Iowa's Woes are Easily Explainable and Fixable

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BQuastU

Well-Known Member
Watching the best teams during bowl season, the difference between the top teams and Iowa the past two years is quite simple. Its not scheme and its not KOK, its talent. We need better players.

Teams either have dynamic players or they don't. Use whatever term you want: "playmaker," "dynamic," "skilled," "more talented," etc., but the concept is simple. Thomas and James on Oregon, LSU's entire team (only partly kidding), Martin and Worthy on MSU (as much as I hate to admit it) are incredible.

We haven't had a lot of these types on the roster the past 2 years. Yes, Reiff will be a first rounder and McNutt is an all-time great Hawk, but all you have to do is watch Wisky v. Oregon, LSU v. Bama, even Georgia v. MSU and difference in talent level is striking.

We have had these types before (Sanders, Banks, Greenway, Clark, Angerer, Moeaki, Clayborn - by no means an exhaustive list and doesn't include the O-linemen), and we'll have them again. I personally think the 2009 team was in this class, although I can understand the arguments against it (like the close wins against crappy teams).

This is not to say you can be talented and undisciplined and win it all (Notre Dame every year and all the Florida schools recently as examples), but you have no chance with the guys we played this year.

For the record, I have all the faith in the world in Ferentz to turn it around yet again, and this isn't meant as a criticism of the staff, except that obviously its their job to put better players on the field.

Just an opinion after watching some of these other teams in the past week.
 
BQuastU said:
For the record, I have all the faith in the world in Ferentz to turn it around yet again, and this isn't meant as a criticism of the staff, except that obviously its their job to put better players on the field.
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I don't.

Look at it this way. It isn't the weather, it isn't the scenery, etc. Football players routinely inhabit locations north of the Mason-Dixon line. The difference is the KIND, or the nature, or that variance.

KF has successfully cultivated a reputation as an over-achieving coach with underwhelming players at a "not sexy" school. So if you're a gamebreaker, why EVER go there? If every player is evaulated at Iowa in a "what can you do for us" manner, what does Iowa have to offer THEM? Solidity in OL production? OK. Some great DLs the past 15 years? OK. Some great RBs?

Where is the WR/DB/athlete development? What would Iowa ever offer players like Devin Hester or Reggie Bush, who fall into overlapping medium-size categories, neither huge nor small, but have blazing speed and moves and those "intangible" qualities?

What can KF tell receivers?

What can KF offer them? A refinement of blocking technique so they can block better in the NFL? A better, more refined, understanding of the philosphy of zone blocking schemes?

IOW, if you come equipped really to haul *** and leave other guys in the dust, what could KF offer as evidence that he 1) cares about such uncoachable attributes and 2) can adapt schemes to play INTO player attributes?

Think Ok. State designed any plays with Blackmon in mind? Which single player on Iowa's roster presents similar uncoachable attributes? What has KF EVER done to suggest he is capable of designing schemes to epxloit unique attributes?

You can practice blocking schemes until the dairy cows come home from Wisconsin. You can't practice mindless speed to burn.

I think KF is a lousy schematics guys and a horrible salesman as the steward of Iowa's football program.
 
If we can just keep the guys we recruit for 4-5 years, we will be fine. Look back at the '07-09 recruiting classes and see how many of those guys stuck around for more than a year or two. Then look at how many walk-ons, true freshman, and redshirt freshman played this year. The two are pretty tightly linked, and it all leads to a lack of depth and an overall drop in talent. You don't have to look any farther than special teams to see how this hurts Iowa on the field.
 
Without a doubt, I agree with the OP. Iowa needs more athleticism.

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned in a previous post (so lengthly)...
Ferentz does so little with great talent.

If Iowa lucks out and recruits great players, those players will realize their athleticism won't be used, they'll get tired of the boot camp mentality at Iowa, and they'll leave (or get arrested). This is one of many major reasons why Iowa can't get recruits with great talent.

Kind of a catch-22.
 
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The lack of talent excuse does not fly IMO. We have plenty of talent (McCall, Canzeri, Johnson, Bullock), but they don't see the field because of our myopic coach. Other programs aren't married to tenure and play the best player / get freshman / sophs into the mix.

We put enough guys in the NFL to not be spinning the "lack of talent" record. Maybe the coaches should get out and recruit better talent or dip into the juco ranks if they miss on high school kids.
 
olivecourt said:
If we can just keep the guys we recruit for 4-5 years, we will be fine. Look back at the '07-09 recruiting classes and see how many of those guys stuck around for more than a year or two. Then look at how many walk-ons, true freshman, and redshirt freshman played this year. The two are pretty tightly linked, and it all leads to a lack of depth and an overall drop in talent. You don't have to look any farther than special teams to see how this hurts Iowa on the field.
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I agree with this, partially.

Yet, I still believe KF has a systemic problem with recruitment of gamebreakers. Wisconsin has them. Michigan/Michigan State has them. Penn State and OSO have them, as does Boise and practically every other team. We aren't looking at some kind of bad weather/cold weather thing. Nearly every team has one or two guys who can flat-out fly and they find ways to get them on the field.

Not Iowa.
 
It's not talent alone that wins games. Michigan always has talent, yet struggled recently. They bring in a new coach with a new staff and they totally re-energize the program. That's why I am afraid that Ferentz is just going to promote Parker to DC, keep KOK and we will continue to kick the can down the road, with an occasional bright spot.
 
