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Pieces are coming together for the offense

Iowa's pass efficiency defense last year was ranked 6th at 110.46.

The passing offense was so bad (#117 at 111.72) that a typical game for our passing offense was statistically indistinguishable from our opponents.

Iowa's defense was 7th in YPP at 4.72. But as good as they were, Iowa's opponents ran significantly more plays than Iowa's offense (976 to 911).

As great as Iowa's defense was last year, think about how great they would have been with an offense that was just good enough to possess the football for a little while (keeping the defense fresh) and playing with a lead (forcing the opponent to take more risks).

There's no reason to believe that this year's defense won't put up a similar performance to last year's. It shouldn't be asking too much for the offense to at least improve to a ranking of ~80th and help the defense out, but it's difficult to be optimistic, especially about a significant improvement in the passing game.
 
Iowa's pass efficiency defense last year was ranked 6th at 110.46.

The passing offense was so bad (#117 at 111.72) that a typical game for our passing offense was statistically indistinguishable from our opponents.

Iowa's defense was 7th in YPP at 4.72. But as good as they were, Iowa's opponents ran significantly more plays than Iowa's offense (976 to 911).

As great as Iowa's defense was last year, think about how great they would have been with an offense that was just good enough to possess the football for a little while (keeping the defense fresh) and playing with a lead (forcing the opponent to take more risks).

There's no reason to believe that this year's defense won't put up a similar performance to last year's. It shouldn't be asking too much for the offense to at least improve to a ranking of ~80th and help the defense out, but it's difficult to be optimistic, especially about a significant improvement in the passing game.

I know there's only supposed to be one, but, this calls for another... 🎤 drop
 
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I disagree……I’ve seen some avg. QB’s benefit from some great O-lines and some good QB’s look like crap with bad O-lines! As soon as everyone realizes football is a team sport and it takes everyone playing flawlessly to win at this level. There is not one piece of the offense that shouldnt see better play this year. Then and only then will the group be better …..that said ….. I’m looking forward to big things this season!

True, but hard to have a Top20 offense with a Bottom20 QB and it is hard to be a Top20 team with a bottom20 offense.
 
It's just time

Terrible play in the last two games was significantly caused the injury. Spencer wasn't driving the ball, which was his strength. Not very good the entire season but the shoulder injury clearly impacted his play, and he was still better than Alex. But, but, but, z is over the target. There are no more excuses for what we saw last season.

I continue to believe Spencer is on a short leash this season. Alex's on an even shorter lead because he really was terrible last season. I think the future begins about three games in. If the offense doesn't roll up some good offensive numbers in the first three games I think the grumbling will intensify among the people whose grumbling matters. Plus sometimes the old HC pulls a Ricky Stanzi or CJ Beathard out of roster.
 
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Somehow the drive blocking of the Oline was more fun to watch. Than watching our stretch play of today.
 
I wasn't tying to be a jerk, and definitely not trying to get anyone.........it's just that I don't think Cummings ever had a winning season (someone correct me if I am wrong). So just a little perspective I guess.
He never sniffed anything close to a winning season......
 
Beating ucla was lots of fun. They were highly rated back then.
They were 5-6 in 1976. And fun to watch that year.
We thought they were turning the corner. But it is correct Cummings never had a winning season. He did have some great wins though. Over penn state and a highly ranked ucla team. That win over UCLA was so unexpected. It was priceless to be there.
 
We thought they were turning the corner. But it is correct Cummings never had a winning season. He did have some great wins though. Over penn state and a highly ranked ucla team. That win over UCLA was so unexpected. It was priceless to be there.
In 1976 they beat 11th ranked penn state 7to 6. And Alex Karras bragged about us on Monday night football. Then the next week USC beat us 55-0. I think it was 49-0 at the half. And USC called the dogs off.
 
anyways after the penn state win. We thought that commings had the hawks turned around. Then the very next week the halftime score was USC 49 Iowa 0. So no turn around.
 
Our offense has always been offensive line dependent, We want to be able to run the ball even when the opponent knows it's coming. This hasn't been the case recently for a number of reasons.
1) Coach Polasek is a good coach but O-line was not his wheelhouse. Coach Barnett is an O-line coach through and through. Improvement is coming.
2) Depth. Injuries can derail a running game without quality depth. Many of our subs simply weren't ready to play at this level yet.
3) Recruiting. I believe Barnett is partially responsible for improved O-line recruiting recently. If this can continue, the run game will no longer hold us back.
4) Consistency. Breakdowns in the line mean negative yards or sacks and are drive killers. I believe this will be happening less in the future because of items 1-3.

Looking at our current roster I suspect we are maybe a year away from a high level O-line. Many on here blame Brian F for our offensive shortcomings. I do not. We have running backs that are more powerful and a QB that is adequate if he has time to throw. If the O-line could possibly come together this year.....it could be special.
Never understood why they hired Polasek for OL coach, and not Offensive Coordinator? Yea, I know Kirk wanted his boy, but I would have thought Polasek would have brought some offensive spark from a team that has a decent OL and beat us!
 
