Iowa Football: 10 Things to Look For in Week 1 Vs. Eastern Illinois

Well, we made it. One more off-season down.

The Iowa Hawkeyes will be suiting up in less than a week. They will play the Eastern Illinois Panthers of the FCS Ohio Valley Conference.

Is the excitement that surrounds this game the same as playing Ohio State or Michigan? No, but it is highly probable that Iowa is not quite ready for those contests yet. At the very least, I'm sure Kirk Ferentz appreciates these little "warm-up" games.

Besides, remember last year's game against UNI? Iowa needed two blocked field goals in the closing seconds to secure the win.

Anything can and often does happen, and I assure you, EIU wants this game as badly as anybody Iowa will play this year.

Moreover, the Panthers happen to be a pretty good football team, regardless which league they play in.

Nevertheless, there is no getting around the fact that Iowa is heavily favored and rightfully so. In fact, if the Hawks don't clear the bench by the fourth quarter, I'll be kind of disappointed.

Whether it is a blowout or a close game, there are plenty of things fans can look for.

The following list documents some things to keep an eye on.

True Frosh

C.J. Fiedorowicz

After the 2010 recruiting class was signed, I predicted that Iowa would burn four redshirts: three on defense and one on offense.

I might have changed that to five, the fifth being running back Marcus Coker. Of course, this would primarily be due to the Brandon Wegher situation. Nevertheless, Coker has sustained a shoulder injury, and it looks like a redshirt will be in his future.

In effect, I will still hold at four.

In my opinion, the offensive true frosh will be tight end, C.J. Fiedorowicz. Out of all of them, I would guess he is the closest to a lock to play.

This is based not only on his abilities, but the fact that the Hawks don't appear to have a clear-cut third tight end, and we all know Iowa loves its tight ends.

Look for him on special teams, goal line sets, and as the third tight end if he wins the job.

Iowa's starting linebackers consist of two seniors and a junior. Moreover, four of the top six linebackers are seniors, the other two are juniors. I expect at least one, if not two, true freshmen linebackers to play.

My best guess as to who they will be are James Morris and Christian Kirksey.

Morris' father is the Iowa equipment manager, and it is probably safe to say James has not had to go through the freshman acclimation process that so many other have to endure.

He is familiar with the area, familiar with the team, and familiar with the coaches.

Also, he's a pretty good football player, and Gerry Dinardo recently talked him up on the Big Ten Network Iowa Practice Recap show.

As for Kirksey, he has apparently been putting in some time with the two's and has been very impressive. However, he is still undersized, which might cause the coaches to hesitate in putting him on the field.

I doubt either of these freshmen will play on the regular defensive squad, but both could get special team action, and maybe a place on the third string.

Finally, I think one of the defensive linemen might play, due to the imminent graduation of three of the four current starters.

On the other hand, this is a bit of a long shot, as Iowa tends to avoid playing true freshman on either side of the line unless they are actually in the two-deep. The reason for this is lineman don't get to play much on the special teams, unlike linebackers or tight ends.

In effect, if said lineman isn't on the two-deep, don't expect to see him.

However, if one lineman is going to make the two-deep, then my guess is it will be Carl Davis, simply because he is already at playing size.

There is also a very real chance that punter Jonny Mullings may burn his redshirt and handle kickoff duties.

The next slide are the true frosh numbers (not including walk-ons, who will redshirt). Keep an eye out for them this Saturday.

True Frosh Numbers

A.J. Derby

No. 8  Don Shumpert, Wide Receiver

No. 9  Jonny Mullings, Punter

No. 11 Austin Vier, Tight End

No. 17 A.J. Derby, Quarterback

No. 19 B.J. Lowery, Defensive Back

No. 20 Christian Kirksey, Linebacker

No. 30 De'Andre Johnson, Running Back

No. 31 Anthony Hitchens, Defensive Back

No. 34 Marcus Coker, Running Back

No. 43 Jim Poggi, Linebacker

No. 44 James Morris, Linebacker

No. 49 Tanner Miller, Defensive Back

No. 55 Anthony Ferguson, Defensive Line

No. 68 Brandon Scherff, Offensive Line

No. 71 Carl Davis, Defensive Line

No. 74 Donovan Johnson, Defensive Line

No. 78 Andrew Donnal, Offensive Line

No. 79 Dominic Alvis, Defensive Line

No. 86 C.J. Fiedorowicz, Tight End

No. 89 Kevonte Martin-Manley, Wide Receiver

No. 90 Louis Trinca-Pasat, Defensive Line

No. 98 Mike Hardy, Defensive Line

Does The O-Line Move The Pile in The Running Game?

