No excuse

[CycloneErik]

I actually enjoy the CYHawk game. It brings a good battle between friends and I, who go to the two schools. Its a big game for both schools, brings in money, gets the state talking about something, and usually turns out to be a great game, like today. I'm not sure its our "biggest" rivalry, because to me, losing to Wisconsin hurts more than anything. Just my feel. But its still a huge game and a huge rivalry.

Shouldn't losing to Northwestern hurt the most, or are you numb to the pain now that it's a tradition?

Sorry, it's not you, it's me.

 

[Psyclone Brian]

On the news, Ferentz said, "...looks like we have a lot of work to do as apparent by todays game."
A lot of work??? I don't think I agree with that statement. I don't believe today's loss constitutes that the Hawkeyes need "a lot of work" just because they lost. That was a good Iowa team! ...and played pretty good for the most part.

 

[UI2015]

Shouldn't losing to Northwestern hurt the most, or are you numb to the pain now that it's a tradition?

Sorry, it's not you, it's me.

I think it originated this way because the first Iowa game I went to was a game against Wisconsin, we went to a few in a row actually. The fans around us were Wisconsin fans, and total dbags. I was probably 9 I think, and heard words I don't think I ever heard again, or should anyways. We won, but it was the worst experience ever. We had opposing fans yelling at me, a young kid. But now, yes losing to NW hurts. I'm getting used to it though.

 

[cyclonelifer]

hey herky boy,we should have beat you by 18 points. we did not because we had some stupid fumbles and many penalties. if we not fumbled on our first drive we would have kicked your herky butt royally. thanks for coming on our cyclone fanatic and commenting on the game. the hawks have a few decent players and the cyclones do ,too. i think our quarterback by the end of the season will win some games for us and i hope it opens up a pipeline to get some good athletes(recruits) from the san francisco juco college.
herky boy you just have to realize cpr is putting this young isu program together. hope u fellows win some games in your tiny ten conference. good luck to the herky team the rest of the season......

Geez... how I wish I was 20 years younger just to say I'm from a different generation...

Please put the bottle down and back away from the computer

 

[CycloneErik]

I think it originated this way because the first Iowa game I went to was a game against Wisconsin, we went to a few in a row actually. The fans around us were Wisconsin fans, and total dbags. I was probably 9 I think, and heard words I don't think I ever heard again, or should anyways. We won, but it was the worst experience ever. We had opposing fans yelling at me, a young kid. But now, yes losing to NW hurts. I'm getting used to it though.

Some of my best friends are obsessive Badger fans. These guys are good guys, but I think they just might be a minority. I wouldn't be surprised.

What in the world did Michigan just do?

 

[UI2015]

Some of my best friends are obsessive Badger fans. These guys are good guys, but I think they just might be a minority. I wouldn't be surprised.

What in the world did Michigan just do?

There was a decent family near me that apologized for their awful fans. And I'm not sure what Michigan just did, but I haven't cheered this much since.. last week?

 

[Ry4Cy]

There is simply no excuse for the Hawks losing today. They were outplayed, and out-coached. I'll have to wait and see how the season plays out before I could make an honest assessment of which team was better, but ISU was the better team today, and it wasn't even close.

Iowa's defense was completely unable to slow down Jantz. He made play after play, and while we had a few broken coverages (the TD in the North endzone and the one that got called back spring to mind), Jantz made far more pin-point passes. It wasn't just a few lucky breaks here and there.

ISU did all they could to GIVE this game away, and they still won. Turnovers, penalties. Didn't matter, Iowa wasn't able to take advantage of the Cyclone's mistakes. ISU manhandled Iowa in the trenches on BOTH sides of the ball (which shocked me, I figured the o-lines would dominate the game for both teams).

And how's about a little love for Money Reynolds, who truly was money today?

I said a couple weeks ago that I expected a competitive game, and that if ISU got a big play or two on special teams, I could easily see them winning it. Well, they had several good special teams plays.

I was losing it when we didn't go for a chance at a field goal at the end of the 4th quarter. I knew we wouldn't, but it still pi*sed me off. And it happened again after ISU offered us a window of opportunity on the offsides penalty to turn 4th and 6 into 4th and 1, yet we didn't go for it. You can't play not to lose, especially on the road, and ESPECIALLY when it's a rivalry game and the stadium is going as nuts as JTS was.

But that didn't cost us the game. Did it cost us a CHANCE to win the game? Sure. But the play of Steele Jantz and the rest of the Cyclones is what really lost this game for the Hawks.

