We need someone to bring the offense into the 21st century. It has been obvious for a while that we cannot attract stud WR's to a TE/run scheme. In fact, at this time, it seems we can't attract many studs at all. Our recent bowl performances demonstrate we don't have the athletes to compete at the higher levels. The BIG is not as big as many folks thought.
I hope Brian has the balls to stand-up to his old man.
- Thread starter Hawk68
- Start date
We will still see a pro-style offense. However, I hope Brian can bring more ingenuity in maybe owing some new looks and actually use it. Maybe somehow, someway, we can get a passing game!
There is nothing wrong with running a pro-style offense.
A pro-style offense does not mean you have to be predictable in 1st Down: Run 2nd Down: Run 3rd Down: Pass. A pro-style offense doesn't mean you can't run play action on first down, only run pass patterns within 6 yards of the line of scrimmage, or stretch the field once in a while by going deep.
The problem with GD's schemes were the passing game would only work if you had 5-star WRs able to catch quick passes and rack up YACs. Iowa certainly didn't have that. He also got into patterns of predictable play-calling. Those aren't pro-style offense issues. Those are Greg Davis issues.
In short, GD just wasn't a good fit at Iowa. Period.
A pro-style offense does not mean you have to be predictable in 1st Down: Run 2nd Down: Run 3rd Down: Pass. A pro-style offense doesn't mean you can't run play action on first down, only run pass patterns within 6 yards of the line of scrimmage, or stretch the field once in a while by going deep.
The problem with GD's schemes were the passing game would only work if you had 5-star WRs able to catch quick passes and rack up YACs. Iowa certainly didn't have that. He also got into patterns of predictable play-calling. Those aren't pro-style offense issues. Those are Greg Davis issues.
In short, GD just wasn't a good fit at Iowa. Period.
I agree. No problem with the pro-style. I hope this is the beginning of new opportunity. Brian says they need to be adaptable, flexible and make the necessary changes to make them successful. If anyone can influence Kirk, I have to think it is Brian.
More playaction, crossing routes, vertical routes and multi level routes. Less reads by WR's and horizontal passes.
good post. Maybe take a look at what New England does...they use two tight ends a lot. They use slot receivers that are not speed burners. They protect their QB and their QB gets rid of the ball quick. Stanley is not likely to be a guy that makes a lot of plays with his legs.
The lack of incorporation of play action in GD offense did not make sense.
Anyone watch Clemson vs Bama. Those two offenses were "elite" and it showed that young players can come and LEARN the offense and be successful. GD time at Iowa the offense was too "complex" for the young guys and that's why you saw very few underclassmen get any PT (outside of injury).
BF has to be able to make the offense accommodating to this players. Nothing crazy, just easy enough so the young players understand what their roles are. I think in GD system it was so complex with the WR reads and audibles that it was hard for the young guys to get any PT.
I also hope BF can and will at least hire a good QB coach. Iowa has to find a diamond in the rough in terms of QB coaching. Need someone that can develop our QBs
BF has to be able to make the offense accommodating to this players. Nothing crazy, just easy enough so the young players understand what their roles are. I think in GD system it was so complex with the WR reads and audibles that it was hard for the young guys to get any PT.
I also hope BF can and will at least hire a good QB coach. Iowa has to find a diamond in the rough in terms of QB coaching. Need someone that can develop our QBs
So your saying BF, a guy that's been playing under his dads system for ever. probably the only system truly knows is going to make changes to the system. think about that for a minute....
They don't have to change the system to make changes to the system. They made changes to the system when GD came in, and that certainly wasn't what Brian/Kirk were used to. Do you think nothing will change?
I like Iowa's offense philosophy, but I don't like...actually hate the way it was implemented under Davis. O'Keefe did a good job, but often he infuriatingly outsmarted himself.
This is what I would like to see. Everything is outs, curls or a few slants. Need to use the middle of the field better. That is what drove me nuts were the long throws across the field to the boundary for a 4 yard gain. Very little reward, but high risk throws if timing is off.
I actually love the basics of the offense that we run but we HAVE to get better players at WR and be able to throw more often and more efficiently.
Personally, I'm pretty tired of the notion that the coaching staff in intimidated by KF and that he takes a "my way, or the highway" approach to his staff. Of course, he is the head coach so he makes the final decisions, but there is no evidence to support that he treats his staff like minions.
I think it's funny how it took the team a year to learn the GD offense, but some people still think nothing changed. I also think it's funny how we are all (myself included) begging for an offense that is essentially what KOK ran.
I am hoping BF leverages his New England connections and gives us a version of the Patriot offense.
That's what happens when you never have to go to class
We all know Kirk wants to pass the head coaching job to Brian in approximately 7 plus years. So in order to do that Brian and the Hawkeyes are going to have to be successful, so I would imagine Brian will have quite a bit of freedom to open things up and give it his best effort to succeed. Lets just hope when the head coach job is given to Brian the salary doesn't startout at 3.5 million.
It is not outside the realm of possibility that I will never again see an Iowa head football coach with a last name other than Ferentz for the rest of my life. I am 58 years old.
