Yeah, I meant Keagan Johnson. I associate them closely because they came in together. But, I think Johnson is our best receiver when healthy. We'll see if he can get healthy and how much rust he has to knock off.
Rewatch = Perspective
- Thread starter NCHawkeye24
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That's an exaggeration and one play call does not invalidate a 10-year trend of going away from screen passes to running backs.
We used to use it a lot more in the early 00s.
I remember this. Nothing but green grass in front of the RB. Defenders were 100% committed to coming after Spencer. He rushed and missed a throw that may have gone for a TD.
Missed throws happen, but he continues to miss A LOT!
We had a second-string RB running behind a bad OL. I share your concern but we have a long way to go before the running game will even be adequate.
Iowa coaches know they have a better chance at winning with a 17-10 score than going for a 35-10 win.
Sounds weird, but I think I'm starting to see the strategy here.
Punt inside the 10 as often as possible. Let the other team make mistakes and capitalize on them with the D. Iowa starting with the ball at their 25? The goal is not to score! Sure, we'll take it if it happens. But that is not the goal. The goal is move the chains twice! That's it! Punt inside the 20, 10 at best.
What do you need for this type of strategy? Not a qb. That's for sure. Just someone who won't be tempted to take a risk and who can secure the ball. Might as well give that job to the great kid who won't take risks! And you need a great D and punter. Voila. That's Iowa.
Achieving the 13-10 win is more likely than going after the 35-10 win.
That's our personnel. That's what we got.
I know this isn't new. But I see it now.
That's really not the big picture, though. Spencer was terrible to start the NW game because he suffered a serious injury the weak before. He was game to go but clearly couldn't throw the ball by even his low standards.
Alex did come in an immediately improve the position - in that game. However, Alex was bad against Minnesota, unplayable bad at Illinois and the half he played at Nebraska. Under .500, and in those games way under .500. @TDs and two interceptions, all season.
The "evasive" and "mobile" aspects were a myth. Alex did not have a single run longer than 6 yards all season. He wouldn't run when presented with a wide open field.
Petras wasn't good by any means, and isn't good but there is no real fact based reason to think Padilla was better than Petras. Of course, at this point I'd rather see Joe Labas playing on Saturday than either of Petras or Padilla but I'd settle for another experiment with Padilla rather than see Petras.
That doesn't fit the last four Iowa QB's recruiting profiles. Padilla, Hogan were supposed to be mobile. Labas, May and Lainz are all supposed to be running threats. This freak show at QB will end because the excuses or explanations are wearing thin.
It is absolutely Joe's time.
It is absolutely Joe's time.
I don't think that's on the running backs. There's 8 guys in the box.
Yeah they are kind of in a pickle right now. Padilla's numbers were worse than Petras' last year. If the poor QB play continues, there will be no choice but to try other options. What those options might be, don't know.
We tried and had a big gainer or TD to Williams if SP didn't air mail that pass.
A mobile QB would also lessen the pressure teams dial up against our young OL as well.
Historically, the Iowa defensive line is notorious for playing contain against mobile QBs, keeping them in the pocket and forcing them to throw (to generate turnovers). This has burned us many times when said mobile QB then proceeds to make good decisions and is throwing very effective.
Yep. I really hope it’s a case of seeing live action from another defense that got the OL off to a slow start. We’ll see how they come out against the clowns.
petras however does not get any pass! Even in the rare situations he had time he still missed badly ON ROUTINE THROWS THAT ANY D1 QB HAS TO MAKE.
No foot speed, doesn’t go thru any progressions, locks on to receivers, throws balls at receivers feet, overthrows.
He’s not D1 material
Padilla had a few games and a ton of practice time to show that he could give us our best chance to win games. He didn't show that. Alex has some nice attributes....he runs a little better and he gets the ball out quicker. That said....he throws a bad ball much of the time....wobbly and off target. His running ability is overrated. He's not fast nor is he very elusive. He might provide a short-term spark but it will be just that....short-term. He's not the answer.
I think I was most disappointed in Colby. He’s a guy who was highly recruited, has experience and looked god awful in pass protection. He missed a key blitz that resulted in a sack. Literally didn’t even block anyone. Logan Jones played horribly too but he’s pretty new to the position, so I’m hoping some game experience will help him make some strides.
As you said....Labas is "suppose" to be a running threat. Many people said the same thing about Padilla. And, he's clearly NOT a running threat. I'm betting that Labas is about as much of a running threat as Padilla....which isn't much more of a running threat than Petras. Being a decent running QB in high school is not the same as being a running threat at the P5 college level.
We don't have good QBs on this roster. Period.
I stated before that I was fine with Spencer starting if the line was good at pass pro. They are not so they really need a QB that has quick feet. One that can drop back quickly as well as avoid the rush. Petras is horribly slow at both of those things and combined with a below average pass pro line is a recipe for disaster.
Good post, OP. Our route tree and route running has been a thorn in my side ever since KOK left for the Dolphins. Tevaun and Matt Vandeberg understood how to run routes, but since then….oof. There’s no crispness and very little suddenness/urgency. It’s not because of a lack of athleticism, it’s purely a skill/technique thing. Based on camp videos I thought Bruce could be that guy who set defenders up and made clean breaks. Apparently not in week 1.
