Quick post Wisconsin thoughts

[JonDMiller]

I am gonna go fishin with my daughters for a bit...and am gonna write something more analytical later on tonight. I dont have it in me to write another 'Iowa stunk' column this afternoon...feels deeper

Iowa has scored 87 points through five games in Big Ten play this year. They scored 99 through five games in conference play last year. Everyone thought this offense had improved and they are a lot better on third down....but it's like a kid moving his food around on his plate trying to convince you that he ate something.

Iowa lacks playmakers. That's usually been the case during the Ferentz era but it's been magnified these past two years.

Mark Weisman is not a Big Ten go to running back. The only times he is productive to the outside is when the OL is caving in the side. He's a part of the mixture, but he shouldn't get 15+ carries in B1G games unless the other team is weak between the tackles. Damon Bullock isn't a bell cow back, either.

LeShun Daniels 'looks' the most like a B1G Rb on the team, but he is still learning. Canzeri needs 5 or so rushes per game to see if he can make some plays.

Before the year, I wrote Iowa WR corps the most challenged of the KF era....that was dead on and shows its ugly head each week.

There is no QB controversy, though Rudock had his worst game..I think he was dinged from last week and his footwork wasn;t good today...

Wisconsin probably has the 2nd or 3rd best D in the B1G. They are good

Defense did its part. I felt after 1st Q, game was over as you don't get to squander that many possessions and win if you are Iowa.

This program really, really needs the bowl practices...must beat Purdue this week.

I think Michigan is real winnable...still feel that way. Still believe Nebraska is actually winnable.

Wisconsin is the better team...but Iowa shot itself in the foot. Can't do that

 

[MeatMan]

Jon, serious question. why do they continue to run Weisman on those stretch plays? all of his effective runs are on inside zone runs. i just don't get the slow developing run plays with Mark. that's not what he's good at.

hope you catch some fish!

 

[STILLBUSTER]

Im ok with everything u said, Jon, except ... I get the feeling ur gist is still about the players & and not the plays. Im just not convinced ( and have made it pretty clear I havent been for 5 or 6 seasons) that anything short of a house-cleaning will bear any fruit. Even if not, I find myself still being more excited about the anticipation a new staff might bring than conti.uing this Chinese water torture.

 

[uihawk82]

spot on synopsis. Need to find some ways to get big plays, keep the opposing defense a little off balance, and score some points on offense.

I cant believe how vanilla the offense was today. even though the receiver corp is weak if you occasionally put 4 or 5 wideouts in the game you get a mismatch and can make a play.

 

[uihawk82]

an conti.uing this Chinese water torture.

Very good description or pulling teeth with no painkillers

or having your fingernails pulled out. brutal on offense. the hawks have had 5-6 decent offenses in KF era. only one was dynamic

 

[HaydenHawk56]

I don't think Iowa's offense is good enough to keep up with Michigan or Nebraska (no matter how average or bad their defenses might be). I'm also concerned about the psych of the team right now. We really need to hope JR can get healthy soon as CJ is not a cool cat back there (just a big arm threat).

I agree that Purdue is a huge game right now for Iowa for obvious reasons like you mention for extra bowl practices. This season is cream of wheat if we can't come out of Purdue with a win.

 

[hwks1]

It feels like we have guys that can make plays..... just don't feel like we we know how to put them together.

I said last fall (admittedly from very little video) that Sokol looked the best and for sure we would get Jake. Jake is competent, don't get me wrong... but I'm very skeptical that KF gets the best 'team' on the field.

Take Canzeri.. he doesn't play meaningful snaps all year - then comes in busts 43yds on a cutback? Has more speed to get the corner on another 6yd gain? 8 games into the season... you don't know if he can play or not?

What happened to the Vandeberg kid at WR? He showed some flash early on - showed heart really wanted to play so, naturally he doesn't play

You have Powell.... and you cant figure out how to get him the ball... 8 games into the season?

 

[DBAHawkFan]

When was the last time Iowa won a game it really needed to? 2009, and even then do you say the bowl game? I guess back then yes, as an Orange Bowl win would have led us to believe bigger things are coming again!

 

[DelDavis]

Caught a couple crappie the other day with the boy. Used a black & gold beetle spinner. Should be a good week of fishin.

