Our D - better than advertised

[Cycsk]

IMO, Alton Meeks is a stud and future star at Middle Linebacker. He was a state high school wrestling champion. He has really good size at 6'3" and about 250 lbs. And he has great athleticism as he was a HS QB. At this point he is listed ahead of JUCO Jordan Harris. Meeks redshirted last year and entered ISU early and has had two springs here already. With his size, speed and athleticism, the potential is very high. And we have the rest of our Linebackers back. So overall, I could see an improvement at the Linebackers, even though we lose Jeremiah George. Cornerbacks should actually be better than last year as we return Nigel Tribune, along with Richardson and Lynn. Safety is a concern, but we have numbers to draw from and should be okay. I actually see our DE's as being better than last year. And the DT's being a push at worst. Possibly better. Jensen is back and Cousin has a lot of potential. Throw the other youngsters in there and we should be okay, they do have potential.

We just need to be patient and wait and see.

It seemed that we had a lot of problems last year, especially early last year, with LBs not being in position. Guys like Brackens, Miller, Meeks, and Harris have great athletic ability, but we need them to play as a unit, not just as individuals. For instance, in the Spring game, Brackens was all over the field making tackles. That is great when the play is run away from him, but in Big 12 games, if he leaves his spot too soon, they will run counter plays that will run right to where he isn't.

I'm encouraged about our defensive line being able to hold their own and tie up blockers. The question mark is the discipline of our LBs. For this reason, I expect to see a lot of Knott and Seely early. However, I could get very excited about our entire LB corps if they are doing the work above the shoulder pads to know their roles and rely on their discipline as much as their athleticism.

 

[Section110]

I'd take guys who could've seen the field were they not behind 4 yr starters who were all conference, 6th all time at Iowa in career tackles, along with other numerous awards and had a shot to play in the NFL over 2 returning guys from one of the worst D-lines I've ever seen. Not to mention you talk up all this depth you have who has yet to even see a snap in major college football.

This is pretty much exactly how I'd respond. The only reason the current LB's for Iowa haven't seen the field is because of how talented the 4 year starters were in front of them (look at all of their accolades). That's far from the case with ISU's defensive line. What are the accolades of the defensive lineman for Iowa State who were playing in front of the guys who are looking to contribute this year? Nothing. Morrissey was honorable mention. I think that's it. The guys expected to contribute are thin on experience, and were playing behind what was a god awful defensive line in the first place. 2+2 does not equal 5. If it was a bad defensive line to begin with, you lose starters, and guys who weren't good enough to start in the first place are then expected to fill in it is a little bit ridiculous to expect the unit to perform better. I'm guessing this is where you'll take the "well the JUCO guys could have been better than Coe and Irving anyways" route, but that is pretty far fetched as well at this point considering they haven't even taken a snap at this level.

Plus anyone who knows one iota about football knows that it's a lot easier to break in new LB's when you have a stout defensive line in front of them. Iowa State has a porous defensive line with lack of talent and experience right up the middle. Combine that with the fact there are still question marks at the Linebacker spots and it spells big trouble in my opinion.

 

[upstateclone]

God forbid that players may actually develop in a year. By your logic, a player is the same player his first day as his last.

 

[Section110]

Maggit was gone before. We lost Willie Scott. Coe and Irving were sometimes starters. Brandon Jensen returns and was a starter at Nose Guard last year. Morrissey was our best DE last year and returns. Devlyn Cousin was on the 2 deep as a RS Freshman. And with the added Juco's like Pierson and Luna plus Mitchell Myers who has shown great promise along with Aka, Garcia, Trent, the ISU D-Line has as much depth as we have ever had.

Iowa has 3 unknowns as starters and there is a complete lack of depth behind them. I will take the 2 starters on our D-Line over your Zero returning starters at LB. And I point out the numbers from which we will get our other 2 starters and depth in our line. Cole Fisher is backing up 2 linebacker spots on the 2 deep. Better hope you have zero injuries.

Wait until the actual preseason depth chart comes out. There's more depth than you are aware of. You mentioned Cole Fisher, but I've also heard out of camp that both Chad Gilson (6'1 235 lb. Sr. MLB) and Josey Jewell (6'2 225 lb. RS FS OLB) have looked more than capable of contributing. Phil Parker went out of his way to compliment Josey Jewell in the spring. Sounds like he's got a bright future in front of him. Here's Parker's comments on Jewell:

“Jewell has really showed up out there, just as a football player,” Parker said. “He was an inside backer behind Q [Quinton Alston] and Reggie [Spearman], really as a backup Will [linebacker]. And we look at it and say, ‘Who is the guy going out and making plays?' You just watch the film and you just watch the guys running around on tape and you see him tracking guys down. Somewhere, he’s going to have to fit in our system, OK, because when you give that much effort and you attack the football the way he does and make plays the way he’s done, he’s going to probably show up. Does he know everything right now? Not yet, but he still has a long way to go.”

