STANZI IS NOW 17-4 AS A STARTER. UH, HUM. THE DUDE HAS 14 PICKS AND 15 TD’S THIS SEASON…LOOKING BACK AT LAST YEAR, HE DID NOT COME OUT GUNS A-BLAZIN, AND FOR THAT MATTER, REALLY HAS NEVER SET HAWK NATION ON FIRE.  IN THE KIRK FERENTZ ERA HE IS NOT EVEN IN THE TOP 4 OR 5 BEST.  TATE…BANKS…CHANDLER…MAYBE EVEN SCOTTY MULLEN IS ON PAR WITH STANZI?????  but he’s just a hell of a ton better fit then ole Jake… more on the hefty lefty later…

Stanzi WASN’T A WINNER AT FIRST…HE DID NOT RALLY US TO BEAT A HORRIBLE PITT TEAM…LOST AT ILLINOIS AND AT MICHIGAN STATE, AND THREW INCOMPLETIONS ON HIS FINAL FOUR ATTEMPTS TRYING TO RALLY US AGAINST NORTHWESTERN LAST YEAR…YES NW…I REALIZE STANZI HAS GAINED LEADERSHIP AND THE TRUST OF HIS TEAMMATES SINCE THEN, BUT TO SAY IOWA WINS THE GAME IF HE DID NOT GET HURT IS LIKE TAKING A LEAK INTO THE WIND.  I’M NOT SURE WHAT MAKES IOWA FANS SAY THESE THINGS??

 AFTER THE TD PASS TO McNUTT, HE WAS 3 OF 8 FOR 40 YARDS…A BAD PICK, AND THEN THE PLAY THAT ENDED HIS REGULAR SEASON…SO WHAT??  You’re telling me that WEGHER DOESN’T FUMBLE…AND HIS TD DOESN’T GET CALLED BACK IF STANZI STAYS IN THE GAME??  I’M JUST SAYING GROW UP AND BE REAL.  NW BEAT US LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR…AND WILL DO IT AGAIN IF OUR QB ISN’T MORE PREPARED ON A NAKED BOOT IN THE END ZONE…NW DOES A GREAT JOB AGAINST IOWA…

DID YOU REALLY WATCH JAMES VANDENBERG??  I MEAN REALLY?  FREE KIN

K.O.K. LET THE DUDE THROW THE BALL 27 TIMES…READ MY LIPS, 27 TIMES…MAYBE ME ‘N OLE KEN ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO NOTICED THE DEEP OUT WITH SIZZLE…THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND WHEN AND WHY TO THROW THE BALL AWAY…AND WITH CONVICTION!!!  MAYBE ME AND KEN ARE DUMB…BUT I’M WITH K.O.K.   JVB IS GOING TO BE A LIVIN’ WITCH… HE IS CHUCK LONG WITH GAS.

AND, IF I EVER HEAR ANOTHER HAWK FAN MAKE A REFERENCE TO JAKE CHRISTENSON, I WILL FIND SOMEONE TO GO TANYA HARDING ON YOU.  JAKE HAS A HEART OF GOLD…HE HAS GREAT CHARACTER…I THINK HE IS A MORE NATURAL LEADER THAN STANZI…BUT HE WAS NOT A FIT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA…AND DRUNK, (I’m sure the kid has never drank) BLINDFOLDED, WITH ONE ARM TIED BEHIND HIS BACK, JVB WOULD BE BETTER THAN JAKE…

LET’S GO…LET’S START BELIEVING…LET’S NOT EXPECT ANYTHING BUT GREATNESS…YES, STANZI CAN PLAY WHEN HE GETS BACK…BLAH, BLAH, BLAH WHATEVER…BUT THIS JVB KID HAS THE TOOLS…HE IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF QB THAN STANZI…ALL OFFENSIVE PLAYERS WITH THE ABILITY TO CATCH THE FOOTBALL BETTER START RUNNING HARDER ROUTES…AND BE READY TO CATCH THE BALL EARLIER IN THE PATTERN…JVB AIN’T GOING TO HOLD THE OLD THE PIGSKIN…AND YOU KNOW WHAT?  HE AIN’T GOING TO LOB IT TO YOU…

HEY MARVIN…RUN YOUR McNUTTS OFF…RUN HARDER…THE BALL IS BEATING YOU TO YOUR SPOTS…

HEY TREY STROSS…RUN HARDER…AND BE READY FOR THE BALL AT ALL TIMES…NOT WHEN IT WORKS FOR YOU…

HEY DJK…HE’S NOT PERFECT…MAYBE CATCH THE BALL IF IT IS NOT PERFECT…

DARE TO BE GREAT OFFENSIVE PLAYERS…BEATING THE BUCKEYES WITH JVB IS NO DIFFERENT THEN GONG IN THERE WITH STANZI…I KNOW THE PLAYERS WILL BELIEVE THAT COME GAME TIME…I HAVE TO BELIEVE THE STAFF WILL HAVE THEM READY TO ROLL…

IF HAWK FANS DON’T BELIEVE, THEN DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME WATCHING THE GAME AND ROOTING FOR IOWA…I DON’T WANT YOU AROUND… BECOME A BULLDOG FAN OR MOVE YOUR LAME ATTITUDE TO STORY COUNTY ON SATURDAY…

THE TIME IS NOW…COLUMBUS DISCOVERED AMERICA, NOW COLUMBUS WILL DISCOVER THE NEXT GREAT IOWA QB…IT’S NOT A CHANDLER, IT’S NOT THE FUTURE WITH Beutjer…

Outback Look back

Hawk defense takes turn… first pass Tyler Sash with the pick.. Hawks defenders still throwing blocks after the whistle.. They are here for a fist fight.. Gamecocks wobbling and nearly on life support.. Greene.. Greene Greene.. TD Greene.. 14-0… 4:40 left in the first..

