For sure, same old same old?

The Spartans on Saturday lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes in a close overtime thriller. The Hawkeyes were down 17-3 at half-time and in the second half, the virtually inept offense put up 17 points on the improving Spartan defense. While the thought to be very good Spartan offense was only able to put up 3 points the whole half. Was it good play from the Iowa Hawkeyes?


No it was a total let down by the Spartan defense. The Iowa Hawkeyes were not doing anything differently then they did in the first half, and it's not like the offensive line of the Hawkeyes is any good they're starting 1 senior, 1 junior, and 3 underclassmen. They're just as bad as there quarterback Jake Christenson who's completion percentage against the Spartans was well below 50%. The linebackers were not filling the holes like they were suppose too. The linebackers were too out of position, like they were worried about the play-action, which the Hawkeyes only ran twice, one complete for 6 yards.


The Spartan offense in the second half looked just as bad as the defense. They had less then 100 yards total offense in the second half until there last drive. Javon Ringer was running east and west, while to me Jehuu Culcrick was looking pretty good actually. He put the pain on defenders that tried to tackle them and though his yards per carry wouldn't agree with statement, because of the few carries he got, was gaining good yardage on the ground between the twenties. On the upside Brian Hoyer looked really good. His stats wouldn't agree with that but, the Spartans dropped seven balls, most of them on third down, that would have kept the drive going. Devan Thomas, looked good at times but dropped too many passes. Looking like Matt Trannon from a year ago. Though twenty points in regulation is alright against the Iowa Hawkeyes, whose defense is fairly good. 3 points in the second half isn't. Especially against a team that is known to give up a way more points in the second half then first.


Swenson missed a 39 yard field goal and, being an overtime game, could have won it in regulation. I'm not saying that the game was his fault, because it obviously was the offense, defense, and the horrendous punting, but that should be easy for him. He's not a bad kicker, that separates the talented teams that don't win as much as they should, from the good teams.

I give the:

Offense: B for the jump they put on Iowa but the way they played in second half lowers it.

Defense: D- allowing the Hawkeyes 3 points in the first half isn't anything special and allowing 17 in the second half is terrible.

Special teams: F the horrendous punting probably cost us the game

Coaching: A- There's only so much a coach can do. The players, at some point, have to preform. The minus is Jehuu needed more carries.