NEXT OPPONENT DISCUSSION: The 4-1 Fighting Illini appear to be for real, open as 3 Point Favorite
- Thread starter Franisdaman
- Start date
Kirk said the saw positives from the offense on Saturday
Ummm.....we didn't score the first 3 quarters of the game....
See....we got better as the game progressed, and developed our way to a couple of late scores. 😏
I’m hoping that Illinois opponents were terrible and maybe Iowa can win this one! No real evidence on Iowa sides. Just down to finding anything to hope for……..
Illini are much improved and have a solid defense. At this point, I don't believe there Defense is as good as Iowa's or Michigan's. And I don't believe the Illini Offense is anywhere close to as good as Michigan's.
I believe Iowa's Defense and Special teams are better than the Illini's, and I believe Iowa's Offense is improving and getting more balanced. If Iowa's Defense plays up to its potential and Iowa's Offense continues to improve, I stand by my prediction.
It should be a very good game.
While I'd be all for it, Fran, I don't think I'll hold my breath expecting it to happen.expect us to spread the field and use Cooper DeJean at wildcat
But...but.....we're so young, and umm....injuries and errrr........something, something, dark side. Something, something complete.
You do here the argument on here that the problem with the OL is youth. However, of our top ten offensive linemen, 6 have been in the program at least 3 seasons.
Years in the program:
The 5 Starters:
4 for DeJong
3 for Richman
3 for Logan Jones
2 for Stephens
2 for Colby
The 5 Back ups:
5 for Fagan
5 for Plumb
3 for Elsbury
2 for Dunker
2 for Myslinski
Starters:
Back ups:
That's all well and good. But it takes like 7 or 8 years to even scratch the surface of our super-duper complex offense. Soooo............
Perhaps the weakest Wisconsin Defense in a the last 5 years, Illinois took a 14-10 lead at half time. One huge play in 3rd QTR (49 yd TD by Brown), 3.3 yards per rush for his other 24 attempts, and a passing attach with the longest completion of 11 yards, 0 passing TDs, 18 dink and dunk passes completed throughout the rest of the game. I don't see Illinois having even this kind of Rushing or Passing success against Iowa's Defense.
Iowa has a better Defense then Wisconsin's (and Illinois's) and (over the last 3 games) Iowa has an improving more balanced Offense that includes a solid running attack. If the Illini sell out to stop the run, pull up their safeties, blitz its LBs, that should make for a lot of open TEs 2 seconds after the snap and some open WRs down the middle.
In the end, its all about executing your game plan, preventing the +20 yd explosive plays, wining the turnover battle, field possition and time of possession battle. I like our chances.
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Doesn’t Iowa have the youngest OL in the conference?
They should have went hard in the portal after OL. That was a failure that can be waged against the staff. You seem to be suggesting the most youthful OL in a conference of 14 teams is not youthful? Is that indeed what you are suggesting? The two oldest players you listed don’t even play meaningful snaps.
Fran, I appreciate you, but this probably not an argument to hang onto.
They did go into the transfer portal for linemen. They just weren’t able to land any.
I remember them going after a couple. One went to PSU. It did not seem like something they considered an urgent need. Clearly it was. Either way, not securing any OL through the portal was a failure.
I think they are going to be very good, but probably not this year.
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In some respects I feel syndrome the coaches here. Based on their improved play in the bowl game and at times in the spring I genuinely believe they expected the o line play to be much further along that it is. But a couple guys don’t seem to have developed as anticipated, lost Britt and Davidkov, plus a bunch of minor injuries kept coaches from seeing their first choice OL thru much of fall camp. Their play the last couple games has been better imo, and hopefully that continues on an upward trajectory.
I also think that we all got spoiled by how quickly Linderbaum made the transition to center and just expected Jones to step right in there as well.
That's all well and good. But it takes like 7 or 8 years to even scratch the surface of our super-duper complex offense. Soooo............
for better or for worse, Iowa plays linemen in their first or 2nd year. i guess linemen are smarter than QBs and can learn the offense that much faster
I am sure Proctor will be starting next season
Just to play devil's advocate:
* I don't think Iowa, which is known as OL U and a developmental program, and is led by an OL expert (KF), should be making excuses on why the OL is performing poorly (that we are too young, etc).
* We have 6 offensive linemen who have been in the program for 3 or more years. You only need 5 of these 6 to play. Unfortunately, 5th year guys Fagan and Plumb can't crack the starting lineup. So, are Fagan and Plumb recruiting misses or can't Iowa suddenly develop kids?
* And you are right. If the staff saw deficiencies on the OL, they should have addressed it through the portal. They didn't, which, arguably, was another blunder.
The context is rather more complicated.
DeJong-don't know how he plays.
Richman-he's played in about 15 games now. He's clearly the best lineman and is playing well
Jones-played a few downs on defense last year and RSed as a defender. He's six games into his playing career after switching sides of the ball.
Stephens-six games plus a few downs last year into his career.
Colby-just a season and a half into his career, playing a new and very different position than he played his first 13 games.
The most well trained soldiers learn more in about their first 20 minutes of live combat than the entirety of their training. Practice, especially just running with the scout team does not really provide much of a basis for starting. Linemen, in particular focus freshman year on physical development. That is a young and inexperienced line. The difference between the line in 2000 and 2002.
