DSM Reg writer Leistekow has Iowa losing to Minny and jNorthwester!!! Your thoughts

[uihawk82]

This article is on hawkcentral.com If we have above avg QB play and our DLine can decently stop or slow the opponent run game I dont see the hawks losing either of these two games.

Let's say both teams are both about fully healthy, Iowa has the OLine, RBacks and run game to gash and set up the pass (even a first down pass) and if we have the QB play then our TEnds are a whole handful which keeps safeties in the middle of the field and open the edges for what could be some very good wide receiver play.

Leistokow says Minny is a veteran team but not sure they can top the hawks.

Also, jNW has sparty transfer Chiles at QB but he is not an elite QB. He can be good but I dont remember him as an extra elusive and fast runner. The hawk personnel probably is better at most positions

I am still having the Hawks at 8-9 wins

 

[85Bears]

Chad knows very little about football, so I find this article reassuring.

 

[uihawk82]

Chad knows very little about football, so I find this article reassuring.

And he is probably trying ruffle hawk feathers, piss fans off to get more clicks.

When was the last time the hawks lost to both Minny and jNW in the same year? I will try to find out

OOPs I forgot about the dismal end to the 2010 season as I thought it would have been several decades to 50 years ago

 

[GoUIowa]

He has them winning at Washington, also. How dare he make a prediction that might not match everyone else, because we all know every season plays out exactly like you think.

 

[GoUIowa]

This article is on hawkcentral.com If we have above avg QB play and our DLine can decently stop or slow the opponent run game I dont see the hawks losing either of these two games.

Let's say both teams are both about fully healthy, Iowa has the OLine, RBacks and run game to gash and set up the pass (even a first down pass) and if we have the QB play then our TEnds are a whole handful which keeps safeties in the middle of the field and open the edges for what could be some very good wide receiver play.

Leistokow says Minny is a veteran team but not sure they can top the hawks.

Also, jNW has sparty transfer Chiles at QB but he is not an elite QB. He can be good but I dont remember him as an extra elusive and fast runner. The hawk personnel probably is better at most positions

I am still having the Hawks at 8-9 wins

At the end, you say you have the Hawks at 8-9 wins. So does he. He just doesn’t get there the same way as you, so what’s the big deal?

 

[Gonzo_Bloor]

Most years Iowa loses at least 1 game that most fans didn't see coming and wouldn't have predicted us losing.

2025 - ISU
2024 - ISU, UCLA
2023 - Minnesota
2022 - ISU, Illinois
2021 - Purdue
2020 - Purdue
2018 - Purdue
2017 - Purdue, Northwestern
2016 - NDSU, Northwestern

Nevertheless, when it's preseason and everyone's making their predictions for the year most fans look for which of the big 4-5 programs we play that year (tOSU, Oregon, Michigan, USC, PSU, etc.), peg those as our losses and predict Ws over everyone else. Then they get all huffy when someone has the nerve to predict an L to a NW, Minney, Wisco, etc. Even though it happens almost every season. It's really kind of funny.

 

[Max Rebo]

And he is probably trying ruffle hawk feathers, piss fans off to get more clicks.

That’s never been Chad’s M.O., fwiw.

If you listen to his podcast, the point is that after the Mich-tOSU-Wash gauntlet, he still thinks we have the potential to drop a game or two. I think he’s absolutely right.

Minny is just the game he picked.

 

[85Bears]

He has them winning at Washington, also. How dare he make a prediction that might not match everyone else, because we all know every season plays out exactly like you think.

Calm down Chad

 

[GoUIowa]

Calm down Chad

Again, you don’t like opposing opinions, do you?

Have a good day.

 

[rchawk]

That’s never been Chad’s M.O., fwiw.

If you listen to his podcast, the point is that after the Mich-tOSU-Wash gauntlet, he still thinks we have the potential to drop a game or two. I think he’s absolutely right.

Minny is just the game he picked.

I thought of that too. Like Tom, Blair, the other reporters here, Chad is very likely told things off the record that he can't reveal. So he. Tom, etc. know things we don't.

