The Linebackers are the Real Problem

[ChosenChildren]

I know the offense is not great. The running game hasn't been there, and apparently they can't decide who to play at QB.

But the real problem is the defense. Iowa State, UNI, Pitt, Indiana and Maryland all went over 400 yards against Iowa.

We're not stopping anybody. I think it is the overall linebacker play. They just are not in position to make tackles. The loss of 3 great linebackers from last year has been impossible to replace (so far). The difference is clear and quite alarming, frankly.

I only see 1 or 2 more wins unless we take a huge step forward with our linebackers over the next 2 weeks.

Ferentz rarely outscores you with great offensive play, but in many years his dominant defense has been the difference. It is not happening this year.

I think we finish 7-5 and go for the 8th win in the bowl game unless the defense takes a huge step forward.

 

[glidinghawk]

All three of them are weak at positioning, anticipating, moving laterally, getting proper angles, and tackling. They get sucked out of a lot of plays. Worst LBs at Iowa in a long, long time.

 

[DJL]

I agree there is a lot of opportunity at linebacker this year. You would think with all of the linebackers Iowa has put in the NFL, we would get some higher level talent at that position.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

The defense may not be very good, and if you are talking about the linebackers being the problem on D, then you may have a valid point.

But here are our current national rankings:

Total Offense: 87th
Scoring Offense: 83rd

Total Defense: 30th
Scoring Defense: 38th

The offense remains the biggest problem, if stats mean anything.

 

[ChosenChildren]

The defense may not be very good, and if you are talking about the linebackers being the problem on D, then you may have a valid point.

But here are our current national rankings:

Total Offense: 87th
Scoring Offense: 83rd

Total Defense: 30th
Scoring Defense: 38th

The offense remains the biggest problem, if stats mean anything.

Valid point, but my point is that Ferentz teams NEVER are very good on offense. His whole philosophy is a very conservative offense (that doesn't turn it over) backed by a very salty defense. He needs a top 25 ranked defense to enjoy that 8 to 10 win season.

It may not happen this year.....

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Valid point, but my point is that Ferentz teams NEVER are very good on offense. His whole philosophy is a very conservative offense (that doesn't turn it over) backed by a very salty defense. He needs a top 25 ranked defense to enjoy that 8 to 10 win season.

It may not happen this year.....

Gotcha. And I agree totally - KF's success has mostly come due to great D. This program would have been nothing without it. 2002 was one of the rare years where Iowa could probably have just outscored everyone. Otherwise, it's been mostly about the stout D. 2004 & 09 in particular.

 

[okeefe4prez]

The defense may not be very good, and if you are talking about the linebackers being the problem on D, then you may have a valid point.

But here are our current national rankings:

Total Offense: 87th
Scoring Offense: 83rd

Total Defense: 30th
Scoring Defense: 38th

The offense remains the biggest problem, if stats mean anything.

Looking at the rankings is always misleading under Ferentz. You have to remember that many programs have more series per game than Iowa, but that Ferentz intentionally wants to slow the game down. We have had some dismal offensive games and long stretches, but we have also had some stretches where the O has just chewed clock. With a lead, it is clear Ferentz would rather eat 6 minutes of clock than score and leave himself open to a quick score and onside. Based on what I saw at Northwestern in 2005 and what Central Michigan did to us a few years ago, plus what Indiana did last week, I can't say I blame him. Ultimately, given Ferentz's style of field position play and trying to chew clock to win the TOP battle, I think our defense needs to be top 10 or top 20 for the TEAM to be good and if they aren't at least in the top 25, I think they're not carrying their weight. This isn't Oregon or Baylor where the defense only gets 90 seconds off between drives.

 

[iowalaw]

You know, there is probably a reason that most D1 schools, let alone Big 10 schools, don't start 1 star freshmen walkons from small town Iowa at linebacker??

 

[Gibsonian]

Norm was the key. Norm gone now, and no answer yet for that loss.

