JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
Iowa Football: Execution or Philosophy? | Hawkeye Nation
As we begin to take a look back on the 201o Iowa football season that has to be classified as a significant disappointment (you can use your own adjectives), the first thing that pops into my mind are discussions and commentaries from a few years back.
It was middle and end of the 2006 season, the ‘Fat Cats’ year, and I recall spouting a theme week to week: The Iowa offensive philosophy did not match up with the skill set of the personnel it had on the team. I said the same thing in 2007.
On the other hand, Kirk Ferentz was steadfast (more so in 2007) in this simple comment: It’s about a lack of execution.
Meaning, the players were not able to execute the scheme that the coaches believe in and have chosen to be what Iowa football is about, on offense and defense.
Fans were at loggerheads with Ferentz at that time, and when Iowa started the 2008 season 3-3, there were more than a few message board patrons suggesting Iowa needed to begin thinking about heading in a different direction. I disagreed at the time, and certainly do so right now with those few that are letting their emotions cloud their big picture judgement. However, most people are suggesting tweaks of the system and not replacing Ferentz.
When Iowa was 3-3 in 2008, I felt they had a very good team. At that point they began to execute more crisply and consistently. The offensive line came together, Shonn Greene started to deal and the defense was one of the best (at least statistically) since the 1981 unit.
Before the start of the 2009 season, I had the chance to chat with Kirk in a one on one setting, briefly. I told him the things I had been saying and writing the last year or two, prior to the middle of 2008, and saying that I finally bought into his ‘execution’ statement. It’s not as if he cares what I or anyone has to say all that much, but I felt like since I had hammered that opinion so frequently in so many media genres, I at least owed it to him to man up and tell it to his face.
Fast forward to present day, and the current meltdown within the Hawkeye Nation.
I am working on a season timeline, something that will chronicle some key crossroads of the 2010 season, events and incidents that played a part in shaping the fate of this season. There were significant issues that hurt this team’s chances to execute effectively, there were areas where I think the coaching staff let the team down and there were areas where the team let themselves down. It will be up to you to decide which area ‘deserves’ the larger portion of the blame, since the blame game is an absolute guarantee at times like this; folks have to go through that exercise, if for nothing more than their own sanity.
I don’t get too hung up on that, but it will help me to try and analyze why things fell apart so quickly following the 37-6 win against Michigan State, and how this team changed from an offense that converted 51% of its third downs and averaged 34 points to one that scored five offensive touchdowns against Indiana, Northwestern and Minnesota, three of the worst defenses in the conference.
Could it really be as ‘simple’ as losing your #1 & #2 right guards, as Iowa did against Michigan State? Throw in a concussion to Adam Robinson late in the Michigan State game, too.
I will share more thoughts on that front later, but when you are converting 51% of your third downs through two-thirds of your season, along with 34 points, a pace that was on par with the 2002 Iowa offense, and you revert to what we saw over the final four games, there’s no question a lack of execution is a part of the problem. You won't be surprised to learn then that through eight games, Iowa's defense was allowing just 32% of opponent third down conversions. The last four games, when the offense went AWOL on third down, the Iowa defense was on the field more often and allowed 51% of third downs to be converted.
Just how much? How much is due to a ‘predictable’ offensive philosophy? We’ll touch on defensive topics, too.
I am certain we’ll spend the better part of the next nine months waging that debate.
As we begin to take a look back on the 201o Iowa football season that has to be classified as a significant disappointment (you can use your own adjectives), the first thing that pops into my mind are discussions and commentaries from a few years back.
It was middle and end of the 2006 season, the ‘Fat Cats’ year, and I recall spouting a theme week to week: The Iowa offensive philosophy did not match up with the skill set of the personnel it had on the team. I said the same thing in 2007.
On the other hand, Kirk Ferentz was steadfast (more so in 2007) in this simple comment: It’s about a lack of execution.
Meaning, the players were not able to execute the scheme that the coaches believe in and have chosen to be what Iowa football is about, on offense and defense.
Fans were at loggerheads with Ferentz at that time, and when Iowa started the 2008 season 3-3, there were more than a few message board patrons suggesting Iowa needed to begin thinking about heading in a different direction. I disagreed at the time, and certainly do so right now with those few that are letting their emotions cloud their big picture judgement. However, most people are suggesting tweaks of the system and not replacing Ferentz.
When Iowa was 3-3 in 2008, I felt they had a very good team. At that point they began to execute more crisply and consistently. The offensive line came together, Shonn Greene started to deal and the defense was one of the best (at least statistically) since the 1981 unit.
Before the start of the 2009 season, I had the chance to chat with Kirk in a one on one setting, briefly. I told him the things I had been saying and writing the last year or two, prior to the middle of 2008, and saying that I finally bought into his ‘execution’ statement. It’s not as if he cares what I or anyone has to say all that much, but I felt like since I had hammered that opinion so frequently in so many media genres, I at least owed it to him to man up and tell it to his face.
Fast forward to present day, and the current meltdown within the Hawkeye Nation.
I am working on a season timeline, something that will chronicle some key crossroads of the 2010 season, events and incidents that played a part in shaping the fate of this season. There were significant issues that hurt this team’s chances to execute effectively, there were areas where I think the coaching staff let the team down and there were areas where the team let themselves down. It will be up to you to decide which area ‘deserves’ the larger portion of the blame, since the blame game is an absolute guarantee at times like this; folks have to go through that exercise, if for nothing more than their own sanity.
I don’t get too hung up on that, but it will help me to try and analyze why things fell apart so quickly following the 37-6 win against Michigan State, and how this team changed from an offense that converted 51% of its third downs and averaged 34 points to one that scored five offensive touchdowns against Indiana, Northwestern and Minnesota, three of the worst defenses in the conference.
Could it really be as ‘simple’ as losing your #1 & #2 right guards, as Iowa did against Michigan State? Throw in a concussion to Adam Robinson late in the Michigan State game, too.
I will share more thoughts on that front later, but when you are converting 51% of your third downs through two-thirds of your season, along with 34 points, a pace that was on par with the 2002 Iowa offense, and you revert to what we saw over the final four games, there’s no question a lack of execution is a part of the problem. You won't be surprised to learn then that through eight games, Iowa's defense was allowing just 32% of opponent third down conversions. The last four games, when the offense went AWOL on third down, the Iowa defense was on the field more often and allowed 51% of third downs to be converted.
Just how much? How much is due to a ‘predictable’ offensive philosophy? We’ll touch on defensive topics, too.
I am certain we’ll spend the better part of the next nine months waging that debate.
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