NW Best Defense yet?

H

Hawkcrush

Well-Known Member
Northwestern has a tough D, but are they as good as Pitt or Wisco?-both of those games came with some schematic issues for Iowa. Traditionally NW is more base than the other 2. They have 2 good lbs, but their DL can be ran on. Also, I watched much of their Ball State game and their D was just not that impressive. You cold argue they shut down Stanford, but they also had ALL offseason to prepare. Remember what Norm could do with a month (Georgia Tech). In my mind it is going to take quite a few more breaks for NW to win, not saying it couldn't, but I think they have to get Iowa Vs Wiso lucky to win. I think Iowa wears them down in the end. I know statistically they are up there, but I think schematically Iowa is better prepared than usual to attack them (I.E. QB with strong arm-and doesn't lose games)
 
Top cb out. They are about on par with whisky and Pitt now. They will blitz like crazy. Lots of screens and draws we need
 
clim said:
Top cb out. They are about on par with whisky and Pitt now. They will blitz like crazy. Lots of screens and draws we need
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I looked up total defense and Pitt is right behind Michigan, NW is pretty on par with Wiscy, but scheme wise 3-4 from Wiscy presented a larger challenge.
 
I'll tell ya Saturday afternoon. I think they will be the 3rd best def we've faced, maybe even 4th. But they will blitz a lot and take chances...really comes down to if we make them pay for doing it.
 
I thought Pitt was pretty tough, or perhaps their scheme was solid.
Wiscy was as tough, but more dependent on one stud...Schobert.
NWestern may be the best all-around, but we'll see if last week was an anomaly.. or a revealing
If we can score against the Fitz-cats... 12-0 is realistic.

HawkWalker? come on..4th best? Are you telling me Illinois was better. I don't think so. CJ's lack of mobility had a lot to do with Illinois being able to keep us from scoring more. Pitt...you could make an argument, but I'm still not buying it.

I'd love nothing more than to see us put up 35 Saturday and say "damn, you were right".
 
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CJB (former NW QB) said on jon's podcast that UM simply out manned them up front period. Maaaaybe Iowa's middle G C G can punch through. I think Daniels will be fine as a run blocker and in time be able to pass block. So, I'm hoping that the hawks can run the ball.


Don't be surprised when NW gets a tackle for loss. They had a few against UM.

Seems to me you gotta lean on them, punch it quickly at them.
 
Would not surprise me if NW is more bark than bite when it comes to us. Iowa just has to get through the onslaught and all of the rah rah and hate talk from Fits. Obviously, they are not chumps at 5-1. But, they may be overrated. Going to be really curious to see how it all shakes out and if we are to banged up to compete or not. If the game will be close, get away from Iowa, or Iowa dominates.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
I thought Pitt was pretty tough, or perhaps their scheme was solid.
Wiscy was as tough, but more dependent on one stud...Schobert.
NWestern may be the best all-around, but we'll see if last week was an anomaly.. or a revealing
If we can score against the Fitz-cats... 12-0 is realistic.

HawkWalker? come on..4th best? Are you telling me Illinois was better. I don't think so. CJ's lack of mobility had a lot to do with Illinois being able to keep us from scoring more. Pitt...you could make an argument, but I'm still not buying it.

I'd love nothing more than to see us put up 35 Saturday and say "damn, you were right".
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Illinois rushing defense had good stats....before...Canzeri. I did say maybe 4th best...but probably 3rd best.

I could be wrong, I hope I'm not, but I still think NW's defense is overrated, and their success has been on taking chances on defense...and mostly not playing teams that run at them. The Stanford game is still a mystery, but I'm not convinced their defense went from very average last year to great...I hope to remain that way...
 
Would really like to see some FB "blasts" over guard/center. The more successful we can be early running, and the longer the game goes and be up or close...the better.

Power, screens, counters...and yes execution...may be even more important than usual, especially if CJ is limited.

Get it done Hawks...somehow.
 
