1. College Football's 10 Most-Improved Teams in 2011

    The ebb and flow of college football demands that some teams improve substantially, while other teams fall from grace. That is the nature of a sport in which every player has a four year shelf life...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 5,370 reads 52 comments

  2. Iowa Hawkeyes Football: 6 True Freshmen Likely to Make a Splash

    The plans were always to burn James Morris' redshirt. That was never in question. But when Iowa opened the 2010 season against Eastern Illinois University, who would have predicted ...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 3,737 reads 9 comments

  3. Big Ten Football: Power Ranking the 2011 Quarterbacks

    It's looking to be a funny year for quarterbacks in the Big Ten. Firstly, a substantial number of returning starters made as much of a name for themselves as runners in 2010 as they did as passers...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 3,332 reads 15 comments

  4. Big Ten Football: Power Ranking the 2011 Secondaries

    A number of notable 2010 all-conference selections from Big Ten secondaries will return this season. This is in direct contrast to the defensive lines and linebackers...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 1,313 reads 16 comments

  5. Iowa Football 2011: Projecting the Hawkeyes Defensive Depth Chart

    Previously, I broke down who I feel will be on the 2011 Hawkeyes offensive depth chart when the Iowa football program suits up September 3, to take on Tennessee Tech...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 2,747 reads 0 comments

  6. Big Ten Breakdown: Northwestern Wildcats, Part 3 (Schedule and Final Breakdown)

    Big Ten Breakdown: Northwestern Wildcats, Part 1 (Overview and Offense) Big Ten Breakdown: Northwestern Wildcats, Part 2 (Defense and Specialists) Impact Freshman Rivals ranked NU's 2011 class 11th in the conference...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 280 reads 2 comments

  7. Iowa Hawkeyes Football: Predicting the Offensive Depth Chart vs. Tennessee Tech

    As I am writing this, it is July 5. Iowa's first game of the 2011 season is 59 days away. On September 3, they will reopen the doors of Kinnick Stadium to play the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles of the Ohio Valley Conference (FCS)...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 2,578 reads 3 comments

  8. Big Ten Breakdown: Northwestern Wildcats, Part 2 (Defense and Specialists)

    Big Ten Breakdown: Northwestern Wildcats, Part 1 (Overview and Offense) Defensive Overview 2010 scoring defense: 29 PPG (eighth in the conference), total defense: 426...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 206 reads 2 comments

  9. Big Ten Breakdown: Northwestern Wildcats, Part 1 (Overview and Offense)

    Team Overview As an Iowa Hawkeye fan, I don't know how many times I've watched Northwestern come away from a game victoriously—often against the Hawks—and I have said ...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 349 reads 0 comments

  10. Big Ten Football: Power Ranking the 2011 Linebackers

    It is amazing how much Big Ten defenses lost to graduation and NFL draft defection last season. I thought it notable in my recent article ranking the top conference defensive lines ...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 1,654 reads 32 comments

  11. Big Ten Breakdown: Illinois Illini, Part 3 (Schedule and Breakdown)

    Big Ten Breakdown: Illinois Illini, Part 1 (Overview and Offense) Big Ten Breakdown: Illinois Illini, Part 2 (Defense and Specialists) Impact Freshmen Both Rivals and Scout ranked Illinois' 2011 class eighth in the Big Ten...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 458 reads 8 comments

  12. Big Ten Breakdown: Illinois Illini, Part 2 (Defense and Specialists)

    Big Ten Breakdown: Illinois Illini, Part 1 (Overview and Offense) Defensive Overview 2010 scoring defense: 23.5 PPG (fifth in the conference), total defense: 351.3 YPG (fifth), rushing defense: 3...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 399 reads 0 comments

  13. Big Ten Breakdown: Illinois Illini, Part 1 (Overview and Offense)

    Team Overview When Ron Zook was hired by the Illini in 2005, the consensus thinking was that it would be the best hiring the Illini would ever make or it would be an orange and blue mess...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 590 reads 0 comments