Or it could just be Chad making a call on a gut feeling.

 

[2D]

Always remember the Kirk Stinker rule, and his prediction becomes a lot more realistic. When the team heads up to Minnesota, they could very well be on a three game losing streak.

 

[MeetTheFerentzes]

It probably wouldn't be the first time a team lost to 2 teams in which they beat by a combined score of 81-17 the last time they played, but I doubt it's happened very much.

I expect those to be two solid Hawkeye victories.

 

[uihawk82]

And he is probably trying ruffle hawk feathers, piss fans off to get more clicks.

When was the last time the hawks lost to both Minny and jNW in the same year? I will try to find out

That’s never been Chad’s M.O., fwiw.

If you listen to his podcast, the point is that after the Mich-tOSU-Wash gauntlet, he still thinks we have the potential to drop a game or two. I think he’s absolutely right.

Minny is just the game he picked.

And he picked a loss at northwestern unless I read it wrong.

 

[r_desihawk]

letdown game is a definite possibility if we won at washington. at minny after a bye week will be very tough. and chiles has destroyed parker’s defense before so at nw will be very tough.

 

[uihawk82]

At the end, you say you have the Hawks at 8-9 wins. So does he. He just doesn’t get there the same way as you, so what’s the big deal?

I think the hawks could win 11 on paper right now. But a short week at Wash is going to be tough but Wash was crushed by every really good team they played last year. The hawks usual discipline and hard play could win it.

OSU will be super hard to win but not impossible. Mich with a new coach is a good chance for a win.

I dont see the hawks losing to either Minny or jNW except that they are road games and there are letdowns.

I would like to pick 9 wins but as others say and I know and have seen the hawks seem to be really good but lose one they shouldnt. That is why I am at 8-9 wins.

 

[uihawk82]

Most years Iowa loses at least 1 game that most fans didn't see coming and wouldn't have predicted us losing.

2025 - ISU
2024 - ISU, UCLA
2023 - Minnesota
2022 - ISU, Illinois
2021 - Purdue
2020 - Purdue
2018 - Purdue
2017 - Purdue, Northwestern
2016 - NDSU, Northwestern

Nevertheless, when it's preseason and everyone's making their predictions for the year most fans look for which of the big 4-5 programs we play that year (tOSU, Oregon, Michigan, USC, PSU, etc.), peg those as our losses and predict Ws over everyone else. Then they get all huffy when someone has the nerve to predict an L to a NW, Minney, Wisco, etc. Even though it happens almost every season. It's really kind of funny.

Well I was talking about picking the hawks to lose to both Minny and jNW, not just one of them. Your list, 2025 loss to ISU they were favored and a road game so not a big surprise on a tossup type game,

 

[85Bears]

I think the hawks could win 11 on paper right now. But a short week at Wash is going to be tough but Wash was crushed by every really good team they played last year. The hawks usual discipline and hard play could win it.

OSU will be super hard to win but not impossible. Mich with a new coach is a good chance for a win.

I dont see the hawks losing to either Minny or jNW except that they are road games and there are letdowns.

I would like to pick 9 wins but as others say and I know and have seen the hawks seem to be really good but lose one they shouldnt. That is why I am at 8-9 wins.

Michigan replaced a horrible coach with a very good coach. So no, that doesn’t look like a good opportunity.

 

[52317Hawk]

Minny could be a tough game on the road against a very seasoned team. NU I won't speak to, they could be tough as well. I do know that outside of the non-con games, the BIG is tough and no game should be looked at as a gimme and no game should be looked at as a certain loss.

Low end 7-5 with a high end of 10-2/11-1.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Most years Iowa loses at least 1 game that most fans didn't see coming and wouldn't have predicted us losing.

2025 - ISU
2024 - ISU, UCLA
2023 - Minnesota
2022 - ISU, Illinois
2021 - Purdue
2020 - Purdue
2018 - Purdue
2017 - Purdue, Northwestern
2016 - NDSU, Northwestern

Nevertheless, when it's preseason and everyone's making their predictions for the year most fans look for which of the big 4-5 programs we play that year (tOSU, Oregon, Michigan, USC, PSU, etc.), peg those as our losses and predict Ws over everyone else. Then they get all huffy when someone has the nerve to predict an L to a NW, Minney, Wisco, etc. Even though it happens almost every season. It's really kind of funny.

