Being realistic? - I disagree with the 7.5 wins a year crowd

[uihawk82]

Since 2015 the hawks have been losing their games in a very close fashion. Even the 2018 Wisky game was a late loss including a late give away TD. Two points, 5 pts, last second fg, in a lot of games. I disagree that Iowa cant be a 9 game average win team a year which means an 8 win year, several 9 win years and the 10 and even 11 win years.

Young was running the ball well, Goodson had a good run. Was the blocking and run action different on those plays vs the usual zone blocking? Attacking deeper with the pass and running some hurry up worked well. I have to wonder what it will take for KF and BF to re-develop a better running game and a more efficient passing game.

They are right on the cusp of many a really good season.

Defensively, the hawks are very good but in the big games teams like PSU and Wisky can control the ball so even more work needs to be done in Def Tackle position to stop the run. PSU was getting a lot of first down running yards. I thought the hawks controlled Wisky and Taylor until the last 20 minutes as they got too tired probably and had to take chances attacking gaps. The pass rush perhaps needs a blitz help no and then.

The fans and big donors need to ask for better. I know the coaches and players want to win every game but it doesnt seem like this offense has the go to plays to move the chains, get ahead of the chains on first down, etc.

There should be several passing plays called that get players into open areas for needed yardage against teams after scouting them for a week.

I am more and more impressed with our wideouts so we need to use them as weapons.

 

[Motigerhawk]

Goodson, Tracy, Smith, LaPorta, ISM. Those are some weapons. And Young pounding the ball to wear the defense down. Man, this offense has more potential than any in recent years. But we are bad once again.

And our defense has been as good as ever, even though we have nepotism and start a coaches son at MLB, and the usual slow Iowa FS being played ahead of an athlete for reasons only KF knows.

This staff has some talent but it is being handcuffed by KF. Kind of like the offense.

Go Hawks!

 

[uihawk82]

Goodson, Tracy, Smith, LaPorta, ISM. Those are some weapons. And Young pounding the ball to wear the defense down. Man, this offense has more potential than any in recent years. But we are bad once again.

And our defense has been as good as ever, even though we have nepotism and start a coaches son at MLB, and the usual slow Iowa FS being played ahead of an athlete for reasons only KF knows.

This staff has some talent but it is being handcuffed by KF. Kind of like the offense.

Go Hawks!

Very well said. With most other teams scoring more points per game it is necessary for KF to quit being so conservative in the first halves of games and score more. I am not saying dont kick a FG on 4th and 5 but instead really work hard on the picking up third downs, bettering the red zone offense.

I think Young and Goodson in the backfield at the same time would give a lot of defenses problems. Even Sargent and Goodson, with two wideouts and one TE. Play makers on the field and get them the ball in the open.

 

[hawkfan2679]

Young was running the ball well, Goodson had a good run. Was the blocking and run action different on those plays vs the usual zone blocking? Attacking deeper with the pass and running some hurry up worked well. I have to wonder what it will take for KF and BF to re-develop a better running game and a more efficient passing game.

I can't speak for the Young run, but the Goodson run definitely wasn't a zone play. It looked like power left...we were in the gun, not in the I, but we still pulled a BSG and a TE/H-back to the play side. However, our lack of effective counter plays led Wisconsin to overpursue and Goodson cut underneath the blitzing safety backside for a big gain. I haven't watched Wisconsin much this year, so I don't know how quickly they flow against other teams, but this isn't the first time overpursuit has been or could be used to our advantage. There was a post I made after the NW game that included a video that showed the impact of what would happen with our counter opportunities. I'll see if I can find it...

 

[uihawk82]

I can't speak for the Young run, but the Goodson run definitely wasn't a zone play. It looked like power left...we were in the gun, not in the I, but we still pulled a BSG and a TE/H-back to the play side. However, our lack of effective counter plays led Wisconsin to overpursue and Goodson cut underneath the blitzing safety backside for a big gain. I haven't watched Wisconsin much this year, so I don't know how quickly they flow against other teams, but this isn't the first time overpursuit has been or could be used to our advantage. There was a post I made after the NW game that included a video that showed the impact of what would happen with our counter opportunities. I'll see if I can find it...

When the zone blocking scheme is working well it has a built in counter play action when the running back can cut back and cut back many numbered gaps worth of the LOS. Freddy Russell had the great feet to pitter patter and change directions, J Lewis, S Green, and some others were very good at this. They were also quick.

Of course when you have the good passing game and play action off the zone hand off scheme it keeps teams from putting that extra guy in the box. Teams have been better at filling the backside cutback lanes which is why I think Iowa should be ready to power block more straight ahead like this year.

Right now I think Goodson has the feet, the quickness and the vision to be our best back but I think YOung has made great strides with his first cut and he brings punishing power.

 

[hawkfan2679]

Found it.

Watch what the Iowa "counter" play does to the LB's at 13:17 in the above video (Will [weak side] LB especially). The need for additional variety to the running attack is apparent.

And the vid in question:

Not a big gain, but the opportunity was there if the RB can beat the safety coming down 1 on 1. Also opens up chances in the pass game if the varied running attack can keep fast flow at bay.

 

[4thngoal]

That may be true about barely losing.
However people have figured this out.
When playing against risk adversion football,
They just have to keep it close (much like playing against a better team), then win it in the 4th quarter.
Basically they use our plan against us. Don't get penalties, don't turn it over and have a shot to win it in the end.
You can't put that on our defense because they are usually pretty good. Yet it seems like it's their fault because they give up a score in the 4th. Which is crap. 0-0 into the 4th and then losing 0-3 is not a defensive problem. So is 14-14 in the 4th and losing 14-17???? Well when a team is averaging 28-30 points a game I would say holding them to 17, the defense did it's part.
Yes it is a team game, but for years one side of the ball is doing it's part to be nationally relevant.

 

[Stanzi]

I saw the over/under 7.5 wins and thought for sure we were talking about the basketball team this season.

 

[smitharooney]

I would rather see our team have 500 yards of offense with four turnovers than playing it safe and only scoring ten points . Take all the chances and be aggressive .Let the kids play . Another year left out of the NY6 . This current philosophy has gotten us nowhere