Surprise starters - offense/defense

[Gushawk]

Who ya got?

As much as I'd like award to win the RT spot and Donnal to slide down, I think the guard spot opposite Walsh is a surprise - Simmons or Boone Myers.

On D, I'm intrigued by Lomax to FS or a RS freshman winning a safety spot, but I think on of the three projected LBs gets beat out. I'll go with Fisher (or Gilson) over Alston.

 

[Bovert]

It's basketball season, Gus. Stay focused.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

2014 preseason Gus > 2013 preseason Gus

 

[HawkLax6]

Rudock

 

[douglasbader]

I don't know if there is really even a spot for a "surprise" starter. You could have some absolute shocking decisions like Beathard or Canzeri starting, but the other open positions are pretty open.

The closest you could get would be someone on the OL passing up either Donnal or Walsh. Otherwise, you might have a mild surprise at LB or DB.

 

[nolookpass]

McCabe at DE.

 

[hawkeyealum]

McCabe at DE.

 

[RecreationalGynecologist]

It's basketball season, Gus. Stay focused.

Basketball is for people like you...yes

 

[RecreationalGynecologist]

Who ya got?

As much as I'd like award to win the RT spot and Donnal to slide down, I think the guard spot opposite Walsh is a surprise - Simmons or Boone Myers.

On D, I'm intrigued by Lomax to FS or a RS freshman winning a safety spot, but I think on of the three projected LBs gets beat out. I'll go with Fisher (or Gilson) over Alston.

I don't think Boone Myers will ever play OG.. He's an OT and unlikely to step inside to OG.

Why do you think Alston is likely to be beaten out?

 

[Gushawk]

They seem high on Myers, which is really the only basis for throwing his name out there. I don't know enough about his feet to know whether it's dumb (if they're good he's more likely to just win the RT spot outright).

I don't think Alston's great in space (particularly his feel for getting depth in passing game), and I like that in a MLB when we can get it (Angerer, Morris esp as a senior). That said, I don't think he's likely to get beaten out.

 

[douglasbader]

Meyers might be good, but the only reason anyone is talking about him is because his dad posts on TOS and they love him.

 

[Gushawk]

Did not know that.

 

[ChipHilton]

He came in bigger, but I keep coming back to Myers having the Bruce Nelson vibe about him. High school TE, just a couple of counties below EBurg, reputedly high character, good lookin' rascal (Hayden like those good lookin' rascals).

And his dad has had some good info, though I think he wanted to challenge me to a bar fight for a post I made when he was new to TOL. Fortunately, seer hawk explained that I have a slightly offbeat sense of humor and all was well.

 

[CUIHAWK]

He came in bigger, but I keep coming back to Myers having the Bruce Nelson vibe about him. High school TE, just a couple of counties below EBurg, reputedly high character, good lookin' rascal (Hayden like those good lookin' rascals).

And his dad has had some good info, though I think he wanted to challenge me to a bar fight for a post I made when he was new to TOL. Fortunately, seer hawk explained that I have a slightly offbeat sense of humor and all was well.

Did you accost his son? Are you a tavern Hok? Stock in Arby's?

 

[ChipHilton]

He came in bigger, but I keep coming back to Myers having the Bruce Nelson vibe about him. High school TE, just a couple of counties below EBurg, reputedly high character, good lookin' rascal (Hayden like those good lookin' rascals).

And his dad has had some good info, though I think he wanted to challenge me to a bar fight for a post I made when he was new to TOL. Fortunately, seer hawk explained that I have a slightly offbeat sense of humor and all was well.

Did you accost his son? Are you a tavern Hok? Stock in Arby's?

Nah, someone had started a thread about taking his kid to orientation and how the next time the kid came to IC it would be for good. It was late at night and I thought a couple of the older guys might enjoy my back-in-the-day orientation story from '71- when you didn't go down with the parents. I told of my friend and I having supper afterword at my sister's house in Shellsburg, stopping by a HS baseball game there, dropping acid and driving home to Spencer. (Thankfully, my friend was driving- the guy was a machine.)

