I was kind of hoping we might see one of the wide receivers come in and play. We still need playmakers. Also was expecting Kenney to play. We need to get some linebackers ready for next year. I guess it just shows that we recruit the kind of players that need "development"
Four Freshmen will play this year
- Thread starter longtimer
- Start date
ChosenChildren
Well-Known Member
No, actually it shows that we are recruiting good players in every class, which means that you don't have to play true freshmen.
The good programs don't play their new recruits, they redshirt them and prepare them for the following year.
hawkjunkie
Well-Known Member
I guess you do not pay attention to any of the good schools. Alabama has had 10 freshman play this year. I remember reading, back when they were good, that USC played 14 true freshman one year. They would consistently play 10+ a year... The good programs consistently play true freshman all the time, every year... we cannot do that, as our recruits need the development. Most of them anyhow.
To Longtimer, Spearman played last week. They say LB is a deep group. But you wouldn't know it with KF, he won't play the backups, unless there is an injury... Regardless, I think the LB group will be fine next year. Just a tad bit green...
How many of those freshmen are actually contributors not just playing in blowouts for the 'good' schools. Honest question. And there's a big difference in true freshmen at those schools and Iowa. 4-5 stars vs 2-3 stars. There aren't many true freshmen that can come in and be a difference maker from day 1. Bring some of those kids to Iowa or other schools and they wouldn't look as good overall because of talent around them. It is a team game. And really this is a tired subject, recruiting may get better with wins but not on par with the blue bloods year in and year out.
Wasnt trying to question our recruiting. I think everyone knows we Have to evaluate and develop players at Iowa because we dont get the 5 star guys. I was hoping maybe we had a few surprises that could help us this year. As far as the good teams red shirting everyone that isnt the case. If we were so "good" that we didnt have to play freshmen why is everyone predicting less than good?
As far as freshmen playing I think it was Ted Williams that said "if they are going to bite as dogs they are going to nip as pups"
As far as freshmen playing I think it was Ted Williams that said "if they are going to bite as dogs they are going to nip as pups"
whammer33024
Well-Known Member
i'm confused by the point of this thread...are you complaining about the recruiting or not? are you saying we need to play true freshman just for the sake of playing them?
Most teams don't have many true freshman getting playing a lot of playing time. Also it's Kenny and they do have LBs ready to play next year in Alston , Collins, Perry and now they are using Spearman
Start the backups and have them run play action. Then limit the number of plays each player has so they don't get hurt. damn ferentz for not being smart like the posters here.
So the programs that lose players early every year to the NFL have to play their 4 and 5 star recruit freshman. Great. That's not how it works at Iowa. Apples and Oranges. You can be a "good" program without playing a bunch of Freshman every year. As a matter of fact, if you are not one of the few programs that consistently pull in high level recruits and you are playing lots of Freshman most years, you probably are a bad team.
SamBrownlee48
Well-Known Member
I doubt Kenny gets much playing time next year. We have a crop of seniors coming up (Alston, Collins, Perry) that will be taking over.
I also don't think the answer to more playmakers at WR is to play true frosh. We have playmakers at WR. I'd call KMM, Cotton, Powell, Hillyer playmakers. The trick is getting them the ball in a position where they can make plays.
I also don't think the answer to more playmakers at WR is to play true frosh. We have playmakers at WR. I'd call KMM, Cotton, Powell, Hillyer playmakers. The trick is getting them the ball in a position where they can make plays.
docholihawk
Well-Known Member
It's also possible that the schools that have players who are developed as well as our seniors that the coaches know what they have. They might know how many players will be career backups and they're running them through school in 4 years and thinking they will get a better player A in year 5 rather than continuing to give it to someone for a 5th year. A 3 star athlete going to Alabama isn't looked on the same by the coaches as a 3 star coming to Iowa. I hope this post makes sense and just doesn't confuse people. I couldn't think of the wording to make clear what I was trying to say.
tm3308
Well-Known Member
Iowa typically doesn't get a lot of backups in. Iowa typically plays a lot of close games. Last week, Iowa won by 8 touchdowns and played pretty much all the backups. Alabama, meanwhile, has won 43 games by at least 3 touchdowns under Saban. USC, from 2002 to 2009, won 53 games by 21 points or more.
Since 2002, Iowa has won 35 games by at least 3 touchdowns, with the rate dropping pretty hard over the past 5 years (with the exception of 2008, when Iowa won 6 blowouts; that represents the most such wins in any individual season under Ferentz). Put another way: Iowa has won 8 fewer games by 21 points or more in the last 11.3 seasons, than Alabama has won in the last 6.3 seasons, and 18 fewer such games as USC did in an 8-year span.
What that tells me is that Ferentz does play his backups when he gets the chance, but that chance hasn't come along nearly as often as the elite schools, especially last year (0 blowout wins).
Well lets see there is what 25000 or so hs in the us. How many of those have a real program? Only way you find freshman ready to play is if they are physically ready and just as important have a ton of football knowledge. There are very few schools that can produce such a hs kid. So you find them as close as you can on the physical side and you have to coach them up. That does not mean you do not work on relations with the few elite hs that can produce ready to go freshmen. Infact that has to be an even bigger emphasis at a school like iowa but you will always know development either physically or mentally will be required.
DTF
Well-Known Member
Good programs play the best players at their position, freshman or not. If you're not playing the best, your team is lesser than it could be. They should be playing more than four freshman if they show talent and the ability to make plays. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY NEED TO START. The bar should be set higher than "he isn't awful".
HomerChampless
Well-Known Member
And why does Iowa have less blowout wins? IMO, it's Iowa's prevent pass defense played every down. You know what they say about prevent pass defenses... They don't prevent anything.
tm3308
Well-Known Member
You can debate the root cause of all those close games. That's not the point; the point is that close games are usually not the time to get freshmen playing time, and Iowa plays a lot more close games than USC did or Alabama does. That's why the freshmen don't play a ton here, except maybe on special teams.
HawkinGoferLand
Well-Known Member
there have been several years where we've played 7-9 True FR. 4 is probably the least FR to see the field in a long time. We've also slowed down the attrition that likely attributed to the slide in 2010-12, so there are more upperclassman on the roster than the past few years which makes it harder for FR to see the field (or be needed).
docholihawk
Well-Known Member
As for blowout games, I think KF tries to not run up the score. It seems when Iowa gets 35-38 points Kirk calls off the dogs either because he doesn't want to embarrass someone, doesn't want the team to get to high or is afraid of the revenge factor. I've noticed the last 2 or 3 years other coaches don't abide by this theory when they play Iowa.