As for the OL….George Barnett is very clearly not the answer. Position coaches don’t need years to make an impact, they need weeks. When Jim Reid was brought on, there was a noticeable upgrade to our LB play. Derrick Foster, same thing with the RB’s. Kelvin Bell picked up where Reese left off with the DL brilliantly.
The drop off in line play from BF to Polasek was like, two levels. From Polasek to Barnett has been about 5. Whiffs used to be kind of a rarity. Sure, guys might get beat, but they were at least getting a body /hands on them and making an effort to move a body. Now, complete whiffs are happening with regularity. There’s a bunch of guys out there who are in at least their third year here. Youth is no longer an excuse.
And now we have ISU coming up. Their 3-3-5 stack is designed to wreck outside zone, and if we haven’t had much success running the ball against them lately, we sure as hell won’t this year. Will McDonald is as good a DE as we’ll see all year. Singleton and Lee are more than capable of shooting gaps and making the interior look just as silly as SDSU’s 275 lb. DT’s did. Downfield passing, much like Wisconsin’s defense, is how you attack it. That ain’t a great recipe for us.
We all knew the offense last year was bad. But they still had moments, even in game 1. Saturday was bleak. Beyond bleak. There’s issues with execution, and then there’s what we have.
As for the OL….George Barnett is very clearly not the answer. Position coaches don’t need years to make an impact, they need weeks. When Jim Reid was brought on, there was a noticeable upgrade to our LB play. Derrick Foster, same thing with the RB’s. Kelvin Bell picked up where Reese left off with the DL brilliantly.
The drop off in line play from BF to Polasek was like, two levels. From Polasek to Barnett has been about 5. Whiffs used to be kind of a rarity. Sure, guys might get beat, but they were at least getting a body /hands on them and making an effort to move a body. Now, complete whiffs are happening with regularity. There’s a bunch of guys out there who are in at least their third year here. Youth is no longer an excuse.
And now we have ISU coming up. Their 3-3-5 stack is designed to wreck outside zone, and if we haven’t had much success running the ball against them lately, we sure as hell won’t this year. Will McDonald is as good a DE as we’ll see all year. Singleton and Lee are more than capable of shooting gaps and making the interior look just as silly as SDSU’s 275 lb. DT’s did. Downfield passing, much like Wisconsin’s defense, is how you attack it. That ain’t a great recipe for us.
We all knew the offense last year was bad. But they still had moments, even in game 1. Saturday was bleak. Beyond bleak. There’s issues with execution, and then there’s what we have.
I want to know what college team you guys are watching that keeps the qb clean even 75% of the time. It's such a lame excuse and it's exacerbated by Spencer's lack of mobility and ability to make a quick read and beat the pressure. This isn't the NFL where you can pay 100 million dollars to keep a statue like Tom Brady clean.
I watched the Ohio state kid scramble for his life and make plays and I watched the old dominion kid scramble foe his life and make plays. Iowa is the one that can't figure it out.
I watched the Ohio state kid scramble for his life and make plays and I watched the old dominion kid scramble foe his life and make plays. Iowa is the one that can't figure it out.
So is Iowas D so bad we get no pressure on him in practice?
You’d think the staff would be planning for short outs and roll outs to counter the weakness.
SP Square pet round hole for what Iowa needs offensively as cement feet running dancing feet in the pocket.
Next
Did anyone see last nights game against Florida St and LSU? Although I didn't watch the entire game, I saw enough of the fourth quarter to be encouraged that mobile quarterbacks are out there. What the LSU quarterback did in the last 2 minutes of the game was amazing and I sat there shaking my head in why Kirk continues to through out so called pocket quarterbacks that have neither speed or quickness.
Iowa is known to produce interior linemen and anyone that weighs over 300 pounds, but when was the last time the NFL came a calling to one of Iowa's "pocket quarterbacks"?
Sure, I didn't see the entire game and obviously the LSU quarterback didn't set the world on fire during the previous 58+ minutes of the game, but he had the athletic ability to get the job done to give LSU a chance to tie or win the game when it counted.
How many of Iowa's faithful can sit back an say Spencer has the ability to lead Iowa down the field from inside the opponents 10 yard line in the last 2 minutes of a game using his legs and arm to give Iowa a chance to win a game? I'll bet very few including the head coach and offensive coordinator.
Can someone tell me how many major college head coaches still rely on drop back pocket passers to run their programs? I'm again betting very few.
As someone has said previously, either the quarterback needs to be mobile to protect a bad line, or the line has to be good enough to protect a bad quarterback, how many games will it take Iowa to make the changes to one or the other before the season is just another "we're Iowa season".
Iowa is known to produce interior linemen and anyone that weighs over 300 pounds, but when was the last time the NFL came a calling to one of Iowa's "pocket quarterbacks"?
Sure, I didn't see the entire game and obviously the LSU quarterback didn't set the world on fire during the previous 58+ minutes of the game, but he had the athletic ability to get the job done to give LSU a chance to tie or win the game when it counted.
