Iowa's Offense

[BigD]

They played 10 bowl teams too and according to a few analytics groups...played the 4th or 5th toughest schedule in the country. We lost close games to 11-2 Penn State / 10-3 Michigan State / 10-3 Northwestern and were blown out by 13-1 Wisconsin.

You act like it shouldn't matter that we started two freshman offensive tackles. It does. You can complain about the recruiting over the years that this is what it came down to, but if you don't think we were hindered offensively...then you don't know what you are talking about. First year QB, two freshmen tackles and a very tough schedule.

I think those circumstances made it extremely difficult for a first year OC. I seriously like what I saw from him this past year. I just think, especially early in the season...he was hampered by his ability to protect the QB. We played uber conservative to ensure we stayed in those close games. It's a one year sample...let's see how this year goes.

I mentioned in another post that last year was Brian’s first year to get acclimated to his position and this next year has to be a “put up or shut up” year for him. He has a very favorable schedule this year. A 7-5 record this year should be a watershed year for him, his dad, and Barta. Mess up this easy of a schedule and all three should be ran out of town on a rail.

So I am thinking that maybe you are right and this year could be one of those years where little is expected and KF brings the team from out of no where to being the West division champs and playing for the Big Ten championship.

Hopefully at the end of the year we are not saying this “DELUSION FOR SOME PEOPLE IS THEIR REALITY”

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

I get tired of the excuse that Iowa started 2 freshman tackles. All that tells you is that Iowa is the type of program that does not have the depth to overcome injuries. And most seasons you have injuries.

Like I said, you can complain about the recruiting, that's a legitimate gripe that our next two players are freshmen on the depth chart. That's recruiting and it should be unacceptable. However, if you want to evaluate the OC...you have to take into consideration what he was dealing with on the offensive line. We were terrible against top level competition at protecting the QB...other than Ohio State for some reason. I think OSU was just arrogant and couldn't accept the fact that they couldn't get there with four guys.

I'll admit you have injuries...but it's rare that you have two senior tackles go down for pretty much the entire season. That's going to hurt any team...Alabama...Clemson...any team that loses their top two Senior offensive tackles. Some have the luxury of reloading, but there is a drop off in performance...there is a reason they were starting.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

I'm still pissed that GD turned a guy with a 25/7 TD/INT ratio into 7/8 the next year.

Ironically...based on this discussion...Iowa was 4-2 that season coming off a win at Michigan State and they had two offensive linemen go down with injuries in the first half of the next game with Penn State. We never won another game...and ended 4-8. JVB spent the final 6 games absolutely running for his life. That team had no depth on the offensive line and it was like a turnstile for defensive linemen.

So, if you equate 2012 to this past year 2017 due to the OL injuries... you have to reason that Brian Ferentz did a remarkable job to win 8 games.

 

[hawkeyes87]

So, if you equate 2012 to this past year 2017 due to the OL injuries... you have to reason that Brian Ferentz did a remarkable job to win 8 games.

Do you? Do you have to reason that?

The defense didn't factor in, or the schedule?

How many consensus 1st team AA's did the D have in '12?​

The Neb team that won in the last game of '12 won 10 games. That's a little tougher out than the packed-it-in bunch from last year.

If anything, "you have to reason" that they won 8 last year in spite of BF, not because of him.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

Ironically...based on this discussion...Iowa was 4-2 that season coming off a win at Michigan State and they had two offensive linemen go down with injuries in the first half of the next game with Penn State. We never won another game...and ended 4-8. JVB spent the final 6 games absolutely running for his life. That team had no depth on the offensive line and it was like a turnstile for defensive linemen.

So, if you equate 2012 to this past year 2017 due to the OL injuries... you have to reason that Brian Ferentz did a remarkable job to win 8 games.

Not sure why that's ironic, but it is an interesting observation.

 

[Fryowa]

Not sure why that's ironic, but it is an interesting observation.

