HawkeyeGameFilm: Open Practice Review Offense

I thought the offensive line looked fantastic. So much talent and depth there right now. Looks like they really enjoy playing for Brian Ferentz.
 
How does the OL look overall? Grade on them?

Well above average as a group. Even with Donnal at RT I felt like they looked very solid as a unit. James Ferentz has looked excellent in both open practices and Scherff has as well. Only area of concern for me was blitz pickups and late adjustments. No need to panic over that though, most units take time to come together. Got to think the more they play as a unit the better the communication will get.
 
Well above average as a group. Even with Donnal at RT I felt like they looked very solid as a unit. James Ferentz has looked excellent in both open practices and Scherff has as well. Only area of concern for me was blitz pickups and late adjustments. No need to panic over that though, most units take time to come together. Got to think the more they play as a unit the better the communication will get.

Thank you sir.
 
The QB Beathard is going to be very good at Iowa. Wouldnt be shocked if hes challenging Rudock and Sokol next fall for the #1.

I think it will be wide open in the spring with all three in the mix. All three are in their first year with this system, with both Sokol and Rudock having been around this spring.
 
Do all three backup quarterbacks have (relatively) weak arms? Or am I reading too much into some comments on these boards?
 
Do all three backup quarterbacks have (relatively) weak arms? Or am I reading too much into some comments on these boards?

I don't think any of them have the kind of arm Vandenberg does. I wouldnt necessarily grade them as "weak", though. Remember, Ricky didn't have a great arm, and he managed just fine his senior year. I don't think any of the three young QB's have an arm that would grade out worse than Stanzi's.
 
Beathard certainly doesnt have a weak arm

If you're talking pure arm strength I would rank it this way:

1) JVB
2) Beathard
3) Rudock
4) Sokol

Rudock arm strength wise is probably pretty comparable to Soph/Junior Ricky Stanzi and Sokol maybe a bit below. At his point both Rudock and Sokol deliver accurate catch-able balls on mid and short range throws. Both have to get the right angle and touch to work deeper routes still.

Beathard has looked raw, but I think he's going to have a high ceiling for development. Beathard's passes have noticeable zip, spin tightly, and travel on a line during 1on1s and 7 on 7. Give him a few years and add 20 pounds he'll likely end up very close to JVB's arm strength.
 
Well above average as a group. Even with Donnal at RT I felt like they looked very solid as a unit. James Ferentz has looked excellent in both open practices and Scherff has as well. Only area of concern for me was blitz pickups and late adjustments. No need to panic over that though, most units take time to come together. Got to think the more they play as a unit the better the communication will get.

Hawkeyegamefilm; Ferentz will play the top 5 O-lineman, which we know who they are. I don't think the two deeps tell us who the next three are. Who do you think are the next 3 lineman after the top 5 that could get playing time this year? Does Walsh have a chance? What ever happened to Boffeli?
 
Hawkeyegamefilm; Ferentz will play the top 5 O-lineman, which we know who they are. I don't think the two deeps tell us who the next three are. Who do you think are the next 3 lineman after the top 5 that could get playing time this year? Does Walsh have a chance? What ever happened to Boffeli?

There's a grouping of guys bunched up very closely behind that top 5:
1) Nolan Macmillan - even with the hand injury he's still a starter caliber guy to me
2) Conner Boffeli -Is probably as good Tobin but won't unseat a senior starter.
3) Andrew Donnal - Has stepped up his level of play and can provide a high level of play if called upon
4) Jordan Walsh - Think he's a little ways away size and strength wise yet. He's got the raw material you want for an interior guy, and the right attitude as well.

How I'd rank the top 5(in order)
1) Ferentz
2) Scherff
3) Blythe
4) Van Sloten
5) Tobin

Just my take on it.
 
The formations and scheme seem to be the opposite of what KOK used to run -- instead resemble Tiller's past and perhaps the NW's current offenses. Beauty is in eyes of the beholder but I think I just might miss the aesthetics (pro sets) that KOK ran.

This is based on the tiny bit of the scrimmage footage posted on the gazette's website. Are we really going to be as different on offense as I am making it out to be?
 
Well above average as a group. Even with Donnal at RT I felt like they looked very solid as a unit. James Ferentz has looked excellent in both open practices and Scherff has as well. Only area of concern for me was blitz pickups and late adjustments. No need to panic over that though, most units take time to come together. Got to think the more they play as a unit the better the communication will get.

I know I'm reaching, but I'm choosing to read part of this as our D coming together. I guess it doesn't say much about the DL, but it does about the back 7. To me at least.
 
The formations and scheme seem to be the opposite of what KOK used to run -- instead resemble Tiller's past and perhaps the NW's current offenses. Beauty is in eyes of the beholder but I think I just might miss the aesthetics (pro sets) that KOK ran.

This is based on the tiny bit of the scrimmage footage posted on the gazette's website. Are we really going to be as different on offense as I am making it out to be?

In both open practices Iowa ran a ton of 2x2(2WR+2TE) personnel sets. I think you'll see more 3WR 1TE sets than you did with KOK though. The I-form will likely still be used some and they actually ran a couple of nice packages using the off-set I-form. It's not going to be a total spread look by any means, but definitely more spread passing game concepts will be involved.

How much shotgun they use is definitely something to watch. If the run game consistently struggles to get traction I think they'll have to shift to more shotgun. Really hope that isn't the case but time will tell.
 

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