Wetjen killing it

[Fryowa]

The criticism of Wetjen not keeping an eye on the clock while returning a punt is insane and stupid. Once he chose to return that punt, he needs to do everything he can to score, which is what he tried to do

Horrible take, IMO.

What he needed to do was get out of bounds on that play once we had a chip shot FG. That kind of situational awareness is coached (or should be) at the HS level even. A punt return you have plenty of time to communicate that to your guys, too.

"Hey, if they kick it to you and you break one past the 40 or so, make sure you get OB and stop the clock. You're still the hero there, bud."

Look at the odds of a punt return TD vs a field goal 30 yds inside your kicker's range and tell me what the EV of the points are between those two scenarios.

 

[ICHawk24]

Your examples are not comparable. None of them include a player who is supposed to look up at the clock while performing.

Once he started the return, his goal should have been scoring.

I could see him sliding to the turf as the clock expires, and every Hawkeye fan screaming how dumb he was.

 

[HuckFinn]

We should allow him to return punts and kickoffs and get some snaps at receiver and jet sweeps.

 

[HawkeyeHypnosis]

I don’t think he needs too many suggestions on how to return kicks.

 

[Fryowa]

Your examples are not comparable. None of them include a player who is supposed to look up at the clock while performing.

Once he started the return, his goal should have been scoring.

False. His goal should have been awareness that if he gets into Rutgers territory he needs to get out of bounds. There are two outcomes if he returns the punt and the one you're suggesting (TD) is a less than 1% proposition

In that situation you tell the returners if they get the ball and get to the opposing 40 you have to get out of bounds because everything else is for naught.

I could see him sliding to the turf as the clock expires, and every Hawkeye fan screaming how dumb he was.

1) Fans who understand football were already yelling at him to get the clock stopped.

2) How does it matter what dumb fans think? Just because a dumb fan who doesn't understand football might scream about him being smart and stopping the clock doesn't make it wrong.

 

[Fryowa]

We should allow him to return punts and kickoffs and get some snaps at receiver and jet sweeps.

Wildcat

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Your examples are not comparable. None of them include a player who is supposed to look up at the clock while performing.

Once he started the return, his goal should have been scoring.

I could see him sliding to the turf as the clock expires, and every Hawkeye fan screaming how dumb he was.

Disagree. Players in all sports monitor the clock (ya know, the giant blinking thing shown in both endzones in every field in America) while play is going on. QBs must do it, point guards must do it, even MLB pitchers have to do it now. It happens all the time. More to the point, this is part of what situational awareness must be for both the player and the coach. With 11 seconds to go, there was insufficient time for a snap, punt, airtime, and return to get to the end zone before time ran out. Any coach with even a rudimentary level of experience with football knows this. So, that is why you tell the returner what I said, "if you cross the 40 and are not going to score, get down."

I want to clarify what I said before. If Woods did not give him this instruction prior to the play, then I blame him. Its not the kids job to think this through and determine strategy. If he did, great. Smart kid. But, his job is to catch a ball and return it as far as he can. Its up to his coach to tell him to get down before the clock runs out. From the play, he did not look like he even considered getting out or down. So, absent being told otherwise, I put this on the coaches and not the player.

 

[HawkPowerlifter]

Disagree. Players in all sports monitor the clock (ya know, the giant blinking thing shown in both endzones in every field in America) while play is going on. QBs must do it, point guards must do it, even MLB pitchers have to do it now. It happens all the time. More to the point, this is part of what situational awareness must be for both the player and the coach. With 11 seconds to go, there was insufficient time for a snap, punt, airtime, and return to get to the end zone before time ran out. Any coach with even a rudimentary level of experience with football knows this. So, that is why you tell the returner what I said, "if you cross the 40 and are not going to score, get down."

I want to clarify what I said before. If Woods did not give him this instruction prior to the play, then I blame him. Its not the kids job to think this through and determine strategy. If he did, great. Smart kid. But, his job is to catch a ball and return it as far as he can. Its up to his coach to tell him to get down before the clock runs out. From the play, he did not look like he even considered getting out or down. So, absent being told otherwise, I put this on the coaches and not the player.

I'm sure there are a plethora of excuses we can make for KW. It could be that athlete just trying to make a play or ego thinking he can make that play or it could be a brain fart, or poor execution or coaching.

Even in baseball, the professionals have those moments. I think about the ground ball Javy Baez hit to the first baseman and Baez backed up. It's definitely easy for us to "armchair quarterback" this play.

Unfortunately for Iowa, we don't have the luxury to have the ability not to execute on potential plays that give us points. I think that's why Gronowski catches some flack when he misses wide open opportunities.

For Iowa, we don't have those potential chunk plays every series. Iowa has always been about execution. This is how we overcome the talent deficit. Execution and technique.

 

[kicker22]

Your examples are not comparable. None of them include a player who is supposed to look up at the clock while performing.

Once he started the return, his goal should have been scoring.

I could see him sliding to the turf as the clock expires, and every Hawkeye fan screaming how dumb he was.