At some point, though, that sh** does need to stop.

Otherwise, what was the point of the efforts from the prior season or seasons building to get over a certain hump (ala getting the "can't beat a ranked team" monkey off the backs)?

I get in previous years roster churn, just never having the right pieces in place at the right time roster-wise (guys too young and aren't ready yet or guys that would've made an even bigger impact going into a year left for the NFL or transferred (the latter of which doesn't happen all that much at Iowa), or guys get injured and it stalls our progress), that kind of bullsh** cant-have-nice-things stuff happens almost every year with Iowa to keep us coming up just short of having a roster capable of maximum results.............

But I don't give a sh** about "Kirk's legacy" and him being able to ride off into the sunset whenever he wants if it also means every new year is the same ole "well it's Fall again.....time to see what new ways Iowa can come up with to go 8-4 in football!!! "

Last year would just seem like a total waste if all they did was resign themselves to this idea that our roster just isn't quite good enough right now to do any better than 7-5, 8-4 with potential losses to Northwestern, Minnesota, Purdue, Illinois or Nebraska.

I don't give a single solitary f*** what those programs did to improve their own roster.

It's on Iowa....and Kirk....to figure it out and stop f***ing finding ways to not win big games, games against ranked teams, and games against teams they don't have any business losing to simply because "they weren't ready yet" or they "overlooked" their f***ing opponent.

Enough with that sh**. I watched them miss their window last year while at least showing glimpses that they were turning that corner as far as competing in big games against good teams, not pooping their pants in crunch time and doing it with a more competent-looking offense.

It would be a more than minor indictment on Kirk if we just spun our f***ing tires and went back to the drawing board even for any myriad of reasons up to and including bullsh** can't-have-nice-things season-decimating injuries, if we went 8-4 (or potentially worse, because we always can.......) in 2026.

I'm saying because of what they did last year, they dont get the luxury of hiding behind any excuses such as our DL being young or having new linebackers or a couple new linemen and more than likely inconsistent QB play while we f*** around with figuring out who will be the full time starter this year..........

Not in this NIL/free agency/transfer portal era where a program like Indiana is spending roughly the same amount of money as us (and depending on who you ask, is spending LESS than us), and yet are able to reload their roster with more talented players and potentially have another top 10 team.

Getting lapped by Indiana in that regard while we watch Iowa f*** around with Northwestern and Purdue and hope we don't sh** the bed again against Iowa State is already an indictment on Kirk's legacy.

So there are no excuses that will be allowed if we lose to any of those teams this year, and that includes Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska as well.

They will have had their chance to make themselves great and if they fail, then it will be because they chose instead to be good because it was safer and more cost-effective..............

Don't be like the Minnesota Vikings where the motto "good is the enemy of great" to them means "great" is the enemy.


You're all welcome, and if I could, I would @ this to Kakert, Leistikow and Dochtermann and the rest of the big wig Iowa sports media as well, just so they understand where the actual expectations for this team need to be...............


P.S. and I'm sure someone like eyesof will reply to this post with "You don't think Kirk and Iowa expect to win and aren't trying their hardest to blah blah blah-" and they can tell us all they want about how hard they're trying and what their expectations are, but the answer to that question will depend solely on the results of the regular season.

Period.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

That’s never been Chad’s M.O., fwiw.

If you listen to his podcast, the point is that after the Mich-tOSU-Wash gauntlet, he still thinks we have the potential to drop a game or two. I think he’s absolutely right.

Minny is just the game he picked.

You could tell they were both picking the schedule to kind of hedge their bets so to speak. Hassel did too when he made his predictions on the Two Guys episode.

 

[BunchofAholes]

Most years Iowa loses at least 1 game that most fans didn't see coming and wouldn't have predicted us losing.

