ADVERTISEMENT

Iowa D Thoughts

Nihilist Rodgers

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
363
288
63
PSU guy checking in. D and ST are just good. The front 4 is long, pretty lean and can pressure minus exotic blitzes. You can take Wisconsin (OFF challenged) but Minny might be too much as they can score a bit. You guys should be in the fight into November IMO.

thoughts
Rutgers = ugly Iowa win
Michigan = NOPE
Illinois = fist fight.. last team with ball wins
Ohio State = double NOPE
NW = you will impose your will. which means a 4 point win
Purdue = this might be tough, Purdue is not a great matchup for Iowa
Wisconsin = see Illanoying, another rock fight
Minnesota = can't see you outscoring them
Nebraska = domination for the Hawks

I will always enjoy your thrashing of Maryland on TV last year. gLocksley should prob be in prison, yet he coaches a BIG team.
 
You're a lot more confident in Iowa's season than most of the fan base. You are correct, though, that any W left on the schedule will be purely due to our defense and special teams. I think 6-6 is the absolute ceiling, and more likely 3-4 wins unless a QB change is made.

Very impressed with Clifford and PSU early on this season.
 
My thoughts on the Iowa Dee is they are really good as our the special teams. The combination of those two units can keep you in a lot of games but you cant win with punting and defense unless the defense gets 2-3 scores.

If Iowa's offense can at least possess the ball for 30 minutes can get 13-14 points then the defense can stay somewhat rested and stop the opponent enough to get a win.

Personally, with Tory Taylor flipping field position and a stiff stingy defense I think the offense should throw more home run pass patterns, not 30 but a few more to try to steal some points.
 
After Saturday, Iowa is NCAA Top10 in several defensive categories:

Tied 1st in blocked kicks (3)
Tied 1st red zone defense (.500)
2nd in scoring defense 4.33 ppg (Georgia #1 at 3.33 ppg)
6th in passing yards allowed (117,7)
6th in D passing efficiency (82.56)
10th in 1st downs allowed (37)
....
15th Rushing defense

Michigan is highly ranked in several categories as well - that game will be a batle of top ranked defenses. 17-20 could win it.
 
Defense is good as usual, but we will see what happens when we play a team with a pulse on offense. They will get tired with the offense we have because they will be on the field the whole game.
 
After Saturday, Iowa is NCAA Top10 in several defensive categories:

Tied 1st in blocked kicks (3)
Tied 1st red zone defense (.500)
2nd in scoring defense 4.33 ppg (Georgia #1 at 3.33 ppg)
6th in passing yards allowed (117,7)
6th in D passing efficiency (82.56)
10th in 1st downs allowed (37)
....
15th Rushing defense

Michigan is highly ranked in several categories as well - that game will be a batle of top ranked defenses. 17-20 could win it.
Both d’s are good.. but Iowa may not make a first down. When Kirk is gone Iowa might have to change up and try to be a bit more Iowa-state like.. I’m not sure another coach will have the leash to run a Kirk-style team. Kirk is a special coach, but he seems to protect his d a bit too much by never gunning it on offense.
 
I think Iowa is just too physical for Rutgers. If Petras brings his brain it should be a win.
Petras will need to bring a more accurate arm.

From here on out, Iowa will face B10 defenses that are willing to sell out to stop the run and will dare Iowa to complete passes. No Big Ten defensive coordinator facing Iowa this year is currently worried about Petras. Iowa will be looking at 7 man fronts on 1st down. On obvious pass downs they will blitz because Petras has the mobility of a fire hydrant.

It is a predicament that calls for creativity as a counter-measure. Its Brian's brain that matters.
 
Kirk is a special coach, but he seems to protect his d a bit too much by never gunning it on offense.
Which is so frickin' nonsensical it's scary. Iowa has the EXACT type of defense you want for your offense to take some chances, since the consequences from giving the other team a short field aren't nearly as severe as if you have a weak defense. He coaches Bizzaro-world football. The fact that SP tends to turn it over even while playing an ultra-conservative style supports this even more.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BurgHawk87
Which is so frickin' nonsensical it's scary. Iowa has the EXACT type of defense you want for your offense to take some chances, since the consequences from giving the other team a short field aren't nearly as severe as if you have a weak defense. He coaches Bizzaro-world football. The fact that SP tends to turn it over even while playing an ultra-conservative style supports this even more.
I'd argue that SP ends up forcing things more because the O is so risk adverse the nber of openings and opportunities are limited.
 
. Kirk is a special coach,
special as in
iu
 
  • Like
Reactions: littlez
Which is so frickin' nonsensical it's scary. Iowa has the EXACT type of defense you want for your offense to take some chances, since the consequences from giving the other team a short field aren't nearly as severe as if you have a weak defense. He coaches Bizzaro-world football. The fact that SP tends to turn it over even while playing an ultra-conservative style supports this even more.
Yes and no.. Iowa d tends to collapse when you get in track meets.. if you take away the punting game Iowa lacks the depth in the back end. True on SP. A quick passing game can just ruin Iowa—see psu game first half and purdue last year.

Clifford is a good qb, but he has simply played hurt way too much. I watched msu the other night and that Thorne kid will end up like Clifford did last year—he won’t last the season. Clifford and MSU qb pretty similar—both excel in fast-paced O and bog down at times.
 
Our run clogger d tackle got hurt week 1 ( black). Our other thick boy is banged up (shannon). We will bottle up any run game at full strength. We are more than just lean pass rushers up front.
 
ADVERTISEMENT