Coaches Treated Game Like a Scrimmage

[MoreCowbell]

Here's how I see it: I think Ferentz thought our defense was good enough that we could beat Ball State without using our offensive A game. So the passing attack was intentionally emphasized instead of the running game against Ball State because the staff wanted to work on it more. I think they believe the running game will be there when they need it, so they used this game to improve the passing attack. Let's face it, we and everyone knows we can run the ball. But we haven't had a good passing attack since Stanzi left. In year 3 of Greg Davis, we finally have an experienced QB and some talent at receiver. So to get the program to the next level, they're trying to develop what they hope is an actual passing threat. Hence the 55 pass attempts in a game that we were not playing from behind in until the 4th quarter. The defense was in fact good enough, but Kirk nearly got his tit caught in a ringer because 2 fumbles led to 10 Ball State points.

I predict we revert back to our normal predictable selves and run the ball down the Clones' throats next week. Hopefully the attention we gave to developing the passing game will pay dividends later in the season when we will need it to beat teams that can stop the run.

 

[GoHawks24]

Yeah, we're purposely making it so our QB is our leading rusher. We could run the ball successfully, we just don't want to. Lolololo

Tha fuq, seriously? Tell me you're joking.

 

[g11]

Honestly in the first quarter I thought this was the case. I wasn't sure what the hell I was watching, it looked like they thought it was a scrimmage like you said. The only thing that came to mind was they were trying things out because they thought Ball St. really had no chance of scoring much against the D (Which was true in hind sight). Kirk playing Parker with Beathard ("Edit: Playing Beathard" will turn out to be a big mistake going forward in my opinion) was another thing that made me wonder what the hell was going on.

 

[biasedHAWKEYE]

We try to believe this every year to excuse poor scoring offense against weak/bad OOC competition...then about 6 weeks in, we realize that this is our offense.

I swear this happens every single year at Iowa.

 

[528646]

Yeah, someone said that this after the uni game, too (wasn't true then, either)...

 

[HawkeyeDenis]

I wish that were true. But the sad thing is that I think Iowa is just a mediocre team right now. The execution isn't there.

 

[Benddontbreak]

Hope you’re right. I mean, if we really wanted could we not run the ball 40 times to the left side and wear down the ball state D in the 4th qtr with Weisman and Scherff? I’m hoping KF is placing a huge emphasis on winning the division and he’s using the non-con as a preseason.

 

[NCHawker]

Here's how I see it: I think Ferentz thought our defense was good enough that we could beat Ball State without using our offensive A game. So the passing attack was intentionally emphasized instead of the running game against Ball State because the staff wanted to work on it more. I think they believe the running game will be there when they need it, so they used this game to improve the passing attack. Let's face it, we and everyone knows we can run the ball. But we haven't had a good passing attack since Stanzi left. In year 3 of Greg Davis, we finally have an experienced QB and some talent at receiver. So to get the program to the next level, they're trying to develop what they hope is an actual passing threat. Hence the 55 pass attempts in a game that we were not playing from behind in until the 4th quarter. The defense was in fact good enough, but Kirk nearly got his tit caught in a ringer because 2 fumbles led to 10 Ball State points.

I predict we revert back to our normal predictable selves and run the ball down the Clones' throats next week. Hopefully the attention we gave to developing the passing game will pay dividends later in the season when we will need it to beat teams that can stop the run.

I want to believe some version of that.

 

[NCHawker]

We try to believe this every year to excuse poor scoring offense against weak/bad OOC competition...then about 6 weeks in, we realize that this is our offense.

I swear this happens every single year at Iowa.

I know, I know, however in the past...what we saw was stuborn run run run punt or run run pass punt and we all screamed. So this year is radically different...Its different in that they did not show any commitment to running the ball in the 1st half when the score was 0-0. You know...pound away in the first half and hope that those 2 yard runs become 10 yard runs in the 4th quarter. We saw nothing like that.

 

[MoseSchrute]

Theory is bunk. They really are having trouble running.

 

[Benddontbreak]

Theory is bunk. They really are having trouble running.