2025 - ISU
2024 - ISU, UCLA
2023 - Minnesota
2022 - ISU, Illinois
2021 - Purdue
2020 - Purdue
2018 - Purdue
2017 - Purdue, Northwestern
2016 - NDSU, Northwestern

Nevertheless, when it's preseason and everyone's making their predictions for the year most fans look for which of the big 4-5 programs we play that year (tOSU, Oregon, Michigan, USC, PSU, etc.), peg those as our losses and predict Ws over everyone else. Then they get all huffy when someone has the nerve to predict an L to a NW, Minney, Wisco, etc. Even though it happens almost every season. It's really kind of funny.

FFS, that's hard to look at

 

[BunchofAholes]

At some point, though, that sh** does need to stop.

Otherwise, what was the point of the efforts from the prior season or seasons building to get over a certain hump (ala getting the "can't beat a ranked team" monkey off the backs)?

I get in previous years roster churn, just never having the right pieces in place at the right time roster-wise (guys too young and aren't ready yet or guys that would've made an even bigger impact going into a year left for the NFL or transferred (the latter of which doesn't happen all that much at Iowa), or guys get injured and it stalls our progress), that kind of bullsh** cant-have-nice-things stuff happens almost every year with Iowa to keep us coming up just short of having a roster capable of maximum results.............

But I don't give a sh** about "Kirk's legacy" and him being able to ride off into the sunset whenever he wants if it also means every new year is the same ole "well it's Fall again.....time to see what new ways Iowa can come up with to go 8-4 in football!!! "

Last year would just seem like a total waste if all they did was resign themselves to this idea that our roster just isn't quite good enough right now to do any better than 7-5, 8-4 with potential losses to Northwestern, Minnesota, Purdue, Illinois or Nebraska.

I don't give a single solitary f*** what those programs did to improve their own roster.

It's on Iowa....and Kirk....to figure it out and stop f***ing finding ways to not win big games, games against ranked teams, and games against teams they don't have any business losing to simply because "they weren't ready yet" or they "overlooked" their f***ing opponent.

Enough with that sh**. I watched them miss their window last year while at least showing glimpses that they were turning that corner as far as competing in big games against good teams, not pooping their pants in crunch time and doing it with a more competent-looking offense.

It would be a more than minor indictment on Kirk if we just spun our f***ing tires and went back to the drawing board even for any myriad of reasons up to and including bullsh** can't-have-nice-things season-decimating injuries, if we went 8-4 (or potentially worse, because we always can.......) in 2026.

I'm saying because of what they did last year, they dont get the luxury of hiding behind any excuses such as our DL being young or having new linebackers or a couple new linemen and more than likely inconsistent QB play while we f*** around with figuring out who will be the full time starter this year..........

Not in this NIL/free agency/transfer portal era where a program like Indiana is spending roughly the same amount of money as us (and depending on who you ask, is spending LESS than us), and yet are able to reload their roster with more talented players and potentially have another top 10 team.

Getting lapped by Indiana in that regard while we watch Iowa f*** around with Northwestern and Purdue and hope we don't sh** the bed again against Iowa State is already an indictment on Kirk's legacy.

So there are no excuses that will be allowed if we lose to any of those teams this year, and that includes Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska as well.

They will have had their chance to make themselves great and if they fail, then it will be because they chose instead to be good because it was safer and more cost-effective..............

Don't be like the Minnesota Vikings where the motto "good is the enemy of great" to them means "great" is the enemy.


You're all welcome, and if I could, I would @ this to Kakert, Leistikow and Dochtermann and the rest of the big wig Iowa sports media as well, just so they understand where the actual expectations for this team need to be...............


P.S. and I'm sure someone like eyesof will reply to this post with "You don't think Kirk and Iowa expect to win and aren't trying their hardest to blah blah blah-" and they can tell us all they want about how hard they're trying and what their expectations are, but the answer to that question will depend solely on the results of the regular season.

Period.

For future reference. The use of "Period" at the end of a statement is most effective when it's a short statement.

 

[85Bears]

At some point, though, that sh** does need to stop.

