HGF, could you discuss the play just before Iowa's first FG against Iowa State? I didnt see it mentiioned in your writeup about the QB play. What I seemed to see is JVB throwing to a nearly triple covered receiver in the south endzone while out in the right flat or by the right sideline was Bullock I believe who was totally uncovered. I would like you to confirm if that is what I saw and what can maybe be done so when JVB reads a bunch of opposing jersey colors he looks off to another reciever. Not to diss JVB but just so the hawks can make more plays and win some big games, which I think this team can do. Thanks.
Question for HawkeyeGameFilm: 3rd down QB read before first field goal
- Thread starter uihawk82
- Start date
hawkfan2679
Well-Known Member
I'm looking at it now...
.....................................Y..T..G..C..G..T...................X
...Z.................R
....................................Q......S
X is to the boundary and the ball is on that hash. Presnap I can't even tell why JVB looked this way. Whether it's called or a read by the WR, KD has a slant because the DB is giving about 5 yards of cushion. There is a safety on the hash that the play is going to move towards but he actually bails to the middle of the field and a LB who was threatening blitz drops directly into the throwing lane...maybe KD wasn't wide enough with his alignment because there really just isn't any room to squeeze that ball in there. Under center on a 3 step, maybe...but out of the gun 3 step (equiv to a 5 step), not so much. Post snap however, JVB should have looked to the other side.
This is the type of play I'd like to see them try to throw it up to CJF (Y in the above formation). He runs a little stutter-out and up and with the LB underneath and JVB looking right the whole time, I'm not sure if the safety could have made a play on that ball or not. Even if he could get there, you put it up high enough and there's a good chance the 6'7" TE wins that battle.
Interesting (questionable?) decision that appears to be made presnap. A lot of times teams will isolate a WR in a 3x1 to try to exploit a mismatch...ISU seemed to muddy the read from the get-go and that's why it was such an interesting idea to try to throw it in there (or in this case, not to throw it anywhere in the vicinity).
.....................................Y..T..G..C..G..T...................X
...Z.................R
....................................Q......S
X is to the boundary and the ball is on that hash. Presnap I can't even tell why JVB looked this way. Whether it's called or a read by the WR, KD has a slant because the DB is giving about 5 yards of cushion. There is a safety on the hash that the play is going to move towards but he actually bails to the middle of the field and a LB who was threatening blitz drops directly into the throwing lane...maybe KD wasn't wide enough with his alignment because there really just isn't any room to squeeze that ball in there. Under center on a 3 step, maybe...but out of the gun 3 step (equiv to a 5 step), not so much. Post snap however, JVB should have looked to the other side.
This is the type of play I'd like to see them try to throw it up to CJF (Y in the above formation). He runs a little stutter-out and up and with the LB underneath and JVB looking right the whole time, I'm not sure if the safety could have made a play on that ball or not. Even if he could get there, you put it up high enough and there's a good chance the 6'7" TE wins that battle.
Interesting (questionable?) decision that appears to be made presnap. A lot of times teams will isolate a WR in a 3x1 to try to exploit a mismatch...ISU seemed to muddy the read from the get-go and that's why it was such an interesting idea to try to throw it in there (or in this case, not to throw it anywhere in the vicinity).
Good analysis. Was I correct that I saw bullock wide open to the right sideline when the pass was thrown or did the TV view not show it?
Bullock bumped into the d end as he was running the swing. The linebacker guarding Bullock hesitated when he saw this and sat in the passing lane on the slant. How JVB didn't recognize this is a mystery because the linebacker has to be his only read on the play. He follows the runningback then the slant should be there but if he doesn't than the swing should be wide open (because the the corner is clearly playing man on the receiver in that situation).
hawkeyebob62
Well-Known Member
I think JVB has allowed the game to "speed up" in his head. Nothing more, nothing less.
I COULD say we need better play-calling, and given JVBs recent performance, maybe we do. But the bottom line is that JVB isn't seeing the whole field...because he's not LOOKING.
I COULD say we need better play-calling, and given JVBs recent performance, maybe we do. But the bottom line is that JVB isn't seeing the whole field...because he's not LOOKING.
hawkeyegamefilm
Well-Known Member
My notes from the play:
"3Lx1R, Davis single on short side. Iso weak side slant. Timing was off on slant, LB faked blitz & was droping to slant/hook zone, JVB could of held the ball a bit longer and let Davis clear the LB & it was a score. Just made the safe move and threw it away."
I didn't ding JVB for it because it looked like when he saw the LB drop to the slant zone he was just getting rid of it/making the safe play. In some systems in this situation the WR is taught to continue his route beyond the zone defender and expect the ball delivered in the hole in the zone. I don't know if that was part of the ****** on that play. As far as Bullock leaking out, it didn't look like he ever expected to be in the pattern, leads me to believe this was just a called weak side slant that JVB read as being taken away. He never even looked at the other side of the formation either. Could he have held this ball and waited for Davis to clear? Maybe, but it looked like that wasn't part of the game plan. Keep in mind my notes from plays are hindsight from the press-box and multiple times watching the play. I'm not processing the game full-speed while wearing a helmet surrounded by guys trying to crush me.
