Offensive Scheme

[MeatMan]

No, this isn't going to be a super negative thread, but I do have a question for you coaches on here. Does it look like the offensive scheme is basically the same as last year? I mean, they obviously looked a lot better at times last game than they did all of last year, but it looks like the scheme remains the same.

Power running game with zone blocking and horizontal/short passing game looks to be the combo that they're going with.

What does bum me out is I don't get how these things are going to compliment each other. It doesn't seem to get the TE's involved and doesn't seem to mesh well.

Anyway, just checking to see if that's what everyone else saw.

 

[NCHawker]

Run = last year,

Pass, well? What's a tree look like that never sprouts?

 

[DJL]

No, this isn't going to be a super negative thread, but I do have a question for you coaches on here. Does it look like the offensive scheme is basically the same as last year? I mean, they obviously looked a lot better at times last game than they did all of last year, but it looks like the scheme remains the same.

Power running game with zone blocking and horizontal/short passing game looks to be the combo that they're going with.

What does bum me out is I don't get how these things are going to compliment each other. It doesn't seem to get the TE's involved and doesn't seem to mesh well.

Anyway, just checking to see if that's what everyone else saw.

Basically yes, they did make an effort to go down field a little more. The last 4 or 5 games last year they seemed to find CJF more. I'm not sure why they wouldn't do that again last Saturday. You saw on the touchdown that even if he is somewhat covered, he's not covered.

 

[ssckelley]

Not a coach, well above flag football anyway, just a tavern hok. But anyrate, I loved how GD says we have talented tightends and plan to use them more and then has it thrown to them twice the entire game. But honestly Iowa would have won the game had they stuck to the run in that final drive. The O-line had NIU wore down and I would have just pounded it at them with Weisman and Bullock using up the clock. Worst case scenario you end up in over time against that beaten up NIU defensive line and I would have pounded the ball at them some more.

 

[eveningnewsteam]

Iowa has no clue what they want to do offensively

 

[ThunderHawk]

 

[DBAHawkFan]

Iowa has no clue what they want to do offensively

+1

While there was some improvement in moving the ball, we still appear as though we are confused as to what kind of team we are......are we a power running team? Are we a spread team with dink and dunk passing.....are we a fast paced team? Or what?

At least with KOK we had an identity. We were a pro style offense, relied heavily on the run and PA pass. The problem was we'd go away from what was working a lot of games.

Makes me think KF is still meddling with the offense. Cause the one constant that's stayed with changing OC's, is that we appear to do the opposite of what we should during a game.

Smaller/lighter team, we come out passing in 2nd half.

Team that can't defend the pass, we come out and run into 9 man fronts.

 

[SpiderRico]

I saw some different things out there than I saw last year....

1. We definitely made a more concerted effort to stretch the field horizontally than we did last year.
2. We ran some zone read stuff that I think is going to be used to set up future teams with TE quick strikes....suck the linebackers in and then pull the ball out and zip it to a TE running down the seam.
3. No huddle definitely a difference. I don't remember the last time Iowa ran 80 plays in a game.
4. Not near as many zone stretch running plays as there used to be. Even saw what looked like man-on-man blocking at times....but I'm certainly no expert.

Then again, some things never change.....

1. Abandoning the running game at the worst possible times in the 2nd half. Sometimes I wonder if KF wants to be balanced just for the sake of being balanced. I couldn't care less if we ran it 65 times and passed it 15 times if the running game is what's working for us.

2. Bubble screens to WR that aren't playmakers. If we're going to run a bubble screen, use Powell who at least has some shiftiness to him.

3. Damn out patterns to the wide side of the field that are just begging to be picked by halfway decent corners. Most college QBs don't have the arm strength to consistently throw those routes. Heck, half of the QBs in the NFL can't throw that consistently. Vandenberg could, but his accuracy stunk. Stanzi couldn't and his junior year had, like, 4 of them returned for TDs. I thought it was interesting that Chuck Long talked about keeping a young QB from throwing to the middle of the field because that's where most INTs occur. Apparently he doesn't watch too many of our games under Ferentz because it's the throws to the outside that ALWAYS get picked against us.

 

[hwk23]

I saw some different things out there than I saw last year....

1. We definitely made a more concerted effort to stretch the field horizontally than we did last year.
2. We ran some zone read stuff that I think is going to be used to set up future teams with TE quick strikes....suck the linebackers in and then pull the ball out and zip it to a TE running down the seam.
3. No huddle definitely a difference. I don't remember the last time Iowa ran 80 plays in a game.
4. Not near as many zone stretch running plays as there used to be. Even saw what looked like man-on-man blocking at times....but I'm certainly no expert.

Then again, some things never change.....

1. Abandoning the running game at the worst possible times in the 2nd half. Sometimes I wonder if KF wants to be balanced just for the sake of being balanced. I couldn't care less if we ran it 65 times and passed it 15 times if the running game is what's working for us.

2. Bubble screens to WR that aren't playmakers. If we're going to run a bubble screen, use Powell who at least has some shiftiness to him.

3. Damn out patterns to the wide side of the field that are just begging to be picked by halfway decent corners. Most college QBs don't have the arm strength to consistently throw those routes. Heck, half of the QBs in the NFL can't throw that consistently. Vandenberg could, but his accuracy stunk. Stanzi couldn't and his junior year had, like, 4 of them returned for TDs. I thought it was interesting that Chuck Long talked about keeping a young QB from throwing to the middle of the field because that's where most INTs occur. Apparently he doesn't watch too many of our games under Ferentz because it's the throws to the outside that ALWAYS get picked against us.

