bamahawkeye
Well-Known Member
Nobody likes losing to team as poor as Minny. Today was unacceptable. Minny had no business being in today's game. When you are much better than a team, today being a prime example, I am unwilling to give that team credit if they win. Iowa gave this game away. With that being said, if we make A FG, or convert 1 redzone trip to a TD, or show any life in the 4th, we aren't having the "meltdown" discussions. But today's game is becoming more common with this conservative philosophy on defense (and I believe it will continue).
This philososphy hurts offensively at times too (see end of first half today), but defensively, when you force THEM to beat us, and you bank on assignment football and winning with a base 4-3 defense for 90% of the game, these outcomes will be increasing more common. I don't think we should be surprised by outcomes like this any longer, especially in late game situations like this (see how 7 of Iowa's last 8 losses unfolded). And this is even less surprising given how bad this defensive line is (worst in KF era?). Rarely is this football team in attack mode defensively. I think this had as much to do with last year's collapse(s) as anything. If you look at the QB's that have beat Iowa over the last year and a half, each of them were capable of making big plays, and they have done so because of this Iowa philosophy. At some point, you have to start taking some chances and giving your defense a chance to MAKE plays to win the game. I think you are doing a disservice to your defense if you don't. I think this is even more vital when your front 4 struggles as much as this unit does. My point is: I don't think you have to change EVERYTHING that you do defensively, but I do think you have to start mixing in different looks MUCH more often, especially in a year like this when your defense isn't very good. But also because the QB play you face from week to week is getting better every year.
I'm not calling for KF's head, or saying he isn't a good coach. I'm not saying Norm doesn't know what he is doing either. I'm not an expert in any way. Has this philosophy won KF some games? Absolutely. Will he win some more? Of course. But the more teams open up their offense, the more "meltdown" discussions will fill this board because outcomes like today aren't going to be uncommon.
This philososphy hurts offensively at times too (see end of first half today), but defensively, when you force THEM to beat us, and you bank on assignment football and winning with a base 4-3 defense for 90% of the game, these outcomes will be increasing more common. I don't think we should be surprised by outcomes like this any longer, especially in late game situations like this (see how 7 of Iowa's last 8 losses unfolded). And this is even less surprising given how bad this defensive line is (worst in KF era?). Rarely is this football team in attack mode defensively. I think this had as much to do with last year's collapse(s) as anything. If you look at the QB's that have beat Iowa over the last year and a half, each of them were capable of making big plays, and they have done so because of this Iowa philosophy. At some point, you have to start taking some chances and giving your defense a chance to MAKE plays to win the game. I think you are doing a disservice to your defense if you don't. I think this is even more vital when your front 4 struggles as much as this unit does. My point is: I don't think you have to change EVERYTHING that you do defensively, but I do think you have to start mixing in different looks MUCH more often, especially in a year like this when your defense isn't very good. But also because the QB play you face from week to week is getting better every year.
I'm not calling for KF's head, or saying he isn't a good coach. I'm not saying Norm doesn't know what he is doing either. I'm not an expert in any way. Has this philosophy won KF some games? Absolutely. Will he win some more? Of course. But the more teams open up their offense, the more "meltdown" discussions will fill this board because outcomes like today aren't going to be uncommon.
