I believe Coker is THE guy...

[kicker22]

The thing is, we all hope he's the guy because he's the one getting all the touches, but his numbers simply aren't where they need to be for him to be the focal point of our offense. I'm on board with him and think he will come around, but the fact is eventually he's got to make some bigger plays and get that ypc up because as a team we cannot afford to give him 25+ carries a game when there's no one else behind him getting reps.

 

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

Since on the subject of Coker and I don't want to start a new thread and alarm people did anybody see Marty Tirrell's tweets last night that Coker is out this weekend? He may have been drunk tweeting for all I know but he put out a couple of cryptic tweets. Here is one of them:

"Marcus Coker out Sat. vs. LA.-Monroe; miss the hyphenated so your season is not abbreviated... Makes $ense!"

 

[Puttman]

Since on the subject of Coker and I don't want to start a new thread and alarm people did anybody see Marty Tirrell's tweets last night that Coker is out this weekend? He may have been drunk tweeting for all I know but he put out a couple of cryptic tweets. Here is one of them:

"Marcus Coker out Sat. vs. LA.-Monroe; miss the hyphenated so your season is not abbreviated... Makes $ense!"

Really? Someone in Iowa actually pays attention to Mary Tirrell? talk about your basic delta-bravo.

 

[trj]

I notice we've been running a bit more "traditional" running plays for Coker than we have in the past with some of our quicker backs. I think we're doing this to try and complement his style a little more....what I've seen out of him in the zone running game is that he's taking far too many steps when he gets to the hole.

A zone running game is predicated on an OL creating movement on a DL, a RB pressing hole on his inside or outside zone track, and a small seam being created when a DL overextends to defend a gap. At that point, using vision and a SINGLE CUT, the RB needs to hit the hole. What I've seen from Coker thus far is that he's not decisive enough on where to hit the hole (or the hole just isn't there) and he's completely breaking down, i.e. his feet are pitter-patter-ing until they are all but stopped, robbing him of his most important asset, which is his momentum (power). I'm not sure if it's a vision thing, I'm not sure if it's a physical thing (Homer has mentioned on numerous occasions that he thinks Coker might still be a little injured)...if he continues to dance indecisively at the point of attack, our running game is going to continue to struggle.

IMO...

Spot on

 

[hawkdrummer1]

speed? Mr green would disagree with you
speed? Mr Robinson would disagree with you

coker has speed. what we need to have is some one elusive to compliment coker's power game.

elusiveness and balance is what robinson was about.
green was about power and shiftyness
neither man had great speed. they had good foot work at the point of attack

They both saw and attacked the hole with more confidence and certainty. (Robinson...with even less experience than Coker does now) And they both sure "looked" faster. So "speed"...may not be the perfect word. But the ultimate result was the same... through the hole and upfield more effectively...and yes, faster. GAME speed...the kind that counts most.

That having been said, if we're going to run Marcus as our primary back, alternating with a quicker back from time to time would certainly be a refreshing plus. god forbid we try it...and it might work.

 

[rdemp4hawks]

speed? Mr green would disagree with youspeed? Mr Robinson would disagree with youcoker has speed. what we need to have is some one elusive to compliment coker's power game.elusiveness and balance is what robinson was about.green was about power and shiftyness neither man had great speed. they had good foot work at the point of attack

You apparently didn't watch Greene or Robinson very closely. They didn't have great top end speed, no. But they had excellent bursts through the hole, which Coker hasn't shown to this point. He hasn't been exploding through the hole like Greene or even Robinson did. That attribute in combination with their vision and other skills is what made them so effective.

you apparently didn't watch the mizzu game. coker showed great top end speed. and thanks for makeing my point on green and Robinson. neither had great speed. what they had was quickness to the hole, which is different than speed. quickness and explosiveness is what made them great Iowa backs. don't get speed and quickness confussed. in the game of football there completely different. coker will be OK. as was Nick bell. he didn't have the quicksilver but he had good top end speed and power Wichita is what coker has.

 

[rdemp4hawks]

speed? Mr green would disagree with youspeed? Mr Robinson would disagree with youcoker has speed. what we need to have is some one elusive to compliment coker's power game.elusiveness and balance is what robinson was about.green was about power and shiftyness neither man had great speed. they had good foot work at the point of attack

You apparently didn't watch Greene or Robinson very closely. They didn't have great top end speed, no. But they had excellent bursts through the hole, which Coker hasn't shown to this point. He hasn't been exploding through the hole like Greene or even Robinson did. That attribute in combination with their vision and other skills is what made them so effective.

you apparently didn't watch the mizzu game. coker showed great top end speed. and thanks for makeing my point on green and Robinson. neither had great speed. what they had was quickness to the hole, which is different than speed. quickness and explosiveness is what made them great Iowa backs. don't get speed and quickness confussed. in the game of football there completely different. coker will be OK. as was Nick bell. he didn't have the quicksilver but he had good top end speed and power Wichita is what coker has.

