How To Defend Iowa's Offense At An 80% Success Rate

MelroseHawkins

MelroseHawkins

Well-Known Member
I witnessed it with my own two eyes Saturday against Michigan St. We all know Iowa is quite predictable, but allowing another team to call your offensive plays is one thing and very easy for a college team to defend. I am by no way the most prolific X and O's guy but know enough just to keep me dangerous.

Michigan St. layed out the blue print to defend Iowa's offense, and even more impressive, funneled them into plays they wanted to defend. Michigan St. completely swiped Iowa's offensive playbook from underneath them like Sally pulling the football from Charlie Brown.
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Here is how to successfully defend Iowa:

* First and foremost, get Iowa into a long 2nd and/or 3rd down. If a team can do this, Iowa is screwed as this narrows the play options that will have to defend to half of Iowa's playbook. This can be done by stacking the box and plugging Iowa's run.

* Once into a 2nd and long or 3rd in long on a most likely passing down, CALL A BLITZ OR AT LEAST SHOW IT. Iowa is so predictable they only have their QB's audible to a run play away from a run blitz. Been doing it for years. THIS IS SO KEY as it narrows down Iowa's playbook option to a run (They already took away 50% of the plays above) and to the 20% of run plays left to defend. BINGO. It was evident this is what Michigan St. did last Saturday. Even when they didn't blitz and just showed it and called it off, they effectively FUNNELED Iowa into a play Mich St. wanted to defend. Michigan St. ended up dictating Iowa's offensive plays and got the playbook down to 20% to defend. BRILLIANT!

Does Iowa even need a fullback anymore? I didn't see one in much on Saturday. Are they going the route of most other teams now? I would like to see BF actually use/pass to the FB on occasion for more options. It's just another option that the D has to defend. That is Iowa's problem, not trusting other players or the players to make plays in general. Quit calling the game scared. Think outside the box like ole' Hayden used to do.

That's it. Carry on.
 
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Its Easy! All you have to do is release the receivers and let the corners and safeties outside contain and let lineman and backers worry about the middle. Every teams defense knows our audibles are runs.Makes know sense to me how the hell you can't take advantage of uncovered receivers. Only take one time and the d would respect that and drop or play more coverage. Only problem our inept staff doesn't see it!
 
I do think you're on to something with the audibles. These teams know Iowa's tendencies and for whatever reason Iowa is treating it like business as usual.
 
mopkins said:
I do think you're on to something with the audibles. These teams know Iowa's tendencies and for whatever reason Iowa is treating it like business as usual.
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Yes, I may not have the % of the playbook exactly correct, but I think people get my drift. My point is that Michigan St. using the blitz on obvious passing downs were able to shrink Iowa's playbook down to a predictable running play (opposite the blitz) that they could key off on.

They completely funneled Iowa's offensive play calling to predictable plays they could defend.
 
mopkins said:
I do think you're on to something with the audibles. These teams know Iowa's tendencies and for whatever reason Iowa is treating it like business as usual.
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This is where BF must think outside the box a bit to break the tendencies. This will require trusting players to make plays. Even though they all may not be successful, the team is still better off in the long run having more options.

Why can't Fant seem to get open anymore? Does he attract the best CB's?
 
mopkins said:
I do think you're on to something with the audibles. These teams know Iowa's tendencies and for whatever reason Iowa is treating it like business as usual.
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In football, you run plays to set up future plays. Unfortunately, KF is saving these plays for a game when the West's championship is on the line.:eek:
 
80% success rate? I hope opposing defenses do that every time then. It would be awesome if they started only having an 80% success rate against us.
 
PCHawk said:
80% success rate? I hope opposing defenses do that every time then. It would be awesome if they started only having an 80% success rate against us.
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I think you get the point I was trying to make. Mich. St. shrunk Iowa's playbook down and funneled Iowa into calling predictable running plays that they defended.
 
For the record, it's Lucy, Linus's sister, not Sally, who is Charlie Brown's sister.

It's not only swiping the playbook, but Iowa knowing that MSU was going to do so, but thinking maybe, just maybe, it won't happen this time.
 
MelroseHawkins said:
I witnessed it with my own two eyes Saturday against Michigan St. We all know Iowa is quite predictable, but allowing another team to call your offensive plays is one thing and very easy for a college team to defend. I am by no way the most prolific X and O's guy but know enough just to keep me dangerous.

Michigan St. layed out the blue print to defend Iowa's offense, and even more impressive, funneled them into plays they wanted to defend. Michigan St. completely swiped Iowa's offensive playbook from underneath them like Sally pulling the football from Charlie Brown.
latest


Here is how to successfully defend Iowa:

* First and foremost, get Iowa into a long 2nd and/or 3rd down. If a team can do this, Iowa is screwed as this narrows the play options that will have to defend to half of Iowa's playbook. This can be done by stacking the box and plugging Iowa's run.

* Once into a 2nd and long or 3rd in long on a most likely passing down, CALL A BLITZ OR AT LEAST SHOW IT. Iowa is so predictable they only have their QB's audible to a run play away from a run blitz. Been doing it for years. THIS IS SO KEY as it narrows down Iowa's playbook option to a run (They already took away 50% of the plays above) and to the 20% of run plays left to defend. BINGO. It was evident this is what Michigan St. did last Saturday. Even when they didn't blitz and just showed it and called it off, they effectively FUNNELED Iowa into a play Mich St. wanted to defend. Michigan St. ended up dictating Iowa's offensive plays and got the playbook down to 20% to defend. BRILLIANT!

Does Iowa even need a fullback anymore? I didn't see one in much on Saturday. Are they going the route of most other teams now? I would like to see BF actually use/pass to the FB on occasion for more options. It's just another option that the D has to defend. That is Iowa's problem, not trusting other players or the players to make plays in general. Quit calling the game scared. Think outside the box like ole' Hayden used to do.

That's it. Carry on.
Click to expand...


There is no mystery to Iowa.
 
I've heard former Iowa players on other broadcasts talking about how they knew what Penn State, NW, Michigan were going to do -- both offensively and defensively.

This is not unique to Iowa.

Sometimes it is about, no most of the time, it is about execution by players. But coaches have to execute too by going against their trend enough to make the opponent honest as well.
 
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