doesn't seem as bad as some seem to think...

5

528646

Well-Known Member
This is probably a risky post to make, but reviewing the stat lines over the last 2 weeks, I seriously question the notion the sky is falling. If you covered up the final scores, the stat lines seem to indicate Iowa turned in a couple pretty solid performances against a good FCS program and then a good mid major program.

The kicking game looks to be a train wreck, but I feel like this offense has really moved the ball pretty effectively - we need to just get a little more efficient at converting those yds into pts & I really think we can put a good w total up on the board this year.

The big ten looks truly awful this year - we don't need to be the Seattle seahawks to get to a really decent bowl.

The assessment on cryfan seems to be "oh good, Iowa sucks too!" But the stats seem to tell a different story - I think we have a reasonably good shot of sitting @ 3-0 next week at this time.
 
528646 said:
This is probably a risky post to make, but reviewing the stat lines over the last 2 weeks, I seriously question the notion the sky is falling. If you covered up the final scores, the stat lines seem to indicate Iowa turned in a couple pretty solid performances against a good FCS program and then a good mid major program.

The kicking game looks to be a train wreck, but I feel like this offense has really moved the ball pretty effectively - we need to just get a little more efficient at converting those yds into pts & I really think we can put a good w total up on the board this year.

The big ten looks truly awful this year - we don't need to be the Seattle seahawks to get to a really decent bowl.

The assessment on cryfan seems to be "oh good, Iowa sucks too!" But the stats seem to tell a different story - I think we have a reasonably good shot of sitting @ 3-0 next week at this time.
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There is no way one can look at our rushing numbers against an FCS and MAC opponent and think there isn't a serious issue with this offense right now. And the final passing numbers are very misleading. Yes, Rudock finished with 322 yards. But he had FIFTY-TWO attempts. That number is just mind-blowing. So he averaged 6.2 yards per attempt, and that was with the final drive where we had no choice but to open things up.

Rudock was 4-for-4 on the game-winning drive for 43 yards, or just under 11 yards per attempt. For the rest of the game, he was 29-for-48 for 279 yards, or 5.8 yards per attempt. That's an absolutely pathetic average. Beathard averaged 6.7 ypa on his three passes, and even though the touchdown didn't stay on the board (which would have taken his average up to 19.3 ypa), that pass was a goddamn thing of beauty. Powell was pretty well covered on that play, and Beathard placed the ball perfectly. Rudock doesn't even throw that ball because he waits for his receivers to BE open, rather than (at least occasionally) throwing to a spot because he knows his receiver will be open by the time he gets to that spot. But even he was willing to do that, he couldn't place that ball on the money like Beathard did.

I'm maybe not quite ready to say Beathard should start, since we've only seen him for one series this year. But he showed more than enough in that series to get a much more serious look under center in the next couple games, IMO. This QB situation is feeling more and more like 2008 all over again. The "safe" starter is even named Jake, and we play Pitt in our last non-conference game on the road (not that either of those have any bearing on on-field performance, they're just weird coincidences).
 
They alternated Beathard and Rudock a few series last week... If memory serves I believe Beathard started last week... but my memory is not what it used to be.
 
Camhawk said:
They alternated Beathard and Rudock a few series last week... If memory serves I believe Beathard started last week... but my memory is not what it used to be.
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Your memory is terrible. Imagination isn't great either.
 
tm3308 said:
There is no way one can look at our rushing numbers against an FCS and MAC opponent and think there isn't a serious issue with this offense right now. And the final passing numbers are very misleading. Yes, Rudock finished with 322 yards. But he had FIFTY-TWO attempts. That number is just mind-blowing. So he averaged 6.2 yards per attempt, and that was with the final drive where we had no choice but to open things up.

Rudock was 4-for-4 on the game-winning drive for 43 yards, or just under 11 yards per attempt. For the rest of the game, he was 29-for-48 for 279 yards, or 5.8 yards per attempt. That's an absolutely pathetic average. Beathard averaged 6.7 ypa on his three passes, and even though the touchdown didn't stay on the board (which would have taken his average up to 19.3 ypa), that pass was a goddamn thing of beauty. Powell was pretty well covered on that play, and Beathard placed the ball perfectly. Rudock doesn't even throw that ball because he waits for his receivers to BE open, rather than (at least occasionally) throwing to a spot because he knows his receiver will be open by the time he gets to that spot. But even he was willing to do that, he couldn't place that ball on the money like Beathard did.