KF absolutely wants to be 50/50 just for the sake of being "balanced". Most years we are very close to 50/50 at the end of the year. That doesn't happen without a conscious effort.

If you look at most good teams in college football they are between 60-70% run. 50/50 is really just an arbitruary figure that sounds good.

There were only 3 teams under KF that ran the ball more than 60% (2001, 2002 and 2008). Those were also the best scoring teams for KF by far (1st,1st and 3rd in the B1G). No other KF team has finished in the top half in the Big Ten in scoring except one (5th).

 

[dagdaj]

+1

While there was some improvement in moving the ball, we still appear as though we are confused as to what kind of team we are......are we a power running team? Are we a spread team with dink and dunk passing.....are we a fast paced team? Or what?

And a +1 for you too.

Call me mildly hopeful for the rest of the season and coming seasons.

I like the look of Rudock, quite a bit actually. I liked that there's some effort there to stretch it out a bit. Loved the fleaflicker. Wasn't expecting that for sure. When was the last time we ran that?

Hard to argue that the passing game wasn't working. Maybe not brilliantly, but pretty good for a guy with no snaps under his belt.

Hard to argue the running game wasn't working either. So, why'd we lose?

That "confusion" you're talking about for sure. Whether you want to call it play calling or not, there's definitely some identity issues.

Execution is indeed some of it. And a horrid secondary, matched with a d-line that's getting less pressure than year's past...is a big part of it too.

 

[MiniMoeHawk]

I wish they would at least attempt to throw to the middle of the field. Run a post every now and then to keep them honest. Outside of the CJF TD they rarely threw the ball anywhere near the hashes.

 

[doclee]

How many yards did we have Saturday?

 

[SpiderRico]

How many yards did we have Saturday?

Yards don't win games....points do. And our offense only scored 20 points against a MAC team. Not near enough.....

 

[bphawkeye]

How many yards did we have Saturday?

TOTAL OFFENSE YARDS them = 438 iowa = 458

2nd half points = iowa losers

Iowa 2nd half = 3 points = wtf = i'm ****** off = iowa offense did 2nd half zippo

and who is "we" - what was your number - and why did you suck so bad!!!!

 

[MeatMan]

I wish they would at least attempt to throw to the middle of the field. Run a post every now and then to keep them honest. Outside of the CJF TD they rarely threw the ball anywhere near the hashes.

That TE seem route was such a staple for so many years, and worked great too. Especially off of play action.

 

[MeatMan]

What got me to start this thread was listening to the "On Iowa" podcast. Marc and Scott just seem perplexed with what the offense was trying to do in the second half, particularly with the lack of TE targets. They also noted frustration with how the TE's seem to only be running sit down or out routes, and nothing over the middle.

 

[hawkfan2679]

What got me to start this thread was listening to the "On Iowa" podcast. Marc and Scott just seem perplexed with what the offense was trying to do in the second half, particularly with the lack of TE targets. They also noted frustration with how the TE's seem to only be running sit down or out routes, and nothing over the middle.

KF said that the defense was dictating where the ball was going. But if you are actively trying to get your TE touches, the defense can't take everything away that a TE can do unless you leave something else completely exposed. So it's either an issue of us not trying hard enough to get the ball to the TE, or we are trying and the defense took it away but the surrounding cast isn't making enough happen in their one-on-one matchups outside.

 

[ThunderHawk]

+1

While there was some improvement in moving the ball, we still appear as though we are confused as to what kind of team we are......are we a power running team? Are we a spread team with dink and dunk passing.....are we a fast paced team? Or what?

At least with KOK we had an identity. We were a pro style offense, relied heavily on the run and PA pass. The problem was we'd go away from what was working a lot of games.

Makes me think KF is still meddling with the offense. Cause the one constant that's stayed with changing OC's, is that we appear to do the opposite of what we should during a game.

Smaller/lighter team, we come out passing in 2nd half.

Team that can't defend the pass, we come out and run into 9 man fronts.

It's like (actually not "like;" it IS) they try to outsmart the opposing coaches, thinking "well the run is working, so they'll try to stop it, so we'll trick them and pass instead."

But ultimately and invariably they outsmart themselves. Too clever by half. And it leaves points and victories on the field.

The first rule of offense is never, ever abandon what is working. Ever. The second rule is: see the first rule.

It's cool to switch things up and catch the other team off guard. But it's even cooler to force them to stop you when you've got something working instead of pulling the plug yourself based upon possibly unfounded assumptions.

 

[MeatMan]

i'll be really interested to see if the Hawks show anything different for the game tomorrow. they'll have mismatches, will they take more shots down the field?

 

[tubahawk]

What got me to start this thread was listening to the "On Iowa" podcast. Marc and Scott just seem perplexed with what the offense was trying to do in the second half, particularly with the lack of TE targets. They also noted frustration with how the TE's seem to only be running sit down or out routes, and nothing over the middle.

I concur the TE's aren't running enough routes across the middle of the field but in fairness, the TD pass to CJ was up the middle. Also there was another attempt (not completed) to CJ down the middle of the field. That was more of a vertical route, but down the middle.