Observations - Purdue Game

[BirdistheWord]

First of all, what an amazing season, hats off to the leadership on this team and to KF/Coaches. Our balanced offense has been the perfect recipe, including the variety we offer at RB.

I do have a few concerns as we look ahead to some high caliber competition:

Need to get more yardage on first down, I recall numerous times we only got 1 or 2 yards
We HAVE to get our WR's more involved
Missed XP's will come back to haunt us, must get that cleaned up
Our Defensive is giving up too many 5+ yard runs and is NOT putting enough pressure on the QB
Additionally, due to above our Dbackfield is giving up too many 10-20 yard completions, especially on 3rd down


Must add a few more wrinkles to the offense to get guys into space (Mitchell is one of our best kept secrets)
Must try to mix up the looks on D and sneak in blitzes, Our DB's can only cover for so long
The running game and medium passes to TE's will continue to be our bread and butter + use up the clock
Desmond King is due for some big returns - he has been solid all year

 

[MauiHawk]

Offense is good and would look a lot better if our d-line was playing at least average. But the last few weeks, d-line has simply looked poor.

 

[The_Joker13]

At this point, the team is what it is. The extra point thing is a real head scratcher and could be the difference between a close win or loss. This team seems to play up or down to it's competition, let's hope they continue that trend as the coming games offer much better teams.

 

[StormHawk42]

I think the DL is getting burned out

 

[bagdropper]

Can't keep killing momentum by giving away XP's like that. There is no excuse.

 

[madmustang4]

Our Defensive is giving up too many 5+ yard runs and is NOT putting enough pressure on the QB

Really concerned about rushing yards we gave up today. That's always been a strength for us.

 

[Auger]

Wish we would put Jerminic Smith out there more. Kid has shown he can get separation downfield. Teams are starting to have success even bad ones at stacking the box against us as they don't fear getting burnt downfield. Our running game looked very lethargic a lot of the game against a very poor run D.

 

[93hawkeye]

D Line is not getting the push upfield as they did earlier in the year. Pass rush is bad. It could be they are playing on tired legs. (I know losing Ott didn't help, either).
In they end, I will take a 20 point win against a B10 team any day.
Next week is a different matchup, but I still think we score 35+ and win

 

[LarryMullenJr.]

If the defense of the last 3 weeks is what we have, we are looking at 11-2.

 

[slipHawk]

Can we please please please figure out how to not get suckered by the 4th and short fake punt? I still remember Dantonio's smirk.

 

[Auger]

Could be 11-3 at the end of the year could be 15-0 just never know right now. There are enough questions on this team where I would not be surprised if we finished 0-3. Although enough weapons to win a couple more games still. I'm having a harder time seeing us beat Ohio St. Not sure how we block that front 7 of theirs and the blitz packages they come at teams with.

 

[BirdistheWord]

Can we please please please figure out how to not get suckered by the 4th and short fake punt? I still remember Dantonio's smirk.

the Bielema fake punt flipped the game and killed our season back in 2010 (this was my most frustrated fake punt miscue in recent memory)

The two teams traded scores until the Hawkeyes kicked a field goal with 8:35 remaining to go up 30-24. Iowa forced the Badgers into a punting situation on their next possession, but were not prepared for a fake on 4th down and 4 from Wisconsin’s own 26. Badger punter Brad Nortman ran for 17 yards on the play, and Wisconsin methodically marched down the field for the go-ahead score. The Hawkeyes also had an extra point blocked after their first touchdown, and the two special teams miscues proved costly. The victory catapulted Wisconsin toward a share of the Big Ten title and the Rose Bowl, as they won their final four regular season games by an average of 37.8 points. (from Wikipedia)

 

[RocknRollface]

Hopefully they got the conservative stuff out of their system against the last two teams they thought they should handle.

Time to fire all your weapons, nothing left to hold back for.

Seems like Kirk was particularly POed about the Nebraska result last year so I'm hoping he's got a few ideas out of the ordinary in store.

