Despite the defense giving up late game drives they simply aren't the main reason the Hawks lost the last two games. The defense held Ohio State to their second lowest offensive point out put of the year and 1/2 their average of 40 points per game, only Wisconsin which won their game held Ohio State to 18 points. The defense also caused two turnovers. In regards to Northwestern Iowa's offense scored the least amount of points of any big ten school, Penn State scored 35 points the week before.
Defense Did not lose the last two games
- Thread starter wally59
- Start date
Imlivingthedream
Well-Known Member
it's a team game and a team loss.
if I were to assign blame this year for the losses, it wouldnt be on the offense or the defense. Its on the coaches this year.
if I were to assign blame this year for the losses, it wouldnt be on the offense or the defense. Its on the coaches this year.
HawkeyeWalker
Well-Known Member
Offense having trouble sustaining drives in the 4th qtr, getting points or burning clock and giving the d some rest...there are other issues but it's NOT the defense, they just are getting the heart cause that the easiest to see....for years we have asked our defense to bail us out at the end, you can't ask that over and over and over again...
If you told me before the game Iowa would hold Ohio State to 20 points, I would be excited about their chances to win. Holding them to 20 points is great, but there were several dropped balls by their receivers that bailed the defense out. Throw in the fact that this defense has not stepped up once when needed on a late game deciding drive this season and it's not surprising people are upset.
There is blame to go around to all units this season, if I had to rank them 1) Special Teams, 2) Coaching decisions, 3) Offense (after the MSU game), 4) Defense (statisically they were sound)
There is blame to go around to all units this season, if I had to rank them 1) Special Teams, 2) Coaching decisions, 3) Offense (after the MSU game), 4) Defense (statisically they were sound)
ThePosse51
Member
when you are "supposed" to have one of the best front fours in all of college football and they can't hold a 10 point lead against Northwestern and a 7 point lead against Ohio State, that's unacceptable...either that or that "supposedly" great front four is vastly overrated
We do have the best front four in college football, because of all of the injuries to our linebackers their play isn't near as good as we would have hoped to last year. Statistically speaking when you hold the number 8 team in the country to 1/2 of their average offensive output and cause two turnovers that was an outstanding effort.
ThePosse51
Member
stats don't mean a thing when you can't prevent four, 4th quarter comebacks this year
hawkfan340
Well-Known Member
How can you blame the front four? OSU came in as the #13 rushing team in the nation, was pretty much shut down, and was held to 100 yards below there avg. The whole defense also held them to half their scoring avg. despite the fact that the kick-off team let OSU start at the 40 yard line every drive.
The weakness of our defense is the linebackers, plain and simple. OSU exploited that weakness with their passing game and with the legs of Pryor. Last year we had Angerer and Edds, which we don't have this year. We also don't have Tarp, Neilsen, or Davis. We're way down the depth cart at LB and the talent gap between that corp and the OSU skill players was huge. Even so the defense played fairly well, but when your starting guys that are third string against the #9 team in the country, you're gonna have some problems.
They held them to 20 and the defense set up our offense at the 27 yard line in the 4th quarter.
Honestly, those of you blaming the defense, and the front four in particular, for this loss are either jumping to false conclusions cause you're upset or simply don't have clue about the game of football.
The weakness of our defense is the linebackers, plain and simple. OSU exploited that weakness with their passing game and with the legs of Pryor. Last year we had Angerer and Edds, which we don't have this year. We also don't have Tarp, Neilsen, or Davis. We're way down the depth cart at LB and the talent gap between that corp and the OSU skill players was huge. Even so the defense played fairly well, but when your starting guys that are third string against the #9 team in the country, you're gonna have some problems.
They held them to 20 and the defense set up our offense at the 27 yard line in the 4th quarter.
Honestly, those of you blaming the defense, and the front four in particular, for this loss are either jumping to false conclusions cause you're upset or simply don't have clue about the game of football.
