3yardsandacloud
Administrator Emeritus
2005 Iowa Hawkeyes Game Preview
written by: BB73, Bucklion, daddyphatsacs, Hubbard,
Jaxbuck, LordJeffBuck, and 3yardsandacloud
written by: BB73, Bucklion, daddyphatsacs, Hubbard,
Jaxbuck, LordJeffBuck, and 3yardsandacloud
Payback. That's what Buckeye fans will be looking for this week. And if you think that's referring to the title of a Mel Gibson movie, you either don't realize that Iowa is coming to town for Saturday's Big 10 opener, or you've conveniently forgotten what happened in Iowa City last year.
tOSU is 29-4-1 against the Hawkeyes since 1962. Four of those contests have been conference openers, with the only Iowa win among those games coming in Iowa in 1983, just one week after tOSU's big road win in Norman, Oklahoma.
It may be a good thing to get Iowa early in the year. In each of the last two seasons, Iowa has lost their Big 10 opener on the road, and then bounced back to finish #8 in the final AP poll. They've actually had the same final ranking for 3 straight years, since in 2002 they ended up #8 after being undefeated in conference play. I seem to recall that another Big 10 team was also undefeated that year; someone should have informed the country of that scheduling quirk. Perhaps if Trev Alberts had mentioned that Iowa and tOSU didn't play each other that season more than 112 times on the air, he'd still have that ESPN gig!
Kirk Ferentz has done an outstanding job at Iowa. After inheriting a depleted squad that struggled to 1-10 and 3-9 records in his first two years at the helm, he turned the corner with a 7-5 record in 2001, and has compiled a 31-7 mark over the 2002-2004 campaigns. He is 1-3 against the Buckeyes, the lone win obviously being the 33-7 debacle last year. His head coaching record against Tressel is 1-2, with JT winning 19-10 in Columbus in 2003, and 38-17 when Youngstown State faced Maine in 1990.
As the game approaches, anxious fans are asking questions like these:
Will Smith go through his progressions before taking off with the ball?
Will our receivers hang onto the ball?
Will we throw more deep balls, or at least hit guys in stride?
What would it take for Tressel to make another QB switch?
Will Wells and Haw get more carries?
Will Boone and Rehring see more action when the game's on the line?
Can the D-Line get consistent pressure in their pass rush?
Will we see much of the nickel defense before third and long?
Will out linebackers clearly outplay the group from Iowa?
Will we finally get a kickoff or punt return that goes all the way?
Of course, we're not a combination of Coach Tressel and Miss Cleo, so we don't have these answers. But read on, and watch the game to see what happens.
Date and Time
Game time: Saturday, September 24th, 2005
12:00 NOON EDT Kick-off at Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH)
ABC will cover the game.
12:00 NOON EDT Kick-off at Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH)
ABC will cover the game.
2005 Iowa Hawkeyes Offensive Preview
Returning starters: 6
Iowa comes to town for a good old-fashioned grudge match to open conference play. Last season, the Hawkeyes stuck it to the Buckeyes, primarily behind the gritty QB Drew Tate. The Hawkeyes lost their top 4 starting backs to injury last year, so they survived primarily through the air. The passing offense (240.1 ypg) was ranked 37th nationally, and that led to a respectable amount of points (24.3 ppg; 68th nationally). The rushing was 116/117 Division I-A teams at a paltry 72.6 yards per game, dropping the total offense rating below 100 (312.7 ypg; 101st). This season, the Hawkeyes are looking to rebound and restore a balance to their attack, and their focus is also to maintain the care they took with the football last season (+13 turnover margin; 6th in the nation). So far this year, the results have been mixed. The rushing attack has been substantially improved, averaging an impressive 225 ypg so far in 2005, good for 26th nationally. However, there has been a significant drop-off in the aerial numbers (213 ypg; 68th nationally) which may be attributed to starting QB Drew Tate missing a significant portion of the Iowa State contest. The total offensive production has been 439.7 ypg, good only for 55th nationally, but the offense has taken advantage of their opportunities, scoring 34.7 ypg, good for a ranking of 29th. The Hawkeyes will need to improve on these numbers, maintain a balance by establishing a running game, and prevent turning the ball over at all costs if they want to pull off a road win in Columbus.
Quarterbacks
QB #5 Drew Tate (6-0, 185, JR)
Tate is a gritty player, who can hurt opposing defenses in a variety of ways, by passing, running occasionally, or using his feet to create space, disrupt the defensive scheme, and hit an open receiver downfield at crucial times. His size and style make durability a question, as evidenced by the Iowa State contest, where the offense struggled significantly in his absence after he suffered an injury in the second quarter. No question about it, this guy makes the Iowa offense go. His numbers thus far have been good. He’s completed almost 75% of his passes, albeit only 39 of them in 2+ games against weak competition, for 403 yards and 4 TDs to only one interception. He struggled against their one decent foe, Iowa State (5/11, 57 yards, INT), before he was injured. He was almost perfect in the other two games. Tate hasn’t run much at all this year (6 for 19 yards) and he only has positive yardage against I-AA Northern Iowa. It’s hard to know what will happen Saturday with Tate, but this game will probably set the tone for the rest of the season.
The backup is Jason Manson, who got plenty of experience (10/31, 117 yards, INT) filling in for Tate in the Iowa State game. He struggled then, but showed evidence of some talent, but the offense clearly isn’t the same without Tate in there. He is a more versatile threat, gaining 52 yards on the ground against the Cyclones.
QB Rating: B
Head-to-Head: Drew Tate versus Troy Smith
Both QBs have been decent against weaker teams, but struggled against teams with good defenses, and each team will face one of the better defenses on their schedule this weekend. Tate has had the advantage of being “the man” from week one, whereas Smith has had to work his way back up the depth chart. Tate led the Hawkeyes to an impressive victory last season…but that was last season. The only thing to separate the two is the fact that Tate had near perfect performances against the two weak teams on the Iowa schedule, so based on what has happened thus far, he gets the edge, though Smith may have a higher ceiling to reach eventually.
