OLine and Running game

[deanvogs]

So if going into the season I would tell you that we would avg. nearly 40 yards more on the ground per game would you have believed me? We lost an Outland Trophy winner, and a 4th Rd draft pick at the tackles and we are still that much improved over last year. This is also a tougher 6 game start than last year as we have played Wicsonsin and Ill. this year as the first 2 games of the B1G compared to Purdue and Indiana last year.

 

[Saginawbay]

The difference is not the line it is having an RB... Take the 75 yard one if Mark hits that hole maybe 12-15 yards maximum, but Jordan able to take advantage, and has enough speed to break away.

 

[deanvogs]

I think it is a combination of both. The OL is obviously better this year, the inside of this line is playing outstanding football, and opening up huge holes (just look at the 75 yard run, he wouldn't have gotten tackle playing 2 hand touch).

 

[HomerChampless]

I think it's a further combination. Our offense isn't playing as much in a phone booth anymore. Though that Wisky game brought us back down memory lane didn't it.

Yeah, Canzeri has more potential than others to break big gains but opponents' defenses have to defend the whole field. Opponents' defenses can no longer concentrate along the line of scrimmage like it's a goal line stand on every play. This change of Iowa offensive philosophy started, IMO, with Rudock (the traitor) and has continued even more with CJ. Opponents will need better athletes just to defend us. No longer a defense to gather a majority of players to stop a lane of offense but a defense of a quorum of players to stop a lane of offense since offense can come from anywhere on the field. #Whatdoyasayaboutthat?

Then with about 8 minutes to go in the game when their defense is tired or out of position, we put the hammer down on them.

 

[deanvogs]

I think it's a further combination. Our offense isn't playing as much in a phone booth anymore. Yeah, Canzeri has more potential than others to break big gains but their defense has to defend the whole field. Their defense can no longer concentrate along the line of scrimmage like it's a goal line stand on every play. Our offense is more like Big 12 style? Whatdoyasayaboutthat? Hashtag?

True, plus teams have to worry about inside zone plays, counter plays, pulling guards, just basically a bunch of things we haven't done in our run game for a long, long time. We had become a team that ran the outside zone stretch play like 75% of our runs until this year, making us extremely predictable in the run game.

 

[uihawk82]

All very good points. Just take the 75 yard TD run which as Eddie P. called it an excellently blocked counter play as CJ turned to his left after the snap, Canzeri was heading toward left tackle, the tackles were taking their guys wide out of the play, the interior linemen may have had a trap, and in the end the hole was designed to be over right guard. Canzeri had the vision to see and go to the hole.

Maybe the run coordinator talked his dad into trying more sophisticated blocking schemes. The occasional trapping guard plays are working as are more counter plays.

And how about the pitchout action where CJ pivots one way from under center to influence the lbkrs and safeties, he spins 180-270 degrees and delivers the long pitchout to the RB who has the edge won. KFs teams have hardly ever ran a pitchout action. Very good stuff.

 

[ClintonIAfan]

Keep this line aggressive and attacking hard. The schemes work well with the offensive line, and their abilities.

 

[DodgerHawki]

The difference is not the line it is having an RB... Take the 75 yard one if Mark hits that hole maybe 12-15 yards maximum, but Jordan able to take advantage, and has enough speed to break away.

Bingo, we have a winner. Getting big plays out of the running game is a must if you are going to feature a pro-set and running game as a staple of the offense. It is huge when you correctly block a play or the defense lines up wrong and you can make them pay with a 75-yard TD instead of a 15-yard first down run.

Wisconsin has gone from a very good/great offense to just good because they lost the threat of a home run with Gordon (and then Clement has been hurt). Iowa has also added more variety to the running game. In addition to outside and inside zones (the staples), there have been more power player (with pulling and blocking of specific people rather than areas), tosses and draws.

 

[trj]

True, plus teams have to worry about inside zone plays, counter plays, pulling guards, just basically a bunch of things we haven't done in our run game for a long, long time. We had become a team that ran the outside zone stretch play like 75% of our runs until this year, making us extremely predictable in the run game.