 

[Gibsonian]

And to be honest, expecting more D like Norm produced is not really realistic. That was a hell of a job with results. A lot more realistic to expect to come off the bottom of the offensive ratings and become respectable there. If we were in the 30's on both D and O, we'd like the results.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Norm was the key. Norm gone now, and no answer yet for that loss.

I think schematically the defense is actually better suited for today's style of play than it was when Norm was the coordinator. Norm played a base 4-3 and only deviated from that when he went into prevent and went 3 down linemen. The bigger issue is we have fresh LBs and we haven't had two good safeties in some time. Folks just need to remember what I was saying before the season (back in May), which was:

I don't care where the defense was ranked in 2010. What I know is that in 2009 when we needed big plays in clutch situations, the linebackers made them. In 2013 when we needed big plays in clutch situations, the linebackers made them, too. I don't care if the defense is ranked 7th or 70th, I care about what they do when it is waning minutes of the fourth quarter and the game is on the line - a good, upperclassmen Iowa LB corps has frequently been the difference between close wins and close losses. Unfortunately, our LBs generally need a good year of getting torched to break in and build up that situational awareness to make those key plays.

http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65074

 

[kmurp]

You know, there is probably a reason that most D1 schools, let alone Big 10 schools, don't start 1 star freshmen walkons from small town Iowa at linebacker??

We finish near the bottom amongst all power 5 schools in recruiting and that shows.

 

[okeefe4prez]

We finish near the bottom amongst all power 5 schools in recruiting and that shows.

Yep. Ferentz does find some nice players who are diamonds in the rough, but the problem is usually manifested at the skill positions on offense and with just a couple of guys in the back 7 on defense. His success rate with two star position change guys like Mabin or Hitchens is really remarkable, but unfortunately instead of batting like .350 he needs to bat like .500 to shore up the couple of holes that we inevitably have that lead to losses like ISU and Maryland.

 

[LG210]

I think schematically the defense is actually better suited for today's style of play than it was when Norm was the coordinator. Norm played a base 4-3 and only deviated from that when he went into prevent and went 3 down linemen. The bigger issue is we have fresh LBs and we haven't had two good safeties in some time. Folks just need to remember what I was saying before the season (back in May), which was:



http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65074

My post in the same thread: "Honest question--when has KF's Iowa lived up to high expectations (I think 9 wins constitutes high expectations) after losing so many linebacker starters? They are pretty important in our defensive scheme."

Somewhere in that thread or others, I predicted 7-5, which was then met with incredulity, but is now the consensus.

I am right a lot, but I really hate that I was right in this case.

 

[eveningnewsteam]

Iowa really needed to go JUCO and plug some holes at the LB spot. Maybe they did and just didnt land them, I dont know. I think Jewell, in particular, is going to be really good, he just isnt ready to get the snaps hes getting. Bower, same thing, but I think Jewell is better.

 

[LG210]

Iowa really needed to go JUCO and plug some holes at the LB spot. Maybe they did and just didnt land them, I dont know. I think Jewell, in particular, is going to be really good, he just isnt ready to get the snaps hes getting. Bower, same thing, but I think Jewell is better.

I think each of the young guys getting playing time is going to be good. They just have some improving to do, which they will.

 

[drew003]

I know the offense is not great. The running game hasn't been there, and apparently they can't decide who to play at QB.

But the real problem is the defense. Iowa State, UNI, Pitt, Indiana and Maryland all went over 400 yards against Iowa.

We're not stopping anybody. I think it is the overall linebacker play. They just are not in position to make tackles. The loss of 3 great linebackers from last year has been impossible to replace (so far). The difference is clear and quite alarming, frankly.

I only see 1 or 2 more wins unless we take a huge step forward with our linebackers over the next 2 weeks.

Ferentz rarely outscores you with great offensive play, but in many years his dominant defense has been the difference. It is not happening this year.

I think we finish 7-5 and go for the 8th win in the bowl game unless the defense takes a huge step forward.

Alston is disappointing. I thought he'd play like a borderline All Big 10 player or at worst a mid-level Big 10 starter. But I think he's been a liability. He just doesn't have the lateral quickness or explosiveness to play MLB.

