Statistical Recap 1/3 Into The Season Shows Underachieving All Around

[iowalaw]

While CJ has breathed some optimism into the season and we are sitting at 3-1 against one of the easiest non-conference schedules in recent memory, a quick look at our Big 10 statistical standings is alarming given that this is a veteran squad who was expected to contend for a Big 10 West title.

While many want to blame all of our woes on shaky quarterback play, statistics show that the whole team has underachieved thus far. Prior to the season, wouldn't everyone on this board have predicted that our running game, scoring offense, total defense, punt returns, etc. would have been in the top 1/3rd of our relatively weak conference at this point in the season? I sure would have thought we would rise to the top...especially when we have been playing Ball State while others have played against Oregon, Va Tech, LSU, etc. Instead, here is where we currently stack up going into Big 10 play:

Scoring Offense: 13th (four conference peers average TWICE as many points as us per game)
Total Offense: 11th (despite returning starting QB, RBs, all American OL, leading WR)
Punt Returns: 11th (wasnt Martin Manly something like 11th in the entire nation last yr?)
Sacks By Defense: 7th (we have a first round draft pick on the DL, plus Ott and Trinca Passat)
Sacks Given Up: 6th (OL is presumably our strength and our passing game consists of very quick short passes)
Total Defense: 7th (isn't this where we usually shine?)

We are not in the top 25% of the conference in any statistical category other than 4th down conversions and penalties, where we are 3rd in both.

The stats make clear that while we are feeling pretty good about our 3 close wins this year, we still have "a lot of things to clean up." Let's hope that this squad is one of Ferentz's patented slow starters who improves big time by the second half of the season. The way our schedule shakes out, this team can still make some post-season noise.

 

[Sparky]

This would lead me to believe what I've thought all along...they're just not a very good team at the moment.

 

[imported_ankle23]

if you are going to cherry pick stats to complain about your team, for goodness sakes at least provide a link to back yourself up, and so you can point out the areas that aren't so bad (i'm sure your intent was to just point out the bad, but i'll give you the benefit of the doubt) -

i'll provide a link for you so all can partake in the stat bash fest.....this link lists all stats - rank's iowa per conference and per national:

http://stats.ncaa.org/rankings/rank...ng_period=15&sport_code=MFB&team_individual=T

 

[Sparky]

if you are going to cherry pick stats to complain about your team, for goodness sakes at least provide a link to back yourself up, and so you can point out the areas that aren't so bad (i'm sure your intent was to just point out the bad, but i'll give you the benefit of the doubt) -

i'll provide a link for you so all can partake in the stat bash fest.....this link lists all stats - rank's iowa per conference and per national:

http://stats.ncaa.org/rankings/rank...ng_period=15&sport_code=MFB&team_individual=T

Wow, thanks for depressing my afternoon.

 

[JG10Hawk]

A few other conference stat rankings to throw out there:

Offense 3rd down Conv % 3rd (a bit surprised by this one but see the red zone scoring for better indication of offensive success/lack thereof)

Penalty yards 3rd (doesn't give any judgement to how talented a team is but rather how disciplined they are)

Scoring Defense 4th (better judgement than total yards IMO, especially with bend but don't break elements)

Offense Red Zone Scoring % 14th (brutal...)

Kickoff Average 1st & Kickoff Touchback % 1st (great for field position battles in the Big Ten)

 

[imported_ankle23]

Wow, thanks for depressing my afternoon.

Hey, I thought the 'who supports ferentz' thread was your way of determining who to put on your ignore list??

There are some good stats in there - how about 4th down conversion rate - he goes from being a bum for never going for it, to going for it, and still being a bum...

 

[Travisam]

Hey, I thought the 'who supports ferentz' thread was your way of determining who to put on your ignore list??

There are some good stats in there - how about 4th down conversion rate - he goes from being a bum for never going for it, to going for it, and still being a bum...

Probably because there are 30 other moronic things he does that make him a "bum". But you know that. You're just too busy pouting that people finally are opening their eyes. I'm sure this is a very difficult time for you.

 

[iowalaw]

Really, Imported? You cite "cherry picking of statistics," because I mentioned only the major stats that matter, then you bring up the all mighty 4th down conversion stat to support your position? You realize what a miniscule statistic that is, right? In fact, we have gone for it on 4th down approx one time per game thus far this season, and converted 85% of the time. This is good enough for the 3rd best rate in the conference...which, low and behold, was cited in the OP as one of the two stats that we did well at. Did you really waste everyone's time with such a point?

Hey, I thought the 'who supports ferentz' thread was your way of determining who to put on your ignore list??