This is a very good observation. Weisman and Coker were plodders who never could master the footwork on the outside zone stretch. DC(s) could let their guys run loose without repercussion, overpursue, DE crashing the backside, etc. You look at Weisman and Coker's big runs they were the inside zone play that looked like an off tackle run that starts inside and then is bounced outside.

Btw, a lot of good points in this thread.

 

[PCHawk]

Pretty much everything mentioned has made a difference. But if it wasn't for all that changing, our run game would be considerably worse this year because the oline is considerably worse.

 

[HawkeyeDenis]

Probably the biggest single difference this year for the running game and the OL is CJ. His athletic ability keeps defenses honest. They can't load up on Iowa like they did last year because CJ isn't predictable. He isn't going to panic and dump the ball for a 2 yard gain. If they make him run he is still a dangerous passer and his legs could get him 30 yards down the field in a heartbeat. Add to that the line working together and Canzeri's ability to squeak into the defensive backfield, Iowa has an offense that needs to be respected.

 

[homes]

Plus Iowa's running game is varied this year. Sweeps, pulling the guards and center, draws, runs inside the tackles. The stretch play is just one of the options this year. I would expect the read option to get unveiled, too - with the exception that they don't want Beathard getting hurt.

 

[Jonrn]

I think having Iowa's younger lineman spend a spring and a summer camp blocking and scrimmaging against Ott, Meier, Johnson and bazata put their development ahead of schedule.

 

[trj]

I think having Iowa's younger lineman spend a spring and a summer camp blocking and scrimmaging against Ott, Meier, Johnson and bazata put their development ahead of schedule.

if anything it made them tougher.

 

[BILLYBOBSTEXAS]

Having LD get hurt forced Kirk into playing JC more. Daniels is somewhat of a plodder himself.

 

[HawkeyeDenis]

The score didn't reflect what a beat down Iowa gave the Illini in the last quarter. Illinois thought they had a chance until Iowa lined up and ran at them 11 strait times. It was nothing fancy, 11 runs, left right and up the gut. And Illinois couldn't answer. Iowa dared them to stop the run. No tricks, just strait ahead toe to toe, mano e mano football. They knew they were beat. And when they walked off the field they knew Iowa was the better team.

 

[ChosenChildren]

It is coaching, boys. Brian Ferentz is doing an incredible job. Did you see him on the sideline Saturday, cheering on his players? He is a fiery leader and kids are buying in. It is very encouraging for the future

 

[biasedHAWKEYE]

Your passing game goes as your tackles go. Your run game goes as your guards go. Last year, Iowa's guards did not play well. This year? They have been really solid. I think that's the difference. Having a shifty back like Canzeri healthy doesn't hurt, however.

 

[deanvogs]

Having LD get hurt forced Kirk into playing JC more. Daniels is somewhat of a plodder himself.

Disagree completely. Our running game would be even more effective with a tandem of Daniels and Canzeri. Daniels had 34 carries for 179 yard before getting injured for a 5.26 YPC average. Right now Canzeri is averaging 5.3 YPC.

If we could be getting 20 carries out of LD, and 15 out of JC (plus another 2-5 passes) per game, our total yards by our RB would be even more impressive. We need a second back, JC can't get 30-40 carries a game, it is simply too big a load for even a big back.

 

[Mrke1]

Disagree completely. Our running game would be even more effective with a tandem of Daniels and Canzeri. Daniels had 34 carries for 179 yard before getting injured for a 5.26 YPC average. Right now Canzeri is averaging 5.3 YPC.

If we could be getting 20 carries out of LD, and 15 out of JC (plus another 2-5 passes) per game, our total yards by our RB would be even more impressive. We need a second back, JC can't get 30-40 carries a game, it is simply too big a load for even a big back.

+1

Canzeri might not even survive Saturday's game, much less the rest of the season, without some sort of relief.