How much better can we get?

A

arlhtshawk

Active Member
It seems it was about this time last year when we kicked it up a notch and began playing at an elite level. We've been the cardiac kids all season this year, playing at a high level when absolutely needed, but not quite on all cylinders. Have we peaked, or are we about to take that next step that seems to be a hallmark of Ferentz coached teams toward the end of the season?
 
arlhtshawk said:
It seems it was about this time last year when we kicked it up a notch and began playing at an elite level. We've been the cardiac kids all season this year, playing at a high level when absolutely needed, but not quite on all cylinders. Have we peaked, or are we about to take that next step that seems to be a hallmark of Ferentz coached teams toward the end of the season?
Click to expand...

Good question...I think that we need to wait until after the game tomorrow and 1)see how the two major losses are dealt with and 2)no else gets added to that injury list...
 
I think last Saturdays game was the straw that broke the rest of the Big Tens backs. That was Stanzis way of saying ITS ON, its going to be quite a finish to the season, everyone sit back and enjoy the ride. GO HAWKS!!
 
arlhtshawk said:
It seems it was about this time last year when we kicked it up a notch and began playing at an elite level. We've been the cardiac kids all season this year, playing at a high level when absolutely needed, but not quite on all cylinders. Have we peaked, or are we about to take that next step that seems to be a hallmark of Ferentz coached teams toward the end of the season?
Click to expand...


The Hawks defense is very solid, but I would think they feel there's room to improve.

Offense is ranked 87th overall, so we can get much better on that side of the ball. I'm hoping this is the week we start to see that happen.

To be 8-0 and know there's room for improvement is a great spot to be in.
 
arlhtshawk said:
It seems it was about this time last year when we kicked it up a notch and began playing at an elite level. We've been the cardiac kids all season this year, playing at a high level when absolutely needed, but not quite on all cylinders. Have we peaked, or are we about to take that next step that seems to be a hallmark of Ferentz coached teams toward the end of the season?
Click to expand...

The Robinson and Richardson losses will keep IOWA from being all they can be this week, but if Bulaga can turn it around down the stretch, and play on the level he did last weekend, then yes, I think you will see this team improve. The biggest problem might be an Ohio St. team that is also improving, or really just waking up after that lousy outing at Purdue.
And even if the HAWKS don't get in tip-top shape by Ohio St., don't forget they'll have plenty of time to practice before whatever bowl game they go to.
 
I agree that there is plenty of room for improvement on the offensive side. I would love to see this team put together 3-4 long sustained scoring drives per game and just wear a defense out. We still have too many 3 and out drives.
 
Last edited:
VBoschHawk said:
I agree that there is plenty of room for improvement on the offensive side. I would love to see this team put together 3-4 long sustained scoring drives per game and just wear a defense out. We still have too many 3 and out drives.
Click to expand...

I personally don't need to see anymore long sustained drives...I need to see some big play potential...2 40 yard passes to DJK that didn't go for scores is about as big as its been...and don't even talk about the last play against MSU that's not the kind of "big play" I'm talking about...
 
brhawks18 said:
Offense is ranked 87th overall, so we can get much better on that side of the ball. I'm hoping this is the week we start to see that happen.
Click to expand...

Those rankings are fraudulent - the offense is run in a manner to keep the defense off the field. O'Keefe has to run that kind of offense, he could open up the offense if he wanted to and score at will on every possession, but then the defense would be on the field too much and we wouldn't be as good as we are now.
 
HawkeyeNTexas said:
I still think this team hasn't played it's best football yet.
Click to expand...
Defensively I wouldn't say we've peaked, but they've been playing with their "A" game.

Offensively we have a ways to go. The o-line has not reached its stride. I'm waiting for them to take command of a game (ala 2008 game agaisnt Gophers).

Stanzi has been solid. I still don't think he reads through his progession well, yet. He hasn't quite mastered dumping off the ball when there is pressure either.

Our WR can still work on cleaner routes and "positioning". That is setting the defender up in a position where Ricky can throw the ball to the WR and the defender can't make a play on it. Agaisnt MSU we let the D-backs play us way too tight. (Credit due to MSU for playing us that way). But in playing us that aggressive, we should have been able to "burn" them for a big play or two, but our WR couldn't get that seperation or positioning.

It is really exciting to think this team hasn't its stride yet.
 
okeefe4prez said:
Those rankings are fraudulent - the offense is run in a manner to keep the defense off the field. O'Keefe has to run that kind of offense, he could open up the offense if he wanted to and score at will on every possession, but then the defense would be on the field too much and we wouldn't be as good as we are now.
Click to expand...


Hmmm...this is intriguing, okeefe4prez you are saying that O'Keefe is the little brother in the coaching family?
 
defensively you can't ask for much more. Offensively the hawks could improve in three key areas. Guard play in the run game could be more consistent. Stanzi, as Tuba pointed out, could go through his reads quicker. I don't know if he is just so confident in his first read, his receivers or a combination but he is still rarely throwing to a secondary target. And lastly Wegher and whoever else is running the ball need to be just a tad more patient running the ball. I thought he was very good last week and many of his negative plays haven't been his fault. If he ever gets a crease he will showcase his longspeed whether it is running or returning kicks. He won't be caught from behind.
 
okeefe4prez said:
Those rankings are fraudulent - the offense is run in a manner to keep the defense off the field. O'Keefe has to run that kind of offense, he could open up the offense if he wanted to and score at will on every possession, but then the defense would be on the field too much and we wouldn't be as good as we are now.
Click to expand...


That is a very interesting thought okeefe4prez. Would you be able to go back through the year and see how much time the offense or defense has been on the field? The defense doesn't rotate a lot of guys in and out which makes you think it might need a break so Okeefe pounds it out on the ground. There is no doubt that our offense has the weapons to be explosive, it's just a matter of time and execution.
 
blkngoldUofI said:
That is a very interesting thought okeefe4prez. Would you be able to go back through the year and see how much time the offense or defense has been on the field? The defense doesn't rotate a lot of guys in and out which makes you think it might need a break so Okeefe pounds it out on the ground. There is no doubt that our offense has the weapons to be explosive, it's just a matter of time and execution.
Click to expand...

Exactly my point. We have weapons to explode on offense, but Ken chooses to keep it under wraps and then unleash it as necessary, like in the last drive of the MSU game. The defense has very few guys to rotate in. Daniels and Geary can play on the line (with a fair amount of dropoff), Tarp rotates in at LB and there is no depth to rotate at DB. Looking at just the offense does not tell the whole story, you have to look at the team. O'Keefe's mandate is to run clock and not go down the field in big chunks, other than as necessary to soften the defense. He also has to be careful not to go three and out too often. Sure, it makes uninformed fans fail to realize his genius, but that's the team's game plan. It's the same game plan the Steelers used to run and the Baltimore Ravens used when they won the Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer at QB. It doesn't put up huge numbers like some of the spread offenses do, but it makes the team better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top