The OLine

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NorthKCHawk

Well-Known Member
Can we take a break from beating up BF and give props to the OL???

Yes, there were a lot of 3 and outs. But, there was also a lot of push and no negative runs that I recall. 2nd and 8 was about the worst position we were in all day. In addition to push, there was occassional holes to bolt through. And this, all knowing that there was not even a hint of worry of throwing over the top, so there were 8 guys in the box all day.

Colby is a RG. DO NOT MOVE HIM AGAIN!
Feth is a difference maker in there.
Jones is improving week on week.
We finally have a RT
I can't tell if Richmon is the next 1st rounder or just a guy, but he is holding his own.

Finally, for those who enjoy Xs and Os, has anyone noticed we are no longer a zone blocking team??? It was all drive blocking and trap/pull blocking.

Whatever it is, keep it going boys!!!!
 
NorthKCHawk said:
Can we take a break from beating up BF and give props to the OL???

Yes, there were a lot of 3 and outs. But, there was also a lot of push and no negative runs that I recall. 2nd and 8 was about the worst position we were in all day. In addition to push, there was occassional holes to bolt through. And this, all knowing that there was not even a hint of worry of throwing over the top, so there were 8 guys in the box all day.

Colby is a RG. DO NOT MOVE HIM AGAIN!
Feth is a difference maker in there.
Jones is improving week on week.
We finally have a RT
I can't tell if Richmon is the next 1st rounder or just a guy, but he is holding his own.

Finally, for those who enjoy Xs and Os, has anyone noticed we are no longer a zone blocking team??? It was all drive blocking and trap/pull blocking.

Whatever it is, keep it going boys!!!!
Click to expand...

The counter is back and they are rushing to the opposite flow with guys pulling and trapping. I haven't looked yet but I want to see on all Iowa's long run plays this year if Hayden Large has been in the game on all the plays. Seems to me he has been. He is a difference maker as well.

Let's not overlook how hard Williams is hitting the hole and running downfield. Little dancing which has been a problem with some of Iowa's RB's the past few years, it seems.

The running game is looking competent indeed. They are going to get some challenges as teams are going to really play Iowa one-dimensional and load up. Time for the O-line to put the big boy pants on and be the bullies of the BIG 10 again.
 
Hill took one deep shot.

BF absolutely has to build in at least 2 deep shots per game. Max protect, play action, 1-1 coverage and take a shot just to keep them honest.

There absolutely needs to be some waggle plays too. With this much focus on the run, there will be some plays to be made in the passing game, and Hill has shown he has a strong arm and pretty good judgment.
 
NorthKCHawk said:
Hill took one deep shot.

BF absolutely has to build in at least 2 deep shots per game. Max protect, play action, 1-1 coverage and take a shot just to keep them honest.

There absolutely needs to be some waggle plays too. With this much focus on the run, there will be some plays to be made in the passing game, and Hill has shown he has a strong arm and pretty good judgment.
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Yep. Even if misses they are still important to do. Ya have to take that chance to keep in the D coordinators head. And with Iowa's D and Taylor's punting, why not?
 
good post. I'm done fussing. with all the injuries and time to digest realities. I'm done fussin.

I'm just going to resign form the debating society and cheer for the hawks
 
MelroseHawkins said:
Yep. Even if misses they are still important to do. Ya have to take that chance to keep in the D coordinators head. And with Iowa's D and Taylor's punting, why not?
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And the one INT you often don't mind giving up is 40 yards down field. CB makes a play and gets the ball and the WR tackles him, you tip your cap. Good as a punt (for most teams anyway).
 
MelroseHawkins said:
Yep. Even if misses they are still important to do. Ya have to take that chance to keep in the D coordinators head. And with Iowa's D and Taylor's punting, why not?
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I mean, up to this point his deep shots aren't exactly low percentage plays, at least relative to his others.
The few they've tried were massive. He didn't miss by much more than he usually misses.
And if they connect, I think it would just totally mess with the minds of a defense and a defensive coordinator. It'd be like a 40 yard soul crusher they could give another go. Absolute worst case it's a pick and a fairly decent arm punt.

I, uhm, can't argue Brian's playcalling Saturday. I'm a "run the ball guy", for sure. That's what I was most worried about early on this season. Not even getting 100 yards rushing in those early games scared me.

I don't like it when they run....and run...and run....right up the gut and get nothing. Which has been the case most days, except Saturday. Especially towards the latter part of that game? When you can run it up the gut for 5 or 6 with regularity? Yeah. Just do that. And then do it again, until it doesn't work.

