2009 Season Preview

Grid Iron · 05-05-2004, 12:02 AM

2009 Season Preview

Season could be coach’s last

August 15, 2009

Iowa City, IA (ESPN) – Despite what head coach Travis O’Donnell says, the pressure is definitely on. Iowa’s NFL franchise has made the playoffs each of the last five seasons, but never made it to the AFC Championship. The team has one of the best young quarterbacks in the league, but has never won a division title. To top it off, the team finished with a perfect 4-0 exhibition season record, further raising the expectations of fans and management alike.

“I thrive in pressure situations,” said O’Donnell, who joined the team in 2003 after coaching the Hawkeyes to a 21-17 Rose Bowl victory over UCLA. “We’ve got the players to win a championship, no doubt about it.”

One key to O’Donnell’s future may very well be quarterback Roman Roberts, who played only eight games last season due to injury and signed a lucrative $59.65 million deal in the offseason. The first overall pick in the 2003 draft out of Temple will need to stay healthy if the Barnstormers are going to make the playoffs, let alone a Super Bowl.

Helping Roberts on offense will be rookie wide receiver Matthew McGregor, the team’s first-round pick (24th overall) out of Texas. McGregor, who scored 15 touchdowns with the Longhorns last season, will start at split end opposite Jorge Ellison who was the 24th pick in the 2006 draft.

The defense will be challenged this year with the departure of defensive end Brock Darlington due to salary cap constraints. Nonetheless, middle linebacker Bob Robinson is just scratching the surface of his ability, recording 129 tackles (99 solo) last season along with 5.0 sacks.

Iowa’s schedule is truly daunting as the team will play only five games against teams that finished last season with a losing record. Fortunately, the AFC West is expected to be relatively weak as most of the teams lost significant players and none added any marquee free agents. Here is the complete Barnstormers schedule:

Week 1 New England Patriots
Week 2 Atlanta Falcons
Week 3 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Week 4 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Week 5 OPEN
Week 6 San Diego Chargers
Week 7 DENVER BRONCOS
Week 8 OAKLAND RAIDERS
Week 9 NEW JERSEY JETS
Week 10 Kansas City Chiefs
Week 11 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Week 12 BALTIMORE RAVENS
Week 13 San Francisco 49ers
Week 14 Seattle Seahawks
Week 15 Denver Broncos
Week 16 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
Week 17 Oakland Raiders

05-05-2004, 12:02 AM	#25
Grid Iron Ice Cream Man Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Bay Area	2009 Season Preview Season could be coach’s last August 15, 2009 Iowa City, IA (ESPN) – Despite what head coach Travis O’Donnell says, the pressure is definitely on. Iowa’s NFL franchise has made the playoffs each of the last five seasons, but never made it to the AFC Championship. The team has one of the best young quarterbacks in the league, but has never won a division title. To top it off, the team finished with a perfect 4-0 exhibition season record, further raising the expectations of fans and management alike. “I thrive in pressure situations,” said O’Donnell, who joined the team in 2003 after coaching the Hawkeyes to a 21-17 Rose Bowl victory over UCLA. “We’ve got the players to win a championship, no doubt about it.” One key to O’Donnell’s future may very well be quarterback Roman Roberts, who played only eight games last season due to injury and signed a lucrative $59.65 million deal in the offseason. The first overall pick in the 2003 draft out of Temple will need to stay healthy if the Barnstormers are going to make the playoffs, let alone a Super Bowl. Helping Roberts on offense will be rookie wide receiver Matthew McGregor, the team’s first-round pick (24th overall) out of Texas. McGregor, who scored 15 touchdowns with the Longhorns last season, will start at split end opposite Jorge Ellison who was the 24th pick in the 2006 draft. The defense will be challenged this year with the departure of defensive end Brock Darlington due to salary cap constraints. Nonetheless, middle linebacker Bob Robinson is just scratching the surface of his ability, recording 129 tackles (99 solo) last season along with 5.0 sacks. Iowa’s schedule is truly daunting as the team will play only five games against teams that finished last season with a losing record. Fortunately, the AFC West is expected to be relatively weak as most of the teams lost significant players and none added any marquee free agents. Here is the complete Barnstormers schedule: Week 1 New England Patriots Week 2 Atlanta Falcons Week 3 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS Week 4 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS Week 5 OPEN Week 6 San Diego Chargers Week 7 DENVER BRONCOS Week 8 OAKLAND RAIDERS Week 9 NEW JERSEY JETS Week 10 Kansas City Chiefs Week 11 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS Week 12 BALTIMORE RAVENS Week 13 San Francisco 49ers Week 14 Seattle Seahawks Week 15 Denver Broncos Week 16 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS Week 17 Oakland Raiders __________________ Follow the story of the Oregon Ice of the Continental Football League.