 

[BabcockIC]

I think Coker can block well but I think that Bullock did a bang up job in the no huddle offense as well. The fact that Bullock was being used as a wide out early on intrigues me as well. I would just like to see him get some more touches, be it by pass or run.

 

[superfan12]

Coker is the best RB we have, if he shows his talent and hits the hole!

and FTR, I do not want him to be our FB, that's crazy talk, he's not a great blocker.

 

[DesMoinesHawki]

To the OP ... don't you know the most popular player is always the backup?

 

[hawkdrummer1]

To the OP ... don't you know the most popular player is always the backup?

Only when the starter appears to be underperforming.

 

[DTF]

I like seeing a quick guy from time to time, maybe they switch RB's and don't run the ball or something, idk. I think it's just a little too predictable when he runs the ball though, he's not going to fool a defensive player with a cutback or juke. I feel like there are openings he misses or cuts he can't make (because he always seems to fall or something), it's just straight ahead all the time. I think he's the starter for sure, just give an agile guy a couple chances to make an impact (i.e. don't remove the agile guy after one play if the play doesn't work).

That's all I want to see, a little versatility in our offense. Throw in a little hurry up from time to time, and switch up the RB's from time to time (not who starts or gets most of the carries). I too wanted to see Derby last week, but only because our offense was so unimaginative, he would add a dimension Pitt wasn't used to AND I didn't know aggressive play calling existed in KOK's world.

I think people just get tired of complacency. If something isn't working, please don't keep trying the same thing over and over, and don't wait until it's nearly too late to change it up. I think that's the bigger issue.

 

[theole12]

Wait...Marcus Coker? I wear that fella's jersey to church!

 

[tm3308]

you apparently didn't watch the mizzu game. coker showed great top end speed. and thanks for makeing my point on green and Robinson. neither had great speed. what they had was quickness to the hole, which is different than speed. quickness and explosiveness is what made them great Iowa backs. don't get speed and quickness confussed. in the game of football there completely different. coker will be OK. as was Nick bell. he didn't have the quicksilver but he had good top end speed and power Wichita is what coker has.

Coker doesn't have great speed, either. Maybe his top-end is good, but that's completely worthless if you don't accelerate quickly. He needs a head of steam, more like a Brandon Jacobs or LenDale White than Greene. Greene had better top-end speed, and he accelerated MUCH more quickly.

But to be honest, we haven't been fair to Coker. It's not really fair to compare him to Greene at this point, because that's putting an awful lot on him. There's a reason that Greene was such a dominant back: he was a total package. Quicks, speed, power, vision, decisiveness, ball security, pass protection. The only area that he wasn't very good in was as a receiver.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

I don't anybody is dumping on Coker. He's a good kid and a good back.

I believe the overriding point is WHY DOESN'T FERENTZ PLAY SOMEBODY ELSE TOO?! But this is one we've beaten ourselves over the head with before.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

I think Coker can block well but I think that Bullock did a bang up job in the no huddle offense as well. The fact that Bullock was being used as a wide out early on intrigues me as well. I would just like to see him get some more touches, be it by pass or run.

this is the same type of reaction we had after one game with Coker in the bowl game....and the point of my OP. One game (or series) does not a runningback make...

We DO need additional backs...but my prediction is that barring injury, Coker will be the primary back for 3 years.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

this is the same type of reaction we had after one game with Coker in the bowl game....and the point of my OP. One game (or series) does not a runningback make...

We DO need additional backs...but my prediction is that barring injury, Coker will be the primary back for 3 years.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Only when the starter appears to be underperforming.

That's just it, define "underperforming". True sophomore against stacked fronts, I don't expect 100 yards every game.

If we get dangerous on the pass and Oline gels....I think we will start seeing what we all want to see !

 

[olddude]

Coker doesn't have great speed, either. Maybe his top-end is good, but that's completely worthless if you don't accelerate quickly. He needs a head of steam, more like a Brandon Jacobs or LenDale White than Greene. Greene had better top-end speed, and he accelerated MUCH more quickly.

But to be honest, we haven't been fair to Coker. It's not really fair to compare him to Greene at this point, because that's putting an awful lot on him. There's a reason that Greene was such a dominant back: he was a total package. Quicks, speed, power, vision, decisiveness, ball security, pass protection. The only area that he wasn't very good in was as a receiver.

I dont think thats it at all. I thought I read where you aslo said, he needs to make his mind up and stick with it. I think if he does that, you will see his burst become better. Seems to be thinking to much and not just reacting. Once he gets out of his head, his burst will improve.