Pass Rush & DL Rotation

[AreWeThereYet]

Need better coverage to not allow the 1st or even 2nd option to be open every play. I'd like to see more blitzing. Bring it from different places and often. Keep the offense off balance and force them to keep a RB in the backfield all game.

There were multiple times where AJE would have gotten to the QB if he held the ball one more second. I would have liked to see more Amani Jones at DE as well. Also was surprised there were very few stunts ran by the DL.

Part of me wonders if Iowa was keeping the defensive gameplan very vanilla to not have much on film for future opponents.

That's not the way it works. Over the years this coaching staff has repeatedly gone to vanilla 4-3 base defense to bring inexperienced players up to speed on their basic roles. The defensive line graduated three starters and a backup. The DB's are missing two starters from last year. A number of the replacements may be more talented but they still haven't started entire games.

 

[99topdawg]

I'll sum up this thread: AJ needs to come back next year.

 

[Lumberman]

I have no problems with the way AJE played.

Everyone agrees that Miami schemed to limit the pass rush by getting the ball out of the QB’s hands quickly. Short, quick routes.

My issue was that the Defense didn’t adjust and play up closer. Seems we were always giving a 7 to 10 yard cushion, even when it was 3rd and 4!

 

[theboat]

Agree. However, a lot of the time AJ was not being double teamed, and was just not getting there. Their qb had a lot of time to throw most of the night. This has to improve. We played a freshman qb, and he was pretty comfortable back there. We should have destroyed that offensive line last night, and didn't. Colbert had a lot of tackles, but always leaves his feet, or goes to his knees it seems. DB play wasn't all that great, hopefully it gets better because we will see MUCH better offenses. That team last night was very bad all the way around.

What game were you watching? Gabbert got the ball out in 3 seconds or less on all but 2 throws. On those 2 throws, the only reason it was more than 3 seconds is because he was forced out of the pocket and hit as he threw it.
If you expect a pass rush to get to a QB in 2 seconds with a few 300 pound guys trying to impede it, then you are just doomed to be miserable.

 

[theboat]

I have no problems with the way AJE played.

Everyone agrees that Miami schemed to limit the pass rush by getting the ball out of the QB’s hands quickly. Short, quick routes.

My issue was that the Defense didn’t adjust and play up closer. Seems we were always giving a 7 to 10 yard cushion, even when it was 3rd and 4!

20 years in, you should be used to it by now.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

I have no problems with the way AJE played.

Everyone agrees that Miami schemed to limit the pass rush by getting the ball out of the QB’s hands quickly. Short, quick routes.

My issue was that the Defense didn’t adjust and play up closer. Seems we were always giving a 7 to 10 yard cushion, even when it was 3rd and 4!

Iowa has some inexperience in the defensive backfield. The big cushion gives guys like Merriwheather a little more time to react, and keeps the ball in front of the DB's so hesitation and small mistakes don't take them out of the play.

 

[HuckFinn]

20 years in, you should be used to it by now.

I thought we were near the top in interceptions the last couple of years.

 

[NikeHawk21]

Well it looks like Saturday will be a good test for our pass rush.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Iowa has always struggled with accurate pocket QBs with quick releases. We do not blitz and its hard to get pressure with just four. There are holes in zones. That is just true. An accurate QB usually has enough time to find the soft spot in the zone. There is a reason that kid won the job as a true frosh. I suspect some BCS schools may regret not taking a chance on the kid just because he is a bit short.