Three Positive Developments

[hawkinn3]

Bringing back Nate Stanley's 8-yard QB sneaks. The guy looks like a defensive lineman, probably a horse to bring down.

I’m all in on giant slab of meat Deacon Hill being his own blocker.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Yea, I am kind of here. I don't think it's too surprising to see the drops with a new QB. Different ball, different acceleration. Hopefully with the reps in practice and going forward they will gel more and the drops will decrease. But yea, WR's in college should catch the ball.

Those WR need to spend the week with the jugs machine turned all the way up. If you can lay both hands on it, you catch it.

Cade threw a touch ball. They need to adjust to some heat.

 

[scojo3]

I've been intrigued by that Mouton. He's seems to hit the hole hard and runs hard downhill. Seems like he's always getting 4-7 yrds a run.

Concur with this...Washington Jr. is also a bit intriguing to me. I suppose now, the Hawkeyes will be known as a tailback factory?

 

[guffus]

Not unheard of, just not since Jake Rudock's junior season at Iowa.

Let's give Alex Padilla a little credit too for winning 3 games in 2021 and finishing and winning the NW game that Petras started.

 

[guffus]

Concur with this...Washington Jr. is also a bit intriguing to me. I suppose now, the Hawkeyes will be known as a tailback factory?

Lot of potential there. Now they just need to learn how to recognize and block for a blitz.

 

[okeefe4prez]

He's gunna get reps in practice now and he's just gunna get more confidence. He still has a ceiling as far as jelling with his team/WR's. There room for the ceiling is there. I really believe this and not just having my Hawkeye goggles on.

I know this board has a lot of younger folks and women who may not remember this little history lesson, so if you remember this or heard of it, I apologize. Back in 2001 the New England Patriots had a golden boy, all world quarterback whom they had decided was their future by giving him a 10 freaking year contract. That man's name was Drew Bledsoe. He could ball. Very solid QB. In the second game I believe it was, Mr. Bledsoe suffered a serious injury. The Pats were forced to call on their former 7th round draft pick out of Michigan, a gentleman by the name of Sir Thomas Brady.

Mr. Brady balled out in his chance to shine. People thought that New England's coach, a gentleman by the name of William Belichick, for whom Kirk Ferentz used to work I might add, was completely insane for sticking with the youngster out of Michigan when Bledsoe became available later in the season and in the playoffs. Well, sir, those people were wrong. Mr. Brady went on to win a Super Bowl. I think he actually may have won a few of them.

Now look, I'm not going to say that Deacon Hill is the next Tom Brady, but the parallels to their stories are remarkable. Some guys are just gamers. You look at Tom Brady or Deacon Hill and you just see a dude, but some men are simply unwilling to let their team lose. I firmly believe that Deacon Hill is cut from that mold and that he is going to silence a lot of haters. This man's ceiling is somewhere around the altitude where SR-71 Blackbirds fly.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I know this board has a lot of younger folks and women who may not remember this little history lesson, so if you remember this or heard of it, I apologize. Back in 2001 the New England Patriots had a golden boy, all world quarterback whom they had decided was their future by giving him a 10 freaking year contract. That man's name was Drew Bledsoe. He could ball. Very solid QB. In the second game I believe it was, Mr. Bledsoe suffered a serious injury. The Pats were forced to call on their former 7th round draft pick out of Michigan, a gentleman by the name of Sir Thomas Brady.

Mr. Brady balled out in his chance to shine. People thought that New England's coach, a gentleman by the name of William Belichick, for whom Kirk Ferentz used to work I might add, was completely insane for sticking with the youngster out of Michigan when Bledsoe became available later in the season and in the playoffs. Well, sir, those people were wrong. Mr. Brady went on to win a Super Bowl. I think he actually may have won a few of them.

Now look, I'm not going to say that Deacon Hill is the next Tom Brady, but the parallels to their stories are remarkable. Some guys are just gamers. You look at Tom Brady or Deacon Hill and you just see a dude, but some men are simply unwilling to let their team lose. I firmly believe that Deacon Hill is cut from that mold and that he is going to silence a lot of haters. This man's ceiling is somewhere around the altitude where SR-71 Blackbirds fly.

Dude, you are madly skilled, to say the least.

