Every season has its injuries. Unfortunately, Iowa doesn't have the margin for them. Surprisingly, its the O-Line. Next season will have its departures and injuries. Losing Wadley and MVB and having young tackles on top of these injuries is going to have the same looking offense.
Morehouse on Offense Struggles:"This just isn’t the O-line Iowa thought it would have in July&Aug"
- Thread starter Franisdaman
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Exactly, I've seen some posts (some tweets too) from people saying "well, just wait until next year when Stanley's a junior, these tackles have a year under their belt, etc etc etc"... well, we will have injuries next year too.
I feel like I say this every year and this staff doesn't get the job done - figure out what your strengths are and play the game in such a way as to utilize those strengths. Perhaps the corollary to that is understand where you are weak and minimize the impact it can have.
Recruiting OL at Iowa should be a breeze.
So the question becomes is 4 or 5 "misses out of 15 OL recruits bad or abnormal. We know nobody is hitting on 100% of recruits at any given position. 4 others are due to injuries or medical issues, including 2 starting tackles. I'd say that is a bigger issue.
If Cole Croston can make a NFL roster then so can these guys. I don't get it...how can Iowa not have great linemen each and every year. NFL rosters are littered with guys that came here. I thought Cole Croston was a less than avg lineman for Iowa,but made a roster in the NFL.
After seeing those numbers, you would think when game-planning during the bye week to focus on the passing attack. This is where our over-attachment to "Iowa's identity" stings. Love the power run idea, but but holy stubborn and bullheaded batman!
Playing two Freshmen tackles might be the reason the OL sucks at run blocking, but having no upperclassmen depth to step in is a sign of lousy recruiting. I will also add, even with last year's great tackles and award winning OL, we had gave up a crap load of sacks and Beathard was getting sacked as soon as he dropped back. The common theme is below average scoring.
Croston tried hard, but he didn't have athleticism to play tackle. He started at Iowa, yet he was a walkon---better than the guys the staff recruited. You wonder about Paulsen twins---I'm sure they are hard working and quality young men, but maybe they don't have athleticism to play at this level. How many times do we offer Rashad Dunn's out out of Georgia or McMillan out of Montana and they get on campus and are 6'2 and end up getting beat out by walk ons.
If I'm not mistaken, we are missing 5 upper classman OL players and playing a center who's not 100%. Yes, every team has injuries, but not every team has them concentrated at one position. This reminds me of 2010 when we went 8 deep for linebackers due to injuries. When you lose your entire 2 deeps to injuries, it's hard for even an Ohio State to remain competative (speaking to 2010).
You are only allowed 85 scholarships, how many do you allocate to Oline to account for losing half your 2 deep list?
Iowa isn't just getting nailed with injuries like "oh, we lost one LB, our weaker corner, a receiver and a tight end".
We're losing key personnel including (for Saturday's game):
Our starting power RB
Both starting tackles and one 2nd string tackle
Arguably the best linebacker in the nation
Our best player in the secondary
The Oline is killing us because it's the foundation of the offense.
That being said, I think the staff does not do a good job of adjusting. This was coming off a bye week. That's extra time to try to come up with a plan to mitigate these losses. Time to plan to take advantage of the other teams weaknesses and mitigate their strengths. Time to think about how they might react to our first half strategy and plan contingencies to adjust to their changes.
It doesn't feel like the staff did this. It feels more like they just ran the same plan they have for every game.
Also, for Polesek....did NDSU run a zone blocking scheme? I'm wondering if he's not the best guy to be coaching our o-line. Knowing what he's accomplished, I'm pretty confident he's a very good coach...just not sure coaching offensive line the way Iowa does it is a good fit.
This is a lot like what it will be next year. Except Wadley and MVB will be gone too. Yes, some players will get better, but we have a lot to make up for and along way to go.
This is true & fair, mostly. However, we have several backups that (my understanding) are also injured.
I suspect the coaches are borderline dumbstruck at the level of play they're getting from a couple of guys.
The problem is at most good programs they don’t have complete gaps in recruiting that they have to resort to inexperienced freshman. This could turn out to be a positive in 2-3 years, unless of course they get injured and we have to rely on 2 inexperienced guys again.
This has been a consistent issue for Iowa as we play people who aren’t reassu because of attrition or poor recruiting. This separates programs like Wisconsin and us who seeks to have much less drop off in injuries, consistently better recruiting, better coaching and more consistent results.
This has been a consistent issue for Iowa as we play people who aren’t reassu because of attrition or poor recruiting. This separates programs like Wisconsin and us who seeks to have much less drop off in injuries, consistently better recruiting, better coaching and more consistent results.
Traditionally Iowa has not had a lot of room for error when it comes to depth and injuries. This year the OL has taken a lot of hits when it comes to the injury bug, that's for sure.
