While the hawks D is too notch the wind was a huge effect yesterday.
Now, for a rushing team like Maryland that isn’t as much of an issue. Still, they weren’t able throw the ball so I’m taking yesterday with a grain of salt.
Now, for a rushing team like Maryland that isn’t as much of an issue. Still, they weren’t able throw the ball so I’m taking yesterday with a grain of salt.
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anon_i8nzeu2gbf0ba
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Really? A rushing team wasn't effective because it was too windy? Didn't seem to bother Iowa's rushing attack. Wow.
FFS, I’m no homer, but give credit where credit is due. This is a top ten D, no doubt. We’re fvcking good.
Their O only scored 14 on Michigan ... and that was also only late in the game. By then, the Michigan squad may have taken the foot off the gas.Just wanted to mention that Maryland scored 34 points in its win over Texas, and 21 in its loss to Michigan. Against Iowa? ZERO. That is all.
The wind was an extra defender for both sides. The key difference being that Iowa could still flash the threat of the short-game (in passing) ... which still occupied the attention of the Maryland LBs and Ss. In contrast, the wind helped to render Maryland even more one-dimensional. However, Iowa's D was very well rested in the game ... and could really attack the LOS on every play.
The Mary's don't like to throw the ball and are not very good at it regardless of the wind, so I'm not sure it would have made much of a difference. We can only speculate about these things, but I'm just very pleased with the results.
Your last line IMO has been a significant part of Iowa's success on D this year. Can you imagine how dominant last year's defense would have been had the offense not been going 3 and Out half their possessions?
The coaches game planned the wind all week as evident from putting in the roll out, throw back screen to Hock, the bubble screens to Fant and the QB draw. If Fant would have focused on the one bubble he dropped (I believe he got a big 1st down on the other), he'd still be running. People are quick to say how out-coached we were when things don't go our way or are poorly executed, but in this game, we clearly out-coached the Mary's.
Absolutely right ... being able to sustain drives is huge ... for both scoring points, but also allowing the D to play their best!
The ability of the 2015 squad to sustain drives was a strength too ... and that played a huge part in our ability to go undefeated in the regular season.
Iowa didn't 'attack' the LOS so to speak. Their game plan was really quite simplistic but the coaches and players aren't going to tell you that. The Mary's have been successful getting defenders to move pre-snap and in drawing defenders attention on the run-pass option. It is a triple option (jet-dive-receiver screen) which is why KF mentioned GT. Iowa saw that they do not block the DE on the side the jet motion is 'going' so Iowa just had that DE attack the jet guy and either get to him (like they did numerous times) or get him running deeper and sideways allowing the alley player and LB's time to get there without getting out of position presnap. That allowed the rest of the line and the inside LB's to easily handle dive and power plays. Pretty simple, happened to work. They (Mary's) killed other teams by getting them to 'attack the line of scrimmage' leaving no support if someone missed.
And except for the last run of the game, Gervase did a great job of cleaning up (led the team in tackles). Looked liked he was held the last play, but he wasn't the only one that didn't play the last one well. It wasn't important as far as the game went, but it would have held the Mary's to under a 100 yds. total offense. Oh well.
Hooker, besides the INT, was quiet. That was because they usually positioned him to take on the WR screen if they chose that option, but the way we lined up, and who we had there, and maybe the wind a little, didn't make it an attractive option on most occasions. I make this point because if players are 'quiet' and not making lots of plays, fans think they didn't have a good game or aren't doing anything and that is not the case most of the time.
Hooker, besides the INT, was quiet. That was because they usually positioned him to take on the WR screen if they chose that option, but the way we lined up, and who we had there, and maybe the wind a little, didn't make it an attractive option on most occasions. I make this point because if players are 'quiet' and not making lots of plays, fans think they didn't have a good game or aren't doing anything and that is not the case most of the time.
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