With 3 games left - lets speculate

[kicker22]

Let’s try and at least be honest with ourselves following a fantastic win this weekend


The game was 3-0 at half and only 6-0 at the end of the 3rd quarter.

Iowa came out and ran the ball 6 times and actually made a 4th down conversion. That’s when BF inexplicably calls back to back to back pass plays that net 1 yard and lead to a missed FG.

The rest of the half was field position battle that the Iowa D and special teams won and the offense did very little. The only real drive we had ended in a pick on an absolutely horrible play call. Yes the execution sucked and a college QB shouldn’t throw across the field in a short field to the outside receiver but why that call with that field position in that situation? Dumb.

Come out after half and the 3rd quarter was much of the same. Field position battle and let the D and special teams win the game while O does their best not to lose it.

The only quarter that we scored real points was in the 4th. Without looking I’d have to guess that it was our highest scoring quarter of the season. That is what everyone remembers. One quarter of play.

This team is averaging 18.8 pts/game

Blake Corum has almost as many points as the Iowa offense.

No I think what people remember is that we actually had some drives despite not putting points up and the fact that we didn't have any 3 and outs and looked like our offense knew what they were doing. No one is expecting miracles on the offensive side of the ball over night. They're simply looking for a team that can put up some points and actually move the chains to keep the defense off the field.

I'm not saying the offense fixed itself or turned a corner but they showed signs of life they hadn't been showing recently against a Rutgers defense that had been playing some good ball. It's a start. Let's think positive.

 

[dagdaj]

No I think what people remember is that we actually had some drives despite not putting points up and the fact that we didn't have any 3 and outs and looked like our offense knew what they were doing. No one is expecting miracles on the offensive side of the ball over night. They're simply looking for a team that can put up some points and actually move the chains to keep the defense off the field.

I'm not saying the offense fixed itself or turned a corner but they showed signs of life they hadn't been showing recently against a Rutgers defense that had been playing some good ball. It's a start. Let's think positive.

On another day....all things being equal....without changing the dynamics of the game.....they left 21 points on the table and it *coulda* been 43-0. Which, yes should/could be a negative.

But, it was just so nice to see first and goals. Even if it was the defense setting them up outright in the red zone, or more importantly the Taylor/DeJean/defense field position combo....setting them up around midfield. I mean, that's a huge change to see those wind up as first and goals. Rather than desperately hoping they can scratch out enough yards to try to kick a 45+ yarder. Hell, I'll even take the 4th and 1 to setup that first and goal at the end. They needed 10 yards to end the game right then and there. They got 9. And then when they needed just one yard, they got it. And the game was over.

It's one thing to have a horrible red zone scoring percentage when you've only had what feels like just 3 of them all year. It's another to have them with some consistency and only fully capitalize on some of them.

I refuse to turn my nose at 400+ yards.

 

[HuckFinn]

Yup.

 

[Northside Hawk]

We gave the game, gift-wrapped to the illini last year

Spence threw the ball on the turf right in front of a wide-open Hawk at the 5-yard line
all the intended receiver had to do was catch the ball, turn around, and step into the end zone

This was late in the game: with 4:16 left in a 3-6 game, Hawks behind

the most Iowa way to score a field goal

During the college football game between Iowa and Illinois, Iowa scored a field goal in a way that only Iowa could. The sequence started when Iowa was sacked...

www.youtube.com

Of course, Spence spent a lot of time on his back the entire game

The O line was rather porous

We owe the bastards rather largely

And didn't Moss have a return negated and overturned?

 

[PlatypusMessiah]

Well, who knew that the back-up Center and Guards were going to be able to not give up chunks of negative plays? Who knew that we were going to finally get Kaleb Brown involved in the offense? Who knew that there would be a massive focus on play stealing in the B1G and that all of a sudden, teams weren't blitzing the hell out of the Iowa offense at every right time?

Ok, the last one is very conspiracy theory like. But the back up interior linemen look like they knew what they were doing and that went a long way into not going backwards on the field. Brown still remains the highest rated WR prospect out of high school that Iowa has had this century. I think we played only 4 week 1 opening day starters on offense this week and for whatever reason, the Rutgers defense looked kind of meh. On offense, Rutgers looses WR1 and RB1 throughout the game and plays with a TO machine at QB.

The defense has only given up 1 touchdown in the last month and the non-con schedule is far behind us. I'm nowhere near ready to come out and say the offensive woes are solved. But, Illinois has lost so many key pieces on defense and Nebraska doesn't value the football on offense. Iowa is in a bit of a position to score points throughout the remainder of November.