Reasons for cautious optimism?

[RagnarLothbrok]

I’m asking.

I thought last season Iowa would take it up another level, and yet the offense was complete trash once again.

I am excited for the new season but don’t want to feel the same let down. Yes, Brian is gone, but what other reasons are there for cautious optimism?

TIA

 

[Birky]

I’m asking.

I thought last season Iowa would take it up another level, and yet the offense was complete trash once again.

I am excited for the new season but don’t want to feel the same let down. Yes, Brian is gone, but what other reasons are there for cautious optimism?

TIA

If the QBs are unimaginably bad, that will be an upgrade from last year.

The offense almost certainly won’t telegraph half the plays, allowing 10 of the 11 defenders to sprint directly to the ball at the snap.

The entire OL isn’t injured, and are almost certainly deeper to deal with injuries if they do occur.

We have healthy TEs at the moment.

 

[MeetTheFerentzes]

Things literally can’t get any worse

 

[jdv77]

On offense:
1. Luke Lachey is back.
2. The best that the offensive line has looked over the past couple seasons is when Beau Stephens is starting. He is penciled in at LG.
3. The RB room is really deep and talented.
4. Tim Lester knows how to design an offensive scheme and call plays.
5. Our quarterbacks are healthy to start the season and are not in the doghouse.

 

[jonesy5960]

I’m asking.

I thought last season Iowa would take it up another level, and yet the offense was complete trash once again.

I am excited for the new season but don’t want to feel the same let down. Yes, Brian is gone, but what other reasons are there for cautious optimism?

TIA

Other than a new OC and pretty much the same group of dudes being a year older I've got nothing. We'll find out if that's enough to not suck on Saturday when they play probably their weakest defense of the season. If they come out struggling again we can all break out our "Punting is Winning " shirts from last year. If they look good, then optimism will reign supreme for another week.

 

[rfgiowa]

That's Iowa every year under ferentz. I think this team can go 10-2...cheers and GO HAWKS!

 

[markfromj]

Things literally can’t get any worse

Disagree.

 

[eyesofhawk]

I’m asking.

I thought last season Iowa would take it up another level, and yet the offense was complete trash once again.

I am excited for the new season but don’t want to feel the same let down. Yes, Brian is gone, but what other reasons are there for cautious optimism?

TIA

Let down? Were you expecting a playoff birth?

Iowa did take it up another level. They won 10 games for the 11th time in program history

 

[eyesofhawk]

Things literally can’t get any worse

What on earth are you talking about?

Again, Iowa just won 10 games for the 11th time in program history

 

[eyesofhawk]

Other than a new OC and pretty much the same group of dudes being a year older I've got nothing. We'll find out if that's enough to not suck on Saturday when they play probably their weakest defense of the season. If they come out struggling again we can all break out our "Punting is Winning " shirts from last year. If they look good, then optimism will reign supreme for another week.

I would ask how on earth 10 wins sucks. But it's obvious that you are just talking about the offense.

But the question remains, how did this become interpreted as a thread about just the offense?

There's much more to football than just offense. I could go even further and say that offense really isn't that important when you have the defense and special teams that Iowa does

 

[RagnarLothbrok]

Let down? Were you expecting a playoff birth?

Iowa did take it up another level. They won 10 games for the 11th time in program history

I was expecting them to be better on offense than dead last.

 

[jonesy5960]

Things literally can’t get any worse

I have heard that phrase several years in a row stated by many on this very website.

 

[Iron Doc]

I would ask how on earth 10 wins sucks. But it's obvious that you are just talking about the offense.

But the question remains, how did this become interpreted as a thread about just the offense?

There's much more to football than just offense. I could go even further and say that offense really isn't that important when you have the defense and special teams that Iowa does

"I could go even further and say that offense really isn't that important when you have the defense and special teams that Iowa does."

-------------Is this a joke?

 

[Easy Eddy]

I would ask how on earth 10 wins sucks. But it's obvious that you are just talking about the offense.

But the question remains, how did this become interpreted as a thread about just the offense?

There's much more to football than just offense. I could go even further and say that offense really isn't that important when you have the defense and special teams that Iowa does

I assume most people have you on ignore.