I would guess that at that time, it would be a bargain. That will probably be below the B1G average in 7 years.
One thing I loved hearing Brian say in his interview yesterday is not being so predictable. I know even the basic fan could predict Iowa run pass plays 95% of the time last few years.
Yeah too bad he wasn't around other teams to learn different things or something . And I wish he knew some people around football he might talk to and get ideas from. Oh well just nepotism, nepotism.................
some SIMPLE misdirections would be nice
maybe SIMPLIFY the offense a bit
Wisconsin is a power running team with the occasional pass; I don't see why Iowa can't be successful with the same formula;
We just need to get better athletes on teh field who can make plays
I just want Ferentz to embrace the notion that "balance" doesn't mean a 50/50 run to pass ratio. Balance should mean that out of any given formation/set you are a threat to either run or pass the ball. Iowa virtually never runs out of its spread looks. It almost never runs on 3rd and anything more than 3, I don't think they've ever spread the field and ran on short yardage situations, and can't recall the last time they ran a play-fake on a 3rd and short. If Iowa comes out in shotgun bet the farm it's a pass regardless of down and distance.
I think they also need to scrap this idea that as QBs get older in the system they are no longer allowed to run. I suspect Tate, Stanzi and Beathard's carries all greatly decreased from their sophomore to senior years. The QB needs to be able to keep a couple drives per game alive with his feet, and having him sit back in the pocket with instructions not run isn't going to keep him healthy if he is getting hit on every play back there.
I think they also need to scrap this idea that as QBs get older in the system they are no longer allowed to run. I suspect Tate, Stanzi and Beathard's carries all greatly decreased from their sophomore to senior years. The QB needs to be able to keep a couple drives per game alive with his feet, and having him sit back in the pocket with instructions not run isn't going to keep him healthy if he is getting hit on every play back there.
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As I watched the game last night the thought occurred to me that we don't have one wide receiver on our roster that could start on either of those teams. We need receivers in the mold of Ed Hinkel, DJK, Marvin McNutt, and even Clinton Solomon to improve the passing game. They may be on the roster and we don't know it because they didn't get a chance to play. I hope we are able to bring in a receiving corps that will complement our sound running game. I have hope that Brian Ferentz will be a catalyst for a more dynamic offense in the future.
Why is Iowas offense, "pro style "?
I dont see much of what Iowa does that resembles the pros anymore.
Maybe 20 years ago.
I think he had a pretty good grasp of New Englands offense, and they've been pretty successful. Or doesn't that count?
The passing concepts changed, we all get that. And for the worse.
What didn't change was the overall concervative, repetative approach and the overall results.
We didnt score much then or now outside of a couple times when we had dominating offensive lines.
This exactly.
Iowas biggest problem has always been under Ferentz, predictability.
Lack of an attempt to keep the defense guessing.
He wants to jab jab jab and then hit a haymaker with play action. But it rarely works.
It worked when all the other coaches were as conservative as him.
Now everyone is playing faster and scoring more and Iowa is one of the last teams to adjust.
You can only get away with a super conservative aproach if you have a sizable talent advantege.
I can't agree. If he can get the ball to keep moving down the field and not lose possession he will never stop jabbing.
If he leads by 14 we put things on ice. BS, step on that chickens head and rip it off.
don't fret, Brian's mangina will be exposed for years to come.
"balls" will not be part of the dress code.
"balls" will not be part of the dress code.
My point was, he wants to jab but really we just go 3 and out most of the time.
And yes, trying to run out the clock happens way to early when he gets any sort of lead.
Eh, whos formations?
The nfl uses just about every formation imaginable now days.
What Iowa does might slightly resemble some of the most conservative coaches like Kubiak I guess.
Looks nothing like what the teams with top qbs do though. Greenbay, Pats ect. Those teams spread the field and dink and dunk all day.
I think pro style vs spread is an outdate paradigm. The majority of teams on both levels have been doing all kinds of different formations for a while now.
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If I were Brian Ferentz, I would fly Bill O'Brien and his family somewhere warm in the next month and tell him "coach, I want to run your offense. The offense you ran at Penn St. I want your offense. Can I have it?" Problem over.
If I were Brian Ferentz, I would fly Bill O'Brien and his family somewhere warm in the next month and tell him "coach, I want to run your offense. The offense you ran at Penn St. I want your offense. Can I have it?" Problem over.
couldn't disagree more.. Iowa's biggest problem has always been lack of game changing athletes and limited depth vs. teams that they have to line up against that happen to reside in Ann Arbor, State College, Columbus, and East Lansing. Your job is simply more difficult, as both Maryland and Rutgers will have better athletes year in and year out than Iowa does as well. Was at your game and a young PSU team ran right by your D all night long this past season. Ferentz is a good coach at a middling gig.-sg
I think we're getting into semantics here. It's just always been called a "pro-style" offense. Doesn't mean it represents the NFL. I understand what you are saying, though.
You do realize...not one of those guys could of started on either of those teams last night....right?