I agree with the OP. I will translate what he was saying to those who don't understand:

Iowa's players don't have athleticism at the positions that can/should be game changers ie: RB, WR, and DB.

For example, McNutt has the speed of a tightend, Coker has the speed of a fullback, and, most of the time, DBs play a zone where their speed is never on display.

The punt and kickoff returners? How are they chosen, anyway? Their class?

Iowa is a slow team... by design of the coaches.
 
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Ohio St was loaded with 4and 5 * guys this year and they lost 7 games. Notre Dame has very solid recruits every year but they have struggled for quite some time now.

It takes talent and coaching to be good. I would say the difference between Iowa this year and some of the teams you mentioned is that their coaching staffs adapt to the players they have and don't force a certain scheme on them even if it isn't the most effective way for them to play.

Iowa coaches do not do well at adjusting..never have under Ferentz. They do what they do and sometimes it works. Frustrating but true.
 
there is no problem with our system. see the system at Standford. Michigan wants to be and will be more pro style once Robinson is gone. Watch the national championship game - both teams are run first teams. The difference is the talent.
 
talkinhawks said:
Ohio St was loaded with 4and 5 * guys this year and they lost 7 games. Notre Dame has very solid recruits every year but they have struggled for quite some time now.

It takes talent and coaching to be good. I would say the difference between Iowa this year and some of the teams you mentioned is that their coaching staffs adapt to the players they have and don't force a certain scheme on them even if it isn't the most effective way for them to play.

Iowa coaches do not do well at adjusting..never have under Ferentz. They do what they do and sometimes it works. Frustrating but true.
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Iowa was second in the league in passing attempts with 404. First was Michigan State with 419, third was Wisconsin with 309. That's more than 30 attempts/game. Seems like a pretty big adjustment from previous years to me. Did you want us to pass more than that?
 
I think it's a talent issue right now..Iowa didn't fare so well in 2008 or 2009 on the recruiting trails...and attrition. I think these past three classes, including this one, are real good.

I think Iowa begins to get back to fighting for a division crown in 2013-2104.

Rivals.com has added Nebraska into the Big Ten’s historic recruiting rankings tables they keep. Here is where Iowa’s recruiting classes have rated each season since 2002:

2002: 9th
2003: 8th
2004: 7th
2005: 3rd
2006: 7th
2007: 6th
2008: 9th
2009: 11th
2010: 6th
2011: 4th
 
The 404 passing attempts ties for the second highest single season total at Iowa since 1992. The highest since 1992 was 423 in 2006.
 
One of the main things I have noticed is speed. WHile Canzeri has bursts of speed, he needs to see the field more. These BCS teams have speed all over the field on offense and defense. You can't teach speed, but you can recruit it!
 
bucksnducks said:
One of the main things I have noticed is speed. WHile Canzeri has bursts of speed, he needs to see the field more. These BCS teams have speed all over the field on offense and defense. You can't teach speed, but you can recruit it!
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This is what is worrisome about next year's receivers. Martin Manley, Davis, whoever else, are not fast.
 
Recruiting class rankings are complete BS. Some "expert" selling recruiting magazines & insider info. Tell me where our class ranked after four years if you need a tool to judge whether recruiting is improving or how it compared to other Big 10 schools. We've been slowly getting better recruits each year and now we have a new problem - guys leaving early for the NFL and the occasional internet legend's who leave. (Funny how those "all airport" guys never go on to stardom when they leave).
 
bucksnducks said:
One of the main things I have noticed is speed. WHile Canzeri has bursts of speed, he needs to see the field more. These BCS teams have speed all over the field on offense and defense. You can't teach speed, but you can recruit it!
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Yeah, the coaching staff needs to do a better job of recruiting all those very fast, very athletic Iowa kids. Oops there are none.

The Iowa coaches are very stupid. All they do is recruit slow players. They do not understand the need for speed.

I just love the threads that state the obvious.
 
I don't think the talent in our younger classes is the problem, it's the lack of playing time they are receiving currently is the problem. We seem to be stuck in the walk on senior mode lately and honestly their was a reason they weren't on scholarship when they joined the team....lack of athletic ability for DI play. Our young backs showed that explosiveness in the bowl game, Law was a stud on special teams and was the by far the most athletic player on that group.
 
Johnnyhawkeye said:
I don't think the talent in our younger classes is the problem, it's the lack of playing time they are receiving currently is the problem. We seem to be stuck in the walk on senior mode lately and honestly their was a reason they weren't on scholarship when they joined the team....lack of athletic ability for DI play. Our young backs showed that explosiveness in the bowl game, Law was a stud on special teams and was the by far the most athletic player on that group.
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I tend to agree with this a little. I'm not at practice, so I don't pretend to know what goes on, but as an example to this point I can't fathom how Iowa breaks August camp with Sleeper ahead of Bernstine. What in the heck went on that led to that decision? How is that Nielsen played the entire Iowa State game on one foot - to the detriment of the defense - when a perfectly healthy Hitchens was on the sideline? A 60% Nielsen was better than his 100% backup? Again, I'm not in practice, so if that is indeed the case so be it, but it's just hard to believe.
 
I agree with the above. How is CJ the third string TE? It took Herman having a horrible season for CJ to move up the depth charts. Tobin over Scherff?
Like you said we're not at practice but some things seems so obvious I dont understand how the coaching staff doesnt see them.
 
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