 

[Dadman]

Even if they don't throw to him and use him as a decoy. The D would have to honor him which could loosen up the box or other areas of concentration.

Exactly! But that would require a bit more imagination from our offensive staff.........having said that, I have a gut feeling we will see a offensive play or two with DeJean yet this year. I always make one seemingly ridiculous prediction a year, so why not now.............

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Exactly! But that would require a bit more imagination from our offensive staff.........having said that, I have a gut feeling we will see a offensive play or two with DeJean yet this year. I always make one seemingly ridiculous prediction a year, so why not now.............

But the problem with having a couple plays is that when the said player comes into the game, there is a pretty good chance they know he's going to get the ball. That is why it is a must if going to play a player like that to get him into at least 8-12 plays a game, sometimes using him as a decoy and sometimes getting him the ball. THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB OF THE OC IS TO KEEP THE DEFENSES GUESSING!!. I cannot say that loud enough.

Just a couple plays a game doesn't really work. It's like in years past the player coming in for the wildcat, everybody knew he was going to run after getting the snap.

 

[Will C]

Michigan ran a flea-flicker. If they think that is a good idea then we should maybe think so too. Besides, what have we got to lose?

 

[InGoodCo]

Bro, did you see that bootleg to the left? OMG. I'm pretty excited.

It was jaw dropping!

 

[InGoodCo]

I think he's better than Nate.

No disrespect to Nate.

If he's truly better than Nate, and I really hope that is the case, Iowa is going to be pretty good for a few years.

 

[dagdaj]

Just a couple plays a game doesn't really work. It's like in years past the player coming in for the wildcat, everybody knew he was going to run after getting the snap.

I mean, let's be honest tho...
For the past few years, seemingly everybody's known what Iowa was going to run whether someone strange lined up or not.

 

[thedukeofearl]

Hawks advance 3 spots to #41

Alabama falls out of the Top Ten for the first time in quite a while

Texas: Number One for a while

Ohio State: #3

Penn State and Michigan: 7th and 8th Place

Badgers at #33

Hot Damn

 

[thedukeofearl]

It's all Fire and Brimstone Now for the hapless opponents

The Deacon is in charge, Lads

 

[Dadman]

I know this board has a lot of younger folks and women who may not remember this little history lesson, so if you remember this or heard of it, I apologize. Back in 2001 the New England Patriots had a golden boy, all world quarterback whom they had decided was their future by giving him a 10 freaking year contract. That man's name was Drew Bledsoe. He could ball. Very solid QB. In the second game I believe it was, Mr. Bledsoe suffered a serious injury. The Pats were forced to call on their former 7th round draft pick out of Michigan, a gentleman by the name of Sir Thomas Brady.

Mr. Brady balled out in his chance to shine. People thought that New England's coach, a gentleman by the name of William Belichick, for whom Kirk Ferentz used to work I might add, was completely insane for sticking with the youngster out of Michigan when Bledsoe became available later in the season and in the playoffs. Well, sir, those people were wrong. Mr. Brady went on to win a Super Bowl. I think he actually may have won a few of them.

Now look, I'm not going to say that Deacon Hill is the next Tom Brady, but the parallels to their stories are remarkable. Some guys are just gamers. You look at Tom Brady or Deacon Hill and you just see a dude, but some men are simply unwilling to let their team lose. I firmly believe that Deacon Hill is cut from that mold and that he is going to silence a lot of haters. This man's ceiling is somewhere around the altitude where SR-71 Blackbirds fly.

Ya know, been looking at your posts, and in between thinking there might be some veiled sarcasm vs some truths I wasn’t seeing, i finally saw it. I actually see why the upside is there. Goes back to a post i made on Cade (who I really wanted to succeed btw). I noticed on an unprotected sack he had that deer in the headlights look we have seen way to often in the past few years.

With Deacon, its kind of like a “bring it, you dicks” look. Oh, and “catch the mf’ing ball for F sake!”

 

[Seth53]

Intriguing, but Parker would have a coronary.

As would Woods....