The ONLY play I questioned (at the time) was the 4th and short. "I mean, why run a play where if it doesn't work you will lose yards?", I grouched angrily from a bar in Iowa City where I was watching the game. Course, after taking a breath, it was probably a good call. It was a long short and they're expecting a sneak or a shot right up the middle. I'd rather turn it over there going for essentially the TD than coming up short by an inch after review.
 
The O-Line dominated the filthy Badgers last Saturday. Beat them up.

If you eliminate the lost yardage of Hill, we averaged over 5 yards per carry against a stacked box. Very, very impressive. Ran the ball very well against a decent Purdue team as well.
 
There's been lots of coach talk the past couple years about getting the RBs more involved in the passing game, yet it hasn't happened. Perhaps it's time.
I've been VERY happy to see at least 1-2 jet sweeps to the wide side of the field the last two games...that's also part of keeping defenses honest, in addition to the occasional long bomb.
One thing that's clear: the middle screen to the TE that worked the first couple games of the year has been scouted to death and hasn't worked for several weeks. Ditch it -- it's an INT waiting to happen.
 
Grady said:
There's been lots of coach talk the past couple years about getting the RBs more involved in the passing game, yet it hasn't happened. Perhaps it's time.
I've been VERY happy to see at least 1-2 jet sweeps to the wide side of the field the last two games...that's also part of keeping defenses honest, in addition to the occasional long bomb.
One thing that's clear: the middle screen to the TE that worked the first couple games of the year has been scouted to death and hasn't worked for several weeks. Ditch it -- it's an INT waiting to happen.
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Just stop running the jet sweeps on 3rd and short and 4th and short
 
Grady said:
There's been lots of coach talk the past couple years about getting the RBs more involved in the passing game, yet it hasn't happened. Perhaps it's time.
I've been VERY happy to see at least 1-2 jet sweeps to the wide side of the field the last two games...that's also part of keeping defenses honest, in addition to the occasional long bomb.
One thing that's clear: the middle screen to the TE that worked the first couple games of the year has been scouted to death and hasn't worked for several weeks. Ditch it -- it's an INT waiting to happen.
Click to expand...

There has to be a deceptive variation of that we are just waiting to bust out. We usually couple the middle TE screen with some swing screen action, so maybe we fake middle, and then come back outside with OL sliding out. Or maybe it is some kind of delayed GO up the seam. There has to be a counter we haven't seen yet.
 
NorthKCHawk said:
Hill took one deep shot.

BF absolutely has to build in at least 2 deep shots per game. Max protect, play action, 1-1 coverage and take a shot just to keep them honest.

There absolutely needs to be some waggle plays too. With this much focus on the run, there will be some plays to be made in the passing game, and Hill has shown he has a strong arm and pretty good judgment.
Click to expand...

There will be. If we win this game on Saturday and get into the bye 7-1 I think we will see that early KF magic where his teams were unbeatable after the bye week. It looks to me like Deacon has a really skinny playbook still and with the top 2 TEs out it got even skinnier. We have to remember these dudes have very limited practice and reps are at a premium. That extra week of practice is really gonna help us to get two dozen passing plays working. If we shit the bed this Saturday, though, I don't know where the floor is. I just don't see it, these dudes know who they are.
 
Feth who was really struggling up to this point had an excellent game Saturday. It looks like the light finally came on for him.

Still don't understand why teams wait to stack the box against Iowa. I would make Deacon Hill and that passing attack beat me from the start. It is like every d-coordinator waits half a quarter before they stack the box and run blitz.

If DH was remotely accurate throwing the football, if he just was completing passes at a 55% clip, it would make things soooooo much easier. He isn't, so the rest of these remaining games are going to be a dogfight.
 
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Noticeable improvement in the line, despite a lull in the third quarter there. Love the counter plays. Reminds me of some of the plays they used for Canzeri and Wadley.
 
trj said:
Feth who was really struggling up to this point had an excellent game Saturday. It looks like the light finally came on for him.

Still don't understand why teams wait to stack the box against Iowa. I would make Deacon Hill and that passing attack beat me from start. It is like every d-coordinator waits half a quarter before they stack the box and run blitz.

If DH was remotely accurate throwing the football, if he just was completing passes at a 55% clip it would make things soooooo much easier. He isn't so the rest of these remaining games are going to be a dogfight.
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Northwestern will run blitz us to death. Maybe Illinois as well. Fitzgerald and his longtime DC (both obviously not there anymore) were consistent with the idea of sending more than we could block-and daring us to pass downfield.
 
Run blitzes are incredibly risky against a team that is trap/pulling. Yes, you will get a lot of stuffs, but you will also blitz pass the runner a few times a game and then there is usually one guy to beat.
 
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