Yet part of me was with the way this season has gone. I mean after the NDSU game that was a huge blow to the coins. So they could have taken that fork in the road a couple different ways. But here are the things that aren't changing that are the big issues with this team.
1. The O and D lines aren't very good. They just aren't. How many 3rd 4th and shorts has Iowa not been able to convert? Not just last night but through out the season they just can't man up and get it when it really counts. Besides turnovers nothing kills drives more demoralizingly than not converting 3rd and shorts. Mix that in with CJ not being the greatest at feeling pressure and moving within the pocket against their below par pass blocking and that's a disaster.
The D line is similar in that they not only don't get penetration on running plays but they can't get off blocks or stay in their gaps. That's been a most of the year problem also just magnified last night. They have been about the same as in the past I think with their pass rush but with Iowa's linebackers being slow and not Iowa's philosophy still being using them to cover slot receivers even on 3rd and longs it's a lot to expect of a defensive line to provide instant pressure considering they never blitz and it's easy for other teams offenses to game plan them. Think about it a team that has below par personel and plays with mostly the same alignment all game long outside of the occasional 3rd and longs and uses the same 2 deep coverages is just something easy to plan against... If your not mixing it up across the board and blitzing some your just setting yourself up. Even on the few times Iowa had the 'Raider' package in they rushed 4 once they only rushed 3 and they still converted..
2. Davis/offensive strategy/playcalling. I mean seriously down 14-0 then 21-0 Iowa still went out there with double tight I formations running to the short side of the field which they had little to no success at (you know what they had 30 yards rushing let me say no success)... Seriously Iowa's best plays in the first half were facemasks by PSU... The one and only excuse I would understand for this (not accept but at least comprehend) would be a really lack of confidence in the overall passing game. If it's the receivers not being that good the report with CJ isn't there or the Oline not being able to pass block/all of the above then it is what it is... But when your passing game centers around screen passes to your running backs on 3rd downs your just being dictated to by the defense not the other way around. So we can cry about Davis's job but part of it may be it's just the deck of cards he's been handed. (Not that I think that's a good enough excuse it's his job to get them ALL ready to play and execute)
I don't think any of those issues are changing this season. If Iowa isn't a double digit underdog at home then Vegas knows something I don't..... I'm scared to watch the Michigan game. Harbaugh has no mercy and he's not going to just burn clock to get the game over if they are up 20 starting the 2nd half. Look what they did to Rutgers and now this week.. Geesh...
1. The O and D lines aren't very good. They just aren't. How many 3rd 4th and shorts has Iowa not been able to convert? Not just last night but through out the season they just can't man up and get it when it really counts. Besides turnovers nothing kills drives more demoralizingly than not converting 3rd and shorts. Mix that in with CJ not being the greatest at feeling pressure and moving within the pocket against their below par pass blocking and that's a disaster.
The D line is similar in that they not only don't get penetration on running plays but they can't get off blocks or stay in their gaps. That's been a most of the year problem also just magnified last night. They have been about the same as in the past I think with their pass rush but with Iowa's linebackers being slow and not Iowa's philosophy still being using them to cover slot receivers even on 3rd and longs it's a lot to expect of a defensive line to provide instant pressure considering they never blitz and it's easy for other teams offenses to game plan them. Think about it a team that has below par personel and plays with mostly the same alignment all game long outside of the occasional 3rd and longs and uses the same 2 deep coverages is just something easy to plan against... If your not mixing it up across the board and blitzing some your just setting yourself up. Even on the few times Iowa had the 'Raider' package in they rushed 4 once they only rushed 3 and they still converted..
2. Davis/offensive strategy/playcalling. I mean seriously down 14-0 then 21-0 Iowa still went out there with double tight I formations running to the short side of the field which they had little to no success at (you know what they had 30 yards rushing let me say no success)... Seriously Iowa's best plays in the first half were facemasks by PSU... The one and only excuse I would understand for this (not accept but at least comprehend) would be a really lack of confidence in the overall passing game. If it's the receivers not being that good the report with CJ isn't there or the Oline not being able to pass block/all of the above then it is what it is... But when your passing game centers around screen passes to your running backs on 3rd downs your just being dictated to by the defense not the other way around. So we can cry about Davis's job but part of it may be it's just the deck of cards he's been handed. (Not that I think that's a good enough excuse it's his job to get them ALL ready to play and execute)
I don't think any of those issues are changing this season. If Iowa isn't a double digit underdog at home then Vegas knows something I don't..... I'm scared to watch the Michigan game. Harbaugh has no mercy and he's not going to just burn clock to get the game over if they are up 20 starting the 2nd half. Look what they did to Rutgers and now this week.. Geesh...
