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I think they simplified the offense

uihawk82

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Nov 17, 2021
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After OSU I started a thread about how can the offense get better. I mentioned simplifying things.

I have noticed the last two games a difference in Oline run blocking. Now there is not as much of the highly choreographed internal pulling and crossblocking by the line. On most run plays or play action the 5 Olinemen most often are just all power blocking to one side as in zone blocking and they are using the fullback and a wing TEnd to come horizontally across the backfield and trap block and kick out defenders. The Oline is not giving as much penetration and their or more holes and cutback lanes. It may be that they simplified this blocking. Having a running game helps the pass protection a lot.

The pass routes with the quick slants and crossing patterns is using the middle of the field way more than before. Ragaini is really helping the pass game, Vines is doing well and Laporta is doing his thing with Lachey also in there for blocking and the occasional catch by just doing something simple and finding a hole in the defense.

They threw a lot of outs against jNW and short, over the middle passes.

Maybe they will add some out and up the sideline routes. The simple screens worked pretty well also.
 
Nah- it is actually more complex as finally the line is giving SP and Wr’s time forr red the plays to evolve
Agreed. And the OL isn't suddenly all world. There are still occasional whiffs and misses. But moving Colby to LG and Plumb to tackle has at least greatly reduced the amount of plays where there are complete busts that give the play no shot. Combine that with playing teams that aren't 3 top 10 defenses in Illinois, OSU and Michigan and plays have a chance to work.

I'll use the TD to Ragaini as an example. Purdue is bringing more guys than there are to block them. The OL handles it perfectly as Jones, Stephens and Plumb take the 3 most-interior blitzers, meaning the outside rusher is going to be unblocked. They are going to have to leave someone unblocked as there are more rushers than Iowa has in protection. But Petras see it, Ragaini sees it and as soon as Petras gets the ball Ragaini is looking for it and Petras hits him in stride so he can run with it and he is able to get leverage on the safety that had an impossible task of dropping down to cover him. This play would have been DOA in previous weeks. Either OL would have let a DL come through the A gap unblocked, or Petras/Ragaini would not have been on the same page, or some combination of all of those.

Iowa isn't out of the woods on offense. But they at least have a chance now. Wisconsin will be a much bigger challenge than Purdue or Northwestern. Much more disciplined and physical. But if the offense can muster 17 points, Hawks have a shot in Kinnick.
 
People spend a lot of time analyzing football and in a majority of the cases it comes down to blocking and tackling.

Our OL was bad last year and atrocious the first 6 games this year. I don’t care who your QB or RB is, if your OL sucks, you’re not going to be be able to play at an even average level.
 
I think they played 2 bad defenses. The light didn’t all of a sudden come on for the offense. Kaleb Johnson is our one legitimate playmaker though. Not a surprise it took dumb and dumber 8 games to realize it.
.........but.but,but,but.................Northwestern and Purdue own us! Charlie Jones! Charlie Jones! We are dead! We can't stop them!
 
I think they played 2 bad defenses. The light didn’t all of a sudden come on for the offense. Kaleb Johnson is our one legitimate playmaker though. Not a surprise it took dumb and dumber 8 games to realize it.

Playing 2 lesser defenses sure didn’t hurt the cause I’ll admit, but let’s give at least a little credit to the changes that were made as well.

These don’t have to be mutually exclusive. And no one is suddenly claiming the offense is good. We’re mostly just happy to see the patient has a heartbeat!

Now if we can only get a surgeon who didn’t finish at the bottom of his class…
 
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I think they played 2 bad defenses. The light didn’t all of a sudden come on for the offense. Kaleb Johnson is our one legitimate playmaker though. Not a surprise it took dumb and dumber 8 games to realize it.
But don't you think that "2 bad defenses" should win against the worst offense in college football? If you think Iowa offense hasn't improved and hasn't changed a thing, what does that say about the coaching ability of Brohm and Pat Fitz?....especially since you think Ferentz is "dumb/dumber". The truth is the Iowa offense has improved and improved in every phase of the offense (couldn't get much worst). Kaleb Johnson has also been the featured RB for Iowa in several games. Quit being so dramatic!
 
Damn dude....you really are a dbag. All of your posts are the same
The behavior of the fanbase has been absolutely atrocious this season. I've been keeping it real for you guys all season long.

Everything I've been posting for weeks has turned out to be true. Wish I had more time to educate the people that have actually hurt the performance of my team this season, but I don't
 
But don't you think that "2 bad defenses" should win against the worst offense in college football? If you think Iowa offense hasn't improved and hasn't changed a thing, what does that say about the coaching ability of Brohm and Pat Fitz?....especially since you think Ferentz is "dumb/dumber". The truth is the Iowa offense has improved and improved in every phase of the offense (couldn't get much worst). Kaleb Johnson has also been the featured RB for Iowa in several games. Quit being so dramatic!