 

[DBAHawkFan]

Also, if balance is what KF wants on offense, we have it. We score around 9 points in the 1st half on average, and a little over 8 points in the second half (for B1G) games. This can't continue, and I get the feeling Jon has felt this way for a while.....it's just now with it being much more apparent KF cannot turn this around, he's being more vocal. Maybe I'm wrong, but Jon your tone in anything you write regarding Iowa Football....is lacking emotion. Apathy seems to have sunk in everywhere in this fan base.

 

[DBAHawkFan]

I was wrong. We average around 8 points scored in 2nd half of games overall. For B1G play, we average 3 points. So 14 points in 1st half, 3 for second....giving us our 17 points a game.

 

[metahawk]

"There is no QB controversy"

Not exactly sure most of the play calling today worked in Beathard's favor. But, will leave that for some with actually knowledge of football to answer if applicable.

 

[DBAHawkFan]

In the past we've heard that our backups don't take a lot of snaps with the 1st team. Could be the case with CJ. I will agree, Jake definitely looks more polished compared to how CJ looked. But it wasn't like JR was lighting it up out there.

 

[MeatMan]

also, i'm sure CJ would have a better percentage if he wasn't throwing down the field on every play, with the team down 2 scores.

he definitely has a better arm than Jake, there's no doubt on that.

 

[StickUP]

Curios how yards compare year over year. Offense seems much better this year but points are hard to come by. Also competition has been much better.

 

[NCHawker]

It feels like we have guys that can make plays..... just don't feel like we we know how to put them together. I have to disagree. We run the same plays as 40-50 teams in college football. The players just can't get it done. 1) WR's don't get open, 2) Running backs rarely rarely break off long runs.

I said last fall (admittedly from very little video) that Sokol looked the best and for sure we would get Jake. Jake is competent, don't get me wrong... but I'm very skeptical that KF gets the best 'team' on the field.

Take Canzeri.. he doesn't play meaningful snaps all year - then comes in busts 43yds on a cutback? Has more speed to get the corner on another 6yd gain? 8 games into the season... you don't know if he can play or not?

What happened to the Vandeberg kid at WR? He showed some flash early on - showed heart really wanted to play so, naturally he doesn't play Lots of guys showed flash in non-conference play. I don't think that is a good rationale

You have Powell.... and you cant figure out how to get him the ball... 8 games into the season? I agree - but he either isn't open or Rudock does not see him or does not have time to see him

 

[Sooby]

Iowa has scored 80 points through five games in Big Ten play this year. They scored 99 through five games in conference play last year.

Excellent sentence, Jon.
The overall eye test would say that this offense is better than last year, but this mainly because of improved QB play.

I did feel that Canzeri was the better running backs at hitting the hole.
Weisman has regressed this year, and I feel that our OL is better this year.
4 times inside the Wisconsin 10-yard-line with only 9 points. Ugh!
Happy with our defense. 2 of those TDs Wisconsin scored, they were set up close to our endzone.
Before the game, I felt that Wisconsin was BCS good.
Rudock is a better game manager, but Beathard seems to be a better runner and throws a better deep ball.

 

[DowsHawk1]

Through 5 games this year we have had Ohio State and Wisconsin that we didn't have last year when Indiana and Penn State were played. Now that doesn't explain everything away, but it's not exactly apples to apples. Three of the five teams mentioned are in the top ten nationally defensively if what I'm reading on the boards is correct. That's some pretty stiff competition. We have plenty of issues, but I'm not sure I'd say we aren't better than last year. The problem is that's still not good enough.

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

I think Michigan is real winnable...still feel that way. Still believe Nebraska is actually winnable.

lol.. How does Iowa stop them and or how does Iowa's Vanilla offense stay with them.

 

[turfpest]

When Iowa went down 7-6 for some reason and maybe because of what has transpired over the last 3 years you knew they weren't going to recover. This program is stuck in mud. I read some of the comments on here on how the program stinks and vice versa and how stubborn the coach is and I would shake my head in disbelief because of the negativity. But today and I don't have any experience coaching football by the way, the comments today and from the past are starting to make sense. The program is really stinking the place up and the funny thing is the Hawks are 5-4 but feels like 2-7.