Wait your a hawk fan...but i dont see anything about the hawks beating themselves

 

[hawkfan2679]

Wait your a hawk fan...but i dont see anything about the hawks beating themselves

I can't see how any Hawk fan that was being realistic could say that. ISU outplayed and Rhoads outcoached Iowa and Ferentz today...I don't even think it's debatable. It's already been said, but that game probably shouldn't even have gotten into overtime...the disparity in turnovers and the missed FG's are the only reason Iowa was alive at that point.

For all the grief your WR's seem to get on this board, they certainly showed up today. And Jantz...well, he does what QB's with his skill set generally do to us. He tore us up one side and down the other...outstanding performance by him.

 

[Ry4Cy]

I can't see how any Hawk fan that was being realistic could say that. ISU outplayed and Rhoads outcoached Iowa and Ferentz today...I don't even think it's debatable. It's already been said, but that game probably shouldn't even have gotten into overtime...the disparity in turnovers and the missed FG's are the only reason Iowa was alive at that point.

For all the grief your WR's seem to get on this board, they certainly showed up today. And Jantz...well, he does what QB's with his skill set generally do to us. He tore us up one side and down the other...outstanding performance by him.

I completely agree...but a hawk fan being realistic doesnt happen very much...but it is a nice change to hear hawk fans actually giving credit to ISU

 

[heitclone]

To be honest, I'm not that optimistic. We've bounced back from an early season loss to ISU before (2002), but that was different. In 2002, we collapsed with turnovers to blow a big lead. It wasn't a combination of serious flaws, it was just a rival (who was pretty good that year) making the necessary plays to beat us.

Today was a combination of ISU making some great plays, and some serious flaws on Iowa's part.

It's clear that our kick coverage hasn't improved from last year. I said weeks ago that if ISU was going to win this game, they would have to make a big play or two on special teams. And Lenz did just that. Our coverage units aren't good, but he's a good returner, too. That's not a good combo.

Our d-line couldn't generate pressure at all. In the first quarter, the blitz with Kirksey when he got a sack was a perfect example of what Norm likes to do with his blitzes. When things are going right, our blitzes are just a called shot. It throws the offense off a little because it's out of the ordinary. But in the second half especially, we HAD to blitz just to have a chance of generating pressure. That's when Norm's defenses are in serious trouble.

Coker is not Shonn Greene, nor will he ever be. He doesn't have the quick feet or acceleration that Greene had. Greene wasn't a burner, but he hit top speed very quickly, and he EXPLODED through the hole. Coker doesn't. McCall does explode through the hole, which is going to make his absence even more damaging the rest of the way. Coker is a very good back, and he's going to be a very important player for us in his time here. But he and McCall form a terrific tandem. He's not the workhorse that Greene was. He did look much better in the 4th quarter, however.

I was very unimpressed with the o-line today. They didn't get much of a surge at all, and while some of the pressure that Vandy felt was phantom pressure, not all of it was. And this was against a defense whose front 4 was considered the weak link of the unit.

I know it seems "Debby Downer-ish" to say this now. But There wasn't much that was encouraging outside of some of the throws Vandy made, and our receivers are pretty damn good when given a chance. We definitely didn't deserve to win today, and in a way I'm glad we didn't. You can learn a lot more from a loss than from a win.

I think you guys have to find someone else to get carries. Coker may not have played great today but he took a beating and still ran hard late. He won't last long getting worked the way he did today.

 

[CycloneErik]

In case there's any doubt which kind of fan makes this even more fun:

Does Kirk go to church on Sundays? - HawkeyeNation Forum

 

[isukendall]

ISU did all they could to GIVE this game away, and they still won. s.

Great post. I always appreciate your posts. This above is the takehome message for me. If anyone had excuses it would be ISU, but we still found a way to win.

 

[theyork]

nearly **** myself when that 4th and 6 changed into a 4th and 1 and the hawks still went for 3. i was screaming in a bar with 5 other people uninterested in the game when that happened and prayed iowa wouldn't go for it thank you kirk. i owe you one.

 

[isuchicago]

some of these folks would differ with the non-excuses. funny **** in here. I couldn't resist, just for a bit.

The better team won today. - Page 4 - HawkeyeNation Forum

haha wow.. Actually makes me feel bad for the good fans like TM..because that wasn't just a few..the majority of the guys posting are embarrassingly arrogant. That goes beyond "every fan base has them".. made me cringe reading..just awkward. I really hope most of those people are kids.

That aside, good posts tm

 

[Hawkeye11en1]

Iowa is what it is...an average football team. They got beat by a team that is built to beat them. I just got a chance to watch the replay. ISU outplayed them, and it wasn't close.

ISU will be better this year. Like I posted last week, Jantz could be very good. If he can use his feet and Herman can use him correctly, they could be a good team. He is accurate and very good with his feet. Not quick, persay, but very elusive. I like the way they look. He looks up-field even when in trouble. If he can keep that up, he could be very good.