Edge: Tate
Running Backs
RB #21 Albert Young (5-10, 207, SO)
FB #35 Tom Busch (5-11, 231, SO)
The backfield is young (no pun intended), and Albert Young is coming back from injury last season. So far, so good…he’s averaged 8.3 yards per carry, racking up 298 yards and 3 TDs. Unlike Tate, his best game yardage-wise was against Iowa State, carrying for 140 yards on only 18 touches. He’ll get plenty of work Saturday, and he needs to be ready to face a very stiff test against the Buckeye front seven. He is no threat in the passing game … he hasn't caught a pass this season.
Freshman Shonn Greene started the season listed third on the depth chart, but has racked up the bulk of the backup carries. He has carried 33 times for 161 yards and a TD. He didn’t play against Iowa State, but looked good against Ball State and Northern Iowa. Marcus Schnoor is also a backup that could see the field…he’s carried 10 times for 20 yards and a TD so far.
Tom Busch is mostly a blocker, having carried the ball four times and catching one pass. Champ Davis is the backup.
RB Rating: B-
Head-to-Head: Young versus Pittman
Both backs have shown some promise so far this season, without demonstrating a distinct advantage over the other. It will be critical for both players to establish the run to take pressure of their respective quarterbacks, and both seem capable of doing so if they step up. If the running game disappears, it is hard to see either team beating the other with a one-dimensional offense, so both had better perform if their team is to have a chance to win.
Edge: Even
Wide Receivers
SE #88 Clinton Solomon (6-3, 196, SR)
FL #11 Ed Hinkel (6-1, 190, SR)
This receiving corps is talented and has plenty of experience. Solomon is the leading returning receiver in the Big Ten (yardage-wise) with 905 yards. So far, he has caught 8 passes for 154 yards and 3 scores, averaging almost 20 yards a catch. Still, he had two pedestrian games (22 yards and 18 yards) before exploding against I-AA Northern Iowa, so he’ll be looking to step up his production. He’s definitely the team’s best home run threat. Hinkel is also a steady receiver, having caught 10 balls for 104 yards thus far. Because of the lopsidedness of two of the team’s games, the backups have also gotten plenty of work, with Calvin Davis (6 for 56) and Herb Grigsby (3 for 48, TD) leading the way. Eric McCollom (2 for 19) is also in the mix.
WR Rating: B
Head-to-Head: Solomon/Hinkel versus Holmes/Ginn/Gonzalez
The Hawkeyes are solid, so this is a closer matchup than some might have thought. Still, Holmes is clearly the class of this matchup, and if Ginn gets back into the gameplan and has his talents utilized to their potential, the Buckeyes are still extremely dangerous at any point on the field.
Edge: Holmes/Ginn/Gonzalez
Tight Ends
TE #87 Scott Chandler (6-7, 242, JR)
Chandler is a bruiser, who can use his size and quickness to create match-up difficulties. He’s caught 10 passes for 102 yards to this point, and he is also a solid blocker that helps spring the rushing attack. Look for him to be a safety valve for Tate when he is under pressure Saturday, which could be more than normal. Backup Ryan Majerus has also seen his share of action (2 catches, 39 yards).
TE Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Chandler versus Hamby
Hamby continues to struggle at times, but the offense isn’t putting him in a lot of positions that are desirable, and he has been solid for the Buckeyes. Hopefully, there will be less 2 yard swing passes to Hamby on 3rd and 7. Still, both players are solid, and both will be helpful to the QB against an upper tier opposing defense. Chandler is probably the bigger mismatch downfield, so he gets the edge.
Edge: Chandler
Offensive Line
LT #75 Ben Gates (6-6, 286, SR)
LG #73 Marshal Yanda (6-4, 305, JR)
C #61 Brian Ferentz (6-2, 282, SR)
RG #54 Mike Elgin (6-4, 277, JR)
RT #76 Mike Jones (6-5, 299, JR)
Three of these players (Ferentz, Elgin, Jones) have plenty of starting experience. Jones in particular is an anchor on the right side, and look for the Hawkeyes to run to the right side often. Ferentz, the coach’s son, is possibly the best player of the lot, and is back at his natural center position. Gates is probably the key: he has to protect Tate on the left side, and the Buckeyes may attack the left side on Saturday. The running game is much improved this year, and much of that credit can go to the members of the line up front … the question will be if they can keep Tate healthy and effective.
OL Rating: B
Head-to-Head: Iowa versus Ohio State
A couple of pretty good offensive lines here. Both need to step up production in the running game, and keep the QB upright as they try and spring their weapons at receiver. There is no clear edge, but the victor in this battle, and probably in this game, will be whichever line plays better, so this battle is absolutely critical.
Edge: Even
Offensive Analysis
The Iowa offense probably isn’t as good as it played against the Buckeyes last season, but if Tate has another game like he did in 2004, it could be a long afternoon for the Buckeyes. The running game is better, with healthy backs and a solid line, and they will have to be good Saturday to take some pressure off Tate. The receivers are capable, but will the QB have time to go downfield? The Buckeyes hope not, and will have plenty to say about it. The Hawkeyes have beaten up on weaker competition, and struggled with Iowa State after Tate got hurt, so it seems the play of Tate will be the key to this half of the game … and the Buckeyes will be ready.
Overall Offensive Rating: B
Iowa comes to town for a good old-fashioned grudge match to open conference play. Last season, the Hawkeyes stuck it to the Buckeyes, primarily behind the gritty QB Drew Tate. The Hawkeyes lost their top 4 starting backs to injury last year, so they survived primarily through the air. The passing offense (240.1 ypg) was ranked 37th nationally, and that led to a respectable amount of points (24.3 ppg; 68th nationally). The rushing was 116/117 Division I-A teams at a paltry 72.6 yards per game, dropping the total offense rating below 100 (312.7 ypg; 101st). This season, the Hawkeyes are looking to rebound and restore a balance to their attack, and their focus is also to maintain the care they took with the football last season (+13 turnover margin; 6th in the nation). So far this year, the results have been mixed. The rushing attack has been substantially improved, averaging an impressive 225 ypg so far in 2005, good for 26th nationally. However, there has been a significant drop-off in the aerial numbers (213 ypg; 68th nationally) which may be attributed to starting QB Drew Tate missing a significant portion of the Iowa State contest. The total offensive production has been 439.7 ypg, good only for 55th nationally, but the offense has taken advantage of their opportunities, scoring 34.7 ypg, good for a ranking of 29th. The Hawkeyes will need to improve on these numbers, maintain a balance by establishing a running game, and prevent turning the ball over at all costs if they want to pull off a road win in Columbus.
