How many games will it take before…

[cmhawks99]

rushing, passing each or together,

My hope is 200-200 but any variation works but I think for our team concept, defense 1st. The more running yards the better!

 

[ItsAllBallBearingsNowadays]

NFL teams use zone blocking.

The hard part with the zone blocking scheme is it takes a lot of repetitions to work together well as a unit. You can do that at the NFL level plus those guys are around a lot longer. At the college level, by the time most lineman are proficient in the zone scheme they are graduating or heading to the next level. It’s hard to know when to help and release and get into the second level. You really need five really good offensive lineman to make it work as a unit. Really hard to do at the college level because there’s so much attrition. The best offensive line of the KF era was 2002 and the entire line was 3+ Years starters.

 

[RagnarLothbrok]

This by 100, I think we need more diverse blocking, not different just more diverse and I also think BF is a decent if not somewhat inconsistent play caller…

With that said this scandal didn’t help recruiting and although he is a better human now, he has been a pompous insensitive prick for much of his career and he IS the coordinator of a very poor unit.

So no pass, but as is my thing, our fans often wail at the wind. His dad is still his handcuff and his dad also has put together a good program….

So what are you going to do..,🤷‍♂️

I will say Brian Ferentz is not as bad as 2022 would indicate as there was a serious lack of talent on that side of the ball. With that said, he does get into predictable patterns of play calling and for some unknown reason likes to get cute the rare times Iowa is in or near the red zone.

I still think Brian is in way over his head but I have no doubt he will get better and grow as an OC.

 

[NevadaHawk]

It all boils down to vastly improved OL play. Iowa is still a team that needs to run the football to be successful. They have the backs to do it.

If the OL is not significantly better this season, then Barnett needs fired without question. For the first time in almost twenty years, there is a lot of talent at skill positions. The OL has to get it together or all that talent is going to be squandered.

No more excuses. The OL has to get it done this year.

Exactly right. If the OL issues are resolved, I'm not convinced they are, we should have a pretty good team. The defense and special teams will be solid as they always are.

 

[cmhawks99]

I will say Brian Ferentz is not as bad as 2022 would indicate as there was a serious lack of talent on that side of the ball. With that said, he does get into predictable patterns of play calling and for some unknown reason likes to get cute the rare times Iowa is in or near the red zone.

I still think Brian is in way over his head but I have no doubt he will get better and grow as an OC.

I feel like the trend thing is a little overwrought I can’t say for sure, but I feel like everybody has trends and breaking those trends is a part of what makes a team explosive…

But the getting cute at the wrong time thing I agree, 100% on! Although I guess if it works, I wouldn’t of cared, right lol

 

[RagnarLothbrok]

I feel like the trend thing is a little overwrought I can’t say for sure, but I feel like everybody has trends and breaking those trends is a part of what makes a team explosive…

But the getting cute at the wrong time thing I agree, 100% on! Although I guess if it works, I wouldn’t of cared, right lol

Yeah, those jet sweeps to Arland Bruce never worked. Lol.

You are correct about trends and they become a moot point if plays are successful and the OL is blocking. However, what I’m talking about is the pattern of (i.e.) running the football out of the I-formation and getting stuffed then going to shotgun on 2nd down and throwing. Or vice versa. Throwing on 1st down and going to the I-formation on second and running. Those trends are too obvious and easy to dissect.

 

[RagnarLothbrok]

Exactly right. If the OL issues are resolved, I'm not convinced they are, we should have a pretty good team. The defense and special teams will be solid as they always are.

We’re at the point these guys are no longer green, right? Most of the starters should have three years in the program, correct? I agree there is still a lot of uncertainty on the OL. My point is the youth excuse is no longer valid. If these guys aren’t gelling by now, then it’s either a coaching issue and/or recruiting issue. Either way, it’s now on the coaches.

 

[obfuscating]

I think it’s a couple things holding folks back.

1) the offensive dysfunction was so bad last year. Even for me and others, who thought QB was the biggest reason, also acknowledge the OL was brutal and the WR threat was non-existent. Add in head scratching play calling like the Fullback dive and reverses to slow WRs, and it was just a brutal concoction! So all in all, just a mess of a situation.

2) the reality is we may have squandered one of the best defensive units in our lifetime. So even if the offense is much better this year, it’s hard to expect the same level of defensive dominance. Realistically it’s much more likely the D will still be good but not to last year’s level. Cheers to hoping they are tho!

Im optimistic as heck!! But balanced with a ton of caution in there too. I bet others are in the same boat.

Line 2 - 100% and that is backed by announcer after announcer stating nearly this.

I am in the "wait and see" camp as well, I hope that the Hawks can prove all of us doubters wrong. There is just 1 glaring issue that persists, offensive scheming.

 

[obfuscating]

rushing, passing each or together,

24.9ppg

 

[coorsoriginal02]

If this is the case, heads need to roll and Kirk Ferentz needs to pack his things up.

This has to be it for George Barnett - if his unit doesn’t significantly improve, he has to go.

 

[cidhawkeye]

care to bet on how good the OL be this fall real simple wager
the OL IS better than posters want to be = a ban bet on that.
they are better posters have to leave
they are worse and I leave,

simple but effective.

now its time to put up or STFU.

the OL IS better than posters want to be = a ban bet on that.
they are better posters have to leave
they are worse and I leave,

better than posters want to be?
So if I said I want 300 yards rushing per game and 300 yards passing per game, you know video game stats
and they are worse than that you have to leave?

You may want to rethink the phrasing on that........cuz I can 'want' the OL to be better than all of the NFL lines.

 

[mro1978]

We all just love our new QB?

This has been the oddest off season I can remember as a lifelong Hawks fan. Even my diehards are like “We’ll see.”

Had we gotten this type of QB transfer anytime before during the Ferentz era seems like people would be saying B1G Title or bust.

I’m pumped for this.

not the qb, it's the qb coach/OC

 

[karnack1955]

as for the NO only do you need 5 players but far more importantly they need to stay HEALTHY so the can PRACTICE together as a unit, you can't do that if you keep putting someone new on the OL because of injuries, the last 2 years the OL has been riddled with injuries

as for the 2002 line they started as RSFR and the team went 3-8, the next s4eason as RSSO the team went 7-5 finally after being together with little to no injuries they went 11-2

then as RSSR's the team went 10-2

then in 2004 the backups that had been practicing the whole time took the team to a 10-2 record. what makes this interesting is there were very few if any injuries. IA had a nice stretch where the OL did not suffer from injuries/

the last few years the OL as been snake bit with injuries, this is not Barnet's fault only a fool would put the blame on Barnet and want him fired