Do KF and KOK "work on" clock management in the offseason?

KnightHawk9

KnightHawk9

Well-Known Member
We often expect players to work on their weaknesses during the offseason, e.g. Coker running lower and with more patience. I'm just curious how/if KF and KOK will work on their most obvious weakness, clock management. It is something this staff has always struggled with. Up until last year, we seemed to have a few years where it didn't really bite us, but last year it obviously did. So what do they do? Watch game film? Read books about it? Discuss with other coaches?
 
They haven't fixed it yet since they started here, so don't expect much improvement.

There's only been a few changes or improvements we've seen out of them

1. Better preperation for bowl games
2. Willing to play more underclassmen
3. Soup hiring has brought stability to WR group, i.e catching the freaking ball

That's not to say they're doing a bad job at everything else, and more of a statement that doing things their way has produced some pretty good results. I do believe clock management and on field awareness (FAKE #%#% PUNT!!!!) are two areas if improved upon, could generate at least one more win a year.

And I should mention that most of us want Iowa to become a top program in the country, or elite if possible. Most of us would agree that Iowa right now is a typical 7-8 win a year program on average. Some years we get the bounce and we get 10 wins, and other years we are unlucky or we have bone headed decisions and we get our 7-8 wins.

It's almost like golf. You start out at say a 25 handicap, get a lot of practice in and now you're hitting the ball better, so you immediately notice a improvement in score, so you're a 10-12 handicap now. The effort to reduce your handicap from a 10-12 handicap to single digits is a lot harder than it was from shooting 95 to 83. Now you've got to shore up the small details, reading the greens better, or knowing the angles to the green for your approach shot, any advantage that you can get will increase your chances of a lower/better score.

Same thing with the Iowa team. When you're now on a more even playing field with your opponent, doing the small things, i.e special team play, clock management, substitutions to keep players fresh, and defense/offense adjustments.....those can keep you from having a spectacular season, to an average one like we just experienced.
 
Last edited:
DBAHawkFan said:
They haven't fixed it yet since they started here, so don't expect much improvement.

There's only been a few changes or improvements we've seen out of them

1. Better preperation for bowl games
2. Willing to play more underclassmen
3. Soup hiring has brought stability to WR group, i.e catching the freaking ball

That's not to say they're doing a bad job at everything else, and more of a statement that doing things their way has produced some pretty good results. I do believe clock management and on field awareness (FAKE #%#% PUNT!!!!) are two areas if improved upon, could generate at least one more win a year.

And I should mention that most of us want Iowa to become a top program in the country, or elite if possible. Most of us would agree that Iowa right now is a typical 7-8 win a year program on average. Some years we get the bounce and we get 10 wins, and other years we are unlucky or we have bone headed decisions and we get our 7-8 wins.

It's almost like golf. You start out at say a 25 handicap, get a lot of practice in and now you're hitting the ball better, so you immediately notice a improvement in score, so you're a 10-12 handicap now. The effort to reduce your handicap from a 10-12 handicap to single digits is a lot harder than it was from shooting 95 to 83. Now you've got to shore up the small details, reading the greens better, or knowing the angles to the green for your approach shot, any advantage that you can get will increase your chances of a lower/better score.

Same thing with the Iowa team. When you're now on a more even playing field with your opponent, doing the small things, i.e special team play, clock management, substitutions to keep players fresh, and defense/offense adjustments.....those can keep you from having a spectacular season, to an average one like we just experienced.
Click to expand...


I think it cannot be stated better. I believe that this mistake is 100% coaching and it is the greatest shortcoming that our staff has. You can even say that we are the worst team and clock management in Division I. If you remember when we got down after Greene's run against Penn State, we called our TO to have Murray kick at :06 leaving time on the clock! Everyone knows who has ever watched football, played it, coached it or even played on Madden......you stop the clock at :04 to make sure no time is left!

We just have to accept it as a fanbase and move on. I can tolerate it, but it is still hard to believe. We had a 3 year starter at QB and still screwed up the Wisky game! Probably wouldn't have won, but would have loved a shot!
 
Anyone that has watched Iowa the last 11 years knows that answer. If they do work on it, it is clearly not enough.
 
Our staff focuses on the big stuff because it has a greater impact than the small stuff. So I don't think things will change much. Yes, it can be very frustrating.
 