Parker said outside linebacker Travis Perry has missed some time with an illness and Jewell has been his backup.

 

[cuphues]

Wait until the actual preseason depth chart comes out. There's more depth than you are aware of. You mentioned Cole Fisher, but I've also heard out of camp that both Chad Gilson (6'1 235 lb. Sr. MLB) and Josey Jewell (6'2 225 lb. RS FS OLB) have looked more than capable of contributing. Phil Parker went out of his way to compliment Josey Jewell in the spring. Sounds like he's got a bright future in front of him. Here's Parker's comments on Jewell:

“Jewell has really showed up out there, just as a football player,” Parker said. “He was an inside backer behind Q [Quinton Alston] and Reggie [Spearman], really as a backup Will [linebacker]. And we look at it and say, ‘Who is the guy going out and making plays?' You just watch the film and you just watch the guys running around on tape and you see him tracking guys down. Somewhere, he’s going to have to fit in our system, OK, because when you give that much effort and you attack the football the way he does and make plays the way he’s done, he’s going to probably show up. Does he know everything right now? Not yet, but he still has a long way to go.”

Parker said outside linebacker Travis Perry has missed some time with an illness and Jewell has been his backup.

So....Parker states he has promise, but is not ready. Hm....seems we have heard this before. That is coach speak for he has potential that may or may not be realized. The light bulb has not turned on yet. So much for your depth.

As for ISU's LB's, we only lack experience at one of the three LB spots. So...if our Juco MLB meets expectations (he was the leading tackler in the country last year, so that counts for something even if it was not major college competition) I think our LB crew will be better than the Hoks.

 

[Section110]

So....Parker states he has promise, but is not ready. Hm....seems we have heard this before. That is coach speak for he has potential that may or may not be realized. The light bulb has not turned on yet. So much for your depth.

As for ISU's LB's, we only lack experience at one of the three LB spots. So...if our Juco MLB meets expectations (he was the leading tackler in the country last year, so that counts for something even if it was not major college competition) I think our LB crew will be better than the Hoks.

Name another RS FS player Parker has gone out of his way to mention who hasn't ended up being a good one. Please include an article as proof. I follow the Hawks as closely as anyone. It is rare for Parker to mention someone unless he means it. He isn't exactly the most talkative guy. I can't remember a single player who he's praised that hasn't ended up living up to it.

 

[ameslurker]

That's nice if ISU has the better LB crew but if the DL can't keep the OL off them it severely limits what they can do. It always starts up front.

 

[cuphues]

Name another RS FS player Parker has gone out of his way to mention who hasn't ended up being a good one. Please include an article as proof. I follow the Hawks as closely as anyone. It is rare for Parker to mention someone unless he means it. He isn't exactly the most talkative guy. I can't remember a single player who he's praised that hasn't ended up living up to it.

You and I have been through this before. I am a Cyclone fan. I couldn't give a crap about the Hoks and will not waste my time doing homework for a freaking troll. ISU's LB's are better than the Hoks this year. End of discussion. You lose. I win. Go away troll.

 

[BlackHawk]

You and I have been through this before. I am a Cyclone fan. I couldn't give a crap about the Hoks and will not waste my time doing homework for a freaking troll. ISU's LB's are better than the Hoks this year. End of discussion. You lose. I win. Go away troll.

Solid argument. So basically you know nothing about what's being discussed, but you "win?" Riiiiiiight. Aside from the 1 (maybe 2) years with Knott and Klein, can you point to another year where you've had a better LB crew in the past 15 years? Yeah me either.

 

[mustangcy]

It's getting to the point with these Iowa fans, the same 2 or 3 in every thread, that this site is becoming less and less enjoyable. Frankly, I think Chris Williams should put a lid on all the trolling going on lately. Is it not obvious these guys are just crapping in every thread for the shear enjoyment of being little hawkeye douches? I remember when CF had a couple hawk fans that you could almost enjoy...not these days.

 

[cuphues]

Solid argument. So basically you know nothing about what's being discussed, but you "win?" Riiiiiiight. Aside from the 1 (maybe 2) years with Knott and Klein, can you point to another year where you've had a better LB crew in the past 15 years? Yeah me either.

Yep. I win. For the record, look at my post. I said nothing about LB's over any other year than this upcoming year. And you can't prove it wrong as this season has not been played. I know about Cyclone football. Not hok BS. I have no desire to converse with Hoks on a Cyclone board. If you want to talk about Cyclone football and compare it to other teams in the Big 12, well then great! I am in! But I don't need to banter with trolls that have their own message board to go play on. I win again.

