Achille's heal

hawkdrummer1

hawkdrummer1

Well-Known Member
The middle of our offensive line better improve. If UNI can blast through like they did on numerous occasions...Big Ten teams will crash all night long. And when that happens, we know what Nate does.

Apart from that...ours was bigger than theirs tonight. Nice power football with some creativity and variation in the offense. (Mekhi Sargent has to be everyone's new favorite Hawk)

The D is the D. Tough as hell.

Nate also needs to get his accuracy back. Fant and Easley really bailed him out with some great hands tonight.

But we need to fix the soft middle of the O line.
 
I've posted similar comments a few times. The unit didn't play well last season, and doesn't look much better this season. Iowa is known for producing top-notch offensive linemen, but we've taken a step backward with Polasek.

Our linemen, particularly the interior, focus more on "getting in the way," as opposed to actually driving the defender. Render and Reynolds always seem to immediately end up a yard backwards on zone running plays. Kirk preaches hand placement and footwork, and both are important, but, at the end of the day, you still have to get proper pad level and generate a push.

Ferguson really struggled at RG to start the game tonight, and Levi wasn't much better. Jackson and Wirfs continue to struggle run blocking, but they hold up pretty well in pass-pro.

I'm also concerned about what's going to happen in conference play. My genuine fear is that we simply are not going to get a whole lot better as long as Polasek is coaching the unit. I hate to say it, but I find myself quickly giving up on him.
 
Our dbs got smoked on the last two UNI scoring drives. Completely out of position, except for Gervase who actually made a good play that was called a pass interference.
 
Overall, I’m very happy. This DL is special. I feel like I’m not sure how good the LB or CB are but the DL is so good it covers it up. I was shocked to see Welch start this week.

The WR remain the question mark but I’m good with the the rest of the O.

21-24 points might just be enough this year.
 
I know if I was Colbert i would be pissed. All over the field, and best defensive player last week, and KF does his usual shit and he sits on the bench this week. The kid is our best linebacker hands down, and needs to be on the field.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
The middle of our offensive line better improve. If UNI can blast through like they did on numerous occasions...Big Ten teams will crash all night long. And when that happens, we know what Nate does.

Apart from that...ours was bigger than theirs tonight. Nice power football with some creativity and variation in the offense. (Mekhi Sargent has to be everyone's new favorite Hawk)

The D is the D. Tough as hell.

Nate also needs to get his accuracy back. Fant and Easley really bailed him out with some great hands tonight.

But we need to fix the soft middle of the O line.
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I have to agree with the state of the O-Line. Too much pressure up the middle on Stanley it seems like every time he drops back. He does have his own problems to fix but not having confidence in your pass protection has got to be unsettling. And think what will happen next week with Wisconsin's stunting defense. I hope we can get this shored up.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
The middle of our offensive line better improve. If UNI can blast through like they did on numerous occasions...Big Ten teams will crash all night long. And when that happens, we know what Nate does.


Apart from that...ours was bigger than theirs tonight. Nice power football with some creativity and variation in the offense. (Mekhi Sargent has to be everyone's new favorite Hawk)

The D is the D. Tough as hell.

Nate also needs to get his accuracy back. Fant and Easley really bailed him out with some great hands tonight.

But we need to fix the soft middle of the O line.
Click to expand...


Getting Banwart back should fix that interior leak that we saw against UNI.
 
Caddy said:
I know if I was Colbert i would be pissed. All over the field, and best defensive player last week, and KF does his usual shit and he sits on the bench this week. The kid is our best linebacker hands down, and needs to be on the field.
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Manny Rugumba once had an amazing game against Michigan. Then never showed up again. Not to say Colbert's play was a fluke, but how can you claim he is the best LB from 1 game?
 
TJHawkeye said:
Our dbs got smoked on the last two UNI scoring drives. Completely out of position, except for Gervase who actually made a good play that was called a pass interference.
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The prevent needs to tighten up those zone windows no doubt, but good news is I doubt we see the prevent for more than 1 series next week.
 
Adam said:
Manny Rugumba once had an amazing game against Michigan. Then never showed up again. Not to say Colbert's play was a fluke, but how can you claim he is the best LB from 1 game?
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Agreed. I wouldn't say he is the best LB but he is a FR. Plays really fast and physical for a true FR. He's a difference maker at that position and we have to have our difference makers on the field. His upside is so much higher than Welch, at this point. Anyone should be able to see that.
 
lightning1 said:
Agreed. I wouldn't say he is the best LB but he is a FR. Plays really fast and physical for a true FR. He's a difference maker at that position and we have to have our difference makers on the field. His upside is so much higher than Welch, at this point. Anyone should be able to see that.
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I will agree that Colbert looks to have a higher ceiling than Welch. However upside must be achieved it is not a given. Colbert played well against ISU and I guarantee the coaches noticed. I'm guessing his prep game is not as strong yet. Some guys are just gamers. Plus I believe that Welch is better in the run game and Colbert is better covering in drop zones and covering the flat. I personally like the willingness to be flexible and change personnel based on what the offense is trying to do. We haven't seen much of this in the past.
 
Adam said:
I will agree that Colbert looks to have a higher ceiling than Welch. However upside must be achieved it is not a given. Colbert played well against ISU and I guarantee the coaches noticed. I'm guessing his prep game is not as strong yet. Some guys are just gamers. Plus I believe that Welch is better in the run game and Colbert is better covering in drop zones and covering the flat. I personally like the willingness to be flexible and change personnel based on what the offense is trying to do. We haven't seen much of this in the past.
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The only way to achieve upside is with PT. That's why you start your difference makers, even if they have to learn on the fly. We all know how the KF union card works (see Hesse/AJE). Welch is the starter until he graduates, unless he gets injured.
 
lightning1 said:
The only way to achieve upside is with PT. That's why you start your difference makers, even if they have to learn on the fly. We all know how the KF union card works (see Hesse/AJE). Welch is the starter until he graduates, unless he gets injured.
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He got PT yesterday and lots of it. If he is better at all phases he will start. There is no union card.
 
lightning1 said:
The only way to achieve upside is with PT. That's why you start your difference makers, even if they have to learn on the fly. We all know how the KF union card works (see Hesse/AJE). Welch is the starter until he graduates, unless he gets injured.
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Not saying KF doesn't favor upperclassmen, as there's plenty of evidence he does. But the Hesse/AJE example has been explained...correctly. AJ is seeing more and more PT, and is being used perfectly. . All Parker Hesse has done for 3 years is make plays, the guy needs to be on the field.

There are more young guys seeing pt than I've seen in 20 years. Colbert got a lot of PT yesterday.

Jones is a good example, athletically superior, but not ready. Was seeing an increasing call for Mansell, welp...we saw why he's not ready. Love the skillset and upside, but the narrative of "union card" is a little overplayed. It's likely exists...but not near to the level as assume here.

And never, ever agree with Caddy. Ever.
 
Adam said:
He got PT yesterday and lots of it. If he is better at all phases he will start. There is no union card.
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There is upperclassmen favoritism, but not to the level mentioned here. And in more cases than not, there's reason for it.
 
HawkeyeWalker said:
There is upperclassmen favoritism, but not to the level mentioned here. And in more cases than not, there's reason for it.
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The primary is reason is Kirk's belief that an upperclassman is less likely to make a mistake. Avoiding mistakes is and has always been priority #1.
 
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