Some posters are simply incapable of giving any credit. The coaches and players have been better the past two weeks. It does not mean all the underlying issues have been solved, nor that significant changes are still needed moving forward.
 
But don't you think that "2 bad defenses" should win against the worst offense in college football? If you think Iowa offense hasn't improved and hasn't changed a thing, what does that say about the coaching ability of Brohm and Pat Fitz?....especially since you think Ferentz is "dumb/dumber". The truth is the Iowa offense has improved and improved in every phase of the offense (couldn't get much worst). Kaleb Johnson has also been the featured RB for Iowa in several games. Quit being so dramatic!
Agree. The "2 bad defenses" reasoning doesn't explain the first games against bad defenses. The only explanation is actual improvement.
 
But don't you think that "2 bad defenses" should win against the worst offense in college football? If you think Iowa offense hasn't improved and hasn't changed a thing, what does that say about the coaching ability of Brohm and Pat Fitz?....especially since you think Ferentz is "dumb/dumber". The truth is the Iowa offense has improved and improved in every phase of the offense (couldn't get much worst). Kaleb Johnson has also been the featured RB for Iowa in several games. Quit being so dramatic!

Honestly guys like @Dargo @Phenomenally Frantastic @not_mantiteo

And the resident sunshine guys… That’s what I’m gonna start calling them because they spread around such pleasantries…!!

They really aren’t interested in wins and losses because if they were when we won they’d be happy they’re only interested in making themselves feel better by bitching and hating on everyone.

They are a massive part of what is wrong in the world today!
 
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Honestly guys like @Dargo @Phenomenally Frantastic @not_mantiteo

And the resident sunshine guys… That’s what I’m gonna start calling them because they spread around such pleasantries…!!

They really aren’t interested in wins and losses because if they were when we won they’d be happy they’re only interested in making themselves feel better by bitching and hating on everyone.

They are a massive part of what is wrong in the world today!

No, that would be progressive liberals
 
Tyler Kluver laughed about this. Said he got DMs last week saying plays changed. He said no, the blocking is good so the same plays have time to develop.
The blocking is good because Brian is finally using a jet sweep motion to hold the lbs a step or two. That alone makes our oline's job easier.
It was a simple fix I've been asking for forever.
 
The blocking is good because Brian is finally using a jet sweep motion to hold the lbs a step or two. That alone makes our oline's job easier.
It was a simple fix I've been asking for forever.

Holy oversimplification Batman… That didn’t fix the whiffs or the going the wrong way.

Honestly and this is a real question. If that was it, if it’s that simple why the hell aren’t you coaching? You can’t use a $1 million a year job? And as far as that goes once again why the hell do so many coaches get fired they don’t know about the “jet motion“ thing yet you do… Explain that to me a little?
 
After OSU I started a thread about how can the offense get better. I mentioned simplifying things.

I have noticed the last two games a difference in Oline run blocking. Now there is not as much of the highly choreographed internal pulling and crossblocking by the line. On most run plays or play action the 5 Olinemen most often are just all power blocking to one side as in zone blocking and they are using the fullback and a wing TEnd to come horizontally across the backfield and trap block and kick out defenders. The Oline is not giving as much penetration and their or more holes and cutback lanes. It may be that they simplified this blocking. Having a running game helps the pass protection a lot.

The pass routes with the quick slants and crossing patterns is using the middle of the field way more than before. Ragaini is really helping the pass game, Vines is doing well and Laporta is doing his thing with Lachey also in there for blocking and the occasional catch by just doing something simple and finding a hole in the defense.

They threw a lot of outs against jNW and short, over the middle passes.

Maybe they will add some out and up the sideline routes. The simple screens worked pretty well also.
The OL starters changed 2 weeks ago.
 
Big test on this line. We should always expect Bucky to play a good defensive game.

Think we will see more improvement in the line. Richman has been pretty good all year. Stephens has improved significantly over the course of the season. Plumb is playing the best of his career. Colby has been a better guard then he was a tackle. Center continues to be a significant weakness.

Bucky has been shaky on offense. If the defense can give the offense some short fields Iowa can win this game. Good execution in the line is really essential. Has to be their best game of the year. Kaleb looks like a star. The passing game is getting better. Like to see Aaron get more and deeper targets but that cannot happen unless another receiving threat emerges. Could use a big coming out game for Vines.
 
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After OSU I started a thread about how can the offense get better. I mentioned simplifying things.

