How would you describe Iowa’s offensive system?

[hawkinn3]

I’m terms of what they want to do and how they try to do it?

So many plays are just failures I can barely figure out what the thought was. It almost seems like the plan is to try and run outside to open up the middle but outside runs so seldom work all it does is lose yards and not open up anything.

 

[HawkGold]

Something between

and

 

[ChosenChildren]

I think what you saw last year was a young, inexperienced, average offensive line, excluding the great Tyler Linderbaum.

Iowa wins with a very conservative offense that commits very few penalties or turnovers; a great, aggressive, consistent defense that consistently FORCES turnovers; and exceptionally good special teams that change field position. I do not see the Ferentz formula changing very much. He wants to run the ball first, which is dependent on the quality of our offensive line. I believe our OL will improve this year, which in turn will open up our passing game a little bit with some great TEs and improving WRs. I have never believed that the QB is a game changer under the Ferentz system (maybe Banks, Tate and Beathard were a bit of an exception). Maybe Labas could give you more of a run threat, but I'm not even sure about that. I think Petras will be your starter at the beginning of the season. It will be his job to lose. That is the Ferentz way.

Nebraska had one of the best offenses in college football last year, but went 3-9 because of turnovers, penalties and abysmal special teams, including unreliable field goal kicking. Iowa's kicking game, in contrast, has been terrific.

Iowa will contend for a good bowl game again this year, as well as a Division Title., with a much more difficult schedule than last year.

I'm not saying anything you don't already know, but to think it is going to change going forward is like chasing the unicorn. You aren't ever going to see it.

My feeling each year with Ferentz is that the defense is a constant, and so are special teams. We go as far as our run blocking can take us. Perhaps the OL really comes together this year, if it escapes the injury bug.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Its a traditional pro style offense with a zone blocking scheme to facilitate an off tackle run game with a one cut approach at RB and play action set up from the running attack. Philosophically, the offense values ball control, ball protection, and field position more so than taking chances to create big plays. To be successful, you have to have athletic and talented OL, and a QB that can read defenses and throw accurately. If you have those things, your skill players don't have to be super amazing, but it helps if they are.

Its not exciting. We have seen Iowa's offense be marginally explosive in the past, but not recently. It is what it is. KF has become a hall of famer with this approach and has rarely waivered from this formula.

 

[Seth53]

Mis-managed

 

[dahlhawk]

They should have t-shirts printed up like the Cubs in '16, "Try not to suck".

 

[SmokeTownHawk]

The OL usually has 1 or 2 studs with the rest being serviceable at that point in their playing careers. But it's been rare that they play well as an entire unit. The rest is the usual Kirk conservative offense coupled with an opportunistic defense and stellar special teams play.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

It's an offense that'd rather burn 4 mins off the clock plus with every possession and kick a FG or punt then try and risk scoring a TD in under 2 mins. (or at all)

 

[SCHawkeye2]

Outdated
Playing 'not to lose'

 

[GesterHawk]

Complementary to the defense in an overall 'If the other team can't score, they can't win" philosophy.

 

[Motigerhawk]

What I call it to my friends in Missouri is shitty.

 

[trj]

It is basically Mike Shannonhan's late 90's, early 2000's Denver Bronco offense. Kyle has taken his father's offense and put his own spin to it. I love watching the 49ers because you can see how more creative the Iowa offense could be. BF will never be the play caller Kyle is, but there is definitely stuff to steal from.

 

[HawkGold]

It is basically Mike Shannonhan's late 90's, early 2000's Denver Bronco offense. Kyle has taken his father's offense and put his own spin to it. I love watching the 49ers because you can see how more creative the Iowa offense could be. BF will never be the play caller Kyle is, but there is definitely stuff to steal from.

Makes sense why they drafted CJ, but that was a big whiff of a draft pick. They probably could have picked him up for near nothing. Kind of interesting that Kyle has created his own QB controversy somewhat reminiscent of CJ and the qb controversy.

 

[BigD]

Boring uncreative offense and among some of the worst offensive productions in the conference .

The Parkers have saved Kirk’s ass for two decades.

Defense = Good. Offense = SUCKS

None the less having been a die hard hawk fan for over fifty years I sincerely wish Brian the best of luck this upcoming season. How do you not want your team and coaches to do well?