Quarterbacks
QB #5 Drew Tate (6-0, 185, JR)
Tate is a gritty player, who can hurt opposing defenses in a variety of ways, by passing, running occasionally, or using his feet to create space, disrupt the defensive scheme, and hit an open receiver downfield at crucial times. His size and style make durability a question, as evidenced by the Iowa State contest, where the offense struggled significantly in his absence after he suffered an injury in the second quarter. No question about it, this guy makes the Iowa offense go. His numbers thus far have been good. He’s completed almost 75% of his passes, albeit only 39 of them in 2+ games against weak competition, for 403 yards and 4 TDs to only one interception. He struggled against their one decent foe, Iowa State (5/11, 57 yards, INT), before he was injured. He was almost perfect in the other two games. Tate hasn’t run much at all this year (6 for 19 yards) and he only has positive yardage against I-AA Northern Iowa. It’s hard to know what will happen Saturday with Tate, but this game will probably set the tone for the rest of the season.
The backup is Jason Manson, who got plenty of experience (10/31, 117 yards, INT) filling in for Tate in the Iowa State game. He struggled then, but showed evidence of some talent, but the offense clearly isn’t the same without Tate in there. He is a more versatile threat, gaining 52 yards on the ground against the Cyclones.
QB Rating: B
Head-to-Head: Drew Tate versus Troy Smith
Both QBs have been decent against weaker teams, but struggled against teams with good defenses, and each team will face one of the better defenses on their schedule this weekend. Tate has had the advantage of being “the man” from week one, whereas Smith has had to work his way back up the depth chart. Tate led the Hawkeyes to an impressive victory last season…but that was last season. The only thing to separate the two is the fact that Tate had near perfect performances against the two weak teams on the Iowa schedule, so based on what has happened thus far, he gets the edge, though Smith may have a higher ceiling to reach eventually.
Edge: Tate
Running Backs
RB #21 Albert Young (5-10, 207, SO)
FB #35 Tom Busch (5-11, 231, SO)
The backfield is young (no pun intended), and Albert Young is coming back from injury last season. So far, so good…he’s averaged 8.3 yards per carry, racking up 298 yards and 3 TDs. Unlike Tate, his best game yardage-wise was against Iowa State, carrying for 140 yards on only 18 touches. He’ll get plenty of work Saturday, and he needs to be ready to face a very stiff test against the Buckeye front seven. He is no threat in the passing game … he hasn't caught a pass this season.
Freshman Shonn Greene started the season listed third on the depth chart, but has racked up the bulk of the backup carries. He has carried 33 times for 161 yards and a TD. He didn’t play against Iowa State, but looked good against Ball State and Northern Iowa. Marcus Schnoor is also a backup that could see the field…he’s carried 10 times for 20 yards and a TD so far.
Tom Busch is mostly a blocker, having carried the ball four times and catching one pass. Champ Davis is the backup.
RB Rating: B-
Head-to-Head: Young versus Pittman
Both backs have shown some promise so far this season, without demonstrating a distinct advantage over the other. It will be critical for both players to establish the run to take pressure of their respective quarterbacks, and both seem capable of doing so if they step up. If the running game disappears, it is hard to see either team beating the other with a one-dimensional offense, so both had better perform if their team is to have a chance to win.
Edge: Even
Wide Receivers
SE #88 Clinton Solomon (6-3, 196, SR)
FL #11 Ed Hinkel (6-1, 190, SR)
This receiving corps is talented and has plenty of experience. Solomon is the leading returning receiver in the Big Ten (yardage-wise) with 905 yards. So far, he has caught 8 passes for 154 yards and 3 scores, averaging almost 20 yards a catch. Still, he had two pedestrian games (22 yards and 18 yards) before exploding against I-AA Northern Iowa, so he’ll be looking to step up his production. He’s definitely the team’s best home run threat. Hinkel is also a steady receiver, having caught 10 balls for 104 yards thus far. Because of the lopsidedness of two of the team’s games, the backups have also gotten plenty of work, with Calvin Davis (6 for 56) and Herb Grigsby (3 for 48, TD) leading the way. Eric McCollom (2 for 19) is also in the mix.
WR Rating: B
Head-to-Head: Solomon/Hinkel versus Holmes/Ginn/Gonzalez
The Hawkeyes are solid, so this is a closer matchup than some might have thought. Still, Holmes is clearly the class of this matchup, and if Ginn gets back into the gameplan and has his talents utilized to their potential, the Buckeyes are still extremely dangerous at any point on the field.
Edge: Holmes/Ginn/Gonzalez
Tight Ends
TE #87 Scott Chandler (6-7, 242, JR)
Chandler is a bruiser, who can use his size and quickness to create match-up difficulties. He’s caught 10 passes for 102 yards to this point, and he is also a solid blocker that helps spring the rushing attack. Look for him to be a safety valve for Tate when he is under pressure Saturday, which could be more than normal. Backup Ryan Majerus has also seen his share of action (2 catches, 39 yards).
TE Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Chandler versus Hamby
Hamby continues to struggle at times, but the offense isn’t putting him in a lot of positions that are desirable, and he has been solid for the Buckeyes. Hopefully, there will be less 2 yard swing passes to Hamby on 3rd and 7. Still, both players are solid, and both will be helpful to the QB against an upper tier opposing defense. Chandler is probably the bigger mismatch downfield, so he gets the edge.
