OOTH: Most telling- OL problems

[OUTofTOWNHAWK]

Kirk is supposed to be the OL guru. What the heck happened? How many more All Americans did he need? How many solid TEs did he need?

Does this show that Brian doesnt know what the heck is going on? Or does this just show the base of the program crumbling?

They had major problems againt horrible teams at the beginning of the year.

 

[mrolympia]

part of it was weisman was too slow to hit the holes. Part of it was that there were always 8-9 guys in the box because the greg davis passing playbook is 85% 5 yard or less sideline passes so there was no need to fear play action and getting burned deep. When's the last time Iowa actually USED a play action pass and threw it 15 yards to a TE.........yup, the KOK era.

 

[CJSHawk]

Kirk is supposed to be the OL guru. What the heck happened? How many more All Americans did he need? How many solid TEs did he need?Does this show that Brian doesnt know what the heck is going on? Or does this just show the base of the program crumbling? They had major problems againt horrible teams at the beginning of the year.

I don't think this gets talked about enough. We didn't have a 100-yard rusher until November. I realize having Weisman as your RB has a lot to do with that, but it also speaks to poor o-line play while having the Outland Trophy winner playing left tackle. And next year's o-line is going to be worse. We have undersized walk-ons listed as the second string left and right tackles at a school that has a long history of excellent o-line play. Really? And Sean Welsh and Jordan Walsh struggled all year long.

 

[SpecialKHawk]

part of it was weisman was too slow to hit the holes. Part of it was that there were always 8-9 guys in the box because the greg davis passing playbook is 85% 5 yard or less sideline passes so there was no need to fear play action and getting burned deep. When's the last time Iowa actually USED a play action pass and threw it 15 yards to a TE.........yup, the KOK era.

I suppose Wisconsin never sees a 8-9 man box? They seem to be rolling along year after year after year. At one point against Auburn they ran it 25 of 28 plays. No need for play action (not that I disagree with using PA at all) with that even. That is O-line & RB superiority when a high level opponent even knows what is coming and cannot stop it. Of course they do not play small guys either and neither does Arkansas.

 

[lightning1]

I can't fathom how Scherff won the Outland Trophy, honestly. He was beat by speed rushes all season long. Gave up several sacks and pressures. Tenn's DE was eating his lunch.

 

[HawkeyeMike23]

#bulliesoftheB10

 

[CJSHawk]

I can't fathom how Scherff won the Outland Trophy, honestly. He was beat by speed rushes all season long. Gave up several sacks and pressures. Tenn's DE was eating his lunch.

Scherff is an elite run blocker. Maybe the best I've ever seen at Iowa, but he's average at pass blocking which leads me to believe he'll be a guard at the next level.

 

[hwks1]

The inability to run the ball ON ANYONE is a puzzler and an indictment on the coaching staff.

I have long stated that KF is good a producing 'lineman'... he has only once had a dominant 'line'. KF gets way, way too much credit for his Olines play. Certainly never in the category of production of Wisconsin.

 

[SpecialKHawk]

I can't fathom how Scherff won the Outland Trophy, honestly. He was beat by speed rushes all season long. Gave up several sacks and pressures. Tenn's DE was eating his lunch.

Nothing not discussed before, but he may make a tremendous guard in the NFL. The dude can flat out run block. Pass protection on the edge is a whole different thing.

To give you an idea Arkansas has a starting guard that is 6'5" and 350 lbs. Scherff is 6'5", 320 lbs. Scherff plays guard at Wisky/Arkansas and maybe a center depending on depth. Not uncommon to see tackles in college and the pros at 6'6" or taller. Players with this stature and subsequent arm length (more reach) make it much more difficult for guys to fly by them assuming they have any ability to move their feet.

I will argue until I am blue in the face but our number one problem on the o-line has been we recruit and play too many small stature guys. We cannot control the LOS inside the 20 and definitely against better teams. Check out the metrics on KF's best line ever in 2002 and then compare that to all the others in the KF era. You will notice something about all 5 guys. You will also notice something very similar about what Wisconsin and Arkansas do (like many of the other best programs).

 

[knighthawk13]

I suppose Wisconsin never sees a 8-9 man box? They seem to be rolling along year after year after year. At one point against Auburn they ran it 25 of 28 plays. No need for play action (not that I disagree with using PA at all) with that even. That is O-line & RB superiority when a high level opponent even knows what is coming and cannot stop it. Of course they do not play small guys either and neither does Arkansas.

Look who was toting the ball the last few years at Wisconsin. If we had that level of talent, they would have rolled up lots of yards at Iowa as well.

 

[SpecialKHawk]

Look who was toting the ball the last few years at Wisconsin. If we had that level of talent, they would have rolled up lots of yards at Iowa as well.

