Beating Northwestern For Dummies

[Gibsonian]

Listen...NW plays the same way every year. They run blitz the crap out of us if we show stretch motion. They have 7 or 8 in the box and play the short passing routes aggressively...because the have four looking for people coming into their zones...and they are well coached.

The point of this original post was that you have to target them down the field...in the match ups with their corners and safeties. Iowa threw deep just a few times. Fritz knows what he's doing...he forces a team like Iowa to make a decision...will Iowa keep throwing short crossing or out routes that are higher percentage against a defense geared to stop it...or will Iowa take their chances and continuously attack down the field where the defense is vulnerable.

Iowa kept throwing short...and it cost them two interceptions. The reason is two fold...KF/BF don't like lower probability play selection. They can't accept that 40-45% completion ranges can be a good thing...and big plays will offset the lower chance of completion.

The second reason is Iowa doesn't want three and outs...and to put their defense back on the field. This is why NW commits to the run against Iowa...and if they have success...KF/BF start puckering up and are less likely to throw deep. It' happened in 2018 in Kinnick...the same exact game...only our defense played better in the second half in 2020.

And it works for a win 80% of the time. NW's plan would be my plan as an opposing D coach.

 

[racerhawk]

I'm not sure if anyone watched Indiana beat NW yesterday, but that's how you beat NW like a drum. You keep throwing the ball downfield and exploit their DBs as Fritz leaves them on an island and loads up to stop the run. The point is that you keep going after them play after play DOWN THE FIELD. Indiana just kept throwing it...and they picked up like 6 pass interference calls because that's what NW does, they hold in the defensive backfield...but you have to have a large number of attempts to train the officials to call it.

The short passing game against NW doesn't work...they have 8-9 guys within 7 yards of the line of scrimmage at all times. You are just throwing into their strength. Think about the longer passes to Tracy and ISM against NW...Indiana took those shots every play. Sure, they had a few three and outs...but they exploited NW's defense 20-30 yards down the field.

Then, after you have set the tone...you go to Stevie Scott who now has some running room...and he punishes people.

I sure in the hell hope BF watches that tape.

OMG. This.IS.Always.True. It could've been written after any Iowa loss to NW. Certainly Saturday's loss. Those zone stretch runs and 4 yard passes with 4 defenders right there were sooper effective.