My rant for all the whining Hawkeye "Fans"

[NCHawkeye24]

I have to ask you a question because I just don’t understand. I get that up 17-0 late in the 2nd qtr with our defense it’s basically over. But we still probably had 6-7 more possessions left. You’re still running your offense. The more 1st downs you get the more time you’re taking away from your opponent. You can’t tell me we’re still not trying to score or get 1st downs because after getting up 17-0 we basically didn’t move the ball. Now you can call it not showing anything but there’s literally no coach in college football who does what we do. You don’t have to start chucking the ball all over the field but damn, work the middle, throw some screens, do something for Gods sake.

I am not saying that the offense was not trying to get first downs and score points, it was. It always is. However, the bigger the lead, especially on the road, the less risk they are going to take and that eliminates some of the options. There was no need to test the perimeter when ISU stayed in their 3-3-5 base. I also don't think they were going to do much screening because ISU did not have much of a pass rush and didn't bring much more than 4. I also think they like to stay away from the middle of the field at the first level because of the propensity for balls to get tipped and we all know from watching Iowa that bad things happen. ISU didn't really ever come off of their base either, and if they did by going to man coverage or bringing a lot of guys in a blitz I think some of those things would have been on the table. So the right play at that juncture in the game was to try to establish the run against the 3 man front and take the air out of the ball. But we just cant make teams pay with that approach yet because of being so inconsistent running the ball. And when you are up 3 scores with a punter like Taylor and a defense like this, it is not the end of the world to punt it away.

I do think though that if we were to get into a game where we are going to have to score points, 12 personnel with the WR's and the TE's spread out is going to be the best package and I think it will be very effective. I actually really like Jaz's game better than Johnson's for that because how hard he hits the hole, his ability to catch and willingness to pick up a blitz. And if Cade gets healthy enough to run that is a huge component. But until that has to happen I am sure that KF/BF wants to do whatever they can to establish the running game. They know they are going to need it.

 

[HawkBall23]

How dare someone want better for and of their favorite team!? Expecting offensive results that would indicate good chances of divisional - especially when the rest of the division isn't that good - and conference championships, and playoff appearances & possibly playoff win(s).

We're the absolute worst.

SHAME ON US!!!!

 

[swagsurfer02]

Based on the stat I saw yesterday, we are 62-3 if we get an 8 pt lead 🤷‍♂️

Seems like whatever we are doing is ok?

To be honest, we play in the Big Ten West which means we play teams that haven’t been very good recently (besides Wisconsin). Throw in a couple tomato cans in the OOC schedule and I can see how we get to that stat.

I would be curious if that stat, especially leading by 8 pts is an anomaly amongst other teams.

 

[jonesy5960]

Based on the stat I saw yesterday, we are 62-3 if we get an 8 pt lead 🤷‍♂️

Seems like whatever we are doing is ok?

That was truly a remarkable stat. I wonder what record is when the team gets down by 8 points. 🤔

 

[NCHawkeye24]

First of all, get off your high horse and quit telling people you hope they find another team, and quit accusing people of not being a fan of Iowa football. Some people on this board were born early enough to remember the days of Frank Lauterbur, 1–10, 3–7–1 and 0–11. And then Bob Cummings... the 20 plus years without a winning season. Guess what? Those individuals are still diehard Iowa fans. When people quit bitching, it means they don't care. Every team with a loyal fan base will at times bitch and complain. Bitching about the lack of production from the offense is also not unwarranted. Ok, this season there have only been two games, but keep in mind, this is a continunation of the past several years of having a fantastic defense and an inability to score on offense (Iowa lost 10-7 to ISU and 9-6 to Illinois last season. And, don't forget Iowa won its opener 7-3 against SDSU, an FCS team with only a fg generated by the offense. The whining as you put it, is not coming out of nowhere, and is not people just wanting to bitch.

I don't know if anyone else besides you thinks Iowa's offense is doing just fine.
The consensus is, Iowa's offense is woefully inept. If you want proof, can you name another OC (ever in the history of college football) that took a 50k per year pay cut in salary and instead must average 25 points or more per game to keep their job (and to also receive a slight pay increase)? That contract did not originate on this board. It was written b/c the offense has been grossly underperforming.

The other portion of your post that I quoted is:
"Sure, the WR's didn't see much action. But do you realize that ISU plays a 3-3-5 stack defense. That mean 5 defensive backs."
My reply to that quote is, And yet, Iowa still could not run the ball.

