JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
Former Iowa & NFL Defensive Lineman Jared Clauss returns this year as our featured analyst for our Monday Morning Quarterback series, now in it’s eighth year.
CLAUSS’ DEFENSIVE THOUGHTS
You could tell Jordan Bernstine was ready to go, right from the kickoff. When he got in later in the game at safety, he was geared up. He didn’t get the start and had something to prove. He was coming up and playing the run well and hitting hard. He was playing with emotion in a blowout game in the third and fourth quarter without any fans in the stands, which was a positive. That type of play will get a guy more snaps moving forward.
I paid a lot of attention to the defensive line. It will take some time for these guys that have not played a lot to get into a groove. In Iowa’s defense, no one on the the defensive line can get reached, especially not the nose guard. They will get better with that. I felt they recognized the screen well, too.
It looks like the Iowa is trying to run tackle-tackle games against the run. Tennessee Tech picked it up; they were cutting early in the game and Iowa figured that out. They split it once, which can’t happen, but that showed promise. Daniels had a big game and he is tough to block. He shows tremendous strength with his lockout, and throwing people.
When you lose three guys (Clayborn, Klug and Ballard) that can rush one on one in the pass rush game, you have to make up for that lack of ability by getting production from the defensive line games in stunts against the pass. They showed that and I like their willingness to show different looks. It’s tough to rush the passer one on one and we lost three guys that could do it. They are going to have to find a way to get pressure. Even though they showed some safety blitzing late in the game, I think they will stick to their guns and use four-man rushes.
It looked like Iowa moved their defensive front a few times when Tennessee Tech tried to read the one or three technique on inside runs and did a good job of shifting the line late to change the look on them.
There are a lot of things that can be worked on, and it’s tough to tackle in a downpour and you saw that. The conditions do factor in, but coming out of camp you will see some rust and we saw that, but I am encouraged by the fact that even with that, they looked like they have some talent.
I think the defensive line got in the backfield a lot but they missed some tackles. The only thing that Iowa gave to Tennessee Tech was hitting shallow crosses across the middle, and even then our linebackers were right on them. We will take that all day long. You can have a six yard crosser because most people are not patient enough to do that all the way down the field.
I thought Alvis showed some promise. There were a few times he didn’t get off blocks but there were other times when I thought he played a reach block well and shed the blocker and got a tackle.
I like the speed in the back seven. Kirksey shows a lot of promise against passing teams and spread offenses with his ability to run laterally. Tyler Nielsen is a stud and has not missed a beat. This entire defense moves well laterally and they will do better against spread teams.
In terms of pressure on defense, when there was good pressure we saw some interceptions. Prater made a fantastic play ripping the ball away and pressure on the passer is what set up Morris' interception. The defense was +2 and the offense gave one away. You are going to win the game most of the times when you win the turnover margin.
CLAUSS’ OFFENSIVE THOUGHTS
I liked how Iowa used play action with Coker to start the game and they also used it to the tight ends a few times..the same things that have worked for a long time are working again.
I liked the fact that they didn’t let the conditions affect them. It was raining hard when they came out. You don’t want to see the turnovers but I like the fact they came out and didn’t play to the ‘they are going to run it since it’s raining’ expectations.
It looked like Tennessee Tech was giving Iowa a cushion on McNutt and early in the game they took advantage of that with three step drops a few times and took five or six yards. Then they went big and he made a very athletic play on the sideline. That is smart; take what you can get and Vandenberg was doing that and hitting him on the numbers.
McNutt looks quicker and his confidence level is there. I think he understands what he needs to get when he needs to get it. He showed patience in taking five or six yard gains a few times. He has developed a great deal and you can’t coach a lot of the stuff he shows.
I thought the offensive line did OK. Zusevics did well, Gettis played well.
Iowa ran a counter off a stretch look. I thought that was a good look, trying to show some different things off of their traditional zone-stretch plays. The counter off the outside zone look will pay dividends by slowing down flow from linebackers and keeping the defensive lineman from playing as fast laterally. The toughest thing for any defense is an offense who has multiple looks off of any given formation or personal group as well as action after the snap. If we can develop this look it will slow down opposing defensive lines from moving as fast laterally.
I thought Vandenberg put his throws on the hands with the exception of one ball. That is such a big thing and he looked very good there. There were a few drops out there, but the rain makes it tough. But those throws were on the mark for the most part.
I don’t know what the calls were in the huddle, but I saw when Vandenbeg noticed the blitz coming from the edge he audibled to a stretch play away from the blitz. He is poised and does not look like he gets flustered. The pass protection was good all day and Tennessee Tech brought several different looks.
The tunnel screen was a great call. There was good blocking, but the senior receiver knows you have to be patient and let the blocks develop. A lot of guys run too vertical on those things, but he was patient, made the lateral move and then broke it upfield.
It was great to see the backups get reps, especially at quarterback. All in all, it was a good first game. I know they will be geared up this week. That quarterback was elusive, he had a good ability to pause with his footwork and make guys miss and we will see a guy this week who can run the ball. It was a good first game and good preparation all in all, outside of the injury to McCall. You feel for that guy and he showed a lot of promise and I will be excited to see him back out there next year.