If Alanis Morissette says it's ironic, it's ironic.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

If Alanis Morissette says it's ironic, it's ironic.

Funny on levels many here won't get.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

Do you? Do you have to reason that?

The defense didn't factor in, or the schedule?

How many consensus 1st team AA's did the D have in '12?​

The Neb team that won in the last game of '12 won 10 games. That's a little tougher out than the packed-it-in bunch from last year.

If anything, "you have to reason" that they won 8 last year in spite of BF, not because of him.

Why are you butthurt? Just curious. Considering the 2012 team's strength of schedule was 50th and the 2017 team was in the top 10 in most rankings and 4th or 5th in some...I'd say the 2017 team had a much tougher road to hoe. His offense scored enough to win 8 games. The defense in 2012 gave up 19.9 points a game against an easier schedule. The defense in 2017 gave up 22.9 per game against a more difficult schedule. The offense in 2012 averaged 19 points a game, and in 2017 they averaged 28 points a game. I'm not sure how you can argue that Brian was an issue and they won 8 games in spite of his performance as OC.

 

[4thngoal]

Why are you butthurt? Just curious. Considering the 2012 team's strength of schedule was 50th and the 2017 team was in the top 10 in most rankings and 4th or 5th in some...I'd say the 2017 team had a much tougher road to hoe. His offense scored enough to win 8 games. The defense in 2012 gave up 19.9 points a game against an easier schedule. The defense in 2017 gave up 22.9 per game against a more difficult schedule. The offense in 2012 averaged 19 points a game, and in 2017 they averaged 28 points a game. I'm not sure how you can argue that Brian was an issue and they won 8 games in spite of his performance as OC.

That pretty much says it.

 

[guffus]

Why are you butthurt? Just curious. Considering the 2012 team's strength of schedule was 50th and the 2017 team was in the top 10 in most rankings and 4th or 5th in some...I'd say the 2017 team had a much tougher road to hoe. His offense scored enough to win 8 games. The defense in 2012 gave up 19.9 points a game against an easier schedule. The defense in 2017 gave up 22.9 per game against a more difficult schedule. The offense in 2012 averaged 19 points a game, and in 2017 they averaged 28 points a game. I'm not sure how you can argue that Brian was an issue and they won 8 games in spite of his performance as OC.

I have to admit, if they were trying to hoe a road, that is pretty tough.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

I have to admit, if they were trying to hoe a road, that is pretty tough.

Row to hoe is a much easier process.

 

[hawkeyes87]

I'm not sure how you can argue that Brian was an issue and they won 8 games in spite of his performance as OC.

You need to remember what you're comparing.

2012 was the worst Iowa season of the last 18 years. Even if the offense was clearly better (they weren't*), it's a pretty huge leap to say BF deserves credit for outperforming that.

* Again, 115th in FBS offense, under 20 pts in 6 of 9 B1G games. Waaaay too inconsistent. That 28 ppg was because of 4 big games- take those out and they're at 18+ for the other 9 (just like the terrible 2012 team, who never scored more than 31)

 

[4thngoal]

First of all, you need to remember what you're comparing.

2012 was the worst Iowa season of the last 18 years. Even if the offense was clearly better (they weren't*), it's a pretty huge leap to say BF deserves credit for outperforming that.

* Again, 115th in FBS offense, under 20 pts in 6 of 9 B1G games. Waaaay too inconsistent. That 28 ppg was because of 4 big games- take those out and they're at 18+ for the other 9 (just like the terrible 2012 team, who never scored more than 31)

2012 we went 2-6 in conference (horrible indeed) but 2014 we went 4-4. With our toughest game being Wisconsin. No Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State.
2017 we went 4-5 but had Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan state, Wisconsin. Almost (I know it doesn't matter a loss is a loss) beat PSU.

Is this good enough? Absolutely not!!! Does it look like it's trending up? Absolutely. Be it players coaches or probably both. They are doing better.