 

[MVPFAN]

I think the DL is getting burned out

Yep, not enough rotation of reserves.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

Offense is not a problem. Without looking it up (lazy), we're averaging more than 35 pts a game since NW game.

Defense is struggling.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I'll have to re-watch the game, but from what I remember ... much of what we were doing was pretty much base on O. We did switch to more shotgun in response to what Purdue was doing against our running game.

On D, you'll notice that we started bringing more LB blitzes toward the end of the game. But we obviously weren't doing so early in the game. Through most of the game we weren't doing many twists or stunts.

Given what we've seen on O - we always seem to hold stuff back (schematically) purposely against teams that we feel that we can afford to hold back on. That way, when we throw more wrinkles out ... they have a greater likelihood of being successful. Besides, when you can execute your base down to perfection ... then that tends to put a lot more pressure on the opposing D.

On D, I know we're a team that prefers operating from our base anyhow. I'm not certain what differences we'll see from the D in the coming weeks.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

StormHawk42 nailed it. The Iowa defense is exhausted, and yet the brilliant KF says the players just have to "suck it up." Literally. That's what he said. Not gonna rotate any more guys in there, he said.

I don't care what ya say, KF is a stubborn *** on so many levels. If there aren't enough decent backup defenders on the roster to give some starters a rest, well, that's a huge problem--especially 11 games into the season. And who's responsible for that roster?

Unless we see some fresh personnel out there soon on defense, the offense is going to have to ratchet it up and outscore people. The last few weeks the Iowa D can't stop the run, can't get any pressure AT ALL on the QB, and can't cover all day long on the back end.

And that' not all. Either the O-line is exhausted as well, or the wrong people are playing. It's been a long season, and when the coaches go conservative and refuse to blow anybody out and the starters have to play every down all season long with the game in the balance, well, that's one helluva lot to ask of college kids. Not to mention the mental pressure involved with an undefeated season and all that goes with it.

Hell, Koehn can't even kick a PAT anymore. Tired, perhaps? Or did he just forget how to do that the last few weeks?

Maybe Iowa shouldn't practice at all before Nebraska. These kids need the rest more than they need anything else. But I'm sure the brilliant KF will figure it out, certainly.

Oh, and maybe watch for the fake punt, eh, coaches?

What? Uh, what? Well, you .... what?

 

[IACub]

We could just take like 4 or 5 delay of game penalties on extra points. Koehn seems much more comfortable from that distance.

 

[ThorneStockton]

StormHawk42 nailed it. The Iowa defense is exhausted, and yet the brilliant KF says the players just have to "suck it up." Literally. That's what he said. Not gonna rotate any more guys in there, he said.

I don't care what ya say, KF is a stubborn *** on so many levels. If there aren't enough decent backup defenders on the roster to give some starters a rest, well, that's a huge problem--especially 11 games into the season. And who's responsible for that roster?

Unless we see some fresh personnel out there soon on defense, the offense is going to have to ratchet it up and outscore people. The last few weeks the Iowa D can't stop the run, can't get any pressure AT ALL on the QB, and can't cover all day long on the back end.

And that' not all. Either the O-line is exhausted as well, or the wrong people are playing. It's been a long season, and when the coaches go conservative and refuse to blow anybody out and the starters have to play every down all season long with the game in the balance, well, that's one helluva lot to ask of college kids. Not to mention the mental pressure involved with an undefeated season and all that goes with it.

Hell, Koehn can't even kick a PAT anymore. Tired, perhaps? Or did he just forget how to do that the last few weeks?

Maybe Iowa shouldn't practice at all before Nebraska. These kids need the rest more than they need anything else. But I'm sure the brilliant KF will figure it out, certainly.

Oh, and maybe watch for the fake punt, eh, coaches?

You're a miserable person

 

[Cougar63]

On XP, do you have to keep the ball at the marker, or can you move it back? I thought you get to choose where to kick it from between the hashes, too?