"3Lx1R, Davis single on short side. Iso weak side slant. Timing was off on slant, LB faked blitz & was droping to slant/hook zone, JVB could of held the ball a bit longer and let Davis clear the LB & it was a score. Just made the safe move and threw it away."
I didn't ding JVB for it because it looked like when he saw the LB drop to the slant zone he was just getting rid of it/making the safe play. In some systems in this situation the WR is taught to continue his route beyond the zone defender and expect the ball delivered in the hole in the zone. I don't know if that was part of the ****** on that play. As far as Bullock leaking out, it didn't look like he ever expected to be in the pattern, leads me to believe this was just a called weak side slant that JVB read as being taken away. He never even looked at the other side of the formation either. Could he have held this ball and waited for Davis to clear? Maybe, but it looked like that wasn't part of the game plan. Keep in mind my notes from plays are hindsight from the press-box and multiple times watching the play. I'm not processing the game full-speed while wearing a helmet surrounded by guys trying to crush me.
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Thanks for answering. Most definitely different situation for JVB. Everyone wanted the td there.
homes
Well-Known Member
One quick read, and if it's not open bail out, was the play? It doesn't make sense. He could afford to look and still take the sack, they would have remained well within field goal range. As for players trying to crush him - he voluntarily signed up for the job - it comes with the territory.
hawkeyegamefilm
Well-Known Member
That's how it looked to me. The pre-snap read was slant side ILB is blitzing, leaving the middle open. CB on Davis has neutral/outside leverage, the slant will be there. LB drops out of blitz to slant zone as they snap it, his pre-snap read is taken away. He can either hold the ball and look to make a play on the other side or just throw it away and take the 3 points. It was the first drive of the game, not 4th and goal with the game on the line. It's pretty tough to put major fault on him for playing it as he did. Biggest fault I have with him is not changing up the snap count to force the LB to tip his hand. It's something I wish Iowa did more of.
If this is really the case we are hosed for several years and not based on talent alone. If are passing game doesn't get more complex we are done. We are not running any counter plays or gadget plays and we don't have a power running game.
whammer33024
Well-Known Member
our passing game has been awful this season and you want to make it more complex?
hawkeyegamefilm
Well-Known Member
In this case I think it may have just been ISU having the perfect call on and JVB reading it just the way they needed. Also for the record, the way Davis sets up his offense he doesn't always identify a "primary" receiver or progression order. On many plays that are called and JVB has to identify which guys are most likely to get open based on the coverage and alignments etc. For the most part it's a process of elimination in his pre-snap reads. To be clear I don't think he did a great job here, but he also didn't make the mistake of trying to force the slant into Davis.
Again as I said before I wish Iowa did a better job of adjusting the snap count and forcing opposing defenses to tip their hand, especially on 3rd downs. If JVB had gotten the LB to show that he was bailing out of his blitz, JVB would have changed his reads and made a better decision.
STILLBUSTER
Well-Known Member
Another example of JVB's skittishness. No pressure but quick to dump. To his credit, he did dump it in the hole. It was just 2-3 yards in front of Davis. It looked like he was still trying to clear so not sure if that's on Davis for not efforting to that spot or JVB for impatience.
My initial reaction to the "processing the game at full speed" was that, neither is JVB. However, I've heard he has a 3-count in his head and is looking to throw, so, maybe it's a case of him processing too quickly.
Skittishness = impatience and lack of creativity are going to be his legacy for a losing senior season?
hawkeyebob62
Well-Known Member
<<If JVB had gotten the LB to show that he was bailing out of his blitz, JVB would have changed his reads and made a better decision.>>
Should read, "JVB 'might' have changed his reads..."
This is a great point and something iowa doesn't utilize at all. Anytime a team disguises something at all we are done. And I think what we are seeing is that instead of working through his progresssions if the primary is not there JVB has not been able to adjust at all. Classic example was against NIU. We ran a play action pass and tried to take a shot down the field. Rare instance when we didn't have pressure. JVB elected to not take a shot down the field instead he dumps off to Weisman who was blanketed in coverage without even looking to see if he was open. Meanwhile the left side of the field was completely open since the def end had crashed down and would have been an easy 10 yard run.
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In a word...yes. If you don't have the athletes to create matchup problems one on one you need to run option routes more frequently. Different players at different levels, more crossing patterns underneath etc. We are running some of those but JVB doesn't appear to be adjusting to the defensive coverage if his primary guy is covered. Either that is the fault of the system or JVB and I don't know which.