Edge: Chandler
Offensive Line
LT #75 Ben Gates (6-6, 286, SR)
LG #73 Marshal Yanda (6-4, 305, JR)
C #61 Brian Ferentz (6-2, 282, SR)
RG #54 Mike Elgin (6-4, 277, JR)
RT #76 Mike Jones (6-5, 299, JR)
Three of these players (Ferentz, Elgin, Jones) have plenty of starting experience. Jones in particular is an anchor on the right side, and look for the Hawkeyes to run to the right side often. Ferentz, the coach’s son, is possibly the best player of the lot, and is back at his natural center position. Gates is probably the key: he has to protect Tate on the left side, and the Buckeyes may attack the left side on Saturday. The running game is much improved this year, and much of that credit can go to the members of the line up front … the question will be if they can keep Tate healthy and effective.
OL Rating: B
Head-to-Head: Iowa versus Ohio State
A couple of pretty good offensive lines here. Both need to step up production in the running game, and keep the QB upright as they try and spring their weapons at receiver. There is no clear edge, but the victor in this battle, and probably in this game, will be whichever line plays better, so this battle is absolutely critical.
Edge: Even
Offensive Analysis
The Iowa offense probably isn’t as good as it played against the Buckeyes last season, but if Tate has another game like he did in 2004, it could be a long afternoon for the Buckeyes. The running game is better, with healthy backs and a solid line, and they will have to be good Saturday to take some pressure off Tate. The receivers are capable, but will the QB have time to go downfield? The Buckeyes hope not, and will have plenty to say about it. The Hawkeyes have beaten up on weaker competition, and struggled with Iowa State after Tate got hurt, so it seems the play of Tate will be the key to this half of the game … and the Buckeyes will be ready.
Overall Offensive Rating: B
2005 Iowa Hawkeyes Defensive Preview
Returning Starters: 5
Here come the Hawkeyes! I think many OSU fans and players have had this game circled on their calendar for some time after last year’s stomping in Kinnick Stadium. The good news for the Buckeyes is this is certainly not the defense that ate up a struggling Buckeye squad last season. Iowa lost two absolute studs along the defensive line to graduation, including all world defensive end Matt Roth. So far this season Iowa is 4th in the conference in scoring defense (14.7 points per contest). Iowa is 3rd in the league in total defense, surrendering 278 yards per contest. The Hawkeyes have been fairly decent against the pass giving up 170 yards per contest (3rd in Big Ten). If there is a weak spot on this defense, it is against the run. Iowa is 7th in the league against the run giving up 108 yards per contest. They certainly have struggled at times against the run, which is directly related to some key losses on the d line.
Defensive Line
DE #92 Kenny Iwebema (6-4 255 SO)
DT #53 Matt Kroul (6-3 267 FR)
DT #47 Mitch King (6-3 250 FR)
DE #99 Bryan Mattison (6-3 262 SO)
Iowa comes to town featuring a defensive line that is still trying to find an identity, especially after the heavy loss to graduation. They are certainly the weakest part of a decent Hawkeye defense. Leading the way up front for the Hawkeyes will be sophomore Kenny Iwebema. So far on the season Iwebema has 13 tackles, including 4 for a loss, and 2 sacks. Iwebema has very good quickness, but is still a bit wet behind the ears.
The other defense end will be Bryan Mattison. On the season Mattison has 8 tackles, including 1 for a loss, and 1 sack. He has also been credited with a quarterback hurry. Mattison has good size, and has the potential to become a force in the future, he’s just not there yet.
One of the defensive tackle spots will be held down by freshman Matt Kroul. Kroul has 8 tackles so far this season. The other defensive tackle spot will be manned by emerging freshman Mitch King. King came on strong in last week’s contest against Northern Iowa in his first career start. On the day King had a career high 9 tackles, including 3 for a loss. On the season he is 3rd on the team with 16 tackles, and leads the team with 6 TFL's. In addition he has also broken up a pass and forced a fumble. King certainly has come on strong to this point, it will be interesting to see if he can carry it over against better competition. King has a motor that never stops, Iowa will need good play from him this week.
Analysis
Iowa comes to Columbus with a very green defensive line. They have potential along the front, but are not there by any stretch. Hell, they aren't even close to being there (where exactly is there?). OSU will really benefit playing this Hawkeye unit early on in the season. Look for King to continue to emerge, and for him to have some big plays for the Hawkeyes. Iwebema is the other force that OSU had better watch this week, he certainly has the ability to get pressure off the edge. Honestly my talk of this unit is polite at best, they really aren’t all that great. You cannot blame them, especially after losing a couple of great ones along that front. I'd normally say "look for OSU to take advantage up the middle against this unit", but to this point they have not ran the ball very well.
DL Rating: C
Head-to-Head: Ohio State (Richardson, Green, Pitcock, Kudla) vs Iowa (Iwebema, Kroul, King, Mattison)
Not really much of a comparison honestly. Kudla has really come on as of late for OSU, and is better than any player for Iowa. The same could be said for Pitcock. Just for the sake of argument we'll call the other two guys a push. Iowa's line is where OSU's line was at this point last season, which is something that should be beneficial to the Bucks.
Edge: Ohio State
Linebackers
OLB #27 Edmond Miles (6-1 228 JR)
MLB #52 Abdul Hodge (6-2 234 SR)
OLB #18 Chad Greenway (6-4 244 SR)
What Iowa lacks along the defensive line is made up with their linebacker unit … and then some. Iowa is stacked at the linebacker position, and are led by some key veterans. Leading the way for this unit is senior All-American Chad Greenway. Greenway is listed by many as the nation’s #2 outside linebacker (though Bobby C. may have something to say about that) behind A.J. Hawk. On the season Greenway has tallied 35 tackles, which is 2nd in the Big Ten. In addition he has 2 tackles for a loss, and has broken up a pass. Greenway is about as dependable as they get, he rarely misses a tackle. He is big, strong, fast, and most importantly has great vision, which is the key to being a great linebacker.
