Players saved staff from serious scrutiny

H

hawkIhoops

Well-Known Member
IMO, the players saved KOK and KF from getting hammered like never before by pulling the game out Saturday. Seriously, how freaking clueless are these two guys offensively? Game after game we hear the opposing coaches say "stop Iowa's run and you stop Iowa". We continue to run into stacked boxes, run a north-south runner wide on the zone play and refuse to play anyone but Coker. Our TE's barely get any looks and our passing game, with the exception of the 4th quarter Saturday is about as rudimentary as it gets.

Saturday proved we have ample talent at the QB and WR spots to throw the ball more. I would even go as far as to say we are a better passing team than running team and should pass to free up the run. Blasphemy I know, given our addiction to beat out Penn State for the most conservative, vanilla, boring offensive team in the conference. If the staff can't be flexible to account for variances in their talent, they are holding the program back.

I am sure the spin machine will be in full gear this week and Saturday's comeback will be attributed to KOK's brilliant play calling NOT a failure of the staff to make in game adjustments until the situation became desperate.
 
hawkIhoops said:
IMO, the players saved KOK and KF from getting hammered like never before by pulling the game out Saturday. Seriously, how freaking clueless are these two guys offensively? Game after game we hear the opposing coaches say "stop Iowa's run and you stop Iowa". We continue to run into stacked boxes, run a north-south runner wide on the zone play and refuse to play anyone but Coker. Our TE's barely get any looks and our passing game, with the exception of the 4th quarter Saturday is about as rudimentary as it gets.

Saturday proved we have ample talent at the QB and WR spots to throw the ball more. I would even go as far as to say we are a better passing team than running team and should pass to free up the run. Blasphemy I know, given our addiction to beat out Penn State for the most conservative, vanilla, boring offensive team in the conference. If the staff can't be flexible to account for variances in their talent, they are holding the program back.

I am sure the spin machine will be in full gear this week and Saturday's comeback will be attributed to KOK's brilliant play calling NOT a failure of the staff to make in game adjustments until the situation became desperate.
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Who caught the first pass of game ofr long gain?? Yes Herman the TE!!!!

Who threw the interception after the defense caused fumble?? Maybe we should have run Coker to save the turnover?????

Who overthrew McNutt in end zone in second quarter???

This staff is alot more flexible than you give them credit. Also, the game would have been much closer if not for penalties, the interception and the overthrow of McNutt in end zone.

I enjoyed the 4th quarter as much as anyone but of JV had been throwing likie he was in first half, it would have been three and out rather than TDs. The whole team got on a roll. Also the TD at end of 3rd quarter came with regular offense.
 
hawkIhoops said:
IMO, the players saved KOK and KF from getting hammered like never before by pulling the game out Saturday. Seriously, how freaking clueless are these two guys offensively? Game after game we hear the opposing coaches say "stop Iowa's run and you stop Iowa". We continue to run into stacked boxes, run a north-south runner wide on the zone play and refuse to play anyone but Coker. Our TE's barely get any looks and our passing game, with the exception of the 4th quarter Saturday is about as rudimentary as it gets.

Saturday proved we have ample talent at the QB and WR spots to throw the ball more. I would even go as far as to say we are a better passing team than running team and should pass to free up the run. Blasphemy I know, given our addiction to beat out Penn State for the most conservative, vanilla, boring offensive team in the conference. If the staff can't be flexible to account for variances in their talent, they are holding the program back.

I am sure the spin machine will be in full gear this week and Saturday's comeback will be attributed to KOK's brilliant play calling NOT a failure of the staff to make in game adjustments until the situation became desperate.
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I think this is largely correct, especially considering this post-game quote from Keenan Davis:

“That’s one of the big things for this game,â€￾ Davis said. “They(coaches) gave us the green light to play like you can, and got (the ball) to the athletes — let everybody make the plays they can make. It was a big part of winning.â€￾

Not blasphemy at all to suggest this Iowa team is probably better through the air than on the ground right now. This may be a year to reverse the approach: let the passing game set up the running game. Let's see if the staff adapts.
 
Iowa threw the ball 48 times vs Pitt

Iowa threw the ball 28 times vs ISU, including 3OT

Iowa threw the ball 59% of the time vs Pitt

So I guess my question is...what game were you watching?

You think Iowa should pass every play?
 
I agree with the OP. This is the reason we let bad teams hang around. We have talented players, you have to let them make plays. No reason to be so conservative against teams you are clearly better than.
 
I'd say it was the players that almost caused them grief. So tHe first three quarters were all on tHe coaches yet the fourth quarter was all players? Good thought!
 
hawkdoctor said:
I'd say it was the players that almost caused them grief. So tHe first three quarters were all on tHe coaches yet the fourth quarter was all players? Good thought!
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I just dont get this argument. the only reason the coaches change their attack in the 4th quarter was because they had to.
 
hawkdoctor said:
I'd say it was the players that almost caused them grief. So tHe first three quarters were all on tHe coaches yet the fourth quarter was all players? Good thought!
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My thoughts exactly

The players played like garbage the first three quarters, committing stupid penalties and missing assignments.

But once they start clicking its because the coaches stopped holding them back?

