All of a sudden, CJ's series makes complete sense to me...

[biasedHAWKEYE]

And it's called: the zone read package. This spring, Ferentz. & Co. mentioned that they were toying with ways of getting CJ on the field. This is the result of that talk.

Ferentz / Davis put CJ in so he could run a zone read package with Parker at RB (I mean, why else would they sub in a 5th string back with the 2nd string QB unless it was a special package they had been practicing?). CJ is much more of the running QB mold thank Jake, Parker is a shifty back who also fits the zone read mold, and this is a running package that Davis has loved for years. I don't think it's mystifying at all as to why CJ got a series to try this out early in the game, and why Parker was brought in...this was simply a test run for something Davis may go to throughout the year to give defenses something else to plan for. I don't think CJ is going to overtake Rudock. I don't think CJ was put in to give Rudock something to think about. It's just a new wrinkle, and personally, it's a great idea if you have a backup QB who can run it. Also, it protects Jake...because Jake running the zone read is just asking for trouble.

 

[Eda]

You got a new car and you wanna take it out for a quick test drive, but you don't want to put too many miles on it, or get it dirty; before the big car show. Sure it won't win you too many pinks, but it'll turn some heads, smoke the tires, and be fun to drive.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

A simpler explanation is CJ and Parker have been working with each other for the last year. Anyway, it's a moot point now that Parker will spend the next six months banished to the Siberian Far East.

 

[uihawk82]

A very interesting take on it and quite frankly I think it is a good use of the players and skills they have. I tell you CJ made a very nice throw on the out pattern to KMM or T Smith early in that drive and he made a great throw to the endzone that would have been great to see Powell catch inbounds. It was completely unexpected that CJ and Parker were in there so early.

 

[uihawk82]

A simpler explanation is CJ and Parker have been working with each other for the last year. Anyway, it's a moot point now that Parker will spend the next six months banished to the Siberian Far East.

Yeah Parker might be effectively banished but Canzeri or others can be the running back in that alignment and scheme.

 

[biasedHAWKEYE]

A simpler explanation is CJ and Parker have been working with each other for the last year. Anyway, it's a moot point now that Parker will spend the next six months banished to the Siberian Far East.

That's what I'm saying...Parker and CJ have been the focal point for this package as both skillsets fit the package more than our other RB's / QB on the roster.

I disagree with benching Parker entirely as well. The timing was terrible for both to happen within one game, but look at the plays themselves...

Helmet on the ball on the kick-off return..."that's football." Tough break. Jet sweep hand-off is not a normal one either...new wrinkle for Iowa, and one that is probably better served for a more experienced player. I don't think we'll see Parker taking those anymore, but I don't see why we would shut him down at RB. Different situation than last season when Daniels got a case of the fumbles during standard running plays and got put on the bench for awhile.

 

[ICHawk24]

The entire offensive grouping for that series was 2nd stringers. It was Vandeberg, Powell, and someone else at WR, IIRC. Do not recall which TE was in.

My group commented on it at the time, and our best guess is that they ran the guys who get the most practice reps together.

 

[biasedHAWKEYE]

Yeah Parker might be effectively banished but Canzeri or others can be the running back in that alignment and scheme.

Canzeri is the only other back I'd want running in this scheme..

I think we will see this again this week.

 

[doclee]

Very interesting. I certainly never thought about this little experiment being a zone read...I knew he had a different lineup in there but didn't connect the dots. This could certainly be an interesting option going forward...thanks for a very interesting post!

 

[biasedHAWKEYE]

The entire offensive grouping for that series was 2nd stringers. It was Vandeberg, Powell, and someone else at WR, IIRC. Do not recall which TE was in.

My group commented on it at the time, and our best guess is that they ran the guys who get the most practice reps together.

Yep. Once again giving evidence that this is a special package the coaches wanted to try during a game...and has much less to do with starting any kind of QB controversy. I mean, if you're Jake and you know that this package exists and will be part of the game plan over the course of the season since you started spring ball in March, that's an ENTIRELY different situation than the coaches randomly putting in the 2nd string QB for a series. It is a world apart.

