Iowa Running Game

[Hwk-I-St8]

This is true. But you can't really give the Iowa coaches the benefit of the doubt with this type of thing when they have had a putrid running game the past few years while being a run first team and having overall one of the worst producing offenses in the country.

What makes a team a "run first" team? I've always considered Iowa to be a balanced team. KF refers to them that way as well.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

This is true. But you can't really give the Iowa coaches the benefit of the doubt with this type of thing when they have had a putrid running game the past few years while being a run first team and having overall one of the worst producing offenses in the country.

What makes a team a "run first" team? I've always considered Iowa to be a balanced team. KF refers to them that way as well. Any team would prefer to gain their yards running the ball, all things being equal. It's safer and keeps the other team's offense off the field.

 

[percyland]

What makes a team a "run first" team? I've always considered Iowa to be a balanced team. KF refers to them that way as well.

We ran the ball 100 more times than passing. We ran for more touchdowns than we passed for. Which is a bit unusual in this pass happy times of college football. Iowa uses the run to set up the pass, most Iowa fans know this. Not sure if we are really that much more run heavy or if Petras was also just that bad. But of course Iowa is run first, just like a Wisconsin, Minnesota etc.

 

[pistachio1999]

As can having playmakers at QB and receiver.
Iowa has had great individual O-lineman. They have not commonly had outstanding O-lines as a unit.
Maybe it would be more productive for them to plan around what they actually have than what we wish they had?

Wisconsin’s passing game has not been what I would call great.

 

[cmhawks99]

Ahh yes how will I ever understand the complex run game of slow drawn out stretch plays to the short side of the field for the 100th time. Or the ole' FB dive on 3rd and 3 that guys stuffed for the 10th time. Again you or the staff could get any sort of lenience if it wasn't for that we were 4th in total rushing attempts last year in the Big Ten but near the very bottom in rushing. It was quit pathetic. This isn't some big secret.

Am I the only one seeing zone runs to the short side or 3rd & 3 dives or throws short of the sticks on every game I turn on my TV….?

I swear I read this message board sometimes and people act like we are doing the most unusual shit in the world. I swear to God sometimes I think I’m crazy….

And seriously when is it just good defense? I mean honestly we all know our offense leaves a lot to be desired but seriously…Oklahoma scored 23 points against Nebraska last year, they scored 16 against West Virginia and 13 against Baylor…

Yet Lincoln Riley is one of the greatest offensive coaches in college football history….

When it really comes down to it, it’s all about wins and losses are you doing enough to win games….?

 

[pistachio1999]

It's really funny that posters don't seem to have a clue about what they are saying.

First day on the internet?

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

We ran the ball 100 more times than passing. We ran for more touchdowns than we passed for. Which is a bit unusual in this pass happy times of college football. Iowa uses the run to set up the pass, most Iowa fans know this. Not sure if we are really that much more run heavy or if Petras was also just that bad. But of course Iowa is run first, just like a Wisconsin, Minnesota etc.

Not by design...it can end up that way depending on how things play out. Historically under KF, our run/pass percentage is pretty close. I don't look at raw numbers like 100, percentages are a better way to look at balance. Also, I look at more than one year because any one year can be skewed by circumstances. A 4-5 year average would yield a better representation of what the program is trying to do.

As far as "run to set up the pass", that's something you hear from the tv commentators all the time. I don't believe I've heard that from the coaches. I did hear someone ask BF about that and he laughed and said he didn't necessarily subscribe to that....that he believes in taking what the defense gives you. (rough paraphrase).

 

[percyland]

Not by design...it can end up that way depending on how things play out. Historically under KF, our run/pass percentage is pretty close. I don't look at raw numbers like 100, percentages are a better way to look at balance. Also, I look at more than one year because any one year can be skewed by circumstances. A 4-5 year average would yield a better representation of what the program is trying to do.

