Kaden Wetjen

[MelroseHawkins]

Should they get him more involved on offense? Can't they use him at WR more, instead of just on jet sweeps which will be obvious for the D when he is in and going in motion. When watching him, he's fast as fuckles. I watched him return that kickoff Saturday and he has a speed and seem to glide. I wish they would use his speed more on offense. The only thing is the timing of the routes with Hill and him outrunning them. But, man he is quick and fast.

 

[dagdaj]

Not gonna lie.
He's a bit of an enigma. He's a junior with experience at Iowa Western CC.
Basically special special teams, with a top tier kick return average.
And some gadgetry plays, that seem like they should be gaudier in result.

I would say yes. Can't they find a couple routes they could mix him in on? Or just send him and let Deacon launch it? They've tried it a couple times, but not with Wetjen.

 

[Teddy]

I

Should they get him more involved on offense? Can't they use him at WR more, instead of just on jet sweeps which will be obvious for the D when he is in and going in motion. When watching him, he's fast as fuckles. I watched him return that kickoff Saturday and he has a speed and seem to glide. I wish they would use his speed more on offense. The only thing is the timing of the routes with Hill and him outrunning them. But, man he is quick and fast.

Having the same question. He can fly, so why not just have him run past the defense? He's trusted to run back kicks so the coaches must feel KW has good hands. Maybe he just cannot keep get open or learn any routes. But seriously, how hard could a fly route be for the fastest guy on the team.

 

[trj]

For whatever reason, I think he makes a bigger impact in 2024. Call it a hunch...he will watch how the receiver room shakes out and be the next man in.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

I cannot believe no one has made a Charlie Jones comparison yet.

In all seriousness, I don't see a lot of separation out there by our WRs. What can it hurt to give him 10 snaps and a few touches? He looks fast and shifty to me. We need any playmaker we can get on offense, and it doesn't look like DeJean is getting in on offense.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I cannot believe no one has made a Charlie Jones comparison yet.

In all seriousness, I don't see a lot of separation out there by our WRs. What can it hurt to give him 10 snaps and a few touches? He looks fast and shifty to me. We need any playmaker we can get on offense, and it doesn't look like DeJean is getting in on offense.

Again, the only concern I pointed out above is him outrunning the route as far as timing. But, that is not his fault and he should have a chance. Also, if Deacon looks to him as his primary route and Wetjen beats the d-back as expected, Hill has the arm to get the ball out in front of him.

 

[PlatypusMessiah]

I'm in favor of any receiver getting involved in the offense. I refuse to believe that not a one of them can get open in 3 years. And if they did, they all drop the ball. I don't know if it's the route selection, or the possibility that they don't know how to plant their feet and drive to get space. But something we are doing just makes them worse off for being in Iowa City.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I'm in favor of any receiver getting involved in the offense. I refuse to believe that not a one of them can get open in 3 years. And if they did, they all drop the ball. I don't know if it's the route selection, or the possibility that they don't know how to plant their feet and drive to get space. But something we are doing just makes them worse off for being in Iowa City.

Isn't that the thing though? I mean when one actually thinks about it, it is hard to believe.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Isn't that the thing though? I mean when one actually thinks about it, it is hard to believe.

Not that it will happen, but objectively, the only offensive coach on the staff that should be retained is Betts and whoever coaches the TEs.

I am unimpressed with the routes and hands of our WRs. The offensive line has been a disaster the last couple years and is just starting to clear that fog. BF's performance has been beaten to death on this Board.

 

[guffus]

I cannot believe no one has made a Charlie Jones comparison yet.

In all seriousness, I don't see a lot of separation out there by our WRs. What can it hurt to give him 10 snaps and a few touches? He looks fast and shifty to me. We need any playmaker we can get on offense, and it doesn't look like DeJean is getting in on offense.

It crossed my mind. How does Jones only have 23 catches in 3 years at Iowa, then ending up having 100+ catches in 1 year at Purdue. There is something wrong with Iowa's passing offense that is getting worse.