Eric found the post to be of the "spoiling the moment" kind and got a little hacked off. But again, all is good now.

BTW, the stuff took hold just outside of Independence, which made it seem like we were driving into Los Angeles. It was my first and last foray into the world of Orange Sunshine.

 

[Gushawk]

Fuck Eric. That's a great story in any moment.

 

[Uff Da]

Interesting to see if any of the young WR's breakthrough

 

[ChipHilton]

I was worried that you were gonna bust me for hijacking your thread.

I think it's a really interesting spring in that there are so many guys in the mix at a lot of positions. Just not a lot of likely surprises in terms of starters. Weisman is#1. KMM is #1. But maybe finding out whether some of the young guys might have some "it" factor to them makes it one of the better springs I can remember. IMO, the most interesting since 2000-2001.

I'm looking at this spring more in terms of 2015, in the sense that maybe that could be the year where there could be a few guys with enough talent and experience to have some playmaking ability. (I guess one can always hope that Powell can actually come along enough to get some Hillyer's snaps this year, though I do like JH in the red zone. And maybe Smith can come up with a few more of those Michigan plays.)

 

[douglasbader]

I really would like to not have to bitch about the Iowa staff being dumb and not putting the right players on the field or giving themselves more opportunities for easy scores. Need to get the ball in the hands of guys who can break plays and score.

That seems to be the difference between a 7-5/8-4 season and a 9-3/10-2 or better type season historically for Iowa. Given the way that Ferentz has a style that keeps the game closer than it should and Davis calls plays that go more horizontal than vertical, Iowa desperately needs easy scores.

Last year is a good example. The Minnesota game turned and became a somewhat "comfortable" victory when they got the ball in Powell's hands and he can take a simple pass play 75 yards. Get the ball more in Canzeri's hands where he can rip off a 45 yard run and put you in scoring position rather than Weisman who would only have taken it 7 yards.

If they are smart about getting the ball into situations where they can get some easy scores, this could be a very good season. They actually have the speed and athleticism for the first time in a while at skill positions to make it happen.

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

Hillyer came on at the end of last season and I also like the thought of us taking advantage with him in the RZ although I'm sure our TEs will still be the priority down there.

 

[RecreationalGynecologist]

I really would like to not have to bitch about the Iowa staff being dumb and not putting the right players on the field or giving themselves more opportunities for easy scores. Need to get the ball in the hands of guys who can break plays and score.

That seems to be the difference between a 7-5/8-4 season and a 9-3/10-2 or better type season historically for Iowa. Given the way that Ferentz has a style that keeps the game closer than it should and Davis calls plays that go more horizontal than vertical, Iowa desperately needs easy scores.

Last year is a good example. The Minnesota game turned and became a somewhat "comfortable" victory when they got the ball in Powell's hands and he can take a simple pass play 75 yards. Get the ball more in Canzeri's hands where he can rip off a 45 yard run and put you in scoring position rather than Weisman who would only have taken it 7 yards.

If they are smart about getting the ball into situations where they can get some easy scores, this could be a very good season. They actually have the speed and athleticism for the first time in a while at skill positions to make it happen.

I'm sick of the fucking Weisman "feel good" story. Fuck you guys that keep defending him. He wouldn't be a feature back on most teams and it's embarrassing that he gets 75% of the carries. Of course he's going to improve with all the carries and has produced, but it's also hampered us a bit and he does a great job of turning 25 yard runs into 10 yard grind-outs. We need to do a much better job of recruiting and retaining our RBs and WRs. There's no reason why would shouldn't at least recruit one Powell type a year. Not one fucking reason. It's maddening, because Ferentz is a heck of a coach/teacher but JFC!!11 we can tweak things and improve..rant over

 

[CUIHAWK]

I'm thinking about walking on. I'm excited, should get some meaningful playing time.