Ok, we get it, you predicted the outcome perfectly (not too difficult, seeing as Iowa is even more predictable than a Nebraska option offense from the 70's, 80's and 90"s and more predictable than the wishbones of Texas under Darrel Royal, or the 70s Oklahoma Sooners. Those offenses were actually harder to predict than Iowa, which is astounding, but at least, you never knew who was getting the ball, or if the QB running the option would pitch it or keep it.

The virtue signaling that you are the #1 Iowa football fan is a bad look.

I never said I was the #1 fan. Don't put words in my mouth. My point is that we just won a f..ing game against our in-state rival, on the road mind you, and all I see here and on social media is bitching about how bad the offense is, and the BF contract stuff and KF is too old. I mean, as a fan, aren't you happy at all that your team won? For all the people that complain non-stop, the question is what do you want? What are you going to do if this team goes undefeated? Still want everyone gone? My rant was about me wanting to be connected to the fan base of the team I love but I can't get away from the miserable debbie-downers. But I guess keep bitching if that is what makes you happy.

 

[the notorious r.d.m.]

That was truly a remarkable stat. I wonder what record is when the team gets down by 8 points. 🤔

Well minus the 63-2 stat, Iowa is 10-28 in games where they don't take an 8 point lead.

 

[NCHawkeye24]

LOL. Have you told Kirk this? He doesn't know

LOL. Kinda a interesting take after saying this season is about winning a BIG championship

LOL. This offense, this head coach, doesn't know what you mean by "foot on the gas"

Yes, Kirk knows. Everybody knows. Watch interviews with some of the players, they tell you so.

No, PSU is not a must-win game. What is must-win is all of the trash teams in the division and either Wisconsin or PSU. One of the two but if you had to pick Wisconsin is more important. Then after that of course is the B1G championship game and no matter if Iowa is undefeated or has 1 loss, no way they leave the B1G champ out of the CFP.

They do know. They know when they have to play OSU that they have to score points.

 

[NCHawkeye24]

Well minus the 63-2 stat, Iowa is 10-28 in games where they don't take an 8 point lead.

Maybe it kind of tells you that this staff knows what they are doing when they get an 8 point lead, let alone a 2 or 3 score lead.

I thought this was pretty obvious but I am really starting to question it. I always thought that at the end of the day the win is all that mattered, but, I wonder if for some that they would trade that for a higher ranked offense? Then of course they can bitch about the defense I suppose. Hmmm, I wonder what the right balance there is?

 

[swagsurfer02]

Maybe it kind of tells you that this staff knows what they are doing when they get an 8 point lead, let alone a 2 or 3 score lead.

I thought this was pretty obvious but I am really starting to question it. I always thought that at the end of the day the win is all that mattered, but, I wonder if for some that they would trade that for a higher ranked offense? Then of course they can bitch about the defense I suppose. Hmmm, I wonder what the right balance there is?

Honest question, would we/do we have to be worse with a better offense?

 

[globalhawk]

I never said I was the #1 fan. Don't put words in my mouth. My point is that we just won a f..ing game against our in-state rival, on the road mind you, and all I see here and on social media is bitching about how bad the offense is, and the BF contract stuff and KF is too old. I mean, as a fan, aren't you happy at all that your team won? For all the people that complain non-stop, the question is what do you want? What are you going to do if this team goes undefeated? Still want everyone gone? My rant was about me wanting to be connected to the fan base of the team I love but I can't get away from the miserable debbie-downers. But I guess keep bitching if that is what makes you happy.

You seem to be the most emotionql bitcher in this thread. You are what you despise. You can't deny Iowa's offense has been one of the worst over the past 3 years.

 

[wilson reborn]

I always tried to remain pretty calm and logical as it relates to Hawkeye sports in general because I realize that most fans have no idea what they are talking about and are emotional, but what I am seeing right now infuriates me. Not only here, but all of my social media feeds say the same thing; blah, blah, offense sucks, blah, blah, BF needs to be fired, blah, blah, nothing new, blah, blah, I am going to stop watching, blah, blah, bullshit.

So for all of you idiots that are bitching and complaining, I really really hope you go find another team. This is because if you are not a fan of what is going on right now then you seriously are not a fan of Iowa Hawkeye football. I personally loved the game, pretty much called how it was going to go (I could dig up a post the other day that outlined it), but for those of you that don't know I will spell it out. This was a rivalry road game in a sold-out emotionally charged environment. You cannot win these games in the first quarter but you sure as hell could lose them. So this game was going to be about low-risk offense, don't turn the ball over, take advantage of the makeables, try to get a 2 or 3 score lead and then sit on the ball. And that is exactly, exactly what this team did. Sure, the WR's didn't see much action. But do you realize that ISU plays a 3-3-5 stack defense. That mean 5 defensive backs. The winning matchup is not on the edge, the winning matchup is in the middle of the field by getting the TE's on those linebackers as well as running into the 3 man front. That is it folks, it is as simple as that.

