Why I'm Excited About Iowa Football

Last week against Ohio State may have been Iowa's best offensive performance of the year. They ran the ball effectively and actually did some damage down the field in the passing game. Jake Duzey is a legitimate weapon that they could really do some damage with if they continue to get him the ball with move to room. Damond Powell is a guy who makes my heart stop every time he touches the ball, because he has such great initial quickness that he can bust things wide open if given just a little bit of space. And the running game with a heavy dose of Weisman, a decent amount of Bullock and a sprinkle of LeShun Daniels is ideal for Iowa's blocking scheme. I'm really excited about Daniels, as I think he has shown excellent vision early on, so with a little more experience, he can do some serious damage. I see him being #2 next year before moving up to #1 on the depth chart as a Junior. Plus, the offensive line has been much better than in recent years, and a good offensive line is key to Iowa success.

That turned into a tangent, but the main point from last week is they may have only put up 24 points, but it was against a team that was athletically superior everywhere and made very few mistakes throughout the game.

Also the defense came very close to playing one of their best games. I know that is hard to see considering they failed to force a single punt, but they put Ohio State in third and fourth down situations, but they just couldn't get those necessary stops. In the second half, they were just worn down and outclassed, and Ohio State just didn't make any mistakes. The defensive line is doing a great job against the run, with the only time they really got beat being the second half of last week when they just got worn down. Iowa still needs some impact pass rushers to help that defense click on all levels, but it's still a positive step forward.

If Ohio State doesn't make mistakes, Iowa won't win, but it was still my favorite Hawkeye performance of the year. Yes, Iowa won a game 59-3 this year, but even that was built off of opponent mistakes instead of great play from Iowa. The type of game they had against Ohio State gives me hope. Iowa is 4-3, but has led at halftime of every game they have played this year. That is because the strategy has been there to put Iowa in a position to win. The talent just hasn't quite been enough to actually keep things going through the second half. Still, I'm very excited about the future and think they could compete for a spot in the B1G Championship in 2014.