JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
Three reasons why I think they can...or three numbers.
Can Iowa Live Up to the Hype? | Hawkeye Nation
Can Iowa Live Up to the Hype? | Hawkeye Nation
Can Iowa Possibly Live up to the Hype?
- Thread starter JonDMiller
- Start date
hwkwyld
Well-Known Member
Thats a good read Jon. I'd have to agree with it all, I'm just hoping and praying
You and the rest of HN!
I think Iowa could put up better numbers offensively and win fewer games this year. The bounce of that oblong ball could go against us like it did in 08,when we could have won all our games with a good bounce here and there.
Still trying to figure out how we had such a good,veteran o-line and still had such bad offensive numbers last year. I subscribe to the theory that the o-line is the engine of your offense and if they are good, everything else will fall into place.
Not last year.
We need fewer interceptions,and more 100 yard games by rbs.
Still trying to figure out how we had such a good,veteran o-line and still had such bad offensive numbers last year. I subscribe to the theory that the o-line is the engine of your offense and if they are good, everything else will fall into place.
Not last year.
We need fewer interceptions,and more 100 yard games by rbs.
JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
I agree with the first paragraph, but the defense is the one constant that is easier to dismiss bounces and breaks. they are just flat out good, and that is a great baseline to plan from.
With regards to last year's OL, it didn't live up to what it could have been, due to Bulaga's early season issues that bothered him well into the year, an Dace being hurt. Having Dace vs OSU would have helped.Might have made the difference in a few more first downs, more clock, less TOP for OSU, etc. I have a hard time believing that Iowa will throw as many picks this year as they did a year ago
1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
Every QB in the country is going to throw a few interceptions in the course of the year, but hopefully we will have fewer, and also LESS COSTLY ones than we did a year ago.
I'm hoping to see ZERO pick-6's this year.
When Stanzi throws an INT, hopefully it won't be taken back to the house so that our defense at least has the chance to come out and keep the opponent out of the end zone, which they should be good enough to do most of the time. Those pick-6's are killers.
Jon:
You are missing the biggest question. Can KOK/Ferentz be creative and aggressive enough to use the offense to get the points? There were plenty of times last year where more points were available but Iowa went back to ground chuck against a defense stacked in the box. Remember ASU. Iowa could have thrown against that D all day in the first half. But they took their early two TD's and shut it down in favor of running against a stacked box
Why was Stanzi so good at the end of games?
Situations warranted taking the brakes off the offense. Remember OSU? Iowa was in position to win and KF put the brakes on the offense.
This year Iowa has the horses they haven't had in ages to move the ball. But if you play those horses poorly you won't. Using an undersized line to pound the ball against 9 men in the box is a way to be the tenth ranked O in the league. Spread the field, run more one back sets. Use the agility of your smaller and quicker line and get the ball quickly in the hands of your play makers outside.
You are missing the biggest question. Can KOK/Ferentz be creative and aggressive enough to use the offense to get the points? There were plenty of times last year where more points were available but Iowa went back to ground chuck against a defense stacked in the box. Remember ASU. Iowa could have thrown against that D all day in the first half. But they took their early two TD's and shut it down in favor of running against a stacked box
Why was Stanzi so good at the end of games?
Situations warranted taking the brakes off the offense. Remember OSU? Iowa was in position to win and KF put the brakes on the offense.
This year Iowa has the horses they haven't had in ages to move the ball. But if you play those horses poorly you won't. Using an undersized line to pound the ball against 9 men in the box is a way to be the tenth ranked O in the league. Spread the field, run more one back sets. Use the agility of your smaller and quicker line and get the ball quickly in the hands of your play makers outside.
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One of the trends of Kirk that I don't like is to shut everything down and milk the clock the minute we get up by 14 points.
Remember the dominance of GaTech in the Orange Bowl last year? Well, there was a point in the 4th quarter where they had the ball and were a play away from the lead. That scenario never should have been possible.
I dread when we go up by 14 points early in a game, because then we just sit around waiting for the clock to expire and give the other team a chance to win at the end. Sometimes it seems like the worse thing Kirk can imagine is a turnover with a 14 point lead.
Remember the dominance of GaTech in the Orange Bowl last year? Well, there was a point in the 4th quarter where they had the ball and were a play away from the lead. That scenario never should have been possible.
I dread when we go up by 14 points early in a game, because then we just sit around waiting for the clock to expire and give the other team a chance to win at the end. Sometimes it seems like the worse thing Kirk can imagine is a turnover with a 14 point lead.
1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
Good point. Last year's Wisconsin game comes to mind as well. The first half, the Hawks were ultra-conservative. Just hand-off after hand-off, and it was going nowhere. 3 points at halftime. Then in the 2nd half, they opened things up and started throwing a little more, basically (IMO) because they were behind and had to start being a bit more agressive, and they scored 17 of their 20 points after that point.