I think KF is stubborn about changing...to a point. I used to pull my hair out about his loyalty to upperclassman, but eventually he realized it and changed it. I think (hope) we may have finally reached that point with clock management. He needs to admit it's not his strong suit and either work on it, or hire somebody whose job it is to manage those situations. The end of the Wisconsin game was unacceptable.
 
KnightHawk-rumor has it they each extensively play XBox live or Madden to replay as many scenarios as they can.
 
I'm totally convinced that they have no idea what's going on. I think they just lay around and do nothing from the time they win their bowl game until the first game of the season. I wish we had a good coaching staff
 
There is only one way to fix it and I dont think KOK is interested in it.
If KOK was in the booth, he could see the entire field and what the defense is doing. He could call the plays in much faster.
He has stated that he likes to be on the field with the players.
 
DBAHawkFan said:
They haven't fixed it yet since they started here, so don't expect much improvement.

There's only been a few changes or improvements we've seen out of them

1. Better preperation for bowl games
2. Willing to play more underclassmen
3. Soup hiring has brought stability to WR group, i.e catching the freaking ball

That's not to say they're doing a bad job at everything else, and more of a statement that doing things their way has produced some pretty good results. I do believe clock management and on field awareness (FAKE #%#% PUNT!!!!) are two areas if improved upon, could generate at least one more win a year.

And I should mention that most of us want Iowa to become a top program in the country, or elite if possible. Most of us would agree that Iowa right now is a typical 7-8 win a year program on average. Some years we get the bounce and we get 10 wins, and other years we are unlucky or we have bone headed decisions and we get our 7-8 wins.

It's almost like golf. You start out at say a 25 handicap, get a lot of practice in and now you're hitting the ball better, so you immediately notice a improvement in score, so you're a 10-12 handicap now. The effort to reduce your handicap from a 10-12 handicap to single digits is a lot harder than it was from shooting 95 to 83. Now you've got to shore up the small details, reading the greens better, or knowing the angles to the green for your approach shot, any advantage that you can get will increase your chances of a lower/better score.

Same thing with the Iowa team. When you're now on a more even playing field with your opponent, doing the small things, i.e special team play, clock management, substitutions to keep players fresh, and defense/offense adjustments.....those can keep you from having a spectacular season, to an average one like we just experienced.
Click to expand...

Since the beginning of the 21st century (roughly KF's tenure) you would be SHOCKED how many elite programs have fewer wins both in bowls and overall when compared to Iowa. Reputations far exceed performance for many of the "elite".
 
I hope they can teach the QB to throw the ball away in the two minute drill. I have heard the pro announcers say the worst thing that can happen in the 2minute offense is a sack. I can not believe how many times Stanzi was sacked.
 
Win5002 said:
KnightHawk-rumor has it they each extensively play XBox live or Madden to replay as many scenarios as they can.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry my simple question offended your delicate sensitivities. I'll be sure to consider my posts more carefully before posting again.
 
scourt said:
I'm totally convinced that they have no idea what's going on. I think they just lay around and do nothing from the time they win their bowl game until the first game of the season. I wish we had a good coaching staff
Click to expand...

Sarcasm noted, but there has been no appreciable development in this staff's ability to manage the clock from the time they first stepped on campus up through last year. Not necessarily success in a 2 minute drill, but the ability to actually manage the clock through time outs, spiking the ball, and being cognizant of temporary clock stoppages and the resulting winding of the clock...
 
alexzelada said:
Since the beginning of the 21st century (roughly KF's tenure) you would be SHOCKED how many elite programs have fewer wins both in bowls and overall when compared to Iowa. Reputations far exceed performance for many of the "elite".
Click to expand...

OK so let's compare elite programs:

OSU
USC
Oregon
Auburn
Florida
Alabama
TCU
Boise ST

How many BCS games have those teams played in in the past 10 years? Iowa has played in two, with a 1-1 record, and those were 8 years apart. Beating the middle tier SEC teams in the Outback bowl year after year isn't worth comparing to Florida or even OSU competing for the National Championship each year.

That's elite, not coasting to 7 wins and barely beating Mizzu in a middle range bowl.

But I do see your point and yes Iowa has done very well compared to most programs in Div 1 and we are lucky cause we could be Iowa State :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top