JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
If Iowa can keep moving up the chart on offense they may be able to make this a three-team race in the Big Ten West. Nebraska and Wisconsin took steps forward today, as did the Hawkeyes.
Iowa moved the ball effectively in the second half with CJ Beathard under center. Everything looked easier because everything was easier. Look at the vine I snapped below. This was the second offensive series of the second half, most notably after Damond Powell had beaten Pitt deep on the one-handed grab. Notice where the cornerback is over Powell and the cushion he is giving DP. Iowa receivers haven't seen that type of cushion all season and THIS is when Greg Davis' horizontal game can work. Also notice the first steps the cornerback takes after the snap; backwards..that's because Iowa took some shots deep:
[video]https://vine.co/v/O7B020qeuEe/embed/simple[/video]
Also note Iowa's offensive formation and position on the field; it was a Power-I set with a tight end on the LOS and one receiver on each side (Powell and Derrick Willies). The ball was on the left hash and Iowa's tendency is to run the ball to the short side of the field. That play may well have been called breaking the huddle, as I think this was probably a sight audible, given all that green out in front of Powell. Beathard had to earn some 'Ferentz Points' (No Monetary Value) with several decisions today. He made an audible that saw Mark Weisman score, he hit a check down after resisting the urge to go deep and he made a terrific play on third and seven, throwing as he was falling backwards and under duress to keep the drive alive and Iowa wound up scoring a touchdown as opposed to punting.
[video]https://vine.co/v/O7BLK0vPpUJ/embed/simple[/video]
Ferentz would say this, among other things, about Beathard, following the game:
"I'm just happy he played better today than he practiced Thursday. I'll just leave it at that, OK?"
One of the knocks I have heard against Beathard is that he has struggled with consistency in practice. Ferentz brought that out with that comment, or at least what he saw this week. But some players are just gamers and on this Saturday, Beathard rose to the occasion when the program needed someone to step up.
Iowa went for 9.9 yards per passing attempt in this game and it would have been much more than that if Powell had held on to a perfect strike from Jake Rudock in the first quarter that wound up as an unlucky interception. Clearly, Iowa made a 'point of emphasis' to attack downfield in this game.
The running game benefited from attacking vertically, too. Things were just less compressed because the defense had to respect Iowa's deep threat when Beathard was in there. It's going to be very tough to put that toothpaste back in the tube after the second half where Iowa scored points on its first three drives and the fourth drive was just Iowa trying to run off as much clock as possible and didn't throw a pass.
Iowa still has a long way to go and Beathard will likely make some mistakes...all quarterbacks do, including Ricky Stanzi's 15 TD passes to 14 INT's during his 10-game regular season in 2009 which saw Iowa win the Orange Bowl. But Saturday was a huge step. The defense, who was gutted in the first half, really dialed up the adjustments and pressure in the second half, while the line mostly shut down the talented James Connor.
A good day for the Hawkeyes and they desperately needed it.
Iowa moved the ball effectively in the second half with CJ Beathard under center. Everything looked easier because everything was easier. Look at the vine I snapped below. This was the second offensive series of the second half, most notably after Damond Powell had beaten Pitt deep on the one-handed grab. Notice where the cornerback is over Powell and the cushion he is giving DP. Iowa receivers haven't seen that type of cushion all season and THIS is when Greg Davis' horizontal game can work. Also notice the first steps the cornerback takes after the snap; backwards..that's because Iowa took some shots deep:
[video]https://vine.co/v/O7B020qeuEe/embed/simple[/video]
Also note Iowa's offensive formation and position on the field; it was a Power-I set with a tight end on the LOS and one receiver on each side (Powell and Derrick Willies). The ball was on the left hash and Iowa's tendency is to run the ball to the short side of the field. That play may well have been called breaking the huddle, as I think this was probably a sight audible, given all that green out in front of Powell. Beathard had to earn some 'Ferentz Points' (No Monetary Value) with several decisions today. He made an audible that saw Mark Weisman score, he hit a check down after resisting the urge to go deep and he made a terrific play on third and seven, throwing as he was falling backwards and under duress to keep the drive alive and Iowa wound up scoring a touchdown as opposed to punting.
[video]https://vine.co/v/O7BLK0vPpUJ/embed/simple[/video]
Ferentz would say this, among other things, about Beathard, following the game:
"I'm just happy he played better today than he practiced Thursday. I'll just leave it at that, OK?"
One of the knocks I have heard against Beathard is that he has struggled with consistency in practice. Ferentz brought that out with that comment, or at least what he saw this week. But some players are just gamers and on this Saturday, Beathard rose to the occasion when the program needed someone to step up.
Iowa went for 9.9 yards per passing attempt in this game and it would have been much more than that if Powell had held on to a perfect strike from Jake Rudock in the first quarter that wound up as an unlucky interception. Clearly, Iowa made a 'point of emphasis' to attack downfield in this game.
The running game benefited from attacking vertically, too. Things were just less compressed because the defense had to respect Iowa's deep threat when Beathard was in there. It's going to be very tough to put that toothpaste back in the tube after the second half where Iowa scored points on its first three drives and the fourth drive was just Iowa trying to run off as much clock as possible and didn't throw a pass.
Iowa still has a long way to go and Beathard will likely make some mistakes...all quarterbacks do, including Ricky Stanzi's 15 TD passes to 14 INT's during his 10-game regular season in 2009 which saw Iowa win the Orange Bowl. But Saturday was a huge step. The defense, who was gutted in the first half, really dialed up the adjustments and pressure in the second half, while the line mostly shut down the talented James Connor.
A good day for the Hawkeyes and they desperately needed it.
