MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
Is he healthy? I never knew what he was battling healthwise so just dawned on me. He is really not discussed much it seems.
DEACON HILL 2-0 AS A STARTER
- Thread starter okeefe4prez
- Start date
Is he healthy? I never knew what he was battling healthwise so just dawned on me. He is really not discussed much it seems.
SwirlinLingerie
Well-Known Member
I wonder if Brian will explore this a bit though? Not with Labas, but possibly wildcat with one of the RBs or Dejean (assuming the other corners get healthy)....or even Lainez if the coaches feel ok with his ball security in practice.
I'm talking for like a single drive and pure vanilla. Maybe they get a couple first downs out of it.
okeefe4prez
Well-Known Member
You can't do a drive of wildcat or have DeJean in there for more than a single play. One wildcat play with a double reverse that loses 19 yards would be okay with me, but that's about all I could stomach.
SwirlinLingerie
Well-Known Member
Why not? I think it was 2020 that Iowa used the wildcat with Goodson. From what I recall, a couple times they had him run it for at least a series of downs. It was effective too. I've never understood why Brian abandoned it after 2020. It was a nice wrinkle and it worked.
That said, not sure why he tried it in last year's bowl with LaPorta. That didn't make much sense to me.
MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
As a D coordinator, what are you going to do when you see Dejean come in for 1-2 plays a game? Everybody knows he's going to carry the ball. The only way it could be effective is if you had a play you pulled out later that had Dejean throw the ball. Ya have to go against tendency or expectations.
Dejean has experience playing QB and I definitely think he's smart enough to only make a wide open through, so I wouldn't be against that. But, if you don't have a play to offset his running, they are just going to key on him and kill him.
I thought the wildcat was always kind of stupid. Let's just put the player in the backfield to take the snap with a red flag on his back. Tackle me if you can. There is a reason you don't seem most teams do it anymore. It's defendable.
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
Iowa only needs to make 2 or 3 big plays a game to win as long as they take care of the ball.
This mentality gets you beat by stanford in the rose bowl 58-0
okeefe4prez
Well-Known Member
Goodson was a tailback used to handling the ball and teams were running skeleton crews in 2020. LaPorta got in as the wildcat as a thank you for his service and for playing in the bowl game. You have a guy who would have been a clear top 20 pick if he wasn't stuck on such a bad unit and he agreed to suit up for the bowl, you reward that guy by letting him play QB for once in his life. It relaxes the team, gives them some buzz and excitement.
SwirlinLingerie
Well-Known Member
I guess I wasn't saying it needed to be DeJean, but why not try a series with one of the RBs? Again, it worked for this offense in 2020 with Goodson. Sometimes he held onto it, other times I think he handed off to one of the other backs. One of the advantages is you are blocking 11 with 10, instead of 11 with 9 when your QB hands off.
SwirlinLingerie
Well-Known Member
Yep, it could be as simple as they tried it with all the RBs in camp and none of them could handle the snap very well.
And a contract extension!!
NorthKCHawk
Well-Known Member
At least we made it to the Rose Bowl. The mouth breathers in Lincoln are watching on their couches while we are enjoying the Rose Parade. Enjoy the successes, not the failures. We have a lot more of the former at Iowa than most programs.
MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
I think your thinking here is a bit flawed. How effective is the RB going to be at blocking after handing the ball off? Prob just as much as a QB.
RB's aren't used to taking the snaps so you are putting the team at risk with a fumbled snap or just another aberrant play happening. Many people come up with these hair brained ideas assuming that the plays are always going to go smoothly. They often times don't. Guys playing out of position puts plays at risk. Damn, I'm beginning to sound like KF!!
okeefe4prez
Well-Known Member
I really hate getting boatraced, though. Lose 21-14 against LSU, fine. But getting boatraced like in the USC Orange Bowl, the Standford Rose Bowl, HawkSlayer Bowl or that title game against Michigan is just absolutely no fun.
SwirlinLingerie
Well-Known Member
You direct snap to the running back, and when he runs the ball, you have 10 guys blocking.
Do you recall watching it with Goodson? Dotcherman did some analysis at one point. Iowa averaged like 6 or 7 yards per play with it. Maybe they don't have the right guy to handle the snap this year. But it's a small wrinkle Brian has used in the past. Again, we're just talking about trying to find an extra first down or two this year.
MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
Yea, you're right. But, many RB's aren't effective downhill blockers. Hell, it's hard enough to get some to be effective picking up blitzes.
Teddy
Well-Known Member
On what basis do you base that opinion? The guy played in one game and I think it was the only game in which the Iowa QBs did not have negative rushing numbers, although didn't research it.
All the people I know, and it's down to a few that see all, or parts of practices say the kid plays well in practice but is a little wild. This offense needs a little wild 'cuz no one alive has seen much wild in Iowa ball (that a humorous hyperbole for the linear only thinkers). When you're in the bottom of the barrel you can't really get any worse.
Or Hill needs to make very major progress because now we have to target wide receivers. Helped by a running game that will pound it down Minnesota's throat, like we do almost every season.
All the people I know, and it's down to a few that see all, or parts of practices say the kid plays well in practice but is a little wild. This offense needs a little wild 'cuz no one alive has seen much wild in Iowa ball (that a humorous hyperbole for the linear only thinkers). When you're in the bottom of the barrel you can't really get any worse.
Or Hill needs to make very major progress because now we have to target wide receivers. Helped by a running game that will pound it down Minnesota's throat, like we do almost every season.
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Again. Neither of us are wrong. Just different expectations & desires.
MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
I can agree with this. It's been 3 seasons now, so really, what the hell do you have to lose? Iowa has proven it really doesn't matter who is in at QB with how they manage the QB's. For some reason there is more trust in Hill I guess, as long as he doesn't turn the ball over more.
I would think if he threw a couple INT's like in the first half of a game, they might then look to another QB (Labas). I think it would also depend on where Iowa was on the scoreboard and field position. Iowa now is pretty one-dimensional and would struggle to come from behind by 10-13 pts. Iowa really must get on the board first and rely on the D.
justwinbaby
Well-Known Member
I don’t know how Labas or even Lainez can be any worse than Hill. Labas looked decent in the bowl game. He showed some mobility. We were afraid to throw the ball on Saturday. I’m not complaining. It worked but it’s hard to believe that it will continue to work when we’re not a threat to throw or even have the quarterback run. Surely either Joey or Marco can hand the ball off just as effectively as Deacon.
