Beau Stephens will be back next year also and some of the young ones are studs already.
IowaLaw's Objective Mid-Season Report Card: Offense
- Thread starter IowasLaw
- Start date
1. Over the last three centuries, (maybe only the 2 centuries) Iowa's record against tOSU is 15-68-3. You think that's a Kirk problem? It's great when we beat them because it literally only happens 3 or 4 times in any Hawkeye fan's life.
2. Iowa has doubled its offensive yards. Lost one close game by a last second field goal. Got pounded at Columbus, but Iowa almost always gets pounded at Columbus. Maybe that's what to expect after more than a century. Maybe those inherent benefits Ohio has over Iowa are meaningful. Brutus has a $20M football NIL. That is far more than Iowa has for all sports, I think.
3. Iowa has the easier part of the schedule ahead. Assuming that comes with better offensive stats. We already play on a lot of shorter fields, limiting the total yardage. The best team left is Nebraska. To be honest Nebraska hasn't had much success at Iowa lately.
We are still able to win out, indeed likely to do so. So, the playoffs are still an option. Iowa has doubled offensive production, and more than doubled scoring with a 1st year OC and everyone learning a very different new offense.
But never let reality sink the unrealistic expectations and perpetual complaining, right.
2. Iowa has doubled its offensive yards. Lost one close game by a last second field goal. Got pounded at Columbus, but Iowa almost always gets pounded at Columbus. Maybe that's what to expect after more than a century. Maybe those inherent benefits Ohio has over Iowa are meaningful. Brutus has a $20M football NIL. That is far more than Iowa has for all sports, I think.
3. Iowa has the easier part of the schedule ahead. Assuming that comes with better offensive stats. We already play on a lot of shorter fields, limiting the total yardage. The best team left is Nebraska. To be honest Nebraska hasn't had much success at Iowa lately.
We are still able to win out, indeed likely to do so. So, the playoffs are still an option. Iowa has doubled offensive production, and more than doubled scoring with a 1st year OC and everyone learning a very different new offense.
But never let reality sink the unrealistic expectations and perpetual complaining, right.
No, I am just saying, remember how Brian basically said there was no reason to get better on offense because we were winning with just defense? The same stands true with running the ball. I mean if we can just ram it down their throats, there is no reason not to. BUT I do not think they are taking the approach of we don't need to throw, because Cade said today, "we have been running that play for 2 months now and just waiting for the right time". Plus our OC is a former QB. Well they are better at it now after 2 months then they were back then. Coaches know that. They see that. Like I said once, for years Iowa fans have been saying, we need to pass to open up the run and Lester is saying no, we need to run to open up the pass. It's working. Granted not so good against OSU, but jeez give it a min or two. Unless we make the playoffs, I really can not see us not rolling in a bowl game. I mean do you honestly think if we played ISU again tomorrow, we would not stomp a mud hole in their arse????? I mean what team out there that is not in the playoff discussion do you think can go toe to toe with us? (finish strong Hawks and that is exactly what the powers that be will be looking at). We are getting better at a very high rate. NOW we just need to continue that. Welcome to the meat of the schedule. The grind. Where the wheat is separated from the chaff. As Doc Holiday said to Ringo when Ringo said "I was just foolin about" Doc says. "I wasn't"
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Damn dude give me some of what you’re smoking! We are getting better at a high rate? We’ve won 1 in a row! Against a 500 team. While I’m a big Lester fan already let’s calm down a bit.
I really have no idea why Wetjen wasn't involved in our offense last year and especially so far this year. Seems to provide a spark whenever he gets the ball!
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BirdistheWord
HB Legend
I wish Kirk had the sack to just play Sullivan. It’s basically all upside. Better arm, can run, ?
agree with most of the analysis minus Gill, he has been really good & open more often than not, also he has been making some really good blocks to help spring KJ, the trouble comes back to the QB play yet again!
Its Hawkeye Heroin. Ohio State is not a realistic comparison. Oregon even less so, since they have an unlimited NIL and facilities budget, while OSU might have some limits those limits are fantastically high.
You're one of the guys that holds up four fingers at the end of the third quarter and looks around at the crowd like they've discovered something deep.
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@Dr. Phil Seuss - the OL and QB play were worse even last year, yet Iowa didn't seem to have a problem getting the ball to the TEs. At some point, especially if a TE like Lachey has NFL aspirations, the TE needs to get separation and make plays or stand out as an elite blocker. Luke hasn't done either.
@Rambler Hawk - good point on Washington. Iowa has zero depth at WR (especially now that the best WR on the team quit). Instead, it has endless depth at RB. It makes no sense to switch Washington back from WR to RB just so that he can get two garbage carries at the end of games. Those are two less carries for someone like Patterson or Moulton who barely touch the ball as it is.
@Bulldogs1974 - you can absolutely have an A+ running back with a B- Offensive Line. That IS how football works, watch a game sometime. If it weren't it would be inexplicable how Kaleb Johnson averages 8 yards per carry going up against fresh defenses/all the starters, while both Moulton and Patterson average just 4 yards per carry, often times getting 4th quarter carries against backups. If the OL were judged solely on Moulton & Patterson's production...as well as the atrocious pass protection, how good would they look?
@IowaHawk1994 - Iowa's roster next year is going to be completely different. That doesn't mean they'll be horrible. Some schools have coaches who embrace the transfer portal and turn over their rosters each year. Hopefully this new offensive coordinator is a better portal recruiter than Brian & Budmeyer and will be able to lure some offensive talent to the roster.
