One more reason for optimism

[Clifking]

When was the last time an Iowa football team had low expectations, and failed to excede them? Kirk is an underdog coach, with an underdog mentality and that has proven, in the past to be his greatest X-man power.

If we can weather the early storms and stay healthy on the D-line (which I agree are HUGE ifs) I think there is a chance that this team takes down some giants by the end of the season, Nate Chandler style.

[herkyattack]

Last year

[INTIMIDATORHawk]

Not to be a Debbie Downer or anything, but.....


2007

[IowaTeddy]

So your 'one more reason to be optimistic' ...is that the hawks are an underdog team heading in?

Major letdown thread

[1977Hawkeye]

Set the bar low enough, and it's easy to 'exceed expectations'.. That is little comfort.

Generally speaking, my year-to-year expectations for Iowa Football are pretty typically like this:

8-4: I'm satisfied
9-3 or better: I'm thrilled
7-5 or worse: Not so happy

I realize 8-4 or better won't happen every single year, but on the other hand, there are also years the team should do better than that.

[BSpringsteen]

Set the bar low enough, and it's easy to 'exceed expectations'.. That is little comfort.

Generally speaking, my year-to-year expectations for Iowa Football are pretty typically like this:

8-4: I'm satisfied
9-3 or better: I'm thrilled
7-5 or worse: Not so happy

I realize 8-4 or better won't happen every single year, but on the other hand, there are also years the team should do better than that.

Agree 100% with this.

Since we can't control losing the occasional game to ISUck or another BCS level oppoenent, I am most concerned with our conference record. Anything under .500 is not acceptable. Ever.

[HawkeyeFever]

I am always optimistic going into the season.

Regardless of new faces and loss of talent from last year, it is not too unrealistic to predict an undefeated Hawkeye team going into East Lansing. Unless losing to NIU, ISU, or Minnesota at home is seen as something that shoud be anticipated. Dreaded maybe, based on previous years' let downs, but not anticipated.

MSU will be the big test and IF the Hawks are unbeaten at that point, I will be optimistic again.

After that the season sets up very well leading up to the last two games. Lose one or two of the first five games, and my optimism will shrink.

The Hawks will probably lose one or two that they shouldn't and win one or two where they are underdogs, but why not be optimistic now?

[DaCoach]

When was the last time an Iowa football team had low expectations, and failed to excede them?

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....last year?

[big10fan]

Set the bar low enough, and it's easy to 'exceed expectations'.. That is little comfort.

Generally speaking, my year-to-year expectations for Iowa Football are pretty typically like this:

8-4: I'm satisfied
9-3 or better: I'm thrilled
7-5 or worse: Not so happy

I realize 8-4 or better won't happen every single year, but on the other hand, there are also years the team should do better than that.

I agree with this also.

[Clifking]

Last year, several people, including Kirk Herbstriet picked Iowa to be in the big ten championship game. I agree about 2007. That was a low point. I definitely had selective forgetting about that year. Generally though, Iowa has performed well in the underdog role, and I think it's a place they like to be.

[BergHawk7]

I realisticly 9-3 or better. That is if we beat teams that we should beat. I dont see a reason why we should lose to anyone but Mich, Mich st. nd NEB. But there is a down side. We would be known as the worst 8/9 win team in the country for this kinda schedual.

[DaCoach]

I realisticly 9-3 or better. That is if we beat teams that we should beat. I dont see a reason why we should lose to anyone but Mich, Mich st. nd NEB. But there is a down side. We would be known as the worst 8/9 win team in the country for this kinda schedual.

You really think that this team will be good enough to win every singly game that it *should* win? Has that ever happened in Kirk's tenure? There is not one single season in the last 10 where Iowa didn't lose at least one game that it *should* have won, even the really good Iowa teams.

[MiniMoeHawk]

You really think that this team will be good enough to win every singly game that it *should* win? Has that ever happened in Kirk's tenure? There is not one single season in the last 10 where Iowa didn't lose at least one game that it *should* have won, even the really good Iowa teams.

But they also usually tend to beat a team they are not supposed to beat too.

[hawkeyebob62]

I am always optimistic going into the season.

Regardless of new faces and loss of talent from last year, it is not too unrealistic to predict an undefeated Hawkeye team going into East Lansing. Unless losing to NIU, ISU, or Minnesota at home is seen as something that shoud be anticipated. Dreaded maybe, based on previous years' let downs, but not anticipated.

MSU will be the big test and IF the Hawks are unbeaten at that point, I will be optimistic again.

After that the season sets up very well leading up to the last two games. Lose one or two of the first five games, and my optimism will shrink.

The Hawks will probably lose one or two that they shouldn't and win one or two where they are underdogs, but why not be optimistic now?

Not sure about NIU, but I worry about how many--and who--ISU and Minnesota return this year. Not sure our DL and D can "stay" with ISU, and Minnesota returns a lot of guys, and a Marqueis Gray could give our D nightmares, provided he keeps the ball on the ground. If he goes to the air, our chances get better, butr COULD get worse if he scrambles to buy time vs. scrambles for yards.

[ThunderHawk]

I watched the Pitt game last night on BTN. My reason for optimism is the absence of Keefe.