Forming the other half of one of the nations most dynamic 1-2 punch is senior Abdul Hodge. Hodge, an all Big Ten performer the last 2 years, is quickly moving up the charts on the all time tackle list for the Hawkeyes. He is among the nation's elite when you speak of middle linebackers. So far on the season he is 2nd on the team with 27 tackles, including 2 for a loss, and a sack. He also leads the team with 2 fumble recoveries. Like Greenway, Hodge also has great vision. He has excellent size, and has the range to go sideline to sideline. OSU will have to keep their eye on him at all times, because Iowa will probably blitz him quite a bit this week.
The final linebacker slot will be held down by Edmond Miles. On the season Miles has 9 tackles, and has broken up 2 passes. Although Miles isn't at the level of Greenway or Hodge, he is a big hitter, and plays very hard.
Analysis
OK, now that I have brought this unit back down to earth by comparing them to the Buckeyes, I will attempt to elevate them once again. Simply put, this unit is very good. In most years they would be the best in the league, and probably the country. Greenway and Hodge have the ability to take over a game, and get an offensive coordinator's stomach in a knot. I think this unit is suffering from the dismantling of their great defensive line from a year ago, which is why they do not have as many big plays. None the less, they are very good, and will be the key to Iowa's fate this weekend.
LB Rating: A
Head-to-Head: Ohio State (Hawk, Carpenter, Schlegel) vs Iowa (Miles, Hodge, Greenway)
Wow, the head to head match ups do not get any better than this. These are arguably the two best units in the country, and were the topic for many water cooler arguments this preseason. If you ask any OSU fan there is no doubt in their mind that the Buckeyes are the best unit in the country. If you ask the Hawkeye fans, they will argue that their guys are the best. When you crunch the stats, and look a bit deeper into this mix you will find that the Buckeyes have rather substantial edge to this point. Hawk and Carpenter are tied for the Big Ten lead with 3 sacks a piece, in addition Anthony Schlegel also has a sack. The only sack that has been produced to this point for Iowa's unit was the 1 by Hodge. Every linebacker in this bunch will get their tackles, with Iowa getting the slight edge to this point in that category. I'm going more off the big plays, and level of competition when push comes to shove. In the end, the Buckeyes have produced more this season, and are the better unit. It should be fun to watch these two units duke it out this weekend for bragging rights.
Edge: Ohio State
Secondary
CB #26 Jovon Johnson (5-9 177 SR)
FS #25 Marcus Paschal (6-0 199 JR)
SS #15 Miguel Merrick (6-1 203 JR)
CB #20 Antwan Allen (5-10 180 SR)
Iowa bring a secondary to Columbus that is struggling to match the brilliance of their 2004 season. They have one of the best sets of cornerbacks in the Big Ten, though they haven't done a whole lot to this point this season. Getting the start at one of the corner spots will be senior Antwan Allen. Allen has 12 tackles up to this point on the season. Allen has the most experience in the Iowa secondary, and has the ability to shut down a good receiver.
The other corner will be Jovon Johnson. So far this season, Johnson has 5 tackles, 3 pass breakups, and an interception. Johnson is a poor man's Antoine Winfield, at least from a size standpoint. Johnson is not too strong in run support, but has great speed. He is a bit short, and can be picked on by taller receivers. All in all he is a very solid corner.
Getting the nod at one of the safety spots will be Miguel Merrick. On the season Merrick has 13 tackles, including 1 for a loss. Merrick is solid against the run, and is decent against the pass.
The Hawkeyes will call upon Marcus Paschal to lead the way at the other safety spot. On the season Paschal has 13 tackles, and 1 pass breakup. Paschal has remarkably returned to the starting lineup very quickly after tearing his ACL in the Capital One bowl last year. He has great coverage skills, and is not afraid to come up and stick someone.
DB Rating: B
Head-to-Head: Ohio State (Youboty, Everett, Salley, Whitner) vs Iowa (Johnson, Paschal, Merrick, Allen)
Statistically both of these units are very similar. They are in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten against the pass. Both teams feature good corners, and safeties that are good against the run. Talent wise the edge goes to OSU, but up to this point this season the OSU secondary has underachieved.
Edge: Push
Overall Defensive Analysis
Iowa is ultra talented at the linebacker position. Greenway and Hodge are truly gamers, and have the ability to make a big play on any play. After that dynamic duo, you have a big drop off in talent. Iowa's secondary is pretty good as a whole, but are vulnerable to the touchdown pass, in fact they have given up 4 so far this season. Now we come to the defensive line, Iowa's Achilles heel. Iowa needs strong play from this group, in a game that has all the fixings of a defensive struggle. If the defensive line can hold their own, Iowa has a chance in this one. If OSU can actually run the ball this week, and wear this thin, inexperienced unit down, this one will not be as close as I think it will be. Sadly, the Buckeyes have not shown me anything to make me confident in their running or passing attack to this point. The weapons are there, hopefully this underachieving OSU offensive unit can get their act together this week.
Overall Defensive Rating: B
Here come the Hawkeyes! I think many OSU fans and players have had this game circled on their calendar for some time after last year’s stomping in Kinnick Stadium. The good news for the Buckeyes is this is certainly not the defense that ate up a struggling Buckeye squad last season. Iowa lost two absolute studs along the defensive line to graduation, including all world defensive end Matt Roth. So far this season Iowa is 4th in the conference in scoring defense (14.7 points per contest). Iowa is 3rd in the league in total defense, surrendering 278 yards per contest. The Hawkeyes have been fairly decent against the pass giving up 170 yards per contest (3rd in Big Ten). If there is a weak spot on this defense, it is against the run. Iowa is 7th in the league against the run giving up 108 yards per contest. They certainly have struggled at times against the run, which is directly related to some key losses on the d line.