I'm maybe not quite ready to say Beathard should start, since we've only seen him for one series this year. But he showed more than enough in that series to get a much more serious look under center in the next couple games, IMO. This QB situation is feeling more and more like 2008 all over again. The "safe" starter is even named Jake, and we play Pitt in our last non-conference game on the road (not that either of those have any bearing on on-field performance, they're just weird coincidences).
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This QB situation is nothing like 2008 besides the 4th game of the year is at Pitt.

Stanzi and JC split duties the first 4 games of 2008 and each started 2 games. CJB has played 1 series through the first 2 games.

And Rudock is so much better than JC as a junior it's not even close.

Just stop.
 
It's the same story every year. We end up having similar, if not better stats than our opponent, Yet we put up 17 points.

Our rushing ing attack has never been that good. The early years and Greene, we usually finish in lower half of big10.

We gain all these yards between the 20s but can't score points. Teams have us figured out. We don't put our explosive players in position to make big plays. Instead it's dink and dunk and teams just load the box.

I thought when CJ was in game the offense had some spark to it. Like we actually looked fast. Then Jake comes in and it's slow motion.

Jake isnt a bad QB. It's just teams have him figured out. He will check down within 2 seconds so creep everyone up
 
tm3308 said:
There is no way one can look at our rushing numbers against an FCS and MAC opponent and think there isn't a serious issue with this offense right now. And the final passing numbers are very misleading. Yes, Rudock finished with 322 yards. But he had FIFTY-TWO attempts. That number is just mind-blowing. So he averaged 6.2 yards per attempt, and that was with the final drive where we had no choice but to open things up.

Rudock was 4-for-4 on the game-winning drive for 43 yards, or just under 11 yards per attempt. For the rest of the game, he was 29-for-48 for 279 yards, or 5.8 yards per attempt. That's an absolutely pathetic average. Beathard averaged 6.7 ypa on his three passes, and even though the touchdown didn't stay on the board (which would have taken his average up to 19.3 ypa), that pass was a goddamn thing of beauty. Powell was pretty well covered on that play, and Beathard placed the ball perfectly. Rudock doesn't even throw that ball because he waits for his receivers to BE open, rather than (at least occasionally) throwing to a spot because he knows his receiver will be open by the time he gets to that spot. But even he was willing to do that, he couldn't place that ball on the money like Beathard did.

I'm maybe not quite ready to say Beathard should start, since we've only seen him for one series this year. But he showed more than enough in that series to get a much more serious look under center in the next couple games, IMO. This QB situation is feeling more and more like 2008 all over again. The "safe" starter is even named Jake, and we play Pitt in our last non-conference game on the road (not that either of those have any bearing on on-field performance, they're just weird coincidences).
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No offense, but JR is 10 times the QB JC ever was. So it's nothing like 2008. I see what you're saying, but I trust JR to actually be able to win games. JR is 10-5 as a starter...not many Iowa QBs can say they have a .667 win%. And he's 4-1 in road games. IMHO, JR is far from the issue right now...
 
SpiderRico said:
No offense, but JR is 10 times the QB JC ever was. So it's nothing like 2008. I see what you're saying, but I trust JR to actually be able to win games. JR is 10-5 as a starter...not many Iowa QBs can say they have a .667 win%. And he's 4-1 in road games. IMHO, JR is far from the issue right now...
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He might not be the issue but he certainly isn't the solution so far. As someone else said, his inability/unwillingness to go down field allows defenses to play the run and the pass simultaneously.

My hope, bince it is obvious Kurt has made his choice, is that Rudock watches the last two drives and realizes that the forward pass is a good thing and stops being 100% check-down Charlie. Even a couple incompletions downfield early could help.
 
theboat said:
He might not be the issue but he certainly isn't the solution so far. As someone else said, his inability/unwillingness to go down field allows defenses to play the run and the pass simultaneously.

My hope, bince it is obvious Kurt has made his choice, is that Rudock watches the last two drives and realizes that the forward pass is a good thing and stops being 100% check-down Charlie. Even a couple incompletions downfield early could help.
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Yes, am concerned that passes beyond 20 yds are passes that Rudock simply cannot make without a completely wide open receiver. He does not seem accurate on the long ball. This inability may keep us at dink and dunk, which is the real problem here, imo.

Then again, I guess we simply need to master dink and dunk, and take it to a higher level, as that is all that we are capable of. Get good and what you do. Just don't know how far that will take us.
 
I see it as a double edged sword. We went from Vandenburg who never looked off a receiver to Jake who in my opinion plays incredibly safe looks off receivers too quickly. At the same time we go from over working a rb to going to a running back by committee in which none really have time to find their groove.