Otherwise, what was the point of the efforts from the prior season or seasons building to get over a certain hump (ala getting the "can't beat a ranked team" monkey off the backs)?

I get in previous years roster churn, just never having the right pieces in place at the right time roster-wise (guys too young and aren't ready yet or guys that would've made an even bigger impact going into a year left for the NFL or transferred (the latter of which doesn't happen all that much at Iowa), or guys get injured and it stalls our progress), that kind of bullsh** cant-have-nice-things stuff happens almost every year with Iowa to keep us coming up just short of having a roster capable of maximum results.............

But I don't give a sh** about "Kirk's legacy" and him being able to ride off into the sunset whenever he wants if it also means every new year is the same ole "well it's Fall again.....time to see what new ways Iowa can come up with to go 8-4 in football!!! "

Last year would just seem like a total waste if all they did was resign themselves to this idea that our roster just isn't quite good enough right now to do any better than 7-5, 8-4 with potential losses to Northwestern, Minnesota, Purdue, Illinois or Nebraska.

I don't give a single solitary f*** what those programs did to improve their own roster.

It's on Iowa....and Kirk....to figure it out and stop f***ing finding ways to not win big games, games against ranked teams, and games against teams they don't have any business losing to simply because "they weren't ready yet" or they "overlooked" their f***ing opponent.

Enough with that sh**. I watched them miss their window last year while at least showing glimpses that they were turning that corner as far as competing in big games against good teams, not pooping their pants in crunch time and doing it with a more competent-looking offense.

It would be a more than minor indictment on Kirk if we just spun our f***ing tires and went back to the drawing board even for any myriad of reasons up to and including bullsh** can't-have-nice-things season-decimating injuries, if we went 8-4 (or potentially worse, because we always can.......) in 2026.

I'm saying because of what they did last year, they dont get the luxury of hiding behind any excuses such as our DL being young or having new linebackers or a couple new linemen and more than likely inconsistent QB play while we f*** around with figuring out who will be the full time starter this year..........

Not in this NIL/free agency/transfer portal era where a program like Indiana is spending roughly the same amount of money as us (and depending on who you ask, is spending LESS than us), and yet are able to reload their roster with more talented players and potentially have another top 10 team.

Getting lapped by Indiana in that regard while we watch Iowa f*** around with Northwestern and Purdue and hope we don't sh** the bed again against Iowa State is already an indictment on Kirk's legacy.

So there are no excuses that will be allowed if we lose to any of those teams this year, and that includes Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska as well.

They will have had their chance to make themselves great and if they fail, then it will be because they chose instead to be good because it was safer and more cost-effective..............

Don't be like the Minnesota Vikings where the motto "good is the enemy of great" to them means "great" is the enemy.


You're all welcome, and if I could, I would @ this to Kakert, Leistikow and Dochtermann and the rest of the big wig Iowa sports media as well, just so they understand where the actual expectations for this team need to be...............


P.S. and I'm sure someone like eyesof will reply to this post with "You don't think Kirk and Iowa expect to win and aren't trying their hardest to blah blah blah-" and they can tell us all they want about how hard they're trying and what their expectations are, but the answer to that question will depend solely on the results of the regular season.

Period.

Not really, Iowa isn’t a blue blood and Iowa is in the lower tier of BIG teams as per NIL……
so developmental programs do have rebuilding years, this team is probably looking at Bessents third year hitting a peak, and being even better his fourth year.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

For future reference. The use of "Period" at the end of a statement is most effective when it's a short statement.

I suppose ending with "Deal with it", instead, would've better fit the already confrontational tone of my post..........

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Not really, Iowa isn’t a blue blood and Iowa is in the lower tier of BIG teams as per NIL……
so developmental programs do have rebuilding years, this team is probably looking at Bessents third year hitting a peak, and being even better his fourth year.

Like I said, there will be no excuses for rewinding/reverting and acting like last year was a flash in the pan or the end of one build-up, and this year being the start of another with us having to go back down a peg or 6.

