PREGAME The Daily Iowan
Iowa vs. Northern Illinois University Soldier Field, Chicago
He’s big. He’s fast. C.J. Fiedorowicz is the next product of
THE HAWKEYE TIGHT END FACTORY PAGE 4
FEATURED MATCHUP PAGE 6
EXPERTS’ PICKS PAGE 16
Friday, August 31, 2012
2B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012
REMEMBER WHEN...
Then-UI junior cheerleader Kate Stunt performs before the kickoff of the Iowa/ Northern Illinois game on Sept. 1, 2007, in Chicago’s Soldier Field. The Hawkeyes won the game, 16-3, behind 144 rushing yards and a touchdown from running back Albert Young. (The Daily Iowan/File Photo)
HAWKS IN THE NFL
4
COVER STORY C.J. Fiedorowicz is just the latest Hawkeye tight end to emerge as a star
6
FEATURED MATCHUP A raw Iowa D-line has a chance to get some early-season confidence
10
GAME ROSTER The complete rosters for both the Hawkeyes and Huskies; bring it with you to Soldier Field
14
POINT-COUNTERPOINT Will Iowa start the season 5-0?
14
LEADERBOARD See where James Vandenberg, James Morris and Christian Kirksey rank among returning Big Ten players
Bill Casey Publisher Emily Busse Editor-in-Chief Sam Louwagie Pregame Editor Allie Wright Design Editor
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Former Hawkeye Allen Reisner has made a good impression so far in the preseason for the Minnesota Vikings, catching 7 passes for 83 yards through three games. Four of those catches, and 47 yards, came in Reisner’s most recent game, against the San Diego Chargers on Aug. 24. (The Daily Iowan/File Photo)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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CONTACT US
16
ON THE LINE See who members of the DI football staff like in this week’s biggest college football games
18
AROUND THE BIG TEN Check out our conference power rankings and players to watch this week
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Go to
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The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012 - 3B
4B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012
The making of a tight end
Iowa tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz catches a pass during the Iowa/Michigan State game on Nov. 12, 2011, in Kinnick Stadium. Fiedorowicz scored his first career touchdown in the game. (The Daily Iowan/File Photo)
C.J. Fiedorowicz is nearing the end of a long journey from raw freshman to complete player. And he is far from the first Hawkeye tight end to make it. By Sam Louwagie samuel-louwagie@uiowa.edu
C
.J. Fiedorowicz dropped casually into a stance across the line of scrimmage from the hulking, dreadlocked All-American. His coaches had harped at him for two weeks to prepare him for this — Stay low, they said. Keep your pads down, or he’ll knock you flat.
He shrugged the instructions off every time. And why shouldn’t he? It was fall practice in 2010, and Fiedorowicz was the hotshot new recruit on the Iowa football team. He was a towering 6-7, fast enough to glide past linebackers trying to guard him and bowl over defensive backs trying to tackle him. Rivals.com had called him a four-star recruit, the fifth-best tight end prospect in the nation. He had been the best pass-catcher in Johnsburg High School
history, and one of the 10 best ever in Illinois. Was his blocking technique really relevant? A whistle pierced the air. Adrian Clayborn sprang into motion. “I came up off the ball with my pads super high. I wasn’t listening to the coaching,” Fiedorowicz said this week. “He put me right on my butt, just as they said he would.” See FIEDOROWICZ, 8B
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012 - 5B
6B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012
FEATURED MATCHUP Defense
Name: Hawkeye defensive line Breakdown: Iowa’s defensive line is inexperienced — that’s no secret. The line has two returning starters in Steve Bigach and Dominic Alvis, and then a whole lot of players with just a game or two of experience. But the line looked solid in the Hawkeyes’ open practice on Aug. 18. It was disruptive and had no problem stuffing runs up the middle and forcing Hawkeye quarterbacks to throw early. There’s depth on the line, even if it doesn’t look like it on paper. Take Carl Davis, for example. He’s only played in six games and tallied 2 assisted tackles, but the 6-5, 310-pound sophomore is a big body on the line. And consider Darian Cooper, a redshirt freshman standing 6-2 and 280. This defensive line has a lot of power behind it, despite a lack of playing time. And it has a chance to get some early season confidence against a brand-new Huskie quarterback.
Offense
MOLLY OLMSTEAD MOLLY-OLMSTEAD@UIOWA.EDU
Name: Jordan Lynch Position: Northern Illinois quarterback Breakdown: There’s not a whole lot known about Jordan Lynch right now. The Huskies struck a goldmine with Chandler Harnish, who led a dynamic offense and now plays in the NFL. The Huskies only return a handful of starters around Lynch on offense — two receivers and an offensive lineman who is out Saturday with a broken leg. Despite the uncertainty in the Huskies’ passing game, the team’s new signal caller said he’s ready to open some eyes. “Definitely in the offseason, I took on the leadership role, and I think I gained the respect on the offensive side of the ball,” Lynch told USA Today. “I have been Chandler’s understudy, and he helped me tremendously on the field and in the classroom with film and everything.” Both Lynch and the defensive front he’ll face on Saturday are relative unknowns. The battle between them — Iowa’s efforts to pressure the quarterback into mistakes, Lynch’s ability to scramble and make plays — could have an effect on the game’s outcome.
