Why I think the offense struggles (It aint all Greg Davis)

[HawkeyeMHA]

I'd put JR above Davis. Davis ain't calling a bunch of checkdowns.

Yeah, good point

 

[drew003]

Adding to that...when he is flushed out of the pocket, his accuracy on the run is horrendously bad. All QB's struggle to hit targets while on the run, but for Jake it's just an exceptional deficiency. Perhaps we were all spoiled by Drew Tate and Ricky Stanzi. They seemed to do quite well under pressure.

JR works when the running game is working. JR runs an offense. He doesn't create offense. If the running game is not working, defenses are sitting in zone coverage, and DL have their ears pinned back on the pass rush, and JR simply doesn't have the dynamic ability to create offense in that scenario.

JR doesn't do much off schedule either. Really good QBs make plays off schedule, on second reaction plays. It provides offenses margin for error. It is hard to consistently execute on schedule, on-time in the passing game. It is much easier when the QB can manipulate the pocket, or get outside the pocket, while still accurately delivering the ball down field.

 

[NCHawker]

Here's why they struggle in my opinion:

1st - The Oline is soft and the run game is deficient.

2nd - The staff abandons the run very quickly, quicker than at any time in KF's tenure

3rd - The opponents really don't have to stack up to stop the run and the WR's are pretty average about creating separation

4th - Rudock does not see open receivers. He does not throw the ball to receivers unless they are WIDE OPEN at the micro second when he sees each during his progressions.

4th - Rudock's wind up and release is slow, the ball travels slowly and he can't throw it very far (slower, softer, shorter)

5th - Since the Oline is soft, he has not a lot of time, he simply dumps the ball off the the tailback.

6th - Once this is demonstrated to defenses, they can jam the WR quickly, throw off the reads and just wait for the QB to dump it off. Or they can blitz and really bring the heat

 

[trj]

Davis wasn't loved in Texas, but he had a lot of speed WR's who excelled there and ended up in the pros. They did their fair share of horizontal passing, and had a God named Vince Young that made everything look better, but they also threw the ball downfield even when Young wasn't there. I think the clear #1 problem here is that Rudock isn't a fit for the Davis offense. CJ makes the offense look better because he will throw downfield, gets the ball out quicker, and has a higher ceiling talent-wise. Davis does call some dumb plays but Rudock is too conservative and doesn't have a strong arm. The issue is that Ferentz is too loyal and likes the game manager QB, and that won't fly in this offense. Just my 2 cents but the QB is the #1 issue with this team. Things just seem to click more with CJ out there.

VY didn't have a strong arm, in fact it was about as weak as JR. They ran a lot of shallow crossing routes with the slot receiver and the TE. Mixed in with the occasional fade route or wheel route. They simplified the offense for VY and it was basically VY getting his cue on what to do based on DE crashing or not.

 

[DBAHawkFan]

The way I see Iowa's offensive struggles this year:

Weisman is a known commodity. We all know what he can and can't do and so does the opposition and they MUST respect that. Going through this second half of the season a heavy dose of a healthy Mark Weisman is just what the doctor is ordering and will keep the "tired" defenses hands full; at least that's what I'm hoping for.

If we are expecting MW to carry us the rest of the way, we are in trouble. The major issue with our running game is we refuse to challenge teams down the field. You watch on the game Saturday and you'll see both safeties way up. And if Jake "audibles", pay even closer attention to what the defense does....they literally start sprinting to the short side of the field as soon as the ball is snapped.

We just aren't going to have success against 9-10 man fronts, not with MW who isn't going to out run anyone. The rest of our RB's are timid and Canzeri just can't stay healthy. He also doesn't seem to have the speed we need either.

Parker is that back. He's just tiny and not sure if he can hold up. I would love to see him start and get a chance. I think it's fair to say he kind of reminds us of Russell. Short, quick, and can make great cuts...he's a playmaker and we just don't have many of those (at least they don't get as many snaps).

I am fine with bringing in MW for short yardage and goal line (He's proved he knows how to get TD's). As an every down back...he just doesn't break off the big chunks of yards to be a consistent threat.

It was nuts to not give him the ball more though against MD. He DID just rip off a near 40 yard run (which may have been his longest run ever?....as i stated above, he rarely breaks them off)....and then he scores....and never to see the ball again.

I'll come back to my point. Until the QB can consistently challenge the defense 15-20 yards down the field, the defenses will stop our running game.

 

[DesMoinesHawki]

It's tough to see this offense. Seven games into the season and the only words that come to mind when I think of our offensive identity are "three-yard out." We aren't a running team. We aren't a passing team (well, yes, we pass a lot but I don't count 3-yard passes) ... We throw the ball 56 times one game and then 25 the next ... Ferentz and Davis simply are not on the same page. Publically, Kirk will support his OC ... that is Kirk's style and Kirk is the one who hired him ... We are more difficult to watch now on offense than at any other time I can remember in my 35 years of being a fan ... We have a roster full of talented TEs but you wouldn't know it ... Powell? Willies? T. Smith? Parker? ... We have some speed on the roster ... We have seen it (on very few occasions) ...

Another head scratcher for me was the departure of Nic Shimonek ... I mean this was Davis' guy ... Nic was from Texas ... and already, he is gone ... Just makes you wonder how that divorce happened so quickly ... Since this was Davis' QB ...

As for our running backs? I have no idea what we are doing in the backfield. No continuity whatsoever ... Are we saving Weisman until the last game? Canzeri? Random carries ... Daniels ... just disappeared ... Bullock becoming our leading receiver? I really don't know what our philosophy is ... because we simply aren't consistent in anything ...

I think the Davis experiment ends after this season by Davis "retiring." It has to end. And I think even as loyal and "stubborn" as Kirk can be, he knows this is not working ... And all of this comes back on Kirk ... This is his program ... His coaches ... Let's get back to Iowa football ...

 

[PCHawk]

It's funny how I read one post and think "yep, he's right, that's what's wrong". Then I read another completely different post and think " he's right too". Then I read about 20 more posts all giving different reasons and I think they are all right too! Man we've got a jacked up offense!

 

[SheagleHawk]

Here's why they struggle in my opinion:

1st - The Oline is soft and the run game is deficient.

2nd - The staff abandons the run very quickly, quicker than at any time in KF's tenure

3rd - The opponents really don't have to stack up to stop the run and the WR's are pretty average about creating separation

4th - Rudock does not see open receivers. He does not throw the ball to receivers unless they are WIDE OPEN at the micro second when he sees each during his progressions.

4th - Rudock's wind up and release is slow, the ball travels slowly and he can't throw it very far (slower, softer, shorter)

5th - Since the Oline is soft, he has not a lot of time, he simply dumps the ball off the the tailback.

6th - Once this is demonstrated to defenses, they can jam the WR quickly, throw off the reads and just wait for the QB to dump it off. Or they can blitz and really bring the heat

We just don't have much talent at RB spot either. Another recruiting failure by KF, which is totally unacceptable given KFs offensive philosophy. Seriously, what Iowa back would you take over Coleman, Abdullah, Langford, Gordon, Cobb, Elliot, or even Hunt or Greene?

 

[NCHawker]

It's funny how I read one post and think "yep, he's right, that's what's wrong". Then I read another completely different post and think " he's right too". Then I read about 20 more posts all giving different reasons and I think they are all right too! Man we've got a jacked up offense!

THIS !!!

Seems you can start from anywhere in the cycle.

Or said another way - - - Anyway you slice it, this offense is poor.