Wadley to the Slot?

[tksirius]

Cant argue that. But hey, at least we did figure it out. A few completed early passes...may have changed things.

Lol I guess. You're right, if we figured it out at least a couple of possessions earlier, I have no doubt we win that game and I'm sure the defense wouldn't be so sore today.

 

[The Big LeHAWKski]

I don't think that our WR corp is weak. I think they could be the strength of the offense, if allowed to be. They're getting open. ISM and Easley are really good. We do need another to step up. MVB hasn't been himself, not sure why, but he'll get there. I don't know that I'd have AW exclusively in the slot, but certainly would and motion him, as well. Need to go to 2 tb sets. I would like to see AW and IKM in the backfield together.

I am very pleased with our receivers this season!
Easley and ISM are legit scoring threats and Fant has All-B1G potential, so right there are three options on every play.
That said, I'd really like to see Cooper get a few balls thrown his way this season.
I agree that MVB was very unMVB-like last night., I mean when was the last time you saw him have two consecutive drops? Granted the ball wasn't thrown perfectly, but both looked very catchable.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

I am very pleased with our receivers this season!
Easley and ISM are legit scoring threats and Fant has All-B1G potential, so right there are three options on every play.
That said, I'd really like to see Cooper get a few balls thrown his way this season.
I agree that MVB was very unMVB-like last night., I mean when was the last time you saw him have two consecutive drops? Granted the ball wasn't thrown perfectly, but both looked very catchable.

And Brandon Smith and Matt Quarells. The potential is there to be used and developed. If we don't trust TY and IKM enough in JB's absence, then we need to start working it through the air. I mean, the benefit of JB was because we all know AW isn't an every down back due to his lack of size. So...that hasn't changed with JB's injury, has it? So, again, if TY and IKM aren't trusted enough, we have to start operating through the air.

 

[mopkins]

I actually prefer Wadley in the backfield, but he needs to be utilized better. Clearly he is a matchup nightmare as a receiver coming out of the backfield. He's getting matched up with linebackers who can't keep up with him. Iowa needs to use him more like Barkley. Throw him the ball 10 times, hand him the ball 15 times.

I also like him on that draw play, on the outside or out of shotgun. Running him up the middle into a brick wall is dumb. He needs space to get his juke moves and spin moves working.

 

[ATLHawkeye]

So, tell me which running back is going to thrive running into a brick wall?

Move Wadley to slot and he gets, at most, five touches a game.

Didn't say move him to the slot exclusively, but I would absolutely rather have a power back like Young up the middle. Would love to get him 5 touches a game from the slot.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Wadley is clearly at his best when he gets the ball in space. Running him into a brick wall multiple times per game is pointless. With our weak receiving corp, and the emergence of two good young running backs, does it not make sense to move Wadley to the slot where he'd get the ball in space all the time? It seems to me he would be unstoppable from there and they can use Toren Young to run into brick walls... Since evidently BF thinks somebody just has to do it, even when it's obviously not working!

But, all he needs is the OL to get him a little crease. That run in the 4th sure looked good. I think it's about getting the OL shored up on blocking and a bit more selective playcalling to put him in a position to succeed. I'm not sold on your idea yet, but it would be fun seeing him in that position.

Just do with him what they did with Barkley. Get him to the outside with the ball as he's going to make people miss. After doing that and the D is loosened up, then maybe try up the middle some.

Ferentz's get so much tunnel vision on establishing the run between the tackles first that I don't realize it can work the opposite to loosen a D as well. In addition, it would be outside the Iowa "norm" which could bode well for success.

 

[DDThompson]

Is our run blocking different? I mean teams have always stacked the box against Iowa and it's rarely this bad.

Yeah agreed. There have been times it's looked bad. Maybe it's young tackles and guys out of position. Obviously they think they need Welsh at RT but if as a OG rush blocker, he's a beast.

 

[DDThompson]

Didn't say move him to the slot exclusively, but I would absolutely rather have a power back like Young up the middle. Would love to get him 5 touches a game from the slot.

Or leave him in backfield and put him in motion to same side of line as Fant. Force the opponent defense to decide their LB/S on Wadley/Fant.

 

[PCHawk]

Anyone know if Wirfs played at all? He's probably our best hope for getting improved blocking.

 

[Ozhawk]

How many of you skipped a heart beat when Wadley high stepped one stride on the TD?

I loved it. He seemed like a happy little kid who obediently handed the footall to the ref like trying to stay out of trouble.

In hind sight it could have easily won the game for us if he was penalized. 15 yards from the infraction would have put us at about the 18 yard line and the ability to burn the clock and get the chip shot for the W as time expires.