And for CJ, it keeps you tuned into the game, knowing that the coaching staff wants you to run a certain package for the team.

 

[biasedHAWKEYE]

Very interesting. I certainly never thought about this little experiment being a zone read...I knew he had a different lineup in there but didn't connect the dots. This could certainly be an interesting option going forward...thanks for a very interesting post!

If you re-watch the running plays with CJ in, all but 1 run are zone reads out of the gun. And the only time Iowa didn't do a zone read with CJ in was when they had Bullock in the game...so that makes sense.

Play 1: Shot gun formation - Zone read with Parker
Play 2: Shot gun formation - Zone read with Parker
Play 3: Shot gun formation - Pass
Play 4: Shot-gun formation - Play-action pass to TE off of a zone read look
Play 5: Ace Formation - standard handoff to Bullock
Play 6: Shot-gun formation - Zone read with Canzeri
Play 7: Shot-gun formation - Incomplete pass to Powell

 

[ibahawkeye]

I'm not sure most fans heard Kirk say they were looking at a special package for CJ... so they thought he got inserted as a chance to take over the offense, which was not the case.

 

[biasedHAWKEYE]

I'm not sure most fans heard Kirk say they were looking at a special package for CJ... so they thought he got inserted as a chance to take over the offense, which was not the case.

I don't know if he explicitly said special package...but I remember Ferentz hinting that they were going to find ways to get CJ on the field...a package would be a non-confidence shattering (for Rudock) way of doing so.

 

[BlindDogScooter]

Front page above the fold... today's Gazette sports section... headline story by Marc Morehouse.

You were totally 100 per freaking cent correct biasedHAWKEYE!

Interviews with CJ and The Captain. It was a specific package
created for CJ. Everyone, including Jake, knew they would be
running it. Absolutely no controversey... will be running it again.

 

[biasedHAWKEYE]

Front page above the fold... today's Gazette sports section... headline story by Marc Morehouse.

You were totally 100 per freaking cent correct biasedHAWKEYE!

Interviews with CJ and The Captain. It was a specific package
created for CJ. Everyone, including Jake, knew they would be
running it. Absolutely no controversey... will be running it again.

I do what I can.

 

[bitmap]

The entire offensive grouping for that series was 2nd stringers. It was Vandeberg, Powell, and someone else at WR, IIRC. Do not recall which TE was in.

My group commented on it at the time, and our best guess is that they ran the guys who get the most practice reps together.

Which is the smart thing to do. Anytime CJ is in @ QB you can bet Powell comes in w/ him, at least in my view. I hadn't noticed, thanks for pointing that out.

Also really like CJ's play action on the zone read. Great fake, thought he was keeping the ball and sprinting.

 

[bitmap]

Front page above the fold... today's Gazette sports section... headline story by Marc Morehouse.

You were totally 100 per freaking cent correct biasedHAWKEYE!

Interviews with CJ and The Captain. It was a specific package
created for CJ. Everyone, including Jake, knew they would be
running it. Absolutely no controversey... will be running it again.

JR seems to be able to march them down the field. If they have been stalling in the red zone, maybe we see the package there. I like that idea.

 

[imported_ankle23]

Front page above the fold... today's Gazette sports section... headline story by Marc Morehouse.

You were totally 100 per freaking cent correct biasedHAWKEYE!

Interviews with CJ and The Captain. It was a specific package
created for CJ. Everyone, including Jake, knew they would be
running it. Absolutely no controversey... will be running it again.

yes, they knew ahead of time - there is a post game interview with beathard regarding that and planning for it the week prior - his thoughts, nerves, etc.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Damn good catch Biased !! Well done sir.

 

[bitmap]

I normally don't like two QB systems but the more I think about this the more it makes sense - Rudock has the discipline to dink and dunk down the field w/ high percentage quick outs and check downs. He executes GD's offesne w/ minimal risk. As the field compresses that strategy becomes less effective which we then see manifest itself as a very low red zone effieciency. I just can't see KF switching gears like this midstream unfortunately BUT- maybe when we get a turnover deep in the opponents territory the package comes in for a quick strike. This I can see KF doing as a situational thing. It can be scripted and pulled out like a pocket sermon.