Complimentary football

[dagdaj]

Michigan won last night with defense and only 150 yards passing, 70 yards rushing, and a special teams performance racking up a couple field goals and a huge punt return.

People laughed at Iowa for winning like that all season.

Seems to me, complimentary football can get you into the playoffs.

 

[BigD]

Complimentary football is not what Iowa has been playing. Complimentary football means both sides of the ball contribute. Our offense doesn’t contribute.

Our defense is outstanding and other than a screw up by special teams in the first half we would have held Michigan to three points. 3-0 at half time. As I predicted in another thread; Our defense held them in check for the first half and damn near did it in the second half other than a screwed up officiating blunder.

You are right though in that Michigan does play complimentary football. They are a well balanced team, with both sides of the ball complimenting each other. Our offense failed the team. Corrections have taken place, however if Kirk picks the next OC history likely will repeat itself. He will need to have the courage to change his mindset and change for someone his age and my age is a hard thing to do.

 

[SCHawkeye2]

Complimentary football is not what Iowa has been playing. Complimentary football means both sides of the ball contribute. Our offense doesn’t contribute.

This^
Ferentz ball requires the offense to grind out yardage and first downs to improve field position, rest the defense and take advantage of short fields to score. Even if the offense doesn't score they have to show up and contribute.
It worked early in Kirk's career. Not so much in these latter years.
That type of offense requires a dominating OL who can control the LoS. We haven't had such a dominant line for many years now.
Compounding that, opponents have learned how to beat the Iowa scheme by overloading the LOS with stunts and blitzes.
Despite this, the Iowa offense continues to run the same scheme and plays which are no longer effective. There is no Plan B, when Plan A doesn't work. Rather than adapt, Kirk falls back on his defense to keep the score so low that a defensive score or special teams miracle, combined with a few FG's can eek out one score victories against mediocre opponents. However, this approach is demonstrably ineffective against Top 25 caliber opposition..
I have no problem with Ferentz ball. But if Kirk wants to continue that scheme, he needs to get the talent to run it. Or change the scheme to the fit the talent he has.
I have not seen any evidence that either will happen going forward.

 

[kicker22]

Michigan won last night with defense and only 150 yards passing, 70 yards rushing, and a special teams performance racking up a couple field goals and a huge punt return.

People laughed at Iowa for winning like that all season.

Seems to me, complimentary football can get you into the playoffs.

Michigan absolutely has the complementary part down and can grind out a win against a great defense by playing hard nose ugly football. The difference is they have the offensive fire power to put up points at will against defenses that can't stop them while their defense continues to get it done. We lack the offense to compliment a very good (maybe great) defense.

 

[eyekwah]

NCAA stat for total offense after Saturday night - Of the five Big Ten members, only Iowa had a winning record.

 

[BigD]

Truly amazing! Thank you Mr. Parker.

Yes, Kirk gets credit for hiring both DC’s (Parkers).

Just Damn if he could get the offense to be half as good as the defense that would be a top twenty or top thirty offense and boy would we in business.

I watched the Big Ten Channel last night as they were trying to explain how the playoffs will work next year with twelve teams. They didn’t do a very good job as it seemed confusing in how they wanted to do it. The older guy that is balding didn’t like it. It appears they won’t always have the best teams playing. They actually showed how this years teams would have panned out. I think they need to add one more game to the playoffs to really be more inclusive and get more fans involved. $$$$$$$$$ BIG TIME

If we don’t figure our offense out IOWA will never be included to the party. Are they going to take three or four B1G teams when our conference is really strong on given years? Not with the way it is set up now.

Florida State got the royal screw job this year. Screw those Bama inbreeds!

 

[Teddy]

It's all about the money. Those bids will primarily be determined by revenue.

 

[HawkPowerlifter]

This^
Ferentz ball requires the offense to grind out yardage and first downs to improve field position, rest the defense and take advantage of short fields to score. Even if the offense doesn't score they have to show up and contribute.
It worked early in Kirk's career. Not so much in these latter years.
That type of offense requires a dominating OL who can control the LoS. We haven't had such a dominant line for many years now.
Compounding that, opponents have learned how to beat the Iowa scheme by overloading the LOS with stunts and blitzes.
Despite this, the Iowa offense continues to run the same scheme and plays which are no longer effective. There is no Plan B, when Plan A doesn't work. Rather than adapt, Kirk falls back on his defense to keep the score so low that a defensive score or special teams miracle, combined with a few FG's can eek out one score victories against mediocre opponents. However, this approach is demonstrably ineffective against Top 25 caliber opposition..
I have no problem with Ferentz ball. But if Kirk wants to continue that scheme, he needs to get the talent to run it. Or change the scheme to the fit the talent he has.
I have not seen any evidence that either will happen going forward.

Great post. Here's the question I have with teams figuring out Iowa and their scheme. We do the same thing year after year (besides the hybrid CASH position) on defense yet we were very very solid the last couple years on defense. I think you did touched on it when you mentioned the dominating offensive line. What I think it is really about is execution and technique. One thing the defense always seems to get complimented is technique and being in the right place and on the "right side of the ball" as they mentioned the other night. Seems like they always mention technique and execution as to why Iowa can have success even when they are less talented than their opponent.

 

[ajdwhs87]

Michigan won last night with defense and only 150 yards passing, 70 yards rushing, and a special teams performance racking up a couple field goals and a huge punt return.

People laughed at Iowa for winning like that all season.

Seems to me, complimentary football can get you into the playoffs.

