Iowa Football: What Needs to Happen During the Out-of-Conference Games

We're just a week away from the kick-off to the 2011 Iowa Hawkeye football season.  It couldn't have come soon enough!

The intense excitement that accompanies the arrival of such a long-awaited event such as this is often tempered by the realization that the initial competition is somewhat less than mouth-watering.  After all, who would really get jazzed up over a showdown with Tennessee Tech, if it weren't the first game of the season?

Who really gets riled up over the prospect of taking on the University of Louisiana-Monroe?

These teams may not be as exciting as the rivalry with Penn State or the new/old rivalry with Nebraska.

Still, there are some very good reasons to pay close attention to all of the games leading up to the start of the conference slate.  There are some things that the Hawkeyes need to do and some things that need to happen before they get into the real meat of their season.

Shake off the Rust Versus Tennessee Tech

Of course, Hawkeye fans want a big win to kick off the season.  We'll get to that later.  First things first.

It's been just over nine months since Iowa last saw the field in competition.  No matter how hard they've worked from spring until now, workouts and practice squads aren't the same as a live, breathing opponent that wants nothing more than to upset a much bigger dog.

The Golden Eagles had a rather dismal 2010 season, finishing 5-6 (4-4 Ohio Valley Conference).  The report on their last summer scrimmage leaves as many questions as answers.

Still, few are quick to forget that Iowa needed a miracle (blocked field goals on consecutive plays) to defeat Northern Iowa a couple of years ago. 

Sure, Northern Iowa went a long way in the FCS playoffs the year before, but the year Iowa narrowly escaped an upset of epic proportions, they were merely mediocre. 

Tennessee Tech will bring some things Iowa has never seen (the two have never met).  One thing they will bring that Iowa is well aware of is attitude.

The Hawkeyes need to shake off the rust early and begin getting their rhythms in order. 

The offense needs to begin establishing a solid balance between the run game and the pass attack.  Everyone knows that Marcus Coker has the potential to be something special and that Marvin McNutt can be a star receiver.  But, can James Vandenberg (with Ken O'Keefe calling the shots) strike the kind of balance that can keep much tougher defenses than TTU possesses on their heels?

The defensive secondary needs to iron out its communication.  Nothing can negate pure talent potential than a lack of communication, and, with Iowa State coming up next, the Hawkeyes have precious little time to get things in order.

Obviously, the Hawkeyes will also want to get as many of their young members on the field as possible.  Game experience is invaluable, and history has taught us all that Iowa may need to call on those guys sooner than expected.  

The Hawkeye Offense Needs to Shine Against Iowa State

The Cyclones put together a whopping 5-7 record in 2010. They've lost QB Austin Arnaud, RB Alexander Robinson and their top two receivers (TE Colin Franklin and WR Jake Williams). 

To say Iowa State's offense has a few questions to answer is an understatement of near-Biblical proportions. 

Their defense however, does not. 

While the Cyclone defense wasn't the best in the Big 12 last year, it certainly wasn't the worst, either. 

The Iowa State team brings back 19 seniors and 35 juniors to lead their team, 21 of which are on the defensive side of the ball.

The boys from Ames may not necessarily present the toughest defense the Hawkeyes will face all year, but it will be their first test against a veteran group of Division I-A players that have experience.  They should test the Hawks far more than Tennessee Tech will.

This game sets the tone.  The identity of the Hawkeye offense won't be readily evident following the opening week, but it will begin to take shape here.

We know that Marcus Coker will be a large focal point and that Marvin McNutt will likely draw some extra attention until Keenan Davis starts showcasing his talent. 

Just how potent the offense is will be a matter of speculation, though, until this game.  Iowa can prove to itself and its doubters that their offense is a real threat.

Defense Needs to Be the Key Against Pitt

The last time Iowa faced Pitt (2008), it was in Pittsburgh and the Hawkeyes came out on the losing end of a 21-20 score.

A lot has changed since then.  The names and faces are all different. That year, Pitt finished 9-4.  Last year, they finished 8-5—which isn't that different.

Oh yeah, and Dave Wannstedt is no longer head coach. 

New head coach Todd Graham has brought a new offensive philosophy to the Panthers. It's an up-tempo attack—almost to the extreme.  Iowa will be facing a lot of no-huddle situations and very little down time between the plays when the offense does huddle.

No question, Iowa's offense will have to continue to come together heading toward the conference slate, but the defense's conditioning will be strongly tested in this game. Whatever rotation Iowa chooses to use, the cohesiveness of the various units will be exposed.

The defense will be the focal point. No matter how prolific the offense may potentially be, it will also be a slow tempo Iowa attack. It won't fire punch-for-punch with an high octane offense. It's not designed to.