I don't give 2 shits about what our offensive ranking is. If you want to see a better picture of what this offense is capable of a better indicator is the first 2 drives of these 2 games. Going up 2 then 3 scores, then everything gets super conservative, run the clock, then get out of there. Were there plays left on the field? Of course there was. The double move was a fantastic call, low risk, high reward. Even the "interception" was a low risk, high reward play because if there was a terrible call or an interception it was much like a punt.

You know what a 3 score game does to a defense like ours that plays zone coverage on the back end? It will make the QB make throws that are in the high risk and low reward category, a place you never want your team to be. If you look at the rest of our schedule we do not face an established elite or even better than average QB. the PSU QB looks to have talent, but he is new and he hasnt seen anything in this league yet. It takes time.

This season is all about winning the B1G championship, I will say it again. Nobody gives a damn about style points or points in general. I promise you that. The season really comes down to 2 games, PSU and Wisky now. We only have to win 1 of the 2. That takes us to Indy and it is all about winning that game. Think about it, if we go into Indy undefeated and lose the championship game (like 2015) we will not be going to the CFP. If we have 1 loss and win the B1G championship game, we go to the CFP, and maybe with 2 losses.

So buckle up for a whole lot more of what you saw Saturday because this is what it is going to look like the rest of the year, and I include PSU because it is not a must-win game. If we get down in that game you may see a bit more of the playbook, but that is what it will take. If this team continues to score on their first 2 drives of the game then this team could very well go undefeated as well as have the worst offense in college football. So if you are not prepared for that then I advise you to get off the train.

One more thing, this team is offense is so much better. The oline is doing a great job pass protecting. 2 years ago I timed the pass rush for how long Petras had to throw and it was on average 2.6 seconds, less than the average NFL QB. I didn't have to time Saturday, he had all day most of the time. Cade is a great game manager, decisive and accurate (the timing will get better). Our edge guys are light years ahead of where they were last year. Patterson may be our best back, and that is awesome because Johnson is still really good and Williams runs hard, and all three can catch out of the backfield. There are so many plays that have not been run yet because they haven't had to.

Now commence more bitching I am sure.....

As long as War and Peace. You lost me when you called anybody who disagrees with you “idiots”.

 

[83Hawk]

It's sad that Hawkeye fans are fighting amongst themselves.

 

[the notorious r.d.m.]

Hmmm, I wonder what the right balance there is?

Win a B1G championship

 

[jonesy5960]

I never said I was the #1 fan. Don't put words in my mouth. My point is that we just won a f..ing game against our in-state rival, on the road mind you, and all I see here and on social media is bitching about how bad the offense is, and the BF contract stuff and KF is too old. I mean, as a fan, aren't you happy at all that your team won? For all the people that complain non-stop, the question is what do you want? What are you going to do if this team goes undefeated? Still want everyone gone? My rant was about me wanting to be connected to the fan base of the team I love but I can't get away from the miserable debbie-downers. But I guess keep bitching if that is what makes you happy.

So here's where your rants fall apart with these impossible scenarios. There is no way in hell this team goes undefeated with that offense. Iowa consistently puts championship quality defenses and special teams out there, but there is no way in hell this team can aspire to win a championship with that offense. It can't/won't ever happen. The only way for Iowa fans to dream of ever competing for championships, B1G and beyond, is for the offense to improve dramatically, not just deliver 17 or 18 points per game. Everyone with a clear mind understands that. That's what the majority of fans are looking for and getting mad at them for expressing that makes no sense.

 

[NCHawkeye24]

Honest question, would we/do we have to be worse with a better offense?

Its a really good question. Of course it would be optimal to have a more efficient offense, in all phases, and be able to keep an elite defense. But you rarely see it. Even take a guy like Nick Saban, widely considered the greatest college coach of all time, used to be a defensive minded guy. And he won that way, very similar to how Iowa wins, but scores were very similar, like NFL scores. 21-7, 17-10, etc. But he consciously made the choice to open the offense up to score more points. Now you see games they are in and they win 42-35. I have seen some of those scores over the past few years and, even though they won, I would have to imagine that for a guy like Saban it has to crawl under his skin to see stuff like that. They have all the talent in the world, so why is it like that? How is the offense and defense connected even though they are never on the same field together? That is the question.