Ie, scratch where it itches?
Get the ball to your play makers, too, which is Wadley and your TE's.
Whats frustrating too is the dropped passes. Easly had 2 and Fant 1 (at least).
looks like they did work on the pass game, based on the deep ball getting caught by Matt V. Stanley looked like he had more touch on the deep ball overall.
Only thing I worry about is the pass protection of our tackles; if they are struggling with the run, what are they going to do with blitzes and pass protect?
I am no offensive genius, but it would appear they need plays where Stanley is getting the ball out of his hands in a hurry; he needs that internal clock where he has to get rid of it or run if no one is open
Nice post.
I have wondered about Polesek, too, but you would think that both Ferentz's would step in and help if needed.
Whats disappointing is that Polesk and O'Keefe are both former offensive coordinators; they should be offering support and suggestions to Brian, as needed.
Marc MorehouseVerified account@marcmorehouse
Sounds like Boone Myers might be done for the regular season. KF said he should know more this week.
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Chad LeistikowVerified account@ChadLeistikow 1h1 hour ago
Chad Leistikow Retweeted Marc Morehouse
This is such an unfortunate development. Tough deal for fifth-year senior LT.
Sounds like Boone Myers might be done for the regular season. KF said he should know more this week.
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Chad LeistikowVerified account@ChadLeistikow 1h1 hour ago
Chad Leistikow Retweeted Marc Morehouse
This is such an unfortunate development. Tough deal for fifth-year senior LT.
Chad LeistikowVerified account@ChadLeistikow 2h2 hours ago
KF: "Not sure" about James Butler this week. Brandon Snyder won't play vs. Minnesota.
KF: "Not sure" about James Butler this week. Brandon Snyder won't play vs. Minnesota.
- Chad LeistikowVerified account@ChadLeistikow 2h2 hours ago
Kirk Ferentz is up. Says after reviewing Northwestern loss, "execution" is the biggest issue holding this team back.
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Chad LeistikowVerified account@ChadLeistikow 2h2 hours ago
Akrum Wadley says James Butler is practicing. “He ain't dropped the ball or anything. That brace hurts, too, whoever tries to tackle him."
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Chad LeistikowVerified account@ChadLeistikow 2h2 hours ago
Iowa RB Akrum Wadley: "We're not in panic mode. ... Today was one of the best practices we've had this year."
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Chad LeistikowVerified account@ChadLeistikow 3h3 hours ago
Consistent message from Iowa players today: Have had 2 really good practices this week. Team feels like it's close to breakthrough.
Consistent message from Iowa players today: Have had 2 really good practices this week. Team feels like it's close to breakthrough.
Chad LeistikowVerified account@ChadLeistikow 4h4 hours ago
On B1G teleconference, P.J. Fleck of Iowa: "I mean this as a compliment ... those are 3 really good losses."
On B1G teleconference, P.J. Fleck of Iowa: "I mean this as a compliment ... those are 3 really good losses."
injuries to key upperclassmen @ both starting and reserves have reduced this to where it is now, as stated a pair of 5th year seniors 1 out permantly and the other that is battling his injury. Backup Legrand was lost for the season because a injury, other OL have also been hurt, at one point Daniels, Banwart and Williams were hurt at the same time. this meant that Render played Center,
most of the talk centered around a OL that returned 5 starters, don't recall much talk about the backups other than Jackson and incoming Wirfs that so many of you were clamoring or demanding that he start because he was to good to keep on the bench, I remember being called names for even suggesting that he needed a RS year.
you got your wish and now all of sudden he is not dominating nor is Jackson, 4* Blythe RS'd and started at RG after 4* RSSO Donnal [who made his 1st start as a RSSO]. just because a player has the accolades and that 4th * doesn't mean he is ready to start.
both Jackson and Wirfs are getting a baptism under fire which will payoff in the near future [barring injuries] don't know of any coach or individual that can predict when a injury will occur or to who.
Ross committed then flipped to Alabama, who knows what these kids are thinking, its easy to sit behind your desk and calling it a failure, there are coaches that cheat even in FB, who knows who received money or cars or both.
when a coach runs a clean program he is labeled a failure. this has been discussed by sports people as they can't figure out why the top OL won't come to Iowa. as soon as you figure out why. you can tell the rest of us and the Iowa coaching staff.
For the Minny game and moving forward, I hope we see more improvement in the OL; if we do, we should get to 7 wins; if we don't....
