This Kid Could Be VanSumeren's Replacement

RobHowe

RobHowe

Administrator
Iowa played host to Kansas City-area S/LB Jasir Cox this weekend. The senior spoke with HN about it and what's next for he and the Hawkeyes:

LINK
 
with colbert and (possibly) this kid, are we seeing a slow transition to more of a 4-2-5 system by Iowa in order to gain speed on defense?
 
ArvadaHawk said:
with colbert and (possibly) this kid, are we seeing a slow transition to more of a 4-2-5 system by Iowa in order to gain speed on defense?
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We have been a modified 4-2-5 for a long time now in a way. Iowa just calls it the LEO LB position, and they make that guy cover the slot WR in space. Neiman is the guy right now that plays in space and covers the slot WR and Bowers and Jewell are the ILB types. We had the same setup with Morris/Hitchens/Kirksey and Hunter/Angerer/Edds
 
deanvogs said:
We have been a modified 4-2-5 for a long time now in a way. Iowa just calls it the LEO LB position, and they make that guy cover the slot WR in space. Neiman is the guy right now that plays in space and covers the slot WR and Bowers and Jewell are the ILB types. We had the same setup with Morris/Hitchens/Kirksey and Hunter/Angerer/Edds
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but they are lb bodies playing at lb weight. we need lighter players, in my opinion, who are a step or so faster in order to stick with a WR downfield. you can call it a nickel if you want, but use a S at a lb spot.
 
ArvadaHawk said:
but they are lb bodies playing at lb weight. we need lighter players, in my opinion, who are a step or so faster in order to stick with a WR downfield. you can call it a nickel if you want, but use a S at a lb spot.
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I guess I disagree on that. I think 225 lbs guys that can run are perfect at the LEO spot. You don't want a guy who is 200 lbs. trying to man the LB spot, just too much weight to be giving up to OL, TE, and even bigger RB. It is tough enough tackling a 210 lbs RB, but if you give up weight, it is that much tougher.
 
A dominate pass rush from a dominate (and deep) defensive line is the key to how well the LBs play...

I am hoping we have that...for real, next season...if so everyone will be amazed at how little we miss those three senior LBs...
 
deanvogs said:
I guess I disagree on that. I think 225 lbs guys that can run are perfect at the LEO spot. You don't want a guy who is 200 lbs. trying to man the LB spot, just too much weight to be giving up to OL, TE, and even bigger RB. It is tough enough tackling a 210 lbs RB, but if you give up weight, it is that much tougher.
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agree to disagree. and i'm not saying 225 is too heave, but perhaps 215 to 225. Our lb's are all 230-240. i am not sure 10 lbs is too much weight to forgo against pulling OL's and fb/rb when you compare it to the speed and agility you could gain at the lower weight. plus, the lighter guy would defend WR's downfield much better, presumably. Edds and Greenway were freaks of nature that did well covering downfield. other than those 2, we've always been at risk against WR's downfield guarded by a lb. teams use motion to force the matchup and then go deep.
 
ArvadaHawk said:
agree to disagree. and i'm not saying 225 is too heave, but perhaps 215 to 225. Our lb's are all 230-240. i am not sure 10 lbs is too much weight to forgo against pulling OL's and fb/rb when you compare it to the speed and agility you could gain at the lower weight. plus, the lighter guy would defend WR's downfield much better, presumably. Edds and Greenway were freaks of nature that did well covering downfield. other than those 2, we've always been at risk against WR's downfield guarded by a lb. teams use motion to force the matchup and then go deep.
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I am kind of with you on this one. If we had the necessary safety depth this year, I would have liked to see us play more with Nieman at the other ILB along with Jewel, and then one of the safeties at LEO. That gives us more speed and coverage-ability across the field.

However, the S position was kind of held together by duct tape throughout the season. Perhaps going forward that might be a more heavily utilized strategy.
 
A bit more on Cox............

DQ-TB6QU8AAb-CZ.jpg

Kinda wonder if we're going to view the landscape of uncommitted targets after this week's signing period before offering on this young man. A bit of a head scratcher that we can't attract more pure LB's outside of a staff member's son. Hopefully that changes with a Honas addition.
 
ohhawk said:
A bit more on Cox............

View attachment 2988

Kinda wonder if we're going to view the landscape of uncommitted targets after this week's signing period before offering on this young man. A bit of a head scratcher that we can't attract more pure LB's outside of a staff member's son. Hopefully that changes with a Honas addition.
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it may be a bit of a double-edged sword that we've had 6 starting lb's in the last 6 seasons. morris/kirksey/hitchens and jewell/niemann/bower. kids see that if you're a backup, you're locked in, perhaps. dunno if that is true or not, but maybe it is.
 
ohhawk said:
A bit more on Cox............

View attachment 2988

Kinda wonder if we're going to view the landscape of uncommitted targets after this week's signing period before offering on this young man. A bit of a head scratcher that we can't attract more pure LB's outside of a staff member's son. Hopefully that changes with a Honas addition.
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Gonna need a couple years in the weight room imo
 
ArvadaHawk said:
agree to disagree. and i'm not saying 225 is too heave, but perhaps 215 to 225. Our lb's are all 230-240. i am not sure 10 lbs is too much weight to forgo against pulling OL's and fb/rb when you compare it to the speed and agility you could gain at the lower weight. plus, the lighter guy would defend WR's downfield much better, presumably. Edds and Greenway were freaks of nature that did well covering downfield. other than those 2, we've always been at risk against WR's downfield guarded by a lb. teams use motion to force the matchup and then go deep.
Click to expand...

 
ArvadaHawk said:
but they are lb bodies playing at lb weight. we need lighter players, in my opinion, who are a step or so faster in order to stick with a WR downfield. you can call it a nickel if you want, but use a S at a lb spot.
Click to expand...
Why do we need this? Out of all the years we've been running the system, I can't remember a time where it looked like it was hurting us at all. Between Edds, Kirksey, and Neiman, that position has never been the one that gets blown open all the time. Even when Bower was manning it in 2014, the real issue was Spearman and Alston being terrible at covering the flats.

I will say that it seems pretty crazy that the D can cover so well without ever going to a sub package, but the results speak for themselves.
 
99topdawg said:
Hopefully we don't have to get so desperate that we offer Luther commits to play LB!
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If the kid can play what does it matter? As noted above we swung and missed with Jewell, Greenway and others. Using that logic should the only players in the NFL be from a P5 conference?
 
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