JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
Here are a few facts and figures related to the Iowa football team through their first seven games that you may not have known…and if you did know, I am sharing these anyway as they are noteworthy.
4.95: That is what Iowa is averaging per rushing attempt through seven games. That ranks 32nd in the nation this year and if Iowa would finish with an average yards per carry in that neighborhood, it would be the second best average of the Ferentz era; Iowa’s 5.0 yards per carry in the 2002 season is the top mark. Two other Iowa teams averaged 4.70; 2008 and 2005. The chart below shows Iowa’s annual statistics in passing to rushing and their national rank. The first set of numbers is total yards per game, then their national rank. The second set of numbers is passing yards per attempt and their national rank, when available. Then yards per rush and their national rank, when available. The green areas are when Iowa is in the Top 50% of FBS teams in a particular category, the red is the bottom 50%.
421.1: Iowa is averaging that many yards per game on offense, which is on pace to be the third highest mark of the Ferentz era.
DEFENSE: So you can see the trajectory of this Iowa offense has been fantastic, one of the best of the Ferentz era. What about this year’s Iowa defense? Here is where Iowa ranks nationally in these key defensive statistics:
RUSHING DEFENSE: 3rd
SCORING DEFENSE: 10th
TOTAL DEFENSE: 12th
With all due apologies to the guy who told his kids Iowa didn’t have a national title caliber defense, the numbers suggest otherwise. Rare has been the year when Iowa’s defensive excellence has matched up with one of its better offensive units.
I went back through some of my files and pulled up an article I wrote immediately following the passing of former Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker. Here are some of the stats I had in that piece:
Cross reference Iowa’s best defensive years to their corresponding offensive ranking in those years and you will be reminded of how much the Iowa defense has been the heart and soul of Iowa football in the Kirk Ferentz era. The defense is the heart and soul of most great college football teams in every era of college football, although we may be entering into an area where great defense is not the only way to skin the cat. That said, ‘Old Man Football’ can still work. It works well for Alabama. Ohio State is running variations of offense from the 1960’s and 1970’s, just with better talent than many of those teams had. Programs like TCU and Baylor, or Oregon in recent years, are doing things with offense but as of yet, they have not won a national title. At some point in time, the defense has to make stops.
When you compare Iowa’s stats throughout the Ferentz years, there have been three years where the Hawkeyes had an above average to good offense to go with a national title caliber defense; 2002, 2008 and 2010. Not coincidentally, those are three of the three most talented Ferentz era rosters, with 2009 being in the mix for the most talented (from an NFL draft perspective). That said, the 2009 offense was not great. They were not even average; they were well below average. Ricky Stanzi threw 17 touchdowns in 2009 to 15 interceptions. Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher were Iowa’s running backs in 2009, as Jewell Hampton was injured.
What of the 2015 Hawkeyes? There are still six games left if you count the bowl game, but this team is one of the most balanced of the Ferentz era as it relates to exceptional defense and above average offense.
For the past several weeks, I have been writing that this Iowa team reminds me most of 2004. Kirk Ferentz mentioned the 2004 comparison this past week, but the more I think about it and look at the raw numbers, the 2004 comparisons only come about due to how this year’s Iowa team is overcoming adversity. The 2004 team overcame a ton of offensive adversity, namely at running back. You can see they had a fantastic defense, debatably the best of the Ferentz era and one of the best in school history. The offense? They did it with duct tape.
Statistically, this year’s Iowa team has far more in common with the 2002, 2008 and 2010 teams than it does the 2004 team. It’s getting a few more bounces going their way than the 2008 & 2010 teams had. When you factor in how well Iowa has been playing on special teams (on the whole), it’s not surprising to see Iowa with a great record and ranked in the Top 10. That is to say, if you were only looking at the raw numbers and their statistical rankings relative to the sport. It’s totally surprising to me that THIS team is where they are in these statistical categories, on pace to being one of the most complete teams in the Kirk Ferentz era and one of the best run stopping units in school history.
81.9 , 79.7 & 74.1: The 2002 Iowa defense was phenomenal against the run, allowing just 81.9 yards per game. The 2015 Iowa defense is allowing just 74.1 yards per game against the run. Here is where their remaining opponents rank nationally on the ground:
Maryland: 43rd
Indiana: 51st
Purdue: 104th
Minnesota: 85th
Nebraska: 50th
Is this year’s Iowa rush defense as talented as the 2002 Iowa rush defense? No, it is not. Do they have to be that talented to be great? Apparently not. The all time best mark against the run was established by the 1981 Iowa defense of 79.7 yards per game. Could we be witnessing history this year? So far so good, but without Drew Ott, I don’t think they’ll get there. Then again, doubting this team can make you look silly.
12: The number of plays of 40 or more yards by Iowa this season through seven games. Ohio State has 13 such plays but in eight games. Here are the number of 40 or more yard plays Iowa’s teams have had in recent seasons:
2014: 12
2013: 9
2012: 4
2011: 10
2010: 12
MARYLAND: This is not a great team Iowa will be playing on Saturday. Here is where they rank nationally (out of 127 teams) in key statistical areas:
Turnover Margin: 126th
Fist Downs Offense: 122nd
First Downs Defense: 100th
Passing Offense: 109th
Total Defense: 104th
Scoring Defense: 105th
Passing Yards Allowed: 106th
3rd Down Conversion %: 114th
Net Punting: 100th
Total Offense: 93rd
Rushing Defense: 82nd
They are 3rd in punt returns, however. So Iowa, just don’t punt the ball and things should work out nicely.
