Passing game issues

[longtimer]

We just don't stretch the field. So far our wide receivers are just not a factor. How many times did Petras throw the ball down field? One late after it was over.
Is the problem the wide receivers, QB or scheme? Maybe all of the above

We continue to be a good defensive team and a lucky one as well. If they don't fumble into the end zone it was a 2 point game.

Kent State was a decent team but we will have trouble if we don't start making some downfield throws to our wide receivers

 

[Motigerhawk]

I think we have a bunch of below average receivers that are not very fast and cannot get open. I wonder what the percentage of passes are to the TEs and RBs. 80%?

 

[chucktownhawk]

I guess whatever works. I would love to see a home run a few times a game. I'm not sure our line can sustain that. We're very young and raw yet.

 

[Iceman]

Arland Bruce and Keagan Johnson played today. Was this their first action of the year?

 

[Luftgekuehlt67]

I feel encouraged after today's game. I took some shit after the ISU game for saying I thought we were going to need a bit more out of the O, specifically the passing game, than what we had seen so far. I don't know if that's enough to label me a critic but, fwiw, I saw some strides I'm the passing game today.

Yeah, it's Kent State, but I thought their D looked energetic and disciplined and we still put up a really good stat line in the passing game. Still took care of the ball, but we spread the rock around, too.

 

[Knight78]

We just don't stretch the field. So far our wide receivers are just not a factor. How many times did Petras throw the ball down field? One late after it was over.
Is the problem the wide receivers, QB or scheme? Maybe all of the above

We continue to be a good defensive team and a lucky one as well. If they don't fumble into the end zone it was a 2 point game.

Kent State was a decent team but we will have trouble if we don't start making some downfield throws to our wide receivers

In order to throw the ball deep, your line has to sustain blocks for at least 4 seconds. We may well get there as the season develops but right now we can't depend upon that, even for one play. Even with ISM, we didn't take many shots downfield until at least the 4th or 5th game of the season. This year could take longer as much of our line is young.

 

[loesshillshawk]

Did you watch the game? Even the announcers said they were playing a soft zone and not giving us anything deep.

 

[HuckFinn]

Look at the stats for our wide receivers for this game. Not bad, really. Significant effort to get them more involved.

 

[earlkoppelman]

In order to throw the ball deep, your line has to sustain blocks for at least 4 seconds. We may well get there as the season develops but right now we can't depend upon that, even for one play. Even with ISM, we didn't take many shots downfield until at least the 4th or 5th game of the season. This year could take longer as much of our line is young.

Patience we are developing then "improving" team.Nice Soft touch now. This a Team.A player's Team. Go Hawks...

 

[haydensly]

In order to throw the ball deep, your line has to sustain blocks for at least 4 seconds. We may well get there as the season develops but right now we can't depend upon that, even for one play. Even with ISM, we didn't take many shots downfield until at least the 4th or 5th game of the season. This year could take longer as much of our line is young.

I said the same thing at the game to my friend - we can't throw the ball deep because we can't block for it long enough. I don't think Petras was sacked yesterday but he didn't have a lot of time to throw the ball either. Some of the passing game issues we've had are shared with the O-Line. I think the passing game took a step forward against Kent State and the whole offense is a work in progress.

 

[chucktownhawk]

I will also add, our line did not give up a sack. As young as our line is, they'll start reacting quicker. Linderbaum is the true captain of our team and will instill confidence to get the job done.

 

[uihawk82]

I think we have a bunch of below average receivers that are not very fast and cannot get open. I wonder what the percentage of passes are to the TEs and RBs. 80%?

Ragaini seems to be pretty fast and a good route runner. He didnt seem to have trouble getting open for midrange passes in 2019 in the holiday bowl a couple of times, late against Nebby, etc. He ran a really good double move yesterday to get a big gain.

The hawks lost Smith Marsette a year early and we do not have a burner to have a high probability to get open deep. Charley Jones seems to have the wheels to win on a deep post or out pattern. Tracy should be able to also as he proved against jNW and Wisky in 2019.

But maybe the problem is as what other posters have mentioned in that we do not have the long enough pass protection so KF has decided to go with a shorter passing game to avoid sacks and to throw it out of bounds within a few seconds. When you have the hawk defense and punting game KF is playing the safe, long game

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

But maybe the problem is as what other posters have mentioned in that we do not have the long enough pass protection so KF has decided to go with a shorter passing game to avoid sacks and to throw it out of bounds within a few seconds. When you have the hawk defense and punting game KF is playing the safe, long game

This is a good point, though if ever there is an open receiver downfield when the pass pro does hold up Spencer wouldn't know because he doesn't go through his reads. He locks onto his receiver from the moment the ball snaps. His locking on really hurts YAC potential for his receivers too, because any above average LB or CB just needs to watch his eyes to know exactly where the ball is going on every drop back. Hard for LaPorta to ever get any YAC on anything other than a well-blocked bubble screen when the entire defensive backfield has 2-4 second notice that he is getting the ball. I think that is part of the problem with Spencer's pocket awareness too, his head isn't moving around so he only sees rushers within his small zone of tunnel vision, then when he gets hit he has no idea whether he has time to throw it away so immediately panics and tucks (which is still better than fumbling, but could've, no, would've, screwed us last week without a standout defensive performance). Obviously sacks were better yesterday, but against a better DL with more pressure it may have looked more like the first two weeks.