Barring injury, the starting offensive line will line up as follows (from left to right): Sophomore Riley Reiff, senior Julian Vandervelde, senior Josh Koeppel OR sophomore James Ferentz, junior Adam Gettis, and junior Markus Zusevics.

Between them they have 36 career starts, which is the least amongst all Big Ten teams. Twenty-four of those starts belong to Vandervelde.

Last season, with a much more veteran (albeit constantly banged up line), Iowa was the 103rd-ranked rushing offense in the country.

Count me as one who does not think Iowa can repeat last season's magic without a more productive rushing attack.

So, can the relatively inexperienced line open up holes and move the pile for Iowa's ball carriers?

Howard Griffith of the Big Ten Network seems to think so. On the channel's recent practice recap, Griffith said, "I really like this group a lot. All of these guys fighting for position have some experience, they are not total rookies. This program is a developmental program, where you do the same thing over and over again. They have played this song at Iowa before, where the linemen get better every year until they are called in the first round of the NFL draft.”

As for me, I have faith that this o-line can get there. I just don't know if they can get there before the middle of the year, let alone the Big Ten season. Of course, I haven't seen them play.

Nevertheless, it is a good sign if the starting tailback for the EIU game, Adam Robinson, is not touched before he is 5-10 yards past the line of scrimmage.

I will also note that EIU is not a defensive slouch. Phil Steele named six of their starters—two linemen, two linebackers and two defensive backs—to either his first or second All-OVC team.

By the way, keep an eye on No. 56 for the Panthers. He plays linebacker, and his name is Nick Nasti . By virtue of his name being Nick Nasti, he is officially the greatest football player of all-time, and if football or finance (his major) don't work out, he's got a career waiting for him with the WWE.

The Kicking Game

Does it seem like the kicking game has been in some sort of limbo since Kyle Schlicher graduated in 2006?

It just seems like coming out of spring ball every year since then, Kirk Ferentz has referred to his kickers as "underwhelming."

That was certainly the case this year. This was despite having a position battle between two battle-tested players, one of whom was a senior.

Maybe four years of Nate Kaeding spoiled Ferentz. After all, not every college kicker can have a career field goal percentage of 80.8, with a percentage of 91 over his last two years.

Iowa is a team that tends to have a large number of close games.

Last year, they had five games decided by three points or less. They won four of those games. Place kicker Daniel Murray missed one field goal attempt in four of the five games, including one in the loss.

Iowa is not a team that can afford to miss out on opportunities to score points. When they line up for a field goal within 30 yards, the kicker simply has to be automatic.

On top of that, Iowa's kickoffs have been frustratingly short for the last two seasons. This has led to good field position for the opposing team. Again, Iowa is a team that cannot afford to lose the field position battle.

Heading into 2010, the two players for the place kicking job are senior Daniel Murray and sophomore Trent Mossbrucker. Mossbrucker made 13 of 15 field goals in 2008, before redshirting last season after losing the starting job to Murray.

Meanwhile, Murray has attempted 45 field goals in his career. He has made 71 percent of those. However, it is worth noting that in Iowa's losses over the last three years, Murray is 6-for-11, which is 54 percent. He is also 10-for-15, or 66 percent, in the games decided by three points or less.

Also, true freshman Jonny Mullings is in the mix. He is rumored to be vying for the kickoff job. He has an extremely strong leg, and will have a chance to replace senior punter Ryan Donahue next season.

Exotic Formations?

Last year, we saw a hint of some exotics. Specifically, Iowa emptied the backfield a few times, and had what amounted to a five-wide.

However, calling those a "five-wide" is a bit deceptive. When the Hawkeyes did try these sorts of formations, they did it with two tight ends, one running back, and two receivers.

Consequently, the defense sent out their rush defense personnel, and were surprised to find themselves going against a passing formation.

This was the advantage of having running backs that were able pass catchers, and two very good and versatile tight ends.

On top of that, Iowa also, though rarely, lined up with either four wide receivers in trips or bunches, or three wide receivers with a tight end sent into the slot. Of course, once Paul Chaney and Colin Sandeman got injured, they stopped doing this.

Nevertheless, in a recent interview, Derrell Johnson Koulianos hinted that Iowa would be trying some "fancy" plays this season.

Was he just having fun, as DJK is wont to do, or might we see something a little exotic?

The fact is, Iowa is loaded at receiver with three seniors—DJK, Paul Chaney, and Colin Sandeman—one experienced and talented junior in Marvin McNutt, and one very talented sophomore in Keenan Davis. You can also throw senior Don Nordmann into the mix.

Iowa will look for ways to get them on the field.

Frankly, even if Iowa offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe has put four and five wides in his playbook, it is unlikely he will reveal it against Eastern Illinois.

Still, it's something to be aware of.