I know we hear all the time about complimentary football, but it truly is that. And it is situational. If picking up a first down to ice a game on 3rd and 1 or 2 was easy, hell, everybody would do it. But newsflash, they don't. The reason why is the situation, that the defense knows you want to keep the clock moving so you are either going to keep the ball on the ground or you are going to PA boot out to a back or a TE or something, which is a bit riskier. All to pick up just a yard or two when those yards are so easy to pick up in other times of the game.

So how does this relate to Iowa? Now I don't know how they categorize their plays, but, I would imagine it goes something like this after they watch film on the upcoming defense: there are low risk plays, medium risk plays and high risk plays, all with matching rewards. The coaches would always choose the low risk-high reward plays but those are few and far between. So KF would love to play the game if he had the luxury of never having to go past the low risk plays. If you never have to go past that your chances of winning are high. Inversely, if you go into a game saying that we are going to have to make our living with high risk plays for whatever reason, your chances of winning are low. So the strategy is to live on the low risk plays, set up some makeables, and by that I mean plays that were set up earlier in the game or games earlier, and execute them. If you look at these first two games, they missed on some makeables. If you add them up you can easily see an offense that scores 28-35 points per game. All with relatively low risk.

 

[NCHawkeye24]

You seem to be the most emotionql bitcher in this thread. You are what you despise. You can't deny Iowa's offense has been one of the worst over the past 3 years.

I would say the last 2 but we don't know about this one yet. No, I don't despise bitching about the bitchers, I despise those that bitch about what they say they support.

 

[JLDHAWK]

If I thought that this really was one of the worst offenses in college football I would be delusional thinking they can win a championship. But I honestly don't think they have a bad offense and I don't care what the stats say. I don't think it is elite but I think it is good enough. It is all about matchups and this team, if they remain healthy, I believe they will be a matchup problem when it matters.

Did you say you know nothing about football or all the whiners? Every loss we have had the last few years has been because the offense can't score. That gives you a sense of comfort? Bottom line, you can't be that bad for this long and keep your job. Unless, you're daddy's boy.

 

[NCHawkeye24]

So here's where your rants fall apart with these impossible scenarios. There is no way in hell this team goes undefeated with that offense. Iowa consistently puts championship quality defenses and special teams out there, but there is no way in hell this team can aspire to win a championship with that offense. It can't/won't ever happen. The only way for Iowa fans to dream of ever competing for championships, B1G and beyond, is for the offense to improve dramatically, not just deliver 17 or 18 points per game. Everyone with a clear mind understands that. That's what the majority of fans are looking for and getting mad at them for expressing that makes no sense.

I disagree with you. I think the way they are built right now with the scheme that they have, they can go undefeated with this schedule. I think it comes down to Wisky and PSU and I do think both are beatable. Now for the B1G championship game that is different. But I think they have more than a chance.

 

[globalhawk]

I would say the last 2 but we don't know about this one yet. No, I don't despise bitching about the bitchers, I despise those that bitch about what they say they support.

I guess I can't hope for a better offense. Sorry if I offended you.

 

[yrunvs]

I can't imagine waiting all winter and summer for college football and then go into a season long rage about the weaknesses of your team. I honestly believe even if the offense was scoring respectably these folks would still rage about some other aspect of the team that wasn't playing up to their expectations. This is more about anger and mental illness than about football.

 

[bman546]

I never said I was the #1 fan. Don't put words in my mouth. My point is that we just won a f..ing game against our in-state rival, on the road mind you, and all I see here and on social media is bitching about how bad the offense is, and the BF contract stuff and KF is too old. I mean, as a fan, aren't you happy at all that your team won? For all the people that complain non-stop, the question is what do you want? What are you going to do if this team goes undefeated? Still want everyone gone? My rant was about me wanting to be connected to the fan base of the team I love but I can't get away from the miserable debbie-downers. But I guess keep bitching if that is what makes you happy.

1. Yes, I called you the #1 fan, so if you don't like that, perhaps talking down to everyone else that you are a BETTER fan, and telling others they should get lost and find another team might be a bad idea.
"So for all of you idiots that are bitching and complaining, I really really hope you go find another team. This is because if you are not a fan of what is going on right now then you seriously are not a fan of Iowa Hawkeye football."

I don't think people on this board are not fans of what is going on right now, ok? Everyone on this board (except the trolls and fans of other teams that come here) are quite happy that Iowa is 2-0. You anointed yourself the arbiter of fandom, so I stand by my original commentsf regarding your basically saying, if you aren't a fan the way I am, then go away and find another team...

Also, If you are going to complain of someone putting words in your mouth, it's best not to do that to others.

What are you going to do if this team goes undefeated? Still want everyone gone?

