I am emotional about this collapse as much as the rest of the Iowa fans, mostly because it was so easy to buy into the expectations. So like everyone else, I am trying to figure out why (like it matters, but as a true fan I can't just ignore it). What I found is that this team is not all together that much different than last years team. With this, I have to agree with Ferentz that the difference between success and failure is not large. We have always been a team that tries to get a lead, capitalize on the other teams mistakes, make them one-dimensional and maintain flexibility on offense. Last year we had that, this year it is reversed. So I wanted to take a look at the differences.
1. Penalties/breaks/etc: Last year we had some things go our way. Wisconsin's fumble, making a 57 yard field goal, timely interceptions that turn the game, no real back-breaking penalties that I can remember. This year, the hold bringing back Daniels touchdown against NDSU, this week the drop of an interception by Niemann, the obvious missed penalties against NW, etc. If these things go our way or go the way they should, we are undefeated.
2. Play-calling and coaching: Last year we capitalized on many new quarterbacks and banked on the fact that they would make a mistake, and often they did. The ones that didn't, MSU and Stanford beat us, but Leidner and Lunt, on bad teams, nearly beat us. Last year we stretched the field, often times with the same players. This year we hardly ever run play action, but when it does it works. We are definitely playing not to lose this year whereas last year we were playing to win. And that is the defining motto of KF tenure as it relates to when we think we are good and when we think we arent. To me the biggest thing though is how we refuse to plan and scheme against a team's weakness. Everyone else does it to us, but we just run our same stuff, like we are so arrogant that our vanilla base everything will be good enough if we execute perfectly.
3. Missing pieces: We are missing some key components that were unheralded last year. Meier did a great job against the run, our tackles obviously, but another that I haven't read about was Henry Kreiger Coble. He was CJB's favorite third down target last year, as pretty much every ball he caught was for a first down. Last year Kittle was a luxury, especially in 2 tight end sets, this year, we don't have another option besides Kittle.
4. WR's: I personally think the wide receivers are playing better than they are getting credit for. I think McCarron showed he is a very good slot and possession type receiver, Jerminic can stretch the field, however, CJB throws so little to the other ones we have no idea how good they are.
5. Stopping the run: We really weren't great last year. This was just masked by the fact that we had leads so much that we forced the other team to throw. Last year Justin Jackson for NW hardly touched the ball, this year he torched us. But last year the signs were there, the Indiana RB killed us, Minnesota ran on us, Stanford ran on us. But last year few teams stuck with it and that played into our hands.
6. QB: He just isnt the same, we all know that. Last year he was the x-factor and this year doesnt seem prepared or focused.
On a team like ours, when our coaching is graded at a C or a D, and our QB play is graded at a C, and our line play is graded at a C, what you end up with is 7-5. Last year with coaching at an A, QB at an A, line play at a B, with a few breaks here and there we go 12-0. For this to turn around, somebody needs to out-perform their grade and that starts with the coaching.
1. Penalties/breaks/etc: Last year we had some things go our way. Wisconsin's fumble, making a 57 yard field goal, timely interceptions that turn the game, no real back-breaking penalties that I can remember. This year, the hold bringing back Daniels touchdown against NDSU, this week the drop of an interception by Niemann, the obvious missed penalties against NW, etc. If these things go our way or go the way they should, we are undefeated.
2. Play-calling and coaching: Last year we capitalized on many new quarterbacks and banked on the fact that they would make a mistake, and often they did. The ones that didn't, MSU and Stanford beat us, but Leidner and Lunt, on bad teams, nearly beat us. Last year we stretched the field, often times with the same players. This year we hardly ever run play action, but when it does it works. We are definitely playing not to lose this year whereas last year we were playing to win. And that is the defining motto of KF tenure as it relates to when we think we are good and when we think we arent. To me the biggest thing though is how we refuse to plan and scheme against a team's weakness. Everyone else does it to us, but we just run our same stuff, like we are so arrogant that our vanilla base everything will be good enough if we execute perfectly.
3. Missing pieces: We are missing some key components that were unheralded last year. Meier did a great job against the run, our tackles obviously, but another that I haven't read about was Henry Kreiger Coble. He was CJB's favorite third down target last year, as pretty much every ball he caught was for a first down. Last year Kittle was a luxury, especially in 2 tight end sets, this year, we don't have another option besides Kittle.
4. WR's: I personally think the wide receivers are playing better than they are getting credit for. I think McCarron showed he is a very good slot and possession type receiver, Jerminic can stretch the field, however, CJB throws so little to the other ones we have no idea how good they are.
5. Stopping the run: We really weren't great last year. This was just masked by the fact that we had leads so much that we forced the other team to throw. Last year Justin Jackson for NW hardly touched the ball, this year he torched us. But last year the signs were there, the Indiana RB killed us, Minnesota ran on us, Stanford ran on us. But last year few teams stuck with it and that played into our hands.
6. QB: He just isnt the same, we all know that. Last year he was the x-factor and this year doesnt seem prepared or focused.
On a team like ours, when our coaching is graded at a C or a D, and our QB play is graded at a C, and our line play is graded at a C, what you end up with is 7-5. Last year with coaching at an A, QB at an A, line play at a B, with a few breaks here and there we go 12-0. For this to turn around, somebody needs to out-perform their grade and that starts with the coaching.
