2009 Record – 11-2, 6-2 Big Ten
Bowl Game – Orange Bowl – Beat Georgia Tech 24-14
Letterman Returning: 48
Stadium – Kennick Stadium (70,585)
College Location – Iowa City, IA
Coach – Kirk Ferentz 81-55 (12th year)
OFFENSE: (6)
Key Returnees – QB Ricky Stanzi, T Riley Reiff, RB Adam Robinson (below), WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, WR Marvin McNutt
Key Losses – T Bryan Bulaga, C Rafael Eubanks, T Kyle Calloway
- It’s hard to talk about Iowa’s 2009 offense, especially if you were a Hawkeye defender in ’09; in which case it’s like toying with an open wound. In 2008, the Hawkeye’s featured a potent rushing attack with running back 
Shon Greene, who broke onto the scene rushing for an Iowa record 1,850 yards and 20 touchdowns, leading a No. 26 ranked rushing offense. Greene opted for the NFL Draft, however, and the Iowa offense lost its identity. Last season, while trying to find a new leading rusher, an immense amount of pressure was placed on quarterback Ricky Stanzi. The junior led an offense that seemed nonexistent at times for an Iowa team which won four games by three points or fewer. Stanzi, now stepping into his third season as the starter, threw for 2,417 yards with 17 touchdowns, while also throwing 15 interceptions last season. The senior should be more poised as a starter in 2010, but will need to limit the amount of mistakes he makes if the offense wants to be successful. The rushing game features a pair of sophomores in Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher. The duo rushed for 834 and 641 yards respectively, with 13 touchdowns combined. Expect Robinson, who played much of last season with injuries, to be a different player for the Iowa offense in 2010. In the Big Ten, a lot of games can be won and lost in the trenches. Last season Iowa featured three all-conference selections along the offensive line, including the No.1 draft choice of the Green Bay Packers, in tackle Bryan Bulaga. Unfortunately, all three have moved on, leaving questions for Iowa along its offensive line. Past guard, Riley Reiff, will move to Bulaga’s tackle position. Senior guard, Julian Vandervelde, is the only returning starter along the front.
DEFENSE: (8)
Key Returnees – DE Adrian Clayborn (below), DT Karl Klug, S Tyler Sash, DT Christian Ballard, LB Jeremiha Hunter, CB Shaun Pratter
Key Losses – LB Pat Angerer, CB Amari Spievey, LB AJ Edds
- Counting the number of game changing and game saving plays the 2009 Iowa defense had last season is like counting the number of Cadillac’s and Buicks in a senior community parking lot. 
The No. 10 nationally ranked defense, the Hawkeyes came away with 30 takeaways in ’09. In both areas of the game the defense excelled, holding teams to below a three yard rushing average in six games, while also placing a 49 percent season completion percentage on opposing quarterbacks. Explaining to a football fan that the Iowa defense is exciting to watch is like telling a cowboy bull riding is dangerous, it’s something many should have figured out by now. The key to the defense starts up front along the line where all four starters return, including pre-season All-American candidate, Adrian Clayborn. Clayborn broke through last season for 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss from his end position. The senior is joined by returning starters in senior tackles Christian Ballard and Karl Klug and junior end Broderick Binns, who between the three, combined for 15 sacks and 32 tackles for loss last season. The team losses all-conference linebacker Pat Angerer, who led the team with 145 tackles, but returns senior linebacker Jeremiha Hunter. Angerer’s position will be filled by senior Troy Johnson, who in his only game as a starter last season, received the Big Ten Player of the Week award. The secondary returns three starters in juniors Shaun Prater and Tyler Sash and senior Brett Greenwood. Sash had 12 passes defended in ’09 and six interceptions from his safety position. Prater, a corner, and Greenwood, the other safety, brought in 10 passes defended each.
SCHEDULE:
- Last years 11 wins by the Hawkeye’s were the most fans in Iowa City have seen since the 2002 season. A pair of six win seasons in ’06 and ’07, followed by nine in ’08, rose to 11 last seasons much in part to the defense. A 12-2 home record the last two years has propelled the Hawkeye’s to one of the Big Ten’s favorites the last few seasons. There are however, a few teams in the Big Ten conference that have given the Hawkeye’s headaches over the last five years, in Northwestern and Ohio State. Iowa is 0-3 against the Buckeyes and 1-4 against the Wildcats the last five years, losing to both last season. This year, the annual early season meeting against rival Iowa State is slated for a Sept. 11 matchup. A trip to Arizona is scheduled a week later. An eight game conference streak kicks off Oct. 2 on homecoming against Penn State, a team looking for three years of revenge. A trip to Ann Arbor is set for Oct. 16 against Michigan, following a bye week, with home meetings against Wisconsin and Michigan State in the weeks following. A road trip to Indiana kicks off the month of November. A conference title can’t be won for the Hawkeyes without a win at thorn-in-the-side Northwestern, on Nov. 13. The same can be said in a home meeting against Ohio State Nov. 20. A trip to Minnesota ends the season Nov. 27.
Schedule rating: B-
Red = Toughest Game. Blue = Pivotal to conference.
Top Incoming Freshman:
1.) C.J. Fiedorowicz (below), *#2 TE, 6-7 240, Johnsburg, IL
Fiedforowicz may bring back excitement to the tight end position that hasn’t been around since Dallas Clark.
2.) A.J. Derby, #38 QB, 6-5 220, Iowa City, IA
Derby, a local, fits the mold of the prototypical Iowa pocket passer.
3.) Andrew Donnal, #24 OT, 6-7 280, Whitehouse, OH
A U.S Army All-American, Donnal is a tremendous athletic offensive line prospect.
4.) Austin Gray, #17 MLB, 6-2 210, Warren, MI
Gray, an excellent linebacker against the run, slipped the grasp of in-state schools Michigan and Michigan State.
5.) Marcus Coker, #50 RB, 6-0 230, Hayattsville, MD
Coker has superb speed for a kid his size, clocking a 4.5 40 at 230 pounds.
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