It is amazing the different perspective that you can gain by re-watching a game and having the ability to pause and rewind. I admit, to the naked eye and watching it real-time it looks like there is not a lot different between BF and TL as OC's. However, under the hood, they are night and day different. It is obvious in this new age of college football where OC's can communicate with the QB that seeing the field from the press box is a huge advantage. TL's NFL experience is huge for this and thus why we are seeing the second half improvements (minus the ISU game which was so wierd in a lot of ways).
These long KJ runs are no fluke. TL is constantly putting defenses in conflict and a numbers disadvantage with motion, line blocking schemes and formations. If you go back and watch you will see how so many running plays are putting our RB one-on-one with a defender. KJ is the perfect back for this and why he is leading the nation in rushing.
Cade actually played really well. Of course no QB is going to be able to throw perfect balls all the time, but first of all you want him to throw to the right place. He did that. He had a few drops that were catchable balls to RVZ, TW and Ostrenga and a couple of those would have extended drives. The throw to Wetjen was so close and a tight window. The throw to KB was a bit high however after the re-watch KB kind of hitched at the top of his route and he would have gotten more separation if he didn't and it could have been a touchdown if he caught it. I think a lot of people are thinking that Cade needs to be the centerpiece of this team because he has been the highly touted transfer but he is not. I don't know if he ever was.
The oline played really well. It is the most cohesive I have seen them and they not only blocked the run well they did a good job in pass coverage too. MN had some success heating them up with some timely blitzes but for the most part Cade had time to throw. The zone blocking is starting to look a lot like 2002 Iowa and with hole-hitting backs with vision like KJ and Jaz I can see us running the ball 45-50 times a game. I especially like it when Iowa is lined up on the left hash and TL lines up LL and AO next to Dunker because you just know there is going to be a hole somewhere there and with a back like KJ that is probably going to the house.
About the centerpiece of this offense, it is most definitely KJ, LL, AO and the oline. The offense did 95% of their damage in this 12 personnel grouping. Large is in this mix too but it is obvious that the receiving threat of LL and AO is paying huge dividends to KJ and the run game. There was no need to exploit anything in the air against MN because they could not stop the run and running the ball is always always going to be the preference of not only KF but pretty much every coach not named Mike Leach. But, there is so much they can do off of this personnel grouping in various formations so look for the tight ends to start having big games.
Gill, RVZ and TW all are doing a great job blocking. It is probably why we are not seeing KB very much, just a guess on my part. To be able to break these long runs it is necessary in most every case for a WR to block a guy. I think they will all get their chances.
I think this offense has a real opportunity to really click and I could see this team playing really dominant football at the end of the season.
**On a sidenote, I am glad to see PP play Lee instead of Hall. Hall may end up being the guy in the end that single-handedly cost Iowa a B1G championship game and national playoff appearance. You can count on one hand how many blown coverages that Iowa's defense has had in the last handful of years and that guy accounts for most of them.
These long KJ runs are no fluke. TL is constantly putting defenses in conflict and a numbers disadvantage with motion, line blocking schemes and formations. If you go back and watch you will see how so many running plays are putting our RB one-on-one with a defender. KJ is the perfect back for this and why he is leading the nation in rushing.
Cade actually played really well. Of course no QB is going to be able to throw perfect balls all the time, but first of all you want him to throw to the right place. He did that. He had a few drops that were catchable balls to RVZ, TW and Ostrenga and a couple of those would have extended drives. The throw to Wetjen was so close and a tight window. The throw to KB was a bit high however after the re-watch KB kind of hitched at the top of his route and he would have gotten more separation if he didn't and it could have been a touchdown if he caught it. I think a lot of people are thinking that Cade needs to be the centerpiece of this team because he has been the highly touted transfer but he is not. I don't know if he ever was.
The oline played really well. It is the most cohesive I have seen them and they not only blocked the run well they did a good job in pass coverage too. MN had some success heating them up with some timely blitzes but for the most part Cade had time to throw. The zone blocking is starting to look a lot like 2002 Iowa and with hole-hitting backs with vision like KJ and Jaz I can see us running the ball 45-50 times a game. I especially like it when Iowa is lined up on the left hash and TL lines up LL and AO next to Dunker because you just know there is going to be a hole somewhere there and with a back like KJ that is probably going to the house.
About the centerpiece of this offense, it is most definitely KJ, LL, AO and the oline. The offense did 95% of their damage in this 12 personnel grouping. Large is in this mix too but it is obvious that the receiving threat of LL and AO is paying huge dividends to KJ and the run game. There was no need to exploit anything in the air against MN because they could not stop the run and running the ball is always always going to be the preference of not only KF but pretty much every coach not named Mike Leach. But, there is so much they can do off of this personnel grouping in various formations so look for the tight ends to start having big games.
Gill, RVZ and TW all are doing a great job blocking. It is probably why we are not seeing KB very much, just a guess on my part. To be able to break these long runs it is necessary in most every case for a WR to block a guy. I think they will all get their chances.
I think this offense has a real opportunity to really click and I could see this team playing really dominant football at the end of the season.
**On a sidenote, I am glad to see PP play Lee instead of Hall. Hall may end up being the guy in the end that single-handedly cost Iowa a B1G championship game and national playoff appearance. You can count on one hand how many blown coverages that Iowa's defense has had in the last handful of years and that guy accounts for most of them.