Myslinski and Elsbury are both six games and a handful of downs into their playing careers, and they are the best reserves. Indeed, one should start instead of DeJong. Dunker is six games into his playing career and is the most wildly inconsistent of the primary lineman-in time I think he'll be a star. Plumb has experience but he's just not a very good tackle. Cannot comment on Fagan, haven't noticed him in a game yet. Tackle won't be a problem for long, either. Proctor will probably start at RT and Colby moves to RG and Stephens moves to LG. Maybe Richman moves to RT?
DeJong-don't know how he plays.
Richman-he's played in about 15 games now. He's clearly the best lineman and is playing well
Jones-played a few downs on defense last year and RSed as a defender. He's six games into his playing career after switching sides of the ball.
Stephens-six games plus a few downs last year into his career.
Colby-just a season and a half into his career, playing a new and very different position than he played his first 13 games.
The most well trained soldiers learn more in about their first 20 minutes of live combat than the entirety of their training. Practice, especially just running with the scout team does not really provide much of a basis for starting. Linemen, in particular focus freshman year on physical development. That is a young and inexperienced line. The difference between the line in 2000 and 2002.
Myslinski and Elsbury are both six games and a handful of downs into their playing careers, and they are the best reserves. Indeed, one should start instead of DeJong. Dunker is six games into his playing career and is the most wildly inconsistent of the primary lineman-in time I think he'll be a star. Plumb has experience but he's just not a very good tackle. Cannot comment on Fagan, haven't noticed him in a game yet. Tackle won't be a problem for long, either. Proctor will probably start at RT and Colby moves to RG and Stephens moves to LG. Maybe Richman moves to RT?
Nah, that would require a QB change, Wishbone without a running QB is not a real Wishbone. In fact, I wonder who plays a triple-option Wishbone these days. I watch Oklahoma play ISU back in the mid to late 70's, and that triple option was a sight to behold. As an Iowa Fan, we drank shots of 10 High and sang "boomer sooner celebrations" after every OU score, totaled my car on the ride home. Didn't feel a thing.
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I posted this in the lounge - I apologize in advance for the bringer of bad news, but in KF games Iowa have been underdogs 2 weeks in a row [2nd week results] are as follows, since 2001:
Wins:
- 4-18 SU [9-13 ATS] 11-11 O/U
- Average margin of defeat: -8.5 [opp: 27 Iowa: 18.5]
Wins:
- Michigan 2016
- Penn State 2008
- Northwestern 2007
- Florida 2003 *Bowl Game*
Sounds like Illinois is patient on offense and will attempt to take what the bend don't break Iowa D will give them.
I hope Iowa's offense can exploit the blitzing Illini, because you know they will be coming.
On a side note, it's Interesting that Wisconsin gave the interim HC job to Leonhard, when, as you say, this is their weakest D in the last 5 years. I think most of us think the permanent job will go to Leonhard but how bad would the rest of the season have to go for them where Wisconsin would then look outside the program?
Why does DeJong play, you ask? Kirk & George think he's the best option Iowa has right now, and that's a problem for a program known for player development.
And if Jones hadn't switched from defense, imagine how much worse off we would be than we already are.
Not sure how close this thing is to a sell out....
But dang, Illini fans have to be thinking they have a great shot at winning the B1G West if they knock off preseason West favorites Wisconsin & Iowa in consecutive weeks
But dang, Illini fans have to be thinking they have a great shot at winning the B1G West if they knock off preseason West favorites Wisconsin & Iowa in consecutive weeks
Actually that comment was meant as a joke. We are totally unsuited to a Wishbone/Triple Option offense. What would be funny would be running it with backups and outdoing our existing offensive Offensive scheme.
I don’t know how many are left, but you can buy tickets in nearly every section. Tickets are going for as little as $38 on Stubhub. Safe to say it’s not going to be a sellout.
With a win, we are feeling "good" at 4-2 heading into the bye week. We lose? We're 3-3, with these 6 games left.
Even with the worst Power 5 offense (#65 in the country), this would be a 9 win team with this remaining schedule.
Oct 22: at tOSU (OUCH)
Oct 29: vs N'western
Nov 5: at Purdue
Nov 12: vs Wisconsin
Nov 19: at Minnesota
Nov 25: vs Nebraska
Even with the worst Power 5 offense (#65 in the country), this would be a 9 win team with this remaining schedule.
Oct 22: at tOSU (OUCH)
Oct 29: vs N'western
Nov 5: at Purdue
Nov 12: vs Wisconsin
Nov 19: at Minnesota
Nov 25: vs Nebraska
I understand that is their opinion. Obviously, you'll notice I rarely disagree with coaching decisions. But DeJong is terrible, and he is old enough that he should no longer be terrible if there is a higher ceiling. When will we see the improved Big Dutchie? He's halfway through his third playing year and we aren't seeing it.
Myslinski has looked good in limited play, at least I think I am thinking of the right jersey number. Maybe we would be better playing an actual highly recruited center, that we stole from Texas, than trying to catch lightning in a bottle twice in a row with a smallish converted defensive lineman. I know Logan is young and the jury is far from in on his career but right now he is not nearly as good as was the L Bomb when he first converted, which I think was as a true freshman.
I maybe didn’t word this right but not sure how to say it.
In the 4th quarter, Petras had led us to exactly zero points.
We would eventually score 14 points later in the 4th. But it was the 4th quarter & we had zero points at one point.
The smart people knew what I was trying to say.