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012 - 7B
8B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012
Fiedorowicz Continued from 4B
This season, Fiedorowicz is set to become a centerpiece of the Hawkeye offense. His coaches vow to get him the ball often. He’s become a leader. But back then? “I was a cocky freshman who didn’t know what was coming.”
A tight-end factory
Dallas Clark. Scott Chandler. Tony Moeaki. A lengthy list of tight ends have passed through Iowa City during Kirk Ferentz’s tenure and gone on to NFL success. Eric Johnson coached the position for the Hawkeyes from 2003-07 and again in 2010-11. During that time, six Iowa tight ends were drafted by NFL teams. Two more signed undrafted free agent contracts. Fiedorowicz said that tradition helped Iowa catch his eye. “When we talk to tight ends in recruiting, that’s a big selling point for us,” Johnson said. “They know NFL scouts come here looking to see tight ends play.” Johnson said Iowa runs an offense that emphasizes the position, and the team’s pro-style offense helps tight ends transition to the league once they get there. He called tight ends in a spread offense “glorified wide receivers.” “Tight ends here are going to learn to block and to run routes,” Johnson said. “Scouts know our guys understand those concepts.”
Myers comes out a finished product
Six years before Clayborn flattened Fiedorowicz during training camp, another brand-new tight end prepared to block a different Iowa pass-rushing great. Brandon Myers had spent his high school career in Prairie City, Iowa, as a fullback who often caught passes and carried the ball. He had to learn how to block Division-I players as a freshman in 2004, and one of his first assignments was All-Big Ten defensive end Matt Roth. Myers remembers the result clearly. “I couldn’t even touch him,” he said. “He pretty much ran right through me.” Myers attacked the weight room and studied technique. He said he routinely stayed after practice with a group of little-used players to work directly with Ferentz on blocking. And he got better
Hawkeye tight end Brandon Myers stretches out for the goal line during a game against Indiana on Sept. 29, 2007, in Kinnick Stadium. Myers scored nine touchdowns as a Hawkeye before being drafted by the Oakland Raiders. (The Daily Iowan/File Photo) at it. “It’s all technique and repetition,” he said. “I took a lot of extra reps.” He sat on the sideline for most of his first two years. But as a junior he was finally ready. He had earned a reputation as a fierce blocker and was a good enough receiver to tally 650 yards and 9 touchdowns over his final two seasons. Myers was selected to the All-Big Ten first team in 2008, then drafted in the sixth round by the Oakland Raiders. He’ll likely start for the team this season. And as an NFL rookie, he found that his Iowa career had set him up perfectly to be a professional tight end. “When I got here, I realized it was a lot of the same stuff we ran in college,” he said. “Even some of the terminology was the exact same, and some of the coaches talked in the same way. It was definitely helpful in the transition.”
Next on the conveyor belt
“C.J. had been a bigger fish in a smaller pond,” Johnson said about Fiedorowicz’s days as a prep touchdown machine. “But he’s come a long way. A lot of it had to do with the effort and tempo he was practicing at. Once that light went on in the second half of last season, we felt more and more comfortable putting him in our offense.” Fiedorowicz played sparingly as a
true freshman and didn’t record a single catch. But some time after that, he said at Iowa’s media day on Aug. 6, he “got sick of sitting out.” He said he stopped taking plays off at practice, and he started taking the game’s details more seriously. Nine games into 2011, he had just 4 receptions. But then he began to see more and more game action, catching his first touchdown pass against Michigan State on Nov. 5. He scored again the next week against Purdue and again in Iowa’s bowl game on Dec. 30. And most important of all to the coaches, he made strides as a blocker. “There’s just so much to blocking that people don’t even know about,” Fiedorowicz said. “Your pad level, your hands, your footwork. It’s mental, too. You’ve got to want to block.” Josh Norris, an NFL draft analyst for Rotoworld, noted Fiedorowicz’s improvement in that area. He said the then-sophomore had done a good job of moving past the defensive line and blocking linebackers at the end of last season. “He’s a very good positional blocker,” Norris told The Daily Iowan. “He still struggles to sustain blocks, but that’s OK. He’s not a lineman; he’s a tight end. I saw solid blocking effort.” Norris said Fiedorowicz is well situ-
ated to become yet another NFL product to emerge from the Hawkeye tightend factory. He has Fiedorowicz ranked third among junior tight-end draft prospects but said a big season could easily move him up.