 

[DeereHawk75]

The fact that Petras is not a threat to run also adds to the fact that receivers have a tougher time getting open. Moss mentioned in the post game that he did get caught watching the Kent St. backfield (including their quarterback) a couple of times. Opposing defensive backs have no worries about our quarterback taking off for a big run.

 

[BILLBUCKNER]

Ragaini seems to be pretty fast and a good route runner. He didnt seem to have trouble getting open for midrange passes in 2019 in the holiday bowl a couple of times, late against Nebby, etc. He ran a really good double move yesterday to get a big gain.

The hawks lost Smith Marsette a year early and we do not have a burner to have a high probability to get open deep. Charley Jones seems to have the wheels to win on a deep post or out pattern. Tracy should be able to also as he proved against jNW and Wisky in 2019.

But maybe the problem is as what other posters have mentioned in that we do not have the long enough pass protection so KF has decided to go with a shorter passing game to avoid sacks and to throw it out of bounds within a few seconds. When you have the hawk defense and punting game KF is playing the safe, long game

Short passing game also figures into our ball control offense. Short completions keep the clock running and shortens the game and rests our defense. I would like to see Bruce get the ball in space and see what he can do.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

I think we have a bunch of below average receivers that are not very fast and cannot get open. I wonder what the percentage of passes are to the TEs and RBs. 80%?

Receivers had 11 of 26 receptions for 42% of passes

Tracy 5
Ragaini 4
Ritter 1
Bruce 1

Tight Ends
LaPorta 7

Halfback
G Williams 3
Goodson 2
IKM 1

Fullback
Pottabaum 2

38 rushing plays vs. Kent State

***
VS. Iowa State
Receivers had 6 of 11
Jones 2
Tracy 2
Ritter 1
Ragaini 1

39 rushing plays vs. Iowa State

***
VS. Indiana
Receivers had 5 of 13
Ragaini 2
Tracy 2
Jones 1

36 rushing plays vs. Indiana

 

[Hawkeye/swish]

We just don't stretch the field. So far our wide receivers are just not a factor. How many times did Petras throw the ball down field? One late after it was over.
Is the problem the wide receivers, QB or scheme? Maybe all of the above

We continue to be a good defensive team and a lucky one as well. If they don't fumble into the end zone it was a 2 point game.

Kent State was a decent team but we will have trouble if we don't start making some downfield throws to our wide receivers

Our play calling is not very good . Can u say vanilla...I don't think BF has a lot of confidence in Petrus. Petrus had the most success passing to.our tight ends.. Why don't we do.more of that..We just got to realize that we don't have a outstanding quarterback. And down the road this season it's going to bite us in the rear.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

Iowa was taking what Kent State gave them. Kent State took away the run up the middle and the deep passing game. Kent State dares opposing teams to throw the ball shallow into the flat and along the sideline. They hope to limit yardage per play and create turnovers. They managed to punch the ball out a couple of times but didn't get any interceptions. Iowa controlled the tempo of the game for the most part, put together several long drives, and flipped the field a number of times. Most of Iowa's major offensive breakdowns were on the Kent State side of the field. Penalties and a few weird calls (by the refs and BF) doomed a few drives and made the score close until Kent State fumbled into the endzone in the 3rd quarter. It wasn't pretty, but it wasn't exactly ugly either.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Ragaini seems to be pretty fast and a good route runner. He didnt seem to have trouble getting open for midrange passes in 2019 in the holiday bowl a couple of times, late against Nebby, etc. He ran a really good double move yesterday to get a big gain.

The hawks lost Smith Marsette a year early and we do not have a burner to have a high probability to get open deep. Charley Jones seems to have the wheels to win on a deep post or out pattern. Tracy should be able to also as he proved against jNW and Wisky in 2019.

But maybe the problem is as what other posters have mentioned in that we do not have the long enough pass protection so KF has decided to go with a shorter passing game to avoid sacks and to throw it out of bounds within a few seconds. When you have the hawk defense and punting game KF is playing the safe, long game

If Smith Marsette and Nixon were back I would say we are a legitimate top 10 team. We have a few weeks to get ready, but we're gonna have some serious issues with Purdue, Penn State and Wisconsin if don't get a lot better.

 

[uihawk82]

If Smith Marsette and Nixon were back I would say we are a legitimate top 10 team. We have a few weeks to get ready, but we're gonna have some serious issues with Purdue, Penn State and Wisconsin if don't get a lot better.

I agree. ISM was a game breaker in many ways, kick returns, reverses, pass catching even throwing, and was really fast. Not only Nixon but Gholston also although he might have been a true senior and a 5 and 4 guy. And Kallenberger back as a solid tackle maybe on the left side. Those 4 guys would add a lot to a really good team.