All season long I have been passing along my quick thoughts about the Hawks with my Uncle John, who is out in Colorado these days. He is an Iowa alum and fellow die-hard Hawkeye. He lived in Michigan for a while so he had alot to say before the game. Just thought I might share a few back and forths with you. (Please excuse misspells and errors, but I wanted to preserve the messages as they are.)
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Uncle John,
Michigan in review...
I'll start with the off-the-field stuff: the people in Michigan were the best! Friday night we found a honkytonk by our hotel in Canton MI. At first it looked like a pretty rough joint, but we had a blast hanging out with the people. My friends really enjoyed the live band and dancing, but I mostly enjoyed the conversation and beer, as usual. (If you could take your beer on the dance floor I might consider it) Saturday we did a little tailgating before finding our press passes. They really know how to do it right in Ann Arbor. The Michigan fans showed great hospitality, and I got a lot of "you guys ain't fucking BUCKeyes, so you're alright with us!". Then they would shove beers in our hands and offer us a brat. I've always been a bit of a Michigan hater, and while I still think Rich Rodriguez is a crybaby and the worst coach in the Big Ten (especially now, after the Tim Brewster firing), I will have a hard time rooting against the Wolverines after this past weekend. Oh and you were right...they do call it the BIG HOUSE for a reason.
The game itself was awesome, the best game this season for a Hawkeye fan. 140+ yards for Adam Robinson on 30+ carries, plus he had some receiving yard to go along with that. 200+ total yards I think. Most of his big runs and both of his TDs were along the left side, with Rieff and Vandervelde. Zues and MacMillan are coming along but running the ball left and right is night and day. I thought it was awesome when the Hawks ran a roll out pass to the TE for 20 yards or so but it was called back for illegal formation. They ran the same play again, this time for 10. Classic! In case you didn't know: DJK set the school record for receiving yards, and the 38 point scored by the Hawkeyes was the most EVER scored by an Iowa team against Michigan, and we could have scored more if we really needed to. (We ran the ball on 3rd and 8 late in the game)
Looking ahead to Wisconsin: Badgers coming off the OSU upset will come to Kinnick riding high, but we match up well with them, as far as stopping the run and getting pressure when we need it. their defensive end JJ Watts is a motor-always-running kind of player, (very similar to former Hawk Matt Roth, except Roth is about as smart as a brick) who could give us trouble, especially if he bounces around to take on Zuesevicks. Keeping Stanzi upright could be a real problem. And their o-line is massive and athletic. They basically have 5 American bison in football pads. We may have to blitz for pressure, but thats not our style. Also, we have gotten better at kick and punt coverage, but Gullory took the opening kick to the house for the Badgers against Ohio State.. look out.
This was a long one...GO HAWKS!
Kif Richmann
Sports Director
KRUI 89.7 FM
kruisports@gmail.com
319 464 2043
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Kif,
Glad you had a good time. I've spent a lot of time in Canton and Ann Arbor
and know the area well. Hillsdale is about 75 minutes away. I watched the
first 3 quarters and liked it. Glad I missed the last quarter though. Was
that the best our defense could do or was the plan to let them move it while
eating up the clock? Did Norm have a serious setback (heart attack) or is he
doing better?
Once again, though, I agree with you assessment. This week is a much sterner
test and I think we win a close one -- that only if the o-line and Arob can
move the ball and our dbacks and linebackers can step it up. If not, long
day for us.
Rich Rod is a not the right guy for any team in the Big Ten, much less
Michigan. Big East, SEC, ACC ok, but not for a conference that at least
tries to play by the rules. He is also an ass. Same is true of Brewster. I
saw him at breakfast in my hotel in Newport Beach after the NC game in
January. I walked by and said, "go Big Ten". He eyeballed me for a few
minutes thereafter as if he was trying to figure out what I meant -- he must
have thought I was giving him a hard time. Struck me as an awkward, insecure
and overly competitive guy.
Thanks, always enjoy these.
JEC
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