959 NFL Draft. He would never play a down for the Packers however, and instead went to play for Vancouver in the Canadian Football League. It was not that uncommon for players to skip out on the NFL during that time before the AFL/NFL merger, and Duncan was actually offered more money to play in Canada. He played two years in Canada before joining the AFL’s Dallas Texans and played there for a year as backup QB. During that season, he also attended law school at nearby Southern Methodist University. Duncan retired from football after that year and returned to Des Moines where he would finish law school at Drake University. Currently, Randy Duncan is an attorney for the Law Offices of Duncan, Green, Brown, and Langeness. He has operated the successful law firm in Des Moines for decades. Recently, Hawkeye legend Randy Duncan served as honorary captain for Iowa’s season opener against Maine.

09.11.08 - Hawkeye Newsstand

Iowa's receiving corps becoming a strength 09.11.08 - Football - Quad City Times Once mainly spectators, freshmen often in mix early 09.11.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Hawkeye linebacker says one key is pressuring ISU QBs 09.11.08 - Football - Des Moines Register Dream On: Regina's O'Connell fights way onto team 09.11.08 - Football - Hawk Central 'Friday Night Tailgate' coming to town 09.11.08 - Football - Daily Iowan Stanzi's audition to continue against ISU 09.11.08 - Football - Waterloo-CF Courier ISU lineman back for more 09.11.08 - Football - Cedar Rapids Gazette Cyclones' quarterbacks feel each unburdens the other 09.11.08 - Football - Des Moines Register There is more to ISU's Super Bowl than beating Iowa 09.11.08 - Football - GoCylcones.com Rivalry Games 09.11.08 - Football - Blog: Sports Fan Engy Ex-Hawkeye Pierre Pierce allowed to travel overseas to play 09.11.08 - Misc - Des Moines Register Document index details extent of UI investigation 09.11.08 - Misc - Hawk Central