 

[jonesy5960]

I would ask how on earth 10 wins sucks. But it's obvious that you are just talking about the offense.

But the question remains, how did this become interpreted as a thread about just the offense?

There's much more to football than just offense. I could go even further and say that offense really isn't that important when you have the defense and special teams that Iowa does

This is the original post:

"I thought last season Iowa would take it up another level, and yet the offense was complete trash once again.

I am excited for the new season but don’t want to feel the same let down. Yes, Brian is gone, but what other reasons are there for cautious optimism?"

It's about the offense. Is English a second language for you, because it seems as though your comments are always out of context? And yes. Offense is just as important as defense and special teams.

 

[jonesy5960]

"I could go even further and say that offense really isn't that important when you have the defense and special teams that Iowa does."

-------------Is this a joke?

I'm thinking this guy and F5N5 might be the same poster.

 

[Birky]

I have heard that phrase several years in a row stated by many on this very website.

This is the first time we’re coming off of arguably the worst offense in B1G history.

It seems to be literally the case, that it’s not possible to be worse this year.

 

[jonesy5960]

This is the first time we’re coming off of arguably the worst offense in B1G history.

It seems to be literally the case, that it’s not possible to be worse this year.

Well at least Brian isn't here this year to accept this as a challenge. It literally can get worse. Like you however, I'm betting that it won't and that it will resemble a functional offense for the first time in 3 years.

 

[Iron Doc]

I assume most people have you on ignore.

I was going to put him on ignore, but that would be too easy.
Besides, it's more fun baiting him.
I lived in the Cold War Age; ol' eyesofhawk reminds me of a McCarthy era authoritarian type.

 

[Iron Doc]

I'm thinking this guy and F5N5 might be the same poster.

THIS!!!!!!!

 

[Iron Doc]

Well at least Brian isn't here this year to accept this as a challenge. It literally can get worse. Like you however, I'm betting that it won't and that it will resemble a functional offense for the first time in 3 years.

Hope so.

 

[Iron Doc]

At one time, I decided to read Karl Barth's book Church Dogmatics.
All 9,257 pages of it.
I'm thinking ol' eyesofhawk/F5N5/Joe McCarthy is in the process of typing up a 10,000 page reply to blast those of us that are cognitively inferior (theoretically) on here.
Time will tell.

 

[SolarHawk]

Things literally can’t get any worse

Last year was like winning the lottery. Statistically it was literally a miracle we won 10 games. No way we have that type of anomaly occur again. Especially consecutively. Even if the offense is serviceable, we likely have a worse record than last year. Hope I’m wrong.

 

[2D_]

-No Brian
-No Deacon Hill
-RB room is healthy (Williams is back according to reports)
-Luke Lechey returns
-OLine has had considerable improvement as reported by multiple writers
-Our QB room is as deep as it's been in a decade
-Tim Lester is a smart coordinator with experience as a player, head coach, and positions both on the collegiate and professional levels

It's going to take time for this offense to click. The way I've been looking at it is this: Lester inherited a broken down car that won't even turn over. He was given the keys and was told to make it ready for racing in 8 months. I believe that, in time, it'll be not only a competent offense, but a competitive one. He just needs more time and players that he personally has recruited.

Another reason for optimism? Try two; Phil Parker is still the defensive coordinator and almost every single guy who could come back, came back for one more year. This defense will be beyond deadly, ESPECIALLY if our offense can hold on to the ball for more than 3 seconds before punting.

 

[Birky]

Well at least Brian isn't here this year to accept this as a challenge. It literally can get worse. Like you however, I'm betting that it won't and that it will resemble a functional offense for the first time in 3 years.

There is no precedent in football history for the worst offense ever to be coached by anyone other than Brian.

Much like there being no alternative to the sun as the fuel that warms the earth. The worst offense ever can only be driven by Brian.

We’re in the clear.

 

[Fan In Black]

Iowa has shitty WRs. expect more of the same.

 

[wilson reborn]

Improved offensive line.

Solid running backs, deep.

Serviceable qb(s). Last year we had the worst in D1.

Lachey is back.

Top five defense, in the country.

Expanded playoff, we got a shot.