There are some good stats in there - how about 4th down conversion rate - he goes from being a bum for never going for it, to going for it, and still being a bum...

 

[Tfunkhawkeye]

I did not expect this slow start against the cupcakes. But that is the definition of insanity right? Same thing over and over but expect different result...

Anyway, one stat I want to hi-light and bring alot of attention to kick-off coverage(or lack of one required)
Koehn has been outstanding here!!!!

 

[iowalaw]

Tfunk - while I agree Koehn has been blasting the ball, our kick coverage team currently ranks 8th in the Big 10, and our kick return team ranks 11th. I am not sure how they calculate the statistic, as I would think our kick coverage unit would be doing better than that. Maybe because teams start at the 25 yrd line with a touchback rather than the 20.

I did not expect this slow start against the cupcakes. But that is the definition of insanity right? Same thing over and over but expect different result...

Anyway, one stat I want to hi-light and bring alot of attention to kick-off coverage(or lack of one required)
Koehn has been outstanding here!!!!

 

[HawkIPA]

The OP forgot teh most important numbers....3-1.

9-3 would make me happy at years end and that is the pace Iowa is on right now.

 

[JHHawk]

Most important stat.....3 wins. lets just win ugly all the way to the Big Ten title game, ok? I get it, but at this point do you care about stats, really? I only care about wins from here out...it is league time. I think our offense still can take off, if we have the right guy at the helm.

 

[Hawknick]

Biggest stat of all wins 3, and just 1 play away from being 4 and undefeated. They have the same record at this point as the 2002 team had.

 

[guffus]

Biggest stat of all wins 3, and just 1 play away from being 4 and undefeated. They have the same record at this point as the 2002 team had.

and just 2 plays from being 1-3 against what should be the easiest part of the schedule. Nobody is confusing the 2014 offense with the 2002 offense.

 

[deanvogs]

What do the stats mean so far to date? We won 3 of the 4 games when we played poorly 3 1/2 of the first 4 games to date. I don't have to look at stats to prove to me what my eyes have already seen. We don't get an extra win for putting up better numbers do we?

We have the Purdue game and then a bye to get the team up to speed and ready to go for the 2nd half of the season where we will either succeed or fail with this season.

 

[DJL]

More proof that we have to play CJB the entire game vs. Purdue. We have to find out if Saturday is what this offense can really do, or just a shot of energy. We know what the offense does with Jake at the helm.

 

[uihawk82]

Most important stat.....3 wins. lets just win ugly all the way to the Big Ten title game, ok? I get it, but at this point do you care about stats, really? I only care about wins from here out...it is league time. I think our offense still can take off, if we have the right guy at the helm.

I do care about stats and wins and losses. Stats and averages tell you what is working and what you need to work on.

I am glad we won at Pitt to get to 3-1. I still think a terrible unneeded loss to ISU.

I think the bad rushing stats against UNI and Ball St should have been an alert to work on the type of powerblocking and runs we used at ISU last year and looking at film the offensive coaches should have realized that we needed to stretch the field against ISU who sells out to stop our run game.

I think our game planning against ISU was bad, you dont run draw plays, you smash it straight at them from the get go, maybe even hard play action and a 50 yard bomb on 1st offensive play of the game.

I and many fans were calling for power and going over the top after the first two games, not sure why the coaches couldnt get it done until the pitt game. And we should have been going long in game 1.

 

[ThunderHawk]

I do care about stats and wins and losses. Stats and averages tell you what is working and what you need to work on.

I am glad we won at Pitt to get to 3-1. I still think a terrible unneeded loss to ISU.

I think the bad rushing stats against UNI and Ball St should have been an alert to work on the type of powerblocking and runs we used at ISU last year and looking at film the offensive coaches should have realized that we needed to stretch the field against ISU who sells out to stop our run game.

I think our game planning against ISU was bad, you dont run draw plays, you smash it straight at them from the get go, maybe even hard play action and a 50 yard bomb on 1st offensive play of the game.

I and many fans were calling for power and going over the top after the first two games, not sure why the coaches couldnt get it done until the pitt game. And we should have been going long in game 1.

Because Game Manager.

 

[iowalaw]

The wins and losses thus far this season are a product of one thing...having a cupcake schedule. It is ignorant to say "oh wow, we are 3-1, we are doing fine." There is a reason there are ranked teams who are 3-1 and there are teams like us who are 3-1. If you swapped UNI for an average D1 team that week, we would be 2-2.

 

[trj]

I am with everyone else the ISU loss was a bad one. No way to spin it....it is a disappointing 3-1, no established QB or lead RB given that a quarter of the season is over with. The first 3 games should have been equivalent to a NFL preseason just adds to the frustration.