As an aside, barring injury, this year DJK will break Iowa's career receptions and yards receiving record. Yet, he is once again listed as the co-starter on the opening game depth chart. If my memory serves me correctly, that means in four years, he has never once been the uncontested starting receiver on opening day. Kind of... perplexing/intriguing?

Linebackers Making Clean Tackles

I recall the start of the 2008 season. Iowa had just graduated two starting linebackers, Mike Humpal and Mike Klinkenborg. A.J. Edds was a returning junior at the LEO position.

It looked like Humpal's WILL position was going to sophomore Jeremiah Hunter, while the MIKE position was still unsettled with junior Pat Angerer and sophomore Jacody Coleman getting playing time.

In that first game, neither Hunter, Angerer nor Coleman looked terribly impressive. Angerer was solid in coverage and Hunter was a good tackler. However, that was about all one could say.

Coleman showed none of the aggressiveness he had displayed in his previous season's backup and special teams' duties. Meanwhile, Hunter often looked lost in coverage and wasn't getting off his blocks. Angerer looked like a drag-down tackler who allowed the ball carrier to get an extra three to four yards after contact.

By the end of the first game, Iowa had crushed Maine to the tune of 46-3. But this was Maine, a team that had only won four games in FCS football the previous year, and wasn't expected to do that much better in 2008. In effect, the 46-3 score sort of went without saying.

What was surprising was that Maine's halfback, Jhamal Fluellen, put up 104 yards on Iowa's defense, despite the fact that Iowa had senior stalwarts Mitch King and Matt Kroul plugging the middle. Much of those yards were due to the linebackers' play and it was worrisome.

Well, we all know how that story turned out. Iowa didn't let another back get 100 yards for the remainder of the season. Pat Angerer became a second-team All-American by the end of his senior year, and Jeremiah Hunter has settled into being a very good, and underrated linebacker.

So, here we are in something of the same position. Two very good linebackers gone, and we're wondering who will step up and how they will do.

It will certainly be worth watching how new starters, senior Jeff Tarpinian and junior Tyler Nielsen, fare.

Do they get off their blocks? Do they react to their keys? Are they drag-down tacklers or do they stand up the ball-carrier?

Among other things, 2010 Eastern Illinois projects to be a better team than 2008 Maine. Moreover, Phil Steele picked EIU's starting tailback, Mon Williams, as an All-Ohio Valley Conference first-teamer.

Frankly, I'm not that worried. Linebacker, along with tight end, is the one position that Kirk Ferentz's Iowa teams have proven they can reload at.

Still, at some point, great linebackers, as opposed to merely good linebackers, might be the difference between a win and a loss.

Who Is Playing For Broderick Binns?

Iowa's Lebron Daniel, Kyle Haganman, Broderick Binns and Karl Klug head toward Northwestern during a kick off return at Kinnick Stadium in 2008

Junior defensive end Broderick Binns will be suspended for the season opener, thus leaving fans to wonder who will start in his place.

Odds are, it will be one of two players.

The first option is to have defensive tackle Christian Ballard move into Binns' spot. Ballard played end in 2008 before moving inside last season.

With Ballard at end, junior Mike Daniels would take over Ballard's inside spot.

Daniels' coaches and teammates have heaped tons of praise upon his broad shoulders.

Even more impressive, The Big Ten Network recently visited the Iowa camp, and both Dave Revsine and Brent Yarina were extremely high on Daniels.

According to Revsine's blog: "Already considered one of the best defensive lines in the Big Ten, Daniels' emergence could give Iowa's line another player capable of wreaking havoc on opposing offenses."

Meanwhile, the other option is junior defensive end Lebron Daniel.

Obviously, Daniel is an end, and would be the natural replacement for Binns (or Adrian Clayborn). In effect, everybody would be able to line up in the positions they're used to, thereby not messing with anybody's mojo.

Furthermore, the coaches have talked up Daniel quite a bit as well. However, unlike Daniels, who has real-game experience, Daniel is pretty green.

The EIU depth chart listed an OR situation. That is, Ballard will start at tackle OR end.

My bet is that Ballard will move outside and Daniels will take his place.

Finally, either Lebron or Mike have to come up with a nickname. Daniel and Daniels is very confusing, and both will be starters next year.

Are The Starting Cornerbacks Pressing?

With the release of the EIU depth charts, we now know that true sophomore Micah Hyde has won one of the cornerback jobs.

We also know that returning starter Shaun Prater has the other job, but he will be held out of the game due to a minor hamstring injury. In all probability, this is precautionary more than anything else. If this were the Iowa State game, he'd probably be playing.

In effect, redshirt sophomore Greg Castillo will be the other starter against the Panthers.

The question is, will the Iowa coaches allow their corners to press the opposing receivers?

