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2009 Iowa College Football Predictions

Written by Jimmy Boyd on July 10, 2009

iowa 71009 The Iowa Hawkeyes finished the 2008 season 9-4 and they easily could have been 13-0, suffering four heartbreakers by five points or less. The season was highlighted by handing Penn State its only regular season loss and by crushing South Carolina 31-10 in the Outback Bowl. In fact, Iowa was the only Big Ten team to win a bowl game last season. The Doak Walker Award winner is gone, but Iowa returns eight starters on a defense that ranked fifth nationally in points allowed. Does Iowa have what it takes to bring home a Big Ten title in 2009? Get my take in this college football betting preview. Iowa is listed at +6600 to win the 2009 BCS championship.

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Offense – After a few seasons spent around the .500 mark, Kirk Ferentz once again fielded a team worthy of elite status in the Big Ten. While the defense stole the show, the offense was still pretty good, putting up 30.3 points per game (33rd nationally). The Hawkeyes boasted one of the best rushing attacks in the league with 2008 Doak Walker Award winner Shonn Greene leading the charge. Greene departed early for some NFL-green, but he didn’t leave the Iowa running back cupboard empty. Last year’s backup, Jewel Hampton, rushed for 463 yards and seven touchdowns on just 91 carries. That’s better than five yards a carry. And his seven scores were a freshman record. Recent reports have surfaced that Hampton has suffered a knee injury, but the program is keeping this hush-hush for now. Until I hear otherwise, Hampton is slated to be the guy in the Iowa backfield. If he can’t go, redshirt freshman Jeff Brinson will likely be the guy. There was a good chance he could have been Greene’s backup last season had he not suffered a leg injury. The heralded Florida recruit is like more like Greene with a 5′11”, 220-pound build and will be a nice compliment to the Iowa running game regardless of his role.

The quarterback position is in good hands once again with the emergence of Ricky Stanzi. He threw for 1,956 yards and 14 touchdowns in 11 starts in 2008. Some analysts have compared Stanzi to Tom Brady when he was at Michigan. While he has more to prove for me before I make that leap, I definitely see the validity in those comments. He stays calm and collected, has good mechanics, and rarely makes bad choices. Most of his interceptions last season came in one bad game.

Iowa does lack star power at the wide receiver spots, but that has usually been the case, and the guys suiting up find a way to get the job done. If tight end Tony Moeaki can finally stay healthy, though, he will give the Hawks one of the best receiving tight ends in the league. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos (DJK) is the team’s top returning receiver. He caught 44 passes for 639 yards and three scores last season.

Kirk Ferentz has built his success at Iowa around great offensive line play, and the Hawks should certainly boast one of the best, if not the best, lines in the league. Three starters return and three more players return with starting experience. Remember Iowa’s 2003 Outland Trophy winner Robert Gallery? Junior left tackle Bryan Bulaga has shown glimpses of being just as dominant.

Defense – The Hawks lose two interior defensive line studs in Mitch King and Matt Kroul, but eight starters return for a unit which will be one of the best in the Big Ten. Iowa allowed only 13.0 points per game in 2008 (5th nationally) and just 291.3 yards per game (12th nationally). Defensive coordinator Norm Parker always shows a commitment to stopping the run and few teams were better at it than Iowa last season. The Hawkeyes ranked ninth nationally by allowing just 94.0 yards per game on the ground. Adrian Clayborn and Christian Ballard return at the end positions and I’m expecting strong years from both. Karl Klug and Mike Daniels look like the early favorites to step in for King and Kroul on the inside.

Iowa has become “Linebacker U” in recent years and the linebacking corps figures to be the deepest position on the team in 2009. 2nd-Team All-Big Ten middle linebacker Pat Angerer leads the unit following a 107-tackle campaign. A.J. Edds and Jeremiha Hunter return at the outside backer spots.

If Iowa’s defense has had a weakness in recent history, it’s been the secondary. But Iowa’s defensive backfield was pretty good last season, holding opponents under 200 yards per game threw the air. 2nd-Team All-Big Ten corner Amari Spievey leads the attack with Tyler Sash and Brett Greenwood both back at the safety spots.

Prediction: 3rd Big Ten – Iowa has a team capable of winning the Big Ten when you consider all the star power Ohio State lost and the fact that it beat Penn State last season. But the Hawks must play Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Ohio State on the road. A tough schedule draw could be all that’s standing in the way of another conference title for coach Ferentz and Hawkeye nation. Iowa is listed at +550 to win the Big Ten.

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