‘Becoming a complete player’
Teammates and coaches can’t stop raving about their team’s tight end. New offensive coordinator Greg Davis said in March he had never coached a tight end like Fiedorowicz in 39 years. He reiterated that on Aug. 6. “There’s not a bunch of guys that size who can run and catch like that,” Davis said. Cornerback Micah Hyde knows what opposing defenders are in for this season. “I hate guarding him,” Hyde said. “At my size, he just boxes me right out. The only thing I can do is grab his jersey or grab an arm and try to get around him. Of course, that’s a flag.” But Fiedorowicz has learned his lesson. He knows it isn’t the running and catching that will keep him on the field. “If you want to be an Iowa tight end, you’ve got to be able to block and catch,” he said this week. “Everyone can catch the ball. It’s all about fine-tuning your game and becoming a complete player.”
10B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa
IOWA HAWKEYES
1 2 3 4 5 5 6 7 8 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 18 19 19 20 21 22 23 25 27 28 29 31 31 32 33 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 49 50 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 63 65 66 67 68
Marshall Koehn 6-0/160 Greg Castillo 5-11/187 Barkley Hill 6-0/210 Greg Garmon 6-1/200 Kyle Anderson 6-3/210 Tanner Miller 6-2/201 Keenan Davis 6-3/215 Sean Draper 6-0/180 Trent Mossbrucker 5-11/204 Don Shumpert 6-3/190 Blake Haluska 6-4/210 Collin Sleeper 6-2/200 Kevonte Martin-Manley 6-0/205 Anthony Gair 6-2/195 Tom Donatell 6-2/205 Kevin Buford 5-10/170 John Wienke 6-5/220 Jonny Mullings 6-3/210 Jake Rudock 6-3/200 James Vandenberg 6-3/212 C.J. Beathard 6-2/180 Jacob Hillyer 6-4/205 Micah Hyde 6-1/190 B.J. Lowery 5-11/188 Cody Sokol 6-2/205 Christian Kirksey 6-2/220 Nico Law 6-1/195 Torrey Campbell 5-11/183 Jordan Cotton 6-1/185 Ruben Lile 6-3/200 Jordan Lomax 5-10/190 Maurice Fleming 6-0/185 Nick Nielsen 6-3/210 Andre Dawson 6-2/207 Anthony Hitchens 6-1/224 Damon Bullock 6-0/195 Jordan Canzeri 5-9/180 Adam Cox 5-11/210 Nate Meier 6-2/235 Gavin Smith 5-10/175 Cole Fisher 6-2/218 John Lowdermilk 6-2/203 Brad Rogers 5-10/230 Travis Perry 6-3/230 Jack Swanson 5-11/200 Jacob Reisen 6-2/231 Macon Plewa 6-2/225 Jim Poggi 6-2/218 James Morris 6-2/230 Mark Weisman 6-0/225 George Krieger Kittle 6-4/210 Melvin Spears 6-2/255 Palmer Foster 6-3/210 Drew Clark 6-4/288 Laron Taylor 6-0/215 Quinton Alston 6-1/224 James Ferentz 6-2/284 Steve Bigach 6-3/282 Marcus Collins 6-0/215 Faith Ekakitie 6-3/275 Tommy Gaul 6-3/264 Eric Simmons 6-3/300 Conor Boffeli 6-5/290 Matt Tobin 6-6/290 Casey Kreiter 6-3/250 Austin Blythe 6-3/275 Jordan Walsh 6-4/270 Casey McMillan 6-4/305 Jaleel Johnson 6-4/300 Brandon Scherff 6-5/310
ROS
- Friday, August 31, 2012
PK DB RB RB QB DB WR DB PK WR WR DB WR DB LB DB QB P QB QB QB WR CB DB QB LB DB DB WR DB DB WR WR RB LB RB RB FB RB/LB DB OLB DB FB DB DB FB LB LB LB FB ATH DE OLB OL LB LB OL DL LB DL OL OL OL OL LS OL OL OL DL OL
RS FR SR FR FR RS FR JR SR FR SR JR SO SR SO FR SR FR SR SO RS FR SR FR RS FR SR JR JR JR SO RS FR JR FR SO FR SR JR JR SO SO RS FR FR JR RS FR SO JR RS FR SR JR RS FR SO JR SO FR RS FR SO JR FR SO SR SR SO FR SO SO JR SR JR RS FR RS FR SR FR SO
