I know I promised a Michigan preview over the weekend, but my time got taken up by the Bud Mackey situation and transcribing an interview Mike and I had with Coach Sampson last week. In honor of the football team's win over Iowa, let's take a look at the Hawkeyes. When I pulled Iowa's roster from the internet, I have to admit that I saw very few familiar names. Things could be a bit challenging for new Coach Todd Lickliter this season.
Coach Lickliter is next in the line of many Buter University coaches to make the jump to high-major programs in the past several years. Lickliter was named National Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches for the 2006-2007 season after leading the Bulldogs to a 29-win season which included the Preseason NIT championship and a spot in the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Tournament. He replaces former Hoosier player Steve Alford who left to coach at New Mexico.
Backcourt With guard Adam Haluska (20.5 ppg last season) graduated, the Hawkeyes have very little experience in the backcourt. Junior college transfer Justin Johnson will likely be counted on to produce after scoring 15 ppg last season for Tyler Community College in Tyler, Tx. Hoosier natives may be familiar with J.R. Angle (Franklin) and Jake Kelley (Carmel). Angle is coming off a redshirt sophomore season. Kelley had a successful final two seasons at Carmel High School after moving from Illinois.
Frontcourt Last season's freshman sensation Tyler Smith transfered to Tennessee to be close to his father who is suffering from lung cancer. Smith was named 3rd team All-Big Ten last season, putting up 14.9 ppg and 4.9 rebounds a game. Losing Smith really hurts Iowa up front this season. As with the guards, there are few players who have logged significant minutes in the collegiate level.
Outlook Other than the match-up with Wake Forrest in the Big10/ACC challenge, Iowa has a very managable pre-conference schedule with 10 home games before starting the Big 10 season. They do have a couple of games with Missouri Valley foes Bradley and Northern Iowa, which are never easy victories. The light schedule is a good thing for Lickliter as he will have to find which players can adjust to playing night in and night out at the collegiate level.
The Hawkeyes will likely finish towards the bottom part of the Big 10 this season. It could be hard for Lickliter to swallow as his former team, the Butler Bulldogs, is likely headed for another successful season under new coach Brad Stevens (my boyhood idol for his stellar play in leading Zionsville High School to its last sectional championship in 1994). This team is a couple of years and some good recruits away from contending for any hardware, but Lickliter (one of several quality coaches to come to the Big 10 in the past few years) should be up for the job. Don't expect an easy victory against the Hawkeyes, especially in Iowa City where the Hoosiers have struggled in the past.
What are the Hawkeyes' chances this year? Can anyone shed anymore light on this group of relative unknowns? Any and all comments are always appreciated.
