Offensive ideas from Pat Harty

[hawkdrummer1]

I think his shoulder was OK all season although I can't say that with any certainty. To me, his shortcomings in the first half of the year were more due to the space above his shoulders. I just don't think he had enough time and experience to get Tim Lester's complex offense early on. As the season progressed, he got better and better. Also, I'm sure the knee injury didn't really help anything either.

Agreed. It comes back to one of the constant themes under KFz. It takes too long for the offense to get up to speed

 

[haydensly]

Agreed. It comes back to one of the constant themes under KFz. It takes too long for the offense to get up to speed

Under BF, yes. Under Tim Lester, at least it is worth waiting for and the offense was productive and is still improving. It took Gronowski a half season to start to see the field better. If he hadn't been forced to sit out until fall camp he may have been ready. Or at least much more so.

I am hopeful that whoever is #1 after spring practice will have a good grasp on this offense.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

The trouble is he is more of a Tim Tebow type runner than Taysom Hill. He is not fast enough to be that slash type gadget players. I mean, if you had room on your roster, could you find a way to use him on short yardage and goal line? Maybe. That said, he had a Remington award center and really did not move the pile a ton on sneaks. Tush push is a lot more on the QB than most people want to admit. Some are good at it, some are not.

I think we were wowed by him having over 10,000 yards at SDSU, but that was spread out over three seasons where they went to the nattie twice, so that's like 16 games a season?

He definitely got better as the season went along, but he has a lot of problems with his throwing. Poor touch, throws fast balls, sky balls when he is nervous, and he is just not consistently accurate. Those things are pretty hard to cure.

Hope he gets a shot. Would be shocked if he makes a roster.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

I am glad that Iowa has not looked for a portal 1-year fix. Don't get me wrong, getting MG was 100% the right move to make. But, I am looking forward to the next great 3-year starter in Hecklinski. Tate, Ameristanzi, CJ (sort of), Stanley. Let's Go!!

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Wow, you don't see a 14 year old thread dusted off and repurposed very often. Well done?

On the topic at hand, Iowa certainly benefitted from this relationship as it finally had a QB playmaker for the first time in a half decade. Was he everything he was sold as? Maybe not. Certainly not at first. But, the back half of the season MG was a very good QB. I would certainly take another season if he had any years left.

I think Mark was exposed a bit if he has aspirations of playing at the next level. He is not an accurate passer. He has NFL size and an okay arm. He is obviously a good runner, but would not survive at the next level taking the hits he did at Iowa. He would be a real project at the next level, whether he stays at QB or switches to a TE/Hback type player.

Yeah Mark is a right handed Tim Tebow pretty much. He can occasionally but inconsistently make good throws. He misses layups way too often to be considered a serious pro prospect. Is he worth having on a 53 man roster to have as say a short yardage/goal line QB? Obviously for the teams that have a Josh Allen on them no but the ones with Bryce Young or one of the smaller guys maybe. Those roster spots are so valuable I doubt an NFL team would but I'd love to see him get a shot at it. It'd be an outside the box sort of thing to try.

 

[kameltoez102]

Under BF, yes. Under Tim Lester, at least it is worth waiting for and the offense was productive and is still improving. It took Gronowski a half season to start to see the field better. If he hadn't been forced to sit out until fall camp he may have been ready. Or at least much more so.

I am hopeful that whoever is #1 after spring practice will have a good grasp on this offense.

To be fair as well, one thing that hasn't been mentioned is our receiving corps dropped a lot of catchable passes those early game and even further into the season. Maybe that is because they couldn't get on the same page with Mark earlier and trying to get used to his ball or just didn't concentrate.

It also didn't help with Ostrenga going down who was going to be one of his main targets.

 

[kicker22]

I am glad that Iowa has not looked for a portal 1-year fix. Don't get me wrong, getting MG was 100% the right move to make. But, I am looking forward to the next great 3-year starter in Hecklinski. Tate, Ameristanzi, CJ (sort of), Stanley. Let's Go!!

Hate to see it but I don't see any "great 3 year starters" in the future. NIL is a whole different ball game. We may see great play for a year or two, but if we find someone hitting their stride and putting up great stats I don't think we have the bankroll to keep them on our roster. Which losing them would hurt, but at the same time we'd also benefit from their success helping us find a suitable replacement and revitalizing the offense/passing game.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Hate to see it but I don't see any "great 3 year starters" in the future. NIL is a whole different ball game. We may see great play for a year or two, but if we find someone hitting their stride and putting up great stats I don't think we have the bankroll to keep them on our roster. Which losing them would hurt, but at the same time we'd also benefit from their success helping us find a suitable replacement and revitalizing the offense/passing game.

