Just watched the 60 minute Iowa Northwestern game Thoughts

L

longtimer

Well-Known Member
My God how does an offense get this bad?

1. BF and KF offensive schemes have to be the top reason. I remember wen Joe Tiller went to Purdue and with his offense and the same players changed Purdue in one year Offensive schemes

2. Talent Offensive line and wide receiver are not good, but I still think the schemes would make them look better. How does the OL coach not get fired? Of course the QB is nothing less than horrible. Hill is just not a QB. How in the world did we recruit such bad ones?

3. Play calling which I guess fits in with schemes Our best play (most consistent) is a fake hand off with the QB rolling out throwing to the tight end rolling to the sideline.

Still fun to watch the defense but overall painful watching Iowa football these days
 
What I find so tremendously odd is that Kirk Ferentz teams, throughout his era, typically get measurably better.

Or, at least, regularly show the capability of getting better.

Sure, they've run into buzzsaws and plateaued later in seasons. But just not...'backward'. And while the numbers on the paper show improved against their output against Minnesota, if you normalize those against how bad Northwestern is compared to MN, you could argue they got worse....again.

I'm not saying the offense is getting worse.

But, yeah, maybe I am. I'm back to that old hope of "so-and-so (in this case, Hill), just needs one game where he gets some rhythm and success and we'll see marked improvement." I'm saying it after this game, I mean...Hill did what he was asked, more or less. But I'm just not feeling it.
 
longtimer said:
My God how does an offense get this bad?

1. BF and KF offensive schemes have to be the top reason. I remember wen Joe Tiller went to Purdue and with his offense and the same players changed Purdue in one year Offensive schemes

2. Talent Offensive line and wide receiver are not good, but I still think the schemes would make them look better. How does the OL coach not get fired? Of course the QB is nothing less than horrible. Hill is just not a QB. How in the world did we recruit such bad ones?

3. Play calling which I guess fits in with schemes Our best play (most consistent) is a fake hand off with the QB rolling out throwing to the tight end rolling to the sideline.

Still fun to watch the defense but overall painful watching Iowa football these days
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I think a dramatic rethink in offensive philosophy would result in a dramatic change in results. I don't think the OL is as bad as they seem...Dochterman commented after the Minnesota game that many plays were well blocked, we were just outnumbered due to crashing safeties with absolutely no fear that Iowa would beat them with the pass. And I think pass pro has been okay, we just have someone back there with no pocket presence or ability to escape.

I know the WR talent is subpar, but you gotta think they would look a whole lot better with a good QB and a creative OC.

A good OC, a good QB, and KF getting out of the way (probably the biggest challenge), and this offense is no longer a laughingstock.
 
I was talking to a guy next to me at the game and we both noted how unsettling it was that we were both more comfortable when Iowa was on D. A lot more. Every time Iowa got the ball back I felt queasy. I have gotten to the point where an offensive set that just doesn't turn the ball over and gets off a good punt is the most I can reasonably hope for, and then I am just waiting for the D to make a play to turn the game. How KF wins this way remains a mystery.
 
NorthKCHawk said:
I was talking to a guy next to me at the game and we both noted how unsettling it was that we were both more comfortable when Iowa was on D. A lot more. Every time Iowa got the ball back I felt queasy. I have gotten to the point where an offensive set that just doesn't turn the ball over and gets off a good punt is the most I can reasonably hope for, and then I am just waiting for the D to make a play to turn the game. How KF wins this way remains a mystery.
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Your post is right on I feel the same way and imagine most of us do! How crazy is that
 
I think our punter put up over 500 yards in a single game. Wow! I don't see how having an average offense is not a good idea.
 
NorthKCHawk said:
I was talking to a guy next to me at the game and we both noted how unsettling it was that we were both more comfortable when Iowa was on D. A lot more. Every time Iowa got the ball back I felt queasy. I have gotten to the point where an offensive set that just doesn't turn the ball over and gets off a good punt is the most I can reasonably hope for, and then I am just waiting for the D to make a play to turn the game. How KF wins this way remains a mystery.
Click to expand...

After the NW game, I am almost more upset about the stupid invalid fair catch call. When we keep winning this way, as improbable as it is, it makes you think there is some sort of destiny-thing going on. If nothing else, it just leaves you shaking your head and laughing. But losing the Minny game blew the whole mystique of the thing.

Had we won Minny, I would have enjoyed squeaking out another improbable win with 0 offense vs. NW. But after the Minny letdown, I felt very little joy in watching Iowa win with the worst offense in CFB. Instead, I felt like I needed a shower to wash the stink of the game away.
 
NorthKCHawk said:
I was talking to a guy next to me at the game and we both noted how unsettling it was that we were both more comfortable when Iowa was on D. A lot more. Every time Iowa got the ball back I felt queasy. I have gotten to the point where an offensive set that just doesn't turn the ball over and gets off a good punt is the most I can reasonably hope for, and then I am just waiting for the D to make a play to turn the game. How KF wins this way remains a mystery.
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I get it. And it seems at times that the play calling reflects the same. They’re just running a play or two to get to 4th down- for instance 2nd and 10+ deep in own territory
 
Here' a copy and paste of the college football offensive stats after 11/4/23:
https://www.espn.com/college-football/stats/team
Spoiler alert: If you are looking for the Hawks, start from the bottom! :)
Total yards: 225.3/game and dead last. One spot above IA is Eastern MI, at 260.7. So to catch them and move out of dead last, the Hawks need to outgain them by 318 yards next week!
Passing: one of two teams with less than 1,000 yards on the season. Air Force is the only one with fewer, but the Falcons total offense is averaging 368.1 or 142.8 more than Iowa.

