Featured News
August 06, 2007
Iowa and Michigan Preview
By Apparao Prattipati
Iowa
The Hawkeyes are a tough team to predict. Last year they started out 4–0, got demolished by Ohio State in a nationally televised night game on their own turf, and finished the regular season at 6–6. Finishing the season in the Alamo Bowl, they outplayed Texas before finally capitulating by 2 points. So it’s really anyone’s guess on how they will follow-up last season, but the defense and running game will have to carry them.
Iowa lost one of their greatest players when quarterback Drew Tate finally graduated after what seemed like eight years as a starter. Replacing him will be highly touted, prepped-since-infancy-to-be-QB, Sophomore Jake Christianson. Supporting him will be the usual Kirk Ferentz coached offensive line and a fundamentally sound tailback in Albert Young. The big play threat on offense will be wide receiver Dominique Douglas, who may have been the best freshman in America a year ago. Texas had major problems coping with him as he would simply run by anyone that Texas tried match up with him. Iowa likes to play a balanced offense with the running game opening up the pass. If they can protect Christianson from long yardage situations, this could be a relatively efficient offense.
On defense Iowa is without star power, but this senior filled group is solid and won’t make many mistakes. They will be led by linebacker Mike Klinkenborg, who was one of the most consistent tacklers in the nation last year. Overall, Iowa should have one of the better defenses in the conference.
While Iowa misses both Ohio State and Michigan, they have three games which are potential losses; at Iowa State, Wisconsin, and at Penn State. Anything less than eight wins would most likely be a disappointment to Hawkeye fans. Expect this team to be playing in Florida on Jan 1st.
Michigan
The Wolverines head into the 2007 campaign as the favorites to win the Big Ten because of the strong group of returning offensive players. They’ll need that offensive dominance because the defense might be among the weakest seen under Lloyd Carr. They return just three starters on defense and have some big issues to deal with in the secondary.
What do you get when you potentially have the best quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and left tackle in nation? With all of these ingrediants, logic would suggest that this will be the best offense in nation. Chad Henne, Mike Hart, Mario Manningham, and Jake Long form the backbone of what should be considered a force of nature (as long as they aren’t playing after November). The only offensive question mark will be the that they will get from Ecker and Masser at tight end, and if Adrien Arrington will be on the team to be the Robin to Manningham’s Batman.
And now the ugly side of Michigan - the defense. As well as Michigan played defensively last year over the final two games when defending the pass, they might as well have started four kittens in the secondary. While the defense only returns three starters (a fourth-year starter will be relegated to nickel back duties), let’s not forget this is Michigan and they don’t recruit just anybody. You can bank on the defensive line and the linebackers to be athletic and learn quickly. The real issue for this team will be the secondary who will probably get burned causing the Wolverines to lose a game or two.
Michigan’s schedule is favorable with Penn State at home and Ohio State at home, with the major road test being Wisconsin on the road. (Of course they could play Penn State in Joe’s backyard, only be allowed to use their left hands, and most Lion fans would still consider Michigan the favorites) Watch out for Illinois in Champaign in October as the Wolverines traditionally struggle against mobile quarterbacks. This team will be in the both Big Ten and National Championship race until the end, but an undefeated year looks unlikely thanks to the weak secondary.
Next up we’ll preview Michigan State and Minnesota in the NittanyFootball.com Big Ten preview series.
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