I have noticed the last two games a difference in Oline run blocking. Now there is not as much of the highly choreographed internal pulling and crossblocking by the line. On most run plays or play action the 5 Olinemen most often are just all power blocking to one side as in zone blocking and they are using the fullback and a wing TEnd to come horizontally across the backfield and trap block and kick out defenders. The Oline is not giving as much penetration and their or more holes and cutback lanes. It may be that they simplified this blocking. Having a running game helps the pass protection a lot.

The pass routes with the quick slants and crossing patterns is using the middle of the field way more than before. Ragaini is really helping the pass game, Vines is doing well and Laporta is doing his thing with Lachey also in there for blocking and the occasional catch by just doing something simple and finding a hole in the defense.

They threw a lot of outs against jNW and short, over the middle passes.

Maybe they will add some out and up the sideline routes. The simple screens worked pretty well also.
The blocking has been the key change I have seen. It's like they are using the H-Back to make the pulls, and/or the FB to slide out for the kick-out. I think I saw one actual "pull", on KJ 40-yarder up the left sideline. And that was really only a same-side slide-out, not a full switch of side.

Suffice it to say, this OL group is still a long way from having a C pull, a la Linderbaum, Casey Wiegmann, etc.
 
Agreed. And the OL isn't suddenly all world. There are still occasional whiffs and misses. But moving Colby to LG and Plumb to tackle has at least greatly reduced the amount of plays where there are complete busts that give the play no shot. Combine that with playing teams that aren't 3 top 10 defenses in Illinois, OSU and Michigan and plays have a chance to work.

I'll use the TD to Ragaini as an example. Purdue is bringing more guys than there are to block them. The OL handles it perfectly as Jones, Stephens and Plumb take the 3 most-interior blitzers, meaning the outside rusher is going to be unblocked. They are going to have to leave someone unblocked as there are more rushers than Iowa has in protection. But Petras see it, Ragaini sees it and as soon as Petras gets the ball Ragaini is looking for it and Petras hits him in stride so he can run with it and he is able to get leverage on the safety that had an impossible task of dropping down to cover him. This play would have been DOA in previous weeks. Either OL would have let a DL come through the A gap unblocked, or Petras/Ragaini would not have been on the same page, or some combination of all of those.

Iowa isn't out of the woods on offense. But they at least have a chance now. Wisconsin will be a much bigger challenge than Purdue or Northwestern. Much more disciplined and physical. But if the offense can muster 17 points, Hawks have a shot in Kinnick.
remember the offense scored 3 vs sdsu, 7 vs ISU, and 13 vs Nevada. None of those were as good as OSU, UM, lll defenses....
 
The blocking has been the key change I have seen. It's like they are using the H-Back to make the pulls, and/or the FB to slide out for the kick-out. I think I saw one actual "pull", on KJ 40-yarder up the left sideline. And that was really only a same-side slide-out, not a full switch of side.

Suffice it to say, this OL group is still a long way from having a C pull, a la Linderbaum, Casey Wiegmann, etc.

Good stuff friend, thanks! 😊
 
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remember the offense scored 3 vs sdsu, 7 vs ISU, and 13 vs Nevada. None of those were as good as OSU, UM, lll defenses....
No one is forgetting. Nevada was flat-out terrible, they gave up 50+ points to Incarnate Word. ISU has a very good defense, right there with the 3 good Big 10 defenses Iowa has played.

My point was that Northwestern was not good on defense (not quite as bad as Nevada) and Iowa scored on 7 of 8 possessions against the Wildcats. And Purdue is average on D, and Iowa scored 24 on them. Again, not great, and it's not possible for this offense to get to good or great. But all the offense has to be is average or somewhere close to it to win games with the special teams and defense Iowa has.

The Wisconsin game will tell us how much of the improvement is real and how much is just worse opponents. Iowa scores 6 points and has 125 yards of offense, we will have our answer. To win, Iowa might need only 14 or 17. So the bar is not real high.
 
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remember the offense scored 3 vs sdsu, 7 vs ISU, and 13 vs Nevada. None of those were as good as OSU, UM, lll defenses....

ISU is also a top 10 defense this year. SDSU has one of the better FCS defenses. Nevada I put an asterisk on because of the bizarro weather delays that destroyed the flow of the game.

I said at the time - given the injuries to the WR room (only 1 scholarship receiver dressed those first two games), I expected the offense to struggle. I was shocked at how inept they actually were.

Looking back at the caliber at the defenses we played in the first 8 games (5/7 were top 15 at the time), it partially explains the struggles we saw…but only two a point. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an offense struggle at every facet like ours did. Hopefully the past two games demonstrate the unit finally taking steps forward.
 
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