As we move closer to a pro model, perhaps college FB trades become a thing. I don't really think that would ever happen, but we could put together a tasty trade package with some RBs (5 different guys got carries in the bowl game and there are a couple good ones coming in), TEs, and 2-line defenders to upgrade the WR position. There have to be teams out there who have #3 and #4 WRs who could step in and immediately contribute at Iowa.
No portal moves. Frustrating
- Thread starter clim3
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I love the idea of investing in o line for sure. A great o line can make other gaps not so big. great idea. I hope someone at top levels of swarm likes it too.
STILLBUSTER
Well-Known Member
OL is EXACTLY where they should be working the portal and using the $$.
It's the #1 need for a team like Iowa whose entire offensive philosophy and scheme is founded on solid OL execution. It's also been the #1 reason Iowa's offense has sucked for 5-6 years.
People pile on Hill but half of his turnovers and a good share of his poor completion % were due to bad OL play. Another huge contributor was WR's with concrete blocks for hands.
I ain't saying I want Hill back (Lainez more than proved he deserves to be ahead of him if for nothing more than mobility / running threat) but he was far from being the top issue on offense.
I am probably deluded, but I think our offensive woes last year were primarily about poor QB and terrible coordination/play calling, and if those issues get fixed, the offensive roster is not actually that bad.
I think the quality of OL is just fine, and if we can keep our core guys healthy, they can be a strength. It is hard for any OL to look good when trying to run block 9 guys or pass protect in a system that cannot punish the D for blitzing.
WR needs an upgrade, but I think a better designed offense can make our top 3 guys look competent. It doesn't appear there is another ISM/B. Smith/T. Smith/McNutt/DJK on the roster right now, and to truly be a good offense, that is needed. But I think we can be substantially less bad even with the guys we have, as long as we put them in better positions to succeed.
People rightly put much of the offensive blame on KF, and he is still around, but our O has never been as bad as the last 3 years, and other OCs found ways to be effective within this system. If we get someone who has had high-level success coordinating and calling plays within a run-based college offense (e.g. Paul Chryst), I would expect a major uptick in production. I am wary of NFL guys because I think our system requires too much thinking of our players as it is, and I don't want to continue to wait 3 years until a guy "learns the system."
So, that leaves us with QB. If there was a savior out there for the getting, have it, but I don't think we have the money to attract a proven QB, and we don't have the track record to attract a young guy with potential. So, I think we roll with the room we have and pray for McNamara health and Lainez/Resar development.
I think the quality of OL is just fine, and if we can keep our core guys healthy, they can be a strength. It is hard for any OL to look good when trying to run block 9 guys or pass protect in a system that cannot punish the D for blitzing.
WR needs an upgrade, but I think a better designed offense can make our top 3 guys look competent. It doesn't appear there is another ISM/B. Smith/T. Smith/McNutt/DJK on the roster right now, and to truly be a good offense, that is needed. But I think we can be substantially less bad even with the guys we have, as long as we put them in better positions to succeed.
People rightly put much of the offensive blame on KF, and he is still around, but our O has never been as bad as the last 3 years, and other OCs found ways to be effective within this system. If we get someone who has had high-level success coordinating and calling plays within a run-based college offense (e.g. Paul Chryst), I would expect a major uptick in production. I am wary of NFL guys because I think our system requires too much thinking of our players as it is, and I don't want to continue to wait 3 years until a guy "learns the system."
So, that leaves us with QB. If there was a savior out there for the getting, have it, but I don't think we have the money to attract a proven QB, and we don't have the track record to attract a young guy with potential. So, I think we roll with the room we have and pray for McNamara health and Lainez/Resar development.
HuckFinn
Well-Known Member
Very interesting (seriously).
HuckFinn
Well-Known Member
Good stuff!
No disrespect but our o line only had a couple good games. Against penn state, Michigan and Tennessee we could run or pass block. We need improvement at every position and honestly the best games we had were with Ellsbury at center in my opinion. So I really think having a top tier o line would go a long way. Honestly if you want to play Kirk’s kind of ball you almost have to have a stud o line.
‘I’m glad Brian is going but I’m not it does much without a lot of improvement at o line.
NorthKCHawk
Well-Known Member
How are you going to do a trade with kids on where they go to school? On what basis could you force the kid to go? This would require a union, collective bargaining, contracts, etc. No way in the near term. If the Super Conference ever takes off then maybe. I just don't see this level of professional treatment unless and until college football gives up on these kids being students, which could happen I guess.
