ILLINOIS `23

There is no way to describe Iowa's offensive performance against NW as anything but atrocious. Total yards were 169! The only score we could muster was after the D set us up at the 20 and then the last second field goal. The offense looked incompetent against an average D. Look, even the Rutgers game wasn't that awesome until the dam broke in the 4th quarter and we finally found the endzone a couple times. But yes, there was a pulse.

Turned corner? We shall see. If the O does not follow up with a similar performance against an average Illinois team at home, I think we will see Rutgers as a Blind Squirrel Finds a Nut Every Once in a While. And, the offense needs to turn that corner as Nebbie has the second best D in the West, we are playing them in that shithole stadium, and they may need the game to sneak into the Pin Stripe Bowl.
 
NorthKCHawk said:
There is no way to describe Iowa's offensive performance against NW as anything but atrocious. Total yards were 169! The only score we could muster was after the D set us up at the 20 and then the last second field goal. The offense looked incompetent against an average D. Look, even the Rutgers game wasn't that awesome until the dam broke in the 4th quarter and we finally found the endzone a couple times. But yes, there was a pulse.

Turned corner? We shall see. If the O does not follow up with a similar performance against an average Illinois team at home, I think we will see Rutgers as a Blind Squirrel Finds a Nut Every Once in a While. And, the offense needs to turn that corner as Nebbie has the second best D in the West, we are playing them in that shithole stadium, and they may need the game to sneak into the Pin Stripe Bowl.
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It's real hard for me to evaluate the Northwestern game. These baseball stadiums are just awful. Both Iowa and Northwestern left with a ton of lineman injuries. Even Tory Taylor can't punt there. It's not like Northwestern and Iowa are offensive juggernauts to start with, but when you make all blocking inconsistent because of field conditions, you are in for a real ugly day.
 
Grady said:
This.
Rutgers allowed Iowa's offense to be serviceable last week because they stayed in their base D and rarely brought pressure...stupid mistake on their part, similar to Urban Meyer years ago when the Hawks put up 50+ on the Buckeyes.
Bielema won't make the same mistake. BUT, teams have been running vs the Illini, and blitzes also mean opportunities for big runs -- the Hawks will need to break a couple of those on Sat to win, cause I'm expecting the pass game to take a significant step backward.
The formula for beating the Hawks remains the same: bring pressure, don't turn the ball over, and don't have a high # of penalties. Do that, and you have at least a 50% chance of leaving Kinnick with a W...even in November. (See Nebraska last season.)
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In Dochterman's preview, he mentioned that Illinois has one of the best DT combos in the country. Interesting that they have not been that stout against the run. Perhaps they are exploitable on the edge or in the back 7? That does present an interesting challenge for an Iowa run game that has been heavy on IZ, Iso, Power, and Counter this year; not much OZ, stretch, or toss.

You might think jet sweep action could pay dividends, but during the Rutgers game Hawkeyegamefilm pointed out that jet sweep is nearly impossible into a heavy box when we are outmanned. I expect Illinois to play like Minny did, constant heavy boxes with safeties crashing.

The answer may be more quick screens as our extension of the run game. Ostrenga and Ortwerth blocked their asses off vs. Rutgers, just destroying guys on the outside in the screen game. Sign me up for more of that. And then dial up a couple wrinkles off the screen game for big gainers, and we score enough on offense to win.
 
Illinois did not look good running the ball vs. Indiana. If we can keep run game in check with DL and LBs, drop guys into coverage with eyes on the QB, and get some pressure in the QBs face, he is going to make mistakes.
 
PlatypusMessiah said:
It's real hard for me to evaluate the Northwestern game. These baseball stadiums are just awful. Both Iowa and Northwestern left with a ton of lineman injuries. Even Tory Taylor can't punt there. It's not like Northwestern and Iowa are offensive juggernauts to start with, but when you make all blocking inconsistent because of field conditions, you are in for a real ugly day.
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Field condition excuse is overblown. The field failed in the endzone on one end, which actually helped Iowa's goal line stand.

The rest of the field was just fine. KF is a whiner and excuse maker. The reality is that the playcalling was terrible and the execution worse. The field did not make the QB make inaccurate throws and INTs, and it certainly did not cause the terrible execution on potential scoring drives. Whether it contributed to injuries, who knows. Typically, grass is safer than turf, but loose grass? maybe. Taylor had an offday, but I have not heard him blame turf. Bottom line is that Iowa's offense has been shitty the entire season. The notion that Wrigley's turf caused an otherwise competent offense to have an off day is belied by what we have seen the entire season, and really for the last three years.

The NW game is easy to Judge. The offense sucked because it sucked, not because of the field.
 
NorthKCHawk said:
Field condition excuse is overblown. The field failed in the endzone on one end, which actually helped Iowa's goal line stand.

The rest of the field was just fine. KF is a whiner and excuse maker. The reality is that the playcalling was terrible and the execution worse. The field did not make the QB make inaccurate throws and INTs, and it certainly did not cause the terrible execution on potential scoring drives. Whether it contributed to injuries, who knows. Typically, grass is safer than turf, but loose grass? maybe. Taylor had an offday, but I have not heard him blame turf. Bottom line is that Iowa's offense has been shitty the entire season. The notion that Wrigley's turf caused an otherwise competent offense to have an off day is belied by what we have seen the entire season, and really for the last three years.

The NW game is easy to Judge. The offense sucked because it sucked, not because of the field.
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Kind of grumpy today, North.
 
HuckFinn said:
Kind of grumpy today, North.
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LOL. My bad.

Not meaning to be grumpy at any posters on this thread, and its been a good thread. Just tired of the KF excuse making train. Injuries, field conditions, refs, lack of experience, unfortunate bounces, etc.

Three years of terrible offense is not bad luck. Its bad coaching.
 
I’ll not be predicting an Iowa loss the rest of the year. However, Illinois is strong up the middle on D, not great on the edge and not great in the secondary.

Iowa on offense likes to mash it up the middle and rarely throws deep.

Success on offense will require us to switch it up, so the more likely result is winning 9-3.
 
Well, that came out quicker than I thought....
From Hawkeye Heaven on FB 5 minutes ago:

"There are multiple reports out there that Cooper DeJean suffered a season ending injury during practice. Don't shoot the messenger.
Devastating news if it's true."

Another Iowa Football Player Hating God.
 
hawkinn3 said:
I’ll not be predicting an Iowa loss the rest of the year. However, Illinois is strong up the middle on D, not great on the edge and not great in the secondary.

Iowa on offense likes to mash it up the middle and rarely throws deep.

Success on offense will require us to switch it up, so the more likely result is winning 9-3.
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They have a DT that is one of 5 finalists for the Nagurski Trophy, along with DeJean.
 
Crazy prediction: Tory Taylor runs or throws the ball on a fake punt in his final game at Kinnick, crowd erupts.
 
Based on what little I've seen of him I'd like to see Kaleb Brown return punts. He has speed power and wiggle.
 
Rutgers has a much better defense than Illinois. The Illini's 48 point explosion was against a bottom 3 defense (Indiana 12th in B10) by Illinois' 12th place offense.

The Illini aren't terrible but if Iowa can produce good coverage where Cooper used to play then I think Iowa will win comfortably. The Illini secondary is particularly bad. Kaleb Brown's coming out party-coming out as a WR party to be clearer.
 
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