Nowhere in my post, or anyone else's post did I or anyone else say we wanted anyone or "everyone" fired. Once again you're totally wrong and off base. I notice you did not really address what I actually said, which were the facts regarding BF's contract which clearly acknowledges the AD also thinks the offense must improve. So far, Brian Ferentz has not been meeting the baseline measure.

Lastly, if people want to complain about the offense only scoring 13 points etc. So what? The offense has been lousy. That doesn't mean they aren't as big of a fan as you, or are worse fans than you. Besides, you can't say criticism of the offense is unjustified (see BF's contract if you think it is unjustified b/c the University Athletic Dept. etc. acknowledge the offense must improve.).

 

[Fan In Black]

I feel bad now and I'm sorry. I won't complain anymore.

 

[swagsurfer02]

Its a really good question. Of course it would be optimal to have a more efficient offense, in all phases, and be able to keep an elite defense. But you rarely see it. Even take a guy like Nick Saban, widely considered the greatest college coach of all time, used to be a defensive minded guy. And he won that way, very similar to how Iowa wins, but scores were very similar, like NFL scores. 21-7, 17-10, etc. But he consciously made the choice to open the offense up to score more points. Now you see games they are in and they win 42-35. I have seen some of those scores over the past few years and, even though they won, I would have to imagine that for a guy like Saban it has to crawl under his skin to see stuff like that. They have all the talent in the world, so why is it like that? How is the offense and defense connected even though they are never on the same field together? That is the question.

I know we hear all the time about complimentary football, but it truly is that. And it is situational. If picking up a first down to ice a game on 3rd and 1 or 2 was easy, hell, everybody would do it. But newsflash, they don't. The reason why is the situation, that the defense knows you want to keep the clock moving so you are either going to keep the ball on the ground or you are going to PA boot out to a back or a TE or something, which is a bit riskier. All to pick up just a yard or two when those yards are so easy to pick up in other times of the game.

So how does this relate to Iowa? Now I don't know how they categorize their plays, but, I would imagine it goes something like this after they watch film on the upcoming defense: there are low risk plays, medium risk plays and high risk plays, all with matching rewards. The coaches would always choose the low risk-high reward plays but those are few and far between. So KF would love to play the game if he had the luxury of never having to go past the low risk plays. If you never have to go past that your chances of winning are high. Inversely, if you go into a game saying that we are going to have to make our living with high risk plays for whatever reason, your chances of winning are low. So the strategy is to live on the low risk plays, set up some makeables, and by that I mean plays that were set up earlier in the game or games earlier, and execute them. If you look at these first two games, they missed on some makeables. If you add them up you can easily see an offense that scores 28-35 points per game. All with relatively low risk.

You used Bama, which is great because even though they have elite players Saban understood he had to get more production out of his offense. I would also suggest that as time has gone on Bama has gotten much better at the QB position. Plus they usually had one fantastic WR. Over the past 7 years you’ve had multiple 1st round WRs on the same team.

Also, using the scores you’re talking about 42-35 those games are happening maybe once or twice a season and then possibly in the playoff. They still for the most part beat the crap out of people.

I maintain that complimentary football doesn’t mean unimaginative and stalled. I would argue what we have currently isn’t complimentary at all but nearly handicapping ourselves by have two really good phases and then one that is stunted.

 

[swagsurfer02]

I can't imagine waiting all winter and summer for college football and then go into a season long rage about the weaknesses of your team. I honestly believe even if the offense was scoring respectably these folks would still rage about some other aspect of the team that wasn't playing up to their expectations. This is more about anger and mental illness than about football.

We should try this, just to test your hypothesis out.

 

[NCHawkeye24]

Did you say you know nothing about football or all the whiners? Every loss we have had the last few years has been because the offense can't score. That gives you a sense of comfort? Bottom line, you can't be that bad for this long and keep your job. Unless, you're daddy's boy.

I think you have to decided what you want to bitch about. Is it the offense this year? Is it the offense the last 2 years? Is it the fact the BF is KF's son? Those are 3 very different things. Maybe that is the problem, people can't get over stuff and move on. For me, this season is a new season with new players. Do I think that BF should have been fired? It doesn't matter because he wasn't, he is our OC no matter if you like it or not. And the good thing about a new season is that you get to start over at 0-0. Right now we are 2-0 and that is all I care about.

In the off-season is where the line is drawn right? You hate the coach or hate the OC or hate both. Then the university keeps them both. You then have a choice don't you? You can either move forward for another season like they are, or, you don't. It is really that simple. Here is an analogy: you find out your wife is cheating on you but she still wants to be married to you, you have a choice right? There are 2 choices there too, you either take her back and move forward or you don't. Just don't be the schmuck that takes her back and then throws it in her face all the time. Or be the fan that bitches all the time no matter if they do good or bad because you feel emotionally jaded.

