Iowa Football 2011 Preview, Predictions, Picks, Odds
As the 2011 NCAA Football Season approaches, we are providing season previews for every college football teams to give you the betting edge. Follow the best College Football Handicappers as they analyze their teams in this 2011 season preview. Be sure to bookmark SportsbookBuzz.com your source for Sportsbook Reviews. Use our comprehensive and insider info to bet successfully on the College Football in our recommend sportsbooks.View the rest of our 2011 NCAA Football Season Previews here.
2010 Record: 8-5 Big 10 Record: 4-4 (T-4th) 2011 Returning Starters: 11; 5 offense, 5 defense, kicker
Coach: Kirk Ferentz, 89-60 (12 years)
Offensive Coordinators: Ken O’Keefe Defensive Coordinators: Norm Parker
2011 Iowa Players to Watch: WR Marvin McNutt, OT Riley Reiff, QB JamesVandenberg, RB Marcus Coker, CB Shaun Prater, FS Micah Hyde, DT Mike Daniels
2011 Iowa Strengths:
The offensive line has a chance to be among the best in the Big Ten. It’s not the steamroller-type you expect from this conference, but it’s an athletic group that should execute lowa’s zone running schemes to perfection.The defense should have more speed than 2010, when Iowa folded in the fourth quarter.
2011 Iowa Weaknesses:
The defensive line is largely unproven, which is killer for the 4-3 Iowa has run for 12 seasons under coordinator Norm Parker. Iowa can’t afford another season of shaky special teams, which directly put two losses on the Hawkeyes last season. No guarantees they’ll be better.
2011 Iowa Offense:
Junior James Vandenberg will be handed the keys to the Iowa offense as the replacement for Ricky at quarterback. Vandenberg has a stronger arm than Stanzi, but he is still mostly unproven. Iowa fans are hoping that Vandenberg can do on a regular basis this season what he did for two quarters against Ohio State as a redshirt freshman in 2009 when he threw for over 200 yards against the Buckeyes on the road with a conference title on the line. But he also threw three interceptions, including two in the fourth quarter, and struggled in his only other start, a 12–0 victory over Minnesota the week after the Ohio State game. Vandenberg will certainly benefit from the return of senior receiver Marvin McNutt, who nearly left for the NFL. McNutt led Iowa with 53 catches for 861 yards and eight touchdowns last season. But as usual, the key to Iowa’s grind-it-out offense will be the running game, and signs point to a potentially potent attack. Five players with starting experience return on the offensive line to block for rising star Marcus Coker, who as a true freshman rushed for 219 yards during Iowa’s 27–24 victory over Missouri in the Insight Bowl.
2011 Iowa Defense:
Iowa’s heralded defensive line didn’t live up to the hype last season, but it still won’t be easy replacing three of the four starters from that unit, including All-America defensive end Adrian Clayborn. Senior end Broderick Binns has played mostly in the shadow of Clayborn, but Binns still has 18 starts under his belt. The defense needs him to be more than just a role player. The same goes for hard-nosed senior tackle Mike Daniels, who started eight games last season. Daniels has a motor that never stops, and his teammates feed off his energy. Iowa was decimated by injuries at linebacker last season, but that allowed James Morris to step in as a true freshman and show star potential. Senior Tyler Nielsen started the first eight games at outside linebacker last season before suffering a season-ending neck injury. Nielsen spent nearly two months in a neck brace but has since made a full recovery. The secondary will feature a new look now that the safety duo of Tyler Sash and Brett Greenwood has moved on. Sash decided to skip his senior season to enter the NFL Draft after twice making first-team All-Big Ten. Senior cornerback Shaun Prater also flirted with leaving a year early for the NFL, but he decided to return.
2011 Iowa Special Teams:
Sophomore kicker Mike Meyer returns after hitting 14 of 17 field goal attempts as a freshman. Senior Eric Guthrie and redshirt freshman Jonny Mullings will duel for punter. But the real story for Iowa won’t be the specialists, but the play of the overall unit, which cost the Hawkeyes games against Arizona and Wisconsin last season with costly returns and blocked kicks.
| 2011 Iowa Football Schedule | Iowa Football Sportsbooks |
2011 Iowa Predictions:
Unlike a year ago, this team won’t be burdened by high expectations entering the season. Last year’s November collapse is still fresh in everybody’s mind, and there are too many holes to fill on both offense and defense for Iowa to be considered much of a threat by outsiders. The good news is that the Hawkeyes usually do better under veteran coach Kirk Ferentz when they are flying under the radar. His teams have a history of overachieving when little is expected from them.
2011 Iowa Betting Odds:
Iowa Current odds to win a National Championship: +20000
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