As far as "run to set up the pass", that's something you hear from the tv commentators all the time. I don't believe I've heard that from the coaches. I did hear someone ask BF about that and he laughed and said he didn't necessarily subscribe to that....that he believes in taking what the defense gives you. (rough paraphrase).

I also think Iowa has way too obvious tendencies. 1st and 10 I think I saw something crazy like 80% of the time it is going to be a run. And then on 3rd and 10 or longer Iowa is going to either do a draw or RB screen depending on the situation but is is frustrating to be sure. I would love to shut up and eat crow about this offense one day but I can't until they aren't a bottom feeder anymore holding the defense back.

 

[sober_teacher]

Am I the only one seeing zone runs to the short side or 3rd & 3 dives or throws short of the sticks on every game I turn on my TV….?

I swear I read this message board sometimes and people act like we are doing the most unusual shit in the world. I swear to God sometimes I think I’m crazy….

And seriously when is it just good defense? I mean honestly we all know our offense leaves a lot to be desired but seriously…Oklahoma scored 23 points against Nebraska last year, they scored 16 against West Virginia and 13 against Baylor…

Yet Lincoln Riley is one of the greatest offensive coaches in college football history….

When it really comes down to it, it’s all about wins and losses are you doing enough to win games….?

Yeah it all depends. To some extent the defense always has an advantage in numbers, depending on to what extent the quarterback is part of the running game. So the idea of running to the short side is part of the numbers game, and run where the defense isn’t. I would like to see Iowa do more with counters and reverses off of these runs, both to slow down pursuit and also break tendencies.

People like to mock it, but it also oftentimes DOES come down to execution. Brian for all his faults has improved as a play caller, but it will look bad if a linemen misses a block, receiver falls down, qb misses the open guy, etc.

 

[cmhawks99]

Here is the cold harsh reality of life as it pertains to football. We are looking at this like “how many more games are we going to win if we had a better offense? Which I get because it is our weak link.

But we could look at Oklahoma and say, how many games or NCs would they/could they win if they played better defense and yet….their defense is still by far the weak link! And has been for years….

Point being we play football how we play football and it’s hard to fix the offense (for Oklahoma, the defense) without changing how you play in totality. THATS the hold off with KFs philosophy, its not Brian or Greg or KOK….it’s how much more advanced can he let the offense be without completely changing our spots?

I personally wish Stanley had been our QB the last 2 years….we’d have won more games!

And for those not doing the math, if we put a Qb out there who can only run half the offense, we are just as handcuffed!

 

[sober_teacher]

I also think Iowa has way too obvious tendencies. 1st and 10 I think I saw something crazy like 80% of the time it is going to be a run. And then on 3rd and 10 or longer Iowa is going to either do a draw or RB screen depending on the situation but is is frustrating to be sure. I would love to shut up and eat crow about this offense one day but I can't until they aren't a bottom feeder anymore holding the defense back.

Last year was worse than most when it came to tendencies, simply because nothing worked consistently so they were forced to do that to find simply the least risky option that the offense could execute at all. Prior to last year, Brian had done better at falling into some of those tendencies. Far better than Greg Davis was at any rate.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Wisconsin’s passing game has not been what I would call great.

Sort of speaks to an underlying theme in this thread. You don't have to have a great passing game when you're a ground pounding machine like wisky has been. They've only had one guy at qb for one season since 2000 who I would call a dynamic playmaker, Russell Wilson. Otherwise, their qbs are much more in the game manager mode. Which is fine if you have better overall O-lines with consistent ground games.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

Guys get paid fortunes to coach football, and yet message board fans often have greater insight. The OP is one example. KF is a stubborn old man. He's great at producing individual talent but not so great at developing balanced football teams. It's not that hard. It really isn't. But when you continually ignore reality, well, that's a problem.

BTW: I did say Goodson would not be drafted. Iowa's running game would improve dramatically with a power back, like the Williams kids, and scrapping of the zone blocking scheme.

I hope you are joking. Greater insight on this board than the coaching staff?