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

One constant from one season to the next, as reliable as the sun rising: Self-proclaimed “true”Iowa fans bitching about other Iowa fans legitimately bitching.

 

[NCHawkeye24]

You used Bama, which is great because even though they have elite players Saban understood he had to get more production out of his offense. I would also suggest that as time has gone on Bama has gotten much better at the QB position. Plus they usually had one fantastic WR. Over the past 7 years you’ve had multiple 1st round WRs on the same team.

Also, using the scores you’re talking about 42-35 those games are happening maybe once or twice a season and then possibly in the playoff. They still for the most part beat the crap out of people.

I maintain that complimentary football doesn’t mean unimaginative and stalled. I would argue what we have currently isn’t complimentary at all but nearly handicapping ourselves by have two really good phases and then one that is stunted.

The problem with the Bama thing here is that we just are not going to get those players. Talent is still the #1 ingredient.

For Iowa, we just have to be able to run the football more effectively. I really like what I see in the passing game, and we may end up having to throw to run, but, the emphasis is surely on developing the running game. I think being able to find that balance to where we can run for 4.5 ypc or so and about 150 yards a game would be what it is going to take.

 

[jonesy5960]

I disagree with you. I think the way they are built right now with the scheme that they have, they can go undefeated with this schedule. I think it comes down to Wisky and PSU and I do think both are beatable. Now for the B1G championship game that is different. But I think they have more than a chance.

They don't, but we'll agree to disagree. Like I said earlier, getting to the BTCG is still a definite possibility given the competition.

 

[NCHawkeye24]

1. Yes, I called you the #1 fan, so if you don't like that, perhaps talking down to everyone else that you are a BETTER fan, and telling others they should get lost and find another team might be a bad idea.
"So for all of you idiots that are bitching and complaining, I really really hope you go find another team. This is because if you are not a fan of what is going on right now then you seriously are not a fan of Iowa Hawkeye football."

I don't think people on this board are not fans of what is going on right now, ok? Everyone on this board (except the trolls and fans of other teams that come here) are quite happy that Iowa is 2-0. You anointed yourself the arbiter of fandom, so I stand by my original commentsf regarding your basically saying, if you aren't a fan the way I am, then go away and find another team...

Also, If you are going to complain of someone putting words in your mouth, it's best not to do that to others.

Nowhere in my post, or anyone else's post did I or anyone else say we wanted anyone or "everyone" fired. Once again you're totally wrong and off base. I notice you did not really address what I actually said, which were the facts regarding BF's contract which clearly acknowledges the AD also thinks the offense must improve. So far, Brian Ferentz has not been meeting the baseline measure.

Lastly, if people want to complain about the offense only scoring 13 points etc. So what? The offense has been lousy. That doesn't mean they aren't as big of a fan as you, or are worse fans than you. Besides, you can't say criticism of the offense is unjustified (see BF's contract if you think it is unjustified b/c the University Athletic Dept. etc. acknowledge the offense must improve.).

Everyone knows that offense needed to improve. There is no debate or secret there.

But maybe we can talk about football instead of bitching about Brian's contract. Because Brian's contract has nothing to do with winning, losing or gaining a yard. See my other reply about the cheating wife if you want to talk more about Brian's contract.

 

[Johnsoda123]

Thank you ghost. I've said for years that it boggles the mind how some of our fans act like any team not in the top 20 is a shit team that doesn't have athletes and we should mow them all down. Its just ridiculous. I've got news for some folks, We're not THAT much better then many of those teams, and you can certainly throw ISU in that group. And YET we win about 9 games a year in average, BECAUSE this team is well coached OVERALL. YES our coaches make mistakes, but as a whole way less then most or we wouldn't be winning most of the time. What was it 63-4 when we have an 8 point lead at ANY point in any game. Evidently the formula works most of the time, and that means we've won 125 games when we did not have an 8 point lead, so again we must be doing something right. I know its not exciting enough. Someday soon we may find out that doesn't ensure more W's at the end of the season.

It makes me wonder 20 years later if Nebraska fans learned anything after running Bo Pelini out of town. Or Frank Solich for that matter. Sorry for the Nebraska analogy, I grew up in SW Iowa. Be careful what you wish for disgruntled Iowa fans.

 

[NCHawkeye24]

They don't, but we'll agree to disagree. Like I said earlier, getting to the BTCG is still a definite possibility given the competition.

