If Running Game Doesn’t Improve...

[NCHawker]

Any competent coaching staff the last few years knows that Iowa has had, for most part, receivers that can't get open with spacing, and an inaccurate QB who has a tendency to panic. So, you plug the middle, make Iowa beat you via the airwaves, while creating some pressure on the QB. Against smart and talented teams, Iowa is dead in the water, reverting to their sub par punting option. Death is often slow and painful.

'morning sunshine.

(ya I get it)

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

I get what your saying, and Iowa needs to get better at moving the LOS. But watch this video:


You will see some great LOS movement, but you will also see Greene getting a lot of "Emmitt Smith" yards. Not from outstanding physicality, but from a hesitation here, setting up a block there, finding a crevice. He had an awesome OL, and he had awesome physicality, but he also had a "sense" that he did not have as a younger back. We can only hope some of our guys are developing that sense as well.

I strongly agree with your points 1, 2, and 5.

Loved going through that and remembering how good Greene was. He just always made the right cut...hesitation move...he just had a great feel and vision for running the football. I was hoping you caught a couple of other runs he had in this game...though. If you look at the first few runs...Wisky's safeties were going really low on the tackles...almost like they were trying to hurt him. Greene was getting his shoulder low, but he was pissed after a few of these hits. There is a 5-6 yard run in this game where Greene just punishes one of these safeties because he was just coming off a block and couldn't dive at Greene's ankles and Greene just went straight for him on purpose...no juke, no cuts...right at him and crushed him. Greene got up jawing him and the guy had to leave the game because he didn't know where he was. You got the sense that Greene was just looking for an opportunity to deliver a blow to those guys after those low hits...loved that guy.

 

[Ree4]

He was typically at 8 yards. In the video below (Sargent highlights vs. Nebraska from last year), Sargent is consistently at 7 yards. Not sure when they made the change or why? I wonder if that extra yard can really make much difference?

LOL Wirfs at 2:59

 

[Ree4]

Loved going through that and remembering how good Greene was. He just always made the right cut...hesitation move...he just had a great feel and vision for running the football. I was hoping you caught a couple of other runs he had in this game...though. If you look at the first few runs...Wisky's safeties were going really low on the tackles...almost like they were trying to hurt him. Greene was getting his shoulder low, but he was pissed after a few of these hits. There is a 5-6 yard run in this game where Greene just punishes one of these safeties because he was just coming off a block and couldn't dive at Greene's ankles and Greene just went straight for him on purpose...no juke, no cuts...right at him and crushed him. Greene got up jawing him and the guy had to leave the game because he didn't know where he was. You got the sense that Greene was just looking for an opportunity to deliver a blow to those guys after those low hits...loved that guy.

Yeah my friends and I named a new verb after him - I'll use it in a sentence: Toren Young totally duonged that guy.

 

[CP87]

LOL Wirfs at 2:59

I have seen that clip a ton because of the Fant/Hock double-pancake, but I never noticed Wirfs before. Great combo to allow the guard to bury the DE, and then knocks down his second level defender with a lunging punch.

There were 4 play-side pancakes on that running play.

 

[Ree4]

I have seen that clip a ton because of the Fant/Hock double-pancake, but I never noticed Wirfs before. Great combo to allow the guard to bury the DE, and then knocks down his second level defender with a lunging punch.

There were 4 play-side pancakes on that running play.

Not to mention Mekhi made one safety miss and drug the other about ~12 yards downfield. Such a well executed play by the whole unit

 

[NikeHawk21]

I wanted to bump this thread. Still a lot of season left but it appears Iowa’s rushing attack still isn’t getting the job done so far. Is it poor play calling? Injuries / lack of talent on the Oline? Poor RB play? Poor scheme?

I tend to think there is something wrong with our scheme. Iowa’s rushing attack has not been good for several years now so I don’t think you can blame the current group of players.