 

[uihawk82]

2012 we went 2-6 in conference (horrible indeed) but 2014 we went 4-4. With our toughest game being Wisconsin. No Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State.
2017 we went 4-5 but had Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan state, Wisconsin. Almost (I know it doesn't matter a loss is a loss) beat PSU.

Is this good enough? Absolutely not!!! Does it look like it's trending up? Absolutely. Be it players coaches or probably both. They are doing better.

2014 was a piss down the leg starting with loss to a terrible ISU team at kinnick, really inconsistent Rudock, newby linebackers, etc etc. Mostly wasted season on offense

 

[hawkeyes87]

Is this good enough? Absolutely not!!! Does it look like it's trending up? Absolutely. Be it players coaches or probably both. They are doing better.

So you're saying with luck they'll have improved to average offensively by the time James becomes HC?

 

[4thngoal]

So you're saying with luck they'll have improved to average offensively by the time James becomes HC?

I'm saying holy crap we have been bad at times. Not even a cake schedule could help us type bad!!
After a pretty stout schedule, basically new Oc, new Wr coach new ol coach, new qb, new ol members, new wr's, ect, maybe 4-5 wasn't the dumpster fire some would like to think.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

You need to remember what you're comparing.

2012 was the worst Iowa season of the last 18 years. Even if the offense was clearly better (they weren't*), it's a pretty huge leap to say BF deserves credit for outperforming that.

* Again, 115th in FBS offense, under 20 pts in 6 of 9 B1G games. Waaaay too inconsistent. That 28 ppg was because of 4 big games- take those out and they're at 18+ for the other 9 (just like the terrible 2012 team, who never scored more than 31)

I remember what I'm comparing...since I made the comparison. The point, which you completely missed, was that the two years had a common occurrence of losing two high level performers on the offensive line. I said the 2012 team was 4-2, coming off a victory at Michigan State, when we lost two offensive linemen for the year. That team never won again.

When you look at 2017...a similar thing happened, but essentially at the beginning of the year. Boone Myers never really played and Ike was out in game 3 I believe. These were senior offensive tackles replaced by freshmen. Throw in the 5th toughest schedule with 10 bowl teams and you understand why we may have struggled offensively. You can argue we haven't recruited well enough, but to blame Brian Ferentz is off base. They overcame significant obstacles, got the freshmen ready to play, and had some pretty impressive highs to the season. Were they inconsistent? Sure. Young players make mistakes and guess what...we had them everywhere on offense.

The point I'm making and trying to convey is that, as long as we don't have significant injuries, everyone on this board should be excited about what our offensive ceiling is next year. We will have a huge offensive line, two or three great TEs, very capable backs, and our freshmen WRs have another year to improve in all areas. You also bring back a QB who threw 26 TDs...and is now fully indoctrinated to the offense.

 

[4thngoal]

I kind of like that so many young guys had to play last year. Not only did they do half way decent at times, they got to see some of the best teams in the B10 and now know more about what it's going to take to put their names into 1st team all big and beyond.
I'm excited for this fall and it can't come soon enough.

 

[hawkeyes87]

You can argue we haven't recruited well enough, but to blame Brian Ferentz is off base.

Maybe you mean it's off base to blame OC Brian Ferentz?

Because it definitely sounds like you're saying that OC Brian was handicapped by OL Coach Brian.

Unless OL Coach Brian bears no blame for the depth of the OL he left (remember, the guys who were hurt in 2017 weren't exactly AA's)?

 

[SCHawkeye2]

Maybe you mean it's off base to blame OC Brian Ferentz?

Because it definitely sounds like you're saying that OC Brian was handicapped by OL Coach Brian.

Unless OL Coach Brian bears no blame for the depth of the OL he left (remember, the guys who were hurt in 2017 weren't exactly AA's)?

I tend to agree with this. BF recruited the (lack of) junior or sophomore talent we had on the bench when the seniors went down.