Give me a break
 
Did you watch the game? Once Iowa got down by 21, they FINALLY had to give up on the running game which was going nowhere. I mean, how bad was that stubborn play calling through the first 2 and 1/2 quarters?
 
As much as the players played the game and won it, if not for the huge mistakes that Pitt made in the fourth quarter there wouldn't have even been a chance FOR them to win it. I'm not taking anything away from what the Hawks did. It was amazing to see them capitalize on Pitt's mistakes and the comeback was nothing short of miraculous. But it was Pitt's game to lose. And they did.
 
Its both players execution and coaching, but you CANNOT continue to run the football into 8 and 9 man fronts. It absolutely defies logic why you would continue to do that when Iowa has the receivers they do on the outside. Use what you have and stop bailing defenses out by playing right into their hands.
 
iowahawkeyes89 said:
My thoughts exactly

The players played like garbage the first three quarters, committing stupid penalties and missing assignments.

But once they start clicking its because the coaches stopped holding them back?

Give me a break
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You must have been watching a different game. When the offense switched to no-huddle shotgun, it didn't allow Pitt to rotate out defensive players or put 8-9 in the box and blitz. They had to spread out the defense and were constantly on their toes. You need to watch a Patriots game to see how this works. There is a reason Bilechick is considered the greatest coach in the game now and look at the offense he runs (no-huddle, shotgun passing attack).
 
hawkIhoops said:
IMO, the players saved KOK and KF from getting hammered like never before by pulling the game out Saturday. Seriously, how freaking clueless are these two guys offensively? Game after game we hear the opposing coaches say "stop Iowa's run and you stop Iowa". We continue to run into stacked boxes, run a north-south runner wide on the zone play and refuse to play anyone but Coker. Our TE's barely get any looks and our passing game, with the exception of the 4th quarter Saturday is about as rudimentary as it gets.

Saturday proved we have ample talent at the QB and WR spots to throw the ball more. I would even go as far as to say we are a better passing team than running team and should pass to free up the run. Blasphemy I know, given our addiction to beat out Penn State for the most conservative, vanilla, boring offensive team in the conference. If the staff can't be flexible to account for variances in their talent, they are holding the program back.

I am sure the spin machine will be in full gear this week and Saturday's comeback will be attributed to KOK's brilliant play calling NOT a failure of the staff to make in game adjustments until the situation became desperate.
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The truth is somewhere in the middle. The players made many mental errors in the first half that took them out of scoring opportunities. On the other hand, the coaches might see fit this year to adjust their run/pass percentages, as the best athletes are at the WR position. They're not going to make wholesale changes, but we could see some more nuanced differences the rest of the year, such as fewer 2 TE sets, a series or two of no huddle to change the pace, to accommodate for Iowa's best offensive talent. However, I think we're going to see more and better out of Coker this year.
 
iowahawkeyes89 said:
My thoughts exactly

The players played like garbage the first three quarters, committing stupid penalties and missing assignments.

But once they start clicking its because the coaches stopped holding them back?

Give me a break
Click to expand...

Do you really think the coaches were calling every play during the no-huddle, hurry-up offense on the last two drives? I don't. I think they largely turned it over to JVB to work out with the receivers and line.
 
I once would have agreed with this post. however, I believe in kirk. and believe it or not I believe in KOK, he runs what kirk let's him. if OKeefe was given the keys to the offense I think we would see something different out there. kirk is no dummy, he sticks to what he knows. and it works a majority of the time. can't fault him for that. would I love to see this team run 2004s offense? absolutely especially after watching that come back. hopefully kirk now has the confidence in our kids to open it up a little more. our WRs are true playmakers... all three are better than #15. I say get them the rock. but I also say, just win.
 
So when are players held accountable? I thought the tightend play was horrible as they were missing key blocks on both run plays and passing plays. I seen stupid holding calls and false starts that put the offense into a hole.

But I do agree with some of the bad play calls. When the offense lines up with a running play called and Vandy sees a 8 man front he needs to have the freedom to audible out of that play into a quick slant or screen. This is also true when they line up and only 5 or 6 are in the box, audible into a run play. But the key to all this is getting the play in to be able to line up and read the defense. A lot of times I see Iowa lining up when it is under 10 seconds left on the play clock, they need to be up there no later than 15 seconds left on the play clock. Otherwise you do not have time to audible to a different play.
 
I like that Iowa used some no huddle, and Podolak said in the post game they had worked on that this week and had planned to use it.

That said, Iowa was in the hole they were in due to a lot of failed execution in this game. Iowa's offense killed itself for two quarters either with mental mistakes or the players not seeming to be on the same page in the passing game, and it sounded like that had something to do with Pitt's coverage schemes, which Iowa figured out late in the third quarter.
 
To my critics, I suggest you watch the game again and remind yourself of what the vaunted offense (in your opinion) did the first 3 quarters. Pitt made plenty of mistakes also, or it would have been more lopsided that it was. To sit back and pretend that there was any strategy taking place on offense for 3 quarters is absurd. Pitt did nothing other than stuff the run and pressure Vandenberg. We countered with .......nothing.

Ferentz is a great coach when he has a ton of talent and can run the ball. He is a very average coach when Plan A doesn't work or we play teams that aren't afraid to innovate. I reference the 2nd quarter against the Cyclowns when we cooled our own QB and offense by going into "circle the wagons mode".
 
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