I am ok with agreeing to disagreeing. Neither one of us really knows what is going to happen so I am going to enjoy watching it play out.

 

[nck24]

What numbers make you feel better? If we scored 28? Would that be enough for you? 35? Does it have to be in the 40's? Or is it yards? Or first downs? Or is it the "statistical" ranking? Or is it the eye test? Please quantify it for us. Oh, and I made this response short, just for you.

I would be happy if we could get a first down to close out a game instead of giving the ball back to the opposing offense with a chance to tie or win the game.

 

[nck24]

It makes me wonder 20 years later if Nebraska fans learned anything after running Bo Pelini out of town. Or Frank Solich for that matter. Sorry for the Nebraska analogy, I grew up in SW Iowa. Be careful what you wish for disgruntled Iowa fans.

No one wants to run the head coach out of town. A lot of people want the head coach to expect the offense to be at the level of the defense and special teams. Why would he expect less?

 

[HawkCharlotte]

Nice post, Brian.

 

[Johnsoda123]

No one wants to run the head coach out of town. A lot of people want the head coach to expect the offense to be at the level of the defense and special teams. Why would he expect less?

Was anyone more active on offense in the B1G in the portal than KF? I actually don't know the answer to that. I'm going to enjoy the wins and let it play out.

 

[Steamboat529529]

I always tried to remain pretty calm and logical as it relates to Hawkeye sports in general because I realize that most fans have no idea what they are talking about and are emotional, but what I am seeing right now infuriates me. Not only here, but all of my social media feeds say the same thing; blah, blah, offense sucks, blah, blah, BF needs to be fired, blah, blah, nothing new, blah, blah, I am going to stop watching, blah, blah, bullshit.

So for all of you idiots that are bitching and complaining, I really really hope you go find another team. This is because if you are not a fan of what is going on right now then you seriously are not a fan of Iowa Hawkeye football. I personally loved the game, pretty much called how it was going to go (I could dig up a post the other day that outlined it), but for those of you that don't know I will spell it out. This was a rivalry road game in a sold-out emotionally charged environment. You cannot win these games in the first quarter but you sure as hell could lose them. So this game was going to be about low-risk offense, don't turn the ball over, take advantage of the makeables, try to get a 2 or 3 score lead and then sit on the ball. And that is exactly, exactly what this team did. Sure, the WR's didn't see much action. But do you realize that ISU plays a 3-3-5 stack defense. That mean 5 defensive backs. The winning matchup is not on the edge, the winning matchup is in the middle of the field by getting the TE's on those linebackers as well as running into the 3 man front. That is it folks, it is as simple as that.

I don't give 2 shits about what our offensive ranking is. If you want to see a better picture of what this offense is capable of a better indicator is the first 2 drives of these 2 games. Going up 2 then 3 scores, then everything gets super conservative, run the clock, then get out of there. Were there plays left on the field? Of course there was. The double move was a fantastic call, low risk, high reward. Even the "interception" was a low risk, high reward play because if there was a terrible call or an interception it was much like a punt.

You know what a 3 score game does to a defense like ours that plays zone coverage on the back end? It will make the QB make throws that are in the high risk and low reward category, a place you never want your team to be. If you look at the rest of our schedule we do not face an established elite or even better than average QB. the PSU QB looks to have talent, but he is new and he hasnt seen anything in this league yet. It takes time.

This season is all about winning the B1G championship, I will say it again. Nobody gives a damn about style points or points in general. I promise you that. The season really comes down to 2 games, PSU and Wisky now. We only have to win 1 of the 2. That takes us to Indy and it is all about winning that game. Think about it, if we go into Indy undefeated and lose the championship game (like 2015) we will not be going to the CFP. If we have 1 loss and win the B1G championship game, we go to the CFP, and maybe with 2 losses.

So buckle up for a whole lot more of what you saw Saturday because this is what it is going to look like the rest of the year, and I include PSU because it is not a must-win game. If we get down in that game you may see a bit more of the playbook, but that is what it will take. If this team continues to score on their first 2 drives of the game then this team could very well go undefeated as well as have the worst offense in college football. So if you are not prepared for that then I advise you to get off the train.

One more thing, this team is offense is so much better. The oline is doing a great job pass protecting. 2 years ago I timed the pass rush for how long Petras had to throw and it was on average 2.6 seconds, less than the average NFL QB. I didn't have to time Saturday, he had all day most of the time. Cade is a great game manager, decisive and accurate (the timing will get better). Our edge guys are light years ahead of where they were last year. Patterson may be our best back, and that is awesome because Johnson is still really good and Williams runs hard, and all three can catch out of the backfield. There are so many plays that have not been run yet because they haven't had to.