Not while Indiana is doing what they're doing, and I don't give a f*** how great Cignetti is, blah blah blah. We should've beat them last year, so clearly them surpassing us isn't simply because Curt is a vastly superior coach to Kirk..........

They spend essentially the same as us.

 

[85Bears]

Like I said, there will be no excuses for rewinding/reverting and acting like last year was a flash in the pan or the end of one build-up, and this year being the start of another with us having to go back down a peg or 6.

Not while Indiana is doing what they're doing, and I don't give a f*** how great Cignetti is, blah blah blah. We should've beat them last year, so clearly them surpassing us isn't simply because Curt is a vastly superior coach to Kirk..........

They spend essentially the same as us.

Indiana has substantially more NIL money………the end

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Indiana has substantially more NIL money………the end

"Indiana University's football Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and roster spending is estimated to range between $15 million and $21.1 million, depending on the tracking model and specific season estimates."

Nah.

 

[85Bears]

Sorry IU has double the NIL money to work with that Iowa does, this is obvious.

“Indiana football 2026 roster valuation: $32.4M," read the post on X by thenilstandard. This is a far cry from the underdog squad of last year. Cignetti understands that there is a target on his back and he is not taking any chances. He wants to keep as much of last year's core intact. Winning the championship also helps to get the best recruits to consider Bloomington.”

Think of a team like a family budget, where the entire Indiana roster cost around $21 million last year. But after the Heisman winner, Fernando Mendoza, left for his NFL journey, Cignetti had to secure a good QB on his roster. This dynamic forced the Hoosiers to stretch their total roster value to nearly $32.4 million just to keep their championship core intact.

 

[85Bears]

Again, you don’t like opposing opinions, do you?

Have a good day.

This is rich coming from the guy who blocks anyone on Twitter who even slightly questions or disagrees with his opinions.

 

[Wobmam Rulez!]

The Illinois game is the one that could be an epic game and helps decide, not just possibly who plays in the B1G title game but also the CFP. The boat rowers and jNU will be W's.

 

[Kceasthawk@77]

I thought of that too. Like Tom, Blair, the other reporters here, Chad is very likely told things off the record that he can't reveal. So he. Tom, etc. know things we don't.

Or it could just be Chad making a call on a gut feeling.

??? What info would they possibly know at this point that has him "knowing things that we don't know", that would lead him to think we'd beat Washington and lose to NW? Is NW going to have sod that comes up on every play on their new field like it did at Wrigley? Are there going to be land mines placed along the visitors sidelines, and Chad got a copy of their placement? They're guessing just like anyone else on here.

 

[WeBeHerkin]

Surprised he didn't have us losing to Nebraska

 

[uihawk82]

"Indiana University's football Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and roster spending is estimated to range between $15 million and $21.1 million, depending on the tracking model and specific season estimates."

Nah.

Indiana got something like $60 mill plus from the Mavs owner and mellencamp

 

[Hawkfan_08*]

We could lose to everyone not named UNI. We won't... but we could.

 

[WeBeHerkin]

Indiana got something like $60 mill plus from the Mavs owner and mellencamp

Mellencamp had given the money to build the indoor practice facility. Has gone to most games for years and years. Has his own box that he can smoke in while all others cannot.

 

[eyesofhawk]

At some point, though, that sh** does need to stop.

Otherwise, what was the point of the efforts from the prior season or seasons building to get over a certain hump (ala getting the "can't beat a ranked team" monkey off the backs)?

I get in previous years roster churn, just never having the right pieces in place at the right time roster-wise (guys too young and aren't ready yet or guys that would've made an even bigger impact going into a year left for the NFL or transferred (the latter of which doesn't happen all that much at Iowa), or guys get injured and it stalls our progress), that kind of bullsh** cant-have-nice-things stuff happens almost every year with Iowa to keep us coming up just short of having a roster capable of maximum results.............

