Nice analysis contrasting Lester with Iowa's offense under Brian

[jonesy5960]

SIAP. Lots of good comparative analytics in this article that should make Hawk fans hopeful if Kirk allows Lester to do his thing.

Why Iowa hiring Tim Lester can provide much-needed offensive boost for Hawkeyes to emerge as CFP contender

Lester may not be the splashiest hire, but Kirk Ferentz made the right call tabbing him to turn around the offense

www.cbssports.com

 

[DutchyFunStar]

Those caught up in their feelings don't want to see the stats. I did like to read things like throwing beyond the sticks and scheming/game planning on strenghts and weaknesses.

 

[GunnerHawk]

That is an excellent analysis and aligns with numbers I have seen posted. It will be interesting to see what he can do with our QB's and WR's in the passing game.

Brian was not good at adapting to in-game changes defenses made against his offense. He seemed to have a good pregame plan but then the opposition changed things up and he couldn't adjust.

 

[jonesy5960]

Those caught up in their feelings don't want to see the stats. I did like to read things like throwing beyond the sticks and scheming/game planning on strenghts and weaknesses.

It definitely highlights a more aggressive offensive approach with more modern concepts. I don't know that Iowa has the personnel to make it work, but the difference is stark enough that we'll definitely know by halftime of the first game whether it's his offense or Kirk's.

 

[BirdistheWord]

Yeah, just because some folks are not excited does not mean it’s all emotion. People may have wanted someone who perceptually brought even more contrast to BF. It’s helpful to analyze in detail, As noted in the article, the data needs to be taken with a grain of salt given the defenses we played against. But I did like the “5 year old” analysis, actually quite insightful saying Iowa just doesn’t want the QB to screw up vs Lester schemes to get WR’s open.

I am optimistic based on:

-better QB and WR development
-Different/better QB recruiting strategy
-More RPO
-More vertical passing game
-New personnel looks (eg 2 RB’s)
-Less “predictable” play calling

 

[hawkandroll]

if Kirk allows Lester to do his thing.

/thread?

 

[Steamboat529529]

Lester:

Played quarterback.
Coached quarterbacks.
Called plays as OC and HC at different levels of Divison 1 football.
Is not Brian Ferentz.

Steps in the right direction.

 

[Zooropa_NCR]

Like the above post, all this assumes that Lester won’t be forced to scheme so Iowa QBs don’t make mistakes

Vs

Scheme to get a WR open

 

[squeezebox]

2019 Stats would be ridiculous for Iowa production just the top RB and QB for Western Michigan.

QB stats: 59% completion rating, 3097 yards passing, 20 td/ 8 INT, 315 rushing yards
RB stats: 1472 yards rushing, 23 ads

the 2021 Stats are even better.

 

[pistachio1999]

Those caught up in their feelings don't want to see the stats. I did like to read things like throwing beyond the sticks and scheming/game planning on strenghts and weaknesses.

Maybe actually adjusting when teams try to load up front.

 

[squeezebox]

2021

QB stats: 63.3% completion, 3277 yards passing, 23Tds / 6 INT, 64 yards rushing, 6 rushing tds
Top RB stats: 1150 yards rushing, 9 rushing TDs

 

[Packer54]

I am more encouraged as time marches forward but I will be there for the Spring practice as always (have to have my Bloody Marys and breakfast before hand of course), and my first thing I will be looking at is who is the number 2 QB....since Cade won't be practicing that means who is number 1 at Spring practice, I think most of us know who it CAN'T be.

 

[StallmanCurse]

This section was pleasing to read:

One current college assistant who has faced both Lester's Western Michigan offenses and Ferentz's Iowa offenses told me the biggest difference was that, "Iowa schemes plays so their QB doesn't screw things up. Flood concepts with a basic progression of reads. Lester's teams did a better job of scheming a receiver open."

 

[Steamboat529529]

I am more encouraged as time marches forward but I will be there for the Spring practice as always (have to have my Bloody Marys and breakfast before hand of course), and my first thing I will be looking at is who is the number 2 QB....since Cade won't be practicing that means who is number 1 at Spring practice, I think most of us know who it CAN'T be.

That’s why I don’t understand some people on here that think we are on good, solid footing in the quarterback room now. Last year, we Cade and Labas and Hill. Labas had looked all right in a bowl game and Hill was an unknown commodity. Labas is now gone, Hill is a known commodity, and Brian didn’t even think to take a look at Lainez during bowl prep. We literally are a Cade injury away from being a .500 ball team.

