[bears9]

IOWA CITY -- It's Blackout Saturday for the Iowa football team on Oct. 13 against Illinois, but a more important color for the Hawkeyes is blue -- as in the blueprint to success.





When asked if Iowa would follow a blueprint used by Illinois to make great strides in its record from
2006 to this fall, Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz said, "We're just trying to follow the blueprint we've been using -- it worked pretty well in the past. There's nothing wrong with our blueprint."

And why not? The Ferentz blueprint has created one of the most respected college football programs in the nation. Iowa has participated in six consecutive bowl games and crafted a 31-7 record from 2002-04. The Hawkeyes have had winning seasons in five of the last six years.

"Where we're at right now is not where we want to be," Ferentz said. "It wasn't by design, but nobody's panicking here and I don't think anyone in our house is on the ledge and we'll work through it"
Iowa will have to work through it without junior offensive lineman Dace Richardson, who is having season-ending surgery to repair structural damage in his knee. Ferentz said that there will be a minimum of six months recovery and that a medical redshirt should be a "slam dunk" if Richardson is able to resume his career. Senior linebacker Mike Klinkenborg and senior defensive back Devan Moylan remain questionable. Ferentz called both Klinkenborg and Moylan "a long shot" to play against Illinois. According to Ferentz, junior tight end Tony Moeaki is still "at best two weeks" away from returning from an elbow and hand injury.

Iowa will stick to its blueprint against Illini