Better figure out the zone read

StickUP

Well-Known Member
Nebraska's zone read is going to kill Iowa. My only hope is that NE just gives up on the season. Maryland, Indiana, Minn and to some extent Wisc have killed Iowa this year with the zone read. Abdoulla could run for 300 yards this week.
 
Nebraska's zone read is going to kill Iowa. My only hope is that NE just gives up on the season. Maryland, Indiana, Minn and to some extent Wisc have killed Iowa this year with the zone read. Abdoulla could run for 300 yards this week.

I think we've got it figured out, I just don't think we have the horses at LB to stop it. Nebraska is fairly soft in the trenches and I think our line will be ready to play, so it will come down to the LBs keeping gap discipline (I don't expect Nebraska to push our d-line into the second level like Wisconsin did on a few big runs). I hope Bell is out to eliminate their deep passing threat.
 
I think we've got it figured out, I just don't think we have the horses at LB to stop it. Nebraska is fairly soft in the trenches and I think our line will be ready to play, so it will come down to the LBs keeping gap discipline (I don't expect Nebraska to push our d-line into the second level like Wisconsin did on a few big runs). I hope Bell is out to eliminate their deep passing threat.

I think you're right. The players know what they are supposed to do, but frankly lack the ability to do it. The linebackers and back 4 just get out of position far too much,miss too many tackles , and take poor attack angles more often that the other team. On gordon's 88 yard run, for example, spearman and lomax were there, they just didn't make the play, simple as that. I can't blame coaches for that. On the play of the game, 3rd and 13, lomax looks clueless on what he is doing out there. I don't mean to bag on lomax, i thought he did alright otherwise. however, those were 2 massive plays in the game.
 
OP beat me to it. Armstrong is below avg if you make him pass or if he Has to pass....but he's the best running QB we've faced all year, and if Abdullah is healthy, they can run. They Love the bomb off play action, need to be ready...if Bell is out that helps.

OK4P is 100% correct as well, if LBS over pursue or do not have gap integrity, it's trouble.

Wrap up, hit hard...Freaking Win!
 
I think you're right. The players know what they are supposed to do, but frankly lack the ability to do it. The linebackers and back 4 just get out of position far too much,miss too many tackles , and take poor attack angles more often that the other team. On gordon's 88 yard run, for example, spearman and lomax were there, they just didn't make the play, simple as that. I can't blame coaches for that. On the play of the game, 3rd and 13, lomax looks clueless on what he is doing out there. I don't mean to bag on lomax, i thought he did alright otherwise. however, those were 2 massive plays in the game.

The 88 yard run was huge, but props to the secondary for running down Gordon and then sacking up to hold them to 3 rather than 7 (the fact that Lowdermilk was even in the ball park and hit his legs to slow him up is why I think Coleman is better than Gordon). The team put in a phenomenal effort and I can't be upset about the end result. It was a great game.

Lomax really blew that read on 3rd and 13, but he's a college kid out there who thought he was clear to blitz and just whiffed on his assignment - sometimes you just get beat and Wisconsin's coaches did a great job of prepping Gordon and their QBs for that situation. I'm sure our coaches told Lomaz to stick to Gordon like glue, but college kids make mistakes sometimes.
 
Do you guys remember when Iowa stomped Georgia Tech's zone read? Yeah...that was awesome... -longing look and sigh-

That was just fantastic - Clayborn shut down an entire side of the field and every time the QB made the read for the A gap quick hitter, all he saw was Pat Angerer smiling back at him because the tackles swallowed up their blockers and took them out of the play. Man, that defense was awesome.
 
That was just fantastic - Clayborn shut down an entire side of the field and every time the QB made the read for the A gap quick hitter, all he saw was Pat Angerer smiling back at him because the tackles swallowed up their blockers and took them out of the play. Man, that defense was awesome.
If we cover up his tats can we sneak Angerer in on Friday?
 
Assuming Iowa throws the ball downfield like they did in the second half yesterday....but I have a feeling they come out with the usual stale, predictable offense.
Oh ye of little faith...if there's one thing Ferentz and Company does well, it's realizing their mistakes and adjusting their philosophy...;)
 
Assuming Iowa throws the ball downfield like they did in the second half yesterday....but I have a feeling they come out with the usual stale, predictable offense.

We need to open the game like PSU did against us in 2009 - play action deep pass for a TD. We do that, the crowd gets into the game and Nebraska prepares to choke it away.
 
I was actually pleasantly surprised by iowa's handling of Gordon. The secondary getting burned in pass coverage was much more damaging:
 
Do you guys remember when Iowa stomped Georgia Tech's zone read? Yeah...that was awesome... -longing look and sigh-

Im not certain, but I think the GT attack is different than the zone read that we're talking about. I'll defer to an X/O guy on this
 
Im not certain, but I think the GT attack is different than the zone read that we're talking about. I'll defer to an X/O guy on this

It is. They ran a triple option that included a read to one of the RBs, if it wasn't there the QB kept it and ran a more traditional option play where he could either keep it or pitch to the other RB. It also had a pass element to it, but their QB was terrible, which was fortunate because Demaryius (sp) Thomas of the Denver Broncos was on that team at WR. The read option we will see Friday is the one a bunch of colleges run now where the QB and the RB are going different directions and the QB can keep it and go one way or hand it off and the RB is going the other way (or alternatively if they are going the same way, the QB and RB are progressing toward different gaps and the QB makes the read based on the open gap). It causes big problems because everyone has to stay home and contain their gaps - one guy gets out of position or beaten by his blocker and the offense can convert it to a huge play, as we saw McEvoy from Wisconsin do to us on his long TD run. It puts a lot of pressure on the LBs because if they overpursue, the defense is toast. We saw that happen a few times against Indiana and Maryland - the LBs got too far outside and the cutback lane was wide open.
 
. I hope Bell is out to eliminate their deep passing threat.

Bell shouldn't be as much of concern. Just don't get beat deep. Armstrong won't beat you with the short passing game (although he throws a great deep ball). Play a soft man to man. Commit to stopping the run and take away the deep pass. That is what Mich St did for 3 and 1/2 qtrs.
 

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