Last year I got some inside information that the OL would be solid. I was fooled. This year I received similar information and was fooled again. Shame on me. I know the coaches say everything looks great in practice but it should be time they start questioning they're approach to practice and what is their measuring stick for success?
I have written several times over the years that the OL is regressing under Brian. Yes Iowa still produces occasional studs but as a unit they have really fallen off from where it's been in KF's first 10-12 years as coach. The OL regressing at Iowa is unforgivable due to it being the safety valve when the skill talent is less. If the OL falls apart as well, well you get what we have now for an offense.
Through two games I have seen the same mistakes from last year. Picking and reading the wrong zone blocks has been a big one. Both games this year we have had several 5 v 5 or 5 v 6 battles. In football you are taught to block the 4-5 biggest threats to the QB which even means doubling 1 guy instead of blocking 2 when 1 can't get to the QB in under 3 secs or is deemed to be a rusher outside the zone of play. This year we have seen Iowa not double the biggest threats as well as double lesser threats while not picking up bigger threats. Their reads are terrible.
Defenses have Iowa scouted well. Both games I have seen the defense shade a guy 3ft off the d-line and between the C and OG. 50% of the time the C and OG block/double the baited Dlinemen and let the blitzer in free. Same is happening on running plays. Doesn't help when D's are holding 8-9 defenders inside the box because we have no downfield offense.
The biggest concern to me is guys aren't developing. 3rd year and older guys like Plumb, DeJong and Richman haven't improved much if any. We also haven't seen much out of several 3rd year + guys in the two deeps. Colby who looked great for a TrFR last year is off to a slow start and has really struggled at times. We haven't seen that step forward from him yet. Philbin and Morgan were Iowa's best two OL coaches under KF. They didn't just build elite talent they built solid units. Since 2011 the OL hasn't been above average unless they had 2 or more NFL talents on the line. The fundamentals haven't been as sharp to mask weaknesses. Something needs to change because the OL at Iowa is unrecognizable.
I have written several times over the years that the OL is regressing under Brian. Yes Iowa still produces occasional studs but as a unit they have really fallen off from where it's been in KF's first 10-12 years as coach. The OL regressing at Iowa is unforgivable due to it being the safety valve when the skill talent is less. If the OL falls apart as well, well you get what we have now for an offense.
Through two games I have seen the same mistakes from last year. Picking and reading the wrong zone blocks has been a big one. Both games this year we have had several 5 v 5 or 5 v 6 battles. In football you are taught to block the 4-5 biggest threats to the QB which even means doubling 1 guy instead of blocking 2 when 1 can't get to the QB in under 3 secs or is deemed to be a rusher outside the zone of play. This year we have seen Iowa not double the biggest threats as well as double lesser threats while not picking up bigger threats. Their reads are terrible.
Defenses have Iowa scouted well. Both games I have seen the defense shade a guy 3ft off the d-line and between the C and OG. 50% of the time the C and OG block/double the baited Dlinemen and let the blitzer in free. Same is happening on running plays. Doesn't help when D's are holding 8-9 defenders inside the box because we have no downfield offense.
The biggest concern to me is guys aren't developing. 3rd year and older guys like Plumb, DeJong and Richman haven't improved much if any. We also haven't seen much out of several 3rd year + guys in the two deeps. Colby who looked great for a TrFR last year is off to a slow start and has really struggled at times. We haven't seen that step forward from him yet. Philbin and Morgan were Iowa's best two OL coaches under KF. They didn't just build elite talent they built solid units. Since 2011 the OL hasn't been above average unless they had 2 or more NFL talents on the line. The fundamentals haven't been as sharp to mask weaknesses. Something needs to change because the OL at Iowa is unrecognizable.