Selection Committee had questions about Iowa's offense ...

[DP5555]

Iowa's offense is lacking playmakers, especially with CJ beat up, but it is serviceable. When you combine it with the exceptional defense it makes Iowa a force to be reckoned with.

Iowa's running game is above average. The last time they played a decent rush defense CJ was healthy and able to make plays himself (Pitt). I do worry about the day coming when Iowa meets a team that is capable of shutting the running game down and covering Iowa's WR's. With a healthy CJ I wouldn't worry as much because he could still find a way to make plays. With an unhealthy CJ I'm afraid he's going to be taking sacks and the offense will be crippled. I'm afraid that game could end up being the B10 Championship. I think a huge part of this equation falls on CJ's ability to get healthy from whatever it is that's bothering him. Unfortunately it doesn't sound too promising that he's going to recover from it anytime soon.

 

[SpiderRico]

I don't know how you can honestly watch the Maryland game and not think Iowa's offense was questionable...

Offense is far and away our weakest area - namely our passing offense is very sickly.

However - hopefully the trend continues that we don't need a great offense to win.

I was impressed when we put up about 260 yds and 21 points in the first half. KF himself said in the presser that he essentially shut the offense down in the 2nd half. Not sure you can gauge our offensive abilities on the Maryland game when, in essence, CJ was more beat up in the NW game and we had no Daniels and Wadley had no starts under his belt at that time and we put up nearly 500 yds of offense and 40 points before KF shut it down in the 4th quarter.

 

[shuman346]

I was impressed when we put up about 260 yds and 21 points in the first half. KF himself said in the presser that he essentially shut the offense down in the 2nd half. Not sure you can gauge our offensive abilities on the Maryland game when, in essence, CJ was more beat up in the NW game and we had no Daniels and Wadley had no starts under his belt at that time and we put up nearly 500 yds of offense and 40 points before KF shut it down in the 4th quarter.

I agree with this. I was just as frustrated with the offense in the second half against Maryland as every other Hawk fan. After thinking about that all week and reading that Ferentz himself shut the offense down, I feel better about it. My only question about how that game was played is why wasn't Wiegers put into the game in CJ's place? I would have liked to see our number one offense out there other than Wiegers. He should have been in the game in the second half. Our defense played as well or better than any team has against Maryland all season and I feel pretty confident that Wiegers could have turned around and handed the ball off into eight man fronts for the entire second half.

 

[Bigtenchamp]

Not sure how we "shut down" our offense in the 2nd half of Maryland...

We did what we do in almost every other game with the lead... we run the ball.... and run the ball some more.

Like when Canzeri carried it 43 times...

The only REAL difference was that Maryland shut down our running game - and hence we had no offense.

I really am not buying the "shut down" excuse one bit.

The offense had better show some fire on Saturday because to have to try to rely on defense alone to win against Indiana is a bad plan.

 

[Knight78]

I agree with this. I was just as frustrated with the offense in the second half against Maryland as every other Hawk fan. After thinking about that all week and reading that Ferentz himself shut the offense down, I feel better about it. My only question about how that game was played is why wasn't Wiegers put into the game in CJ's place? I would have liked to see our number one offense out there other than Wiegers. He should have been in the game in the second half. Our defense played as well or better than any team has against Maryland all season and I feel pretty confident that Wiegers could have turned around and handed the ball off into eight man fronts for the entire second half.

I'm not as confident in Wiegers, not because I don't think he's a good thrower or he isn't a good runner or can't hand off as well as CJB. There's more to the QB position than throwing, running and handing off. Because of his inexperience, I'd say that Wiegers doesn't have the ability to check off at the line and call the proper audible. Defenses try to hide what they are doing and CJB has seen a lot more of college defenses and has a better grasp of the playbook and the audibles than Wiegers. I think Wiegers will be a fine QB, but CJB does things that Wiegers can't at this point in their careers.

 

[vork22]

Just to be clear we didn't shut down our offense in the second half Maryland did and its not just CJ's injury at times he has struggled I recall a 97ish yrd game pre injury.

 

[SpiderRico]

Just to be clear we didn't shut down our offense in the second half Maryland did and its not just CJ's injury at times he has struggled I recall a 97ish yrd game pre injury.