Now commence more bitching I am sure.....

Well if we play like we have on offense the last two games, we are losing by 14 plus at Penn State. So chalk that one down, and hope for the best at a Wisconsin team that is still in flux I guess.

 

[Steamboat529529]

I'd note that many "fans" never seem to want to give the opposing teams credit for making things hard for the Hawks. Part of Iowa's "lack of success" can also be attributable to good play by the opposition.

Many Iowa fans aren't so generous to acknowledge that. It doesn't mesh with the narratives that they're trying to construct.

All those Utah State fans made life really hard the last three quarters at Kinnick.

 

[CookyMonster]

I always tried to remain pretty calm and logical as it relates to Hawkeye sports in general because I realize that most fans have no idea what they are talking about and are emotional, but what I am seeing right now infuriates me. Not only here, but all of my social media feeds say the same thing; blah, blah, offense sucks, blah, blah, BF needs to be fired, blah, blah, nothing new, blah, blah, I am going to stop watching, blah, blah, bullshit.

So for all of you idiots that are bitching and complaining, I really really hope you go find another team. This is because if you are not a fan of what is going on right now then you seriously are not a fan of Iowa Hawkeye football. I personally loved the game, pretty much called how it was going to go (I could dig up a post the other day that outlined it), but for those of you that don't know I will spell it out. This was a rivalry road game in a sold-out emotionally charged environment. You cannot win these games in the first quarter but you sure as hell could lose them. So this game was going to be about low-risk offense, don't turn the ball over, take advantage of the makeables, try to get a 2 or 3 score lead and then sit on the ball. And that is exactly, exactly what this team did. Sure, the WR's didn't see much action. But do you realize that ISU plays a 3-3-5 stack defense. That mean 5 defensive backs. The winning matchup is not on the edge, the winning matchup is in the middle of the field by getting the TE's on those linebackers as well as running into the 3 man front. That is it folks, it is as simple as that.

I don't give 2 shits about what our offensive ranking is. If you want to see a better picture of what this offense is capable of a better indicator is the first 2 drives of these 2 games. Going up 2 then 3 scores, then everything gets super conservative, run the clock, then get out of there. Were there plays left on the field? Of course there was. The double move was a fantastic call, low risk, high reward. Even the "interception" was a low risk, high reward play because if there was a terrible call or an interception it was much like a punt.

You know what a 3 score game does to a defense like ours that plays zone coverage on the back end? It will make the QB make throws that are in the high risk and low reward category, a place you never want your team to be. If you look at the rest of our schedule we do not face an established elite or even better than average QB. the PSU QB looks to have talent, but he is new and he hasnt seen anything in this league yet. It takes time.

This season is all about winning the B1G championship, I will say it again. Nobody gives a damn about style points or points in general. I promise you that. The season really comes down to 2 games, PSU and Wisky now. We only have to win 1 of the 2. That takes us to Indy and it is all about winning that game. Think about it, if we go into Indy undefeated and lose the championship game (like 2015) we will not be going to the CFP. If we have 1 loss and win the B1G championship game, we go to the CFP, and maybe with 2 losses.

So buckle up for a whole lot more of what you saw Saturday because this is what it is going to look like the rest of the year, and I include PSU because it is not a must-win game. If we get down in that game you may see a bit more of the playbook, but that is what it will take. If this team continues to score on their first 2 drives of the game then this team could very well go undefeated as well as have the worst offense in college football. So if you are not prepared for that then I advise you to get off the train.

One more thing, this team is offense is so much better. The oline is doing a great job pass protecting. 2 years ago I timed the pass rush for how long Petras had to throw and it was on average 2.6 seconds, less than the average NFL QB. I didn't have to time Saturday, he had all day most of the time. Cade is a great game manager, decisive and accurate (the timing will get better). Our edge guys are light years ahead of where they were last year. Patterson may be our best back, and that is awesome because Johnson is still really good and Williams runs hard, and all three can catch out of the backfield. There are so many plays that have not been run yet because they haven't had to.

Now commence more bitching I am sure.....

Tldr sounds like you are whiney to me

 

[Steamboat529529]

What numbers make you feel better? If we scored 28? Would that be enough for you? 35? Does it have to be in the 40's? Or is it yards? Or first downs? Or is it the "statistical" ranking? Or is it the eye test? Please quantify it for us. Oh, and I made this response short, just for you.

Just not being the worst power 5 offense in the country after playing two bad (albeit Iowa state’s defense isn’t) football teams.

 

[NCHawkeye24]

Tldr sounds like you are whiney to me

You can't read but you can hear my words. Now that is talent!