Solon, Iowa Mount Laurel, N.J. Denver, Iowa Erie, Pa. Ames, Iowa Kalona, Iowa Cedar Rapids, Iowa Cleveland, Ohio Mooresville, Ind. St. Louis, Mo. Carroll, Iowa Solon, Iowa Pontiac, Mich. Plano, Texas Duluth, Ga. Canton, Mich. Tuscola, Ill. Canberra, Australia Weston, Fla. Keokuk, Iowa Franklin, Tenn. Somerset, Texas Fostoria, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Phoenix, Ariz. St. Louis, Mo. Clinton, Md. Naples, Fla. Mount Pleasant, Iowa Detroit, Mich. Upper Marlboro, Md. Chicago, Ill. Humboldt, Iowa Cedar Rapids, Iowa Lorain, Ohio Mansfield, Texas Troy, N.Y. Chana, Ill. Tabor, Iowa North Liberty, Iowa Omaha, Neb. Carrollton, Ohio Toledo, Ohio Urbandale, Iowa Naples, Fla. Iowa City, Iowa Franklin, Wis. Towson, Md. Solon, Iowa Buffalo Grove, Ill. Norman, Okla. Allen, Texas Davenport, Iowa Marion, Iowa Detroit, Mich. Sicklerville, N.J. Iowa City, Iowa Cleveland, Ohio Yeadon, Pa. Brampton, Ontario Des Moines, Iowa Madrid, Iowa West Des Moines, Iowa Worthington, Iowa DeWitt, Iowa Williamsburg, Iowa Glendale Heights, Ill. Billings, Mont. Westchester, Ill. Denison, Iowa
IOWA VS. NORTHERN ILLINOIS • 69 70 71 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 98 99
Ryan Kolka Brett Van Sloten Carl Davis Ryan Ward Mitch Keppy Dean Tsopanides Nolan MacMillan Reid Sealby Andrew Donnal Dominic Alvis Henry Krieger Coble Tevaun Smith Ray Hamilton Steven Staggs Zach Derby C.J. Fiedorowicz Jake Duzey Greg Mabin Cameron Wilson Louis Trinca-Pasat Daumantas Venckus-Cucchiara Jonathan Gimm Nathan Lyman Riley McMinn Drew Ott Mike Meyer Darian Cooper Connor Kornbrath Mike Hardy Joe Gaglione
6-0/208 6-7/292 6-5/310 6-5/275 6-5/290 6-2/240 6-6/290 6-4/250 6-7/302 6-4/265 6-4/235 6-2/190 6-5/248 6-3/195 6-3/240 6-7/265 6-4/235 6-2/190 6-1/195 6-3/270 6-5/230 6-3/240 6-3/280 6-7/245 6-4/245 6-2/185 6-2/280 6-6/240 6-5/270 6-4/264
LS OL DL OL OL DL OL OL OL DL TE WR TE WR TE TE TE WR WR DL DL FB DL DE DL K DL P DL DL
RS FR JR SO FR FR RS FR JR FR SO JR RS FR FR SO SR SR JR RS FR FR FR SO FR SR JR RS FR FR JR RS FR FR SO SR
St. Charles, Ill. Decorah, Iowa Detroit, Mich. New Lenox, Ill. Port Byron, Ill. Torrington, Conn. Toronto, Ontario Byron, Ill. Monclova, Ohio Logan, Iowa Mount Pleasant, Iowa Toronto, Ontario Strongsville, Ohio Oskaloosa, Iowa Iowa City, Iowa Johnsburg, Ill. Troy, Mich. Plantation, Fla. Dublin, Ohio Chicago, Ill. Weston, Fla. Houston, Texas Grundy Center, Iowa Rochester, Ill. Trumbull, Neb. Dubuque, Iowa Elkridge, Md. Bridgeport, W.V. Appleton, Wis. Novelty, Ohio
Keenan Davis WR #6
Demetrius Stone CB #19 Alan Baxter DE #90 Dechane Durante S #21
Brett Van Sloten RT #70
Jamaal Bass LB #6
Austin Blythe RG #63
Ken Bishop DT #93
Damon Bullock RB #32 James Vandenberg QB #16
Nabal Jefferson DT #99
Victor Jacques LB #40
James Ferentz C #53
Tyrone Clark LB #36 Sean Proger DE #95
Mark Weisman FB #45
Matt Tobin LG #60
Jimmie Ward S #15 Brandon Scherff LT #68
C.J. Fiedorowicz TE #86
Rashaan Melvin CB #11 Kevonte Martin-Manley WR #11
A
TER
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012 -11B
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012 Martel Moore Sean Evans Akeem Daniels Da’Ron Brown Jamal Womble Jamaal Bass Jordan Lynch Perez Ashford Ladell Fleming Rasheen Lemon Matt McIntosh Tommylee Lewis Rashaan Melvin Drew Hare Matt Williams Charlie Miller Courtney Stephen Jimmie Ward Charles Ivory Marckie Hayes Ryan Neir Johnny Eagan Demetrius Stone Keith Harris Jr. Dechane Durante Jamison Wells Leighton Settle Dominique Ware Giorgio Bowers Tyler Wedel Bobby Winkel Jhony Faustin Paris Logan Marlon Moore Anthony Brooks
1 2 3 4 5 6 6 7 8 9 9 10 11 12 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Martel Moore WR #1