We did shut it down. KF mentioned it. HawkeyeGameFilm said it as well. I tend to buy more of what those guys say than what anyone else does.

We have averaged 33 ppg and over 420 ypg. I'd say we have enough data points this year to say that we have offensive capability when we want to use it.

Why, with a 21-0 lead and a defense that held Maryland to under 70 yds in the first half, would we give Indiana, who has given us as much trouble (if not more) than just about any other team in the conference more "sophisticated" plays or tendencies than we have to? We did the work necessary to that point to secure the win. Keep your guys healthy, give the next opponent nothing to view, and move on to the next game.

 

[shuman346]

I'm not as confident in Wiegers, not because I don't think he's a good thrower or he isn't a good runner or can't hand off as well as CJB. There's more to the QB position than throwing, running and handing off. Because of his inexperience, I'd say that Wiegers doesn't have the ability to check off at the line and call the proper audible. Defenses try to hide what they are doing and CJB has seen a lot more of college defenses and has a better grasp of the playbook and the audibles than Wiegers. I think Wiegers will be a fine QB, but CJB does things that Wiegers can't at this point in their careers.

Agreed. Wiegers is not CJ by any means. He may be great in the future. My thought is that he can hand off to the RB's and watch them run into the brick wall that was the second half Maryland run defense. The Hawks did little to nothing in the second half offensively. Not much in the way of audibles, not much passing, etc. I would have liked to see Wiegers for most of the fourth quarter alone. He most likely isn't going to put up many points but he wouldn't need to be a game breaker at that point. I don't want to see CJ hit any more than is necessary. If the game is tight against Indiana it had better be CJ all the way. If we are up by 20-30 points mid third quarter and beyond, I want Wiegers in there.

 

[vork22]

We did shut it down. KF mentioned it. HawkeyeGameFilm said it as well. I tend to buy more of what those guys say than what anyone else does.

We have averaged 33 ppg and over 420 ypg. I'd say we have enough data points this year to say that we have offensive capability when we want to use it.

Why, with a 21-0 lead and a defense that held Maryland to under 70 yds in the first half, would we give Indiana, who has given us as much trouble (if not more) than just about any other team in the conference more "sophisticated" plays or tendencies than we have to? We did the work necessary to that point to secure the win. Keep your guys healthy, give the next opponent nothing to view, and move on to the next game.

. My 8 year old knows our tendencies. Every team in the big ten knows our tendencies. Look we are damn good I'm just saying the passing game is bad. We have to improve there to beat OSU or MSU. CJ missing open receivers, no deep threat and taking sack after sack when you are hurt has to get better.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Doesn't matter. The Committee can't WAIT for us to lose. Ditto Rose Bowl and Citrus Bowl. The Committee just wants an undefeated O$U/M$U. Rose wants the loser of that OR Michigan. Citrus Bowl wants the third option of those three. Steve Hogan of FCS Sports all but said that today. If he' saying it, you know Delaney's thinking it. Hogan's comment to me when I asked if the Citrus Bowl would really take a 9-3 Michigan over a 12-1 Iowa: "Our committee would LOVE what Jim Harbaugh can bring". That, and, after the CFP Top 12 rankings, Citrus Bowl has a "choice".

Look for some "iffy" officiating going against the Hawks the next couple weeks if it might knock us down to "fourth option" for B1G. Book it.

For the first time, I really am starting to think there may actually BE a movement againt the Hawks beyond the morons on The Committee or the folks at E$ecPN.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

I love my pretty new pet. But you're naughty. You're naughty. So I take my pretty new pet and i "squishing noise"....OH I KILLED IT...I KILLED MY NEW PET." And that's when I blow it.

We sound like Tommy boy...we get a pretty new pet...prosperity...and we can't handle it lol ease off on the conspiracy talk....you sound insane. Oh crap...i might have said that too loud. Do you think they heard me? Good grief!!!

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Just to be clear we didn't shut down our offense in the second half Maryland did and its not just CJ's injury at times he has struggled I recall a 97ish yrd game pre injury.

Iowa was above avg on conservatism in the second half, is that better?

CJ is much better when not injured though, no?

It's all ball bearings these days.