Bo Bower is a beast! You can't say he is being favored. Look what they have done at safety with starting and sitting guys. If someone is better they would have been in there.
So what has surprised so far
- Thread starter longtimer
- Start date
Bo Bower is a beast! You can't say he is being favored. Look what they have done at safety with starting and sitting guys. If someone is better they would have been in there.
kameltoez102
Well-Known Member
Biggest surprise has been the lack on consistency in the O-line. Regardless of injuries seems the mental mistakes shouldn't be happening especially penalty calls against our veteran center and blown blocking calls. I have also been surprised at how well our DBs have played so far. Besides a few break downs I think they have been solid.
Also, as it has already been posted is Bower is still consistently in there during pass downs. He is a good "old School" Big Ten linebacker, he is not an every down backer in today's Big Ten. On most plays he has a high percentage to be a mismatch in the offense' favor and is frequently targeted.
On the bright side we have played pretty well so far and have a lot of room for improvement. Iowa historically has been a better team the second Half of the year and we are for the most part healthy.
Also, as it has already been posted is Bower is still consistently in there during pass downs. He is a good "old School" Big Ten linebacker, he is not an every down backer in today's Big Ten. On most plays he has a high percentage to be a mismatch in the offense' favor and is frequently targeted.
On the bright side we have played pretty well so far and have a lot of room for improvement. Iowa historically has been a better team the second Half of the year and we are for the most part healthy.
Barring injuries I think we take that one. It is time to extricate that demon from our collective psyche. No more letting their QB run for a first down on 4th and 10 when the game is on the line at the end.
Based on what?
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
Based on him being a walk on who's contributed to the program since his RS freshman year. He was also the 2nd leading tackler on the team last year. If you wanna blame someone for his inability to cover on 3rd downs, maybe blame the coaches who put him in that position. Bo Bower is a stud.
D
DDThompson
Guest
Or at least a guy that demands a double team.
#95 Lattimore will get there. The guy is just a load.
I would hope the linebacker is the in the top 5 tacklers on any team. I am sure he is a fine person, and has worked hard. But he has no business playing Big 10 football. When playing a strictly run oriented team, he does well, but he is slow and far too often he is out of position. I believe he has players behind him with more athleticism, but I think it is a case of Ferentz liking the "story" about a player, more than playing the talent.
D
DDThompson
Guest
Or maybe since football is a mental game he is just better at that than the more athletic LBs and the LB Coach prefers to play the guy that knows the game over the guy that doesn't as well. Who knows?
But Bower in coverage is limited. It would be nice to see if the backups are better game players than practice players. But how long does a coach put up with that?
The coaches have shown it's not based on seniority with the DBs. Why would it be with LBs?
TJERanch
Member
Surprise party 
QB play - much better than I expected!
Our freshman seeing time - both from the standpoint of KF is playing them & they are good, really good!
Future is bright with A.J. & Wirfs on the lines!
The Outlaw!
We pass the ball!
Surprise - not the party kind
O Line!
Yards allowed on D!
Punting!
Matt Quarells - MIA?
We still run the ball into an obvious brick wall at times... repeatedly!
Still not putting 4 quarters together for a solid game start to finish!
QB play - much better than I expected!
Our freshman seeing time - both from the standpoint of KF is playing them & they are good, really good!
Future is bright with A.J. & Wirfs on the lines!
The Outlaw!
We pass the ball!
Surprise - not the party kind
O Line!
Yards allowed on D!
Punting!
Matt Quarells - MIA?
We still run the ball into an obvious brick wall at times... repeatedly!
Still not putting 4 quarters together for a solid game start to finish!
3 plays. We needed one to beat Penn State and two to beat Michigan State. You can't turn a 7 point loss into a win with one play. Unless that one play was a pick 6 on a touchdown.
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
I think this is a good point. Kirk has demonstrated over the years that he is much more comfortable with players that know the scheme and are reliable, over perhaps the more athletic player that may miss an assignment. Unless there is an obvious disparity, he will always give the benefit of the doubt to the reliable veteran.
That said, he does seem to get caught up in those "feel good stories" to a fault, and always has a soft spot in his heart for the upperclassmen. That's highly commendable as a person but not always smart as a coach.
HawkeyeWalker
Well-Known Member
He's not quite a stud, but he's solid and gets way too much criticism. He's asked to do a lot. Outside LB is a very difficult position in Iowa's base scheme, especially without a great Dline. The other 2 LB have played incredible, but Bower has had a good year.
HawkeyeWalker
Well-Known Member
Gotta ask, based on what?
LB is a very cerebral position. I'd like to see the backup LB get some snaps, but how they look in pads doesn't tell us much. There very well may be some better athletes, maybe, but it doesn't mean their better LB. Bower is limited in coverage, but overall he's solid.
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
3 plays. We needed one to beat Penn State and two to beat Michigan State. You can't turn a 7 point loss into a win with one play. Unless that one play was a pick 6 on a touchdown.
I was kind of thinking that if we held onto the ball on either of those MSU drives, it would have resulted in a TD for us and not led to one by them. But really, it's that close.
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
He's a former walk on - that has been starting or playing bulk minutes at LB on the team since his RS Freshman season at a B1G school that is 31-15 since he got on the field. Guys a stud. Yeah, he's limited in coverage - but it's not like Iowa has shown resistance to play other guys if they aren't working out. It's happened repeatedly just this season. I have this weird thing of trusting Phil Parker knowing what he's doing on D.
Bower a stud? Come on. He doesn't belong on the field, and wouldn't start for any other team in the conference. He's limited period, not just in pass coverage. Wow, he has a lot of tackles. That doesn't tell the whole story. Slow to the ball, misses way too many tackles, and is awful in pass coverage. He's a feel good story that Kirk loves so much though, and he practices well. If Mends were given the opportunity that Bower had, I guarantee anyone on here he would be outperforming him. Kirk is the poster boy for not playing guys that have more talent and most definitely has resistance to playing other guys if the guy in front of them is not working out. Gervase and Taylor are 2 perfect examples this year alone. Gervase was outright embarrassed enough Kirk had no choice. Same with Taylor, finally after 2 years.
HawkeyeWalker
Well-Known Member
I defend Bower quite a bit and think he's a solid LB that has earned his spot. But I can't call him a stud. Josey Jewell is a Stud, Bo Bower is a solid LB that in my opinion gets too much blame thrown his way.
HawkeyeWalker
Well-Known Member
Jesus. Why does everything have to be all or nothing. Bower is neither an all world LB nor a scrub. Doesn't belong on the field? good grief man.
I'd like to see Mends (and the other backup LB's) to get some snaps. This whole "KF union pass" crap is just stupid.