 

[Fan In Black]

Improved offensive line.

Solid running backs, deep.

Serviceable qb(s). Last year we had the worst in D1.

Lachey is back.

Top five defense, in the country.

Expanded playoff, we got a shot.

half of those those are facts. half are TBD.

 

[eyesofhawk]

I was expecting them to be better on offense than dead last.

I was expecting that if not delineated as such, the thread wasn't strictly about offense

 

[wilson reborn]

half of those those are facts. half are TBD.

We can be reasonably confident in all of them. This is the time of year for optimism. We’re undefeated!

 

[eyesofhawk]

"I could go even further and say that offense really isn't that important when you have the defense and special teams that Iowa does."

-------------Is this a joke?

I would say the last two seasons have proven that.

Worst offense in the country has equaled an average of 9 wins. Conclusion: the poor offense hasn't had much to do with winning and losing.

Certainly the bad offense hasn't been as big a deal as fans have made it. Negativity everywhere. Wins everywhere. What doesn't add up?

 

[Iron Doc]

I would say the last two seasons have proven that.

Worst offense in the country has equaled an average of 9 wins. Conclusion: the poor offense hasn't had much to do with winning and losing.

Certainly the bad offense hasn't been as big a deal as fans have made it. Negativity everywhere. Wins everywhere. What doesn't add up?

I am disappointed.
I expected a book length reply.

 

[TXHCHawk]

Is Lester going to call the games from the booth or sideline?

 

[eyesofhawk]

This is the original post:

"I thought last season Iowa would take it up another level, and yet the offense was complete trash once again.

I am excited for the new season but don’t want to feel the same let down. Yes, Brian is gone, but what other reasons are there for cautious optimism?"

It's about the offense. Is English a second language for you, because it seems as though your comments are always out of context? And yes. Offense is just as important as defense and special teams.

Nowhere in the thread title is the word "offense".

My English is just fine. It's just that too often on this board exists the opportunity to make the point that fans have their attention on the wrong thing.

Iowa is one of the most successful football programs in the country. It should have one of the most positive fan message boards in the country. Not to mention the fact that the overall tone of fans should be supportive regardless of how good their team is.

No, offense is not as important as defense and special teams. Especially not at Iowa. Nobody would say Iowa has been winning lately because of their offense. Thus, the areas that have led to winning is where the importance has lied.

Points prevented have the same value as points scored. It's easier to prevent points. Preventing points is more dependable, repeatable, reliable. So defense is more important than offense. Take into account the resources that Iowa has to work with and this dynamic gets accentuated. Take defense and special teams together (which was my original point), and their importance far outweighs that of offense

 

[paednoch23]

On offense:
1. Luke Lachey is back.
2. The best that the offensive line has looked over the past couple seasons is when Beau Stephens is starting. He is penciled in at LG.
3. The RB room is really deep and talented.
4. Tim Lester knows how to design an offensive scheme and call plays.
5. Our quarterbacks are healthy to start the season and are not in the doghouse.

you dont know crap about #4. just stop.

 

[paednoch23]

Is Lester going to call the games from the booth or sideline?

kirk will be on the sidelines.

 

[MeetTheFerentzes]

I have heard that phrase several years in a row stated by many on this very website.

We were really bad some years, but we were literally the worst offense in college football in 2023. So I think the phrase, which may have been an exaggeration in the past, is actually now true.

 

[eyesofhawk]

I'm thinking this guy and F5N5 might be the same poster.

No, he claims to have blocked me.

We got into an argument about a WNBA game, which was my fault, as I had misremembered a play.

He said he was blocking me, and probably did so by the time I had realized and professed my mistake, and told him that blocking me would cost him one of the few posters that agreed with many of his football takes🤣

 

[jdv77]

you dont know crap about #4. just stop.

Well, that was surprisingly hostile. I think that Lester's experience at Western Michigan counts. We will see soon enough.

 

[eyesofhawk]

Well at least Brian isn't here this year to accept this as a challenge. It literally can get worse. Like you however, I'm betting that it won't and that it will resemble a functional offense for the first time in 3 years.

Were you not one who claimed "it couldn't get any worse", as reasoning to have played Lainez last season?