Yes, 99 percent of the time, Iowa will still play their relatively safe cover-two and quarters defense. Nevertheless, in any scheme, bump and run coverage often gives the pass rush an extra half-second to get to the quarterback.

Historically, Ferentz, defensive coordinator Norm Parker, and defensive backs coach Phil Parker, have not had Iowa corners press receivers.

In fact, I recall regularly watching Antwan Allen, who was one of Iowa's starting corners from 2002-2005, regularly give up a 10-yard cushion.

On the other hand, the player that Hyde will be replacing—Amari Spievey—regularly pressed up against his assignment.

That goes to show how much confidence the coaches had in him.

So, heading into the EIU game, watch both cornerbacks. The way they line up against the other team's receivers will tell a lot about just what the coaches feel said cornerbacks are capable of.

Who Is EIU Attacking?

Last season, Iowa began the year without Shaun Prater, who was serving a two-game suspension.

In the first game of the year, redshirt freshman Greg Castillo got the start in place of Prater, and Castillo was picked on mercilessly. Apparently, he was picked on to the point that the Iowa coaches wanted to try something different in the second game. In effect, they started true sophomore Willie Lowe.

Lowe, in turn, was also picked on mercilessly until Iowa State quarterback Austin Arnaud decided Iowa's safeties made a better target than the Cyclones' receivers.

That said, there will be some new faces in Iowa's coverage this year.

As previously mentioned, Amari Spievey is gone, and Micah Hyde will take his spot.

On top of that, Iowa graduated Pat Angerer and A.J. Edds, two of the three best coverage linebackers during Kirk Ferentz's tenure. Jeff Tarpinian and Tyler Nielsen will be taking their place.

EIU is a team that likes to spread the ball around. Last season, they had five receivers with over 20 receptions, and none with over 40. Moreover, it would appear they run an offense similar to Northwestern in that they dink and dunk their way down the field. They are not looking for the big play.

Well, you know how the Hawkeyes tend to fare against Northwestern.

Nevertheless, watch to see if EIU tries to pick on any one Iowa coverage man. If they do attack what they perceive as a weak spot, watch and see how that player reacts. Even if he get beat, does he get frustrated?

After all, young inexperienced players get beat. Even old experienced players get beat occasionally. It's how he picks himself up and responds that is the true measure of the player's character.

Back Up Tight End(s)

The first string tight end is set. Senior Allen Reisner will finally be the clear cut starter after backing up Tony Moeaki and Brandon Myers for the past three years.

However, after that, it is somewhat unsettled.

Furthermore, as Iowa plays a lot of two and three-tight end sets, as well as tight ends a great deal on special teams, the Hawks like to have at least four tight ends ready to go.

After spring ball, Brad Herman emerged as the clear-cut number two, and he has been named as such on the August 27 depth chart.

Herman burned his redshirt in 2007, a year in which Iowa was desperate for any sort of offense. Nevertheless, he sort of fell off the map for the last two years. Rumors had it that the coaches were displeased with his progression as a blocker.

He only had one reception last season, and didn't log a minute in six of Iowa's games, including the bowl. In 2008, he compiled no statistics.

Before the spring game, Kirk Ferentz expressed concern about his backup tight ends. However, after spring ball, Ferentz had the following to say about Herman: "He's clearly had his best period of practice. That's something we really needed to see."

He apparently has kept up that level of play in fall camp, as he seems to have solidified his spot on the offense.

After Herman, it seems to be wide open.

Rumor has it that the two most likely candidates for the No. 3 job are sophomore Zach Derby and true freshman C.J. Fiedorowicz.

Also in the mix are junior Zach Furlong, and sophomores J.D. Griggs and Jonathan Gimm.

Stanzi's Decision Making

We all know the story here.

Despite missing two-and-a-half games, he tied for the most interceptions thrown by a Big Ten quarterback. He threw five picks in the Indiana game alone. And that game was at home. And Indiana didn't have a particularly good defense.

Over the course of the year, he threw four pick-sixes.

His decision making at times was baffling.

Yet, I don't think there is a Hawkeye fan that would trade him for any quarterback in the world.

Still, he's got work to do, and he knows it.

Again, Iowa's offense will probably stay very vanilla for their first game. Ken O'Keefe is not about to open up the playbook for Eastern Illinois. Furthermore, if things go as we hope they might, the Hawks will be up by four touchdowns at halftime and Stanzi will be done for the day.

Regardless, pay particular attention to Stanzi's short-intermediate passing game, as that is where he has had the most trouble, and that is where all of his pick-sixes have come from.

We know Stanzi can go long. We know he can sell a screen or a waggle as well as anybody.

But can he throw a seven yard curl over and over and over?

Let's hope that is something he's learned to do over the past nine months.