Weisman Vs. Coker

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WinOneThisCentury

Well-Known Member
I once posted that we Marcus was an average back and was slow to the hole, and just simply didn't see the field or anticipate the openings when he was running. His cuts looked like he was running in sand and it looked odd. There was an uproar among many in the fan base. Marcus was a big back and no doubt ran with power and once going north and south was a load. That being said, Weisman gets to the hole, reads the opening, and is completely aware of everyone around him. The most impressive thing to me right now, is the quicks to recognize the opening and hit the whole at full speed, and his vision. He runs like a much more seasoned running back.

I think we had a very good offensive line last year...hence the 1384 yards for Coker, but I think we have a much better backfield shaping up right now with Weisman and Bullock.
 
WinOneThisCentury said:
I once posted that we Marcus was an average back and was slow to the hole, and just simply didn't see the field or anticipate the openings when he was running. His cuts looked like he was running in sand and it looked odd. There was an uproar among many in the fan base. Marcus was a big back and no doubt ran with power and once going north and south was a load. That being said, Weisman gets to the hole, reads the opening, and is completely aware of everyone around him. The most impressive thing to me right now, is the quicks to recognize the opening and hit the whole at full speed, and his vision. He runs like a much more seasoned running back.

I think we had a very good offensive line last year...hence the 1384 yards for Coker, but I think we have a much better backfield shaping up right now with Weisman and Bullock.
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Weisman looks good but that can also be attributed to having a very good O-Line to run behind this year.
(especially on the left side of the line)

Iowa can plug any RB into the lineup and they'll most likely look good running behind this line.

That said, I do like the combination of Weisman and Bullock but will be curious to see how they perform against a good defense such as Michigan St in two weeks.
 
With some of the holes the oline is creating I could average 5 yards per game. But I like how hard Weisman runs through the hole, he does not look to make a lot of moves and is not afraid to hit someone. Coker was also a beneficiary of running behind a good offensive line. But he took all his talents to Stony Brook where in yesterdays "upset" against Army he ran the ball 20 for 53 yards while the starter (yes Coker is backup) ran 32 times for 220 with 2 touchdowns.
 
ssckelley said:
With some of the holes the oline is creating I could average 5 yards per game. But I like how hard Weisman runs through the hole, he does not look to make a lot of moves and is not afraid to hit someone. Coker was also a beneficiary of running behind a good offensive line. But he took all his talents to Stony Brook where in yesterdays "upset" against Army he ran the ball 20 for 53 yards while the starter (yes Coker is backup) ran 32 times for 220 with 2 touchdowns.
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That was shocking to read. I simply figured Coker would be the best running back a team like Stony Brook ever had. Crazy! Thanks for sharing that.

If it was just the line, why have the other Iowa running backs failed? I think it is a comination of the line and someone like Weisman who simply isn't afraid to run through them. Weisman is a beast and fires up that offensive line to be even better by rewarding them. He is one with that line!
 
Weisman gets up to top speed in a hurry and hits the hole hard. Coker never managed to do that in his sophomore season.
 
I wonder if Coker got dinged and never fully recovered, even if it was not just in his head. Mark does run like he has played the game longer, for all the reasons listed above. I do think the OL is playing better then last year. This is what I like about the way the program is headed, if BF can recruit, he like his dad seems to bring out the best in people. On the other side RM is doing a great job as well, taking all that youth and showing that amount of growth in such a short time. Lets give props to Rogers as he is playing very well thus far also.
 
I think Weisman is better. It's a nice stroke of luck that he is here and that he is now a running back. Without the injuries we would have never discovered him.
 
I think I'll wait til I see Weisman run against a defense with a pulse before I crown him. But I do agree with the OP's comments about Coker. He was a good back as long as there was an identifiable hole straight in front of him. If he had to shift in any way, he was not so good.
 
Any chance Iowa goes with a three back set with Canzeri on a wing? My thought is you line up a fullback, then the tailback and have Canzeri at a wing. This puts Canzeri out in space and forces the defense to bring itself closer to the LOS. Just seems OC Davis has more options than the first four weeks. Maybe we can see the rebirth of the shovel pass as well.
 
I still like Coker as a Hawkeye running back, especially the freshman version of him. I think Coker got a bit overweight (not fat necessarily, just put on too much weight) and this took away from a lot of his speed and burst through the hole. Weisman is a cut 225 now, and Coker was probably pretty close to 240 his sophomore year, and he certainly ran like it. One thing I do think Coker did better than Weisman (for the moment) is Coker would always fall forward for a few extra yards. I think that's something which is underrated that Weisman could improve on. The good news is he's on like, what, his third start in the position?

