AZHAWKFAN1
Well-Known Member
After this many games, it seems as though the O.C. figures you can get a first down by gaining ten yards going sideways!
What’s ailing the Iowa passing game?
- Thread starter JonDMiller
- Start date
JBRTHREE
Well-Known Member
Whats AILING the Iowa passing game??? Name something that IS NOT ailing this pathetic, so called, PASSING game... They have NO passing game, they have a system that should be called; "THROW IT AND PRAY!" Because the only thing that will help THIS sad display is divine intervention.
Knight78
Well-Known Member
Most of us agree that the Hawks need to attack down field, throwing intermediate and deep routes more often. Unfortunately, we don't have the personnel we had in the past couple of years. Marvin McNutt was a fine college receiver who could get to the intermediate depth and catch passes. DJK, while having a troubled career at Iowa, really was a deep threat. Keenan Davis is comparable to McNutt, but there is no one on the current squad that can stretch the opponents' defenses vertically the way DKJ could. Yeah, it would be nice to throw deep more often, but we can't. We can't get there fast enough and we can't separate from the opposing cornerbacks.
So, we're stuck with JVB checking down again and again (and again, ad nauseum). This allows the defense to stack up the line of scrimmage even more and makes both running the ball and passing to the checkdown receivers harder.
Plus, it all boils down to the offensive line. Passing the ball deep takes time. Passing intermediate with the crossing routes we typically use takes time. The stretch play, the Hawkeye bread-and-butter running play for over a decade, requires the O-line to hold their blocks for quite a while. We've made some great strides this year, but it's still a VERY young offensive line. They are banged up this year as well, so they haven't been able to gel into the kind of offensive line we have become accustomed to here an Iowa in the past decade or so.
All of these factors add up to a very average offense.
So, we're stuck with JVB checking down again and again (and again, ad nauseum). This allows the defense to stack up the line of scrimmage even more and makes both running the ball and passing to the checkdown receivers harder.
Plus, it all boils down to the offensive line. Passing the ball deep takes time. Passing intermediate with the crossing routes we typically use takes time. The stretch play, the Hawkeye bread-and-butter running play for over a decade, requires the O-line to hold their blocks for quite a while. We've made some great strides this year, but it's still a VERY young offensive line. They are banged up this year as well, so they haven't been able to gel into the kind of offensive line we have become accustomed to here an Iowa in the past decade or so.
All of these factors add up to a very average offense.
To date I have been one to accuse the OC of bringing in schemes that are just too hard / detailed to incorporate in the short term. I've changed my tune on this after deciding to spend some time looking at the bio of Greg Davis and his many accomplishments while at Texas. I've now landed on the side of lack of personnel / talent as the prime reason for this year's poor offensive showing. Maybe as Ferentz has elluded to as recently as this week that there are a number of cylinders that have to be firing in order for this offense to improve. QB play is only as good as the execution of others.....maybe even more so in the Davis system. Part of the Davis bio while at Texas includes.........
* Under Davis while at Texas - 10 of the top 11 passing seasons, 11 of 13 top total yardage production, and top 9 scoring seasons.......all in Texas football history
* His offense produced 5 Big 12 Players of The Year
* 2006 - breaking in freshman starter Colt McCoy he still produced one of the nation's top offenses. McCoy was named freshman of the year by The Sporting News
* 2003 - took offense with 2 first year QBs and led to school's best total offense season
* First season at Texas - an injury forced reshirt freshman Major Applewhite into the starting role at QB. Applewhite went on to set UT freshman records and was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year.
These accomplishments don't lead me to believe that his schemes are too complicated and difficult to pick up in a short period of time as evidenced by young QBs that have excelled. They also don't lead me to believe that Davis is underqualified. It does lead me to believe that overall personnel are important to overall execution of the offense.....and maybe even more so under the Davis system if speed was the first thing he was quick to point out in his first month's aboard. I also don't believe Vandenberg has become a poor QB overnight. Maybe Ferentz and Davis both know that putting in another QB isn't going to make a difference until such time as all members of the offense can execute or have the talent to do so I should say.
There is opportunity for talent in this offense. The coaches just need to find it and get it on board.
* Under Davis while at Texas - 10 of the top 11 passing seasons, 11 of 13 top total yardage production, and top 9 scoring seasons.......all in Texas football history
* His offense produced 5 Big 12 Players of The Year
* 2006 - breaking in freshman starter Colt McCoy he still produced one of the nation's top offenses. McCoy was named freshman of the year by The Sporting News
* 2003 - took offense with 2 first year QBs and led to school's best total offense season
* First season at Texas - an injury forced reshirt freshman Major Applewhite into the starting role at QB. Applewhite went on to set UT freshman records and was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year.