How many of Iowa's faithful can sit back an say Spencer has the ability to lead Iowa down the field from inside the opponents 10 yard line in the last 2 minutes of a game using his legs and arm to give Iowa a chance to win a game? I'll bet very few including the head coach and offensive coordinator.
Can someone tell me how many major college head coaches still rely on drop back pocket passers to run their programs? I'm again betting very few.
As someone has said previously, either the quarterback needs to be mobile to protect a bad line, or the line has to be good enough to protect a bad quarterback, how many games will it take Iowa to make the changes to one or the other before the season is just another "we're Iowa season".
Yep. Nothing but green grass in front of our RB. The defense had totally committed to the QB.
Petras airmails it.
But sure, the offense line is to blame
There's a big difference between playing guard and tackle especially in pass pro. You also have to remember our new center has to make the line calls, and we have no idea how many of the missed blocks by Stephens or Colby were them getting the wrong assignment. I don't know, but that could factor into it. Something the coaches need to get figured out, and quickly....
What is another, "were Iowa season" exactly? Lately its 9 wins and a top 25 ranking. Look I get everybodys frustration, but some of this is absurd. You'd think we hadn't had a winning season in 20 years or something. "Were Iowa season"? What does that even mean........
Padilla was bad vs MN? His % was but he threw 2TDs vs 0 INTs and averaged 8.6 YPA. Compare that with Petras vs Purdue. You know BEFORE the injury that no one has been able to identify against WISCY. 17/32 so better % but 6.1 YPA and 0TDs and 4 INTs.
I will take Padilla's outing over anything Petras has done since Maryland (who happened to be a crap defense). Padilla absolutely would have performed better than Petras. And you have ZERO evidence that Labas is better than either.
Stupid OP, how dare you take away from the smart fan narrative. “Fire everyone and everyone on the offense sucks!!!! We haven’t gotten a decent offensive recruit in decades! Charlie Jones! Fat cat! Lazy! Nepotism!”
Did I forget any?
Did I forget any?
Doesn't help that Petras has zero mobility. When a DL can pin it's ears back with no concern of protecting against a scrambling QB it makes all the difference in the world.
Well, then let me say:
Minnesota was the only game in which he threw TDs and Interceptions. You are literally cherry picking his best, which as you say, saw another low completion rate. Have you forgotten that 1 of the two TDs was KJ catching an overthrown ball, broke a tackle and took in with YAC.
You are right, we have no actual evidence that Joe is better at this point. But we do have a significant body of evidence that Padilla is not good. I am willing to gamble with the young QB. He may be bad in different ways but it is hard to see how he could be net negative to what we saw on Saturday.
You don't have significant body of evidence. Padilla took #1 snaps and prep for maybe 4 weeks of his career. He got to play in 3.5 games so far vs Petras' 21 appearances.
That's also the way Hayden played it in 1981 when we had a strong D and punter, but a lack of play-makers on O. Kirk doesn't play it that way every game, but this year it could be the best strategy given personnel.
I just think that the whole offense is something out of the 1960’s. There is virtually no imagination, compensatory plays( ran 1 screen, 1 end around and no draws, and no long passes). It’s a turtle offense that would only work if the OL could mangle the defense. Did that in 2002 and 2008- that’s 2 for 23
I think the 2004 team were averaging 3ypc with Jermelle Lewis as the healthy scholarship RB...that guy had been a 5ypc or better RB in year's prior. IT was not a good run blocking OL unit.....they got blown out at AZ and then soundly beat by Michigan ...Ironically, BF was on that OL.
After Jermelle went down, I think the walkon RB Brownlee averaged 2.2 ypc. KOK went to a pass first offense after Michigan loss and Tate bought time/made teams pay for blitzing....that wasn't a great offense, middle of the pack maybe, but they put up a lot more points than what BF has been doing last couple years. In my opinion, Tate made that team go along with Clint Solomon and give KOK credit for adapting the offense...if they had Petras, that would have been a 3-4 win team, not B1G champion and beating a tough LSU team in bowl game (thanks in part to KF bumbling the time management and Tate telling everyone to go deep on last play).
This year's offense is not very talented. Still, a QB with mobilty would get more than what Petras is providing.
A good QB takes pressure off the Oline.
A good Oline takes pressure off the QB.
In summary, we are PHUCKED.
A good Oline takes pressure off the QB.
In summary, we are PHUCKED.
When you have a poor OL, it helps to have a mobile QB. So....lets play the statue.
Also, anyone else notice that on a good majority of the running plays it looked like the OL weren't all coming off at the same time. Looked like they were a half beat away from when the ball was hiked.
Also, anyone else notice that on a good majority of the running plays it looked like the OL weren't all coming off at the same time. Looked like they were a half beat away from when the ball was hiked.
Jones had a rough game all around. I’m sure ISU noticed this as well and will be pointing this out early to the crew. Wisconsin has looked this way for years though.
With all that being true, then why TF would you not play a QB that is a bit more mobile? Padilla isn't all that, but he clearly showed more mobility and brought some energy to the position last year.