6-0 5-10 5-7 6-0 5-10 5-10 6-0 5-11 6-0 6-0 6-1 5-7 6-2 6-1 6-1 5-10 6-0 5-11 6-0 5-8 6-3 6-0 5-10 5-8 6-2 5-11 5-9 5-11 5-8 5-11 6-1 5-8 5-9 5-9 5-11
183 174 184 194 246 225 216 182 194 206 197 155 193 200 188 176 194 192 160 176 208 200 203 181 196 193 199 180 218 186 227 174 179 180 175
WR CB RB WR RB LB QB WR LB S QB WR CB QB QB WR S DB CB CB P QB CB RB S WR RB CB RB P/K LB CB CB CB CB
SR RS JR JR RS SO SR RS SO RS JR SR FR RS FR RS FR SO RS SR FR FR FR RS SR JR FR RS SO RS SR FR SR FR RS SO RS JR JR RS JR RS SO SO RS SO JR RS FR FR FR
Micah Hyde CB #18
Jamison Wells WR #22
Anthony Hitchens WLB #31 Tanner Miller FS #5
Tyler Loos LT #75
Dominic Alvis DE #79
Aldan Conlon LG #61
Akeem Daniels RB #3
Louis Trinca-Pasat DT #90
Jordan Lynch QB #6
Andrew Ness C #55
James Morris MLB #44
Christian Kirksey OLB #20 Carl Davis DT #71
Matt Killian RG #73 Luke Eakes TE #83 Matt Krempel RT #79
Tommylee Lewis WR #10
Steve Bigach DE #54
B.J. Lowery CB #19
Tom Donatell SS #13
NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES San Antonio, Tex. Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. Kissimmee, Fla. Chicago, Ill. Teachey, NC Miramar, Fla. Chicago, Ill. Shaker Heights, Ohio Chicago, Ill. Chicago, Ill. Evansville, Ind. Riviera Beach, Fla. Waukegan, Ill. O’Fallon, Mo. Geneva, Ill. Vero Beach, Fla. Brampton, Ont., Canada Mobile, Ala. Vero Beach, Fla. Sycamore, Ill. Roscoe, Ill. Wautoma, Wis. Miami, Fla. Chicago, Ill. Charlotte, NC Combined Locks, Wis. Madison, Wis. Bolingbrook, Ill. Olympia Fields, Ill. McFarland, Wis. Batavia, Ill. Naples, Fla. Columbia, Mo. Mobile, Ala. Detroit, Mich.
32 33 34 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 80 81 82 83 84 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 99
Nate McNeal 5-10 Tre’ Moore 5-9 Conner Gavin 5-11 James Spencer 5-8 Videl Nelson 6-0 Tyrone Clark 5-10 Desroy Maxwell 6-2 Alex Morrow 5-8 Mark Strbjak 6-3 Victor Jacques 5-11 Cody Hazelett 6-2 Cameron Stingily 6-1 Jess Striedl 6-1 Perez Ford 6-0 Boomer Mays 6-0 George Rainey 6-2 Rob Sterling 5-10 Ricky Connors 6-1 Jason Meehan 6-1 Ryan Gorrell 6-1 Zach Anderson 6-1 Michael Santacaterina 5-10 Matthew Baltimore 6-3 Cameron Clinton-Earl 6-1 Andrew Ness 6-3 Daniel Green 6-1 Cornelius Henry 6-0 Scott Taylor 6-2 Mike Cotton 6-1 Michael Gegner 6-3 David Green 6-2 Aidan Conlon 6-3 Patrick Husain 6-7 Larry Lloyd 6-0 Sal Arceo 6-1 Wes Ott 6-3 Matt Battaglia 6-3 Bobby Ramlet 6-3 Tyler Pitt 6-5 Ron Brown 6-3 Corey Thomas 6-2 Logan Pegram 6-3 Levon Myers 6-5 Josh Ruka 6-5 Matt Killian 6-5 Dustin Adams 6-3 Tyler Loos 6-5 Brad Steger 6-6 Jared Volk 6-3 Ryan Brown 6-6 Matt Krempel 6-5 Jordan Gruettner 5-11 DeVonte’ Majors 6-1 Clayton Glasper 6-4 Juwan Brescacin 6-4 Luke Eakes 6-3 Brian Mayer 6-2 Kevin Tennenbaum 6-3 Angelo Sebastiano 6-0 Jacob Brinlee 5-9 Jason Schepler 6-2 Tim Semisch 6-8 Stephen O’Neal 6-3 Alan Baxter 6-0 Anthony Wells 6-3 Mario Jones 6-0 Ken Bishop 6-1 Donovan Gordon 6-0 Sean Progar 6-2 Michael Ippolito 6-3 Joe Windsor 6-0 Lincoln Howard 6-5 Nabal Jefferson 6-0 Mathew Sims 5-9
171 194 197 181 230 219 245 194 200 228 200 244 221 218 230 222 231 246 241 225 300 210 230 244 286 242 250 295 224 283 315 287 309 244 292 281 287 236 292 377 308 306 267 295 303 306 282 346 315 283 307 225 237 202 219 250 205 239 205 185 274 266 235 240 276 275 308 275 254 259 236 285 287 181
S S S RB LB LB TE RB P LB LB RB TE RB LB DE FB FB DE LB DT LB DE DE OL DE DT OL LB C DL OL OL DT OL OL OL DS OL OL DT OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL P WR WR WR TE DS TE WR WR TE TE DE DE DT DT DT DT DE DE DE TE DT K