Another mystery is the drop-off with Ragaini. I know he has been hurt here and there but the guy caught 40+ passes in 2019. Now whenever Hill throws to him, he drops the ball. Are Petras and Hill just bad throwers?

 

[Hawkcrush]

Dude can play watched him a bit in HS. He has better hands than Ragaini for sure and is much more physical. He’s a slot guy but should get 1-2 Carry’s a game bare min. Only good this happen when he gets a chance and I’m honestly surprised he hasn’t transferred yet as he would tear it up as ISU or the MAC.

 

[Will C]

If he runs like hell down field and takes more than one defender with him it is a good thing.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

If he can't say the Alphabet backwards while running a 4.3 forty time and knows the playbook backwards and forwards then nope he can't worry. That's just the Iowa way. Good athletes that could make plays gotta bide their time on the bench because.... Well just because it's one of lifes mysteries.

 

[CP87]

Just stating the obvious here, but if we line up with a single running back and a QB who can't complete passes and TEs/WRs who no one is scared of, it is going to be incredibly hard to form a functional offense. Up until last week, All presented a mismatch we were taking advantage of. He is now gone. Our OLine is improving, but even the best OLs struggle when the defense has ONLY ONE GUY to worry about.

Banks/Tate/Stanzi/Beathard/Stanley aren't walking through that door.

ISM/B.Smith/T.Smith/McNutt/DJK/Solomon/Hinkle aren't walking through that door.

Clark/Kittle/Fant/Hockenson/LaPorta aren't walking through that door.

The passing game ceiling is so low, there is no realistic way that Iowa can turn it into even a mild threat. If there was any growth potential, we would have seen growth at some point over the last 2.5 years.

They have to come up with some way to make defenses thinking about more than just a single guy. That could be ramping up the use of jet-sweep action. That could be incorporating more 2 RB sets where both could be legitimate ball carriers (we haven't done much of this for a few years, but occasionally used it as a wrinkle in the past). That could be having someone take the snap who is a legitimate running threat. Or, some combination of the above.

I know it is antithetical to how this staff has always approached offense, but there is no way they are going to solve this problem through just doing the same stuff better. The only way to fix this problem is creative diversification of the one thing they have been doing okay at, the running game. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and being down McNamara/Lachey/All qualifies as desperate times.

 

[Teddy]

If he can't say the Alphabet backwards while running a 4.3 forty time and knows the playbook backwards and forwards then nope he can't worry. That's just the Iowa way. Good athletes that could make plays gotta bide their time on the bench because.... Well just because it's one of lifes mysteries.

Just think, it was only two years ago that Iowa's starting WRs were two 4* recruits in their actual first year in college.

It's a lack of flexibility common to most coaches, and especially old coaches. They build a great system and theory that requires all round holes. It works spectacularly when you have all round players. So even talented square pegs don't have a huge role in the offense.

Kirk is an outstanding coach. He has had some spectacular years for Iowa. But he struggles with adapting some plays for a specific player or players on a team. Crush the weak and trick the strong. The Goofers D isn't good so maybe some more momentum for the round pegs Saturday.

 

[Hawkboys]

Banks/Tate/Stanzi/Beathard/Stanley aren't walking through that door.

ISM/B.Smith/T.Smith/McNutt/DJK/Solomon/Hinkle aren't walking through that door.

Clark/Kittle/Fant/Hockenson/LaPorta aren't walking through that door

Even if they did, I think they've used up all their eligibility!

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Are Petras and Hill just bad throwers?

Short answer is yes. Longer answer is that Petras threw a good ball and had an NFL arm if he could set his feet and release the ball in rythym. With a better OL and system, I think he could have been successful somewhere. But, he was atrocious when his feet were not set, had a terrible pocket presence, and bad instincts on scrambling.

Hill has a strong arm. Hill is a big kid. Hill looks like he knows the playbook. So far, I aint seen a whole lot more I can say about him that is nice.