The defense will have to be ready for what's coming at it.  A failure to keep pace could put more pressure on the offense than needed and provide an early letdown for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa Needs the Total Package Against ULM

The Warhawks put together a 5-7 record last year, 4-4 in the Sunbelt.  It's not as though Iowa can't beat this team even if things don't go exactly smoothly. 

That's not the point, however.

Following this contest, the Hawkeyes get a bye week and then jump into conference play at Penn State. While their schedule is nowhere near the toughest in the Big Ten, it's not a walk in the park for a team that traditionally plays to the level of their opponents.

This is the last chance to put things together and see what they've really got before the season becomes very real. 

With trips to Florida State and TCU taking up two of ULM's first three games (the other a home game against Grambling State), the Warhawks are bound to be fairly beaten and bruised. On the other hand, they're not likely to be all that intimidated with the Hawkeyes, having seen two quality teams already.

QB Kolton Browning completed just under 62 percent of his passes, averaging 6.8 yards per pass. Iowa fans might recognize that 6.8 as the "soft spot" in Iowa's defense under Norm Parker's "bend but don't break" system.

The run game isn't anything to get too worried about, but RB Jyruss Edwards did manage 4.46 yards per carry, making him someone to take seriously.

The Warhawk defense finished near the bottom of the Sunbelt in terms of points allowed, this against competition that is largely inferior to that Iowa will face the rest of the season (less than three games against ranked teams).

You can spin the numbers any way you want, but they won't change the fact that this is the end of the "warm-up" period for Iowa. The conference schedule starts immediately after this showdown, meaning the Hawkeyes' last chance to tweak their setup is in this game.

Iowa needs a total team performance to boast their confidence before heading to Happy Valley.

Iowa Needs to Win Big

I know it sounds a little trite. Obviously, they want to win. Just winning isn't enough, though.

One of my big knocks against Iowa the last many years has been their inability (or unwillingness, as the case may be) to put away lesser opponents in fantastic fashion. Last year was much better, as Iowa won three OOC games by a combined score of 117-14. 

Their other game was a heart-breaking loss at Arizona 27-34.

You can look at blowout wins a couple of different ways. 

1) They're unnecessary and devoid of class. It's better to take your foot off the gas and allow the opponent every opportunity to save face.

Or...

2) You gain valuable national respect (especially with the pollsters) by blowing out the little guys.

Unfortunately, you can't have it both ways.  You can't gain much national respect by beating lesser opponents by only seven-to-10 points, though you might win a little favor with the fans that can respect an attempt at not embarrassing your opponent.

At the same time, you might bruise the sensibilities of those who carry "good manners" even onto the field of battle, but you won't win any respect from the pollsters that don't give two cents about manners. They just want to see your power and potential on display in a statistically provable manner. 

While I can absolutely respect a team that cares enough about their opponents to want to toss a boost to their ego, I'm more concerned with where Iowa finishes in the polls. After all, that finish helps dictate where Iowa goes bowling when the season is finished. 

All of that aside, this team has a lot of young(er) players at the top of the depth chart. Narrow victories over lesser opponents can plant a seed of doubt.  This season is lined up well to be very good for the Hawkeyes, but they can't feed that doubt.

Iowa needs to win a bare minimum of three of these games, and they need to win them big.  They should win all four, but Iowa State can often be very tricky, and Pitt can't be overlooked either. 

The Hawkeyes absolutely need to run up the score on ULM and TTU, though.  Anything less than a 21-point margin of victory isn't acceptable for a team that needs plenty of confidence when it comes time to face the Big Ten conference slate.

The Hawkeyes Need to Settle on Their Depth Chart Early

Kirk Ferentz has said that there are a lot of "moving parts" on the team—meaning that several players may change positions or move up and down the depth chart.

At this point, I'd venture to say that's the case all across the country. 

However, Iowa can't waste a lot of time finding permanent homes for those moving parts.

Football—consistently productive football—is as much about comfort and rhythm as it is about talent. A quality receiver that isn't comfortable with his quarterback won't look much like a quality receiver. An athletic tight end that doesn't feel good in the system won't perform like the star he can be.

The same holds true at virtually every position on the field.  Everyone has to know and feel comfortable in their position and role on the team.

Getting that level of comfort comes with repetition. Iowa can't move and switch a lot of players over several games and expect to head to Penn State with a fully flushed team. 

They could take chances with the season and work on the premise of building toward the future, but they could be endangering a schedule that is lined up for success.

Kirk Ferentz and his crew would do well for the team if they can identify the right people for the right positions quickly and allow them to get comfortable there. Then Iowa can head into the conference portion of the schedule with most of the wrinkles ironed out and be ready to compete for a conference title.