I believe Coker is THE guy...

HawkeyeWalker

HawkeyeWalker

Well-Known Member
Just a few observations from the past few weeks: seems as though I sense a bit of dissappointment in our man mr. Coker. "changed his style, fumble-itis, too tentative, not enough speed, needs to run downhill, needs to 'get out of his own head', etc".

I am sure the glimpse of promise McCall showed, combined with the fumbles, and loss to ISU have all added to a certain amount of discontent, second guessing,etc.

Before I give my opinion, Marcus never put the crazy expectations out there, the fans and media did.....that being said...

This kid is a machine. Yes, he fumbled a couple times in a monsoon and from a helmet-on-ball hit. Yes, he has been bottled up against 9 man fronts. and yes, he is not going to speed to the edge and outrun db's and safeties (his run in the bowl game was due to a straight ahead run play, good blocking, and an awesome broken tackle.

I'll say it again, he's a machine....fantastic blocker...sure handed receiver for a big back...faster than being given credit for recently...doesn't go down at first contact...and MOST importantly...almost always gets positive yards and never quits going forward.

Maybe I am bored, ready for the next game, anxious to see improvement, over sensative, etc. But it just seems like a lot of slight references to Coker not being the guy. My contention is that he IS the guy, this Sophomore just needs a little help, a few more snaps, and a BREATHER once in a while.

He has the brains, attitude, and talent to be everything we annointed him to be after about 2 games last year.

Not a frequent poster, just a touch annoyed by the "grass is always greener - jump to conclusions and overreact" feel of the board at times...

Go Hawks ! Go HAWKEYE NATION ! UNITE !
 




Agree. He will be fine. The biggest question everyone has is why he wont put the hits on like he did before. Once he lays someone out, everyone will shut up about it. McCall was hungry and played very aggressive, something Coker needs to do to quit down all the talk.
 


i think most people feel the same way you do. it would be nice to get a different back in there to switch things up sometimes and give coker a breather. people's main concerns are him getting hit too much and being beaten up by the end of the season
 


olddude said:
Agree. He will be fine. The biggest question everyone has is why he wont put the hits on like he did before. Once he lays someone out, everyone will shut up about it. McCall was hungry and played very aggressive, something Coker needs to do to quit down all the talk.
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I thought his shoulder was dinged, probably why he doesn't want to put too many hits on other people.
 


the thing you have to remember about some hawkeye fans is that for some reason the back ups at Iowa are usually better than the starter. Just an observation, not saying that about every hawkeye fan. I mean look at the WB position a lot of times. with banks It was, oh Tate is so much better. with Tate it was Jake who should have been playing. then it was stanzi isn't the best we had. now its Derby should be playing instead of vandy. ( don't say its not true all of you know some one like that). matter of fact I have seen some threads on here about that. some fans tend to get on players and automatically want the next Guy in line playing or starting. coker will be fine. he will get better. he's only a soph. we do though need to give him a breather now and again. I think that would help him out a ton.

I like how he runs. reminds me of Nick bell always going forward and tough to bring down. he'll get better ad the season goes.

we do need a quick back to complement him though. kind of like thunder and lightning.
 


Marcus is a solid player and a great kid. But he's not the answer for our offense. We still need a back that's quicker to the hole and more elusive. In a word: speed.
 


hawkdrummer1 said:
Marcus is a solid player and a great kid. But he's not the answer for our offense. We still need a back that's quicker to the hole and more elusive. In a word: speed.
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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
 








I agree, the real Coker played against Mizzou.
And Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, other than the guy on the grassy knoll. And the mob. And the CIA.
 




rdemp4hawks said:
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
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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.
 


Coker reminds me a lot of Jermelle Lewis. Lewis was a great compliment to Fred Russell, but during his senior year before he got hurt Lewis had a chance to be the guy. Frankly, it looked like he bulked up too much and was a step slower from it (and from the previous injuries). Coker would be a great second part of a one-two punch combination, but at this point he is just too slow to carry the load especially with a decent but not dominant o-line. Coker also appears to have completely abandoned carrying the ball in his left hand even when running to the left, making it impossible to stiff arm anyone coming at him from his right.

While the line hasn't been great by any means, there were several chances to break big runs against ISU and Pitt which went for maybe only 5-6 yards b/c Coker could get not through the hole and when he did he could not make anyone miss. I like Coker, just think he is a Robin in need of a Batman to be the guy.
 


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...
 


First, the O-line is NOT getting to the second level consistently, which is the main reason Coker does not have some longer runs on his current resume'. Second, he is a soph and has limited playing time from 2010...he will get better, more in rhythm. Third, he does not have all world speed, but he is plenty fast enough. Fourth, he blocks very well and catches the ball effectively. Fifth, yes, the defenses are loading up to stop Iowa's run game...so what else is new? And, last, the O-line has not performed, in my view, up to the standard we expected. But, they will. And, so will Coker!
 


hawkfan2679 said:
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.

This is the most accurate assessment of what I've been watching also in regard to our #1 running back right now. He needs to read and get a feel for the way people are moving. Someone mentioned Shonn Greene earlier in the thread, and it made me think of something about Greene. Did you ever notice how he always seemed to make the right move and cut at just the right time to maximize yardage on almost every play. I used to just think how uncanny it was, and he was always really upset when he chose wrong, because it was like he was thinking about doing what he didn't do. Great backs have that ability to get the most out of every run and almost have a sense of where everyone is and where they will be. I had an opportunity to go to a South Carolina game this year and Lattimore has the same knack...it was amazing to watch him turn something out of virtually nothing. He also set up his blockers by flashing outside and then making his cuts...a lineman's best friend.

We just don't have a great back yet...bottom line. I've watched Ronnie Hillman at SDSU, 2nd leading rusher in College Football, and I'm confident he would still be second if he were rushing for Iowa. This OL has moved people and created lanes, but right now, we are maximizing the effort. There haven't been too many occasions where I've thought, "wow, Marcus really made something out of nothing". I know the kid has talent, but right now he appears a little lost either due to confidence, injury, or the fact that he just hasn't seen enough rushes yet. I guess the good thing is that he catches the ball well and he blocks well.

IMO...
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This is the most accurate assessment of what I've been watching also in regard to our #1 running back right now. He needs to read and get a feel for the way people are moving. Someone mentioned Shonn Greene earlier in the thread, and it made me think of something about Greene. Did you ever notice how he always seemed to make the right move and cut at just the right time to maximize yardage on almost every play. I used to just think how uncanny it was, and he was always really upset when he chose wrong, because it was like he was thinking about doing what he didn't do. Great backs have that ability to get the most out of every run and almost have a sense of where everyone is and where they will be. I had an opportunity to go to a South Carolina game this year and Lattimore has the same knack...it was amazing to watch him turn something out of virtually nothing. He also set up his blockers by flashing outside and then making his cuts...a lineman's best friend.

We just don't have a great back yet...bottom line. I've watched Ronnie Hillman at SDSU, 2nd leading rusher in College Football, and I'm confident he would still be second if he were rushing for Iowa. This OL has moved people and created lanes, but right now, we are maximizing the effort. There haven't been too many occasions where I've thought, "wow, Marcus really made something out of nothing". I know the kid has talent, but right now he appears a little lost either due to confidence, injury, or the fact that he just hasn't seen enough rushes yet. I guess the good thing is that he catches the ball well and he blocks well.
 


hawkfan2679 said:
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...
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This guy gets it.
 


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