HawkeyeWalker
Well-Known Member
I fully expect some TL;DR. Understandable, this was as much for my own sanity to get some things out....
Positives are in short order in Hawkeye Nation these days. NIU and MSU were big games. I think the vast majority were very understanding that this could be a 6 win team, maybe 7 if things went well. Losing both of those games was a huge blow to many as I don't think hardly anyone being realistic, thought we would win more than one(MAYBE two) in October. If we come out of the OSU, NW, WISC gauntlet 1-2 I would be very pleased.
Purdue is winnable if we don't fall apart....Maybe we can steal one against nebby or Mich.
It's a bleak forcast though, which...along with a fake punt travesty and further waining of support for the staff, makes the MSU loss more difficult....almost everyone thought we needed that one.
I have been pretty clear in my support for KF, and have always stated that although there are gameday issues, the overall pros outweighed the cons. That said, there are a few things I am struggling with.....
Giving up the fake punts, kicks, onsides: I want to defend this but can't. While I think we had the right call on NIU and just didn't execute AND I think it was a great call by MSU that outside of us as fans always now expecting it, I just don't understand how it can be that open. I am at a loss here and I expect this fixed immediately.
Offensive Line: While not a juggernaut, all signs pointed to this being a strength. I don't think MSU is necessarily a great indicator of struggling, as they have a Dline that would give almost everyone issues...but the line has seemed to be very inconsistant, sometimes looking very good, and other times being out of sync even against lesser competition.
RB: I may be jumping to early with this as I actually didn't mind not continuing trying to run, it just wasn't there on Saturday. And we may start to see more of the RB depth going forward, especially after a bye week. I also know blocking is extremely important. All of that said, I would think even 5-10 combined carries a game for Daniels and Canzeri would go a long way in development. I don't claim to know the inner workings, and none of us are in daily practice so its all conjecture. Time will tell but there is some precedence set for a little concern here.
Kick/Punt Coverage: Again, I am not going to sit here and make it sound like its a simple thing to fix. Just an observation that the first couple guys(gunners) that get there seem to break down to late. The first guys don't need to make the tackle, just disrupt the blocking and make the returner pause. I've seen this a few times now. This has to Be fixed pronto, whatever the issue is.
D-backfield: This has me frustrated, I don't know if its experience, talent, schemes, coaching or what. I am hoping it's experience and King did seem to make strides. It's a very tough position for a true or redshirt freshman and we had two of them on Saturday, and it showed. Not sure on depth but I actually think this could end up a good group.
Blitzing: Now this is a positive AND a negative, I like the more aggressive nature, and we have been asking for this for some time, and we got it. That said, we have been burned by the blitz quite a few times this year(see above on D backfield). If you can't get to the QB, and he's decent and playing well, your one missed tackle away from giving up a big play...happened twice on Saturday. I like the aggression, we have to find a way for the blitzes to be more effective, I'll be darned if I know how, but hope PP can.
Now some Positives !!....
WR: There is a small shade of depth emerging at WR, while not world beating, I like what ive seen from Smith, Powell, Vandeberg. These guys seem to get a little seperation and have decent hands.
Ruddock: While maybe not a huge arm, that may be his only main shortfall, and that can be improved some and if not, timing and rythm can make up for a shortage in arm strength. He has all the intangibles.
Vertical Game: I don't have the stats but it sure seems like we are making a LOT more attempts downfield, something we've been asking for. At glimpses, the offense has looked very sharp, just not consistant.
Dline: Overall this group has been better than I think most of us expected...not great but solid. Of course I would like to see a little more pressure on the QB but overall they have graded out above average...we will see in the next month what we got.
Play Calling: OK OK, not sure it's always positive, but the primary fault last year was the "1 yard out" craziness....haven't seen a load of that. We have seemed to mix it up a bit. I don't think we are nearly as predictable as last year but it does seem like we have an identity crisis at times. I am not sold on GD, but it's been far better this year than last.
Summary: Lots of glaring issues that look like many of the same ones of the last few years, I can't ignore those. Personally I don't have a strong level of confidence we get to 6 wins...and I think 3 of our next four are going to be a test on our collective will as fans.
Hope lives...but it's fragile. I want to believe kf can turn things around, and I think some things have been addressed. I also believe we are recovering from a few years of attrition. I've been known to be a "kf defender" and I probably am...even to a fault. I still believe the over pros outweigh the cons. If we don't get to 6 wins this year, there needs to be real, tangible signs of improvement(in play and game day coaching). if we don't win 7+ next year, a change has to be made or at least put in the works.
I think the Hawks should be a 7-8 win team yearly, with an occaisional 9+ win season and occaisional 6 win rebuild period. See signature.