But actually a lot of what I like about Weisman now is that he is so similar to Coker, with a little more burst and what looks like better feet.

As for how Coker is playing now, I wonder if he's really at high form now or if he's allowed himself to slip further into the same tendencies he had that slowed him as a sophomore. Probably hard to go through disappointment like that and stay at top shape.
 
We really aren't going to know about the line or Wman until we get further into the B1G season. Minny is not a good team. Iowa has played on 1 mediocre team in NIU. The rest are not good.
 
I like to think Weisman is special, but what do I know.

However, can you think of any facet of the game in which Coker was better than Weisman?

To my untrained eye, and through all of three games, Weisman seems to have more leg drive, hits the hole with more burst, is better at making the primary and even secondary cut, keeps his pads lower, has equal to if not better top end speed, and is better at shedding arm tackles.
 
Hawksel said:
I still like Coker as a Hawkeye running back, especially the freshman version of him. I think Coker got a bit overweight (not fat necessarily, just put on too much weight) and this took away from a lot of his speed and burst through the hole. Weisman is a cut 225 now, and Coker was probably pretty close to 240 his sophomore year, and he certainly ran like it. One thing I do think Coker did better than Weisman (for the moment) is Coker would always fall forward for a few extra yards. I think that's something which is underrated that Weisman could improve on. The good news is he's on like, what, his third start in the position?

But actually a lot of what I like about Weisman now is that he is so similar to Coker, with a little more burst and what looks like better feet.

As for how Coker is playing now, I wonder if he's really at high form now or if he's allowed himself to slip further into the same tendencies he had that slowed him as a sophomore. Probably hard to go through disappointment like that and stay at top shape.
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According to Weisman he is 235.
 
Weisman is a big improvement IMO.

Coker was so slow. I think the fact that he isn't even the starter at Stony Brook is fairly telling.
 
eyekwah said:
Any chance Iowa goes with a three back set with Canzeri on a wing? My thought is you line up a fullback, then the tailback and have Canzeri at a wing. This puts Canzeri out in space and forces the defense to bring itself closer to the LOS. Just seems OC Davis has more options than the first four weeks. Maybe we can see the rebirth of the shovel pass as well.
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I have got to think Canzeri will be redshirted this year.
 
Weisman runs how I expected Coker to run (and how Coker ran as a frosh) - plants his foot getting N and S, hits the alleys / lanes, and generally doesn't try to juke anyone - basically runs like FB playing TB, or a power back.
I'm still a little perplexed as to what Coker's deal was last season, but it was frustrating to watch. He left a ton of yards on the field due to the change in his running style, but he did always seem to fall forward and gain an extra yard or two. As far as Stony Brook goes, I assume Coker's getting mop-up carries and running into the back of his OL against stacked defenses when the D knows what's coming. I have no evidence this is the situation, but it seems obvious he's their #2 RB and isn't doing much.
 
SeattleHawkeye said:
Weisman runs how I expected Coker to run (and how Coker ran as a frosh) - plants his foot getting N and S, hits the alleys / lanes, and generally doesn't try to juke anyone - basically runs like FB playing TB, or a power back.
I'm still a little perplexed as to what Coker's deal was last season, but it was frustrating to watch. He left a ton of yards on the field due to the change in his running style, but he did always seem to fall forward and gain an extra yard or two. As far as Stony Brook goes, I assume Coker's getting mop-up carries and running into the back of his OL against stacked defenses when the D knows what's coming. I have no evidence this is the situation, but it seems obvious he's their #2 RB and isn't doing much.
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I have no idea about Stony Brook. Coaches can play who they want and do. I do know that how fast the RB gets the ball and at a shorter depth makes the running game different. Allow Wman against weak opponents to get the ball shallow and quicker is different than backs getting the ball deeper and slower and against weaker d lines makes a difference. Coker tore shreads thru Mizzou. The line back then was more developed and could run more drawn out plays. Iowa with Wman is a more simple running game where he chooses where to run after the line of scrimmage where Coker had to wait for things to develop before hitting the line.

Big difference. Wait till the Hawks play better competition before making strong comparisons.

What is concerning is the passing game against not so strong defenses and against teams without formidable offenses taking time off the clock.

Also concerning is KF going conservative and losing momentum. Happened when he took WMan out of the game in 1st half. Broke momentum. Then again that has oft been a KF trait.
 
The biggest difference I see is Weisman runs into the hole where Coker and others lately would get half way in the hole and then try and change directions. The line has opened holes consistently for our backs, the backs just have to have faith and run to the hole and change directions once through it.
 
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