Wadley

PCHawk said:
I think you're right that a change of pace back can average more ypc due to circumstances , but I don't think that's the case here. Daniels has had a pretty high number of really long runs where he was untouched. I think that helps equalize the long runs a change of pace back gets due to a tired defense. I saw a tweet from Jon (I think right before half of Nebraska) that said "Daniels with a good run for a 1st down. Wadley very well might have had a 90 yard td run". It's the plays like that that can be the difference between a win and a loss. I also love Daniels tho.
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This is spot on. There are runs where LD gets 8, 10 or 12 yards that AW may have taken to the house, BUT there are runs where LD gets 5-7 yards where AW gets 1 or 2. Those 6 or 7 yard first down runs are huge for what Iowa does. It changes everything on 2nd and 3rd downs. They get more offensive plays and wear down the D, and then, BAM, a fresh AW takes one to the house. They are complimentary backs that both add significant value to what Iowa is trying to do.
 
HawkPrdatr40 said:
If Wadley gets to 200lbs he will be trusted more!?! WTF he isn't trusted now?? The fact is Iowa has 2 excellent backs in Daniels and Wadley. Who gives 2 shits about his weight and if that is the hold up for KF that's his problem. If Wadley isn't the lead back getting spelled by Mitchell or (whomever rises as the #2) NEXT SEASON this Staff is brainless!!! Wadley has shown he can't take shots big shots and gets up and runs the rock again.
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Being trusted might not be the perfect way to phrase what I mean. But they'd like him to be able to maintain that weight so he can have a better chance of taking the week in and week out pounding of having 20 touches a game in the BIG. He's a little taller and way leaner than what Canzeri was. Even he at 190ish was put together a little more it seemed like. And he at times got nicked up not surprisingly. Iowa this year really was fortunate that Wadley and Daniels stayed as healthy as they did. Wadley will be given every opportunity to be the man next year. We'll just have to see how it plays out
 
PCHawk said:
I think you're right that a change of pace back can average more ypc due to circumstances , but I don't think that's the case here. Daniels has had a pretty high number of really long runs where he was untouched. I think that helps equalize the long runs a change of pace back gets due to a tired defense. I saw a tweet from Jon (I think right before half of Nebraska) that said "Daniels with a good run for a 1st down. Wadley very well might have had a 90 yard td run". It's the plays like that that can be the difference between a win and a loss. I also love Daniels tho.
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The same discussion came up during Weismans tenure too... Daniels got caught from behind a few times but not nearly as much or as early on in the run as Weisman was. He had lots of 10 yard runs that shoulda been for a lot more he was caught on.
 
FirstDownHawkeyes said:
This is spot on. There are runs where LD gets 8, 10 or 12 yards that AW may have taken to the house, BUT there are runs where LD gets 5-7 yards where AW gets 1 or 2. Those 6 or 7 yard first down runs are huge for what Iowa does. It changes everything on 2nd and 3rd downs. They get more offensive plays and wear down the D, and then, BAM, a fresh AW takes one to the house. They are complimentary backs that both add significant value to what Iowa is trying to do.
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Well said.
 
blubberhawk said:
Was referred to in the Omaha World Herald as the 2*, no name back from New Jersey. The Herald did give him credit for being the best athlete on the field. Do not feel bad, Little Red fans, he was the best athlete on the field against Michigan and every team we played. We are still scratching our heads here in Iowa as to why he goes long stretches without playing.
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Meh. It's KF. Wadley doesn't weigh enough. Wadley can't block blitzers well enough. Wadley can't scrum the pile forward...
 
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I will echo what several others have said. As usage (carries per game) goes up, efficiency (ypc) almost always goes in the other direction. Daniels is called upon for most of the short-yardage plays and grind the clock plays when big gains just are not likely. That brings his ypc down. Also, due to just plain dumb luck, Daniels had at least 2 long runs (135 yards total) called back due to penalty (I feel like he had a 3rd called back, but I cannot think of which game it would have been). Without those bad-luck penalties, the difference is 0.9 ypc.

In short, they are both excellent backs, and Iowa has leaned on Wadley when needed, but also kept him fresh and effective throughout the season. Between the 2 of them, I bet they have close to double-digit runs of 50+, which is pretty amazing. Hopefully they can keep up the good work through the bowl game.
 
