Athlon picks Hawks as No. 3
By Pat Harty
Iowa City Press-Citizen
For the past two weeks, Athlon Sports has done a daily countdown of its top 25 football teams for 2005 on its Web page.
The countdown has reached No. 8 and still there is no mention of the Iowa Hawkeyes.
In this case, good things come to those who wait.
Mitchell Light, editor of Athlon's Sports, said Wednesday that Iowa is ranked third in its preseason poll behind top-ranked Southern California and No. 2 Tennessee.
"We see this season as almost a culmination of the great work that Kirk Ferentz has done at Iowa," Light said. "We just think that Iowa is the class of the Big Ten.
"We've got Michigan and Ohio State close behind, but we just think Iowa is going to emerge as the best team in the Big Ten and is going to be in the hunt for the national title."
The Hawkeyes have combined to finish 31-7 under Ferentz over the past three seasons and twice have tied for the Big Ten title. There are nine offensive starters returning from last season's 10-2 team, including all Big Ten quarterback Drew Tate.
"Drew Tate is going to be one of the better quarterbacks in the country," Light said. "I think he's a guy that still is under the radar nationally. I don't think he will be after this year."
Light said the fact that Iowa has struggled at times, including finishing a combined 4-19 in 1999 and 2000, makes it hard for some to change their perception of the program.
"It's kind hard to look in the mirror and see how good you are and I think that's what Iowa needs to do," Light said. "There's no reason that they shouldn't be considered one of the elite teams in the nation.
"Sometimes, people get enamored with that Michigan name or that Ohio State name. You've got to keep in mind, Ohio State lost four games last year. This is a 4-4 Big Ten team. I just think Iowa on paper is better than both of those teams."
The biggest concern with Iowa is replacing all four starters on the defensive line, including all-America end Matt Roth and all-Big Ten tackle Jonathan Babineaux.
But Light said he feels there is enough talent and experience, especially at linebacker, to make up for those losses.
Seniors Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge are considered two of the top linebackers in the country. In fact, Athlon ranks Iowa's linebackers as the best in the country.
"The defense, despite the loss of that front four, I think is going to be outstanding with the linebackers," Light said. "The secondary should be strong."
Iowa also features one of the Big Ten's top returning kickers in junior Kyle Schlicher.
"That separates some of the very good teams," Light said. "Iowa is fortunate to be good on special teams."
But on the other hand, Light knows that being ranked high doesn't guarantee success. Iowa proved the prognosticators wrong by over-achieving in each of the past three seasons.
The team no longer has the luxury of slipping under the radar.
Iowa also faces a difficult schedule with road games at Iowa State, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin, meaning anything can happen.
"Especially in a power conference like the Big Ten," Light said. "I was talking about Louisville on the radio in Louisville and you look down their schedule and there's almost no potential losses.
"But you look at Iowa's schedule; we project them to go undefeated. But they could lose at Purdue. They could lose at Wisconsin. Northwestern is a good team.
"So there's a lot of hurdles and a lot of potential land mines on their schedule. But you just got to get through them."
By Pat Harty
Iowa City Press-Citizen
For the past two weeks, Athlon Sports has done a daily countdown of its top 25 football teams for 2005 on its Web page.
The countdown has reached No. 8 and still there is no mention of the Iowa Hawkeyes.
In this case, good things come to those who wait.
Mitchell Light, editor of Athlon's Sports, said Wednesday that Iowa is ranked third in its preseason poll behind top-ranked Southern California and No. 2 Tennessee.
"We see this season as almost a culmination of the great work that Kirk Ferentz has done at Iowa," Light said. "We just think that Iowa is the class of the Big Ten.
"We've got Michigan and Ohio State close behind, but we just think Iowa is going to emerge as the best team in the Big Ten and is going to be in the hunt for the national title."
The Hawkeyes have combined to finish 31-7 under Ferentz over the past three seasons and twice have tied for the Big Ten title. There are nine offensive starters returning from last season's 10-2 team, including all Big Ten quarterback Drew Tate.
"Drew Tate is going to be one of the better quarterbacks in the country," Light said. "I think he's a guy that still is under the radar nationally. I don't think he will be after this year."
Light said the fact that Iowa has struggled at times, including finishing a combined 4-19 in 1999 and 2000, makes it hard for some to change their perception of the program.
"It's kind hard to look in the mirror and see how good you are and I think that's what Iowa needs to do," Light said. "There's no reason that they shouldn't be considered one of the elite teams in the nation.
"Sometimes, people get enamored with that Michigan name or that Ohio State name. You've got to keep in mind, Ohio State lost four games last year. This is a 4-4 Big Ten team. I just think Iowa on paper is better than both of those teams."
The biggest concern with Iowa is replacing all four starters on the defensive line, including all-America end Matt Roth and all-Big Ten tackle Jonathan Babineaux.
But Light said he feels there is enough talent and experience, especially at linebacker, to make up for those losses.
Seniors Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge are considered two of the top linebackers in the country. In fact, Athlon ranks Iowa's linebackers as the best in the country.
"The defense, despite the loss of that front four, I think is going to be outstanding with the linebackers," Light said. "The secondary should be strong."
Iowa also features one of the Big Ten's top returning kickers in junior Kyle Schlicher.
"That separates some of the very good teams," Light said. "Iowa is fortunate to be good on special teams."
But on the other hand, Light knows that being ranked high doesn't guarantee success. Iowa proved the prognosticators wrong by over-achieving in each of the past three seasons.
The team no longer has the luxury of slipping under the radar.
Iowa also faces a difficult schedule with road games at Iowa State, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin, meaning anything can happen.
"Especially in a power conference like the Big Ten," Light said. "I was talking about Louisville on the radio in Louisville and you look down their schedule and there's almost no potential losses.
"But you look at Iowa's schedule; we project them to go undefeated. But they could lose at Purdue. They could lose at Wisconsin. Northwestern is a good team.
"So there's a lot of hurdles and a lot of potential land mines on their schedule. But you just got to get through them."
