what is Rx for winning these close game losses?

[Northside Hawk]

SR QBs under Ferentz:

2002 Banks 11-2 One of the best seasons for an Iowa QB ever
2003 Chadler 10-3 Pretty solid year overall, his team was decimated by injuries
2006 Tate 6-7 Tate probably should have taken a RS, core injury wrecked his season, dumpster fire overall
2010 Stanzi 8-5 Good numbers but dogshit season for the team, much like 2018 actually
2012 JVB 4-8 Horrible numbers that year and probably the 2nd worst team of the KF era
2016 CJ 8-5 Injuries and OL didn't help his performance but zero excuse losing a home game to NDSU

Most coaches dream of SR QBs. Just more evidence that KF is in way over his head when it comes to offense.

Everyone remembers the game winning field goal in the NDSU game.

The killer was the pick six thrown by CJ early in the game.
I think he was under duress on that play because it was Lucas LeGrand's first, and only start at center. We were in chase mode most the rest of the day, then couldn't close it out when we did get the lead.

 

[uihawk82]

Everyone remembers the game winning field goal in the NDSU game.

The killer was the pick six thrown by CJ early in the game.
I think he was under duress on that play because it was Lucas LeGrand's first, and only start at center. We were in chase mode most the rest of the day, then couldn't close it out when we did get the lead.

Yes, the left tackle was beat and blindsided CJ, ball popped up and their guy grabbed it and ran it in.

Believe it or not I just looked up the stats for that game at official hawkeye sports site and Iowa only had 34 yards rushing that game. Some of that was minus yardage on sacks.

That was terrible not to run the ball better with Daniels and Wadley

 

[Knight78]

i get what you are saying, I really do. That being said...the opposing teams have this information also. Every team we have faced gears up to stop our running game. A few teams, ISU & NW, committed 8-9 to the box damn near the whole game. You can't run the ball against that. You have to throw them out of that defense...and force them to respect the deep ball and the passing game in general. How in the hell are you going to block 8-or 9 with 7 guys. NW's safeties had were lined up 6 yards off the ball...both of them much of the time. Too many people in a small amount of space.

So, you think this is the first time in the history of Iowa football that teams commit 8-9 to the box? We have had several running backs facing the same 8 or 9 man fronts and they still got yards; some even broke for big runs. Are you saying Mark Weisman didn't face that? Or Akrum Wadley? Or LaShun Daniels? Or ..... go pick your running back for at least the past decade. All of these guys rushed for a ton of yards facing 8 to 9 in the box. Why could they run so effectively?

 

[Ian Pike Hammer]

i have always thought that in some lean years when hawks lose close games the passing game is missing a handful of dependable routes and clutch receivers. when u have kaspar, Mo, CJ, clark and hinkle you can pick up first downs.

i think another prescription is a decent running qb who can extend plays and run for important yardage. and a good run game and i think the outside zone blocking has not been there as much the last 8-9 years.

the defense has mostly been very good to excellent over the years.

i think our qbs need to get that yardage by running sometimes, need some clutch repeatable pass routes. too much offensive inconsistency is the bain of KF's current offenses

What's missing? The kill, maim and destroy attitude found in teams like Alabama, Clemson et al. The desire to score on every possession. The "want" to be ahead by 4 touchdowns at half-time. The ability to employ a quick strike score on every possession and quit worrying that the defense might be on the field too much. When the score is 17-13 late in the 4th quarter, let's not sit on the ball, try to run the clock out, which ends up in a 3 'n out and punt, b/c we run, run, incomplete pass and punt, resulting in a last possession touchdown by the other team and another loss.

We are boring, conventional, and too conservative.
We have a gentleman for a coach.

 

[uihawk82]

What's missing? The kill, maim and destroy attitude found in teams like Alabama, Clemson et al. The desire to score on every possession. The "want" to be ahead by 4 touchdowns at half-time. The ability to employ a quick strike score on every possession and quit worrying that the defense might be on the field too much. When the score is 17-13 late in the 4th quarter, let's not sit on the ball, try to run the clock out, which ends up in a 3 'n out and punt, b/c we run, run, incomplete pass and punt, resulting in a last possession touchdown by the other team and another loss.

We are boring, conventional, and too conservative.
We have a gentleman for a coach.

very good points and observations

 

[uihawk82]

So, you think this is the first time in the history of Iowa football that teams commit 8-9 to the box? We have had several running backs facing the same 8 or 9 man fronts and they still got yards; some even broke for big runs. Are you saying Mark Weisman didn't face that? Or Akrum Wadley? Or LaShun Daniels? Or ..... go pick your running back for at least the past decade. All of these guys rushed for a ton of yards facing 8 to 9 in the box. Why could they run so effectively?

Well they had Gallery, Bulaga, Reiff, Yanda, and a whole bunch of great blockers, powerful run blockers.

Maybe this line is not that explosive and powerful in run blocking, I dont watch them that closely during games but most times they are not blowing teams back 2 to 3 yards.

I remember the 2015 rose bowl both Stanford line units in the trenches were moving the LOS a yard or two in their favor.

Maybe we arent getting the best blocking alignment calls by the Center position, hard to say unless you are down on the field or on the sidelines. There is a lot of stuff in games we have no way of knowing what is happening like if the QB calls out the wrong hot blitzer.