James White, Monty Ball, and on and on.... Say hello.

What has Monty Ball done now at Denver? That is right he was beat out by Anderson (a late round/undrafted guy).

No doubt Gordon is great but Clement also spelled him and produced yards and big plays.

The O-Line metrics and blue print makes all the difference. Great lines allow backs with some talent to shine. Give me a massive, great line anyday not just a great LT.

 

[Travisam]

#bulliesoftheB10

#bullshitofthebigten

 

[knighthawk13]

James White, Monty Ball, and on and on.... Say hello.

What has Monty Ball done now at Denver? That is right he was beat out by Anderson (a late round/undrafted guy).

No doubt Gordon is great but Clement also spelled him and produced yards and big plays.

The O-Line metrics and blue print makes all the difference. Great lines allow backs with some talent to shine. Give me a massive, great line anyday not just a great LT.

Monty Ball got hurt. Had he not, Anderson would be a no name right now. My original point is that our o-line wasn't terrible this year. Our FB/RB was. MW is a good kid with a big heart, but he's not a division 1 running back. Put any of the running backs above on this Iowa roster and they run for plenty of yards. Next year, not so much.

 

[DDThompson]

My answers to your questions

Kirk is supposed to be the OL guru. What the heck happened?

Myriad of problems. Injuries to backfield. Wrong starting QB. Fullback as a #1RB .

How many more All Americans did he need?

Four.

How many solid TEs did he need?

Zero - did a coin flip before each game to determine if TEs were going to be used that game.

Does this show that Brian doesnt know what the heck is going on? Or does this just show the base of the program crumbling?

No. Maybe.

They had major problems againt horrible teams at the beginning of the year.

This wasn't the first time in the KF tenure that the OL has struggled to find its identity.

 

[trj]

Monty Ball got hurt. Had he not, Anderson would be a no name right now. My original point is that our o-line wasn't terrible this year. Our FB/RB was. MW is a good kid with a big heart, but he's not a division 1 running back. Put any of the running backs above on this Iowa roster and they run for plenty of yards. Next year, not so much.

Maybe, maybe not. That doesn't explain Dayne, Clay, White, Calhoun, etc. Wisky has a system and it works.

 

[trj]

Nothing not discussed before, but he may make a tremendous guard in the NFL. The dude can flat out run block. Pass protection on the edge is a whole different thing.

To give you an idea Arkansas has a starting guard that is 6'5" and 350 lbs. Scherff is 6'5", 320 lbs. Scherff plays guard at Wisky/Arkansas and maybe a center depending on depth. Not uncommon to see tackles in college and the pros at 6'6" or taller. Players with this stature and subsequent arm length (more reach) make it much more difficult for guys to fly by them assuming they have any ability to move their feet.

I will argue until I am blue in the face but our number one problem on the o-line has been we recruit and play too many small stature guys. We cannot control the LOS inside the 20 and definitely against better teams. Check out the metrics on KF's best line ever in 2002 and then compare that to all the others in the KF era. You will notice something about all 5 guys. You will also notice something very similar about what Wisconsin and Arkansas do (like many of the other best programs).

The zone blocking scheme that KF employs that is what is required. Leverage and the ability to get to the next level(next wave of defenders) is what they want. Size isn't relevant(save the jokes) they seek guys with the athleticism to do the things I mentioned.

 

[brhawks18]

I can't fathom how Scherff won the Outland Trophy, honestly. He was beat by speed rushes all season long. Gave up several sacks and pressures. Tenn's DE was eating his lunch.

He was beaten badly Friday several times no doubt about it. Many project him as a guard in the pro game. I think Bulaga and Reiff were better tackles then Scherff.

 

[trj]

He was beaten badly Friday several times no doubt about it. Many project him as a guard in the pro game. I think Bulaga and Reiff were better tackles then Scherff as was/is Marshall Yanda.

Even though Yanda played RT last night, he is an absolute beast at RG. As a Steeler fan trust me I know.

 

[knighthawk13]

Maybe, maybe not. That doesn't explain Dayne, Clay, White, Calhoun, etc. Wisky has a system and it works.

So does Iowa. It works when we have a good RB, just like Wisconsin. If MW were the starting RB at Wisconsin, he wouldn't have ran for over 1,000 yards.....but MW would never be the RB at Wisconsin because KF isn't their coach.

 

[trj]

So does Iowa. It works when we have a good RB, just like Wisconsin. If MW were the starting RB at Wisconsin, he wouldn't have ran for over 1,000 yards.....but MW would never be the RB at Wisconsin because KF isn't their coach.

Not going to argue this because Iowa hasn't had a RB to fit their scheme since 2010.