Spring an Important Time for Hawkeye Trio of Quarterbacks
- Thread starter RobHowe
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hawkdrummer1
Well-Known Member
Kirk mentions Mansell struggling with even simple things. I'll ask the never ending question again...
How in the hell can an offense that's so mundane and unproductive be so hard for incoming players to learn? We're heard this many times over the years.
How in the hell can an offense that's so mundane and unproductive be so hard for incoming players to learn? We're heard this many times over the years.
MoseSchrute
Well-Known Member
^ Problem is...how many HS programs play under center anymore? Petras isn't used to it, either.
hawkdrummer1
Well-Known Member
Yes. But it's not the first time we've heard about a guy struggling to adopt/learn our offense...it's a recurrent theme. The what and how they're struggling with are simply details. Mansell has been here the better part of a year and was recruited for this system...and he's still struggling with something as simple as the snap? For other QBs it's been other things. But the overriding theme is familiar.
So I'll repeat; regardless of the details..if your players have a hard time learning and executing your offense (and even when executed well it's little more than "average")....you're doing something wrong. Whether it's recruiting the wrong guys, running the wrong offense or coaching them poorly.
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RobHowe
Administrator
He WAS struggling with the snap when he first got here, which is to be expected coming from his HS system when he never was under center. KF says in the article linked in the OP that he has figured it out.
“He really progressed. He’s got a lot of good attributes. He’s a good leader. Guys really respond to him and we’ve seen him grow. So this is going to be an important period for him to keep pushing forward the next 15 days,” Ferentz said.
“He really progressed. He’s got a lot of good attributes. He’s a good leader. Guys really respond to him and we’ve seen him grow. So this is going to be an important period for him to keep pushing forward the next 15 days,” Ferentz said.
SteveGarvey1
Well-Known Member
Not any different than what you see with some college QBs going into the NFL. They've run shotgun exclusively and have to adjust to being under center. It takes time for them to do it so it's not a concern at all that it would take time for Mansell to adjust either.
AreWeThereYet
Well-Known Member
Some people trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill.
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deanvogs
Well-Known Member
You can apply this to nearly any position really. I mean how often do Fr. come in and the coaches rave about them from day 1? Lots of kids have to learn how to do even the most basic of things relating to football when they get to college. Most of them have gotten by on being way more talented than everyone else all through HS.
While I think the snapping issue is minor you bring up an excellent big picture point. Iowa's offensive players often really struggle to pick up this offense. Whether it was GD or BF at OC we've heard comments like this before (players in general struggling or not having an idea of what to do), yet opposing defenses seem to figure out Iowa's offense rather well over a week prep period.
hawkdrummer1
Well-Known Member
Bingo. Makes no sense.
I am not sure where you got that from this article. He was a true freshman coming in and needed to work on the mechanics with the Center. Not sure I see where it states he struggles with the overall system. And maybe smart DC's throw stuff at new QBs to confuse the hell out of them. Experience brings knowledge of what one is really seeing and what to do next time.
GesterHawk
Well-Known Member
Direct quote from the article:
Mansell jumps up from fourth-team duty in the fall to being the backup heading into spring practice. He’s much more comfortable in the offense and with taking a snap under center, which he didn’t do in high school.
“He struggled pretty significantly. Even something as simple as that was really tough for him back in August, and frustrating,” Ferentz said.
People will infer whatever they want from that statement. Some will take it at face value that the simple thing was taking the snap from the center. Some will take it as the coaches are so bad they can't teach him to take a snap because the system is too confusing.
It is more telling of the interpreter than the offensive scheme/coaches ability.
That play was so impressive. Every time I see it I get fired up. How many QBs could make that play? First you have to have the poise to stand in there like that knowing where his TE was going to be. He didn't panic and go down trying to get away he just stood strong like a tree and unloaded it. That play on offense and Jacksons one handed pick were the two signature plays of that game. Both just knifes to their heart (although Jacksons play was late in the game with outcome not in doubt anymore)
RobHowe
Administrator
It's not like that was a bum he did it against, either. Sam Hubbard is a possible first-round pick this year.
What KF was referring too was how he looked last August in regards to PM. That's been quite awhile ago it's when he first got there. I'm sure in what's been 7/8 months of being in college he's gotten better. I'm anxious to see what we can of him this spring and see how he looks. He's got some wheels to go along with his arm