 

[Gushawk]

I'm pretty okay with the way they were splitting/dividing carries late last season. I'd like to see some tweaks, but it was much better than what we were getting around the time of the MSU game. Less (preferably no) Bullock, slightly less Weisman, more Canzeri. I'm fine if Daniels emerges and takes some of Weisman's work, but let's be honest - our coach loves proven commodities and is loyal perhaps to a fault. The good news is that Canzeri has entered proven commodity land.

At receiver, I'd like to see more touches for Smith and Powell, and less for KMM, but again KMM isn't going to be marginalized/put out to pasture by this staff. Just won't happen. Hillyer can be effective ... better YAC guy than he gets credit for. Would love to see one of the RSFR blow up if Smith doesn't.

The QB position has a fair amount to do with explosiveness/easy scores too. It ain't going to happen, but if CJ is able to impress this staff enough with his mental growth to make the position a legitimate competition again, it would be a very good sign for Iowa football, IMO. Even if we play all the "right" guys elsewhere, I'm not sure our talent is at a level where this offense can be genuinely explosive without a dynamic QB, although perhaps until the conference title game it won't need to be this season (yes, I know, expectations!!!!).

 

[douglasbader]

I don't agree with that at all Gus. They only did a good job splitting/dividing carries in a couple games. Late in the season they were right back to giving Weisman way too many carries. He had 25 against Nebrantska for a 2.9 ypc average and 18 against LSU for a 2.1 ypc average. Canzeri only got 6 carries against Nebrantska and 7 carries against LSU. Not surprisingly, he was vastly superior to Weisman when they gave him carries in those games averaging 9.8 ypc and 4.9 ypc.

If anything, the coaching staff was stupid and repeated the pattern from the beginning of the year. The problem is people don't remember it like because Canzeri broke off some huge runs and Iowa won against Nebrantska. The reality was Ferentz curled up in a ball and played it safe.

 

[HawkLax6]

 

[douglasbader]

OH SHIT!!!! 2 Deeps!!!!

 

[Whatever]

Sean Welsh. There's a surprise.

 

[douglasbader]

Wow, there are some pretty surprising things, especially on the Offensive Line.

- Boone Meyers as the LT of the future
- Sean Welsh leapfrogs as the starter at LG with Ryan Ward as a backup G and not a RT
- Canzeri as co-starter
- Flemming jumps Draper at LC
- Lomax to FS (not surprising, but good to see)

 

[CamelTones]

Wow, there are some pretty surprising things, especially on the Offensive Line.

- Boone Meyers as the LT of the future
- Sean Welsh leapfrogs as the starter at LG with Ryan Ward as a backup G and not a RT
- Canzeri as co-starter
- Flemming jumps Draper at LC
- Lomax to FS (not surprising, but good to see)

Flemming is listed as an 'OR' with Draper. It's the 2 deeps so who cares, but both backup Offensive Tackles weigh 250 lbs. Woof.

 

[Whatever]

I would guess Ward is the next man in on the offensive line unless it's center. It's not a great sign that he is not a starter at this point.

 

[HawkLax6]

Wow, there are some pretty surprising things, especially on the Offensive Line.

- Boone Meyers as the LT of the future
- Sean Welsh leapfrogs as the starter at LG with Ryan Ward as a backup G and not a RT
- Canzeri as co-starter
- Flemming jumps Draper at LC
- Lomax to FS (not surprising, but good to see)

Flemming is listed as an 'OR' with Draper. It's the 2 deeps so who cares, but both backup Offensive Tackles weigh 250 lbs. Woof.

They haven't updated a lot of the weights like they have on the roster page (just saw Morehouse tell my friend that).

http://www.hawkeyesports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/iowa-m-footbl-mtt.html

 

[douglasbader]

None of the weights for the younger guys have been updated. Meyers is up to at least 285 it sounds like.

 

[douglasbader]

YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!

