DodgerHawki
Well-Known Member
Look at the context of the game...
a variety of circumstances came together. Iowa starts the half with a 17-3 lead. PSU gets the ball to start the half, chews up half the 3rd quarter and ends up turning over the ball at Iowa's 1-inch line. The only goal for Iowa in that instance is to get a first down and move away from the goal line. From 3rd and 4 at the 7, Stanzi hits McNutt for 20 yards. Iowa goes back to running it on first down, 4-yard loss by ARob. Then an incomplete pass by Stanzi on 2nd down and Iowa calls a run on 3rd and 13, which gains 11 yards. The 3rd down call was conservative, no doubt, but no complaints about it in that circumstance. If Iowa was truly not trying anything, they wouldn't have attempted a pass on 3rd and 4 from their own 7 yard line.
Iowa gets the ball back at its own 20 on the next possession. Robinson for -4 on first down, then Robinson up the middle for 0 yards, then Stanzi sacked on 3rd down. A true dud of a series. Score is still 17-3.
Iowa then forces a PSU punt and Iowa's first possession of the 4th quarter starts at the Iowa 5-yard line (again, poor field position). After a penalty, Iowa ends up 2nd and 12 on the 3-yard line, Stanzi hits Morse for 18 yards. Then Stanzi up top to DJK for 43 yards to the PSU 36 yard line. Then Stanzi misses DJK open, Sandeman runs a reverse for 3, and another incomplete pass. Iowa takes the delay penalty and punts to put PSU at the 7. Nothing conservative about this drive, just poor execution. And it was the right decision to punt on 4th and 7 with a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Next time Iowa gets it back is with 8:05 left and on our own 15-yard line. Still with a 14-point lead. ARob runs it for 2, (no surprise, you want the clock to run). Stanzi runs for 3, then Stanzi hits DJK short of the marker. Conservative drive, but 14-point lead with 8 minutes to go is a time to be conservative.
Iowa forces a punt, and gets it back with 4:32 left on our own 22. ARob for 9, then Stanzi sneaks for a first down. At this point there is under 4 minutes left so the only goals on offense are to not turn it over and keep the clock moving. ARob for 7, then ARob for -1 on second down and ARob for 2 yards on 3rd. Iowa punts it back to PSU with under 2 minutes to go.
Of the second-half drives, the only head scratcher for me was the last possession of the third quarter, when we got the ball at our own 20-yard line. Run it on first down (PSU expecting it) then run again on second. Then get sacked on 3rd and 14.
It's allright to disagree/complain about playcalling, it's what we as fans do. Just try to look at what is being done in the context of the game.
a variety of circumstances came together. Iowa starts the half with a 17-3 lead. PSU gets the ball to start the half, chews up half the 3rd quarter and ends up turning over the ball at Iowa's 1-inch line. The only goal for Iowa in that instance is to get a first down and move away from the goal line. From 3rd and 4 at the 7, Stanzi hits McNutt for 20 yards. Iowa goes back to running it on first down, 4-yard loss by ARob. Then an incomplete pass by Stanzi on 2nd down and Iowa calls a run on 3rd and 13, which gains 11 yards. The 3rd down call was conservative, no doubt, but no complaints about it in that circumstance. If Iowa was truly not trying anything, they wouldn't have attempted a pass on 3rd and 4 from their own 7 yard line.
Iowa gets the ball back at its own 20 on the next possession. Robinson for -4 on first down, then Robinson up the middle for 0 yards, then Stanzi sacked on 3rd down. A true dud of a series. Score is still 17-3.
Iowa then forces a PSU punt and Iowa's first possession of the 4th quarter starts at the Iowa 5-yard line (again, poor field position). After a penalty, Iowa ends up 2nd and 12 on the 3-yard line, Stanzi hits Morse for 18 yards. Then Stanzi up top to DJK for 43 yards to the PSU 36 yard line. Then Stanzi misses DJK open, Sandeman runs a reverse for 3, and another incomplete pass. Iowa takes the delay penalty and punts to put PSU at the 7. Nothing conservative about this drive, just poor execution. And it was the right decision to punt on 4th and 7 with a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Next time Iowa gets it back is with 8:05 left and on our own 15-yard line. Still with a 14-point lead. ARob runs it for 2, (no surprise, you want the clock to run). Stanzi runs for 3, then Stanzi hits DJK short of the marker. Conservative drive, but 14-point lead with 8 minutes to go is a time to be conservative.
Iowa forces a punt, and gets it back with 4:32 left on our own 22. ARob for 9, then Stanzi sneaks for a first down. At this point there is under 4 minutes left so the only goals on offense are to not turn it over and keep the clock moving. ARob for 7, then ARob for -1 on second down and ARob for 2 yards on 3rd. Iowa punts it back to PSU with under 2 minutes to go.
Of the second-half drives, the only head scratcher for me was the last possession of the third quarter, when we got the ball at our own 20-yard line. Run it on first down (PSU expecting it) then run again on second. Then get sacked on 3rd and 14.
It's allright to disagree/complain about playcalling, it's what we as fans do. Just try to look at what is being done in the context of the game.
