Minny game replay-further thoughts

[uihawk82]

There were a lot of hawk pass defenders peeking into the backfield. KF mentioned they wanted to stop the run and make Minny one dimensional and perhaps that led to some defenders focusing on the backfield run game.

Man that missed FG was close. The view of the tackle on CJ's two point conversion run was from a ways away but I still think that Minny tackler grabbed the underside of CJs helmet which should be a foul.

Josy Jewell is only a soph??? Wow. Leidner was a load when he has time like that.

Jewell's late QB hit wasnt late, as Millen said it wasnt late, as much as it was high to the helmet.

the hawks didnt really crash to the read option mesh point hardly at all if any. I cant remember seeing a corner or outside lnbkr blitz/crash rush to the mesh point. I hope with a more inexperienced Purdue QB coming to town the hawks put a little more pressure on.

Anyone else think we should go with more pressure this week?

 

[NEIChawk]

The game was too loud, we better knock that crap off against Purdue.........seriously, what we witnessed Saturday will be corrected..I agree, too many peaks in the backfield, we were constantly out of position, Mabin, Fisher, especially, lack of pressure on the "Q"....we obviously scored just enough, but it was still too damn close for those us there...I was getting pi$$ed, but what the hell could ya do, just glad the onside kick went sailing out of bounds.....we just need to shore up some things work a little harder, cuz it aint gonna get any easier after Purdue.......

 

[HawksMN]

There were a lot of hawk pass defenders peeking into the backfield. KF mentioned they wanted to stop the run and make Minny one dimensional and perhaps that led to some defenders focusing on the backfield run game.

Man that missed FG was close. The view of the tackle on CJ's two point conversion run was from a ways away but I still think that Minny tackler grabbed the underside of CJs helmet which should be a foul.

Josy Jewell is only a soph??? Wow. Leidner was a load when he has time like that.

Jewell's late QB hit wasnt late, as Millen said it wasnt late, as much as it was high to the helmet.

the hawks didnt really crash to the read option mesh point hardly at all if any. I cant remember seeing a corner or outside lnbkr blitz/crash rush to the mesh point. I hope with a more inexperienced Purdue QB coming to town the hawks put a little more pressure on.

Anyone else think we should go with more pressure this week?

Yes bring some heat no finesse D please.

MN game, we played the exact wrong scheme for those guys. I said get after Leidners arse and the mistakes will come. We only did that a handful of times, and once was intentional grounding, and the other was a near King pick.

 

[mopkins]

The zone read seemed to really give Iowa trouble...I think you could say that for the entire Kirk Ferentz era. Unfortunately that's Ohio States bread and butter. You can guarantee people saw how badly Iowa defended the read option against Minnesota.

Thats my biggest concern going forward. one of Minnesotas TD's was a halfback pass where Iowa got caught with their pants down, the other was a toss back across the field to a wide open tight end. Those things could be fixed rather easily. Minnesota was playing on Iowa's over aggressiveness to stop the run. Iowa basically dared Minnesota to pass the ball and so they did...very well.

 

[imported_ankle23]

The zone read seemed to really give Iowa trouble...I think you could say that for the entire Kirk Ferentz era. Unfortunately that's Ohio States bread and butter. You can guarantee people saw how badly Iowa defended the read option against Minnesota.

Thats my biggest concern going forward. one of Minnesotas TD's was a halfback pass where Iowa got caught with their pants down, the other was a toss back across the field to a wide open tight end. Those things could be fixed rather easily. Minnesota was playing on Iowa's over aggressiveness to stop the run. Iowa basically dared Minnesota to pass the ball and so they did...very well.

i have thought just the opposite - zone read - ferentz has done well with it - assignment based defensive football. i think the offense that has given iowa defense troubles is northwestern style with an effective run/pass qb.

 

[uihawk82]

i have thought just the opposite - zone read - ferentz has done well with it - assignment based defensive football. i think the offense that has given iowa defense troubles is northwestern style with an effective run/pass qb.

I would qualify your statement based on how many wide receivers the zone read teams use and how good a running qb it was. I would say the hawks have had trouble with some of the past jNW teams because they would also spread the field taking hawk lnbkrs out of the box and their qbs were quick and could make moves. Same with some Ohio St with Pryor and Miller etc and other teams. Some zone read teams play a tighter formation and when we have the lnbkrs and free safety in the box the hawks seem to do well. Luckily Leidner isnt blazing fast.

Fry and KF's teams have both always done real well against the triple option and other option type offenses.

