Keys to Getting MUCH Better in 2014

G

GVGiant44

Well-Known Member
I have always felt like the best way to make 2014 a special season is to bring back some things that either we did well or just plain dominated with. Among them:


  • Kinnick Stadium must once again become a house of pain for all opponents coming in. I don't want us to turn into incomps on the road, as I did like how well we played (for the most part) at our road games in 2013. But NOBODY won in Kinnick Stadium in the early KFz days. That must return, beginning in the Fall.
  • Dominating special teams. While it might be easy for KFz to abandon any kind of trick plays after the failed fake punt in the Outback Bowl, I would hope it would the beginning of us doing a lot more of those things, and much more successfully in the coming seasons. We will know if we can start blocking field goals and punts again, not to mention continued success in returning punts and kick-offs like we did this year.
  • A running game SO good, it makes our entire offense almost legendary. Don't forget that the key in 2002 was a great offensive line that spurred two fantastic running backs. Add in a good, improvising, mobile QB who could make all the various throws, and you had a great offense.
  • The return of a defensive line that turns every team we play into one-dimensional. If we can stay healthy there, I think we have the makings of that. When they play well, the linebackers look good, and the secondary seems to be everywhere.

This isn't a pipe-dream - I think every one of them is very attainable. And if we do, no telling how good this team will be. But especially with a fairly favorable schedule, we might be talking about that 2014 season for a long time. I hope that is the case.
 
In 2002-03 Russell and Lewis ripped off long gains. We need to get back to gashing teams with explosive runs where we might house it on any play.

Russell and Lewis started off deeper in the backfield to enable them to see cutbacks and the angles to use the cutbacks.

We need to use the QB in a bootleg to both sides of the field. Banks, chandler and Tate were allowed and able to do this.

Too many teams we play sit on the bootleg to the right but earlier hawk teams ran the bootleg to both sides.

We have to burn teams deep and be efficient in the deep pass, 20-40 yards. If your running game is sucking up the safeties you have to make the other team pay for it.

Notice most of what I have put down is on offense. Our defense was very very good this year. If King stays healthy and we get another really good cover corner then we can play man and zone combinations with the Lbkrs and safeties. We need to DLine to maintain their improvement. The hawks were great against the run and on third down (probably because of more blitzes). A maintained Dline at a high level is a good start.
 
GVGiant44 said:
I have always felt like the best way to make 2014 a special season is to bring back some things that either we did well or just plain dominated with. Among them:


  • Kinnick Stadium must once again become a house of pain for all opponents coming in. I don't want us to turn into incomps on the road, as I did like how well we played (for the most part) at our road games in 2013. But NOBODY won in Kinnick Stadium in the early KFz days. That must return, beginning in the Fall.
  • Dominating special teams. While it might be easy for KFz to abandon any kind of trick plays after the failed fake punt in the Outback Bowl, I would hope it would the beginning of us doing a lot more of those things, and much more successfully in the coming seasons. We will know if we can start blocking field goals and punts again, not to mention continued success in returning punts and kick-offs like we did this year.
  • A running game SO good, it makes our entire offense almost legendary. Don't forget that the key in 2002 was a great offensive line that spurred two fantastic running backs. Add in a good, improvising, mobile QB who could make all the various throws, and you had a great offense.
  • The return of a defensive line that turns every team we play into one-dimensional. If we can stay healthy there, I think we have the makings of that. When they play well, the linebackers look good, and the secondary seems to be everywhere.

This isn't a pipe-dream - I think every one of them is very attainable. And if we do, no telling how good this team will be. But especially with a fairly favorable schedule, we might be talking about that 2014 season for a long time. I hope that is the case.
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Decent points however offensively it may be as simple as targeting the right personnel...get Canzeri more carries early in games and target Hillyer, Duzey, and some other emerging wide out. Throwing slants to Vandeberg and K-mart are incompetent play calls.

Schedule can't be more appealing with 8 wins being the floor and 11 being the ceiling
 
You are right if we DON'T go at least 8-4 next year barring injuries to key personnel then the coaches failed. So did the players.
 
How about, "stop playing our fullback at tailback." This is the glaring weakness in our offense...and it appears with all the attention over the past week or so, everyone knows it too. Every elite team has a running back that can make you miss, has an incredible burst through the hole, and is a nightmare when you get them to the second level. For a team to rely on play action, you have to have a running game people fear at any time in a down series. Teams don't fear our running game when we have 7 or more yards to go right now. That's why they bring the house typically in that situation. On our RB roster, only Canzeri has shown any big play ability. He needs to play more.

The other area that I'm not sure will ever change is KF's obsession with ball security to the point of benching guys that have shown a lack of the aforementioned skill. I think it's hurt Canzeri, it hurt McCall's playing time a few years ago, etc. I get it, our offense over the years hasn't been good enough or explosive enough to overcome turnovers and with the way we want to play (ball control physical football), turnovers are a killer. That being said, I think he needs to loosen the reigns there a bit and put a guys ability to make game changing plays ahead of an occasional fumble. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to see a guy dropping the ball all over the place either. Take McCall, he fumbled in a critical point at Purdue (red zone), then rarely saw the field again. The kid made a mistake, some people would want to get him back in there to show confidence in him and allow him to atone for the mistake. KF benches you and I've never understood that.