Defense continues.. SC QB Garcia Whacked. Fumble.. Sash on it..

  Offense seemed to get a little soft here. First a goofy pass to Moeaki a couple of incomplete throws to DJK one Greene rush for 5 yards.. This lead to a 45 yard FG miss by Murray.. Which I still have no Idea if it was close or not.. ESPN’s TV coverage of this game was not up to par.. They went through the motions and never got us to replays let alone catch the action as it happened. I had no real issues with the announcers.. Just though I had to use my DVR a little too much.. Offense’s third possession was a missed opportunity. I felt they had a game plan to include Moeaki.. I realize he is a talented player that has had some bad luck. But I feel featuring him in this game is a slight slap in the face of players like Brodell and Myers who have been reliable and consistent. Personal and selfish issue to me.. not a major deal, just an observation.

Gamecocks stop wobbling for a moment. Defense played a little bend don’t break.. Rush is getting heat but no sacks.. Fletcher gets the big pick in the end zone.. Parkers Boys hold again..

Start at 20.. Little pass to Morse.. Greene Run 1^st and 10. And we throw to a pass on 1^stdown to TE running vertical. Moeaki is the beneficiary here. It is a great call, for sure with kids like Tony, Brandon and Mr Risner.. But Go back to my personal/selfish side for a moment and I wish at some point in his career Myers would have been able to catch a vertical route on first down.

Great call anyway,, and overdue.. Leads to the Stanzi almost TD. Ruled down.. Greene finishes the deal.. 9-plays 80 yards.. 21-0 Gamecocks out cold but somehow still standing.. 8:09 left in the second

Defense back on field.. Hammer the Gamecocks on a big 3^rdand one.. It was cool….. Kroul and King were awesome on the play.. A moment that really defined what this team and defense were this year.. Cocks converted on 4^th and short.. And then Sash picked another one.. Made a nice run fumbled but Hawks got on it..

Then my selfish side gets a little more hot.. The hawks go Greene for 7… Good pass to DJK.. Moeaki again… then on second and 3 throw up a jump ball to Moeaki in the end zone.. No problem with the play call but not sure you throw up a ball in traffic to the softest player on your offense.. The guy is good.. But his effort on that play was weak. Sorry my “Man Crush” on Myers aside. I was miffed at that one.. Another missed opportunity, gamecocks get a moment to try to regain consciousness. D Holds….. Stanzi has a ball tipped and picked.. Hawks go to half up 21-0.… Cock-A-Doodle-Doo

The”Old”  Ball Coach goes to Smelly in the second half.. Up 21-0 and the cocks have a Smelly QB and a Succop(Pronounced Suck Up) for a kicker?? Really,, Iowa can’t lose to this dysfunctional train wreck. The Old Ball Coach looks like he is whispering to his coaches about football but I’m wondering if he is confirming Tee Times..

Anyhow, Smelly’s first pass not bad, but Fletcher knocks if from the WR.. IOWA BALL AGAIN..

OMG GREENE 5 carries Hampton 1… First and goal.. I think now is the time to reward one of my boys.. Throw it to Brodell or Myers right here.. But no.. Hampton.. Greene Twice for no gain.. FG.. Whoopee 24-0.. Game over.

Smelly then catches a little fire.. FG is good then..called off because of another error by the cocks.. Re-kick is no good.. Parker’s boys still have the shutout!

Offense on the field we are using all the play clock.. .. I hate this but understand it.. I have a tendency to want to destroy teams of lesser talent when given the chance.. Boom, we do get a delay of game… no matter.. We realize that Brodell and Myers are on the team.. Each catch a pass.. And Greene finishes it with ease.. 31-0.. On his way to the NFL.. No Doubt..

Cocks are done and frankly horrible. Do add 10 late points.. HAWKS knock the gamecock out of the kicker on the an onside kick.. come on?? DORK ball coach..     Hawks do get senior Jared Oberland a late(probably too late)carry.. And season over.

As I’ve posted before, I wanted more for this team.. Not a national title but more. The loss at Pitt still bothers me. However the Character and Leadership of this Senior Class is impressive. Goes to show you passion is always more powerful than talent. Talent doesn’t hurt.. And the Hawks have a bunch returning.. Hope the passion returns to the field next year…….Along with “Iowa’s ball coach”… He would be missed..

AS FOR THE ISU VS IOWA GAME, I DON’T DO PREDICTIONS.

SOME KEYS:

-IOWA HAS MORE TO PROVE THIS SEASON THEN MAYBE EVER.

WATCH TEMPO, HOW MUCH TIME IS ON THE PLAY CLOCK WHEN THE BALL IS SNAPPED? IOWA’S TEMPO LAST YEAR WAS EMBARRASSING, WHILE ISU WAS CRISP. THE HAWKS HAVE ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE IN THE FIRST TWO GAMES BUT KEEP AN EYE ON IT SATURDAY.

-IOWA’S DEFENSIVE LINE COULD DICTATE THE OUTCOME OF THIS GAME, IN TURN IF THE CYCLONE QB’S ARE SPECIAL IT COULD MAKE THE GAME FUN.

-GENE HAS TO HAVE A BETTER TEAM THAN HE HAD LAST YEAR AND THE CLONES BEAT THE HAWKS ONE YEAR AGO AND I‘M CONVINCED THEY HAVE A TON MORE TALENT AND MORE CONFIDENCE HEADING INTO SATURDAY.

GAME HAS BECOME FIERCE AND CLOSE, BUT THAT CHANGES, HAWKS WIN IT COMFORTABLY SATURDAY