 

[cuphues]

It's getting to the point with these Iowa fans, the same 2 or 3 in every thread, that this site is becoming less and less enjoyable. Frankly, I think Chris Williams should put a lid on all the trolling going on lately. Is it not obvious these guys are just crapping in every thread for the shear enjoyment of being little hawkeye douches? I remember when CF had a couple hawk fans that you could almost enjoy...not these days.

Agreed. That is why I have chosen to respond to them in the way that I did. You can't reason with them. They have hijacked so many threads and taken them to places never intended by the OP. Why in gods name do we need to talk about hok players when the point of the thread was to discuss the positive feelings on behalf of a Cyclone fan that our D may be better than advertised. They may have the right to be on this board, but they certainly are not presenting a positive impression among the majority of folks who contribute here often. I would rejoice if they were banned.

 

[Section110]

Yep. I win. For the record, look at my post. I said nothing about LB's over any other year than this upcoming year. And you can't prove it wrong as this season has not been played. I know about Cyclone football. Not hok BS. I have no desire to converse with Hoks on a Cyclone board. If you want to talk about Cyclone football and compare it to other teams in the Big 12, well then great! I am in! But I don't need to banter with trolls that have their own message board to go play on. I win again.

You made a comment and then failed to support it with any sort of evidence. You said you have heard similar comments from Phil Parker and that it's just coach speak. I asked you to give me evidence and you can't. It's that simple. You're debating like a 3 year old. Message boards are for discussions. That's all we are doing. You don't have to participate in it, but this is far from trolling.

 

[Section110]

Agreed. That is why I have chosen to respond to them in the way that I did. You can't reason with them. They have hijacked so many threads and taken them to places never intended by the OP. Why in gods name do we need to talk about hok players when the point of the thread was to discuss the positive feelings on behalf of a Cyclone fan that our D may be better than advertised. They may have the right to be on this board, but they certainly are not presenting a positive impression among the majority of folks who contribute here often. I would rejoice if they were banned.

If you noticed your comments should be directed towards Stormin. He's the one who changed the subject to the Hawkeye defense. I gave my comments about the ISU defense which pertained to the thread. Stormin decided to flip it over to a Hawkeye discussion.

 

[mustangcy]

If you noticed your comments should be directed towards Stormin. He's the one who changed the subject to the Hawkeye defense. I gave my comments about the ISU defense which pertained to the thread. Stormin decided to flip it over to a Hawkeye discussion.

ISU fans should not have to be paranoid that ANY AND ALL mention of the beloved hawks spirals into an armada of hawk douches ******** all over a thread. We don't need you or any other hawk fan utterly destroying an interesting thread with your self serving compiments of your team or even any defense of your team that ALWAYS ends with some kind of douchy putdown of ISU. You have hawk boards for that crap...not that you would have any time to spend on them. I can't even imagine you have a job with the amount of time you spend on a rival board.

 

[cuphues]

You made a comment and then failed to support it with any sort of evidence. You said you have heard similar comments from Phil Parker and that it's just coach speak. I asked you to give me evidence and you can't. It's that simple. You're debating like a 3 year old. Message boards are for discussions. That's all we are doing. You don't have to participate in it, but this is far from trolling.

110...watch and do as asked.

 

[upstateclone]

Hok fans really take the flavor out of these forums. What's the point if everything turns into a "hoks are better than us" thread? 110, why don't you start your own forum, or post in a hok forum?

 

[Stormin]

If you noticed your comments should be directed towards Stormin. He's the one who changed the subject to the Hawkeye defense. I gave my comments about the ISU defense which pertained to the thread. Stormin decided to flip it over to a Hawkeye discussion.

I told you that you need to worry about your own team rather than come here and be negative towards the Cyclones. And your LB's suck. They are a weak unit. It is an acknowledged fact. The ISU defense will be better than last year. And the offense much better.

 

[BigLame]

You have hawk boards for that crap...not that you would have any time to spend on them. I can't even imagine you have a job with the amount of time you spend on a rival board.

Hawk boards must plain suck. Don't visit & don't intend to, but my guess is they have little traffic & what posters they do have are similar or worse to 110 here. It is a program with no juice - much like Nebby is having issues selling tickets. Having Iowa, Rutgers, & Maryland coming into Lincoln pales in comparison to Kansas State, Baylor, & Texas Tech. Sure, they won 8 games, but doing that in the Big 10 is not too difficult of task, in particular without the heavyweights on the schedule & only an 8-game conference schedule. I have Hawkeye friends (too many), and not 1 shows or voices any excitement over football. Most are still not sold on their coordinators, in particular Greg Davis, and other than Parker being willing to blitz more often (had to, front 4 are not good pass rushers), everything is vanilla, as it has been for a while.

Second, 110 should go get a job. That way he can can chip in with grandpa or dad and get better tickets at Kinnick.

 

[The_Architect]

Just opened this thread and