Jon Miller wrote an article about the Iowa Defense last week. Jon made some very good points regarding the Hawkeye Defense and how the defense has won many games in the Kirk Ferentz era. It has definitely been the defense that has won most of the big games, not the offense. Jon points out many statistics in the article including points per game allowed. Iowa's defense over an entire season doesn't give up many points per game and we rank pretty high every year in total defense.
But for some reason, at least this season, our defense FAILS miserably when the game is on the line in the final drive and we need a big stop. We couldn't stop Arizona's final drive, Wisconsin, Indiana or Northwestern. Against NW, we gave up an 85 yard drive for a TD and then a 91 yard drive for a TD to end the game. Jon Miller, great defense's don't give up TD's when the game is on the line in the 4th quarter. Time and time again, we play 6-10 yards off of WR's instead of jamming them at the line and they march all the way down the field for a TD. We can't even hold teams to FG's on the final drive anymore.
Jon Miller also states that Iowa usually makes a defense use 8-12 plays to score a TD and that is a sign of a good defense. I couldn't disagree more. When you allow a team like Northwestern to use 10 plays to score a TD, that burns up a defense. Period. Our defense was gassed at the end of the game. We got zero pressure on Persa because they were on the field for several plays in NW's 2nd to last drive. When you play off 10 yards from a WR, that is playing in the hands of NW and Indiana. Both of those teams are ball controlled offense's like Iowa's except they both use short passing plays almost like running plays. You have to jam WR's at the line of scrimmage to get QB's like Persa and Chappell out of their rhythm but for some reason our 4 million dollar coach can't understand that. He absolutely refuses to change.
Yes. Giving up only 21 points with the offense that we have should be enough to win the game. Jon Miller, stats don't always tell the whole story. Good defenses don't give up game winning drives over and over again. And when OSU beats us on a last minute drive this Saturday, our defense will have gone 0-5 in crunch time.
I am not calling for Kirk Ferentz's job at all. What he has done at Iowa is nothing short of amazing. But at $4 million per year, losing to Northwestern 5 out of 6 times is inexcusable. PERIOD!
But for some reason, at least this season, our defense FAILS miserably when the game is on the line in the final drive and we need a big stop. We couldn't stop Arizona's final drive, Wisconsin, Indiana or Northwestern. Against NW, we gave up an 85 yard drive for a TD and then a 91 yard drive for a TD to end the game. Jon Miller, great defense's don't give up TD's when the game is on the line in the 4th quarter. Time and time again, we play 6-10 yards off of WR's instead of jamming them at the line and they march all the way down the field for a TD. We can't even hold teams to FG's on the final drive anymore.
Jon Miller also states that Iowa usually makes a defense use 8-12 plays to score a TD and that is a sign of a good defense. I couldn't disagree more. When you allow a team like Northwestern to use 10 plays to score a TD, that burns up a defense. Period. Our defense was gassed at the end of the game. We got zero pressure on Persa because they were on the field for several plays in NW's 2nd to last drive. When you play off 10 yards from a WR, that is playing in the hands of NW and Indiana. Both of those teams are ball controlled offense's like Iowa's except they both use short passing plays almost like running plays. You have to jam WR's at the line of scrimmage to get QB's like Persa and Chappell out of their rhythm but for some reason our 4 million dollar coach can't understand that. He absolutely refuses to change.
Yes. Giving up only 21 points with the offense that we have should be enough to win the game. Jon Miller, stats don't always tell the whole story. Good defenses don't give up game winning drives over and over again. And when OSU beats us on a last minute drive this Saturday, our defense will have gone 0-5 in crunch time.
I am not calling for Kirk Ferentz's job at all. What he has done at Iowa is nothing short of amazing. But at $4 million per year, losing to Northwestern 5 out of 6 times is inexcusable. PERIOD!
