Closer Look at 2011 Iowa RB Situation

[HawkeyeMike23]

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.

How do you cultivate leaders? Leaders develop naturally, if the coaching staff has to try to make a guy leader, well guess what, he's not a leader. Are you saying Robinson couldn't possibly be a leader unless he played every down?

I would be willing to deal with some youthful mistakes from playing younger guys, it comes with not having playing time. Just getting reps in practice helps, but its not the same as getting actual game experience. Robinson was a solid back, he was dependable but not a game changer. There were many times during the season where Robinson had wore a defense down but couldn't break a big run because he was fatigued and just doesn't have that speed. I really wish we had been able to keep Hampton healthy this season because he would have been the guy breaking big runs on the tired defense. In the Insight Bowl we saw that Coker can do that too, I just wish he would have been given to do that earlier in the season.

 

[Foval21]

The difference I see between 2008 and 2011 is Greene wasn't known by most but he had been through 2 yrs in the program before he became the guy and he was a better blocker than I think Coker will be. Hopefully it is kind of a replay of that year but with all the upside we see in Coker don't go and baptize him the second coming because no player needs that pressure. Can't wait to see what he can do with a full season as #1.

 

[Hawksel]

I thought Coker was impressive running in every game he was in this year (some obviously more than others). Where he lacked was in areas of polish such as blitz pickup, where he whiffed obviously several times before improving at this in the Missouri game.

Fans tend to look at the running back position like they do quarterback and argue over who should start. I think at a run heavy school like Iowa, though, they should look at the running backs more as a unit like wide receivers, where the talent is judged as a group. While as a unit these upcoming running backs lack experience over the trio that should have been returning, I like how the skill sets of these runners match up better. Compared to Hampton, Robinson and Wegher, who really were slightly different versions of the same type of back, the Hawks will now have:

• Coker: Big back, proven to be good down hill runner
• Coe (judging from highlight tape): Another big back with impressive athleticism and good hands.
• McCall (judging from highlight tape): A runner with good straight line speed considering his size. I like his potential.
• Johnson (judging from highlight tape and fall practice) -- A good change up back, runs low to the ground and appears to be very quick and agile.

That's a lot more for a defense to think about than three 200 lbs backs, who, while clearly different in strengths and weaknesses, really shared quite a few traits. Not that we won't miss a healthy Robinson, Wegher and Hampton because I think they will be tough to replace.

 

[Foval21]

I have to disagree about Robinson, Wegher, and Hampton being the same type of back. I believe from what I've seen Coker and Coe are very similar backs, Johnson is a change-up back with good speed and McCall seems to be the combination (with less power than the bigs but more speed and less speed than Johnson but more power). Wegher to me was a lot like Reggie Bush where he was a mix of Slot receiver and RB because he didn't seem comfortable running inside. Robinson was a below average talent player that just did all the little things right to maximize talent. Hampton was about as good of combination of power and speed IA RBs have had in Ferentz Era. Hampton had the running strength of Robinson with similar speed to Wegher that is helpful. Johnson will be necessary this year as the homerun hitter Iowa was missing. Coker had some big runs but he is more of a 5 yds and a cloud of dust. You need someone that can outrun the defense at RB and WR...Hopefully that is Johnson and Keenan Davis or Martin-Manley or someone in the WR crew.

 

[tm3308]

I have to disagree about Robinson, Wegher, and Hampton being the same type of back. I believe from what I've seen Coker and Coe are very similar backs, Johnson is a change-up back with good speed and McCall seems to be the combination (with less power than the bigs but more speed and less speed than Johnson but more power). Wegher to me was a lot like Reggie Bush where he was a mix of Slot receiver and RB because he didn't seem comfortable running inside. Robinson was a below average talent player that just did all the little things right to maximize talent. Hampton was about as good of combination of power and speed IA RBs have had in Ferentz Era. Hampton had the running strength of Robinson with similar speed to Wegher that is helpful. Johnson will be necessary this year as the homerun hitter Iowa was missing. Coker had some big runs but he is more of a 5 yds and a cloud of dust. You need someone that can outrun the defense at RB and WR...Hopefully that is Johnson and Keenan Davis or Martin-Manley or someone in the WR crew.

Coker is definitely a guy who can outrun the defense. He's a VERY similar back to Greene, as far as skill set goes. And Greene busted off some long ones.

 

[Foval21]

I agree he has speed and so does Greene but neither one is what a defense would consider to be a homerun hitter that they are scared of him getting the edge and no one catching him they both had their big runs usually happening between the Tackles and making a cut back. Because of how the hashes are teams need a RB that has the speed to hit the edge and wave good bye. Hampton had that, Wegher had that...Johnson I think will have that...Coker and Greene didn't but Coker and Greene are the guys that can tote the rock 30+ times...not sure the other guys can do that.

 

[tm3308]

I agree he has speed and so does Greene but neither one is what a defense would consider to be a homerun hitter that they are scared of him getting the edge and no one catching him they both had their big runs usually happening between the Tackles and making a cut back. Because of how the hashes are teams need a RB that has the speed to hit the edge and wave good bye. Hampton had that, Wegher had that...Johnson I think will have that...Coker and Greene didn't but Coker and Greene are the guys that can tote the rock 30+ times...not sure the other guys can do that.

If a back truly scares a defense, I for one don't give a rat's a** about how they scare them. 5.5+ ypc is 5.5+ ypc.

 

[Foval21]

It is but if you have your choice of a back on 3rd and 8 are you going with Wegher or Coker...My money is on Wegher because he is a pass catcher and would be more dangerous on a draw play. I am hoping Johnson does this with more power because it is what we were lacking this year. Say what you want about Greene but you don't tend to see him in on 3rd and Long for the Jets they use quicker backs...I will defer to the coaches that get paid to do it and on 3rd down and long they go with that type of back for a reason. If we never get into a 3rd and Long Coker is the man...but as we saw this year we do get into those situations and Coker (and even Robinson) didn't do the job as well as others. Robinson blocked well but I didn't see him ever make the plays that Wegher did as a screen back. Screen take a lot out of the pass rush and we couldn't do them this year because our backs weren't the right type to make it work.

 

[ForeverHawk]

Another question mark is Rogers. Will he be healthy, or play again? Will he be fullback and someone who could put in spot duty and halfback? Anyone know his status after failing the cardio test before the Insight Bowl?