Closer Look at 2011 Iowa RB Situation
- Thread starter JonDMiller
- Start date
Hawkfromnorwalk
Well-Known Member
I'm thinking 2011 could set up like the beginning of the 2008 season. Going into that season we lost Young and Sims and had no known commodities at the position. Greene had a small amount of prior experience and his backup was a true freshman. This coming year will begin in the same situation. Coker coming in will be the main guy but doesn't have a lot of experience under his belt, and his backup will be somebody who has not toted the ball before on a Big 10 field. Hopefully the results are the same as that year!
JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
You made me think to look something up...
Entering the 2008 season, Greene had 69 career carries for 378 yards and two TD's, with a long of 32.
Entering the 2011 season, Coker will have 114 carries for 662 yards and three scores with the long of 62.
Entering the 2008 season, Greene had 69 career carries for 378 yards and two TD's, with a long of 32.
Entering the 2011 season, Coker will have 114 carries for 662 yards and three scores with the long of 62.
Hawkfromnorwalk
Well-Known Member
Coker proved his worth in the bowl game. Leading up to that there was very little to inject confidence into the fans over him. He played decent when he was first introduced at Ball State, but then wasn't really impressive at Indy (although the coaches did put a leash on him in the red zone which affects things). Then before the bowl the last impression he left before the break was fumbling the football which locked up Minny winning. I love the way he played against Mizzou but I still am somewhat reserved about going into next year, much like I was in 2008.
Ihawk209
Well-Known Member
He had over 100 yards in the first half against IU. He may have been banged up during that half or we inexplicably abandoned the run in the second half. Neither rationale would surprise me.
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homerHAWKeye777
Well-Known Member
An even more important similarity between the '08 and '11 seasons that will likely have a profound influence on our running game is who we have returning on the OL ....
returning guys with starts for '08:
- Olsen, Bulaga (obvious "superstar" of the bunch), Vandervelde, Calloway, Doering, Meade (it's remarkable to think that he had as many starts as he did), Eubanks
returning guys with game experience for '08:
- Koeppel, Bruggeman (a guy who proved to be better than Eubanks who was a returning starter)
returning guys with starts for '11:
- Reiff (obvious "superstar" of the bunch), Zusevics, Gettis, MacMillan, Ferentz
returning guys with game experience for '11:
- Van Sloten, Boffeli, Tobin, Orne
And, on top of all the above, I think that Iowa has a TON to be excited about concerning young depth on the OL too. There we have Scherff, Donnal, Walsh, and Blythe. Furthermore, we'll have the benefit of having a pretty promising JUCO in Heiar who could enter the fray too!
returning guys with starts for '08:
- Olsen, Bulaga (obvious "superstar" of the bunch), Vandervelde, Calloway, Doering, Meade (it's remarkable to think that he had as many starts as he did), Eubanks
returning guys with game experience for '08:
- Koeppel, Bruggeman (a guy who proved to be better than Eubanks who was a returning starter)
returning guys with starts for '11:
- Reiff (obvious "superstar" of the bunch), Zusevics, Gettis, MacMillan, Ferentz
returning guys with game experience for '11:
- Van Sloten, Boffeli, Tobin, Orne
And, on top of all the above, I think that Iowa has a TON to be excited about concerning young depth on the OL too. There we have Scherff, Donnal, Walsh, and Blythe. Furthermore, we'll have the benefit of having a pretty promising JUCO in Heiar who could enter the fray too!
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HawkeyeMike23
Banned
I thought he looked really good against OSU, much better than Robinson, but once Robinson came in in the 2nd quarter, we completely stopped using Coker unitl the 4th.
Hawkfromnorwalk
Well-Known Member
I do apologize. I forgot about the 1st half of tOSU when ARob was held out. You are correct there, he did do a pretty job in that game when he was in it.
homerHAWKeye777
Well-Known Member
Not that landing Cyrus Kouandjio would make or break Iowa's OL ... but I could easily see his addition as making an already strong Iowa OL that much deeper and stronger. And, to me, that's PLENTY to be excited about.
Hawkfromnorwalk
Well-Known Member
I don't even know why we are looking forward anyway. Everybody knows Angry Iowa Running Back Hating God is going to strike and we will be down to a walk on RB by the 4th game...
homerHAWKeye777
Well-Known Member
The problem, if you will, is that having Robinson gave our O a little more flexibility in what we could call on O. I'm sure that that is a tough trade-off that the coaches had to make. Furthermore, I think that the coaches really were truly appreciative of what Robinson had done for the team ... and they believed that he had earned his right to be on the field.
Of course, that said, as a fan it's still easy to say that you keep on running the ball with Coker until tOSU proves that they can stop our O when he's in. Definitely a tough call either way. I think that there were good arguments to be said on either side concerning that decision. I know that at the the time, my wife was PI$$ED that Coker was taken out of the game.
JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
Coker had 43 yards in the first quarter against Ohio State. He didn't have another carry until the fourth quarter. Then he had one rush for 26 yards to the OSU 1, and another to punch it in.
So in two quarters of play, he had 70 yards...and one of those two quarters was a two possession drive.
That Coker TD 'drive' put Iowa up 17-10. OSU got a field goal on its next drive, then the Hawkeyes called three pass plays and punted, setting up OSU's go ahead drive.
No Coker, no A Rob...all pass. Stanzi was sacked on first down on that drive too.
So in two quarters of play, he had 70 yards...and one of those two quarters was a two possession drive.
That Coker TD 'drive' put Iowa up 17-10. OSU got a field goal on its next drive, then the Hawkeyes called three pass plays and punted, setting up OSU's go ahead drive.
No Coker, no A Rob...all pass. Stanzi was sacked on first down on that drive too.
HawkeyeMike23
Banned
I definitely believe this true, and I think it is one thing that is holding the program back a little. Ferentz has improved at this a little the last few years but he still is overly loyal to upperclassmen, despite having more talented underclassmen behind them. Ferentz avoided playing Coker, until his hand was forced in the Indiana game. As soon as Hampton got hurt, I think Coker should have been getting meaningful snaps. Not alternating series like Wegher and Robinson did last season, but at least 10-12 plays a game and not just garbage time snaps.
94HawkMA
Well-Known Member
These are good observations guys! What we can't have is a situation like one that played out this season where we rode a horse until he was dead. (Reference the Michigan State game and Adam Robinson's concussion.) Iowa needs to have at least 2 RB's that they are comfortable with, so that one RB doesn't carry 70-90% of the load in each game. D'andre Johnson needs to get a ton of reps in the spring and in fall camp so that he can contribute right away this fall. Remember the Cedric Shaw days where Iowa could sub in another reliable back so the starter didn't get exposed to injury when he got tired?
DodgerHawki
Well-Known Member
Will need to have multiple guys ready...
as the history of Iowa RB's has show.
Coker is a very, very good blend of power and speed. Seems to the smarts and the work ethic too. What we've seen from him is very promising and he's the starter next year barring injury or off-field issue.
But we absolutely have to have other guys ready to go. Greene and Russell both handled the load largely by themselves in 2002-03, and 2008, so perhaps Coker could answer the bell for all 13 games in 2011.
But both Russell and Greene were grown men by that time compared to Coker. Both Rusell and Greene went to prep school after high school. Russell didn't play much his first two years before coming on in 2002 and 2003. Russell was 23 when he carried the load largely by himself in 2003.
Greene also went to prep school, then at Iowa for 2 years, then a year at Kirkwood, then the huge year in 2008, when he was 23 years old.
Coker was 18 this year, which makes what he did very good. But I would think counting on him to be available for all games next year as a 19-year old would be a huge assumption given his age and the type of back he is.
as the history of Iowa RB's has show.
Coker is a very, very good blend of power and speed. Seems to the smarts and the work ethic too. What we've seen from him is very promising and he's the starter next year barring injury or off-field issue.
But we absolutely have to have other guys ready to go. Greene and Russell both handled the load largely by themselves in 2002-03, and 2008, so perhaps Coker could answer the bell for all 13 games in 2011.
But both Russell and Greene were grown men by that time compared to Coker. Both Rusell and Greene went to prep school after high school. Russell didn't play much his first two years before coming on in 2002 and 2003. Russell was 23 when he carried the load largely by himself in 2003.
Greene also went to prep school, then at Iowa for 2 years, then a year at Kirkwood, then the huge year in 2008, when he was 23 years old.
Coker was 18 this year, which makes what he did very good. But I would think counting on him to be available for all games next year as a 19-year old would be a huge assumption given his age and the type of back he is.
DexterMorgan
Well-Known Member
Bingo. We have a winner
homerHAWKeye777
Well-Known Member
HawkeyeMike23 -
I respectfully disagree.
If you don't cultivate guys who can end up being leaders for the program ... then the team ends up being deficient in the area of "leadership" ... and that ends up hurting the team FAR MORE than simply keeping talent off the field.
Besides, there's also the "what if" game .... "what if" you put in the younger RB who misses the block that knocks your QB out. That is the sort of tough decision that coaches have to wrestle with. Furthermore, the coaches were forced to go with Coker against Minnesota ... and he ended up having a key fumble against the Gophers. Again, a youthful mistake ... but a youthful mistake that was ONE OF MANY that contributed to that embarrassing loss.
DexterMorgan
Well-Known Member
I honestly think he could be a Bednarik finalist at some point if he moved to LB.
SteveGarvey
Well-Known Member
And I bet OSU's defensive players all swiped their foreheads with the back of their hands and went "whew!" every time Coker didn't come onto the field during the game.
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