CLAUSS’ DEFENSIVE THOUGHTS
You could tell Jordan Bernstine was ready to go, right from the kickoff. When he got in later in the game at safety, he was geared up. He didn’t get the start and had something to prove. He was coming up and playing the run well and hitting hard. He was playing with emotion in a blowout game in the third and fourth quarter without any fans in the stands, which was a positive. That type of play will get a guy more snaps moving forward.
I paid a lot of attention to the defensive line. It will take some time for these guys that have not played a lot to get into a groove. In Iowa’s defense, no one on the the defensive line can get reached, especially not the nose guard. They will get better with that. I felt they recognized the screen well, too.
It looks like the Iowa is trying to run tackle-tackle games against the run. Tennessee Tech picked it up; they were cutting early in the game and Iowa figured that out. They split it once, which can’t happen, but that showed promise. Daniels had a big game and he is tough to block. He shows tremendous strength with his lockout, and throwing people.
When you lose three guys (Clayborn, Klug and Ballard) that can rush one on one in the pass rush game, you have to make up for that lack of ability by getting production from the defensive line games in stunts against the pass. They showed that and I like their willingness to show different looks. It’s tough to rush the passer one on one and we lost three guys that could do it. They are going to have to find a way to get pressure. Even though they showed some safety blitzing late in the game, I think they will stick to their guns and use four-man rushes.
It looked like Iowa moved their defensive front a few times when Tennessee Tech tried to read the one or three technique on inside runs and did a good job of shifting the line late to change the look on them.
There are a lot of things that can be worked on, and it’s tough to tackle in a downpour and you saw that. The conditions do factor in, but coming out of camp you will see some rust and we saw that, but I am encouraged by the fact that even with that, they looked like they have some talent.
I think the defensive line got in the backfield a lot but they missed some tackles. The only thing that Iowa gave to Tennessee Tech was hitting shallow crosses across the middle, and even then our linebackers were right on them. We will take that all day long. You can have a six yard crosser because most people are not patient enough to do that all the way down the field.
I thought Alvis showed some promise. There were a few times he didn’t get off blocks but there were other times when I thought he played a reach block well and shed the blocker and got a tackle.
I like the speed in the back seven. Kirksey shows a lot of promise against passing teams and spread offenses with his ability to run laterally. Tyler Nielsen is a stud and has not missed a beat. This entire defense moves well laterally and they will do better against spread teams.
In terms of pressure on defense, when there was good pressure we saw some interceptions. Prater made a fantastic play ripping the ball away and pressure on the passer is what set up Morris' interception. The defense was +2 and the offense gave one away. You are going to win the game most of the times when you win the turnover margin.
CLAUSS’ OFFENSIVE THOUGHTS
I liked how Iowa used play action with Coker to start the game and they also used it to the tight ends a few times..the same things that have worked for a long time are working again.
I liked the fact that they didn’t let the conditions affect them. It was raining hard when they came out. You don’t want to see the turnovers but I like the fact they came out and didn’t play to the ‘they are going to run it since it’s raining’ expectations.
It looked like Tennessee Tech was giving Iowa a cushion on McNutt and early in the game they took advantage of that with three step drops a few times and took five or six yards. Then they went big and he made a very athletic play on the sideline. That is smart; take what you can get and Vandenberg was doing that and hitting him on the numbers.
McNutt looks quicker and his confidence level is there. I think he understands what he needs to get when he needs to get it. He showed patience in taking five or six yard gains a few times. He has developed a great deal and you can’t coach a lot of the stuff he shows.
I thought the offensive line did OK. Zusevics did well, Gettis played well.
Iowa ran a counter off a stretch look. I thought that was a good look, trying to show some different things off of their traditional zone-stretch plays. The counter off the outside zone look will pay dividends by slowing down flow from linebackers and keeping the defensive lineman from playing as fast laterally. The toughest thing for any defense is an offense who has multiple looks off of any given formation or personal group as well as action after the snap. If we can develop this look it will slow down opposing defensive lines from moving as fast laterally.
I thought Vandenberg put his throws on the hands with the exception of one ball. That is such a big thing and he looked very good there. There were a few drops out there, but the rain makes it tough. But those throws were on the mark for the most part.
I don’t know what the calls were in the huddle, but I saw when Vandenbeg noticed the blitz coming from the edge he audibled to a stretch play away from the blitz. He is poised and does not look like he gets flustered. The pass protection was good all day and Tennessee Tech brought several different looks.
The tunnel screen was a great call. There was good blocking, but the senior receiver knows you have to be patient and let the blocks develop. A lot of guys run too vertical on those things, but he was patient, made the lateral move and then broke it upfield.
It was great to see the backups get reps, especially at quarterback. All in all, it was a good first game. I know they will be geared up this week. That quarterback was elusive, he had a good ability to pause with his footwork and make guys miss and we will see a guy this week who can run the ball. It was a good first game and good preparation all in all, outside of the injury to McCall. You feel for that guy and he showed a lot of promise and I will be excited to see him back out there next year.
