Alvarez on Future Wisconsin Offensive Philosophy

[JonDMiller]

"Alvarez: I don't see us as a spread offense. We can't recruit those guys consistently. You know the plan - starts w/ big palookas up front."

I have felt this applies to Iowa, too..and still think it does. You have to first know the kind of player you are realistically going to be able to sign on a regular basis...and create your offense from there. For Iowa, and Wisconsin, you feel good about your chances of getting good offensive linemen.

 

[MeatMan]

well, there goes the Rhoads rumors.

 

[PeoriaHWKI]

I agree but I think we are not getting the guys Wisconsin is as a whole. Yeah we have 1 NFL every other year but the rest don't seem at the same level especially when it cmes to physical size. It seems we want the same philospohy but are built for a different one physically.

 

[hawkfan340]

You can run spread, blur, air raid, triple option, power rush, whatever and be successful in college football, but you definitely need to know who/what type of team you are and commit to doing that. Iowa seems to lack an identity right now.

 

[eveningnewsteam]

Alvarez - "Bret used my gameplan to win"

 

[HomerChampless]

Lacking an identity and not having the athletes to represent said identity are completely different things..

Iowa prefers the defense win games. Attempts to stop a passing offense primarily with its front four.

Iowa prefers the offense runs the ball - eat up the clock. Pro set, play action passing.

Iowa has always been a conservative team.
Iowa's defense will always have trouble with spread teams, with passing teams.
Iowa's offense will rarely score points in bunches like, for example, W Virginia.

 

[ChosenChildren]

You can run spread, blur, air raid, triple option, power rush, whatever and be successful in college football, but you definitely need to know who/what type of team you are and commit to doing that. Iowa seems to lack an identity right now.

Agree with this post. For Iowa to win, you also have to have a tough and physical front 7 on defense, which is exactly what Fry and Ferentz had in their bowl seasons. I firmly believe Ferentz can get there again.

Now we can get our Comedy Central posters to weigh in with their pithy, negative remarks.

 

[treychase]

The strength/success of Iowa's OL is one of the biggest myths of all time.

 

[trapperjon]

I'm so sick of hearing that we can't recruit 'those' types of players. Kansas State, Boise State, seem to do it in about the same climate (population-wise and weather)

Seems the Ferentz "we're just Iowa" has really permeated the fan mindset. I agree that we are at a disadvantage, but look at the athletes Zooker could recruit. He just couldn't coach. The right coach can get pure athletes to come. Just need the right coach.

 

[JonDMiller]

I'm so sick of hearing that we can't recruit 'those' types of players. Kansas State, Boise State, seem to do it in about the same climate (population-wise and weather)

Seems the Ferentz "we're just Iowa" has really permeated the fan mindset. I agree that we are at a disadvantage, but look at the athletes Zooker could recruit. He just couldn't coach. The right coach can get pure athletes to come. Just need the right coach.

So then it's either Kirk won't, or he is incapable or not allowed.

KSU and Iowa admin standards are not the same. I have no idea about Boise State, but guessing the same. Before you say Kirk and his staff are then incapable, do you think Hayden was incapable? He didn't exactly have the nation's elite skill pos talent lining up outside his door, either.

 

[MeatMan]

So then it's either Kirk won't, or he is incapable or not allowed.

KSU and Iowa admin standards are not the same. I have no idea about Boise State, but guessing the same. Before you say Kirk and his staff are then incapable, do you think Hayden was incapable? He didn't exactly have the nation's elite skill pos talent lining up outside his door, either.

not that Hayden had tons of great skill players, but he definitely had more than KF. now, that could be due to Synder also being a coach here during that time.

 

[treychase]

Kirk ignores two and casually recruits the third most talent rich areas of the country.
That's the only thing you need to know.

 

[eveningnewsteam]

Ferentz spends to much time telling what Iowa isnt instead of selling what Iowa is.

 

[DenchyDave]

Kirk ignores two and casually recruits the third most talent rich areas of the country.
That's the only thing you need to know.

 

[JonDMiller]

not that Hayden had tons of great skill players, but he definitely had more than KF. now, that could be due to Synder also being a coach here during that time.