So how would him attempting to get down after the clock expired be any different then missing the opportunity to stop the clock in the situation he was in and missing an opportunity for a potential field goal. Fans are going to complain either way, but you don't play the game for the fans. You play the game to win and as others had said we did miss an opportunity to attempt a field goal because he didn't get down/out in time.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

So how would him attempting to get down after the clock expired be any different then missing the opportunity to stop the clock in the situation he was in and missing an opportunity for a potential field goal. Fans are going to complain either way, but you don't play the game for the fans. You play the game to win and as others had said we did miss an opportunity to attempt a field goal because he didn't get down/out in time.

If he slid down after the clock had expired, then we would know the culprit. He was told to get down before the clock ran out, and just did not execute. I can live with a physical mistake made during the heat of a play. What bothered me is that in that play he showed no intention of getting down, which tells me his coach did not tell him to do it. I think this one falls on Woods and KF. I hope someone asks KF about this in the presser so we know who to blame!!!!

 

[dagdaj]

You can put your money in an index fund and get 15 yards every time.
Or, you can buy Bitcoin and either make a fortune or lose what you started with.

I am OK with Wetjen buying Bitcoin.

 

[Hawkboys]

False. His goal should have been awareness that if he gets into Rutgers territory he needs to get out of bounds.

Punts are change of possession plays. He didn't need to get out of bounds. Clock stops as soon as he tackled or takes a knee. Once his lane closed on the outside he should have downed himself.

 

[Fryowa]

Punts are change of possession plays. He didn't need to get out of bounds. Clock stops as soon as he tackled or takes a knee. Once his lane closed on the outside he should have downed himself.

6 of one half dozen of the other. He happened to be on the outside 6” from the side line.

 

[Seth53]

The criticism of Wetjen not keeping an eye on the clock while returning a punt is insane and stupid. Once he chose to return that punt, he needs to do everything he can to score, which is what he tried to do.

Too many people have been trained by playing PS3 in their basement and the on-screen score bug to think that it is the same for guys on the actual field of play.

Sir, I enjoy your posts and have learned alot.

In this case however, I have to side with the other side.

I was taught the concept of situational awareness in HS football.

I love what KW brings to the field.

But in this case, he should have run out of bounds and given Iowa a chance for a FG. Should the coaches have said something? 100% yes. But KW should have known without being told.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Sir, I enjoy your posts and have learned alot.

In this case however, I have to side with the other side.

I was taught the concept of situational awareness in HS football.

I love what KW brings to the field.

But in this case, he should have run out of bounds and given Iowa a chance for a FG. Should the coaches have said something? 100% yes. But KW should have known without being told.

To be clear, no one is suggesting that in the middle of the kick return he should have been trying to find the clock. That said, every player has a clock in his head. More importantly, the coaches should have given him a rough yardage to get down. 35-40 yard line.

Maybe the coaches did not expect they would kick to him. But, its their job to communicate to KW what the situation is and what to do if he breaks one.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Is there any reason NOT to let Wetjen take every ball out of the end-zone regardless of how deep it is kicked? I mean, if I was Iowa, I'd let him run every kick that stays in bounds. When in space he can typically get a team at least 25 - 30 yrds when allowed to run in space. I say take that chance along with a chance at a longer return or TD. If teams know he is going to run back every kick, they also might choose to kick it out of bounds which would set up good field position in itself. Don't let a team know they can kick it deep in the end zone for a touchback. take that away from them. Just my $02..

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Is there any reason NOT to let Wetjen take every ball out of the end-zone regardless of how deep it is kicked? I mean, if I was Iowa, I'd let him run every kick that stays in bounds. When in space he can typically get a team at least 25 - 30 yrds when allowed to run in space. I say take that chance along with a chance at a longer return or TD. If teams know he is going to run back every kick, they also might choose to kick it out of bounds which would set up good field position in itself. Don't let a team know they can kick it deep in the end zone for a touchback. take that away from them. Just my $02..

Less than 5 yards deep, yes. Bring it out. 5-10 yards. Ehhhhh. You risk getting snagged at the 15 yard line and/or drawing a penalty that can put the offense in a pickle.

The 25 is a fine starting point. Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Less than 5 yards deep, yes. Bring it out. 5-10 yards. Ehhhhh. You risk getting snagged at the 15 yard line and/or drawing a penalty that can put the offense in a pickle.

The 25 is a fine starting point. Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.

I think he's going to be able to get at least to the 25, 90% of the time. It's a risk reward situation for sure, but why not take that chance for a longer return or TD gambling on the last 10%. This is a generational returner.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

I think he's going to be able to get at least to the 25, 90% of the time. It's a risk reward situation for sure, but why not take that chance for a longer return or TD gambling on the last 10%. This is a generational returner.

Hmmmm. I like KW a lot. He is a great talent and glad we got him. But generational?

Let me poke a hole in that this way: would you rather have Wetjen or DeJean returning punts? Even if that is a close call to you (its not to me, I'd take DeJean every day and twice on Sunday), it sort of erodes the generational thing when we had someone as good or better 3 years ago.