 

[obfuscating]

Yeah, just because some folks are not excited does not mean it’s all emotion. People may have wanted someone who perceptually brought even more contrast to BF. It’s helpful to analyze in detail, As noted in the article, the data needs to be taken with a grain of salt given the defenses we played against. But I did like the “5 year old” analysis, actually quite insightful saying Iowa just doesn’t want the QB to screw up vs Lester schemes to get WR’s open.

I am optimistic based on:

-better QB and WR development
-Different/better QB recruiting strategy
-More RPO
-More vertical passing game
-New personnel looks (eg 2 RB’s)
-Less “predictable” play calling

We will have to see if KF lets Lester do his own thing. If so, I'm in line with what you state.

 

[ottumwan in tx]

there was a huge hawkeye uproar when KF got hired, everybody seemingly wanted stoops

 

[squeezebox]

there was a huge hawkeye uproar when KF got hired, everybody seemingly wanted stoops

If I remember correctly, that was everyone being pissed at Bowlsby for ****ing around with the timing. Stoops gave them 1 day to make the offer.

 

[ottumwan in tx]

If I remember correctly, that was everyone being pissed at Bowlsby for ****ing around with the timing. Stoops gave them 1 day to make the offer.

kind of similar to this a little. people were all mad at how long it took.

 

[squeezebox]

kind of similar to this a little. people were all mad at how long it took.

Maybe, but I don't think in this instance waiting around took any candidate off the table. Especially one that had an offer from a top program.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

I like the idea of RPOs but Cade can't maneuver that well.

 

[INXS83]

If I remember correctly, that was everyone being pissed at Bowlsby for ****ing around with the timing. Stoops gave them 1 day to make the offer.

Stoops already had an offer from OU and interviewed at Iowa as a courtesy to his alma mater. I recall hearing he had a very poor interview with Dan Gable.

Remember that sh&tshow of a hiring process? Large, diverse selection panel as opposed to letting the AD do his/her job. Was it the U Pres. who cut off Bowlsby's balls on that one?

 

[squeezebox]

Stoops already had an offer from OU and interviewed at Iowa as a courtesy to his alma mater. I recall hearing he had a very poor interview with Dan Gable.

Remember that sh&tshow of a hiring process? Large, diverse selection panel as opposed to letting the AD do his/her job. Was it the U Pres. who cut off Bowlsby's balls on that one?

Let's not let bobby off the hook, he single handedly set the basketball program by a decade and mucked up the Zalesky situation.

 

[mustang_hawk]

I am more encouraged as time marches forward but I will be there for the Spring practice as always (have to have my Bloody Marys and breakfast before hand of course), and my first thing I will be looking at is who is the number 2 QB....since Cade won't be practicing that means who is number 1 at Spring practice, I think most of us know who it CAN'T be.

If I’m betting the last $20 to my name, I’m putting it on Hill. Lucy has jerked the football away from Charlie Brown too many times.

 

[obfuscating]

SIAP. Lots of good comparative analytics in this article that should make Hawk fans hopeful if Kirk allows Lester to do his thing.

Why Iowa hiring Tim Lester can provide much-needed offensive boost for Hawkeyes to emerge as CFP contender

Lester may not be the splashiest hire, but Kirk Ferentz made the right call tabbing him to turn around the offense

www.cbssports.com

I'd like to see that, but with Johns\Chryst\Lester\BF numbers up there, heck even throw in other BIG teams to compare.

 

[hexumhawk]

I think that is a pretty fair assessment. I personally didn't want or expect a wholesale change in philosophies. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes and a few tweaks can go a LONG way.

The offense will have talent:
Proctor and a line that should be at least above average
QB experience and if healthy is one of the better options in the league
TE will be one of the best rooms out there
WR has some talent but will need to improve. Brown could have a monster year

Things to be excited about

 

[Bulldogs1974]

I'll never understand the caveat of: WMU played MAC defenses, not the power 5.

Well no shit. The defenses in the MAC aren't as good. No shit. But you've got similar athletes playing each other. A MAC school likely plays 2 games a level up and the rest against similar competition. So if your players are of a similar nature to the rest of the mac the numbers are ok to look at.
At Iowa he should have access to better players, maybe not over night but he will.

 

[jonesy5960]

If I’m betting the last $20 to my name, I’m putting it on Hill. Lucy has jerked the football away from Charlie Brown too many times.

I think Lester makes the return of Hill less likely. His offense at its best requires an athletic and mobile QB that is a threat to run. That ain't Hill.

 

[Birky]

I like the idea of RPOs but Cade can't maneuver that well.

He maneuvers quite well when he doesn’t have a torn quad, but he’s not a runner.

That said, in an RPO, he needs to be able to read the defense to make a decision on whether to hand the ball off to a RB, or throw it. I don’t know that you need to be any more nimble than you’d have to be running a traditional Iowa offense. It’s not a read option.