Defensive Line
DE #92 Kenny Iwebema (6-4 255 SO)
DT #53 Matt Kroul (6-3 267 FR)
DT #47 Mitch King (6-3 250 FR)
DE #99 Bryan Mattison (6-3 262 SO)
Iowa comes to town featuring a defensive line that is still trying to find an identity, especially after the heavy loss to graduation. They are certainly the weakest part of a decent Hawkeye defense. Leading the way up front for the Hawkeyes will be sophomore Kenny Iwebema. So far on the season Iwebema has 13 tackles, including 4 for a loss, and 2 sacks. Iwebema has very good quickness, but is still a bit wet behind the ears.
The other defense end will be Bryan Mattison. On the season Mattison has 8 tackles, including 1 for a loss, and 1 sack. He has also been credited with a quarterback hurry. Mattison has good size, and has the potential to become a force in the future, he’s just not there yet.
One of the defensive tackle spots will be held down by freshman Matt Kroul. Kroul has 8 tackles so far this season. The other defensive tackle spot will be manned by emerging freshman Mitch King. King came on strong in last week’s contest against Northern Iowa in his first career start. On the day King had a career high 9 tackles, including 3 for a loss. On the season he is 3rd on the team with 16 tackles, and leads the team with 6 TFL's. In addition he has also broken up a pass and forced a fumble. King certainly has come on strong to this point, it will be interesting to see if he can carry it over against better competition. King has a motor that never stops, Iowa will need good play from him this week.
Analysis
Iowa comes to Columbus with a very green defensive line. They have potential along the front, but are not there by any stretch. Hell, they aren't even close to being there (where exactly is there?). OSU will really benefit playing this Hawkeye unit early on in the season. Look for King to continue to emerge, and for him to have some big plays for the Hawkeyes. Iwebema is the other force that OSU had better watch this week, he certainly has the ability to get pressure off the edge. Honestly my talk of this unit is polite at best, they really aren’t all that great. You cannot blame them, especially after losing a couple of great ones along that front. I'd normally say "look for OSU to take advantage up the middle against this unit", but to this point they have not ran the ball very well.
DL Rating: C
Head-to-Head: Ohio State (Richardson, Green, Pitcock, Kudla) vs Iowa (Iwebema, Kroul, King, Mattison)
Not really much of a comparison honestly. Kudla has really come on as of late for OSU, and is better than any player for Iowa. The same could be said for Pitcock. Just for the sake of argument we'll call the other two guys a push. Iowa's line is where OSU's line was at this point last season, which is something that should be beneficial to the Bucks.
Edge: Ohio State
Linebackers
OLB #27 Edmond Miles (6-1 228 JR)
MLB #52 Abdul Hodge (6-2 234 SR)
OLB #18 Chad Greenway (6-4 244 SR)
What Iowa lacks along the defensive line is made up with their linebacker unit … and then some. Iowa is stacked at the linebacker position, and are led by some key veterans. Leading the way for this unit is senior All-American Chad Greenway. Greenway is listed by many as the nation’s #2 outside linebacker (though Bobby C. may have something to say about that) behind A.J. Hawk. On the season Greenway has tallied 35 tackles, which is 2nd in the Big Ten. In addition he has 2 tackles for a loss, and has broken up a pass. Greenway is about as dependable as they get, he rarely misses a tackle. He is big, strong, fast, and most importantly has great vision, which is the key to being a great linebacker.
Forming the other half of one of the nations most dynamic 1-2 punch is senior Abdul Hodge. Hodge, an all Big Ten performer the last 2 years, is quickly moving up the charts on the all time tackle list for the Hawkeyes. He is among the nation's elite when you speak of middle linebackers. So far on the season he is 2nd on the team with 27 tackles, including 2 for a loss, and a sack. He also leads the team with 2 fumble recoveries. Like Greenway, Hodge also has great vision. He has excellent size, and has the range to go sideline to sideline. OSU will have to keep their eye on him at all times, because Iowa will probably blitz him quite a bit this week.
The final linebacker slot will be held down by Edmond Miles. On the season Miles has 9 tackles, and has broken up 2 passes. Although Miles isn't at the level of Greenway or Hodge, he is a big hitter, and plays very hard.
Analysis
OK, now that I have brought this unit back down to earth by comparing them to the Buckeyes, I will attempt to elevate them once again. Simply put, this unit is very good. In most years they would be the best in the league, and probably the country. Greenway and Hodge have the ability to take over a game, and get an offensive coordinator's stomach in a knot. I think this unit is suffering from the dismantling of their great defensive line from a year ago, which is why they do not have as many big plays. None the less, they are very good, and will be the key to Iowa's fate this weekend.
LB Rating: A
Head-to-Head: Ohio State (Hawk, Carpenter, Schlegel) vs Iowa (Miles, Hodge, Greenway)
Wow, the head to head match ups do not get any better than this. These are arguably the two best units in the country, and were the topic for many water cooler arguments this preseason. If you ask any OSU fan there is no doubt in their mind that the Buckeyes are the best unit in the country. If you ask the Hawkeye fans, they will argue that their guys are the best. When you crunch the stats, and look a bit deeper into this mix you will find that the Buckeyes have rather substantial edge to this point. Hawk and Carpenter are tied for the Big Ten lead with 3 sacks a piece, in addition Anthony Schlegel also has a sack. The only sack that has been produced to this point for Iowa's unit was the 1 by Hodge. Every linebacker in this bunch will get their tackles, with Iowa getting the slight edge to this point in that category. I'm going more off the big plays, and level of competition when push comes to shove. In the end, the Buckeyes have produced more this season, and are the better unit. It should be fun to watch these two units duke it out this weekend for bragging rights.
Edge: Ohio State
Secondary
CB #26 Jovon Johnson (5-9 177 SR)
FS #25 Marcus Paschal (6-0 199 JR)
SS #15 Miguel Merrick (6-1 203 JR)
CB #20 Antwan Allen (5-10 180 SR)
Iowa bring a secondary to Columbus that is struggling to match the brilliance of their 2004 season. They have one of the best sets of cornerbacks in the Big Ten, though they haven't done a whole lot to this point this season. Getting the start at one of the corner spots will be senior Antwan Allen. Allen has 12 tackles up to this point on the season. Allen has the most experience in the Iowa secondary, and has the ability to shut down a good receiver.
