Howe Column: Similar Problems Continue Haunting Underachieving Hawkeyes

It is the same thing every week. Opponent gashes us with the run, especially up the middle. We have no answer for it, and that is coaching. If your kids aren't capable of stopping something, and you know this, and you don't make adjustments, that is just crazy.

Offensively it is the same thing. Teams keep putting pressure on CJ straight up the middle. We refuse to make adjustments, and when we do it is throwing a so poorly disguised screen pass, that the D knows it is coming before we even snap the ball.
 
They aren't underachieving. The players and coaching are playing at their talent level. This is what a program that has classes in the 40s and 50s looks like. A slow lumbering team without speed. In years past (under Norm, God I miss Norm) we had great fundamentals but even that is gone now.

Mediocre players that are poorly coached. That is the 2016 Iowa Hawkeyes.
 
Jackson was able to find yards up the gut and off the edge yesterday. I thought the run defense actually got worse and I didn't think that was possible. And we ran for 79 yards against a defense that allowed Nebraska 310 on the ground a week earlier.
 
deanvogs said:
It is the same thing every week. Opponent gashes us with the run, especially up the middle. We have no answer for it, and that is coaching. If your kids aren't capable of stopping something, and you know this, and you don't make adjustments, that is just crazy.

Offensively it is the same thing. Teams keep putting pressure on CJ straight up the middle. We refuse to make adjustments, and when we do it is throwing a so poorly disguised screen pass, that the D knows it is coming before we even snap the ball.
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Ferentz is such a great coach so I don't think you can blame coaching
 
I'm wondering if this season will be Greg Davis' swan song. If things go down the tubes this year, he may be the change that happens. Thankfully we had some good returns yesterday.
 
Rob, I wouldn't agree that the team is under achieving. If it were a couple of bad breaks here and there I would agree. The lack of speed on both sides of the ball is quite evident. Judging by your list of players visiting yesterday, that doesn't look to change. If Washington HS really has 3 legit D1 players they should be crazy good.
 
The Washington players only are juniors so time will tell. They don't have offers yet and many of Iowa's eventual walkons visit during the season.

I feel like we're underachieving. When a team isn't playing well, it's fair to say the players lack talent. I see a lot of talent on the field, though. We have quite a few guys back from last year.

I will give you WR. Was worried about that coming into the season. Attrition at that position has been brutal.
 
This team is definitely underachieving. The coaching is costing them big time. There's no reason this team should lose to North Dakota State, barely beat Rutgers and then give up 38 points to a NW team that could barely score so far this season. I've never emailed Barta but I'm damn tempted because this is offensive.
 
RobHowe said:
The Washington players only are juniors so time will tell. They don't have offers yet and many of Iowa's eventual walkons visit during the season.

I feel like we're underachieving. When a team isn't playing well, it's fair to say the players lack talent. I see a lot of talent on the field, though. We have quite a few guys back from last year.

I will give you WR. Was worried about that coming into the season. Attrition at that position has been brutal.
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Yep, underachieving for sure. When you are losing to teams that you are double digit favorites, that is underachieving.
 
Kinda how I look at it. No disrespect to NDSU or NW, but we should beat them at home. NW had be bad this year.
 
RobHowe said:
I'm wondering if this season will be Greg Davis' swan song. If things go down the tubes this year, he may be the change that happens. Thankfully we had some good returns yesterday.
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2014 should have been his last season. Never been a Davis fan, he has always been a square peg in a round hole.
 
deanvogs said:
Being better than Miles doesn't make him great, but if u wanna go down this road like a tool, be my guest.
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You just couldn't leave it alone.

Deano, I believe the college football hall of fame recently instituted a new rule which says you can't get in without a .60 winning percentage.

Between Miles and KF, guess which one qualifies?
 
RobHowe said:
The Washington players only are juniors so time will tell. They don't have offers yet and many of Iowa's eventual walkons visit during the season.

I feel like we're underachieving. When a team isn't playing well, it's fair to say the players lack talent. I see a lot of talent on the field, though. We have quite a few guys back from last year.

I will give you WR. Was worried about that coming into the season. Attrition at that position has been brutal.
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Can't disagree I guess. To counter though, Washington has already lost 2x and there are 2 or 3 more on the schedule. They've mostly played the given wins. At their level, a team with 2 or 3 gamers is usually pretty darn good.
 
deanvogs said:
I did leave it alone. I Messages 56, we decided to let it die. 56 all of a sudden brought it up again, so ask him why he couldn't leave it alone.
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I quit reading after 5 pages or so but you guys had a good debate going.
 
HawkGold said:
Can't disagree I guess. To counter though, Washington has already lost 2x and there are 2 or 3 more on the schedule. They've mostly played the given wins. At their level, a team with 2 or 3 gamers is usually pretty darn good.
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Good point. Perhaps next year when these dudes are seniors they get it rolling. I haven't seen them this year. Saw Solon squeak by Mt Vernon and I think Solon handled Washington pretty comfortably.

Will be interesting to see what happens with our '18 class if this season is around .500. It's a fragile beast around here.
 
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