There is nothing that isn't hard about coaching B1G football. Coaching 90 guys to go out and defeat 90 other guys that are getting coaching too is not easy.

 

[BBHawk]

I hope you are joking. Greater insight on this board than the coaching staff?

There is nothing that isn't hard about coaching B1G football. Coaching 90 guys to go out and defeat 90 other guys that are getting coaching too is not easy.

I believe that the post was sarcastic regarding that.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

Sure consistently dominant but Iowa hasn't even been consistently good. Usually in the bottom half of the conference.

Uh, Iowa is the 4th winningest Big Team over the last ten years. You have to go clear back to 2014 where Iowa was not among the top half of the conference. Last 8 seasons 10-4, 6-2, 10-3, 9-4, 8-5, 8-5, 12-2, 7-6.

Iowa is not tOSU, not even Wisconsin in terms of money, population, media markets (raises profile cuz more people see or hear about the big rodents from Madison) Iowa's record is amazing.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

I believe that the post was sarcastic regarding that.

🤞

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

I hope you are joking. Greater insight on this board than the coaching staff?

There is nothing that isn't hard about coaching B1G football. Coaching 90 guys to go out and defeat 90 other guys that are getting coaching too is not easy.

No, he's not kidding. He lives in a dystopian nightmare and demonstrates a complete disconnection with reality.

Last week he was still flacking the lie that KF had to be forced to play Ricky Stanzi. That is so divorced from not only the reality of the QB situation, but any knowledge of how individual sports teams operate in a university organization structure.

So of course he thinks a someone posting on a chat room has more insight, and by someone he means himself, because he it most committed to trashing Kirk Ferentz and through him Brian, than anyone else alive.

 

[Fan In Black]

he wont

 

[Hawk_4shur]

No, he's not kidding. He lives in a dystopian nightmare and demonstrates a complete lack of awareness of reality.

Last week he was still flacking the lie that KF had to be forced to play Ricky Stanzi. That is so divorced from not only the reality of the QB situation, but any knowledge of how individual sports teams operate in a university organization structure.

So of course he thinks a someone posting on a chat room has more insight, and by someone he means himself, because he it most committed to trashing Kirk Ferentz and through him Brian, than anyone else alive.

Figures.

I mean really ... if coaching big time football is so easy, why do you suppose the average ones make millions of dollars?

 

[pistachio1999]

Sort of speaks to an underlying theme in this thread. You don't have to have a great passing game when you're a ground pounding machine like wisky has been. They've only had one guy at qb for one season since 2000 who I would call a dynamic playmaker, Russell Wilson. Otherwise, their qbs are much more in the game manager mode. Which is fine if you have better overall O-lines with consistent ground games.

NFL ready 3 down running backs.

 

[grayhair81]

Your one of the people he’s talking about, and we’d all probably accept your criticism of BF, but it won’t stop there….

It started with KOK, moved onto Greg Davis and will move onto the next guy, when he gets here

So the perennial ineptitude of Iowa's offense is the blame of someone in a higher position than the OC?
Who knew?

 

[cmhawks99]

So the perennial ineptitude of Iowa's offense is the blame of someone in a higher position than the OC?
Who knew?

Still doesn’t keep people from bitching about the offensive coordinator though does it?!

Id think even you’d get tired of the constant bitching

 

[Ladell-hawk]

Guys get paid fortunes to coach football, and yet message board fans often have greater insight. The OP is one example. KF is a stubborn old man. He's great at producing individual talent but not so great at developing balanced football teams. It's not that hard. It really isn't. But when you continually ignore reality, well, that's a problem.

BTW: I did say Goodson would not be drafted. Iowa's running game would improve dramatically with a power back, like the Williams kids, and scrapping of the zone blocking scheme.

" message board fans often have better insight than the coaches " LOL, You have to be kidding! Come on man !

