Important Time for Hawkeye Wide Receivers
- Thread starter RobHowe
- Start date
ClintonIAfan
Well-Known Member
This is a very talented group. They have a great speedster, and a guy that can win most any 1v1 battle for the ball. The Smiths are great building blocks going forward, and it will be extremely difficult for any opposing defense to try to stop them
Extremely difficult for any defense to stop Iowa's wide receivers? Hmmmmm
RobHowe
Administrator
It took a few years for him to develop. Have to hope that happens for Smith, Smith-Marsette and the rest of the group.
NikeHawk21
Well-Known Member
WR is not a tough position to learn how to play. Danny Davis (former Iowa recruit who’s same age as our guys) has more yards and TDs than ISM and B. Smith combined over the last two seasons, and it’s not like he plays on a pass happy team at UW. All over the country there are going guys that make an instant impact at the position.
I get the intent of this article and that these guys are working at it, but at the end of the day WR has been painfully bad over the KF era.
My knock on BF would be the lack of creativity with these guys. Of Easley’s catches how many were quick bubbles? Why can’t ISM line up inside and catch a few of those? I would certainly like to see him in space with the ball more. How can we see a one play 40 yard TD to ISM against NW on a deep post but not see again or in many other games?
I get the intent of this article and that these guys are working at it, but at the end of the day WR has been painfully bad over the KF era.
My knock on BF would be the lack of creativity with these guys. Of Easley’s catches how many were quick bubbles? Why can’t ISM line up inside and catch a few of those? I would certainly like to see him in space with the ball more. How can we see a one play 40 yard TD to ISM against NW on a deep post but not see again or in many other games?
hawkdrummer1
Well-Known Member
It's not the WRs...it's the scheme. Captain Obvious signing out.
RobHowe
Administrator
Read the article again and pay attention to Copeland’s quotes.
I’ve heard the “it’s not hard to play WR” rant from Iowa fans for year. “Just throw the guys out there, draw up a play in the dirt, run a route and I’ll hit the open guy.”
It’s not as hard if you play the position in a spread or some other pass-heavy offense. If you’ve watched ANY Iowa football during the last 20 years, you know Iowa is going to play the guys that know the playbook and can play all aspects of the position in a pro-style offense.
I know. I know. The narrative is that all Iowa receivers do is run wind sprints and block. That’s weak.
Want to see what the coaches want/expect from the position, watch film of DJK, McNutt, Hinkel, Solomon, etc.
RobHowe
Administrator
That’s not a in-depth analysis, but it’s accurate. Iowa has a checklist with boxes it wants checked for WRs in this scheme. You don’t check enough boxes, you don’t play.
Do you watch the same receivers everyone else does? I don't recall any defense having much of a problem shutting them down this year. Next year will be even worse without Fant and Hockenson.
NikeHawk21
Well-Known Member
The example I brought up was a WR at Wisconsin who is neither spread nor pass happy.
What’s the point here? Do you feel Iowa does a good job handling and developing WRs?
I guess I’m just confused. Yes Copeland and these guys are working hard to improve. I actually like Smith, ISM, and hope Tracy emerges, but I guess it just seems like with KF and BF leading this offense we are always going to be limited in the utilization of whoever is playing WR.
hawkdrummer1
Well-Known Member
The problem is not the WRs being able to check enough boxes...it's the scheme that neuters the WRs. As I once heard it put...if your scheme is tougher for your players to master...than for your opponent to prepare for...it's not a good scheme.
It's disproportionately more difficult for WRs at IOWA to become effective contributors than at other programs. And yet...even when the DO meet the bar... WR production is still an after thought in the offense.
Do you think maybe after 20 years KF can recruit some talent at the position? You know, guys that 'check all the boxes.' Tell me how Groenewig checks all the boxes, or Max Cooper.
MoseSchrute
Well-Known Member
Year 2? I thought we were on about year 9 of this thing.
karras
Well-Known Member
JMO and I'll probably get booted for it.
But Daffney is better than Groeneweg and I'm willing to bet my life on it. Seriously, my life ain't worth much but I'm still willing to forfeit it to make a point to anonymous netizens.
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MoseSchrute
Well-Known Member
With the way things are called now, it's less of a risk. Our "offensive philosophy" is stupid and antiquated.
RobHowe
Administrator
You’re picking one WR at Wisconsin. Dominique Douglas did it at Iowa. It’s possible.
Iowa developed HS QBs in DJK, McNutt, Hinkel and Solomon into good to very good WRs. So, yeah, that’s possible, too.
That’s what Iowa needs to do. It doesn’t get ready-made receivers.
If the criticism is that Iowa can’t recruit ready-made receivers, that’s tough to debate. How Iowa uses its receivers doesn’t look attractive to recruits that can play in more pass-heavy offenses. That’s what makes Purdue more attractive to David Bell.
It is what it is. If the call is to change Iowa’s offense, that’s another discussion. But you’re naive and wasting your time if you’re waiting for that to change under this head coach.
In the current offense, Iowa is going to play the receivers that know the playbook, block, understand the route concepts (see Stanley’s quote in this story) and check the coaches’ boxes.
I get it. Most of you guys don’t like it. But that’s not changing. It’s not as simple as run down the field and get open in this scheme.
The point of the article wasn’t to debate the narratives about Iowa’s receivers. The point was that under the current scheme and philosophy on offense, the development of guys like B Smith, ISM and others gives the position the opportunity to be more productive moving forward.
All the other white noise that you guys are bringing up isn’t changing anything. Christ. It’s been 20 years and some you guys continue to bang your heads against the wall. Wake up.
Exactly.. They don't check them all just the ones the coaches prefer... Cooper isn't ready to be out there he looks skinnier than what Vandeberg was when he first came to Iowa and I was worried every time he got hit for awhile. Groenewig at least had played some college football and done some things prior to this year. Cooper I just can't see how he's in the top 6 on the depth chart... And for a school that plays so many snaps with 2 and even 3 TE formations why do we rotate in as many WRs as we do? Like when Cooper is in there with the 3 TE formations I don't understand why? We aren't running a play for him. The D does not have to roll a safety towards him at all. I just hate giving away what we are doing by formation and personal groupings as often as we do
So, what is the core problem at WR? In your opinion? Teams tend to dismiss Iowa's WR threat and smother the run game, wearing out our talented defense over the course of a game.
WRs with some physical talent can't figure out the plays?
QB is too wild, skeerd, to get it done beyond 5 yards?
Overall Kirk ball?
An OC who was hired to "learn on the job?"
Or, one could take the position...there is no problem, Iowa is 8-4 and off to another bowl game.
I would be interested in your take!