KF doesn’t just not try to establish the run against a MAC school after the first possession, especially with a veteran o-line. We’re barely running behind Scherff. Weisman is barely playing after KF said he wanted to keep him fresh for the “4th quarter of the season.” It’s so uncharacteristic for Iowa to throw the ball this much, people need to stop acting like we’ve seen this movie before.

 

[HawgEyeState]

I wish that were true. But the sad thing is that I think Iowa is just a mediocre team right now. The execution isn't there.

Perhaps it's OK to call the Hawkeyes 'a mediocre team' right now. And they are a 2-0 team, as well.

And then, I'm going to call Ohio and Mich St mediocre 1-1 teams.

Michigan........not even mediocre.

GO HAWKS

 

[uihawk82]

I highly disagree with the OP's premise. KF may have wanted the right side of the line to do a lot of blocking for reps but they knew it was not going to be a scrimmage against last years MAC champions.

 

[RocknRollface]

I think there was clearly a certain aspect of approaching this game like a scrimage. The Bethard read option series would have never gone down agaisnt an opponent they were taking seriously, and the did only score 3 points on offense so it wasn't that crazy. This game really should have been a blowout even with Iowa farting around.

I think on a larger scale KF has always approached these games this way which is why his teams have so often come out flat against these type of opponents.

They go out to "work on things" and keep future conference opponents from having to much to tape rather than trying to build the biggest lead possible.

As far as "working on the passing game." Maybe but that was alot of check downs to the last option to have been specifically working on something. That could just be a Ruddock thing too.

Rudock is obviously KFs choice because he plays it safe but ironically I don't think JR is equiped to run KFs prefered play action passing game because he doesn't have the arm to throw the deep ball out in front of the reciever consitently. That scheme is all about setting up the D for the home run and without that aspect it doesn't work.

Jake is really better out of the shotgun with recievers spread out where he can use his quick decision making to throw the shorter routes where he is very accurate. Canzeri and Bullock both fit pretty well into this kind of scheme.

I also think they could be just as good if not better running a zone read scheme with Bethard.

Whatever they do they need to settle on an identity and start putting the peices in place to develop some kind of consitency.

 

[1hawkeye1]

Hope you’re right. I mean, if we really wanted could we not run the ball 40 times to the left side and wear down the ball state D in the 4th qtr with Weisman and Scherff? I’m hoping KF is placing a huge emphasis on winning the division and he’s using the non-con as a preseason.

LOL, I think we'd only succeed in wearing down Scherff and Weisman. I mean, 2 guys are gonna wear down their entire defense?

 

[LASBUR]

No doubt they are working on things. Looking at young guys, Trying to find players. But I would feel a lot better if I knew for sure we can RUN the football & throw deep

 

[Benddontbreak]

LOL, I think we'd only succeed in wearing down Scherff and Weisman. I mean, 2 guys are gonna wear down their entire defense?

Obviously not. But how many times did Weisman run behind Scherff Saturday? 1 or 2 times? Weisman is only averaging 8 carries/gm so far btw. I just have a hard time believing KF is doing everything in his power to blow out our first 2 opponents.

 

[HawkeyeMHA]

Absolutely not the case. Kf in no way can afford to lose this game. No way was he treating it as a scrimmage. Way way too much to lose to even consider that idea. It took everything we had to win, which we remarkably did. We scrimmage no one at this point in the game

 

[JHHawk]

I think Gamefilm broke it down well....we are struggling to run the ball with 8 in the box, with no threat downfield...the safetys are crashing into the box. We need to stretch the field, and make them respect our deep threat, but it is hard to do with Jake at the helm, with his cautious approach to downfield, or middle of the field passing.

 

[Billso]

I know, I know, however in the past...what we saw was stuborn run run run punt or run run pass punt and we all screamed. So this year is radically different...Its different in that they did not show any commitment to running the ball in the 1st half when the score was 0-0. You know...pound away in the first half and hope that those 2 yard runs become 10 yard runs in the 4th quarter. We saw nothing like that.

This. Sure we were working on things, but our historical reaction to difficulty running has been to RUN MORE. Not this time.

It's actually pretty intriguing. If there's one thing we know about this staff, it's that they can coach up O-line and RB play, and we certainly have O-line talent (the pass pro was amazing), so I'm confident the running game will come.