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

I know this board has a lot of younger folks and women who may not remember this little history lesson, so if you remember this or heard of it, I apologize. Back in 2001 the New England Patriots had a golden boy, all world quarterback whom they had decided was their future by giving him a 10 freaking year contract. That man's name was Drew Bledsoe. He could ball. Very solid QB. In the second game I believe it was, Mr. Bledsoe suffered a serious injury. The Pats were forced to call on their former 7th round draft pick out of Michigan, a gentleman by the name of Sir Thomas Brady.

Mr. Brady balled out in his chance to shine. People thought that New England's coach, a gentleman by the name of William Belichick, for whom Kirk Ferentz used to work I might add, was completely insane for sticking with the youngster out of Michigan when Bledsoe became available later in the season and in the playoffs. Well, sir, those people were wrong. Mr. Brady went on to win a Super Bowl. I think he actually may have won a few of them.

Now look, I'm not going to say that Deacon Hill is the next Tom Brady, but the parallels to their stories are remarkable. Some guys are just gamers. You look at Tom Brady or Deacon Hill and you just see a dude, but some men are simply unwilling to let their team lose. I firmly believe that Deacon Hill is cut from that mold and that he is going to silence a lot of haters. This man's ceiling is somewhere around the altitude where SR-71 Blackbirds fly.

Agree to disagree on Hill. I do agree that some guys are just gamers - which is why maybe Labas is the best QB on the roster. Embarrassment of riches lately at QB on this team. Remember when Labas had to sit behind Petras and Padilla last year? I mean we all got it, Hawks did nothing but win when those two started. If it ain't broke don't fix it kind of thing.

But I think we all saw the real talent when Kirk had to throw the freshman in last year. Total gamer - doesn't take a snap all year and then puts up 21 on the SEC's top defensive team before Kirk decided to sit on the ball and go home with a drama free bowl win. The way Labas carved up that D probably has something to do with why Hawk fans want nothing to do with any of the Stoops boys coming back to coach at Iowa. You don't take a beating like that and then get a chance to take over at Iowa.

And maybe Labas would have won the battle in camp this August if he hadn't been hurt. You can't keep a gamer like that off the field. But now Kirk is making him win back his spot at number 1, because we know he'd never just anoint a starting QB without making him beat out the competition.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Ya know, been looking at your posts, and in between thinking there might be some veiled sarcasm vs some truths I wasn’t seeing, i finally saw it. I actually see why the upside is there. Goes back to a post i made on Cade (who I really wanted to succeed btw). I noticed on an unprotected sack he had that deer in the headlights look we have seen way to often in the past few years.

With Deacon, its kind of like a “bring it, you dicks” look. Oh, and “catch the mf’ing ball for F sake!”

Correct. Hill is the first guy in years who has that "give me the damned ball" look about him. He's either going on the wall of champions or he is the sole passenger on a train to Chumpsville if this offense stays this bad the rest of the season. I'm going with the positive path for now. I see something in him. This guy ain't Randy Reiners or Jake Christensen.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Agree to disagree on Hill. I do agree that some guys are just gamers - which is why maybe Labas is the best QB on the roster. Embarrassment of riches lately at QB on this team. Remember when Labas had to sit behind Petras and Padilla last year? I mean we all got it, Hawks did nothing but win when those two started. If it ain't broke don't fix it kind of thing.

But I think we all saw the real talent when Kirk had to throw the freshman in last year. Total gamer - doesn't take a snap all year and then puts up 21 on the SEC's top defensive team before Kirk decided to sit on the ball and go home with a drama free bowl win. The way Labas carved up that D probably has something to do with why Hawk fans want nothing to do with any of the Stoops boys coming back to coach at Iowa. You don't take a beating like that and then get a chance to take over at Iowa.

And maybe Labas would have won the battle in camp this August if he hadn't been hurt. You can't keep a gamer like that off the field. But now Kirk is making him win back his spot at number 1, because we know he'd never just anoint a starting QB without making him beat out the competition.

While I appreciate the enthusiasm for Labas, in that game he got 14 points from the defense. The guy is clearly the best backup in the conference and you need that when you go through a meat grinder schedule like we have. The offense looks like the MASH unit and it will probably get worse. Do I have confidence that if we need a game manager that Labas will be that guy who can take care of the pill and get us home to a win? Sure, but I don't see him bringing the explosiveness that Hill has.