Amani J
- Thread starter familydc
- Start date
Yes, definitely replaced by Hockaday. He continued to play on special teams throughout. He was just a step slow in reading everything initially. Hopefully when he gets more reps under his belt, he starts to read/play a bit faster.
I thought Welch was good, although he left a few plays out there. Hockaday was also solid. I wonder if they will consider sliding Welch to the middle and starting Colbert? He played quite a few snaps and looked pretty good.
I thought Welch was good, although he left a few plays out there. Hockaday was also solid. I wonder if they will consider sliding Welch to the middle and starting Colbert? He played quite a few snaps and looked pretty good.
Denverhawk1
Well-Known Member
I think the linebackers will be a fluid situation for a couple more games, honestly. Seems like the staff is struggling to find the right mixture.
BigD
Well-Known Member
Totally agree as it looked like he wasn’t reading anything and was just guessing and kept running into the wrong gaps or running into stopped up holes thus leaving big holes for seven yard gashes. Good thing our secondary played an excellent game and got up and held some runs to just seven yards.
kameltoez102
Well-Known Member
I saw the same thing but on the bright side he got back in the game and played well with some sound tackling. We were really blessed the last few years to have an awesome group of backers. Could be a different situation this year with more of a rotation which may not be that bad. Besides Hockaday how many of these guys had actual game experience? The more we can get in the games the better.
deanvogs
Well-Known Member
I thought Neiman and Welch looked fine out there (Welch has some really nice plays). At MLB we struggled. Jones was out of position so often in the 1st quarter he was yanked, and rightfully so. Hockaday played much better than Jones vs N. Ill, but obviously overall the staff likes Jones more, or he wouldn't have gotten the pub he did in fall camp. It will be interesting to see the depth chart for the Iowa St game at MLB.
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
Neiman played great in my opinion. Welch is athletic and made plays also...but he left a few out there (whiff in the flat and didn't wrap the QB, although it didn't hurt us). Amani was just too hyped up...and things looked like they were moving too fast for him. There were a few runs where he just shot the wrong gap and left you wondering what he was seeing. He made a few plays when he came back in late that made you understand why he was there in the first place. I think he's an excitable guy...but the middle linebacker in Iowa's scheme has to make all the plays in the box...so he has to be right when he commits. He wasn't today.
Welch and niemann were a very pleasant surprise. Did not expect them to play so well..
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
Niemann was quietly outstanding today. He made a lot of plays that won't show up in the box score.
Jones was out of position a lot, but our poor d-line play to start the game didn't help him. We were getting trap-blocked to death in the first half, and those gaps were a mile wide. We settled down in the second half.
M. Nelson just can't play that high and allow linemen get leverage on him. He's not athletic enough to compensate for that, and, on the edge, Hesse can't allow the TE to square up and smash down on him. Hopefully, it was a learning experience, but Amani wasn't totally to blame there.
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
I honestly think you may see Welch move inside and you have Neiman and Colbert in there...or even Wade. Trust me, I hope Amani gets it together, and I thought Hockaday played well...but that was a MAC team. Those runs out of the zone read this week against ISU, with Montgomery...will be 15 to 20 yard runs...or more. They have to clean that up. The linebackers were late getting to the spots. I didn't understand some of the DE action from Iowa in this game. They were taking an in stunt, which usually means the linebacker is scraping outside...but there was no linebacker...and the zone read was there much of the first half. It wasn't typical of the way our DE's play...but it appeared to be part of the scheme...they weren't forcing the QB to keep, which is usually the case with an in technique. It was confusing.
Adam
Well-Known Member
Our D Line play was shitty while Jones was in because he was not able to make the proper line and LB adjustments. The MLB is responsible for aligning our front 7. Jones was completely lost. They pulled him and Hockaday was much better at getting us in the correct gaps. Jones is a better athlete then Hockaday, but he has a lot of ground to make up for understanding the defense.
It's 2 bad honestly because Jones is the kind of bully that you want at MLB. He is an imposing force, but how can you play him at the only position he fits if he is clueless?
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
That probably was a factor, but getting shoved 5 yards laterally is simply losing your one-on-one battle up front. M. Nelson, Golston, Brincks and Hesse were getting mauled in the first half in the run game.
Some of that may be on Jones, but it's up to the linemen to be stout and not give up leverage by letting players get under your pads or out-flank you on the edge. They played better in the second half, presumably after some adjustments by the coaches, and probably a little scolding as well.
Either way, though, Jones had a poor showing. Hopefully, he'll learn from it and bounce back.
Adam
Well-Known Member
Sure. We expect our D Line to overcome, but it was their first game too. Several times Jones had the D Line flowing in the opposite direction of the run. If our D Line is flowing left, but the run is going right it's gonna make our lineman appear as if they are getting mauled off of the ball.
Next week will help us gauge where this D line is at, but the book is closed on week 1 and the epilogue says the D Line was dominant.
Adam
Well-Known Member
Well I already expected Doyle to be starting, but seeing Welch and Niemann yesterday I understand why he isn't lol. Crappy thing for Doyle is he has prepared the last 2 years to play outside LB for Iowa, but because of no one stepping up fully at MLB the staff has changed that plan.
Wouldn't be surprised, especially by season's end, to see the LB's be Niemann, Colbert & Doyle - even though that is a TON of youth for that position. Great future though.
Adam
Well-Known Member
Yes but what was he recruited to play? I believe my recollection is correct that he was expected to play outside. It was later identified the need at MLB and Doyle's ability to play it. Therefore he trains for a new position.
RobHowe
Administrator
He was recruited to play LEO but has been playing all three spots since arriving on campus in January. He's spent all of camp at MLB.
Welch was recruited for LEO, switched to MLB in the spring and then to WIL. Nick Niemann spent about equal time at LEO and WIL this camp.
DD is a true freshman. All of the positions are new but he's spent as more time at MLB as he has at the other spots.
Welch was recruited for LEO, switched to MLB in the spring and then to WIL. Nick Niemann spent about equal time at LEO and WIL this camp.
DD is a true freshman. All of the positions are new but he's spent as more time at MLB as he has at the other spots.
Adam
Well-Known Member
I get what your saying. I also get that we move LB's around to find the best unit. I'm just saying it's too bad that Doyle spent his Jr and Senior year in high school playing and preparing for the LEO. Had he played MLB for Iowa City for the last 2 seasons I would wager that he would be our starting MLB already. Is that a fair assumption?
