HawkleberryFinn
Well-Known Member
Ferentz will continue to produce above average quantities of NFL caliber talent. If history is a guide, he will also continue to produce underwhelming products on the field.
Hooker going Pro
- Thread starter NikeHawk21
- Start date
Why? Who have you seen play the 'Star' position other than Hooker?
NikeHawk21
Well-Known Member
The nickel package is just about matching up with offensive personnel. If teams are going to sit in spread then we should play nickel. Our four d linemen and 2 linebackers should be able to stop the run.
For most teams Iowa will employ the nickel in strait passing situations and when we are up big. Those are both good things for Iowa.
I like the crop of our linebacker talent going forward with Colbert, Niemann, McDonald, Jacobs, and others. We have plenty of depth in the secondary as well. We will still play 4-3 and nickel just as most teams do. Our defense will be fine with Phil.
NikeHawk21
Well-Known Member
Iowa has had really good defense long before they employed the star position or what is really just a nickel corner as much as they did this year.
If the offense is in a spread personnel we will bring an additional DB on the field. If not we can still play 4-3 and have plenty of options at linebacker.
Some of you guys act like Iowa reinvented football by playing Amani Hooker at the “Star”. Tons of teams play nickel if the offense gives a spread look.
Some options would be OJ, DJ Johnson, Merriweather. Me personally I actually like sliding my best cornerback inside on strait passing downs, so that could be Hankins or Brents. Desmond King used to slide inside on passing situations in or nickel package as well.
I hate losing Hooker, he’s a stud. But we will still be solid on defense next year and I expect into the future with Parker.
Kid just didn't want to maybe drop from whatever he might be now to next yr... I think what happened to King directly affected his thought process on it. He's not wrong as of today to do it that's for sure. If he's drafted based on how good a player he can be and not his size he'll be taken pretty high for a safety
IMO it is a huge loss but an expected one. No different than Fant and TJ. At about halfway though the season it became clear to me that they all were likely gone. Then when TJ wins the Mackey and Hooker wins B1G DB of the year and both get AA honors with Fant, it gets to the point of shocking if they stay. It would be very difficult for either one to match their play in 2019. So I put them in the category of losing a SR you know well before hand you're going to lose.
Nelson IMO is the biggest potential loss. From the standpoint of it being unexpected and he hasn't yet hit that point where it would be hard from him to improve his stock like Hooker, TJ, and Fant. He had a very good season but not quite to the level of Hooker and Hockenson.
RobHowe
Administrator
Based on what?
NikeHawk21
Well-Known Member
Why do I like the young talent we have in the secondary?
Hankins and OJ have quite a bit of experience now so I don’t consider them super young at this point. Hankins is solid at CB. OJ has good size, athleticism and is a good tackler. Maybe he makes a move back to safety, I think you’ve suggested as much. Maybe he gets a shot at the much talked about Star position. He played well in the bowl game for the most part.
Geno Stone looked pretty good back at safety this year didn’t he? KF basically said even before the season that they would like to get him on the field.
Julius Brents was thrust into action and showed he could be pretty special before injury. Here’s proof.
Now we know less about DJ Johnson and Craddieth. We’ve heard some good noise about DJ in recent weeks from the coaches. Both were fairly harelded guys by Iowa standards.
That’s why I think we have some good talent and young talent in the secondary.
MoseSchrute
Well-Known Member
Agreed. We don't recruit at the same level as other teams that are losing this many guys early.
RobHowe
Administrator
I THINK there is some talent in the secondary. I also think the most of it is young and/or inexperienced. And finding a new free safety is paramount.
Geno has a very rough Outback Bowl and also broke down against Nebraska. Craddieth is adjusting very slowly this this level.
You don’t just plug and play somebody in replace of Hooker. And you’re way undervaluing his versatility that allowed him to thrive at the star position. That was crucial with the inexperience and health at LB, which will also be a position in need of improved play next year.
HawkleberryFinn
Well-Known Member
BoiseDB, My comments are germane to the discussion. Thank you for the name-changing advice. If names are to match demeanor, I think you should keep your name the same, DB.
It’s a football forum. DB is for defensive back in case you didn’t know, but Kirk sucks!
NikeHawk21
Well-Known Member
I’m not undervaluing anything because I didn’t make any comments on Hooker. I just said I believe we have some options in the secondary.
Iowa had strong defenses before Iowa started employing Amani as a star (nickel) and they will have strong defenses after he leaves. We have some good young linebackers (I believe) coming up as well.
Hooker was an absolute stud, as was Jackson before him, as was King before him. We will do our best to replace him with what we have, and I have no doubt Phil will have another strong defense next year. Iowa will go as far as NS and the offense take them next year anyway so I’m not going to sit around and throw a pity party, and to be quite frank your prior post “based on what?” came off as very condescending.
One of the primary reasons the NFL has the 3 year requirement is the required physical maturation and demands on the body. Basketball players don't go through the physical grind that football players do. I don't see the time table being scaled back although you never know.
It does seem like a LOT of players are leaving early this year, more than in past years. It will be interesting to see how many go undrafted. I predict the number will be high.
HawkleberryFinn
Well-Known Member
I'm aware, but based on your comments, I thought you were trying to communicate something else about yourself. My assessment of Kirk isn't as harsh as yours--I think he's an average coach and sometimes above average.
ShockHawk22
Well-Known Member
I feel like the coaching staff only tried the Star position because hookers skills and a weak linebacker core. I think our linebackers are a bit better so maybe it’s not needed.
If we do keep the Star position I would like to see OJ move there. I think he’s the best run stopper and good enough in coverage to play the slot. I like the idea of Hankins and Brents on the outside.
At the end of the day I trust phil to do what Phil does best. Put a damn good defense on the field
If we do keep the Star position I would like to see OJ move there. I think he’s the best run stopper and good enough in coverage to play the slot. I like the idea of Hankins and Brents on the outside.
At the end of the day I trust phil to do what Phil does best. Put a damn good defense on the field
Agreed on OJ at the Star. He's big enough and physical in the run game as well. However, I don't think he's near Hooker's level coverage-wise. He struggled mightily in 1-on-1 coverage this year, as he doesn't seem to play the ball well.
What does give me hope is whether or not Nelson leaves, we're going to have an excellent pass rush again, with AJ, Golston, and the coaches praising Nixon. Gotta think Shannon, Reiff, Waggoner, and Simon find a role now as well, with as much as we've liked to rotate in recent years.
RobHowe
Administrator
You’ve downplayed the Star position in this thread as one that can just be filled by another DB when that’s not the case. The Iowa coaches have even talked about having to change their recruiting to find athletes to play that position. It’s not just a nickel back as you said. It’s a S-LB hybrid. Hooker was so good at it because he not only because he was a S-LB with excellent coverage skills. He’s very unique. I don’t think you get that.