This notion that Iowa is some poor step child in this game is not based in reality. The school has the same money as every other big school. I understand NIL money can lure kids a way, but do you know how much we paid for our last two portal QBs? By most accounts it was market and 7 figures.

Now, can Iowa get outbid by a blue blood for an absolute stud QB? Probably. But, do I really think that LSU would have come after Drew Tate or Nate Stanley their senior year? I don't. That's my point. Any really good Iowa QB will still be hamstrung with KF's conservative nature. I don't see us ever having a first round QB, but if we could get another CJ Beatherd, I think Iowa could hold onto a guy like that.

 

[kameltoez102]

Hate to see it but I don't see any "great 3 year starters" in the future. NIL is a whole different ball game. We may see great play for a year or two, but if we find someone hitting their stride and putting up great stats I don't think we have the bankroll to keep them on our roster. Which losing them would hurt, but at the same time we'd also benefit from their success helping us find a suitable replacement and revitalizing the offense/passing game.

What has really changed the game is those guys that were good enough for the couple years bolted to the NFL before their final year. Now guys can make much more money playing that extra year in college which has drastically changed things for everyone. In the long run are they getting any better? Are they using that time to at least get a degree to protect themselves? Even projected Top picks can make more money at the right place in college which is crazy.

 

[haydensly]

This notion that Iowa is some poor step child in this game is not based in reality. The school has the same money as every other big school. I understand NIL money can lure kids a way, but do you know how much we paid for our last two portal QBs? By most accounts it was market and 7 figures.

Now, can Iowa get outbid by a blue blood for an absolute stud QB? Probably. But, do I really think that LSU would have come after Drew Tate or Nate Stanley their senior year? I don't. That's my point. Any really good Iowa QB will still be hamstrung with KF's conservative nature. I don't see us ever having a first round QB, but if we could get another CJ Beatherd, I think Iowa could hold onto a guy like that.

Exactly. This is pretty much what Beth Goetz said in an interview with Chad L. of the DM Register. Iowa is not a poor step child in the NIL game. Blue blood money? No. And we never will be. But able to complete just below that top level.

 

[kicker22]

This notion that Iowa is some poor step child in this game is not based in reality. The school has the same money as every other big school. I understand NIL money can lure kids a way, but do you know how much we paid for our last two portal QBs? By most accounts it was market and 7 figures.

Now, can Iowa get outbid by a blue blood for an absolute stud QB? Probably. But, do I really think that LSU would have come after Drew Tate or Nate Stanley their senior year? I don't. That's my point. Any really good Iowa QB will still be hamstrung with KF's conservative nature. I don't see us ever having a first round QB, but if we could get another CJ Beatherd, I think Iowa could hold onto a guy like that.

I'm not saying were poor or can't compete. I'm saying if we find a QB that puts in two absolutely stellar seasons here, there's not much were going to be able to do if a blue blood comes knocking at a powerhouse that is in contention of a National Championship.

I agree with you about those players still being a limited in KF's offense, and I think that is part of the problem. If a QB puts up great numbers in the Iowa system there is no doubt that he's a special player and there's no doubt that other coaches around the country aren't going to notice it. The combination of money, playing for a true contender, and the opportunity to expand the playbook and really show what they are capable of could be enough to persuade others to go elsewhere.

 

[kameltoez102]

I'm not saying were poor or can't compete. I'm saying if we find a QB that puts in two absolutely stellar seasons here, there's not much were going to be able to do if a blue blood comes knocking at a powerhouse that is in contention of a National Championship.

I agree with you about those players still being a limited in KF's offense, and I think that is part of the problem. If a QB puts up great numbers in the Iowa system there is no doubt that he's a special player and there's no doubt that other coaches around the country aren't going to notice it. The combination of money, playing for a true contender, and the opportunity to expand the playbook and really show what they are capable of could be enough to persuade others to go elsewhere.

With Lester here I don’t feel there is any limitation on the offense besides maybe the number of possessions. What we have lacked is QB efficiency and WRs that can catch the ball consistently when they have the opportunity. If our QB was more accurate and we make wide open catches where the completion percentage is 65-68% our existing offense looks much different. When many of the drops occur on 3rd down to extend a drive that is killer for us when we try and limit possessions

 

[NorthKCHawk]

I also think the days of blue bloods being able to buy whatever talent they want may be taking a hit as the NIL donors get more sophisticated and require contracts. If I were one of these billionaire's lawyers, I would have a years of service clause, non-compete (although hard to enforce those these days), and a buy out/payback clause. If the kid signs a two year contract and bolts after the first year, he (the new school) has to payback the money given. That shit is enforceable and there is going to be more and more lawsuits until agents and kids start taking the contracts seriously. I know we think Texas schools have limitless money, but it really isn't. Its just a lot. Buying out a kids contract and then giving him even more money once he gets there is not something that will be done willy nilly.