BTW, Tom, on yesterday's Hawkeye Report podcast, said that:
* both the Paulsen twins look to be guards, and not tackles
* Landan admitted that Levi was better than he was; I guess that is why we don't see Landan on the depth chart yet; ughhhh
* Levi Paulsen, of course, is the backup to RG Welsh & RT Wirfs
BTW, Tom, on yesterday's Hawkeye Report podcast, said that:
* both the Paulsen twins look to be guards, and not tackles
* Landan admitted that Levi was better than he was; I guess that is why we don't see Landan on the depth chart yet; ughhhh
* Levi Paulsen, of course, is the backup to RG Welsh & RT Wirfs
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Here's the thing... I really thought Levi Paulsen played very well late last season at guard in spot duty... never to be heard of again outside of a name on the depth chart?
Not to be harsh, but the translation is: Neither is as good as many on these boards thought they were.
Well everyone has to start somewhere man. No one else has played at tackle all that much and Welsh plays better at guard. So if you have to put someone out there that hasn't really played it why not play your guys that will live out there for the next few years.
What really gets me is yeah we could have played better in the 3 games we lost but we were in every one until the very end. They just did not fall our way. A few slight changes in those 3 games and Ferentz and Co are geniuses.
Same people probably saying we need Epenesa more. We want it both ways don't we???? Okay if Eppy plays not okay if Wirfs plays.
i think you are right; one is "ok," the other a bit worse than "ok"; and both got beat out and passed by younger, better players
Again, with everybody's help, what follows are the O-Line recruits (17 total players), over the last 5 recruiting classes.
Your 5 starters for the game Saturday vs Minnesota are highlighted in red.
2013 (4 players)
RG Sean Welsh
Ike Boettger (RT; out for season w/ achilles injury)
Boone Myers (LT has been hobbled w/ injury; backup to LT Jackson)
Colin Goebel
2014 (4 players)
Ross Reynolds (backup to LG Render)
LG Keegan Render
Lucas LeGrand (has shifted to OT but not on depth chart)
Dalton Ferguson (OT; out for 2017 season w/ torn ACL)
2015 (4 players)
C James Daniels (Tom Kakert said in his Oct 24 podcast that James does not look 100%)
Brett Waechter (quit football because of how often he would throw up during practice and workouts, an issue he says worsened as his career continued from high school to Iowa)
Landan Paulsen
Levi Paulsen (backup to RG Welsh & RT Wirfs)
2016 (3 players)
LT Alaric Jackson
Cole Banwart (backup to Center James Daniels)
Spencer Williams (was supposed to be backup Center; now not on depth chart)
2017 (2 players)
Mark Kallenberger
RT Tristan Wirfs
Some thoughts:
* Looks like 4 or 5 overall recruiting misses from 2013 thru 2016.
* When you have so many OL injuries, what do you do? I guess you plug in players where you think you have the best chance to succeed. And KF is an expert on the OL.
* Our defense has looked good all season, because bottom line we are holding opponents at 19 points or less.
* Special teams are looking better. Our punting is looking better. Kickoffs are good. FG kicking is good.
* Our passing game looks light years better this year. But those dropped balls......ughhhhh
* Who da thunk our biggest issue would be our OL?? IF our OL had been as good as advertised AND HEALTHY, I think our run game would be much better. I am just glad Nate Stanley has not gotten beaten up like CJ was over his last 2 years!!!
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Nevada didn't even have James Butler and they still managed to score twice as many points as Iowa. The Hawkeyes offense is ugly.
Just shows the recruiting misses. I know it happens but this is not a rookie head coach.
Its had to believe the Paulsen twins have been in the program for 3 years now and Landan does not appear to be seeing the field any time soon; i wonder if either was projected initially as tackles?
Bottom line is we suddenly have a lot of youth and not much depth on the offensive line
People keep saying we need to get Wadley in space; well, not sure where that space is but the coaches need to find it and fast
We have two geniuses with the same last name with "NFL" experience, but they both coach more like junior high coaches. Adjust the game plan and throw more and innovate. Is the plan to run the ball all year to prove we can't run the ball? It takes watching 1 quarter of Iowa football to recognize we can't run the ball, but our head coach and disciple of Belichick son seem hellbent on being poster children for the definition of insanity.
Every team deals with adversity, whether it be injuries, guys not producing desired results, or off the field issues. We are the only team completely incapable of adjusting. Try Wiegers in some formations to give the threat of a QB run. Go shotgun and run some up tempo stuff. Use Young and Kelly-Martin with Wadley. Nope, let's keep running Wadley into a brick wall and talking about getting close with the run game.
Every team deals with adversity, whether it be injuries, guys not producing desired results, or off the field issues. We are the only team completely incapable of adjusting. Try Wiegers in some formations to give the threat of a QB run. Go shotgun and run some up tempo stuff. Use Young and Kelly-Martin with Wadley. Nope, let's keep running Wadley into a brick wall and talking about getting close with the run game.
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