The other corner will be Jovon Johnson. So far this season, Johnson has 5 tackles, 3 pass breakups, and an interception. Johnson is a poor man's Antoine Winfield, at least from a size standpoint. Johnson is not too strong in run support, but has great speed. He is a bit short, and can be picked on by taller receivers. All in all he is a very solid corner.
Getting the nod at one of the safety spots will be Miguel Merrick. On the season Merrick has 13 tackles, including 1 for a loss. Merrick is solid against the run, and is decent against the pass.
The Hawkeyes will call upon Marcus Paschal to lead the way at the other safety spot. On the season Paschal has 13 tackles, and 1 pass breakup. Paschal has remarkably returned to the starting lineup very quickly after tearing his ACL in the Capital One bowl last year. He has great coverage skills, and is not afraid to come up and stick someone.
DB Rating: B
Head-to-Head: Ohio State (Youboty, Everett, Salley, Whitner) vs Iowa (Johnson, Paschal, Merrick, Allen)
Statistically both of these units are very similar. They are in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten against the pass. Both teams feature good corners, and safeties that are good against the run. Talent wise the edge goes to OSU, but up to this point this season the OSU secondary has underachieved.
Edge: Push
Overall Defensive Analysis
Iowa is ultra talented at the linebacker position. Greenway and Hodge are truly gamers, and have the ability to make a big play on any play. After that dynamic duo, you have a big drop off in talent. Iowa's secondary is pretty good as a whole, but are vulnerable to the touchdown pass, in fact they have given up 4 so far this season. Now we come to the defensive line, Iowa's Achilles heel. Iowa needs strong play from this group, in a game that has all the fixings of a defensive struggle. If the defensive line can hold their own, Iowa has a chance in this one. If OSU can actually run the ball this week, and wear this thin, inexperienced unit down, this one will not be as close as I think it will be. Sadly, the Buckeyes have not shown me anything to make me confident in their running or passing attack to this point. The weapons are there, hopefully this underachieving OSU offensive unit can get their act together this week.
Overall Defensive Rating: B
2005 Iowa Hawkeyes Special Teams Preview
Returning Starters: 2
Iowa always has a solid special teams unit and this year is no different. The most recognizable name on this list is Ed Hinkel, he is a 3-year starter for the Hawkeyes and one of their top career leaders at wide receiver. Their punters are an unknown but are having a solid season so far and they have a very solid kicker.
Special Teams
PK #1 Kyle Schlicher (5-9 179 JR)
P #91 John Gallery (6-2 240 SR) & #6 Andy Fenstermaker (6-3 221 JR)
PR #11 Ed Hinkel (6-1 190 SR)
KR #28 Damien Sims (5-9 185 SO)
PK #1 Kyle Schlicher (5-9 179 JR)
Very solid kicker entering his second year of duty. He was Honorable mention all-Big Ten and won the Coaches Appreciation Award. He was 21-26 (tying the Iowa single season record for field goals) on field goals and 29-32 on PATs. He scored a team leading 92 points last year as well. He redshirted so this is actually his fourth year on the team, but saw very, very limited action in 2003. I wouldn’t expect this guy to make many mistakes so OSU better not count on that for a win.
PK Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Kyle Schlicher vs. Josh Huston
I think despite Huston being a 6th year senior Kyle has more accolades and experiences and should be the better kicker in this game. The only thing that would close the gap would be the noise of the Shoe, but Kyle is familiar with the noise of the Big Ten.
Edge: Schlicher
P #91 John Gallery (6-2 240 SR) & #6 Andy Fenstermaker (6-3 221 JR)
Iowa so far this season has used 2 different punters, both with big legs and each are very effective. Gallery has 5 attempts with an average of 45.6 with a long of 57 with one inside the 20. Fenstermaker 4 punts with an average of 45 with a long of 51 and none inside the twenty.
P Rating: A- (since that have two good ones)
Head-to-Head: John Gallery/Andy Fenstermaker vs. A.J. Trapasso
Trapasso does have more punts down inside the twenty, which is why his average is a bit lower, but Iowa has 2, that means they are twice as good … right?
Edge: Gallery/Fenstermaker
PR #11 Ed Hinkel (6-1 190 SR)
Hinkel is the Hawkeyes all purpose guy at wide out (Honorable mention All-Big Ten 2004) and punt returner. Hinkel isn't having a great year, but not a bad one either so far. He has 6 returns for 54 yards for an average for 9.0 yards per. Not great, but very similar to Ginn's. Last year he did have close to a 12-yard return average, no touchdown but a long of 49. Solid return guy here.
PR Rating: B-
Head-to-Head: Ed Hinkel vs. Ted Ginn Jr.
I may have to change my thoughts here soon if Ginn doesn't get over his sophomore slump, but for now Ginn > all (returners).
Edge: Ginn
KR #28 Damien Sims (5-9 185 SO)
Sims so far this year has 4 returns for 76 yards with a 19.0-yard average per return. Las t year he was also slightly better with an average of 20.3 yards per return and he is the only one to return any kicks this year. He has no touchdowns yet in his career but is a promising young talent.
KR Rating: B-
Head-to-Head: Damien Sims vs. Ted Ginn Jr./Santonio Holmes
I am not sure what to say here anymore. Holmes has proved himself and Ginn isn't up to where we hoped he would be, but still I wouldn't take anyone over them.
Edge: Ginn/Holmes
Overall Special Teams Analysis
Iowa is always going to have a solid/great special teams unit and this year is no different. They dominated on special teams in their opening game, but didn’t look too hot in the Iowa State game. Ferentz always has well coached players so they mustn’t be under estimated.
Overall Special Teams Rating: B
Iowa always has a solid special teams unit and this year is no different. The most recognizable name on this list is Ed Hinkel, he is a 3-year starter for the Hawkeyes and one of their top career leaders at wide receiver. Their punters are an unknown but are having a solid season so far and they have a very solid kicker.