I would put them at 3rd best behind Pitt and Whisky. CJ is good at hitting the blitz so they may blitz less than we think. But then again, Iowa State has had success at Iowa with the blitz.

Iowa gets the run going enough to draw the DB's in then it opens it up for CJ. If not it's going to be a dinking and dunking kind of day. Field goals to win. I think Iowa's defense can hold up, if the offense stays on the field for some long drives.
 
Northwestern doesn't get a lot of sacks or interceptions but their pass defense is stellar with only 138 yards allowed. Run defense is giving up the same amount of yards per game. If their top CB is out, they have to shuffle the deck a bit. They dont have the kind of depth that can easily overcome that loss. I can see them blitzing an extra guy here or there but I doubt it will be as bad as people think.
 
I am not worried about our defense against the Cats, but I am really concerned about our ability to score points. They are obviously a pretty decent defense. They, too, have played some pretty salty teams and have held up well, with the obvious exception of the MI game. We are really beat up. Really. CJ, according to some reports, has not practiced this week. (At least that means Tyler W. is getting reps.) We are obviously really green at both tackle spots. Our receiver group will miss T. Smith, although I expect CJ's health to be the problem with our passing attack, along with our pass blocking at the tackle spots. I still think we will need 21-24 points to win this game and I am not real confident we can find that many. Its just a shame that we are not going into this game healthier, because I think we are, in the long run, a better team than NW and would likely be 7-0 after tomorrow.

If we lose, and it will not be from lack of effort, at least we have a shot to heal up with a bye week ahead and arguably, a very weak opponent in Maryland when we play again, at good ol' Kinnick. I will be in Evanston cheering on my Hawks, but this one really makes me nervous.
 
NU's defense is a little more athletic than the ones we have seen in the past. They got a little recruiting bump after their solid 2012 season and the results are showing up on the field. I think they are exceptionally well coached. If this game comes down to a chess match between Mike Hankwitz and Greg Davis, we're probably gonna lose. Going in, I thought there was no way we could lose, but the edge of CJ at QB seems to have been eliminated due to injury and I fear that the teams are pretty evenly matched if we have QB issues - I have yet to see Ferentz out coach Fitz, so I'm actually pretty worried right now.
 
okeefe4prez said:
NU's defense is a little more athletic than the ones we have seen in the past. They got a little recruiting bump after their solid 2012 season and the results are showing up on the field. I think they are exceptionally well coached. If this game comes down to a chess match between Mike Hankwitz and Greg Davis, we're probably gonna lose. Going in, I thought there was no way we could lose, but the edge of CJ at QB seems to have been eliminated due to injury and I fear that the teams are pretty evenly matched if we have QB issues - I have yet to see Ferentz out coach Fitz, so I'm actually pretty worried right now.
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Worried or pleasantly surprised.
 
docholihawk said:
Worried or pleasantly surprised.
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Let me apologize in advance. Friday OK4P may be very different from Sunday and thereafter OK4P. I've seen so many just absolutely ugly losses to Northwestern that I can't take it anymore. Hopefully, I won't snap this year, but I make no promises.
 
Honestly, this game could go in any direction. A big win by either team or a close win by either team is in play. I have a hard time believing the Hawks will be able to line it up from the onset and run at NW successfully out of a traditional set. NW just won't allow it. They never have w Fitz there. You need to stretch NW if you are Iowa. MI can stretch them a little just by having a guy like Darboh catching bubble screens. To run the ball against these guys, the Hawks I think will need to line up w multiple TEs and throw out of that successfully either to the TEs or to 1/1 match ups with VB or J Smith. They will need to hit a big one over the top and not give NW ANY short fields.

I can't be optimistic about shutting down NWs offense even though it's sure looks like IA should be able to do so. They always get that dink and dunk game going vs Iowa. Then they have a good RB with a mobile QB that could run that zone read. They will score a TD or 2.

Iowa finds a way to score 20+, they win.
 
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