Brian Ferentz Looking for Answers on Offense

I like the Ty Detmer/BYU comment another poster made in another thread. 5 WRs running 5 yard routes, Petras under center just stands up and chucks to one of the WRs. That spreads the ball around and opens up the run game.

How about that for an answer?
 
1634770694137.png

Brian: Hum, maybe we need to run the stretch play to the other side of the field? Maybe next time we run the QB sneak on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th down....because we are so good at it.
 
I think Brian is referring to what happened on the line when he's talking about the invisible plays, some of which he wants back. The ones that have been big ones are almost all ones where Petras gets drilled but still made the throw.

I admire Petras's leadership. Things don't go right and he's the first one to face the music. Says a lot about him. Also never looked panicked on Saturday, even when they had him trying to force things in the 4th to try to salvage things.

If we had a line, he'd be fine, because he can make every throw in the book. We don't, and that's why I think we need to see if someone can make some plays while moving the pocket and getting yards on draws, this year.
 
I just got a new T-shirt a couple days ago. Tory Taylor is producing this shirt. He is giving proceeds to a charity. The t-shirt has his name and number on the back and is a black t-shirt with yellow lettering.

The saying on the front? Punting is winning.

Its ironic, but true this season.
 
Again, we just dont create mismatches any more ....get RB 15 in the slot ... get a O line man or fullback to pass pro ....put our 6ft6 TE.....on an island against a 5ft 10 d back run quick slant or 5 yard dig routs .. use it for 1sts downs... middle screen play action pop pass, and you just cant tell me that on 3rd and 2 you cant fake the full back dive and quick pitch around end.. Sometimes we all waaaay over think things
 
One thing we know almost certainly is the Hawks will try to run the ball against Wisconsin. Will we try the same stretch plays and try to execute the ball down the field or will we get creative and try some misdirection, some trickeration ? I could see this game getting away from us in a hurry if we can't move the ball and keep Wisconsin off balance.
 
I just wonder if both teams should start a running back at QB and run it on every down? Not serious here, maybe, but that's what Wisky is doing. Give Goodson three strait carries or give Petras three strait passes. Iowa often or always runs after a throw on first down. Iowa always goes for a first down on second and short. Time to throw away those tendencies Brian.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
We threw the ball downfield against Indiana, ISU and Penn St...all defenses as good as or better than Purdue.
Click to expand...

Petras stats:

Opponent.....Stats..................................Yards/completion.......Yards/Attempt
vs Indiana......13-27 for 145 yards..........11.15................................5.37
vs ISU..............11-21 for 106 yards............9.64................................5.04
vs Penn St......17-31 for 195 yards..........11.47................................6.29
vs Purdue.......17-32 for 195 yards..........11.47................................6.09
 
Robowe said:
Petras stats:

Opponent.....Stats..................................Yards/completion.......Yards/Attempt
vs Indiana......13-27 for 145 yards..........11.15................................5.37
vs ISU..............11-21 for 106 yards............9.64................................5.04
vs Penn St......17-31 for 195 yards..........11.47................................6.29
vs Purdue.......17-32 for 195 yards..........11.47................................6.09
Click to expand...

Regardless of what the "averages" say, We likely wouldn't have won either ISU or PSU without downfield passing.

Petras 26 yards to C Jones @ ISU, gave us the lead we never let go of. Laporta had a 21 yr reception, Lachey a 17 yarder

Petras 44 yards to N Ragaini vs PSU was the game winner. Keagan Johnson 2 catches for 42 yards, one of which put us in certain scoring position

IU game was over early thanks to the D.
 
Last edited:
hawkdrummer1 said:
Regardless of what the "averages" say, We likely wouldn't have won either ISU or PSU without downfield passing.

Petras 26 yards to C Jones @ ISU, gave us the lead we never let go of. Laporta had a 21 yr reception, Lachey a 17 yarder

Petras 44 yards to N Ragaini vs PSU was the game winner. Keagan Johnson 2 catches for 42 yards, one of which put us in certain scoring position

IU game was over early thanks to the D.
Click to expand...

The stats are the stats. Iowa's passing game has been the same basically every game (win or lose). They connected on a couple of scoring plays in the wins, but for the most part, it's short stuff (not downfield). Those outliers you listed actually means the rest of those games the passing game was even shorter (closer to the vest) than the averages.

Example - take away the 26 yards pass in the ISU game, then Petras is 10-20 for 80 yards. 8 yards/completion and 4 yards/attempt. Whoa. Same with PSU - those 3 catches for 86 yards means the rest of the passing game was 14-28 for 109 yards. I am not sure I even want to do the math on those numbers. :)

I don't see much changing with the unless some of those short passes have broken tackles or a bad defensive play (see Goodson vs Maryland catching a 10 yard pass and beating the LB for the TD). It's short by design most of the time.

Expecting it to change now is probably not going to happen ... no matter how much we wish it would.
 
Those hoping for wholesale schematic changes or a QB switch won't see it. Doubt it would help anyway as those things are tough to install with just an extra week of practice.

Beyond getting healthier on the line, I think Iowa does have some things in its existing repertoire to resolve its biggest issue: Negative plays on first down.

1) More fullback dives and jet sweeps. Perhaps my service academy roots are betraying me, but both runs prevent the defensive front seven from jumping gaps by keying off which direction the entire offense is flowing (particularly on stretch plays). Even short gains would be positive ground given how many times Goodson has been hit for 3-5 yard losses.

2) Isolate Goodson in the passing game. They used this approach against ISU to open things up a bit in the second quarter. Goodson is quick enough to create space against a LB, and again, even if it only goes for short yardage it is a safe play which gets the ball in the hands of our best offensive player.

3) Utilize more screens to the RBs and TEs. This is probably the worst of my suggestions as it often works best when the d line has been getting to the QB snap after snap, but at this point I would trust screens more than seven-step drops from Petras waiting for one of our slow footed WRs to break open.
 
Robowe said:
The stats are the stats. Iowa's passing game has been the same basically every game (win or lose). They connected on a couple of scoring plays in the wins, but for the most part, it's short stuff (not downfield). Those outliers you listed actually means the rest of those games the passing game was even shorter (closer to the vest) than the averages.

Example - take away the 26 yards pass in the ISU game, then Petras is 10-20 for 80 yards. 8 yards/completion and 4 yards/attempt. Whoa. Same with PSU - those 3 catches for 86 yards means the rest of the passing game was 14-28 for 109 yards. I am not sure I even want to do the math on those numbers. :)

I don't see much changing with the unless some of those short passes have broken tackles or a bad defensive play (see Goodson vs Maryland catching a 10 yard pass and beating the LB for the TD). It's short by design most of the time.

Expecting it to change now is probably not going to happen ... no matter how much we wish it would.
Click to expand...
Just stop cheery picking. Thanks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top