Special Teams
PK #1 Kyle Schlicher (5-9 179 JR)
P #91 John Gallery (6-2 240 SR) & #6 Andy Fenstermaker (6-3 221 JR)
PR #11 Ed Hinkel (6-1 190 SR)
KR #28 Damien Sims (5-9 185 SO)
PK #1 Kyle Schlicher (5-9 179 JR)
Very solid kicker entering his second year of duty. He was Honorable mention all-Big Ten and won the Coaches Appreciation Award. He was 21-26 (tying the Iowa single season record for field goals) on field goals and 29-32 on PATs. He scored a team leading 92 points last year as well. He redshirted so this is actually his fourth year on the team, but saw very, very limited action in 2003. I wouldn’t expect this guy to make many mistakes so OSU better not count on that for a win.
PK Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Kyle Schlicher vs. Josh Huston
I think despite Huston being a 6th year senior Kyle has more accolades and experiences and should be the better kicker in this game. The only thing that would close the gap would be the noise of the Shoe, but Kyle is familiar with the noise of the Big Ten.
Edge: Schlicher
P #91 John Gallery (6-2 240 SR) & #6 Andy Fenstermaker (6-3 221 JR)
Iowa so far this season has used 2 different punters, both with big legs and each are very effective. Gallery has 5 attempts with an average of 45.6 with a long of 57 with one inside the 20. Fenstermaker 4 punts with an average of 45 with a long of 51 and none inside the twenty.
P Rating: A- (since that have two good ones)
Head-to-Head: John Gallery/Andy Fenstermaker vs. A.J. Trapasso
Trapasso does have more punts down inside the twenty, which is why his average is a bit lower, but Iowa has 2, that means they are twice as good … right?
Edge: Gallery/Fenstermaker
PR #11 Ed Hinkel (6-1 190 SR)
Hinkel is the Hawkeyes all purpose guy at wide out (Honorable mention All-Big Ten 2004) and punt returner. Hinkel isn't having a great year, but not a bad one either so far. He has 6 returns for 54 yards for an average for 9.0 yards per. Not great, but very similar to Ginn's. Last year he did have close to a 12-yard return average, no touchdown but a long of 49. Solid return guy here.
PR Rating: B-
Head-to-Head: Ed Hinkel vs. Ted Ginn Jr.
I may have to change my thoughts here soon if Ginn doesn't get over his sophomore slump, but for now Ginn > all (returners).
Edge: Ginn
KR #28 Damien Sims (5-9 185 SO)
Sims so far this year has 4 returns for 76 yards with a 19.0-yard average per return. Las t year he was also slightly better with an average of 20.3 yards per return and he is the only one to return any kicks this year. He has no touchdowns yet in his career but is a promising young talent.
KR Rating: B-
Head-to-Head: Damien Sims vs. Ted Ginn Jr./Santonio Holmes
I am not sure what to say here anymore. Holmes has proved himself and Ginn isn't up to where we hoped he would be, but still I wouldn't take anyone over them.
Edge: Ginn/Holmes
Overall Special Teams Analysis
Iowa is always going to have a solid/great special teams unit and this year is no different. They dominated on special teams in their opening game, but didn’t look too hot in the Iowa State game. Ferentz always has well coached players so they mustn’t be under estimated.
Overall Special Teams Rating: B
Predictions
Bucklion's prediction: 27-17, Ohio State
BB73's prediction: 23-16, Ohio State
Bucknuts44820's prediction: 28-14 Ohio State
daddyphatsac's prediction: 19-13, Ohio State
Hubbard's prediction: 35-3, Ohio State
Jaxbuck's prediction: 32-13, Ohio State
LordJeffBuck's prediction: 19-15, Ohio State
3yardsandacloud's prediction: 24-14, Ohio State
Last Week's Results (OSU 27 - SDSU 6)
Low score wins the year long battle of prediction supremacy! (Difference of actual score versus predicted score. 10 point penalty for picking the losing team.)
(33) LordJeffBuck's prediction: 26-17, Ohio State (1 + 11 = 12 + 21 last week)
(34) BB73's prediction: 34-10 Ohio State (7 + 4 = 11 + 23 last week)
(36) Hubbard's prediction: 42-6, Ohio State (15 + 0 = 15 + 21 last week)
(38) 3yardsandacloud's prediction: 35-12, Ohio State (8 + 6 = 14 + 24 last week)
(39) Jaxbuck's prediction: 31-10, Ohio State (4 + 4 = 8 + 31 last week)
(47) daddyphatsac's prediction: 42-7, Ohio State (15 + 1 = 16 + 31 last week)
(70) Bucklion's prediction: 45-13, Ohio State (22 + 7 = 29 + 41 last week)
BB73's prediction: 23-16, Ohio State
Bucknuts44820's prediction: 28-14 Ohio State
daddyphatsac's prediction: 19-13, Ohio State
Hubbard's prediction: 35-3, Ohio State
Jaxbuck's prediction: 32-13, Ohio State
LordJeffBuck's prediction: 19-15, Ohio State
3yardsandacloud's prediction: 24-14, Ohio State
Last Week's Results (OSU 27 - SDSU 6)
Low score wins the year long battle of prediction supremacy! (Difference of actual score versus predicted score. 10 point penalty for picking the losing team.)
(33) LordJeffBuck's prediction: 26-17, Ohio State (1 + 11 = 12 + 21 last week)
(34) BB73's prediction: 34-10 Ohio State (7 + 4 = 11 + 23 last week)
(36) Hubbard's prediction: 42-6, Ohio State (15 + 0 = 15 + 21 last week)
(38) 3yardsandacloud's prediction: 35-12, Ohio State (8 + 6 = 14 + 24 last week)
(39) Jaxbuck's prediction: 31-10, Ohio State (4 + 4 = 8 + 31 last week)
(47) daddyphatsac's prediction: 42-7, Ohio State (15 + 1 = 16 + 31 last week)
(70) Bucklion's prediction: 45-13, Ohio State (22 + 7 = 29 + 41 last week)
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