But I don't give a sh** about "Kirk's legacy" and him being able to ride off into the sunset whenever he wants if it also means every new year is the same ole "well it's Fall again.....time to see what new ways Iowa can come up with to go 8-4 in football!!! "

Last year would just seem like a total waste if all they did was resign themselves to this idea that our roster just isn't quite good enough right now to do any better than 7-5, 8-4 with potential losses to Northwestern, Minnesota, Purdue, Illinois or Nebraska.

I don't give a single solitary f*** what those programs did to improve their own roster.

It's on Iowa....and Kirk....to figure it out and stop f***ing finding ways to not win big games, games against ranked teams, and games against teams they don't have any business losing to simply because "they weren't ready yet" or they "overlooked" their f***ing opponent.

Enough with that sh**. I watched them miss their window last year while at least showing glimpses that they were turning that corner as far as competing in big games against good teams, not pooping their pants in crunch time and doing it with a more competent-looking offense.

It would be a more than minor indictment on Kirk if we just spun our f***ing tires and went back to the drawing board even for any myriad of reasons up to and including bullsh** can't-have-nice-things season-decimating injuries, if we went 8-4 (or potentially worse, because we always can.......) in 2026.

I'm saying because of what they did last year, they dont get the luxury of hiding behind any excuses such as our DL being young or having new linebackers or a couple new linemen and more than likely inconsistent QB play while we f*** around with figuring out who will be the full time starter this year..........

Not in this NIL/free agency/transfer portal era where a program like Indiana is spending roughly the same amount of money as us (and depending on who you ask, is spending LESS than us), and yet are able to reload their roster with more talented players and potentially have another top 10 team.

Getting lapped by Indiana in that regard while we watch Iowa f*** around with Northwestern and Purdue and hope we don't sh** the bed again against Iowa State is already an indictment on Kirk's legacy.

So there are no excuses that will be allowed if we lose to any of those teams this year, and that includes Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska as well.

They will have had their chance to make themselves great and if they fail, then it will be because they chose instead to be good because it was safer and more cost-effective..............

Don't be like the Minnesota Vikings where the motto "good is the enemy of great" to them means "great" is the enemy.


You're all welcome, and if I could, I would @ this to Kakert, Leistikow and Dochtermann and the rest of the big wig Iowa sports media as well, just so they understand where the actual expectations for this team need to be...............


P.S. and I'm sure someone like eyesof will reply to this post with "You don't think Kirk and Iowa expect to win and aren't trying their hardest to blah blah blah-" and they can tell us all they want about how hard they're trying and what their expectations are, but the answer to that question will depend solely on the results of the regular season.

Period.

Like I said, there will be no excuses for rewinding/reverting and acting like last year was a flash in the pan or the end of one build-up, and this year being the start of another with us having to go back down a peg or 6.

Not while Indiana is doing what they're doing, and I don't give a f*** how great Cignetti is, blah blah blah. We should've beat them last year, so clearly them surpassing us isn't simply because Curt is a vastly superior coach to Kirk..........

They spend essentially the same as us.

- I can promise you, that in no way, did the team last year view beating a ranked opponent as a program hump.

What a laughable narrative, as a program complaint, it was anyway. Easily delegitimized.

- College sports has always been year to year. Previous seasons aren't always able to be built upon. College programs don't necessarily take that type of trajectory.

The portal doesn't make it any less year to year for programs.

Yes, given the resources, teams can plug roster and positional holes every season. But that won't guarantee the roster success.

There's still value in continuity, and the development of internal leadership, and loyalty, and trust, and learning how to win together.

Coach McCollum plugged his "holes". But this year's team isn't going to be able to microwave what last year's team had. And that was having already acquired the ability and the knowledge of how to win together.

- Resign themselves to 7-5/8-4? Nobody's resigning themselves to anything. You couldn't be more off base. Even if a coach knows he has a young roster that could be a year away, never is anything resigned to. You think Iowa would have such success in rivalry games by having ever resigned to a thing?

- "Resigning" to 8-4 would would be a waste of last year (in which Iowa had an 8-4 regular season)?

- Do you have any idea how many big games and ranked opponents Kirk has beaten while at Iowa? Not sure how people think he can't win big games.