These accomplishments don't lead me to believe that his schemes are too complicated and difficult to pick up in a short period of time as evidenced by young QBs that have excelled. They also don't lead me to believe that Davis is underqualified. It does lead me to believe that overall personnel are important to overall execution of the offense.....and maybe even more so under the Davis system if speed was the first thing he was quick to point out in his first month's aboard. I also don't believe Vandenberg has become a poor QB overnight. Maybe Ferentz and Davis both know that putting in another QB isn't going to make a difference until such time as all members of the offense can execute or have the talent to do so I should say.
There is opportunity for talent in this offense. The coaches just need to find it and get it on board.
seepig
Well-Known Member
Sooooo you're saying Kurt says they need to work on everything!? Pretty disappointing if we are that far off on every aspect of the game. I guess he'd be questioning his own ability to coach then.
gohawkz
Well-Known Member
He mentioned in the article that he threw out the throw aways.
Thanks for posting these gamefilm!
I still think it's execution on what should be easy momentum gaining plays for a QB and the offense. Simply put, JVB can't consistently throw accurate throws into the flat. He also frequently makes the RB or receiver lay out for short throws. These are plays that baffle me the most because they should be relatively easy throws for JVB and most QBs playing D1 football in general.
Anyway, if he manages to actually lead his target instead of throwing behind them/making them lay out for 5 yard throws.. it would do wonders for the offense. I'd give a rough estimate of around 100-150 yards of passing offense and who knows how much time that gives the D on the sideline.
At this point, I really think JR would put up better #'s because he can probably make the easy throws. The big question that remains is if he can make the correct adjustments at the line/read the D. JVB has done this for the most part and that is absolutely why he is still playing 100% of the time. The games coming up certainly open up the possibility of the backup seeing time without obliterating their confidence, but I still have doubts of that happening.
Anyway, if he manages to actually lead his target instead of throwing behind them/making them lay out for 5 yard throws.. it would do wonders for the offense. I'd give a rough estimate of around 100-150 yards of passing offense and who knows how much time that gives the D on the sideline.
At this point, I really think JR would put up better #'s because he can probably make the easy throws. The big question that remains is if he can make the correct adjustments at the line/read the D. JVB has done this for the most part and that is absolutely why he is still playing 100% of the time. The games coming up certainly open up the possibility of the backup seeing time without obliterating their confidence, but I still have doubts of that happening.
dwh5er
Well-Known Member
But the teams who don't have the Jimmy's and Joes normally make up for it with some offensive innovation (ie. Northwestern). We seldom do anything to make up for this perceived lack of talent. We simply run the stretch play and talk about executing better.
PS. I love Ferentz and think he has been great for the program. I just hope he figures some things out and makes adjustments before his legend gets tarnished.
MeatMan
Well-Known Member
so then the question is, what do you do till you have the players you need for your offense? right now, we're looking like RichRod's Michigan teams where he was trying to run the spread with traditional Big10 players, and sucking at it just like those teams did.
whammer33024
Well-Known Member
again, PSU is no more talented than we are and they put on a clinic saturday night on how to implement a new offense and make it work.
not buying we don't have the players to stretch the field. a good route runner will find a way to get open downfield. the question is, will JVB allow enough time for the receiver to become open before he checks down to the flat. i'd say this is where a majority of our problems come from. we have all seen during several plays that players are open downfield and JVB doesn't consider throwing it to them.
right now i'd say most of our offensive problems begin and end with #16
not buying we don't have the players to stretch the field. a good route runner will find a way to get open downfield. the question is, will JVB allow enough time for the receiver to become open before he checks down to the flat. i'd say this is where a majority of our problems come from. we have all seen during several plays that players are open downfield and JVB doesn't consider throwing it to them.
right now i'd say most of our offensive problems begin and end with #16
SpiderRico
Well-Known Member
In my opinion, the reason for the decline in the medium/long pass plays in not on the OC. Those plays calls have happened. The problem is that JVB is so darn skittish in the pocket that he's constantly throwing to his "hot" read or the checkdown man in order to avoid perceived pressure that just isn't there. And when he is throwing the intermediate route throws, his mechanics are so bad that he's throwing it behind the receiver, at his feet, over his head and everywhere else but at their chest so they can catch and run. This offense ain't complicated.....but when the guy who has the ball in his hands and is expected to get it to the right guys is feeling phantom pressure and his mechanics are basically shot....any offense is going to look bad.