 

[IACub]

You're a miserable person

No, he's just dumb. Really, really dumb.

 

[td77]

StormHawk42 nailed it. The Iowa defense is exhausted, and yet the brilliant KF says the players just have to "suck it up." Literally. That's what he said. Not gonna rotate any more guys in there, he said.

I don't care what ya say, KF is a stubborn *** on so many levels. If there aren't enough decent backup defenders on the roster to give some starters a rest, well, that's a huge problem--especially 11 games into the season. And who's responsible for that roster?

Unless we see some fresh personnel out there soon on defense, the offense is going to have to ratchet it up and outscore people. The last few weeks the Iowa D can't stop the run, can't get any pressure AT ALL on the QB, and can't cover all day long on the back end.

And that' not all. Either the O-line is exhausted as well, or the wrong people are playing. It's been a long season, and when the coaches go conservative and refuse to blow anybody out and the starters have to play every down all season long with the game in the balance, well, that's one helluva lot to ask of college kids. Not to mention the mental pressure involved with an undefeated season and all that goes with it.

Hell, Koehn can't even kick a PAT anymore. Tired, perhaps? Or did he just forget how to do that the last few weeks?

Maybe Iowa shouldn't practice at all before Nebraska. These kids need the rest more than they need anything else. But I'm sure the brilliant KF will figure it out, certainly.

Oh, and maybe watch for the fake punt, eh, coaches?

Boo!!! I don't care what you have to say because you clearly don't have a clue. Ignore it is....

 

[takai]

Things to work on
•Work on PAT's. I'm beginning to think it isn't just Koehn.

•Do SOMETHING about the short pass. We let them pick us apart and it makes me want to vomit.

•Corners need to stick like glue to receivers. I've seen them 10+ yards away for no damn reason.

•Get pressure on QB's k thx

 

[TankHawk]

StormHawk42 nailed it. The Iowa defense is exhausted, and yet the brilliant KF says the players just have to "suck it up." Literally. That's what he said. Not gonna rotate any more guys in there, he said.

I don't care what ya say, KF is a stubborn *** on so many levels. If there aren't enough decent backup defenders on the roster to give some starters a rest, well, that's a huge problem--especially 11 games into the season. And who's responsible for that roster?

Unless we see some fresh personnel out there soon on defense, the offense is going to have to ratchet it up and outscore people. The last few weeks the Iowa D can't stop the run, can't get any pressure AT ALL on the QB, and can't cover all day long on the back end.

And that' not all. Either the O-line is exhausted as well, or the wrong people are playing. It's been a long season, and when the coaches go conservative and refuse to blow anybody out and the starters have to play every down all season long with the game in the balance, well, that's one helluva lot to ask of college kids. Not to mention the mental pressure involved with an undefeated season and all that goes with it.

Hell, Koehn can't even kick a PAT anymore. Tired, perhaps? Or did he just forget how to do that the last few weeks?

Maybe Iowa shouldn't practice at all before Nebraska. These kids need the rest more than they need anything else. But I'm sure the brilliant KF will figure it out, certainly.

Oh, and maybe watch for the fake punt, eh, coaches?

You ask "who is responsible for the roster? Ummm..it's the guy who is 11-0.
Asshat.

 

[WORTHYWISH]

Defense played well when using tight coverage, then someone got a brilliant idea to play 10-15 yards off the rcvr in the 2nd qtr. Not excusing the D Line, but it appears that we have a coaching problem with the defense

 

[IACub]

If you asses are so smart, then rather than call people names, why don't you explain exactly what is inaccurate about the facts posted? Cuz you got nothin'. If the D ain't worn out, then what the hell IS the problem? Go ahead and 'splain it. Hell, PURDUE outgained IOWA. But you guys know it all, you miserable *****.

40-20
11-0

 

[Cougar63]

Well, I can't wait to see what username you come up with next week.