 

[scotthawk1964]

Ahhh, I just got back from spending a month in the Philippines, and the one thing I noticed. Not one Filipino gives a shit about the Iowa Hawkeyes. Hmmm, go figure. LOL

 

[twindman]

I personally wish Stanley had been our QB the last 2 years….we’d have won more games!

And for those not doing the math, if we put a Qb out there who can only run half the offense, we are just as handcuffed!

Are you sure about this? If a QB only knew half the playbook, but could execute it well = make plays with feet and arm - I think we may be better off.

 

[Hawk68]

Ahhh, I just got back from spending a month in the Philippines, and the one thing I noticed. Not one Filipino gives a shit about the Iowa Hawkeyes. Hmmm, go figure. LOL

I lived in Manila for a year and persuaded two caddies to become Hawk fans by giving them Tiger Hawk T's. I believe Filipinos are the last Asians to still like Americans. They even like our music! We will screw that up eventually. We are lucky they have a hard time reaching our Southern border. People should see the lines of people around our embassy trying to reach America legally.

 

[RomanHawk]

Figures.

I mean really ... if coaching big time football is so easy, why do you suppose the average ones make millions of dollars?

Glad you asked. The biggest reason is that they stumbled into an aspect of the entertainment business that has big dollars involved. Had they picked another field, they'd be making about the same as others who supervise around 150 people. Let's not pretend they are a group of mental giants.

 

[cidhawkeye]

Ahh yes how will I ever understand the complex run game of slow drawn out stretch plays to the short side of the field for the 100th time. Or the ole' FB dive on 3rd and 3 that guys stuffed for the 10th time. Again you or the staff could get any sort of lenience if it wasn't for that we were 4th in total rushing attempts last year in the Big Ten but near the very bottom in rushing. It was quit pathetic. This isn't some big secret.

The ole’ FB dive guy had 15 carries averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Guessing that converts most 3rd and 3 situations. Glad you pointed out those successes

 

[scotthawk1964]

I lived in Manila for a year and persuaded two caddies to become Hawk fans by giving them Tiger Hawk T's. I believe Filipinos are the last Asians to still like Americans. They even like our music! We will screw that up eventually. We are lucky they have a hard time reaching our Southern border. People should see the lines of people around our embassy trying to reach America legally.

My Filipina wife of 10 years who passed away last year was from Lipa City Philippines, about 45 minutes drive south of the Airport in Manila. I have been there 4 times total, and I never liked Manila, to many people and to much traffic. This time I went to Puerto Princessa Palawan, which is an island just southwest of Luzon. I am thinking about retiring there by the end of the year. Good news is, with my VPN I can still watch my Youtube TV, so I don't have to give up my Hawks, but I get a little tired of taking trike rides, especially when I am used to walking outside 15 feet, getting in my Jeep and driving wherever. LOL But, I can live there for far less then half of what I can live here in Central Florida for.

 

[percyland]

The ole’ FB dive guy had 15 carries averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Guessing that converts most 3rd and 3 situations. Glad you pointed out those successes

He had 1 or 2 carries of 26 yards. And good for him. But one long run changes the numbers. Nice try though. The BF apologists on this board is astounding. I think we forget quickly what a sh*t show of the offense was last year.

 

[BBHawk]

So the perennial ineptitude of Iowa's offense is the blame of someone in a higher position than the OC?
Who knew?

You included some pretty good offenses in your criticism if you think Iowa hasn't ever had a good offense under Ferentz.

 

[sober_teacher]

He had 1 or 2 carries of 26 yards. And good for him. But one long run changes the numbers. Nice try though. The BF apologists on this board is astounding. I think we forget quickly what a sh*t show of the offense was last year.

No one’s defending last years offense. It was broken from one end to the other. Injuries, execution, playcalling, the whole bit.

 

[cidhawkeye]

He had 1 or 2 carries of 26 yards. And good for him. But one long run changes the numbers. Nice try though. The BF apologists on this board is astounding. I think we forget quickly what a sh*t show of the offense was last year.

