GameFilm: Everything You Need to Know About Oklahoma

Gamefilm: "Iowa really needs to focus on taking away the easy passes and limit the Oklahoma bubble screen game and force Landry Jones to put the ball into some tough spots down the field."

This is what has me pretty concerned about Iowa's chances in this game. Since when does the Iowa defense take away the easy passes? Anyone who has watched Iowa a lot knows that the simple answer is... they don't take away the easy passes. They'll give opposing teams short quick routes all the way down the field. Unless that philosophy changes for this game, I hate to say it, but I don't like our chances. I completely agree with gamefilm, I think it's going to play a huge role in the outcome of the game. Should be interesting to see if it's the same old style or if Kirk allowed Norm to change it up. Oklahoma is running low on playmakers at the wideout position. Stills is an above average receiver and Jaz Reynolds has shown flashes of talent, but I think Iowa needs to press these guys at the line of scrimmage until they prove they can beat the Hawks down the field.
 
Iowa has done a good job of tweaking things in bowl prep...they have had a great deal of time to focus on their opponent, as well as themselves.
 
Jon - I agree one of the strengths of this staff has been preparing teams for bowl games. As far as tweaking things... I hope you're right. However, Iowa has played Northwestern and Indiana for many years now and it seems like they continue to use the same defensive philosophy. I guess that's why I'm expecting the Hawks to allow Oklahoma to dink and dunk their way down the field. I'd love to be proven wrong. That would mean they broke away from the same old conservative approach and tried something new based upon what the team they're playing against throws at them. I like the Hawks chances much better if they play more aggressively on Defense in this game. It's just unbearable to watch sometimes when they give the WR's a 5-10 yard cushion.
 
DP5555 said:
Jon - I agree one of the strengths of this staff has been preparing teams for bowl games. As far as tweaking things... I hope you're right. However, Iowa has played Northwestern and Indiana for many years now and it seems like they continue to use the same defensive philosophy. I guess that's why I'm expecting the Hawks to allow Oklahoma to dink and dunk their way down the field. I'd love to be proven wrong. That would mean they broke away from the same old conservative approach and tried something new based upon what the team they're playing against throws at them. I like the Hawks chances much better if they play more aggressively on Defense in this game. It's just unbearable to watch sometimes when they give the WR's a 5-10 yard cushion.
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I think its harder to change what and who you are inside the context of a week to week season..you do that, and you have trouble. But with 15 practices gearing up to one game, the last game of the year, I think it makes it more plausible.
 
JonDMiller said:
I think its harder to change what and who you are inside the context of a week to week season..you do that, and you have trouble. But with 15 practices gearing up to one game, the last game of the year, I think it makes it more plausible.
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I think the coaches have done a good job getting players ready for the bowls and the different distractions that come with being in a new city at this time of year. I hope Kirk lets Norm change things up a bit for his last game.

Help me out here some of the older posters...Who was it that Fry changed his entire offense in a week for when they played? I remember the story just not the team they played. It can happen, hopefully Kirk changed up a few things to get Mcnutt open!
 
hawktat said:
I think the coaches have done a good job getting players ready for the bowls and the different distractions that come with being in a new city at this time of year. I hope Kirk lets Norm change things up a bit for his last game.

Help me out here some of the older posters...Who was it that Fry changed his entire offense in a week for when they played? I remember the story just not the team they played. It can happen, hopefully Kirk changed up a few things to get Mcnutt open!
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I don't recall the Fry change, but I know that Iowa really, really changed up its tendencies in the bye week leading up to the 2004 Ohio State game
 
iowa played a ton of sub packagess last season against missouri. Also with nielsen and kirksey at lb, better pass defense from 4-3 compared to last year. nielsen has thrived since he took over at mike. smart player with wheels at mike is key in this game.
 
DP5555 said:
Jon - I agree one of the strengths of this staff has been preparing teams for bowl games. As far as tweaking things... I hope you're right. However, Iowa has played Northwestern and Indiana for many years now and it seems like they continue to use the same defensive philosophy. I guess that's why I'm expecting the Hawks to allow Oklahoma to dink and dunk their way down the field. I'd love to be proven wrong. That would mean they broke away from the same old conservative approach and tried something new based upon what the team they're playing against throws at them. I like the Hawks chances much better if they play more aggressively on Defense in this game. It's just unbearable to watch sometimes when they give the WR's a 5-10 yard cushion.
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it's not been iowa's defense that has cost them games v. the teams you cite. turnovers have been the problem more than anything.
 
hawktat said:
I think the coaches have done a good job getting players ready for the bowls and the different distractions that come with being in a new city at this time of year. I hope Kirk lets Norm change things up a bit for his last game.

Help me out here some of the older posters...Who was it that Fry changed his entire offense in a week for when they played? I remember the story just not the team they played. It can happen, hopefully Kirk changed up a few things to get Mcnutt open!
Click to expand...

KOK changed his entire offense in one week in 2004.

Not sure about Fry.
 
JonDMiller said:
I think its harder to change what and who you are inside the context of a week to week season..you do that, and you have trouble. But with 15 practices gearing up to one game, the last game of the year, I think it makes it more plausible.
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This train of thought takes me to the Orange Bowl against Georgia Tech. Iowa really clamped down on GT and if I recall the game was not really as close as the final score indicated.

I don't know enough about the technical aspects of the game to say otherwise so I ask - did Iowa make a lot of scheme changes to handle GT or were they just being their normal selves on defense for that game?

If they did make significant scheme changes to better match their opponent then that is evidence that KF and company has the desire and willingness to make necessary changes.

