High Expectations for Hawkeyes Despite Tough Schedule

Quarterback turned wide receiver Marvin McNutt has looked excellent this spring and incoming freshman Keenan Davis will be a big help as well. The tight ends will be polished once again, especially if Tony Moeaki can stay healthy, and it seems like this group will be a very decent batch of receivers for Stanzi.

I really don't see Stanzi being much of a problem, but his every move will be scrutinized. After his first interception people will say "that wouldn't have happened with Greene." He needs to be able to block out that criticism and focus on improving week by week.

If he can do that, Iowa will definitely have a realistic shot for at least the Capital One Bowl, and maybe an 11-1 and BCS Bowl season.

While Kirk Ferentz has been on the hot seat for the past few years, this year he will be able to relax, as it seems he has finally brought the Hawkeyes back to their winning ways and just singed a contract extension that brings him through 2015. Defensive coordinator Norm Parker will be safe, as always, as he figures to have one of the best defenses in the country.

The one coach that is somewhat on the hot seat is offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe. Hawkeye fans seem like they are never happy with O'Keefe and the criticism came last year with good reason as he struggled to settle on Stanzi as his quarterback over Jake Christensen before it was too late.

O'Keefe is not a very aggressive play caller and has received increasing pressure to change his style since many other teams in the Big Ten and across the country are changing their offenses.

His simple play calling worked last year with Shonn Greene pounding the ball all game, but without his star running back, O'Keefe may have to change up his system. If he doesn't, he will receive more pressure than perhaps anyone on the team, but the bad image will also reflect on Stanzi, which won't help the offense one bit.

I think that O'Keefe has learned from last year. He became more aggressive as the season progressed and knows that he can't rely on the offense that worked with Shonn Greene.

Kirk Ferentz's words to ESPN sum up the offense exactly, "We're a different team so you don't plug holes—you assess what it is you are, what your stremgths are, and you shift towards those strengths. We could go the opposite route of what we were in some ways."

If O'Keefe can listen to his head coach, the offense will have no problem this year and Stanzi will be a top quarterback in the Big Ten.

Even though the expectations are high in Iowa City this year, this veteran group of Hawkeyes looks like they can handle the pressure. From corner to running back and linebacker to receiver, this is a solid football team backwards and forwards. If Stanzi and the offense improve even a little bit form 2008, 10-2 or 11-1 are definitely not out of the question.

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