Wine: Darkest Before The Dawn?

Oct. 3, 2007

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Here’s one fan’s view of an Iowa football team on a three-game losing skid.

The offense, which Coach Kirk Ferentz described as “a work in progress” back in August, is struggling mightily without its two best wide receivers and a tight end who was emerging as a force.

The Hawkeyes were pinning much of their hopes on talented receivers, but Dominique Douglas and Andy Brodell are gone for the season, and Tony Moeaki’s future is uncertain. Iowa’s two-deep is now stacked with freshmen wideouts and the tight end position is paper thin.

A veteran quarterback might be able to deal with this development, but sophomore Jake Christensen is just learning his position as a first-year starter. Perhaps not surprisingly, his performance has been sometimes erratic and his passes off-target.

The offensive two-deep has only three seniors, with Albert Young and Damian Sims at the same running back position. After a first game in which each topped 100 yards rushing, they’ve been neutralized by opponents stacking the line of scrimmage, and Iowa has not responded with a consistent, effective passing game.

A new offensive line has been slow to develop and has not given good protection to Christensen, who has been sacked 20 times in five games. All this adds up to Iowa being at the bottom of most Big Ten offensive statistical categories.

We’re nearing mid-season and — at least partly because of unexpected developments — Iowa’s offense is still very much “a work in progress.”

After spotty play last season, special teams were a “point of emphasis” for Ferentz and his coaching staff this year. But there has been regression, rather than progression, in this area.

The punting game has been erratic and only 5 of 10 field goal tries have been on target. Field goals were blocked at Iowa State and Wisconsin. Had they been successful it’s possible the Hawkeyes would have won two games they lost by narrow margins.

Exceptional performance by special teams was a huge factor in Iowa’s winning 31 games during the 2002-04 seasons. The Hawkeyes were blocking kicks and running them back for touchdowns, and they were making field goals to win close games. Ferentz wanted to see that again this year. Instead, he calls his special teams “less than spectacular.”

Iowa’s defense didn’t give up a touchdown until the fourth game of the season and was clearly the strength of this ball club. But it yielded a couple of big plays in the fourth quarters that proved costly at both Iowa State and Wisconsin.

Indiana made three long touchdown drives against a defense that was without two senior starters, linebacker Mike Klinkenborg and safety Devan Moylan. They are not listed on the Iowa depth chart for this week.

Nearing the halfway point in the season, Iowa has an offense that has been gutted of its best receivers, special teams that aren’t executing, and a defense that is also crippled by injuries. Add self-inflicted wounds like penalties (nine against Indiana) and the picture is grim.

But the head coach is keeping a square jaw and sees daylight ahead. “I like this team,” says Ferentz. “It has a good attitude. It can grow.” He calls his team’s problems “predictable but correctable.”

The head coach developed a well-deserved reputation for teams that grew stronger as seasons grew longer. Even his first two teams that won a total of four games were better in November than September.

Seven games remain on the schedule. Iowa will not be a big underdog or a big favorite in any of them, meaning they could go either way.

If the Hawkeyes overcome adversity and grow, as their coach believes they can, they’ll win some games and perhaps become bowl eligible. Following three straight losses, that seems like a long shot.

But the head coach thinks it can happen. Let’s hope he’s right.

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