- If Iowa "fails" at being "great", it will be because they chose instead, to be merely "good"? So, which one ought to be already clear in such case, no?

If the regular season results will tell all, then maybe Iowa hasn't chosen to merely be good?

You've contradicted yourself a least a couple of times in the post.

- Including freaking out about what Indiana is doing in comparison to Iowa, while at the same time, insisting that Iowa should have beaten Indiana last year. If you honestly think Iowa should have beaten Indiana last season, how is Iowa's approach so much less acceptable than Indiana's, in your mind?

- So if Iowa/Indiana spend essentially the same, and Cig's not a vastly superior coach to KF, then what's your point about how Indiana has "surpassed" Iowa?

- The results are going to tell us how much effort was put in? That's one of the dumbest things I've heard in a while.

- And how is it any more "safe", to just be good?

 

[chuck285]

At some point, though, that sh** does need to stop.

Otherwise, what was the point of the efforts from the prior season or seasons building to get over a certain hump (ala getting the "can't beat a ranked team" monkey off the backs)?

I get in previous years roster churn, just never having the right pieces in place at the right time roster-wise (guys too young and aren't ready yet or guys that would've made an even bigger impact going into a year left for the NFL or transferred (the latter of which doesn't happen all that much at Iowa), or guys get injured and it stalls our progress), that kind of bullsh** cant-have-nice-things stuff happens almost every year with Iowa to keep us coming up just short of having a roster capable of maximum results.............

But I don't give a sh** about "Kirk's legacy" and him being able to ride off into the sunset whenever he wants if it also means every new year is the same ole "well it's Fall again.....time to see what new ways Iowa can come up with to go 8-4 in football!!! "

Last year would just seem like a total waste if all they did was resign themselves to this idea that our roster just isn't quite good enough right now to do any better than 7-5, 8-4 with potential losses to Northwestern, Minnesota, Purdue, Illinois or Nebraska.

I don't give a single solitary f*** what those programs did to improve their own roster.

It's on Iowa....and Kirk....to figure it out and stop f***ing finding ways to not win big games, games against ranked teams, and games against teams they don't have any business losing to simply because "they weren't ready yet" or they "overlooked" their f***ing opponent.

Enough with that sh**. I watched them miss their window last year while at least showing glimpses that they were turning that corner as far as competing in big games against good teams, not pooping their pants in crunch time and doing it with a more competent-looking offense.

It would be a more than minor indictment on Kirk if we just spun our f***ing tires and went back to the drawing board even for any myriad of reasons up to and including bullsh** can't-have-nice-things season-decimating injuries, if we went 8-4 (or potentially worse, because we always can.......) in 2026.

I'm saying because of what they did last year, they dont get the luxury of hiding behind any excuses such as our DL being young or having new linebackers or a couple new linemen and more than likely inconsistent QB play while we f*** around with figuring out who will be the full time starter this year..........

Not in this NIL/free agency/transfer portal era where a program like Indiana is spending roughly the same amount of money as us (and depending on who you ask, is spending LESS than us), and yet are able to reload their roster with more talented players and potentially have another top 10 team.

Getting lapped by Indiana in that regard while we watch Iowa f*** around with Northwestern and Purdue and hope we don't sh** the bed again against Iowa State is already an indictment on Kirk's legacy.

So there are no excuses that will be allowed if we lose to any of those teams this year, and that includes Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska as well.

They will have had their chance to make themselves great and if they fail, then it will be because they chose instead to be good because it was safer and more cost-effective..............

Don't be like the Minnesota Vikings where the motto "good is the enemy of great" to them means "great" is the enemy.


You're all welcome, and if I could, I would @ this to Kakert, Leistikow and Dochtermann and the rest of the big wig Iowa sports media as well, just so they understand where the actual expectations for this team need to be...............


P.S. and I'm sure someone like eyesof will reply to this post with "You don't think Kirk and Iowa expect to win and aren't trying their hardest to blah blah blah-" and they can tell us all they want about how hard they're trying and what their expectations are, but the answer to that question will depend solely on the results of the regular season.

Period.

Did we have too much to drink?