Defense

[Lionhawk]

I am not trying to start a flaming war against the defense here but I have a few questions. Please answer logically with solid responsible answers. I have a tremendous amount of respect for what Norm has done with the Iowa defense over the years and with his health issues I don't believe he deserves to be railed against.



How much did Norm's absence hurt our defense this year? Did it have a bigger effect than we realize?

I personally believe it had a much larger impact than we realize. While Norm usually sat back and didn't call many blitzes, it seems this year our defensive play calling, especially in the 4th quarters, has been much more vanilla than in the past years.



With the health issues and his inability to be completely involved, as much as he has been in the past anyway, will he decide to retire? If he does, where does Kirk go for the next D Coordinator?

I think Norm will make that decision prior to the bowl game and the defense will play one last game with total abandon for Norm. I hope Kirk looks outside the program to make the best selection for the future. It is becoming somewhat apparent that we need to start changing defensive schemes from series to series on people rather than letting them plan for exactly what we do week in and week out. The old adage of out executing people seems to have run its course when you are competing against hurry up spread offenses.

 

[Lionhawk]

No thoughts???

 

[Maroons19]

Norm's absence has had to have had some effect. That being said, the biggest problem is asking Troy Johnson, who no doubt is playing his tail off, to guard wide receivers.

Maybe Jordan Bernstine and Castillo and every other DB on the roster are biggest prima donnas that ever walked, maybe Ferentz saw one of them wearing a hat on backwards or talking to someone while wearing sunglasses. I don't know. But it's hard to believe they can't get on the field in obvious passing situations, especially against a mobile QB.

The other big problem is that at somepoint you have to go with just 1 safety and bring the other one up to lock up on someone. You can't play with 2 safeties all game long while a team just carves you up with intermediate crossing routes. Because if you do, you die a death by a 1000 cuts and your d-line will get gassed with multiple 11 play drives.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

although the defense is the easy target. I personally believe the offenses inability to sustain drives when it really counts is more to blame. I don't even necessarily think we've needed to score, just take some time off the clock, flip the field position, and let the defense rest. WAAYYY to many 3 and outs, some of it is on execution and penalties, but some is on the playcalling and predictability.

 

[bubbadunk]

Eddie P said it all on the post game. We had to many linebackers hurt to be good on defense this year but I do believe Norm not being there, hurt. I still don't believe we can cover their receivers with linebackers that are as slow as ours are. We got burnt on that one TD today with a LB on their best reciever and alot last week.