RS JR RS FR FR RS SO RS FR SR FR FR FR RS SR FR RS SO RS SO FR RS FR RS JR SO RS SO SO RS SO RS JR RS SO FR RS FR RS FR RS SR RS SO FR FR RS SO RS SO RS FR JR RS SO FR RS SO SR FR RS SO FR FR RS SR FR FR RS FR FR RS SO FR RS JR RS SO RS JR FR RS FR FR RS FR RS SO RS SO RS FR RS FR FR RS SR RS SO RS JR SR RS JR FR JR RS SO RS SR FR JR FR SR JR
Chicago, Ill. Dayton, Ohio Chicago, Ill. Fremont, Ohio Kansas City, Mo. St. Louis, Mo. Evanston, Ill. Streamwood, Ill. Munster, Ind. Miami, Fla. Inver Grove Heights, Minn. Romeoville, Ill. St. Charles, Ill. Romeoville, Ill. Lawrence, Kans. Milwaukee, Wis. Lansing, Ill. Powder Springs, Ga. St. Louis, Mo. Westchester, Ill. Ladysmith, Wis. Geneva, Ill. Overland Park, Kans. Milwaukee, Wis. O’Fallon, Mo. Oak Park, Ill. Chicago, Ill. Marengo, Ill. O’Fallon, Ill. Indianapolis, Ind. Oak Park, Ill. Flossmoor, Ill. Evanston, Ill. Chicago, Ill. Chicago, Ill. Western Springs, Ill. Chicago, Ill. Appleton, Wis. McRae, Ga. Detroit, Mich. Chicago, Ill. Silver Lake, Kans. Franklin, Wis. Greenfield, Wis. O’Fallon, Mo. Minot, ND Sterling, Ill. Rock Island, Ill. Hartland, Wis. Elburn, Ill. Columbus, Ind. Muskego, Wis. O’Fallon, Mo. Peoria, Ill. Mississauga, Ont. St. Marys, Kans. Orland Park, Ill. Buffalo Grove, Ill. Coconut Creek, Fla. Lake Zurich, Ill. Sycamore, Ill. Omaha, Neb. Park Forest, Ill. Buffalo Grove, Ill. North Chicago, Ill. Chicago, Ill. Sunrise, Fla. Kansas City, Mo. Glenview, Ill. Naperville, Ill. Kearney, Mo. Osceola, Wis. Chicago, Ill. Hannibal, Mo.
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012 - 13B
14B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012
POINT/COUNTERPOINT
Will the Hawkeyes start 5-0? YES
Iowa’s going to start 5-0. It’s going to happen. Really. The Hawkeyes, essentially, start the season with five home games. Half the school is from Chicago. To think that this weekend’s matchup against Northern Illinois won’t show a solid Black and Gold fan-base is just silly. Once the Hawkeyes thrash the Huskies at Soldier Field (I’m predicting a three-touchdown victory, at the very least), Iowa will return to Kinnick for its next four games. If you combine the low level of early season competition with the team being good at home in general (23-5, dating back to 2008), it should be easy for the Hawks to start the season hot. Consider the opponents: If the Cyclones think they’re going to walk into the dangerous confines of Kinnick Stadium to win their second-consecutive CyHawk trophy, they’ve got another thing coming. I’m pretty sure Sir Vandenberg would like to exact some revenge on those pesky Cyclones. 2-0. Northern Iowa has been bad against Iowa, period. It is 1-14 against the Hawkeyes all-time, with its only win in 1898. Good luck to the Panthers in snagging a second win this season. 3-0. Central Michigan isn’t good, either. Last season, it lost to Kentucky on the gridiron. It would’ve been understandable if it had lost on the hardwood to Kentucky, but the football field? That’s borderline laughable. 4-0. The fifth game is against Minnesota. It’s easy to say something typical like, “The schedule is too easy. Iowa’s bound to drop one game.” And in all likelihood, this would be the one to drop. But who, in her or his right mind, loses on Homecoming? (Iowa does, actually. It lost the 2008 Homecoming game to Northwestern.) —Cody Goodwin It won’t lose to Minnesota. 5-0.
