Looks like Iowa wants to be there

Submitted by freelion on January 1st, 2019 at 1:21 PM

Seems to translate to better results on the field. Players are jumping around and excited - not standing around looking lost.

FauxMo

January 1st, 2019 at 1:24 PM ^

I've always assumed that Iowa was the most roided-up team in the Big Ten, only slightly ahead of MSU. Not really sure where I got that idea, but I still think it's true. 

LV Sports Bettor

January 1st, 2019 at 4:41 PM ^

I actually agree with you. So lame all the cheating accusations here yet the fact is NO ONE ever gets caught but bag men, yeah right. 

No disgruntled former player ever comes out and does a tell all story ever especially considering he'd be paid tons of money if so also. Somehow thousands of players are all keeping this secret. 

CCCgoblue

January 1st, 2019 at 5:02 PM ^

You're damn right it did.  Worked good for a sell out traitor supposedly from Hawaii, Chicago or wherever.   And a Crime scene investigation from Arkansas.   How's that work for you.  Shut up and sit in you closet.  And yes mods, shut it down and ban me.  Tired of daily reading this blog and bitches making comments such as I replied to.  The grown ups are fed up.

Larry Appleton

January 1st, 2019 at 1:25 PM ^

‘Member when they were one game away from the playoffs, lost, went to a NY6 bowl and proceeded to get jail-sexed by Stanford?

B1G Winning

January 1st, 2019 at 1:31 PM ^

You want to see a team that wants to be in a bowl game, flip on the Fiesta Bowl.

UCF is looking like a team on fire early.

This is the first UCF game I’ve watched this year, and surprise, they’re a fun and exciting team to watch.

michgoblue

January 1st, 2019 at 1:34 PM ^

Yeah, I’ve tried not to get into the whole “team looks disinterested,” meaningless bowl game line of thinking. But watching UCF and Iowa, there is a noticeable difference in the energy level that these teams are playing with, when contrast with that of our team this past week (other than Chase and Hudson). 

freelion

January 1st, 2019 at 1:37 PM ^

That's my criticism of the coaching staff even moreso than schemes. They have come out flat repeatedly in big games. I have no idea why but there is some problem there. They come out jumping around to play crappy teams at home but bring on energy for road games against good opponents. Maybe their pre-game routine is wearing them out or something.

jmblue

January 1st, 2019 at 3:37 PM ^

Two things:

1.  Disinterested (i.e., impartial) =/= uninterested.  Pet peeve of mine.

2.  I don't really think that we looked flat.  I thought we played pretty hard in the first half but really missed Bush, Gary and Higdon.  Then the game gradually got out of hand, exacerbated by the fact that we had always been a ball-control offense during the regular season.  We were never great in must-pass situations.  (Why we were never great is a question that the staff needs to figure out, because the personnel was there.)

Merlin.64

January 1st, 2019 at 4:01 PM ^

Now these are two opinions I am happy to share.

The first is, I fear, a lost cause, to be lamented over by grammarians and those concerned with clarity of communication as opposed to deniability. 

As to the second, we can but hope the coaches  work on the passing game for next year, so that it can be a more consistent threat. The personnel is in place and they have gained another year of experience. Could this be the way to get over the hump?

bacon1431

January 1st, 2019 at 1:40 PM ^

This is why bowl games - unless it’s the Rose Bowl (for personal subjective reasons) and the CFP - don’t really matter to me in terms of evaluating a team or season. There are so many factors - players sitting out, teams being up, teams being down, location, month to prepare, coaches looking for other jobs etc etc - that aren’t really a factor the rest of the season and are unique to bowls. I want us to play well and win and it’s disappointing when the team gives up easily like we did in the second half on Saturday, but I don’t get real worked up about it. The Peach Bowl performance as a whole won’t really factor in how I view next season. It might from an individual perspective - ie really liked what I saw from Turner - but not from a team perspective. JMO

MadMatt

January 1st, 2019 at 1:47 PM ^

Three thoughts:

1. I'm still as salty as the Dead Sea about our team getting sent to the Jimmy John's Bail Bonds Bowl on 28 Dec, while teams that Michigan trampled played in better games on New Year's Eve or Day.

2. LSU has even more players sitting out than Michigan, handing Devry Florida University a chance to look better than they are. That said, if they go 12-0 again next season, they got to be in the playoffs.

3. ESPN isn't even pretending to be anything other than the SEC network.

BoCanHam15

January 1st, 2019 at 2:03 PM ^

So have you been to Iowa?  Entertaining huh? If you had an all expense paid trip say to anywhere and you were a Hawkeye I think you’d be happy!  Michigan players played Florida 3 times in two years!  Yay!!!  No excuses for our game but give me a break.

Perkis-Size Me

January 1st, 2019 at 2:19 PM ^

Iowa doesn’t have national title aspirations. They have realistic expectations about what their program is, what it can accomplish, and what it can/can’t do.

So....yeah....beating a mid-tier SEC team ina New Year’s Day Bowl is a huge deal for them.

Larry Appleton

January 1st, 2019 at 2:26 PM ^

Joe Burrow is having the kind of game I was so hoping Shea would have had.  Now I’m sad again.

hailgary

January 1st, 2019 at 2:29 PM ^

I hope Harbaugh is watching these games. Of all the bowl games I’ve watched Michigan looked liked the least interested team to be playing. I just hope this team doesn’t implode this off season.