 

[L. Wade Childress]

I don't get how a kid can have enough talent to make the two deep of a great line school but not be worth a scholarship just two years earlier. I mean they were clearly high on Myers from the time he enrolled. I mean it's nice that we get him for free, but it's only in-state tuition.

 

[douglasbader]

YESSSSS!!!!!!!

 

[douglasbader]

YESSSSS!!!!!!!

 

[Gushawk]

12 starters on offense without the z!!!

Bullock relegated!

 

[douglasbader]

Ferentz is saying all the right things so far.

Weisman spending time at FB, Bullock in the slot and Powell with more touches.

 

[Gushawk]

I don't agree with that at all Gus. They only did a good job splitting/dividing carries in a couple games. Late in the season they were right back to giving Weisman way too many carries. He had 25 against Nebrantska for a 2.9 ypc average and 18 against LSU for a 2.1 ypc average. Canzeri only got 6 carries against Nebrantska and 7 carries against LSU. Not surprisingly, he was vastly superior to Weisman when they gave him carries in those games averaging 9.8 ypc and 4.9 ypc.

If anything, the coaching staff was stupid and repeated the pattern from the beginning of the year. The problem is people don't remember it like because Canzeri broke off some huge runs and Iowa won against Nebrantska. The reality was Ferentz curled up in a ball and played it safe.

You may be right. Wasn't able to watch the bowl, and Neb game was probably deceiving. Depth chart is promising though. I don't really get excited about MW at FB given how we use them. The other ones we have are probably better at it.

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

I just came.

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

Good Lord I love football.

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

That d-line is going to be stout.

 

[douglasbader]

I want to add that Weisman can and should play, but use him at the right time and in combination with the other RB's. I can't remember which game it was, but took turns letting Canzeri run them ragged and then punched them in the mouth with Weisman.

Iowa has a really good, almost too perfect of a combination of players this year. They have a couple good QB's, mix of TE's, size and speed at WR, quick RB's along with a couple bruisers and some ball busting FB's. It is now the 3rd year of Greg Davis and he should be able to have a really good plan for using the talent that he has this year.

 

[Verbal]

This team is going to Indy.

 

[douglasbader]

This team is going to Indy.

Monster isn't going to like this post.

 

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm sick of the fucking Weisman "feel good" story. Fuck you guys that keep defending him. He wouldn't be a feature back on most teams and it's embarrassing that he gets 75% of the carries.

Weisman had 227 carries last year. Iowa as a team registered 557. That's ~40% of the carries for the season, by the way. Not 75%. If you're going to be histrionic at least be in the ballpark. (But maybe that would defeat the purpose?) Oh, and ~109 of those carries came in the first four games. It's embarrassing that you're embarrassed.

Weisman got too many carries, especially early in the year. But it isn't like any one running back needs a severe reduction in carries so much as Weisman and Bullock both need ~40-50 of their carries given to Canzeri. How Iowa runs things at the end of a season is usually a good estimate for how the next year will start. So imagine Weisman, Bullock, and Canzeri being appropriated in a fairly similar way to start this year. In that scenario, the guy who really needs to have fewer carries is Bullock. Canzeri will take some of Wesiman's season totals, because Mark isn't going to have the insane 30 and 35 carry games like he did last year. But hopefully Canzeri WILL take more of Bullock's carries. I like Bullock out of the backfield as a receiver and the occasional drive as the go-to back, but I don't think he's sufficiently change-of-pace-y enough vis-a-vis Weisman. Canzeri is that guy.

 

[douglasbader]

LOLOLOL. Poor Nico. He must be awful in practice.

 

[Verbal]

This team is going to Indy.

Monster isn't going to like this post.

Oh... expectations.

 

[Ben Kenobi]

LOLOLOL. Poor Nico. He must be awful in practice.

Nico must really be a box of rocks. Good Lord.

 

[Verbal]

I'm not saying they should win their division, nor that it will be a failure if they don't. I'm just kind of optimistic that they will. I see an early, meaningless toe stub at Pitt and then a helluva run into November.