 

[undutchable]

I was worried coming into the game, that the hawks would be too amped up. I thought I saw a few times that they were trying to over-pursue and make the big play, not keeping assignments. Maybe it was coach speak but KF said post game on the radio that they got beat on 3 big plays and they would look at the film and could fix those issues. He said something like the defense has been solid all year and didn't seem too worried.

Gotta give credit though, Minn offensive line pushed our d-line around and Leidner had a great game. They did it with Michigan and OSU as well which makes me believe that its an aspect of their good O-line/QB rather than much of a blight against our D. Rather see this now than later, hopefully Iowa can learn and improve.

 

[HuckFinn]

Iowa completed a "halfback" type pass; Iowa completed a throwback to a tight end. It happens. Mabin did not have a good game. One MN TD was set up by a deep post and he lost his man, though maybe he should have had safety help, which did not arrive. He is the one who go beat on the hb pass...came up fast on the run fake.

Iowa's corners seemingly gave awfully big cushions to the MN receivers. I thought in the past we played a lot of man press coverage...am I missing something?

Late in the game, according to an interview with one of or LB's, we were in a "cover 3" most of the time. So, the LB's were stuck trying to drop into zone coverage and got scorched on medium throws in the middle of the field...hence the quick score to keep MN in the game late.

Interestingly, the media guys mostly attributed the close score to late garbage points. Sure did not feel that way sitting in Kinnick .

Bottom line: 10-0. And, I would not want to be a defensive starter for Iowa this week, especially in the film room. Good luck with that, guys.

 

[HuckFinn]

I was worried coming into the game, that the hawks would be too amped up. I thought I saw a few times that they were trying to over-pursue and make the big play, not keeping assignments. Maybe it was coach speak but KF said post game on the radio that they got beat on 3 big plays and they would look at the film and could fix those issues. He said something like the defense has been solid all year and didn't seem too worried.

Gotta give credit though, Minn offensive line pushed our d-line around and Leidner had a great game. They did it with Michigan and OSU as well which makes me believe that its an aspect of their good O-line/QB rather than much of a blight against our D. Rather see this now than later, hopefully Iowa can learn and improve.

Good post. My son was with me at the game and said MN was double teaming our two D tackles on virtually every play. He also noted that our corners were giving a huge cushion (he coaches D backs). I think he was pretty much right on.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

Yes bring some heat no finesse D please.

MN game, we played the exact wrong scheme for those guys. I said get after Leidners arse and the mistakes will come. We only did that a handful of times, and once was intentional grounding, and the other was a near King pick.

Exactly, their only chance was to pass. knew that coming in. Instead of loading up for the pass rush, putting some pressure on Leidner and playing it straight for the run... we did just the opposite.

 

[CP87]

There were a lot of hawk pass defenders peeking into the backfield. KF mentioned they wanted to stop the run and make Minny one dimensional and perhaps that led to some defenders focusing on the backfield run game.

Man that missed FG was close. The view of the tackle on CJ's two point conversion run was from a ways away but I still think that Minny tackler grabbed the underside of CJs helmet which should be a foul.

Josy Jewell is only a soph??? Wow. Leidner was a load when he has time like that.

Jewell's late QB hit wasnt late, as Millen said it wasnt late, as much as it was high to the helmet.

the hawks didnt really crash to the read option mesh point hardly at all if any. I cant remember seeing a corner or outside lnbkr blitz/crash rush to the mesh point. I hope with a more inexperienced Purdue QB coming to town the hawks put a little more pressure on.

Anyone else think we should go with more pressure this week?

Perhaps some coaches on here can comment, but I think the passive approach has been the most common response to the read-option, especially at the NFL level (not as sure about college). A few QBs had a lot of success running read-option for 1 season in the NFL, but then defenses started hanging back and making the "read" much more difficult as opposed to clearly committing to one of the options. Because the read takes place a ways behind the LOS, it is possible to watch it play out in front of you then react, as opposed to a FB dive in a true triple-option offense that happens so fast that a defender has to be on top of it whether he gets the ball or not.

 

[EMik21]

In my opinion, I thought that there were opportunities for Iowa to play some nickel but they chose to stay in the 4-3. If the offense can continue to put points up & control the clock against Purdue, I think Iowa stays in their base 4-3, saving nickel & dime looks for Nebby. Kirk wants that one bad & he's gonna save every card/play (even simple ones) he can.

 

[HawksMN]

In my opinion, I thought that there were opportunities for Iowa to play some nickel but they chose to stay in the 4-3. If the offense can continue to put points up & control the clock against Purdue, I think Iowa stays in their base 4-3, saving nickel & dime looks for Nebby. Kirk wants that one bad & he's gonna save every card/play (even simple ones) he can.

We all want that one bad.