Easy to say for an armchair QB like myself, but that's the way I saw it.
I'll never agree with sitting on the ball and opting for OT @OSU last year, either.
Hawk4Life25
Well-Known Member
Iowa's surplus of talented skill positions (hopefully more 3WR sets) will allow less defenders in the box and make Iowa that much more dangerous by spreading out opposing defenses.
Theoretically having less men in the box should help the OL and their blocking....but it does all boil down to EXECUTION.
Theoretically having less men in the box should help the OL and their blocking....but it does all boil down to EXECUTION.
You can wish you had a huge overpowering line that could just lean on guys and move the pile. You can wish you had a 240 pound back that could get five yards on bulk alone. You don't. You have a smaller quicker line and smaller shifty type backs.
Use them the right way.
Then after you have scored 42 points, bring in Rogers and do what you love.
Use them the right way.
Then after you have scored 42 points, bring in Rogers and do what you love.
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1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
See @Northwestern 2005. Case in point. Going conservative too early cost us that game.
Don't get me wrong - I'm a big Kirk Ferentz fan and hope he sticks around until he retires. He's doing a great job. But I DO think he tends to get conservative to a fault at times on the offensive side of the ball.
That said, it was this same conservative coaching staff whose team led the conference in offense back in 2002. As another poster said, execution is huge. It also doesn't hurt to have some dangerous receivers to throw to like the '02 team did, and a great offensive line.
SDK46
Well-Known Member
BIG +1 I was there...threw my Hawk hat down in disgust. Never will understand why we did that.
1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
I believe the logic was that JVB was inexperienced and a turnover in that situation could've been catastrophic, which is quite true. But on the same token, wouldn't a turnover in OT be just as bad, or worse? If you trust your QB to play well in overtime, then why not in regulation? We had all the momentum at the end of the 4th quarter, and we let OSU get back up off the mat and regroup for OT. It's not like we were buried on our own 12 yard line or something. That would've been different. But weren't we on the 35 or 40 yard line?
If I was a coach, my philosophy would be to always take the momentum and run with it while you have it.
DexterMorgan
Well-Known Member
Not to mention the stupid college overtime rules completely discount defense.
INTIMIDATORHawk
Well-Known Member
I think last season's low offensive yards/game can partly be attributed to Iowa's ability to win the field position battle. Between Iowa's defense and what Ryan Donahue was consistently able to do, the Hawks had a lot of short fields to work with seemingly every week.
Does anyone keep track of average yards per offensive possession? Or average yards per scoring drive?
Does anyone keep track of average yards per offensive possession? Or average yards per scoring drive?
KCHawkeye
Well-Known Member
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I have to agree. Overall KF is doing a great job, but he appears to pull in the offense too early.
Maybe it's his trust in the defense. Maybe the coaches see things that I don't. I think it may be a little of both, but I just get so disgusted and it appears the opposing coaches seem to know it, too.
okeefe4prez
Well-Known Member
Halt the offense bashing. The OC's goals within our TEAM scheme are to (1) score at least 1 more point than the other team, (2) eat the clock so the d doesn't get stuck on the field all day and (3) win the field position battle. What the Maestro does may not make sense to those of with low football IQs, but the guy is the best in the business.
homerHAWKeye777
Well-Known Member
CAARHawk -
I think that you at least partially missed the bus on this one.
A significant reason why Iowa tended to be better late in the game as opposed to early in the game is because Iowa's O had worn down the opposing D. And, part of wearing down the opposing D requires at least TRYING to run the ball.
However, you are correct that the coaches were seemingly willing to take more chances late in the game. However, part of that is also due to the fact that the coaches didn't want our squad to LOSE MOMENTUM early in away games due to stupid take-aways.
There's a reason why you observed a stark contrast in how Iowa played at home versus away from home. Part of it was due to focus ... the Hawks were clearly more focussed during away games. However, an even bigger part of it was due to the fact that Iowa played much less conservatively on O during home games ... and sometimes it BACKFIRED. Iowa played very much less conservatively on O against Arkansas State, Indiana, and Northwestern ... and in each case ... the resulting errors from taking risks took momentum away from us. Heck, against Northwestern, it ended up costing us the game!
Don't get me wrong, I don't think that we shouldn't take risks. However, having a better ground game goes a long way to ensuring that those risks are more measured.
Lastly, another reason why I'm sure the coaches did what they did is because they needed the young RBs to take positive strides forward in their development. Guys can't learn if they're not allowed to make mistakes. Just as Ricky was allowed to make mistakes (and sometimes mistake after mistake) ... the young RBs were allowed to make their fair share of errors too. As the saying goes .... you can't make an omlet without breaking some eggs ....
