Madison’s mailbag: Thoughts on Iowa football through seven games this season

IOWA CITY — You asked, I answered. At least, as best as I could.

Iowa football (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten) won’t play tomorrow morning, but there’s still much to discuss ahead of the final four games of the season. With the Hawkeyes’ next two games some of the most important of the year, there’s a lot at stake.

Here are some of my thoughts on questions you have for me.

Q: Which player do you feeling like doesn’t get the attention he probably deserves for his play this season?

A: For me, linebacker Karson Sharar is one player that is definitely deserving of some flowers. He leads the Hawkeyes defense in tackles this season (46) and has six tackles-for-loss, which is good for a just shy of a TFL per game this season.

That should also say something about Iowa’s linebackers for the leading tackler to be player relatively flown under the radar in terms of how explosive the Hawkeyes have been.

He’s part of that trio of defenders all stepping into a starting role this season after working up the depth chart, and while Sharar doesn’t have an interception this season, he’s been consistent since Big Ten play began this year. Sharar’s best game of the season was against Rutgers in the Big Ten opener, where he recorded 10 tackles, including his lone sack this season.

He’s definitely a player that blends well within defensive coordinator Phil Parker’s schematics, which bodes well with how much the Hawkeyes have been blitzing this season.

Q: It’s interesting start time for the Oregon at Iowa game 11:00am (9:00am PST) or 2:30pm (12:30pm PST). What effects does traveling West to East on the body vs going East to West?

A: This is such a huge part of including the four West Coast teams into the Big Ten, despite the fact that it’s not really a factor those teams talk about. However, Oregon has made a cross-country trip a time or two since joining the conference, so the Ducks have a routine down.

However, an 11 a.m. kickoff time is still the ideal scenario for Iowa. If you do the backwards math, an 11 a.m. kick means both teams are arriving at Kinnick Stadium around 9:30 a.m. Factor in traveling from the hotel, any morning treatment or meetings and meals, that’s an early morning even before factoring a time different.

Reminder that this week is also the start of daylight savings, too.

There’s a reason you’re jetlagged going from the West to East while traveling, you lose time and it’s harder to catch up. A short trip like a Thursday to Saturday might not affect the Ducks too much in preparation, but the earlier option doesn’t do Oregon any favors.

We’ll know an official kickoff time sometime Saturday night or Sunday, once this week’s games wrap up.

Q: I really think the Hawkeyes are underrated in the college football world. They are playing excellent football this year, the quarterback upgrade has made all the difference in the world and our running backs have been superb. What is your take on the ranking of the Hawkeyes this season?

A: Iowa’s playing very solid football up until this point in the season, and it certainly has a case for the AP Top 25 poll. There’s a reason the Hawkeyes picked up so many votes this past week.

I’m not an AP voter, but there’s an argument to be made to rank Iowa and to not rank Iowa. On one hand, the Hawkeyes’ are the only team in the country to take No. 2 Indiana down to the wire — arguably the best team and story in college football right now — and haven’t lost a conference game other than that one. On the other hand, those conference wins are against teams they should’ve beaten.

I anticipated Iowa to fall somewhere between No. 22 to de facto No. 26 in the last poll, so de facto No. 29 was low. The USA ULM Coaches Poll as Iowa as de facto No. 26, so take that as you’d like.

Q: What’s your favorite psychic medium, crystal ball, tarot cards or ouija board saying about the rest of Iowa’s football season?

A: Iowa’s next two games will dictate the remainder of the season. If the Hawkeyes can split games between Oregon and USC, it puts Iowa in a really good spot with bowl games.

However, if Iowa can beat both teams and cements itself in third in the Big Ten, that changes things. The first College Football Playoff poll is released Nov. 4, which will gives fans a chance to see what the committee thinks at this point.

Quarterback Mark Gronowski said it best after the win over Minnesota: the Hawkeyes, though won’t compete for a Big Ten Championship without some help, still have every goal they set in front of them.

Comments: madison.hricik@thegazette.com, sign up for my weekly newsletter, Hawk Off the Press, at thegazette.com/hawks.