4.95: That is what Iowa is averaging per rushing attempt through seven games. That ranks 32nd in the nation this year and if Iowa would finish with an average yards per carry in that neighborhood, it would be the second best average of the Ferentz era; Iowa’s 5.0 yards per carry in the 2002 season is the top mark. Two other Iowa teams averaged 4.70; 2008 and 2005. The chart below shows Iowa’s annual statistics in passing to rushing and their national rank. The first set of numbers is total yards per game, then their national rank. The second set of numbers is passing yards per attempt and their national rank, when available. Then yards per rush and their national rank, when available. The green areas are when Iowa is in the Top 50% of FBS teams in a particular category, the red is the bottom 50%.
421.1: Iowa is averaging that many yards per game on offense, which is on pace to be the third highest mark of the Ferentz era.
DEFENSE: So you can see the trajectory of this Iowa offense has been fantastic, one of the best of the Ferentz era. What about this year’s Iowa defense? Here is where Iowa ranks nationally in these key defensive statistics:
RUSHING DEFENSE: 3rd
SCORING DEFENSE: 10th
TOTAL DEFENSE: 12th
With all due apologies to the guy who told his kids Iowa didn’t have a national title caliber defense, the numbers suggest otherwise. Rare has been the year when Iowa’s defensive excellence has matched up with one of its better offensive units.
I went back through some of my files and pulled up an article I wrote immediately following the passing of former Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker. Here are some of the stats I had in that piece:
Cross reference Iowa’s best defensive years to their corresponding offensive ranking in those years and you will be reminded of how much the Iowa defense has been the heart and soul of Iowa football in the Kirk Ferentz era. The defense is the heart and soul of most great college football teams in every era of college football, although we may be entering into an area where great defense is not the only way to skin the cat. That said, ‘Old Man Football’ can still work. It works well for Alabama. Ohio State is running variations of offense from the 1960’s and 1970’s, just with better talent than many of those teams had. Programs like TCU and Baylor, or Oregon in recent years, are doing things with offense but as of yet, they have not won a national title. At some point in time, the defense has to make stops.
When you compare Iowa’s stats throughout the Ferentz years, there have been three years where the Hawkeyes had an above average to good offense to go with a national title caliber defense; 2002, 2008 and 2010. Not coincidentally, those are three of the three most talented Ferentz era rosters, with 2009 being in the mix for the most talented (from an NFL draft perspective). That said, the 2009 offense was not great. They were not even average; they were well below average. Ricky Stanzi threw 17 touchdowns in 2009 to 15 interceptions. Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher were Iowa’s running backs in 2009, as Jewell Hampton was injured.
What of the 2015 Hawkeyes? There are still six games left if you count the bowl game, but this team is one of the most balanced of the Ferentz era as it relates to exceptional defense and above average offense.
For the past several weeks, I have been writing that this Iowa team reminds me most of 2004. Kirk Ferentz mentioned the 2004 comparison this past week, but the more I think about it and look at the raw numbers, the 2004 comparisons only come about due to how this year’s Iowa team is overcoming adversity. The 2004 team overcame a ton of offensive adversity, namely at running back. You can see they had a fantastic defense, debatably the best of the Ferentz era and one of the best in school history. The offense? They did it with duct tape.
Statistically, this year’s Iowa team has far more in common with the 2002, 2008 and 2010 teams than it does the 2004 team. It’s getting a few more bounces going their way than the 2008 & 2010 teams had. When you factor in how well Iowa has been playing on special teams (on the whole), it’s not surprising to see Iowa with a great record and ranked in the Top 10. That is to say, if you were only looking at the raw numbers and their statistical rankings relative to the sport. It’s totally surprising to me that THIS team is where they are in these statistical categories, on pace to being one of the most complete teams in the Kirk Ferentz era and one of the best run stopping units in school history.
81.9 , 79.7 & 74.1: The 2002 Iowa defense was phenomenal against the run, allowing just 81.9 yards per game. The 2015 Iowa defense is allowing just 74.1 yards per game against the run. Here is where their remaining opponents rank nationally on the ground:
Maryland: 43rd
Indiana: 51st
Purdue: 104th
Minnesota: 85th
Nebraska: 50th
Is this year’s Iowa rush defense as talented as the 2002 Iowa rush defense? No, it is not. Do they have to be that talented to be great? Apparently not. The all time best mark against the run was established by the 1981 Iowa defense of 79.7 yards per game. Could we be witnessing history this year? So far so good, but without Drew Ott, I don’t think they’ll get there. Then again, doubting this team can make you look silly.
12: The number of plays of 40 or more yards by Iowa this season through seven games. Ohio State has 13 such plays but in eight games. Here are the number of 40 or more yard plays Iowa’s teams have had in recent seasons:
2014: 12
2013: 9
2012: 4
2011: 10
2010: 12
MARYLAND: This is not a great team Iowa will be playing on Saturday. Here is where they rank nationally (out of 127 teams) in key statistical areas:
Turnover Margin: 126th
Fist Downs Offense: 122nd
First Downs Defense: 100th
Passing Offense: 109th
Total Defense: 104th
Scoring Defense: 105th
Passing Yards Allowed: 106th
3rd Down Conversion %: 114th
Net Punting: 100th
Total Offense: 93rd
Rushing Defense: 82nd
They are 3rd in punt returns, however. So Iowa, just don’t punt the ball and things should work out nicely.