@DEMGR - it's hard to fault the WRs for being unable to get separation. There is a reason Iowa was the only Power 5 offer for virtually all of them. At a position like WR, the highly rated kids out of high school are far more likely to be stars in college. Iowa needs to drastically improve its WR recruiting before we see any separation.
@BirdistheWord - you are saying last year's generationally bad WRs were worse than this year's? I'm not so sure about that. Was Brown (last year's best) better than Gill (this year's best)? Yes. Was Ragaini (last year's 2nd best & a 6th year senior) better than RVC (this year's 2nd best & a true freshmen)? Yes. Both WR groups were historically terrible, but I'd say this years is no better than last year. We just have a different offensive coordinator this year.
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on that sad note, navy averages more passing yards per game than iowa
BirdistheWord
HB Legend
Its hard to compare the two groups in isolation, as having a competent OC helps a ton, plus a QB who is not chained to the turf.
With that said…thru 6 games, here are the stats:
2023
WR catches: 20
2024
WR catches: 35
TE were utilized more last year. And I was a big fan of K Brown, but he did not really get going until 2nd half of season. Removing him this year does hurt, but…
We have more depth, it’s clear cut. No Alec Wick on depth chart. Yeah guys like Buie and Howard are raw but could be very good in the future. Gill has been excellent right out of the gate, fairly consistent. RVZ has been up and down but has a lot more upside than Ragaini. Even Wetjen getting slightly utilized helps.
In the end, on paper it’s marginally better given Brown was not a factor yet. But you can’t argue with 35 vs 20 catches.
Bird has the Word. THE OFFENSE HAS JUMPED 60 TEAMS AND HAS THE EASIER HALF OF THE SEASON LEFT. Why constantly look for things to bitch about? Iowa is massively improved on offense. What's wrong with just enjoying the improvement. The Clown game was kind of kick in the nuts, the OSU thing was typical in the 102 years since Iowa's first game against tOSU. Going from 130s and facing the real possibility of finishing in the 50s is the improvement I assume people wanted to see. The line play has improved substantially. We have a Heisman finalist as our primary weapon, cannot say that often. We just piss pounded one of the Pac intermeddlers and we piss pounded the Goophers, a Big Ten team with a winning record and on the road. Not only are there more passing yards but closing in on the full 14 game total. Went from scoring 13 PPG to 29.9. That is fast improvement with a new OC and a previously bottom feeder offense. BE HAPPY WITH THE VAST IMPROVEMENT INSTEAD OF THE PISSING AND MOANING.
Is Kaleb Brown such a loss? Barely saw the field, and never looked good when he was on the field. He sounds very dumb when he talks. Maybe the kid just isn't smart enough to learn WR skills of plays.
Iowa should maintain a 7 -5 or at best 8 - 4 record moving forward based on our lack of NIL support by the fan base. You get what you pay for.
Iowa doesn't have access to the kind of NIL numbers that both the Blue Bloods and the larger states. We don't have many billionaires or corps with billions of institutional donors with billions of dollars to spend on promotions.
I have been saying for years that many institutional structures make it nearly impossible for Iowa to accumulate talent (including coaches) and raise money. Every change in the last 25 hurts small schools like Iowa. We aren't going to perform well once Kirk Ferentz is gone.
That's why I don't listen to player interviews anymore. A lot of them sound dumb.
BirdistheWord
HB Legend
WTF are you talking about Teddy? I was responding to the OP. I was the one who said our WR play is better vs last year.
I could see Nebraska limping into Iowa City trying to secure their first winning record in forever.
I think you're arguing with a guy that agreed with you. Calm down Francis.
I think a B- is fair. We can't pass block well.
BirdistheWord
HB Legend
BirdistheWord
HB Legend
I think Mr cement shoes with under 50% and multiple strip sacks defines an F
Cade is certainly creating his own version with all the terrible throws but is probably still a D or D-
This is next-level stupid and exactly the mindset Kirk has banked on to fleece the university out of millions of dollars for 25 years and counting.
@eyesofhawk is already getting hard at the prospect of typing “5-3” next Saturday after Iowa grinds out an impressive 17-13 win against Northwestern.
@StillGold will offer next week’s history lesson by providing Yale’s average points per game during their run of 27 national championships from 1872-1927.
@curtisj157, this is precisely why Swarm is and should be losing supporters. No Iowa fan should pay a dime for this level of grifting. More fans need to follow your lead and start voting by closing their wallets. This needs to include game tickets. There are plenty of places where tailgating is free if people feel the need.
BirdistheWord
HB Legend
I was unclear. Sorry. That first underlined sentence was intended to mean you "have the word" as in as in you are right and I agree. My cannons were aimed at the continuous complainers. I write a lot late at night and edit less often.
Going by W/L's is not a good way to compare, especially when it is obvious our defense is the worst it has been in years. On offense we are doing better and it is easy to see, especially given how long the whole team had to work on the install together. The lack of a passing game is what is holding us back now. It is obvious we do not have a QB on the roster that Lester trusts to throw it plus 20 yards and that is concerning. But the one who gives us the best chance to win can not even hit the less then 20 throws with any sort of dependability either, so it is understandable why we do not attempt anything long, when we struggle with the short throws.
You’re right. Going by W/L’s is not a good way to compare. Just plain watching our QB is enough for me.
BirdistheWord
HB Legend
We're cool. You'll notice I edit my posts frequently. I have an eye infection that's more or less permanent. Late at night my eyes get tired and start to blink more, which irritates the eyes, which then start to water profusely. Compromised immune system and 65 rough years under my belt.
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