I think this offense has a chance to be efficient if we are able to stretch the field and get our running game going. On the defensive side of the ball I was very impressed with the improvement between week one and week two. Special teams was a train wreck, but defensive was the only thing that kept us in the game.

Way too early to give up on this team, but at the same time it could go either way if things adjustments aren't made and things don't get addressed.
 
The defense was absolutely outstanding yesterday. They saved the game for Iowa getting 2 straight 3 and outs to give the offense the chance to win that game. They were awesome all day long, but those last 3 Ball St. possession, they really dominated.
 
JR's inability to throw the long ball is an issue and will be one as we go forward. When he attempts to throw the long ball it just floats on him and it's go no zip. Powell had to basically cut his route short and run backwards late in the game. Jake know's he has inferior arm strength and chooses to look deep for 1 second then telegraphs a dump off to Bullock who is waiting to absolutely get freight trained by a linebacker. The thing with Stanzi and CJB is they continue to at least look AND THROW downfield. They may throw a pic or 3 but they won't stop chucking it downfield. We need this to keep defenses honest or else they will continue to stack the box and make our offense look anemic.
 
What a waste of weapons. We finally have 3 guys that can stretch the field in Willies, Smith and Powell and we pair them with the QB that cannot throw over 20 yards. Really not sure why we even bother to recruit play makers.

Jake is no JC and does a great job with the dink and dunk. Couple the dink and dunk with a weak interior o-line and now we cannot run the football. What happens when the weather turns making the passing game prohibitive?

CJ has the upside but KF is not about to make the tough decision to put him on the field. This is what separates a good coach from a great coach - making the tough decisions.

OP do not kid yourself. There is a huge problem if you cannot run the football going forward.
 
On offense the idea is to score points and we are not doing it yet. Hawks could of had 40+ on UNI and 30+ yesterday. I like our offensive players as I always like the hawks but it seems we are not making clutch plays.

The receivers have made very few drops. Jake was very off target in the first half yesterday which made me think he is starting to feel the pressure of big time Iowa expectations. But Jake pulled it out and played well in the second half.
 
There are many things to mend on this team thus far. The need to change QB would fall low on the list. He doesn't block, kick FGs, or create holes for the RBs. He brought the team back yesterday when needed, didn't create any turnovers, hit a high % of passes, ran for some yards when needed, etc.

Hit your FGs, minimize turnovers, fix the OL and this team is well on its way to a good year. Don't improve in these areas and ISU (among others) could easily thump us.
 
Agree. We would not even be having this conversation if we get the ruling on the "dropped" TD and make 2 of those 3 field goals we missed. A 4 point win could have been a 17 point win. The defense won the game yesterday.

It's a win and we need to look ahead to ISU.
 
Iowa doubled them up in yards and points. The defense allowed a total of 3 points. Rudock has completed 69% of his passes and thrown zero picks. Lots of skill players have gotten a chance to contribute.

The Hawkeyes have a lot to work on, but the base skills are there.
 
ICHawk24 said:
Iowa doubled them up in yards and points. The defense allowed a total of 3 points. Rudock has completed 69% of his passes and thrown zero picks. Lots of skill players have gotten a chance to contribute.

The Hawkeyes have a lot to work on, but the base skills are there.
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This stat is a little misleading. His downfield accuracy has been pretty poor. Most of the those completions were on check downs and quick outs that are very easy throws.

The big pass to Willies last week was overthrown. Should have been a TD. The TD yesterday to DW was about a 20 yard pass all told. He threw it well behind him. Overthrew Powell when he was wide open yesterday. It a regular passing system his completion % would probably be well <60%.

A lot of people are saying that JR is so much better than JC and I would agree with that. But the similarity between them is the defense only has to defend about 10 yards when they are in the game because both are/were incredibly ineffective throwing the ball downfield.
 
Xerxes said:
This stat is a little misleading. His downfield accuracy has been pretty poor. Most of the those completions were on check downs and quick outs that are very easy throws.

The big pass to Willies last week was overthrown. Should have been a TD. The TD yesterday to DW was about a 20 yard pass all told. He threw it well behind him. Overthrew Powell when he was wide open yesterday. It a regular passing system his completion % would probably be well <60%.

A lot of people are saying that JR is so much better than JC and I would agree with that. But the similarity between them is the defense only has to defend about 10 yards when they are in the game because both are/were incredibly ineffective throwing the ball downfield.
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JC had the case of the yips sometimes.....Mackey Sasser/Steve Sax syndrome. As of now JR does not.
 
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