Spearman is a lot like Alston. Just doesn't have the lateral quickness to play in space. He's also having a hard time reading his keys.

I like Bower the best of the three. He at least moves pretty well in space. But he's undersized at the moment and lacks explosion at impact.

 

[STILLBUSTER]

My post in the same thread: "Honest question--when has KF's Iowa lived up to high expectations (I think 9 wins constitutes high expectations) after losing so many linebacker starters? They are pretty important in our defensive scheme."

Somewhere in that thread or others, I predicted 7-5, which was then met with incredulity, but is now the consensus.

I am right a lot, but I really hate that I was right in this case.

I feel ya; I was (am) there. It's really more of a curse than a blessing to bat about .999 in assessing Iowa football. It was great being spot on a decade ago. Since the slow stagnation / deterioration / "death by a 1000 cuts" that began 7 or 8 years ago, being so right just isn't as much fun.

http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65074&page=2&p=1302749&viewfull=1#post1302749

http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66640&page=2&p=1337278#post1337278

I sometimes wonder what it's like to be Mert, "Bob" from Newton, Hawknick, KirkFer, Greg Davus, et.al -- to wallow in that delusional, blissful, Pollyanna existence, completely detached from and in denial of the pure truth that observation and rational thought force upon people like me. Alas, when it comes to Iowa football, reality is the torturous cross I bear.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Looking at the rankings is always misleading under Ferentz. You have to remember that many programs have more series per game than Iowa, but that Ferentz intentionally wants to slow the game down. We have had some dismal offensive games and long stretches, but we have also had some stretches where the O has just chewed clock. With a lead, it is clear Ferentz would rather eat 6 minutes of clock than score and leave himself open to a quick score and onside. Based on what I saw at Northwestern in 2005 and what Central Michigan did to us a few years ago, plus what Indiana did last week, I can't say I blame him. Ultimately, given Ferentz's style of field position play and trying to chew clock to win the TOP battle, I think our defense needs to be top 10 or top 20 for the TEAM to be good and if they aren't at least in the top 25, I think they're not carrying their weight. This isn't Oregon or Baylor where the defense only gets 90 seconds off between drives.

That makes sense and I don't necessarily blame the conservative philosophy for our offensive failures.. You don't have to be Baylor or Oregon running an up-tempo spread offense to be effective. If you run that style and aren't getting first downs, guess what? You punt the ball back to your opponent in practically no time. Not to sound too much like KF, but you do have to be able to execute and move the sticks regardless of your philosophy.

Thing is, when I read things about how Maryland knew exactly what was coming based on how we were lined up, who was in the game, etc. then that's a problem. You're already at a disadvantage even before the snap.

Just take last year - according to ESPN, the 2013 defense was Top 10 (nice) but the offense was in the 80's. That gave us an 8-4 regular season record, which was decent, but what if the offense had been in, say, the 40's? Would it have been a 10 win team instead?

At any rate, 80's is bottom third nationally.. That can't be good. KOK had some Iowa offenses in the Top 30-50 with the same KF philosophies in play. Again, I'm not saying we need to be Oregon here, but the O has to improve.

 

[LG210]

I feel ya; I was (am) there. It's really more of a curse than a blessing to bat about .999 in assessing Iowa football. It was great being spot on a decade ago. Since the slow stagnation / deterioration / "death by a 1000 cuts" that began 7 or 8 years ago, being so right just isn't as much fun.

http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65074&page=2&p=1302749&viewfull=1#post1302749

http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66640&page=2&p=1337278#post1337278

I sometimes wonder what it's like to be Mert, "Bob" from Newton, Hawknick, KirkFer, Greg Davus, et.al -- to wallow in that delusional, blissful, Pollyanna existence, completely detached from and in denial of the pure truth that observation and rational thought force upon people like me. Alas, when it comes to Iowa football, reality is the torturous cross I bear.

WIN.

And I was worried about being perceived as gloating in my post at Iowa's expense, but your post put me at ease in that regard.