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Plodding.

slow-moving and unexciting.
"a plodding comedy drama"

• (of a person) thorough and hard-working but lacking in imagination or intelligence.
  "plodding, methodical Ralph Bellamy

 

[NorthKCHawk]

It is basically Mike Shannonhan's late 90's, early 2000's Denver Bronco offense. Kyle has taken his father's offense and put his own spin to it. I love watching the 49ers because you can see how more creative the Iowa offense could be. BF will never be the play caller Kyle is, but there is definitely stuff to steal from.

Agreed. I wish BF would spend a lot of time watching tape of other similar offenses that have more creative minds implementing it. BF aint that it seems. The offense can work, but you have to be a bit more creative within the scheme. Even Wisconsin's jet sweep is a nice wrinkle that we do not use enough within the confines of a power I running attack. We also need more screens and draws.

We have debated this before, but running a traditional pro style offense in some ways could turn into an advantage, much like Georgia Tech running the triple option. Defenses are not used to it and it is hard to prepare for on a week's notice. But, it has to be operated at a high level to squeeze out that advantage.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Boring uncreative offense and among some of the worst offensive productions in the conference .

The Parkers have saved Kirk’s ass for two decades.

Defense = Good. Offense = SUCKS

None the less having been a die hard hawk fan for over fifty years I sincerely wish Brian the best of luck this upcoming season. How do you not want your team and coaches to do well?

While I don't disagree with your sentiment about the offense not being great, especially of late, I think the Parkers have greatly benefitted from the complimentary offense Iowa runs. If Iowa ran an up tempo spread attack like say Nebbie, I guarantee you Phil Parker's D would not have the stats he has enjoyed as DC.

If the offense is moving quickly, taking chances, and trying to score TDs, they will either be successful and put up a lot of points on the board, forcing the opposing offense to do the same thing against Phil's D; or, they will turn the ball over a lot leaving Phil's D with a short D to defend.

When your offense controls the clock and only scores 20ish points, the opposing offense will have less plays, opportunities, and motivation to score.

KF's overall philosophy sets up the DC for success and the OC for failure. I am not saying Phil is not a good coach and BF is average at best, but one has headwinds and one has tailwinds due to KF's approach.

 

[haydensly]

Agreed. I wish BF would spend a lot of time watching tape of other similar offenses that have more creative minds implementing it. BF aint that it seems. The offense can work, but you have to be a bit more creative within the scheme. Even Wisconsin's jet sweep is a nice wrinkle that we do not use enough within the confines of a power I running attack. We also need more screens and draws.

I don't disagree with what you're saying but Kyle Shanahan would have had a hard time calling plays for this offense last year with the O-Line play that we had.

 

[uihawk82]

I’m terms of what they want to do and how they try to do it?

So many plays are just failures I can barely figure out what the thought was. It almost seems like the plan is to try and run outside to open up the middle but outside runs so seldom work all it does is lose yards and not open up anything.

As NorthKCHawk said, the offense is basically pro-style, I formation most of the time, the run game is supposed to gouge out good first and 2nd down yardage to move the chains or leave 3rd and short. The fullback is in the package a lot with TEnds motioning across the formation to add trap blocks or more blocking.

Kirk had Betts, Russell, Lewis, Greene and Albert Lewis (??) in his first 10 years with some great offensive lines. As NorthKCHawk said the zone blocking scheme is great for these cutback, one cut runners.

A lot of pro teams use zone blocking but a lot of defenses in the Big 10 have somewhat figured out the cutbacks and they just try to play gap control to slow Iowa down until we F up, usually passing the ball.

Iowa occasionally pulls a lineman or two to trap and add more blocking in a certain hole. But the passing game needs to be at least ranked #60 for Iowa's offense to really take off. those play action passes are meant to get big chunks of yards especially to the Tight Ends which are major weapons just like pro teams like to use them.

 

[uihawk82]

Its a traditional pro style offense with a zone blocking scheme to facilitate an off tackle run game with a one cut approach at RB and play action set up from the running attack. Philosophically, the offense values ball control, ball protection, and field position more so than taking chances to create big plays. To be successful, you have to have athletic and talented OL, and a QB that can read defenses and throw accurately. If you have those things, your skill players don't have to be super amazing, but it helps if they are.

Its not exciting. We have seen Iowa's offense be marginally explosive in the past, but not recently. It is what it is. KF has become a hall of famer with this approach and has rarely waivered from this formula.

I added onto your ideas with a later post.