IowaLawWasRight
Well-Known Member
What an infuriating season! We were gifted one of the 2 easiest schedules in the Ferentz era. We had the talent, bringing back our top QB, OL, WRs, DL. We led every game in the 4th quarter. Still, we manage to piss the season down our leg. In spite of 3 losses to mediocre teams and zero notable wins, the Hawks entered today's game ranked and with an outside chance to win the West. Out coached, out worked, out performed in the 4th. The story of the Ferentz tenure as we move to the bottom of the Big 10 west. The sad thing is, we are trending in the opposite direction as Nebraska and Minnesota.
1. Stanley Needs to Sit and Watch - ENOUGH playing a guy every down who lacks the grit as a wet towel. If he's hurt, bench him! If he's not, bench him for playing like he's hurt. I don't care what his measurables are. How many times have we put the ball in Nate's hands in a 1 possession game only for him to fail? His stat line looks far better than he played, 27/41 for 269. 23 of this "pro prospect's" completions were 3 yards or less from the line of scrimmage. The guy is not a gamer, and plays scared in every game that we aren't leading by 20 points. Even though Northwestern's top 3 DBs were injured, "check-down Stanley" never once had the sense to attack their backups. He plays like a 12 year old trapped in a 6'4, 245 lb body. Needless to say, we are in 4th place in the worst division in the Power 5, and it's time to see what our highly touted backups can do. Iowa State's 3rd string true freshmen got an opportunity and never let go. Clemson's QB is a freshmen. If Stanley continues to play every down in the remaining 2 games, I guarantee 1 backup QB transfers before the start of the 2019 season.
2. Sub-Par Play Calling - We have all heard ad nauseum that Brian "learned under Belechik." Did Belechik teach him that when the Hawks are in 3rd and 10 or longer to tuck your tail and call a run up the middle or screen pass behind the line of scrimmage? We did that FOUR different times today, with none gaining more than 5 yards. All resulted in a punt by the Big 10's worst punter. Dad and lad are showing Stanley how to play scared. I'm sorry Kirk, but when you're 1-8 in close games over the past 2 years, your formula is not working. No imagination, no misdirection. Pure vanilla amateur hour from the highest paid coaches son in the land.
3. Smith Marsette Showing Glimpses - We all know Marsette has that "it" factor as a kick returner. He's one of the top 5 in the nation. But as a WR, he has largely fallen short. Today, however, the guy stepped up and made big plays. 4 catches for 90 yards, and 3 returns for 100 yards. Let's hope he can build off this game and give Iowa a legit WR threat next year.
3. Fant's Brother (and IowaLaw) Were Right: Ferentz Plays Favorites - Where there's smoke, there's usually fire. Everyone, except the cupcake Iowa media, has noticed our pre-season All American's conspicuous absence on the field. If he's in Ferentz's doghouse, suspend the guy, but don't have him play a hand full of plays and ride the bench the rest of the game. Is Kirk letting pride or favoritism get in the way of this team's wins and losses? Fant had zero yards receiving today, and when push came to shove, dad and lad decided to replace Fant with super star Max Cooper to win the game. Seriously?! We have seen this story before, with Sims, Wadley, Beathard, Mitchell, Bernstein riding the pine while Bower, Raestatter, Grigsby, & Rudock played every down.
4. Goodbye LeVar Woods - It's been well documented that Woods has been Iowa's weakest recruiter for years. But it continues to be apparent that Woods randys the Xs and Os aspects of coaching as well. Our PR continues to fair catch line drive punts at our own 6 yard line instead of let it land in the end zone. We continue to have half the team dangerously close to rolling punts despite losing the Wisconsin game that way. Perhaps the most frustrating of all, Woods continues to trot out last year's 117th ranked punter to watch him drill 20 yard line drive punts right into the punt returner's hands or boom them into the end zone from Iowa's 38 yard line. We knew punter was a problem last year and did nothing to solve it. Woods' pathetic special teams coaching has been a contributing factor in 3 losses this year. I'm sure he is a nice guy, but it's time to give someone else a look. There are literally hundreds of former Hawks out there that would kill for a chance. Angerer? Sanders? McNutt? Who wouldn't take a $200,000 salary to have a shot at coaching the Hawks?
5. Do We Have LBs? - I'm not sure I ever heard a LB's name called today unless the announcers were noting the huge hole up the middle and the lack of LB presence. It looked like Colbert and Hockaday were out there the most, looking mostly lost. Welch and Niemann (who are healthy but no longer starting), played a lot, but didn't make any plays. Are we going to rely on converting Hooker to LB (6 tackles and a sack) and hoping that we can surround him with improved 2 star talent thrust out there due to poor recruiting.
