No. 9 – Iowa
Right: If there’s one coach in the Big Ten that’s on the hot seat, it’s Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz and his $3 million a year contract.
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This is the third in a series of previews on the 11 teams in the Big Ten in the order I predict them to finish.
IOWA
Predicted finish in Big Ten: 9th, 2-6
During a span of three seasons from 2002-04, the Iowa Hawkeyes won 31 out of 38 games, claimed two Big Ten titles, and played in three January bowls which included an Orange Bowl appearance.
In the last three years, though, Iowa has gone just 19-18 overall and 11-13 in the Big Ten. Not exactly sterling numbers led by a head coach getting paid over $3 million dollars per year.
But that’s what Kirk Ferentz makes as head coach of the Hawkeyes. He’s also the highest paid coach in the Big Ten, making more than Ohio State’s Jim Tressel and Michigan’s Rich Rodriguez. And he makes more per year than Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema and Illinois’ Ron Zook combined.
That’s a lot of dough for mediocre football, and it doesn’t look like it will get any better this season,
either. To add insult to injury, 14 players have been arrested since April of 2006.
Ferentz has seven returning starters on offense which include junior quarterback Jake Christensen, but he will have to fend off sophomore Ricky Stanzi in fall camp to secure his place in the lineup.
Christensen passed for 2,269 yards with 17 touchdowns and just six interceptions last year, but completed only 53.5 percent of his throws and struggled to avoid the rush as he was sacked a whopping 46 times in 2007.
Iowa was last in the Big Ten in both scoring offense (18.5 points per game) and total offense (316.3 yards per game) last season, and the Hawkeyes’ top returning rusher is a wide receiver who toted the rock just twice and gained 19 yards. Gone are both Albert Young and Damien Sims, who combined to rush for 1,467 yards and nine touchdowns.
Slated to be Iowa’s starting running back is junior college transfer Nate Guillory from Coffeyville Community College in Kansas.
Four offensive linemen return as well, but when you give up 46 sacks and rank 10th in the Big Ten in both rushing offense (126.3 ypg) and passing offense (190.1 ypg), the blocking sled at practice might be better than this group unless they improve substantially.
Defensively, Iowa ranked third in the Big Ten in scoring defense (18.8 ppg) and fifth in total defense (351.2 ypg), but only five starters return on that side of the ball which include senior defensive tackles Mitch King and Matt Kroul, who are both on the Outland Trophy watch list for 2008.
Iowa’s first two games are very winnable as the Hawkeyes host Maine and Florida International before playing in-state rival Iowa State at home. UI then travels to Pittsburgh to take on a much improved Panthers team. The following week, Iowa begins Big Ten play against Northwestern.
Iowa dodges a bullet by not playing Ohio State or Michigan this season, but getting six wins might be a stretch, as is getting more than four wins in conference play.
Big Ten Schedule
Sept. 27 vs. Northwestern, Loss
Oct. 4 @ Michigan State, Loss
Oct. 11 @ Indiana, Win
Oct. 18 @ Wisconsin, Loss
Nov. 1 @ Illinois, Loss
Nov. 8 vs. Penn State, Loss
Nov. 15 vs. Purdue, Loss
Nov. 22 @ Minnesota, Win