Perspective on the total offense figures:
10 teams are averaging less than 300 yards/game. Only one team is below 250. Almost 25 yards below!
68 team are averaging over 300 yards/game (if i counted correctly!)
53 teams are averaging over 400 yards/game (if i counted correctly!)
5 teams are averaging over 500 yards/game
OR and WA are #2 and #4, with USC #8 in yards/game. Get ready Phil!!

If the new OC isn't given unfettered control of the offensive "Prevent Offense", it won't matter who gets the position.
 
NCHawker said:
The core issue IMO is the offensive line. I’ve never seen worse in the last 2 years. Never

HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?
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I've said it over and over. It's a systemic problem that goes beyond the personnel.
You're telling me that the last 15-20+ guys over the last few years who were recruited by and got an offer from Iowa....or welcomed via transfer to Iowa are somehow all collectively *this* bad? Again, if it's May 2023, how many of us would have willingly wholesale traded offensive lines with anything other than say two dozen other teams? Because, I think these guys have the talent and ability.

This absolutely suggests a schematic/conceptual problem. I wouldn't even say 'development' problems. It's the development of the players into the scheme/concept.

The problem does indeed tie in to Kirk Ferentz. I'm guessing that Brian executed Kirk's scheme exactly to specifications in a way that no previous OC ever did.

Don't take me wrong here. I'm not demanding Kirk's head on a platter. I'm more than fine having him continue as head coach. Other offensive coordinators were able to create serviceable, and at times, quite good offenses. And the only time you saw a 'weak' offensive line was a case similar to last year when you had a bunch of underclassmen on the line. But, by year 2...they were clicking. And year 3 they were getting standing ovations on Senior Day after gelling into a real force.
 
wwhawk said:
Here' a copy and paste of the college football offensive stats after 11/4/23:
https://www.espn.com/college-football/stats/team
Spoiler alert: If you are looking for the Hawks, start from the bottom! :)
Total yards: 225.3/game and dead last. One spot above IA is Eastern MI, at 260.7. So to catch them and move out of dead last, the Hawks need to outgain them by 318 yards next week!
Passing: one of two teams with less than 1,000 yards on the season. Air Force is the only one with fewer, but the Falcons total offense is averaging 368.1 or 142.8 more than Iowa.

Perspective on the total offense figures:
10 teams are averaging less than 300 yards/game. Only one team is below 250. Almost 25 yards below!
68 team are averaging over 300 yards/game (if i counted correctly!)
53 teams are averaging over 400 yards/game (if i counted correctly!)
5 teams are averaging over 500 yards/game
OR and WA are #2 and #4, with USC #8 in yards/game. Get ready Phil!!

If the new OC isn't given unfettered control of the offensive "Prevent Offense", it won't matter who gets the position.
Click to expand...

I just saw something on the internetz, can't verify if it's true.
Over the last 3 years, an FBS team has been held to under 170 yards a total of 49 times.
45 times, those teams have lost.
4 times, the team has won. Iowa has won all 4 of them.
 
NCHawker said:
I get it. And it seems at times that the play calling reflects the same. They’re just running a play or two to get to 4th down- for instance 2nd and 10+ deep in own territory
Click to expand...
Well, and at this point I cannot imagine KF trusts Hill. He holds the ball like its a venomous snake while in the pocket. He can't run and he tends to throw the ball up for grabs to WRs who aren't good enough to do that. I cannot imagine that KF is telling BF to do anything but get in good punting position. Sigh.
 
dagdaj said:
I just saw something on the internetz, can't verify if it's true.
Over the last 3 years, an FBS team has been held to under 170 yards a total of 49 times.
45 times, those teams have lost.
4 times, the team has won. Iowa has won all 4 of them.
Click to expand...
It's almost like Iowa is trying to win differently then everyone else.
 
NorthKCHawk said:
Well, and at this point I cannot imagine KF trusts Hill. He holds the ball like its a venomous snake while in the pocket. He can't run and he tends to throw the ball up for grabs to WRs who aren't good enough to do that. I cannot imagine that KF is telling BF to do anything but get in good punting position. Sigh.
Click to expand...
Because it's the best chance for Iowa to win. You just said so yourself. I hate when coaches try winning or playing to their strengths... it makes me SOO MAD
 
Iowa's best play this season is run some O - get in a spot where our AA punter can drop it in the 5 and then work from there. The strain Iowa can put on teams in that position is the best chance Iowa has to score. The chances are better that a team will make a mistake in their own endzone is much greater then Iowa marching down the field and scoring a TD.

It is what it is at this point right? Nothing is going to change it THIS season at least.... so if Iowa is going to have success and try and win games, they are going to have to do that unorthodoxed way of doing it. Next year is when Iowa can either get a new HC or a new offense but the chances of something changing this year is almost 0.

I kind of like watching Iowa walk this tight line, how many can they win this way? I want a better offense but I for one find this shit entertaining as hell. That goal line stand was a beautiful moment.
 
Let's not forget The Deacon's magnificent, timely pass that led immediately to the game-winning FG

A veritable thing of beauty

An offensive masterstroke, Lads

actively aggressive; attacking.

:cool:
 
Currently live in Vegas thus the name… UNLV has a new coach and if you watch their last game against NM the QB was dropping dimes to WR’s. You can make the argue level of competition, but I don’t think that’s the case especially this year in the B1G West. How the shit does UNLV out recruit Iowa in QB and WR positions?! Seriously pisses me off. Side note sticking with Vegas, Raiders fire head coach and bench their high paid QB (start farva) and play better than they have for years… weird how that works.
 
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