6. Stone and Golston Shine - With all the stars we have on defense, the unheralded Stone and Golston probably played the best. Stone had 6 tackles and an INT, while delivering some big hits, and Golston played his best game of the year, with 5 tackles and a sack. He seems to have got bigger as the season progressed, and should be a beast next year playing along side Epenesa and that stud JUCO.
1. Stanley Needs to Sit and Watch - ENOUGH playing a guy every down who lacks the grit as a wet towel. If he's hurt, bench him! If he's not, bench him for playing like he's hurt. I don't care what his measurables are. How many times have we put the ball in Nate's hands in a 1 possession game only for him to fail? His stat line looks far better than he played, 27/41 for 269. 23 of this "pro prospect's" completions were 3 yards or less from the line of scrimmage. The guy is not a gamer, and plays scared in every game that we aren't leading by 20 points. Even though Northwestern's top 3 DBs were injured, "check-down Stanley" never once had the sense to attack their backups. He plays like a 12 year old trapped in a 6'4, 245 lb body. Needless to say, we are in 4th place in the worst division in the Power 5, and it's time to see what our highly touted backups can do. Iowa State's 3rd string true freshmen got an opportunity and never let go. Clemson's QB is a freshmen. If Stanley continues to play every down in the remaining 2 games, I guarantee 1 backup QB transfers before the start of the 2019 season.
2. Sub-Par Play Calling - We have all heard ad nauseum that Brian "learned under Belechik." Did Belechik teach him that when the Hawks are in 3rd and 10 or longer to tuck your tail and call a run up the middle or screen pass behind the line of scrimmage? We did that FOUR different times today, with none gaining more than 5 yards. All resulted in a punt by the Big 10's worst punter. Dad and lad are showing Stanley how to play scared. I'm sorry Kirk, but when you're 1-8 in close games over the past 2 years, your formula is not working. No imagination, no misdirection. Pure vanilla amateur hour from the highest paid coaches son in the land.
3. Smith Marsette Showing Glimpses - We all know Marsette has that "it" factor as a kick returner. He's one of the top 5 in the nation. But as a WR, he has largely fallen short. Today, however, the guy stepped up and made big plays. 4 catches for 90 yards, and 3 returns for 100 yards. Let's hope he can build off this game and give Iowa a legit WR threat next year.
3. Fant's Brother (and IowaLaw) Were Right: Ferentz Plays Favorites - Where there's smoke, there's usually fire. Everyone, except the cupcake Iowa media, has noticed our pre-season All American's conspicuous absence on the field. If he's in Ferentz's doghouse, suspend the guy, but don't have him play a hand full of plays and ride the bench the rest of the game. Is Kirk letting pride or favoritism get in the way of this team's wins and losses? Fant had zero yards receiving today, and when push came to shove, dad and lad decided to replace Fant with super star Max Cooper to win the game. Seriously?! We have seen this story before, with Sims, Wadley, Beathard, Mitchell, Bernstein riding the pine while Bower, Raestatter, Grigsby, & Rudock played every down.
4. Goodbye LeVar Woods - It's been well documented that Woods has been Iowa's weakest recruiter for years. But it continues to be apparent that Woods randys the Xs and Os aspects of coaching as well. Our PR continues to fair catch line drive punts at our own 6 yard line instead of let it land in the end zone. We continue to have half the team dangerously close to rolling punts despite losing the Wisconsin game that way. Perhaps the most frustrating of all, Woods continues to trot out last year's 117th ranked punter to watch him drill 20 yard line drive punts right into the punt returner's hands or boom them into the end zone from Iowa's 38 yard line. We knew punter was a problem last year and did nothing to solve it. Woods' pathetic special teams coaching has been a contributing factor in 3 losses this year. I'm sure he is a nice guy, but it's time to give someone else a look. There are literally hundreds of former Hawks out there that would kill for a chance. Angerer? Sanders? McNutt? Who wouldn't take a $200,000 salary to have a shot at coaching the Hawks?
5. Do We Have LBs? - I'm not sure I ever heard a LB's name called today unless the announcers were noting the huge hole up the middle and the lack of LB presence. It looked like Colbert and Hockaday were out there the most, looking mostly lost. Welch and Niemann (who are healthy but no longer starting), played a lot, but didn't make any plays. Are we going to rely on converting Hooker to LB (6 tackles and a sack) and hoping that we can surround him with improved 2 star talent thrust out there due to poor recruiting.
6. Stone and Golston Shine - With all the stars we have on defense, the unheralded Stone and Golston probably played the best. Stone had 6 tackles and an INT, while delivering some big hits, and Golston played his best game of the year, with 5 tackles and a sack. He seems to have got bigger as the season progressed, and should be a beast next year playing along side Epenesa and that stud JUCO.
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