Iowa at Minnesota (What to expect)
Posted on 26. Nov, 2010 by admin in Iowa Football
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
To get you all ready for Saturday’s game between No. 24 Iowa and Minnesota, I put together a list of things you ought to know before these two face off at TCF Bank Stadium.
At the end, I’ll provide what I think are three keys to an Iowa victory.
No. 24 Iowa Hawkeyes (7-4, 4-3) at Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-9, 1-6)
TCF Bank Stadium; Minneapolis, Minn.
Nov. 27, 2010
2:30 p.m. Central
TV: Big Ten Network (Eric Collins, Chris Martin, Charissa Thompson)
Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network (Gary Dolphin, Ed Podolak, Rob Brooks)
Weather: 27 degrees
Brendan’s Three Keys to the Game:
1. Positive psyche
Look, the Hawkeyes are on a two-game losing streak, and both defeats have left plenty around the state of Iowa frustrated. The team always talks about “flushing away” defeats, and it’s important to not let these last two losses affect them this weekend. Minnesota has absolutely nothing to lose going into this game, so I think it’s crucial for the Hawkeyes to play loose and not let the disappointment of not winning the Big Ten affect what they do on the field.
2. Pressure Weber
This is extremely important because the Golden Gophers’ problems aren’t so much on the offensive side of the ball. That said, quarterback Adam Weber is prone to poor decision-making when he is rushed into making a decision. Whether it’s the front four or the linebacking corps if and when Iowa were to blitz, putting heat on Weber is a must, otherwise he might be able to carve up this Hawkeye defense like a Thanksgiving turkey.
3. Kick away from Stoudemire
Iowa’s kickoff coverage has at times left a lot to be desired, and Troy Stoudemire is one of the conference’s best return men. The Hawkeyes need to keep the ball away from him on kickoffs, otherwise he is dangerous enough to at the very least give the Golden Gophers manageable field position, if not take one the distance like he almost did two weeks ago at Illinois. Special teams will need to be sharp in order for Iowa to keep Floyd of Rosedale in its possession.
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