ESPN projects Iowa Hawkeyes with No. 1 defense in 2023- Gophers #7

[MisterGopher]

ESPN projects Iowa Hawkeyes with No. 1 defense in 2023

The Iowa Hawkeyes' defense was dominant in 2022, but ESPN projects they may be even better in 2023 as they top their defensive projections.

sports.yahoo.com

After the defensive output that the Iowa Hawkeyes delivered in 2022, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them take a small step back on defense in 2023. It is hard to repeat their output as one of the best defensive units in the country and one of the best Iowa has ever seen.

All of that makes sense except for the fact that ESPN believes they may just go and be even better in 2023. The Hawkeyes top their defensive projections for next season. ESPN’s Bill Connelly provided his SP+ ratings which is combination of three items that he details.

Those three weighted factors are returning production, recent recruiting, and recent history. For the Hawkeyes, all three of those items break their way. They are returning Cooper DeJean to lead the defense, Xavier Nwankpa, Jay Higgins, and many others.

Recruiting has landed them another load of recruits to develop and turn into the next stout defensive unit. And as far as history goes, Iowa has arguably the best recent history of any defensive unit in the entire country. Here is a look at the Hawkeyes’ projections.

Big Ten teams in the SP+

No. 2 Ohio State: No. 1 offense, No. 10 defense

No. 3 Michigan: No. 4 defense, No. 8 offense

No. 5 Penn State: No. 5 defense, No. 21 offense

No. 25 Wisconsin: No. 11 defense, No. 46 offense

No. 27 Iowa: No. 1 defense, No. 81 offense

No. 30 Minnesota: No. 7 defense, No. 61 offense

No. 41 Maryland: No. 44 offense, No. 30 defense

No. 44 Illinois: No. 13 defense, No. 82 offense

No. 47 Michigan State: No. 47 defense, No. 48 offense

No. 48 Nebraska: No. 37 defense, No. 58 offense

No. 49 Purdue: No. 45 offense, No. 56 defense

No. 64 Indiana: No. 56 offense, No. 70 defense

No. 83 Rutgers: No. 65 defense, No. 100 offense

No. 89 Northwestern: No. 49 defense, No. 124 offense

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

I'm looking for a better than 61st ranked offense. Just my gut that AK and company get things going this season.

 

[restovich]

Wisconsin looks over-rated in this analysis.......

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

Wisconsin looks over-rated in this analysis.......

wisconsin to me is hard to read until I see some film. A lot depends on how fast they adjust to Fickell's system particularly on offense.

 

[Word]

wisconsin to me is hard to read until I see some film. A lot depends on how fast they adjust to Fickell's system particularly on offense.

New defensive schemes too. Hard to say how that will gel and if they have the right people for it.

 

[upnorthkid]

Per at least how it used to work (I'm not paying for ESPN insider), DBs returning and QB/WR stats count most heavily in his metric for returning production, with heavy weight on tackles from the secondary, pass breakups from the secondary, and QB pressures/sacks for defense. It's an interesting exercise but can really inflate your projection if you've got a guy coming back who had a big year in terms of numbers (particularly in the secondary), even if you got lunched all year if you made some big plays the other way.

For WI, also interesting you count "recent history". Do they bring Fickell's rankings with or use WIs prior ones with a different system?

 

[FullBanana]

He thinks there are going to be 3 offenses in the B1G worse than Iowa?

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

New defensive schemes too. Hard to say how that will gel and if they have the right people for it.

There were a few issues on defense, but I think he focuses more on the offense to start with some minor tweaks on the defense! The following season we'll see noticeable changes on defense IMO!

 

[Some guy]

There were a few issues on defense, but I think he focuses more on the offense to start with some minor tweaks on the defense! The following season we'll see noticeable changes on defense IMO!

Playing a 4 man front instead of a 3 man front will be a noticeable change year 1


That doesn’t mean they’ll be bad. But it will certainly be noticeable.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

Playing a 4 man front instead of a 3 man front will be a noticeable change year 1


That doesn’t mean they’ll be bad. But it will certainly be noticeable.

True! I'm thinking more about the personal he's bringing in where 9 of 13 transfers are on offense most notably QB and WR.