 

[ModebaSan]

Using Wadley as a decoy would open up our rush offense. Especially if he could be used to draw a safety and/or a linebacker away from the line of scrimmage.

 

[99topdawg]

I've said for awhile that he reminds me of Eric Metcalf. I would be tickled if Iowa used Wadley as Belichick used Metcalf, except more carries. He moved him all over the field and got him the ball in the open field where he was deadly.

For those that don't remember Metcalf, here's a short clip:

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Wadley is clearly at his best when he gets the ball in space. Running him into a brick wall multiple times per game is pointless. With our weak receiving corp, and the emergence of two good young running backs, does it not make sense to move Wadley to the slot where he'd get the ball in space all the time? It seems to me he would be unstoppable from there and they can use Toren Young to run into brick walls... Since evidently BF thinks somebody just has to do it, even when it's obviously not working!

Actually, using him in the slot limits his run plays to jet-sweeps/reverses, whereas throwing to him out of the backfield, wheel routes, safety-valve stuff actually widens his scope of effectiveness.

 

[HawkGold]

Is our run blocking different? I mean teams have always stacked the box against Iowa and it's rarely this bad.

It's been there for a long time, but is getting worse. It's one of the reasons why media ridicules Iowa. Well, actually the main reason. We'll except in the Outback. The stacking is something that really hasn't been seen much this bad sine back in the 70s with Oklahoma and Nebraska among others. Except with them it didn't matter. Knew a guy who played at ISU and said Nebby back then would even tell ISU's defense what play they were running and they still couldn't stop it. PSU was so stacked to the right when Wadley scored. I used to cringe when A Rob ran the ball against some teams. We had some fluke RB injuries, but running into walls does take some time. Wadley is slippery enough that he seems not to take many direct hits.

Barkley will not last the season if PSU keeps using him like they are. Then again they didn't use him like that prior to Saturday.

Iowa does tackle differently than other teams. Wrapping up ball carriers isn't really done consistently except for Jewell and a few others. The 2ndary just doesn't do it. Kind of like Bob Sanders except Sanders didn't miss and Sanders would get a lot of targeting calls today.

 

[TJERanch]

And Brandon Smith and Matt Quarells. The potential is there to be used and developed. If we don't trust TY and IKM enough in JB's absence, then we need to start working it through the air. I mean, the benefit of JB was because we all know AW isn't an every down back due to his lack of size. So...that hasn't changed with JB's injury, has it? So, again, if TY and IKM aren't trusted enough, we have to start operating through the air.

Anyone heard anything on Quarells progress?

 

[HawkDad]

How many of you skipped a heart beat when Wadley high stepped one stride on the TD?

I loved it. He seemed like a happy little kid who obediently handed the footall to the ref like trying to stay out of trouble.

Yep, even he seemed to have a momentary 'Oh Crap' moment, until he saw the referee smiling when he handed the ball to him.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

Anyone heard anything on Quarells progress?

nope. i think i asked in another thread, also. it shouldn't take 6 weeks to learn the offense.

 

[hawkfan2679]

Anyone heard anything on Quarells progress?

nope. i think i asked in another thread, also. it shouldn't take 6 weeks to learn the offense.

Great question. I don't keep track of this too much, but how much more time has a true freshman been in the program (like ISM) vs. Quarrells whenever it was he transferred in? There's probably "unofficial" things they can do throughout the summer as long as no coaches are present, but was Quarrells in when camp started or did he come later?

 

[ArvadaHawk]

Great question. I don't keep track of this too much, but how much more time has a true freshman been in the program (like ISM) vs. Quarrells whenever it was he transferred in? There's probably "unofficial" things they can do throughout the summer as long as no coaches are present, but was Quarrells in when camp started or did he come later?

I honestly thought MQ would be fast-tracked to the field because he came from a triple option school. My assumption was that he already knew how to block. I'm not trying to start "that" conversation, just what I was thinking. I think it's odd that with his speed, he hasn't seen the field. OR...our FR are really, really good. And with the ISU game and the catch ISM made against PSU, I already believe ISM will be a superstar.

 

[TJERanch]

Great question. I don't keep track of this too much, but how much more time has a true freshman been in the program (like ISM) vs. Quarrells whenever it was he transferred in? There's probably "unofficial" things they can do throughout the summer as long as no coaches are present, but was Quarrells in when camp started or did he come later?

He was here for fall camp but I think his arrival might have been a week or so late - I know Rob mentioned it in another thread (at the time) but don't recall exactly how much he missed.