From my receivers article last week:

Prior to Marvin McNutt in the 2012 draft. the last Iowa wide receivers who were selected in the NFL draft were Kahlil Hill in the 2002 (Round Six) and Kevin Kasper in 2001 (Round Seven). Neither Hill or Kasper were recruited to Iowa during the Ferentz era. So in 14 recruiting classes, Iowa produced ONE NFL Draft pick at receiver. That’s stark, but add in that McNutt was recruited to Iowa to play quarterback and didn’t make the transition to receiver until 18 months after he arrived on campus.

Looking at things before Ferentz arrived as head coach, you had Tim Dwight drafted in 1998, Danan Hughes in 1993, Quinn Early in 1988 and Keith Chapelle in 1981. Chapelle was not recruited to Iowa by Hayden Fry. Iowa didn’t have one wide receiver drafted in the decade of the 1970′s. So between Fry and Ferentz, whose eras comprise the last 34 years of Iowa football, the Hawkeyes have seen a grand total of seven wide receivers taken by NFL teams.

And of the Top 10 individual season best rushing seasons in Iowa history, five of those players were recruited to Iowa by Ferentz and four by Fry. Of the Top 11 single season passing performances, seven players comprise that list...Long, Hartlieb and Rogers were Fry players, Vandenberg, Tate, Stanzi and Banks were Ferentz players. None of those players were highly recruited coming out of high school.

 

[MeatMan]

also would help if we had an offensive coordinator who could recruit and close the deal. but i guess that's only what the rest of the country does, not Iowa.

 

[mccarthyizm]

So then it's either Kirk won't, or he is incapable or not allowed.

KSU and Iowa admin standards are not the same. I have no idea about Boise State, but guessing the same. Before you say Kirk and his staff are then incapable, do you think Hayden was incapable? He didn't exactly have the nation's elite skill pos talent lining up outside his door, either.

Boise State is the 21st century Fresno State. Their academic standards for admission would make Kansas State blush. They can admit players that nobody in the PAC-12 can get in.

 

[MeatMan]

jon, i know that we've had some RB's like Coker put up some good yardage. but, do you think that outside of Greene, that KF has had any better RB's than Banks, Shaw, or Harmon? that's just off the top of my head. i guess i could go through the lists and see. i like Freddie R, but don't think he's anywhere close to those dudes. if any of the previous 4 had that o-line that Russell had, they'd have put up ridiculous yards.

going off memory isn't a reliable source, but it just seems that the 80's and 90's Iowa teams had significantly more playmakers. the early KF teams did, but outside of Greene and McNutt, we haven't had a guy like that for 8 years. Maybe they weren't NFL guys, but you could count on them to make big plays. Again, going off memory though.

 

[JonDMiller]

jon, i know that we've had some RB's like Coker put up some good yardage. but, do you think that outside of Greene, that KF has had any better RB's than Banks, Shaw, or Harmon? that's just off the top of my head. i guess i could go through the lists and see. i like Freddie R, but don't think he's anywhere close to those dudes. if any of the previous 4 had that o-line that Russell had, they'd have put up ridiculous yards.

going off memory isn't a reliable source, but it just seems that the 80's and 90's Iowa teams had significantly more playmakers. the early KF teams did, but outside of Greene and McNutt, we haven't had a guy like that for 8 years. Maybe they weren't NFL guys, but you could count on them to make big plays. Again, going off memory though.

I don't want to wage war on this topic, because its not a good hill to die on On the whole, my memory would agree that there were more playmakers, but it's not like Iowa was 'The U'. My point is that Iowa has been challenged on the playmaker front for a long time and will continue to be. It;s not like hayden and kirk haven't tried to get kids like that to come to Iowa..its just not as easy as some people are wishing it were and they don't want to face that reality.

I'd take Banks, Shaw and Harmon over any Iowa RB I have seen other than Shonn Greene. If I could pick just one, I'd probably take Harmon.

 

[MeatMan]

yeah, in the end i'll defer to you on this as you've paid a lot more attention and are older than me. just sharing my memories. and, what else are we going to do without a bowl game than argue about the "best playmakers" in hawk history....all 7 of them