Petras was far from the reason we lost that game. He was a little amped up, but I still believe he will have a very solid Iowa career.
This one's on the coaches. For whatever reason, this team wasn't ready. No doubt, the distractions surrounding the allegations and lawsuit were a factor, but that's not an excuse.
I had concerns about the defensive line going in, so that performance didn't shock me, especially considering Schulte wasn't available, but the performance of the offensive line was shocking. Cronk did not look like a prior B1G starter at all and really struggled, and Jackson appeared to be sleep walking in the first half. Run blocking got better as the game went along, but pass protection was awful across the line, and not acceptable for an experienced group.
And, what is with the defensive backs? I have plenty of confidence in Phil, but someone needs to explain to our backs that playing zone doesn't mean you stand in one spot and ignore players right in front of you until the ball is on it's way. They looked like a bunch of lost freshmen out there. In fairness, our complete lack of a pass rush didn't do them any favors.
We also need our WRs to step up. ISM quietly had a terrible game. His route running was lazy and he wasn't focused. Yes, the pass in the first half that he let go through his hands was too hot, but receivers at this level need to make that catch. He seems like a player that lets his emotions guide his play, for the good or bad, and he didn't appear to be in the right mindset Saturday.