Maybe the extra prep time you have for a bowl makes it easier and more comfortable for KF to ok such things.
 
"it's not been iowa's defense that has cost them games v. the teams you cite. turnovers have been the problem more than anything."

Turnover are huge in every game. However, that doesn't mean Iowa's defensive approach helped the situation. It allowed the opposing teams to control the ball and the field position. It's hard to score when you don't have the ball. Iowa has struggled to get offenses like that off the field because of their conservative approach.
 
HawkU said:
I don't know enough about the technical aspects of the game to say otherwise so I ask - did Iowa make a lot of scheme changes to handle GT or were they just being their normal selves on defense for that game?
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My recollection is that there was significant scheme changes and the college football world was so impressed by what we did defensively against GT that several coaches of other programs have come to Iowa to learn Norm's anti-option defense.
 
DP5555 said:
"it's not been iowa's defense that has cost them games v. the teams you cite. turnovers have been the problem more than anything."

Turnover are huge in every game. However, that doesn't mean Iowa's defensive approach helped the situation. It allowed the opposing teams to control the ball and the field position. It's hard to score when you don't have the ball. Iowa has struggled to get offenses like that off the field because of their conservative approach.
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meaning it has been iowa's offense/turnovers/special teams that lost games v. NW rather than defense.

2011 - NW scores 31 points, Iowa wins
2010 - NW scores 21 points, iowa loses
2009 - NW scores 17 points, Iowa loses
2008 - NW scores 22 points, Iowa loses
2007 - NW scores 17 points, Iowa wins
2006 - NW scores 21 points, Iowa loses
2005 - NW scores 28 points, Iowa loses

In several of those games, key turnovers or special team plays cost iowa the game, NOT the defense. I'm not going to go thru each one, but there are at least three that were in the bag had it not been for something untimely happening. Certainly can't hang the above outcomes on the D, can you?
 
HawkU said:
JonDMiller said:
I think its harder to change what and who you are inside the context of a week to week season..you do that, and you have trouble. But with 15 practices gearing up to one game, the last game of the year, I think it makes it more plausible.
Click to expand...
This train of thought takes me to the Orange Bowl against Georgia Tech. Iowa really clamped down on GT and if I recall the game was not really as close as the final score indicated.I don't know enough about the technical aspects of the game to say otherwise so I ask - did Iowa make a lot of scheme changes to handle GT or were they just being their normal selves on defense for that game?If they did make significant scheme changes to better match their opponent then that is evidence that KF and company has the desire and willingness to make necessary changes.Maybe the extra prep time you have for a bowl makes it easier and more comfortable for KF to ok such things.
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i cant remember if they made a lot of schematic changes but they did what is best against the option. hit the qb early and often by the option man (the unblocked guy). force the qb to give and pitch and have the rest of the team key on the others. most option qbs want the ball because they are the best athlete. take them out.

i will bet the schemes will play to our defenses strengths. ou with the injuries has become much more predictable late in the season. our lbs playing fast will be important so we need the dl to eat up blocks which they havent done consistently all year.
 
Just because the defense didn't give up a lot of points doesn't mean the failure to alter their conservative style didn't contribute to them losing. When a team like Iowa plays Northwestern the time of possession should be in favor of Iowa. Even in a close loss Iowa should have the ball longer than Northwestern because the Hawks run so much. In most of Iowa and Northwesterns match-ups that you listed Northwestern had the ball as long as Iowa did or longer.

2005 - Iowa's defense gave up 492 yards and NW had the ball for 29:18

2006 - Iowa's defense gave up 443 yards and NW had the ball for 33:22

2007 - Iowa's defense gave up 393 yards and NW had the ball for 31:21 (Iowa still won 28-17)

2008 - Iowa's defense gave up 390 yards and NW had the ball for 29:53

2009 - Iowa's defense only gave up 239 yards, however NW had the ball for 34:20. Iowa had 4 turnovers in this game and ended up losing 17-10. I'd definitely agree with you here, turnovers lost Iowa the game.

2010 - Iowa's defense gave up 419 yards and NW had the ball for 31:09.

All in all, Iowa's defense has really struggled to get off the field against an offense that takes advantage of their conservative approach. The games have all been pretty close. There's no reason Iowa should allow NW to have the ball longer than them considering the style of offense NW runs. The only explanation is Iowa's defense can't get the offense off the field. Yes, the defense has been pretty solid in keeping NW from scoring. However, the fact they let NW drive up and down the field on them keeps Iowa's offense on the sideline. It's hard for an offense to get into rhythm when they aren't on the field much.
 
Iowa has done well against the option in the Norm years...and IMO, it comes down to players playing their roles with a high degree of discipline, as well as getting interior disruption.

Your ends have to play their reads and contain. Your linebackers have to fill, and you have to have stout interior DL's who make it hard for OL to get out and chip the LB's, as well as getting interior penetration. That totally disrupts the structure of an option play and alters the space relationship between the quarterback and the running back.

Iowa has not been an easy team to run on with lateral plays. It just comes back to excellent technique and discipline, plus some hosses inside.

I don't think Norm did anything crazy or unique, other than Iowa just being a well drilled team whose players consistently do what they are supposed to do and stay in the space they are meant to occupy.
 
The one thing about playing GT in the ORange bowl is they did not have a good passing attack. Against the run the hawks played great gap defense, the tackles took care of the fb dive, the d-ends took care of the qb and edge, angerer was scraping and tackling everything along with others.

But when you dont have to worry about their passing game it helped tremendously.
 
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