Good game, one of the best in the series. Congrats to ISU, you guys deserved that win. Enjoy it and take that game to the B12. Here's to hoping both having good seasons.

 

[CloneFan65]

I can't see how any Hawk fan that was being realistic could say that. ISU outplayed and Rhoads outcoached Iowa and Ferentz today...I don't even think it's debatable. It's already been said, but that game probably shouldn't even have gotten into overtime...the disparity in turnovers and the missed FG's are the only reason Iowa was alive at that point.

For all the grief your WR's seem to get on this board, they certainly showed up today. And Jantz...well, he does what QB's with his skill set generally do to us. He tore us up one side and down the other...outstanding performance by him.

All you Hawkeye fans coming on here and giving ISU credit and being good sports is taking all the fun out of todays victory. :wink:

 

[cyrocksmypants]

ISU was built to beat Iowa? Hardly. ISU was built to contend in the Big XII. The spread offense is an offense made to minimize the difference between the talent of athletes to overcome the fact that we don't always get the most talented players. Our defense is small and fast, built that was specifically to counter all of the spread offenses being run in the conference. On paper, our defense would be a disaster against Iowa's style of offense. If our team was built to beat the Hawks, we'd have big, strong lumbering d-lineman, linebackers that way about 250 pounds each and defensive backs that were each 6'4.

Iowa is what it is...an average football team. They got beat by a team that is built to beat them. I just got a chance to watch the replay. ISU outplayed them, and it wasn't close.

ISU will be better this year. Like I posted last week, Jantz could be very good. If he can use his feet and Herman can use him correctly, they could be a good team. He is accurate and very good with his feet. Not quick, persay, but very elusive. I like the way they look. He looks up-field even when in trouble. If he can keep that up, he could be very good.

Good game, one of the best in the series. Congrats to ISU, you guys deserved that win. Enjoy it and take that game to the B12. Here's to hoping both having good seasons.

 

[egunzy]

Was ISU better than Iowa in 2002? They were on that September night, but not over the course of the season. Upsets happen in football. However, I really don't have the feeling that Hawk fans will be able to look back on this one as an upset.

I repped you for your earlier comments but based on this post I regret it. To call Iowa the better team in 2002 is laughable. Yes, they may have ended with a better record, however, they did not have to go through the gaunlet in their conference schedule that ISU did. 4 ranked teams in 5 weeks, 2 on the road. The Big 10 did not even have 4 teams ranked at the time. ISU got worn down by a very, very difficult schedule and it is possible that thet same thing may happen this yeat. However, that does not change the fact that, when ISU and Iowa lined up in 2002 and this year, that ISU won. In my book that makes them the better team. Feel free to reconcile it however it sits best with your version of reality.

 

[Hawkeye11en1]

ISU was built to beat Iowa? Hardly. ISU was built to contend in the Big XII. The spread offense is an offense made to minimize the difference between the talent of athletes to overcome the fact that we don't always get the most talented players. Our defense is small and fast, built that was specifically to counter all of the spread offenses being run in the conference. On paper, our defense would be a disaster against Iowa's style of offense. If our team was built to beat the Hawks, we'd have big, strong lumbering d-lineman, linebackers that way about 250 pounds each and defensive backs that were each 6'4.

I'm not saying the Clones build their team to beat Iowa at all. I know they don't do that. I am saying that they have be QB and system that Iowa tends to struggle with.

And as far as building a big team to compete with Iowa...I think that is false. Smaller quicker teams have shown that they beat Iowa more than anyone else. But either way, I wa not saying ISU builds their team to beat Iowa, I just think that they fortunately (for them) are that way right now. Might not have read that way in my previous statement.

 

[tm3308]

I repped you for your earlier comments but based on this post I regret it. To call Iowa the better team in 2002 is laughable. Yes, they may have ended with a better record, however, they did not have to go through the gaunlet in their conference schedule that ISU did. 4 ranked teams in 5 weeks, 2 on the road. The Big 10 did not even have 4 teams ranked at the time. ISU got worn down by a very, very difficult schedule and it is possible that thet same thing may happen this yeat. However, that does not change the fact that, when ISU and Iowa lined up in 2002 and this year, that ISU won. In my book that makes them the better team. Feel free to reconcile it however it sits best with your version of reality.

If they'd played again, I don't see ISU winning that year. It doesn't matter, because they were better when it counted. But I don't think that by the end of the year, ISU was better than Iowa. ISU's schedule was brutal, but in a couple of those games they weren't even remotely competitive. And then it hit rock bottom against UCONN and Boise.