Go Hawks.
Positives are in short order in Hawkeye Nation these days. NIU and MSU were big games. I think the vast majority were very understanding that this could be a 6 win team, maybe 7 if things went well. Losing both of those games was a huge blow to many as I don't think hardly anyone being realistic, thought we would win more than one(MAYBE two) in October. If we come out of the OSU, NW, WISC gauntlet 1-2 I would be very pleased.
Purdue is winnable if we don't fall apart....Maybe we can steal one against nebby or Mich.
It's a bleak forcast though, which...along with a fake punt travesty and further waining of support for the staff, makes the MSU loss more difficult....almost everyone thought we needed that one.
I have been pretty clear in my support for KF, and have always stated that although there are gameday issues, the overall pros outweighed the cons. That said, there are a few things I am struggling with.....
Giving up the fake punts, kicks, onsides: I want to defend this but can't. While I think we had the right call on NIU and just didn't execute AND I think it was a great call by MSU that outside of us as fans always now expecting it, I just don't understand how it can be that open. I am at a loss here and I expect this fixed immediately.
Offensive Line: While not a juggernaut, all signs pointed to this being a strength. I don't think MSU is necessarily a great indicator of struggling, as they have a Dline that would give almost everyone issues...but the line has seemed to be very inconsistant, sometimes looking very good, and other times being out of sync even against lesser competition.
RB: I may be jumping to early with this as I actually didn't mind not continuing trying to run, it just wasn't there on Saturday. And we may start to see more of the RB depth going forward, especially after a bye week. I also know blocking is extremely important. All of that said, I would think even 5-10 combined carries a game for Daniels and Canzeri would go a long way in development. I don't claim to know the inner workings, and none of us are in daily practice so its all conjecture. Time will tell but there is some precedence set for a little concern here.
Kick/Punt Coverage: Again, I am not going to sit here and make it sound like its a simple thing to fix. Just an observation that the first couple guys(gunners) that get there seem to break down to late. The first guys don't need to make the tackle, just disrupt the blocking and make the returner pause. I've seen this a few times now. This has to Be fixed pronto, whatever the issue is.
D-backfield: This has me frustrated, I don't know if its experience, talent, schemes, coaching or what. I am hoping it's experience and King did seem to make strides. It's a very tough position for a true or redshirt freshman and we had two of them on Saturday, and it showed. Not sure on depth but I actually think this could end up a good group.
Blitzing: Now this is a positive AND a negative, I like the more aggressive nature, and we have been asking for this for some time, and we got it. That said, we have been burned by the blitz quite a few times this year(see above on D backfield). If you can't get to the QB, and he's decent and playing well, your one missed tackle away from giving up a big play...happened twice on Saturday. I like the aggression, we have to find a way for the blitzes to be more effective, I'll be darned if I know how, but hope PP can.
Now some Positives !!....
WR: There is a small shade of depth emerging at WR, while not world beating, I like what ive seen from Smith, Powell, Vandeberg. These guys seem to get a little seperation and have decent hands.
Ruddock: While maybe not a huge arm, that may be his only main shortfall, and that can be improved some and if not, timing and rythm can make up for a shortage in arm strength. He has all the intangibles.
Vertical Game: I don't have the stats but it sure seems like we are making a LOT more attempts downfield, something we've been asking for. At glimpses, the offense has looked very sharp, just not consistant.
Dline: Overall this group has been better than I think most of us expected...not great but solid. Of course I would like to see a little more pressure on the QB but overall they have graded out above average...we will see in the next month what we got.
Play Calling: OK OK, not sure it's always positive, but the primary fault last year was the "1 yard out" craziness....haven't seen a load of that. We have seemed to mix it up a bit. I don't think we are nearly as predictable as last year but it does seem like we have an identity crisis at times. I am not sold on GD, but it's been far better this year than last.
Summary: Lots of glaring issues that look like many of the same ones of the last few years, I can't ignore those. Personally I don't have a strong level of confidence we get to 6 wins...and I think 3 of our next four are going to be a test on our collective will as fans.
Hope lives...but it's fragile. I want to believe kf can turn things around, and I think some things have been addressed. I also believe we are recovering from a few years of attrition. I've been known to be a "kf defender" and I probably am...even to a fault. I still believe the over pros outweigh the cons. If we don't get to 6 wins this year, there needs to be real, tangible signs of improvement(in play and game day coaching). if we don't win 7+ next year, a change has to be made or at least put in the works.
I think the Hawks should be a 7-8 win team yearly, with an occaisional 9+ win season and occaisional 6 win rebuild period. See signature.
Go Hawks.