Our offense has always been offensive line dependent, We want to be able to run the ball even when the opponent knows it's coming. This hasn't been the case recently for a number of reasons.
1) Coach Polasek is a good coach but O-line was not his wheelhouse. Coach Barnett is an O-line coach through and through. Improvement is coming.
2) Depth. Injuries can derail a running game without quality depth. Many of our subs simply weren't ready to play at this level yet.
3) Recruiting. I believe Barnett is partially responsible for improved O-line recruiting recently. If this can continue, the run game will no longer hold us back.
4) Consistency. Breakdowns in the line mean negative yards or sacks and are drive killers. I believe this will be happening less in the future because of items 1-3.

Looking at our current roster I suspect we are maybe a year away from a high level O-line. Many on here blame Brian F for our offensive shortcomings. I do not. We have running backs that are more powerful and a QB that is adequate if he has time to throw. If the O-line could possibly come together this year.....it could be special.
Is the crow seasoned or unseasoned. WOW!!! You could not have been any more wrong.
 
Our offense has always been offensive line dependent, We want to be able to run the ball even when the opponent knows it's coming. This hasn't been the case recently for a number of reasons.
1) Coach Polasek is a good coach but O-line was not his wheelhouse. Coach Barnett is an O-line coach through and through. Improvement is coming.
2) Depth. Injuries can derail a running game without quality depth. Many of our subs simply weren't ready to play at this level yet.
3) Recruiting. I believe Barnett is partially responsible for improved O-line recruiting recently. If this can continue, the run game will no longer hold us back.
4) Consistency. Breakdowns in the line mean negative yards or sacks and are drive killers. I believe this will be happening less in the future because of items 1-3.

Looking at our current roster I suspect we are maybe a year away from a high level O-line. Many on here blame Brian F for our offensive shortcomings. I do not. We have running backs that are more powerful and a QB that is adequate if he has time to throw. If the O-line could possibly come together this year.....it could be special.
Copy and paste next year.
 
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Our offense has always been offensive line dependent, We want to be able to run the ball even when the opponent knows it's coming. This hasn't been the case recently for a number of reasons.
1) Coach Polasek is a good coach but O-line was not his wheelhouse. Coach Barnett is an O-line coach through and through. Improvement is coming.
2) Depth. Injuries can derail a running game without quality depth. Many of our subs simply weren't ready to play at this level yet.
3) Recruiting. I believe Barnett is partially responsible for improved O-line recruiting recently. If this can continue, the run game will no longer hold us back.
4) Consistency. Breakdowns in the line mean negative yards or sacks and are drive killers. I believe this will be happening less in the future because of items 1-3.

Looking at our current roster I suspect we are maybe a year away from a high level O-line. Many on here blame Brian F for our offensive shortcomings. I do not. We have running backs that are more powerful and a QB that is adequate if he has time to throw. If the O-line could possibly come together this year.....it could be special.
Holy smokes! Even @rutgersal thinks your enthusiasm was a bit misplaced.
 
Our offense has always been offensive line dependent, We want to be able to run the ball even when the opponent knows it's coming. This hasn't been the case recently for a number of reasons.
1) Coach Polasek is a good coach but O-line was not his wheelhouse. Coach Barnett is an O-line coach through and through. Improvement is coming.
2) Depth. Injuries can derail a running game without quality depth. Many of our subs simply weren't ready to play at this level yet.
3) Recruiting. I believe Barnett is partially responsible for improved O-line recruiting recently. If this can continue, the run game will no longer hold us back.
4) Consistency. Breakdowns in the line mean negative yards or sacks and are drive killers. I believe this will be happening less in the future because of items 1-3.

Looking at our current roster I suspect we are maybe a year away from a high level O-line. Many on here blame Brian F for our offensive shortcomings. I do not. We have running backs that are more powerful and a QB that is adequate if he has time to throw. If the O-line could possibly come together this year.....it could be special.
I agree…slowly, and unacceptably slowly by any objective measure.
 
Our offense has always been offensive line dependent, We want to be able to run the ball even when the opponent knows it's coming. This hasn't been the case recently for a number of reasons.
1) Coach Polasek is a good coach but O-line was not his wheelhouse. Coach Barnett is an O-line coach through and through. Improvement is coming.
2) Depth. Injuries can derail a running game without quality depth. Many of our subs simply weren't ready to play at this level yet.
3) Recruiting. I believe Barnett is partially responsible for improved O-line recruiting recently. If this can continue, the run game will no longer hold us back.
4) Consistency. Breakdowns in the line mean negative yards or sacks and are drive killers. I believe this will be happening less in the future because of items 1-3.

Looking at our current roster I suspect we are maybe a year away from a high level O-line. Many on here blame Brian F for our offensive shortcomings. I do not. We have running backs that are more powerful and a QB that is adequate if he has time to throw. If the O-line could possibly come together this year.....it could be special.
Disagree. Totally. Petras is not adequate and never has been. Supporting him derails your entire argument.
 
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