I'm of the opinion that of all the things we could be debating, this is one debate that I'm not sure has any bearing on how our season went.....

1. NDSU and NW were all about the defense and the lack of run fits in those games.
2. Against Wisky and the way they play defense, there's no way running Wadley more was going to have any bearing on the outcome because they just don't give up big plays on defense. We needed a semblance of a passing game in that one.
3. Against PSU, nothing was going to matter because it was just one of those games that happens on the road in the B1G occasionally. We essentially did to Neb what PSU did to us. It happens.

I'm just happy as shit that we were able to make it the entire year without those two getting any serious, lingering injuries. And I think that happened due in large part to how the staff split the carries....
 
Hawkfnntn said:
The same discussion came up during Weismans tenure too... Daniels got caught from behind a few times but not nearly as much or as early on in the run as Weisman was. He had lots of 10 yard runs that shoulda been for a lot more he was caught on.
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I'll start by agreeing with firstdownhawkeyes post.

Now that I've got that out of the way: Weisman was a great Hawkeye and another in a long line of Firkups. He should've been used as an all-purpose fullback to compliment the running back. Kirk falls in luv with players (hence the wasted talent that sits on the bench most years) the same way apologists fall in luv with Kirk. Logic is out the door and it's all about teenage emotions complete with lots of tears and irrational fear-based decisions.
 
FirstDownHawkeyes said:
This is spot on. There are runs where LD gets 8, 10 or 12 yards that AW may have taken to the house, BUT there are runs where LD gets 5-7 yards where AW gets 1 or 2. Those 6 or 7 yard first down runs are huge for what Iowa does. It changes everything on 2nd and 3rd downs. They get more offensive plays and wear down the D, and then, BAM, a fresh AW takes one to the house. They are complimentary backs that both add significant value to what Iowa is trying to do.
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I'm not saying I'm for sure right here, but I disagree on your numbers on what Wadley might get on some of Daniels runs. I think there are some where Wadley might get 0-4 where Daniels might get one more yard, but for the most part, where Daniels uses power to get extra yardage, Wadley uses elusiveness to glance off the tackler and fall forward. Just my opinion.
 
GesterHawk said:
I think the coaches choose who is in there based more on situation than fans give them credit for.
Take the Michigan game, they needed Wadley's ability to break off runs, as this was the only part of the offense that was working. So he got far more touches.
Against Nebraska they used Daniel's ability to get 5-9 yards on most runs to turn the offense into the 12th defender. Look at TOP for the fourth quarter and you can understand how they were using the offense.
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Yes late in the first half the hawks were minus about 5 minutes in TOP about 13 minutes to 8 even though they had the lead. Then the hawks started getting more sustained possessions adn nebby got desparate chucking the ball for shorter possessions.
 
Isn't it crazy how Wadley makes all these great plays in the second half when the defense is winded and he is still fresh?
 
PCHawk said:
Just playing Daniels over Wadley isn't a huge deal. When you play Taylor over Gair, Maybe over Regumba, and Bazaga over Faith (and who knows who else) it becomes a huge deal.
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Yep.

I'm OK with the Daniels/Wadley split. I'd prefer a little more Wadley, but I can see the argument for leaning on the bigger back more often. The other position choices made earlier in the year are more troubling and probably deserve their own thread.
 
guffus said:
Wadley's talent is obvious.

But I thought it was obvious why he was not playing more.

Fumbled a lot and could not get his weight up early in his career. he just did not have the physical body that could cary the ball 20 times a game, and was not strong enough to avoid fumbles.

Lousy blocker on pass protection. this disadvantage was turned into an advantage by turning him into a reciever out of the backfield that pretended to block and went out for a pass instead.

Liked to showboat on TD runs. high stepping yards from the endzone. he did not just do this once, but kept doing things that seemed immature.

Players of better character in front of him on the depth chart. Canzeri and Daniels both acted like leaders that set the right example.

In other words, Fetentz has been waiting for Wadley to grow up and mature, both emotionally and physically.
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Wadley had 4 carries against NDS.. That is a head scratcher. Get him the ball any way you can.
 
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