I dont think they packed it in then. I think the NW loss was the crusher, but I also think it was easy for them to get up for OSU game at home on Senior Day...after that loss, nothing left in tank.
The offense hit a low point vs NW, 2-14 third down conversions. Perhaps that created a rift between offense and defense as the defense was on the field for 50 plays in the second half.
The belief that Iowa still tries to pound the ball all the time is a fallacy. 100 yard rusher in the 1st half against Indiana yet throws on 9 of 12 plays inside the 12 yard line....settling for 3 out of 4 on fg's at the half.
Scoring Defense: 7th
Rushing Defense 8th
Total Defense: 15th
Turnover Margin: 7th
Pass Effic Defense: 18th
Heart: 120th
I dont think they packed it in then. I think the NW loss was the crusher, but I also think it was easy for them to get up for OSU game at home on Senior Day...after that loss, nothing left in tank.
The offense hit a low point vs NW, 2-14 third down conversions. Perhaps that created a rift between offense and defense as the defense was on the field for 50 plays in the second half.
Scoring Defense: 7th
Rushing Defense 8th
Total Defense: 15th
Turnover Margin: 7th
Pass Effic Defense: 18th
Had you given me these numbers before the season I would have felt 10 wins minimum.
Total offense: 61st. Yet another 'below average' finish for the Iowa offense. Average is 60 this year, as there are 120 teams in FBS
DJK is 11th in kickoff returns,
When you compare the top set of numbers to the rank for total offense, the numbers actually don't lie and pretty well sum up the season.
Although it is fashionable to blame the defense for giving up late scoring drives by opponents in each of Iowa's losses, my recollection is that the D was often gassed because of being on the field for so long by that point. Poor special teams play frequently put the Iowa D in bad field position and the Iowa offense didn't do enough to keep the D off the field or to score to cushion the lead.
Might be interesting to compare the percentage of time the defense was on the field this season to the time the offense was. My guess is it would be pretty lop-sided for the defense, particularly in the losses.
I dont think they packed it in then. I think the NW loss was the crusher, but I also think it was easy for them to get up for OSU game at home on Senior Day...after that loss, nothing left in tank.
The offense hit a low point vs NW, 2-14 third down conversions. Perhaps that created a rift between offense and defense as the defense was on the field for 50 plays in the second half.