 

[jonesy5960]

I'll never understand the caveat of: WMU played MAC defenses, not the power 5.

Well no shit. The defenses in the MAC aren't as good. No shit. But you've got similar athletes playing each other. A MAC school likely plays 2 games a level up and the rest against similar competition. So if your players are of a similar nature to the rest of the mac the numbers are ok to look at.
At Iowa he should have access to better players, maybe not over night but he will.

That's been the challenge at Iowa for the last several years at the QB and wide receiver spots. Either they couldn't identify them, land them, develop them, or utilize them when they did finally have one. Much the same could be said about the oline. You don't get to worst in the country without the entire progression pretty much falling apart. Without the portal, it's hard to see who would have been playing QB or wide receiver next year. Even with the portal adds it's pretty thin pickings.

 

[squeezebox]

I'll never understand the caveat of: WMU played MAC defenses, not the power 5.

Well no shit. The defenses in the MAC aren't as good. No shit. But you've got similar athletes playing each other. A MAC school likely plays 2 games a level up and the rest against similar competition. So if your players are of a similar nature to the rest of the mac the numbers are ok to look at.
At Iowa he should have access to better players, maybe not over night but he will.

I'll play devils advocate here only for arguments sake. Do you think Iowa would put up better or worst numbers if they had played in the conference formerly known as the PAC12?

 

[Hawkeyenuts66]

He maneuvers quite well when he doesn’t have a torn quad, but he’s not a runner.

That said, in an RPO, he needs to be able to read the defense to make a decision on whether to hand the ball off to a RB, or throw it. I don’t know that you need to be any more nimble than you’d have to be running a traditional Iowa offense. It’s not a read option.

This is true IMO with the caveat that he needs to be mobile enough to keep the play alive at times. If Cade is healthy he can run the RPO, the No. 2 spot has to go to Marco.

 

[squeezebox]

For those saying we don't need a mobile qb to run the RPO, really only need to look at the stats that Lester's QBs put up at WMU, while remembering that sacks count toward the rush total.

2018: Wassinik had 162 rushing yards
2019: Wassinik had 319 rushing yards
2020: Eleby: 38 rushing yards
2021: Eleby: 64 rushing yards
2022: Saloupek: 52 rushing yards. Bourget: 154 rushing yards

For arguments sake, Iowas totals

2018: Stanley had 4 rushing yards
2019: Stanley had 7 rushing yards
2020: Petras had -4 rushing yards
2021: Petras had -109 rushing yards
2022: Petras had -184 rushing yards

 

[Jimmy McGill]

For those saying we don't need a mobile qb to run the RPO, really only need to look at the stats that Lester's QBs put up at WMU, while remembering that sacks count toward the rush total.

2018: Wassinik had 162 rushing yards
2019: Wassinik had 319 rushing yards
2020: Eleby: 38 rushing yards
2021: Eleby: 64 rushing yards
2022: Saloupek: 52 rushing yards. Bourget: 154 rushing yards

For arguments sake, Iowas totals

2018: Stanley had 4 rushing yards
2019: Stanley had 7 rushing yards
2020: Petras had -4 rushing yards
2021: Petras had -109 rushing yards
2022: Petras had -184 rushing yards

I'm simply saying he has had two major leg injuries, he is not going to be mobile. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[squeezebox]

I'm simply saying he has had two major leg injuries, he is not going to be mobile. Hope I'm wrong.

Oh, I was actually pointing out that having a mobile QB appears to be important to Lester given the stats.

 

[SI_NYC]

I like the idea of RPOs but Cade can't maneuver that well.

I think it's just as important that the D has to account for the QB running even if they rarely run.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

Oh, I was actually pointing out that having a mobile QB appears to be important to Lester given the stats.

If a team has to worry about a running threat out of the QB, it does open things up. IMHO

 

[Greenway4Prez]

I'll play devils advocate here only for arguments sake. Do you think Iowa would put up better or worst numbers if they had played in the conference formerly known as the PAC12?

Better.

But the defensive numbers for Iowa would have been worse.

 

[pistachio1999]

Better.

But the defensive numbers for Iowa would have been worse.

Well we are about to see in a couple games this fall.

 

[Packer54]

there was a huge hawkeye uproar when KF got hired, everybody seemingly wanted stoops

And Stoops won a NC. Overall record was 191-48 (.798) and 10 Big12 Championships.

 

[Birky]

I'm simply saying he has had two major leg injuries, he is not going to be mobile. Hope I'm wrong.

I doubt his mobility will be much, if any worse, but staying healthy is certainly a concern.