Not an apologist and definitely remember the sh*t show that last years offense was.
I just wish people didn’t just throw crap at the wall to attempt to support their opinion. Look at the number of carries, 15. Does that support your issues with the offense? To quote you ‘nice try’ support your concerns with something better than ‘the good ole FB dive’. Plenty to criticize without throwing out something that is statistically irrelevant.

Take out the one 26 yard run, yes it was one. He averaged 3.57. That converts that 3rd and 3. Keep trying. You haters that choose the wrong items to support your claim lol

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

He had 1 or 2 carries of 26 yards. And good for him. But one long run changes the numbers. Nice try though. The BF apologists on this board is astounding. I think we forget quickly what a sh*t show of the offense was last year.

You do realize that the 0-line was really beat up last year right? A poster with connections said they couldn't even put together a full o-line to practice with during the bye week because they had so many injuries. I've yet to see an offense that could do much with an o-line that was not good (for whatever reason).

 

[percyland]

Not an apologist and definitely remember the sh*t show that last years offense was.
I just wish people didn’t just throw crap at the wall to attempt to support their opinion. Look at the number of carries, 15. Does that support your issues with the offense? To quote you ‘nice try’ support your concerns with something better than ‘the good ole FB dive’. Plenty to criticize without throwing out something that is statistically irrelevant.

Take out the one 26 yard run, yes it was one. He averaged 3.57. That converts that 3rd and 3. Keep trying. You haters that choose the wrong items to support your claim lol

15 carries should also tell you something. How many other college football teams gave their FB that many carries. It shows how unimaginative he was on 3rd and short. If it was 3rd and short everyone in the building knew what the play was. I respect Pottebaum and think he does a hell of a job.

 

[percyland]

What I have learned from this thread is if you point out that our run game is statistically one of the worst in the Big Ten you don't know what you are talking about because we don't understand the complex run game of Iowa. Yes the OL has been bad which doesn't help but whose fault is that? It plain and simple needs to improve in order for this offense to do anything at all. I actually think by having Goodson go pro it will be an upgrade changing to more power style backs.

 

[sober_teacher]

15 carries should also tell you something. How many other college football teams gave their FB that many carries. It shows how unimaginative he was on 3rd and short. If it was 3rd and short everyone in the building knew what the play was. I respect Pottebaum and think he does a hell of a job.

Yeah, it’s not like 15 carries is a huge tell, that comes out to just 1 FB carry/game. I actually think it’s beneficial to have that in the tool box because it makes you pay a little more attention to that and helps set up that counter toss they ran several times as well.

 

[grayhair81]

You included some pretty good offenses in your criticism if you think Iowa hasn't ever had a good offense under Ferentz.

The offense has gotten worse under each successive OC.

 

[paladinhawk]

Take out the one 26 yard run, yes it was one. He averaged 3.57. That converts that 3rd and 3. Keep trying. You haters that choose the wrong items to support your claim lol

15 carries should also tell you something. How many other college football teams gave their FB that many carries. It shows how unimaginative he was on 3rd and short. If it was 3rd and short everyone in the building knew what the play was. I respect Pottebaum and think he does a hell of a job.

Percyland, If the goal is to play smashmouth Bullies of the Big10, then having your FB run once a game isn't a bad idea.

And I love how your ignore cid's post that Pottebaum averaged 3.5 yards after taking out the 26 yard game.

Don't let facts get in the way of proving how unimaginative BF is...

 

[pistachio1999]

What I have learned from this thread is if you point out that our run game is statistically one of the worst in the Big Ten you don't know what you are talking about because we don't understand the complex run game of Iowa. Yes the OL has been bad which doesn't help but whose fault is that? It plain and simple needs to improve in order for this offense to do anything at all. I actually think by having Goodson go pro it will be an upgrade changing to more power style backs.

Losing our OL coach hurt. The new guy has a year under his belt so let’s see how improved the OL is this year.