NO
In 2010, the Hawkeyes were ranked No. 6 in the preseason Sports Illustrated poll and had fans ecstatic about the possibilities of a Rose Bowl berth or even a national championship. That team was Iowa’s best in years, coming off an Orange Bowl victory over Georgia Tech. Its starting lineup included a slew of future draft picks — including Ricky Stanzi, Adrian Clayborn, Marvin McNutt, Shaun Prater, Tyler Sash, and Karl Klug. Iowa started 2-0 but lost to Arizona in Tucson. Some fans blamed the heat. Others blamed its being a night game. Whatever the reason, the most hyped Iowa team in years couldn’t pull of a 5-0 record. That’s why, this year, I’m pessimistic that the Hawkeyes can reel off five straight to start the season. The first five opponents don’t look so tough. But over the last few seasons, the Hawkeyes have been notorious for dropping a game they should win. With a totally unproven defensive line and an offense with no running back, the Hawkeyes are going into the season with some question marks. A young, inexperienced group such as this Iowa team is more likely to drop a game earlier in the season than later. The Hawkeyes will try to find their groove early in the season, and a team such as Northern Illinois or even Iowa State could sneak up on them and ruin fans’ expectations. I’m betting that the Hawkeyes will come out flat against one of their first five opponents and drop a winnable game. — by Carlos Sosa
LEADERBOARD Big Ten Team Sacks, 2011 1. Michigan State, 44 2. Illinois, 41 3. Penn State, 31 4. Michigan, 30 5. Wisconsin, 25 6. Ohio State, 23 T7. Iowa, 22 T7. Purdue, 22 9. Nebraska, 21 10. Minnesota, 19 11. Indiana, 18 12. Northwestern, 17
Big Ten returning leaders, tackles
Big Ten returning leaders, passing yards
1. Mike Taylor, Wisconsin, 150 2. Chris Borland, Wisconsin, 143 T3. James Morris, Iowa, 110 T3. Christian Kirksey, Iowa, 110 5. Jonathon Brown, Illinois, 108 6. Gerald Hodges, Penn State, 106 7. Ibraheim Campbell, Northwestern, 100 8. Kenny Demens, Michigan, 94 9. Dwayne Beckford, Purdue, 91 10. David Nwabuisi, Northwestern, 84
1. James Vandenberg, Iowa, 3022 2. Denard Robinson, Michigan, 2173 3. Nate Scheelhaase, Illinois, 2110 4. Taylor Martinez, Nebraska, 2089 5. Caleb TerBush, Purdue, 1905 6. Danny O’Brien, Wisconsin, 1648 7. Matt McGloin, Penn State, 1571 8. MarQueis Gray, Minnesota, 1495 9. Braxton Miller, Ohio State, 1159 10. Edward Wright-Baker, Indiana, 1029 11. Tre Roberson, Indiana, 937 12. Kain Coulter, Northwestern, 673
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012 - 15B
16B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012
ON THE LINE
Matchups Iowa vs. Northern Illinois No. 24 Boise State vs. No. 13 Michigan State No. 14 Clemson vs. Auburn Miami (FL) vs. Boston College
No. 8 Michigan vs. No. 2 Alabama
Molly Olmstead
Sports Editor
Iowa Because the UI has more native Chicagoans.
Michigan State
Ian Martin
Asst. Sports Editor
Iowa
Hawks handle Huskies Close, but V-Berg loves big games Insert Bear(s) joke here
Michigan State
Boise can’t play away from the blue field. (Plus, I’m a west Michigan native).
Two new quarterbacks Michigan State still has D Boise will be blue
Auburn
Clemson
Would you judge me if I have a gut feeling toward Auburn?
Auburn good? OK … Clemson’s overrated, too But should win easy
Ben Ross
Football Reporter
Iowa Vandy tears this secondary apart
Michigan State Kellen Moore graduated already, right?
Clemson Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins assert themselves as one of the premier passcatch combos in the nation
Tork Mason Football Reporter
Iowa The “home” field advantage isn’t going to help the Huskies in this one.
Michigan State No Kellen Moore or Doug Martin? Tell me again why Boise is ranked?
Clemson
Miami
Miami
It’s ALL about the U.
Neither team is very good, but I’m more scared of a hurricane than a bird.
Alabama
Alabama. It’s kind of cute how these Big Ten teams think they’re ready for playtime with the big boys.
Michigan State No more Week 1 upsets for Boise.
Clemson
Miami
Miami (Fla.) Big ACC game Means nothing to Big Ten fans Nevin Shapiro
Neutral site matchup One team has Denard throwing Then other team wins
Iowa Won’t be pretty or comfortable, won’t be a loss.
100 percent sure of a Tiger victory.
Miami
Alabama
Pregame Editor
Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins will shred the Tigers’ belowaverage pass defense.
Their boosters like them better.
Even if I wasn’t raised to violently hate the U Mich, I’d still pick ’Bama.
Sam Louwagie
Alabama Denard, just save yourself the pain and roll over. Roll Tide.
I’m … not going to watch this game.
Michigan Denard shows off his BIG TEN SPEED.
Sam Lane
Managing Editor
Iowa This one all hinges on whether Fran’s first pitch at Wrigley is a strike
Michigan State The men of the blue turf will be seeing green after this one.
Clemson The war of the Tigers goes to the Tigers. Wait. Oh, forget it.
Miami Although I don’t know if I’d take them in a battle against a real hurricane like Isaac.
Alabama Michigan is overrated. That’s all.