You word the post only talking about the defense as if people were laughing at something we were doing well. You know full well they were laughing at winning with the worst(130th) offense.

Complementary, as stated, is offense, defense, and specials all doing well giving the best chance to win. Iowa with only specials and defense doing their part was not playing complementary football.

 

[HuckFinn]

Great post. Here's the question I have with teams figuring out Iowa and their scheme. We do the same thing year after year (besides the hybrid CASH position) on defense yet we were very very solid the last couple years on defense. I think you did touched on it when you mentioned the dominating offensive line. What I think it is really about is execution and technique. One thing the defense always seems to get complimented is technique and being in the right place and on the "right side of the ball" as they mentioned the other night. Seems like they always mention technique and execution as to why Iowa can have success even when they are less talented than their opponent.

Urban Meyer and numerous other coaches have been consistent in their evaluations of the Iowa D. Technique, consistency, hard nosed, few mistakes, few big plays given up, and, Execution.

 

[Hawkboys]

There's nothing to compliment about this offense.

 

[oldhawk12]

Great post. Here's the question I have with teams figuring out Iowa and their scheme. We do the same thing year after year (besides the hybrid CASH position) on defense yet we were very very solid the last couple years on defense. I think you did touched on it when you mentioned the dominating offensive line. What I think it is really about is execution and technique. One thing the defense always seems to get complimented is technique and being in the right place and on the "right side of the ball" as they mentioned the other night. Seems like they always mention technique and execution as to why Iowa can have success even when they are less talented than their opponent.

It’s also about adjusting and Ferentz won’t do it. Opposition continually loads the box with 8 & 9 men only to see a stubborn ferentz try and run right into it. He won’t adjust & throw on 1st down. He won’t throw the ball down the field. He won’t throw in the middle of the field. Everything is a screen or a boundary throw. He’ll never risk field position.

He won’t upgrade recruiting for skill positions, he won’t hire a real off coordinator/qb coach and give full autonomy to the offense, he won’t empower a qb to read defenses & make calls at the line, he won’t reward players for being “gamers”, he won’t ever play the backup.

 

[wwhawk]

A series of great posts!

One interesting potential coincidence is the last time the Hawks played Tennessee in what came to be dubbed the Hawkslayer Bowl, very soon thereafter he took the unprecedented step of announcing Jake Rudock was out, and CJ Beathard was in at QB, without any practice competition for the season ahead. Maybe if the Vols allow the offensive offense the same number of points Pedo State and the Cheating Harbaughs allowed, KF will finally agree to modernize his inept offense.

But i doubt it. Almost certainly, the new OC will be chained to the Prevent Offense, as, in KF's stubborn, unwavering assessment over the past 3 seasons, all we need is "better execution."

Reminds me of Tampa Bay Coach John McKay, when asked what he thought of his team's execution, he wryly replied "I'm in favor of it!"

 

[dagdaj]

Just so's everyone is clear on what I'm saying...
Iowa did not play traditional complimentary football. One of the three legs of the table did not perform at all.

 

[Larry Legend]

Seems like the common denominator for all of this consternation I see on this thread is the last name Ferentz, hmmmm.

 

[99topdawg]

As I was watching the game, I was noticing the same thing. UM just has better talent on offense. We used to have better talent too. If we get the talent level back to where it should be, it will work again. We just don't have it. It all starts at the top. Beathard, Stanzi, Stanley, etc made it work. Defenses had to worry about the run and pass which opened both of them up.

From 2013-2020, the offense averaged 28 ppg. CJ and Nate were QB's for 6 of those 8 teams. QB play matters, but the other parts have to be at least adequate, which we don't. When they are, we score.

The highest scoring team in the KF era was obviously the 2002 team at 37.2 ppg. The 2nd highest scoring team was the 2020 team at 31.8 ppg and that's without non-conference games (covid). Petras was the QB, BUT he had Goodson and Sargent at RB, ISM, Laporta, Brandon Smith, Tracy, and Goodson catching the ball. In a 13 game season, we would've had 4 receivers over 30 catches and 3 over 40, if they stayed at the same pace. Goodson would've run for 1200 yards and Sargent 700. The OL was Linderbaum, Banwart, Cronk, and Alaric. They all play or played in the NFL. Also, Schott and Kallenberger were on that OL and they were very good. Jimmies and Joes matter. We ain't got em.

 

[BigD]

Just so's everyone is clear on what I'm saying...
Iowa did not play traditional complimentary football. One of the three legs of the table did not perform at all.

Yep, and one of the three legs remaining was a foot shorter than the other two.

 

[dagdaj]

Yep, and one of the three legs remaining was a foot shorter than the other two.

No arguments from me on that.

 

[kicker22]

It's all about the money. Those bids will primarily be determined by revenue.

No doubt. Can you imagine how much they'll struggle selecting at large bids. People think its crazy now just wait. The only benefit is that you'll definitely see the top 4 teams selected.

 

[Teddy]

No doubt. Can you imagine how much they'll struggle selecting at large bids. People think its crazy now just wait. The only benefit is that you'll definitely see the top 4 teams selected.

There won't be any struggle. The TV/streaming media people will tell the NCAA who they want and the NCAA will deliver.

Algorithms with tell the media people the highest and most probable economic returns and the media people tell the NCAA what looks best and that's your 12 teams. The top four to six will probably be obvious and then you power up the Midas program, let it kick a few variables and then you have your seeds.

AI allows for greed without effort, boys. No charts, diagrams, midnight hours, burning cigarettes, tempers flaring. Just a flash drive.​