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
Iowa is full - there won't be huge roster turnover which is a good thing. I have almost no doubt they go and get a few pieces in the portal but it's going to be pretty light and selective as they don't have the space that schools that have high turnover have. I am weirdly ok with it. I would prefer less turnover personally. I like the fact and idea that the kids who come to Iowa want to be here and it means something to them (see players coming back instead of leaving, see players playing in mid tier bowl games and not leaving/sitting out)
HuckFinn
Well-Known Member
Weirdly ok? No you are not. We have a bunch of proven athletes who decided to return. Beats the hell out of risks in the portal. Loyalty to the program counts! Good call.
It would basically require College FB to go the full minor league model, which I don't think would ever happen. But if it was possible, it would make our roster makeover much easier.
Teddy
Well-Known Member
K Brown is a far better receiver than ISM and especially Brandon Smith were as freshmen. I am totally with you on the possibility of a pretty quick turnaround.
I think a good QB coach and OC can turn this team around quickly. Good coaches elevate and improve players. Plus, the new OC guide's evaluation will move Hill down the roster. Marco will surely have overtaken whatever skill got Hill the job. I'm not getting too excited, but we know Marco is very mobile now. How about a series new RPO options or just a more mobile pocket. Get Marco serious time with the 1s, at least. Use him like Brad Banks in 2001. Even if Cade returns to full health, put together a couple of packages for Marco to run and produce some mystery and experience for Marco in game conditions.
The OL, WR and QB positions need better execution. Let's hope the new coach or coaches implant a much more focused attitude toward execution. The mistakes have to be minimized at each position. Iowa needs to make the plays it can and not turn prosperity into disaster so often.
The OL, WR and QB positions need better execution. Let's hope the new coach or coaches implant a much more focused attitude toward execution. The mistakes have to be minimized at each position. Iowa needs to make the plays it can and not turn prosperity into disaster so often.
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For those that think the Oline was ok or pretty good I wish I saw what you did. Iowa was very sporadic with being able to run the ball. We often couldn't do it when we absolutely needed to. Iowa should have a 1000 yard rusher. 3.3 ypc is atrocious for a team that prioritizes running the ball. So just for that aspect of the game no the Oline wasn't good. And then pass protection wise they were better then previous yrs but again they weren't very good.
Then you factor in they stunk at running screen plays kind of Iowa's bread and butter for 3rd downs. How many successful screen passes did we have to Rbs or receviers? Not very many.... That has a lot to do with the timing of when they release and then putting a hat on someone which they jogged out there without a purpose it seemed like. I remember one play where Patterson should've had a long possible TD but Olineman just wiffed on the defender.
So by any objective or tangible measure the Oline was still bad. But I'm sure BF would say they were good. Because he thought Hill was too
Then you factor in they stunk at running screen plays kind of Iowa's bread and butter for 3rd downs. How many successful screen passes did we have to Rbs or receviers? Not very many.... That has a lot to do with the timing of when they release and then putting a hat on someone which they jogged out there without a purpose it seemed like. I remember one play where Patterson should've had a long possible TD but Olineman just wiffed on the defender.
So by any objective or tangible measure the Oline was still bad. But I'm sure BF would say they were good. Because he thought Hill was too
Texas.
Some dude poured in like a half mill to their collective and it was matched to like a total of $800,000 with $50k given to every lineman on offense. But this was like early 2021, so not exactly $5mill. No telling what they're doing now, though.
Makes complete sense. Any runningback or QB would love to play behind a $5,000,000 NCAA offensive line. The NIL deals would come, with the numbers you'd put up. And of course, if you're a wide receiver and you know your awfully good QB is going to have 20 minutes to throw the ball on every play, you're going to be interested in playing there.
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
I meant I was ok with not running people off and keeping what we have despite not being able to make too many offensive roster moves.
There's no magic pill that is going to fix Iowa's offense. It's gonna be a process and a crawl before ya walk type of thing.
HuckFinn
Well-Known Member
I would bet you are right. Coaches have some recruits in mind already. Now waiting to clarify who all is returning. They will then target missing pieces. The coaches are always ahead of the game.
Teddy
Well-Known Member
Fortunately, the new OC isn't coaching babies. These players can already run. They're not learning quantum mechanics or antimatter.
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
Wait til you see that the new OC calls plays and runs an offense that looks just like the old OC. You'll be shocked I'm sure.