  14. Iowa Hawkeyes Football: Is the University of Iowa Offensive Line U?

    Recently, I found myself looking over various articles and online blogs that consistently put Ohio State's 2011 offensive line above both Iowa's and Wisconsin's, and this perplexed me...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 2,990 reads 6 comments

  15. Big Ten Football: Power Ranking the 2011 Defensive Lines

    It starts up front. That is an age-old mantra in football, and even in the age of the spread offense, it still holds true. Control the line of scrimmage, win the battle in the trenches, and you will win the game...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 3,031 reads 9 comments

  16. Iowa Hawkeye Football: The Long, Lonesome Running Back Blues

    Recently, Iowa got the bad news that their prized running back recruit, Rodney Coe, did not make grades and will have to go to junior college in order to eventually qualify to play for the Hawkeyes or any FBS football team...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 2,930 reads 6 comments

  17. Jim Tressel's Resignation: Who Benefits the Most from the Ohio State Mess?

    In light of Jim Tressel's resignation and more especially, the recent Sports Illustrated article that alleges that tattoo-gate is only the tip of the iceberg, it seems likely ...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 4,304 reads 11 comments

  18. Big Ten Breakdown: Purdue Boilermakers, Part 3 (Schedule & Breakdown)

    Big Ten Breakdown: Purdue Boilermakers, Part 1 (Overview and Offense) Big Ten Breakdown: Purdue Boilermakers Part 2 (Defense and Specialists) Impact Freshmen Both ...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 707 reads 1 comments

  19. Big Ten Breakdown: Purdue Boilermakers, Part 2 (Defense and Specialists)

    Big Ten Breakdown: Purdue Boilermakers, Part 1 (Overview and Offense) Defensive Overview 2010 scoring defense: 28.8 PPG (seventh in the conference), total defense: 369 YPG (seventh), rushing defense: 3...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 291 reads 3 comments

  20. Big Ten Breakdown: Purdue Boilermakers, Part 1 (Overview and Offense)

    Team Overview In a way, it seems like this is head coach Danny Hope's first season in West Lafayette. In 2009, his first season as the head man, he inherited a Purdue team that ...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 701 reads 1 comments

  21. College Football: 5 Reasons for and Against Each Team Winning the Big Ten

    2011 looks to be one of the more competitive years in recent Big Ten history. Going into 2010, there were three obvious favorites to win the conference: Ohio State, Wisconsin and Iowa...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about almost 2 years ago 2,558 reads 21 comments

  22. Who Do You Hate?: Ranking the Iowa Hawkeyes' Opponents

    As we head into the 2011 season, quite a lot appears to be changing on the Big Ten landscape. Even more specifically, there are quite a few changes on the Iowa Hawkeye landscape...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about 2 years ago 2,160 reads 41 comments

  23. Iowa Hawkeyes Football: Top 10 Individual Plays of the Ferentz Era

    These are those moments that defy words. They defy even pictures. Thankfully, we have video. These are moments when I—one of the most stoic people in the world—have jumped up and down and high-fived people I had never met before...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about 2 years ago 1,710 reads 8 comments

  24. Big Ten Breakdown: Minnesota Golden Gophers, Part 3 (Schedule & Final Breakdown)

    Big Ten Breakdown: Minnesota Golden Gophers, Part 1 (Overview and Offense) Big Ten Breakdown: Minnesota Golden Gophers, Part 2 (Defense and Specialists) Impact Freshmen: ...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about 2 years ago 1,028 reads 3 comments

  25. Big Ten Breakdown: Minnesota Golden Gophers, Part 2 (Defense and Specialists)

    Big Ten Breakdown: Minnesota Golden Gophers, Part 1 (Overview and Offense) Defensive Overview 2010 Scoring defense: 33 PPG (Ninth in the conference), total defense: 392.2 YPG (eighth), rushing defense: 5...

    David Fidler Written by David Fidler about 2 years ago 507 reads 4 comments