The only variable we don't know is what happens in practice. If Canzeri's dropping it in practice, then maybe I understand the "ball security issue"...same with McCall. IMO, I'm not sure historically, the punishment has fit the crime.
 
With the schedule IA has next year they should/could win every game putting them in the final 4. Then let the chips fall where they may.
 
Jon has pointed it out in a couple threads and is something that I think we take for granted is the health of the football team.

We had a great year in terms of lack of injuries. We can only hope to be as lucky next year.

How big of strides can our WR make. We need a more consistent playmaker on the outside. KMM has the most experience and makes plays but he also seems to have as many drops as he does make plays. Hillyer had the nice TD catch and run in Ames but went missing in the middle part of the season. Smith made the great catch against Mich but quiet after that.
Need a guy who can do it week in and week out.

The our front 7 of D. How much better can our D line get? Davis does great against the run. Can we get a pass rushi threat?

And of course our new LB trio... How well can they play.
 
ibahawkeye said:
Jon has pointed it out in a couple threads and is something that I think we take for granted is the health of the football team.

We had a great year in terms of lack of injuries. We can only hope to be as lucky next year.

How big of strides can our WR make. We need a more consistent playmaker on the outside. KMM has the most experience and makes plays but he also seems to have as many drops as he does make plays. Hillyer had the nice TD catch and run in Ames but went missing in the middle part of the season. Smith made the great catch against Mich but quiet after that.
Need a guy who can do it week in and week out.

The our front 7 of D. How much better can our D line get? Davis does great against the run. Can we get a pass rushi threat?

And of course our new LB trio... How well can they play.
Click to expand...

2013 was abnormal in terms of lack of injuries. Fans need to be prepared for a different story in 2014. Its gotten to the point in NCAA and NFL football where you have to expect injury problems.
 
Cyhawk said:
With the schedule IA has next year they should/could win every game putting them in the final 4. Then let the chips fall where they may.
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That is silly. Iowa would need vast improvement just to get to the Conf Championship game, and likely wouldn’t get there undefeated anyway. They likely wouldn’t beat OSU in that game either. Iowa would also need to stay as healthy as they did this year as depth at numerous positions (OL, LB for example) stinks.
 
kmurp said:
That is silly. Iowa would need vast improvement just to get to the Conf Championship game, and likely wouldn’t get there undefeated anyway. They likely wouldn’t beat OSU in that game either. Iowa would also need to stay as healthy as they did this year as depth at numerous positions (OL, LB for example) stinks.
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I think the depth in the OL is pretty good. There are three or four guys that haven't played yet that KF has said are ready to play, Simmons and Ward to name a few. All you need are a couple versatile guys...like Donnal who can play guard or tackle, Simmons who can play guard or center, and some guys that have had time in the program and your depth gets better. IMO, the depth in our OL is the best it's been since 2008.
 
I think the absolute key is an improved pass rush. Our LB core will struggle more in coverage so we will need to get to the QB with 4 or 5. Need the push to create turnovers and limit the mobile QB.
 
Not sure, if huge improvement is possible in 1 year. However they may well appear improved due to schedule
 
If the D and ST can stay about the same and the offense improves the same amount as they did from last year, I believe it will be a very good season, maybe great.
 
I agree too much losing in Kinnick. Need to run the table there every year I don't care who comes in there.
 
the most glaring thing iowa has been missing in the past two years is a RB that can take it to the house on any given play. or at least crack off big chunks. and that is not the fault of the guys currently running the ball. #45 is a fullback who has done very well as RB. #5 was to be a WR. can't fault the current guys for RBs who have left the program for a wide variety of reasons. you know. too much smoke. too much girly stuff. too many babies. not enough class.....
 
WinOneThisCentury said:
On our RB roster, only Canzeri has shown any big play ability. He needs to play more. The other area that I'm not sure will ever change is KF's obsession with ball security to the point of benching guys that have shown a lack of the aforementioned skill. I think it's hurt Canzeri, it hurt McCall's playing time a few years ago, etc. I get it, our offense over the years hasn't been good enough or explosive enough to overcome turnovers and with the way we want to play (ball control physical football), turnovers are a killer. That being said, I think he needs to loosen the reigns there a bit and put a guys ability to make game changing plays ahead of an occasional fumble. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to see a guy dropping the ball all over the place either. KF benches you and I've never understood that. IMO, I'm not sure historically, the punishment has fit the crime.
Click to expand...

Don't agree here. This is something KFz learned from Hayden Fry, who also highly valued ball security. Hayden had a pretty good RB back in the 90's named Ryan Terry. He had some great cutback moves, and at least reasonable speed. But he had terrible ball-security issues, and Hayden finally relegated him to a permanent second-team status. Admittedly, the guy he ultimately stuck him behind was Cedric Shaw.

Canzeri's time on the field has increased, I believe, because he is taking ball security a bit more seriously. That said, it needs to be priority #1 for him in the off-season. Because I am convinced that if he does learn not to fumble, he is going to be one of our main cogs for next year.
 
We need to find some big plays next year. We really didn't have to many this year. Cotton on special teams and that long pass to Duzey against OSU. Other than that nothing. I'd like to see Canzeiri get double the carries and find a WR who truly has big play potential. The other pieces are in place for a 10 win team.
 
Don't lose at home and play great on both sides of the ball...I agree this would make us a better team.
 
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