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012 - 17B
18B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012
AROUND THE BIG TEN
POWER RANKINGS
1. Michigan Ranked No.8 in the nation, the Wolverines have their work cut out for them when they travel to the Lone Star State to take on reigning national champion Alabama in the season-opener. 2. Wisconsin The Badgers return Heisman runner-up Montee Ball to handle the rushing attack. Expect Ball to carry over his dominance from 2011 behind a reloaded offensive line against Northern Iowa this weekend. 3. Michigan State The Spartans may be going into a trap game when they play ranked Boise State tonight in their season-opener. 4. Nebraska With Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead coming back, the Cornhuskers have the ingredients to be one of the most potent offenses in the Big Ten. Expect Big Red to roll over Southern Miss in its opener. 5. Ohio State Even though the Buckeyes aren’t eligible for postseason play, Ohio State should be extremely competitive in the Big Ten in Urban Meyer’s first year as head coach. In-state rival Miami (Ohio) shouldn’t prove to be too much to handle for sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller. 6. Iowa The Hawkeyes kick off their weak early schedule when they travel to Soldier Field to take on Northern Illinois. Even with just three running
OFFENSIVE IMPACT backs on the roster, don’t expect Iowa to fold in Chicago. 7. Purdue With three established players at quarterback, the Boilermakers shouldn’t have any trouble against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels. Boilermaker fans should get their popcorn (chicken) ready. 8. Penn State The Nittany Lions certainly have the most interesting story line going into the 2012 season, but new head coach Bill O’Brien should have his team focused and ready to take on the Ohio Bobcats. 9. Illinois Despite an epic 6-game losing streak to close out last season, quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase has the skill set to keep the upset-minded Western Michigan Broncos at bay. 10. Northwestern Even with the departure of quarterback Dan Persa, the Wildcats seem poised to start the 2012 season with a win over Syracuse with the extremely versatile Kain Colter running the show behind center. 11. Minnesota The gilded rodents have nowhere to go but up under second-year head coach Jerry Kill. An opening win against UNLV could be a good start. Then again, it is Minnesota. 12. Indiana The Hoosiers start off their season against bitter rivals Indiana State. Honestly, my money is on the Sycamores.
GAMES TO WATCH Michigan vs. Alabama
Time: Saturday, 7 p.m. Location: Arlington, Texas Where to watch: ABC
Key Highlights The Wolverines head to neutral territory in Texas, where they hope to topple the reigning national champions. Look for Heisman-hopeful Denard Robinson to be forced to use his less-than trustworthy arm in order to win the game, putting “Shoelace” right where the Crimson Tide want him.
Michigan State vs. Boise State
BEN ROSS BENJAMIN-D-ROSS@UIOWA.EDU
Time: Today, 7 p.m. Location: East Lansing, Mich. Where to watch: ESPN Key Highlights The Broncos have won their past three season-openers against ranked opponents, and they want to make it a grand slam with a win over the No. 13 Spartans. Both teams will break in new quarterbacks after the departure of established veterans. Spartan coach Mark Dantonio joked to reporters that he put 14 players on the defensive side of the ball in practice to account for Boise’s talent. That might not be a bad idea.
Ohio State vs. Miami of Ohio
Time: Saturday, 11 a.m. Location: Columbus Where to watch: Big Ten Network Key Highlights It will be very interesting to see how first year headcoach Urban Meyer runs the Buckeye program during a year in which it’s banned from postseason play. Meyer will likely try to groom his rising playmaker, sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller, to be his next “Tebow” project.
Name: Roy Roundtree, Michigan Position: Wide Receiver Year: Senior Roundtree wasn’t cleared to play in the opener against Alabama until Monday, putting a sigh of relief in the lungs of Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson. The wideout will have to find separation from the blanketing defense of the Crimson Tide if his quarterback is to have any success; Alabama will almost be certainly be committed to containing the Heisman favorite in Robinson. Roundtree’s teammates were impressed by how quickly he came back from a knee injury early in fall camp. “Roy understood what he had to do to get back, and every time I saw him, he was in the training room getting a little extra, getting something done on that knee,” offensive tackle Taylor Lewan told the Detroit Free Press. “That’s why he is back so fast, that commitment.”
DEFENSIVE IMPACT Name: Johnny Adams, Michigan State Position: Cornerback Year: Senior Adams’ 3 interceptions a season ago shouldn’t be seen as a weakness of his skills but rather a testament to the respect he commands from opposing passers. The senior will have to be at his best if the Spartans want to hand Boise State its first opening loss since the 2005 season, especially if he finds himself one-on-one with receiver Matt Miller, who hauled in 9 touchdowns a year ago. Adams has been listed as a preseason All-American on numerous reports, but he said that the hype isn’t going to affect his performance on the field. “I personally don’t pay a lot of attention to it,” Adams told the Detroit News. “As long as I know how to handle it and come and still do the things I’ve been doing. I put a lot of pressure on myself, but I think when Saturdays come, I just let my hair down and play.”
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012 - 19B
20B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, August 31, 2012