Hlas: Hawkeyes need to go from raw eggs to a souffle

CHICAGO - In a McCormick Place ballroom Thursday at the Big Ten's preseason football yammer-a-thon, media mopes stood two- and three-deep at Ohio State coach Urban Meyer's table, straining to hear the king of the conference.

About 50 feet away, reporters had little trouble sliding close to Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz.

Perhaps the biggest news from the Hawkeyes' camp this day was that senior defensive end Drew Ott ate a raw egg, shell and all, when asked to do so by ESPN.com. Presumably, that didn't make it on to the news scroll of ESPN's television networks.

But what's there to say about the Iowa program that hasn't been said repeatedly since the second day of this year in Jacksonville when the Hawkeyes got torched by Tennessee in the TaxSlayer Bowl? The toxicity of the subject in our state has been at record levels as we approach Kirk Ferentz's 17th season as the head coach.

Why, you can't post a link to the most innocuous article about the team on social media without someone quickly chirping back with something hostile like #FireFerentz.

But who can offer optimism about this team with total confidence until we see living proof? Who knows how quickly the offensive line gels, or if a better running game emerges, or if someone other than Tevaun Smith is a Big Ten wide receiver? Who knows with certainty if quarterback C.J. Beathard will be more about production than potential?

Who knows if the linebackers are more up to the task this season than last? Who knows if special teams will show the overall improvement they must?

If I may provide some Ferentz comments from Thursday's talkfest without putting on fire-retardant clothing to handle feedback, at least you should accept he is totally aware of the winter (and spring and summer) of your discontent.

'In sports you have to prove yourself each and every time out,” Ferentz said. 'That's the reality of it. You don't get any bonus points for what you did yesterday.”

Or five years ago, the last time the Hawkeyes were nationally ranked at season's end. They haven't been ranked at all since late in the 2010 season.

'I think in ‘13 (an 8-5 year) we were a lot closer to what we hoped to be,” Ferentz said. 'We played a style of football that to me was on the path to what we were trying to be and what we want to be. Last year (7-6), we didn't give ourselves as much of a chance to be successful.

'The most interesting thing about all of it is last year you could argue we were two plays from being co-champs in the West. It tells you how close things are.”

It tells you the West wasn't great. Wisconsin's 59-0 loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten's title game suggested that, too.

Guess what. The West probably isn't great this year, either. The only ranked team from that division in the preseason coaches' poll is Wisconsin, at 18th.

Nebraska plays Michigan State. Northwestern faces Michigan and Penn State. Minnesota gets Michigan and Ohio State in consecutive weeks. Iowa doesn't play No. 1 Ohio State or No. 6 Michigan State or Penn State or Michigan.

'I don't see a game on the schedule we don't believe we can win,” Iowa Athletic Director Gary Barta said here Thursday.

Yet, the schedule doesn't ultimately matter. This season may be as much about style as substance.

Will Iowa's offense appear to be coordinated, thus interesting and even entertaining? Will it (and its blockers) be able to fully use Beathard's ability and willingness to throw long as well as run for daylight? And, will the quarterback seize the season and be an impact player in this conference?

Ferentz absolutely cannot project a coach who is roasting on a hot seat, and he isn't.

'I really feel good about the people (on his coaching staff) just like I did back 15 or 16 years ago,” he said. 'I felt really good about the people in our organization, and we really feel that way now. I think we all have a better working knowledge of each other.”

Yes, all of it is just talk right now. He knows it, you know it. This program needs to walk the walk this autumn.

Go 7-6 again, and raw eggs will be a lot more appetizing to the Hawkeyes than what the outside world will serve them.

Comments: (319) 368-8840; mike.hlas@thegazette.com

Twitter: @Hlas