Howe: No Moral Victory for Hawkeyes in Heartbreaking Loss
- Thread starter RobHowe
- Start date
judzeehawk
Well-Known Member
Hoping the Hawks bounce back and move forward. It would be awesome to meet psu in the B1G Championship! After the gut wrenching loss to msu in the B1G Championship game the Hawks stunk it up the next game. This team isn't going to let that happen! I was very proud of the Hawks!
RobHowe
Administrator
Thanks for reading. I disagree that last night’s loss dictates anything for the rest of the season. As I wrote, time will tell how this team moves forward. It can build of the positives of playing a Top 5 team to the wire or it could suffer a hangover. I’d bet on the former but that’s me speculating based on what I see and feel. I don’t know.
HawkeyeWalker
Well-Known Member
MSU, while not a great team right now, is a perfect opponent to test the Hawks after this tough loss. They are typically physical and grinding...
Resolve will be tested.
Resolve will be tested.
RobHowe
Administrator
I didn't get to see any of the MSU-ND game last night for obvious reasons. I did see that they put up a lot of yards but turned the ball over three times, including, I believe, a Pick-6.
That's usually a tough place for Iowa to play. These programs aren't fond of each other.
I'm with Walker, the Hawkeyes can't experience a hangover from last night. MSU is going to be up for them.
That's usually a tough place for Iowa to play. These programs aren't fond of each other.
I'm with Walker, the Hawkeyes can't experience a hangover from last night. MSU is going to be up for them.
hawkinn3
Well-Known Member
I'd be shocked if we don't lose to MSU. Classic coming out flat position for the Hawks after getting up for the PSU game.
RobHowe
Administrator
Really? I wouldn't be shocked to see Iowa win. I think the Hawkeyes are better than MSU.
I get what you're saying. Iowa will be on the other end of things next week in terms of playing a road game against a team jacked up to beat it. I'd be surprised if this team came out flat, though. I think it has pretty good mental toughness and leadership.
ArvadaHawk
Well-Known Member
What's the health of the defense that had to play battering ram for 100 plays? Yes, the offense has been inconsistent, but that includes the OC who deserves no free pass with only mentioning the ill-fate option in the end zone. there was no aggression in the play calling, outside of the td pass after the turnover to end the half...but that's OC 101.
How many replays does it take because we as fans realize that, while we continued to call running play after running play, the lb's were completely and totally ignoring the pass and running to AW? Why not put AW in motion? Too aggressive to do that? Hmmm, why put another back in, along with AW, to force the defense to play honest? To risky? Hmmm, how about spreading the defense wide if you insist on only have AW in the game?
No, this was horrible play calling by our new OC. Did our WR's drop the ball? a few times, yes. But, they were open, yet we ran the ball on first down like it is the first law of physics in our universe.
RobHowe
Administrator
Go back and watch the game again. There were more than "a few" drops. I think there were four or five among the first nine passes. And Penn State's defense is pretty good. Iowa wasn't playing North High.
ArvadaHawk
Well-Known Member
They were playing a defense that was selling out to stop AW. Do dropped passes represent a risk on a play vs a run for minus yardage? What did Brian to to help give the OL an advantage in block against 8/9 man fronts with lb's that were all disregarding the pass and honing in on AW? No motioning AW? Start him in the slot?
RobHowe
Administrator
A lot of those fronts were disguised. Penn State blitzes 40 percent of the time. It did a good job of identifying where the zone blocking scheme was going. Adjustments were made and Iowa found holes in the second half.
It wasn't a great game for the offense. Plays calls could have been better. I think the dropped passes hurt more than you did.
HawkeyeDylan16
Member
That's what I was thinking as he ran into the end zone. Would've much rather try to run the clock down as much as we could and kick a fg instead of giving Penn. St have a chance to answer. Their offense is just too good.
tksirius
HN's Love Doctor
What exactly do you mean? Every time Wadley ran into that wall I saw at least 8 guys prior to the snap.
The dropped passes hurt, but they certainly didn't hurt more than Wadley running for no gain or a loss over and over. The play calling was atrocious the first 3 quarters. Apparently, many fans in attendance actually started to boo it according to reports from those at the game.
RobHowe
Administrator
What exactly I mean is that PSU was moving guys around and giving the offense different looks. I talked to several offensive players after the game that mentioned it. They were throwing Stanley off his game and he repeatedly checked to running plays. PSU was filling the gaps and blitzed consistently all night. Blitzes aren't just designed to get the QB. They're useful against the running game as well.
I've said it was a greatly called game by the coaches. That said, they were facing a really good defense that's ranked second nationally in fewest points allowed per game.
tksirius
HN's Love Doctor
That brings up the systemic issue of Iowa's ratio of calling audibles into run versus pass plays. We have no problem checking to runs, but Iowa's QBs clearly don't feel comfortable changing to pass plays. Can't disregard Nate's comment about "just wanting to run and pass when we have to" comment. Maybe it's a topic for another day. Sorry, I'm just fed up with the Ferentz way, especially when they refer to it as the "Iowa way."
RobHowe
Administrator
I get the frustration. I do. The first half was awful for Iowa's offense.
I was encouraged with how they adjusted at halftime and found ways to burn the blitz later in the game.
