New Story Still More Questions Than Answers In QB Competition
- Thread starter Adam Jacobi
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Have you seen our line? They would still miss blocks.
Maybe Phil Parker needs to be the first OC/DC in college football.
And yet posters here were constantly slamming a guy who threw for 8800yds and 65-70 tds. Like to have the guy back now? This was brought up when he was graduating. We'd only appreciate NS when he was gone. Sad but true...
Captain Kirk had Hill in there. Need I say more?
I don't expect the offense to wow anybody. I believe it will still suck.
I don't expect the offense to wow anybody. I believe it will still suck.
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Was really hoping that Cade would have a breakout year....this speaks to maybe that not happening. I guess I just want the best guy out there.IOWA CITY — Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz press appearances are like jazz: they're notable for the things he doesn't say.
At Iowa's annual Media Day Friday, the first question Ferentz received was about the QB situation. With just 22 days until the season opener against Illinois State, if there's a clear answer at QB1, Ferentz isn't eager to let it on.
"It's like all positions, we'll make decisions here as we go along," said Ferentz. "But the room overall is a lot more competitive than it was certainly at the end of last year, last December. That was the goal: try to get a room where you've got good competition."
The less said about last season's QB room the better, of course. Few need the reminder. While Iowa's current quarterback situation in and of itself certainly makes the offense more competitive than 2023's version, most coaches would likely prefer more certainty. And though Ferentz didn't give any indication that Sullivan's ahead on the depth chart at this point, he didn't do much to tamp down expectations for his transfer quarterback from Northwestern either.
"We're eight days into [camp] right now, so not making any proclamations other than he's done a really great job," Ferentz said of Sullivan. "He's off to a great start, and he's a good athlete and he's versatile. Seems to be really poised under pressure, and he's feeling some pressure — like he's getting it from the defense. So it's good to watch guys react."
Still More Questions Than Answers In QB Competition
With three weeks before the start of the season, does Iowa have a clear QB1? If so, Kirk Ferentz isn't letting on.iowa.rivals.com
It’s the most important position in any offense.
True, and yet so reliant on the players around them to be successful. Here's hoping the pieces come together in the next three weeks.....
I've said for many years now that Iowa will not have a good offense as long as Kirk is here. Now with Lester here, lip service to being more aggressive, and retirement looming, this is his last chance to prove me wrong.
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The argument against that would be for the punter, since Tory had about 1,200 yards more than the offense last year!
What’ll be funny to read is if Iowa does improve on offense. Better blocking, good routes, maybe >55% completion rate….but the team loses a few games despite the Better production
We’ll hear that Iowa can’t win unless they are putrid on offense. Its not how Kirk schemes and is successful
Damn it why weren't they all 100% in practice #8? If they were then we would all freak out the defense was in trouble!
Nobody noted it was the first practice with refs and there were so many penalties Kirk ran out of paper.
It’s already happened. A poster who I won’t name tried to argue last year the Iowa would win FEWER games with a better offense….for the reason you stated (there were more in his long winded posts, but that was the gist of it).
We haven't seen anything from Cade to indicate he can be anything but average at Iowa.
Surrounded by the talent that Michigan typically assembles, yeah, he did well.
As others have mentioned, 2024 is probably another defense/ST to win games.
Odds of having Cade make it thru the season are monumentally small.
Surrounded by the talent that Michigan typically assembles, yeah, he did well.
As others have mentioned, 2024 is probably another defense/ST to win games.
Odds of having Cade make it thru the season are monumentally small.
I do believe that Lester came to Iowa with an assurance that it was his offense to run, his personnel to choose (at least the skill positions). He fit Kirk's profile of wanting a "balanced" offense, but beyond that, I don't think Lester comes to Iowa if he's bound to run what Kirk wants him to run. Unlike Greg Davis, for whom Iowa was his last stop, and Brian, who was more than happy to fill the role he wasn't ready for, Lester is too young to allow himself to be boxed in by Kirk controlling, top to bottom, the offense. That's how I see it. So, I remain cautiously optimistic that the offense will be noticeably improved this year, as it will be Lester's offense, not Kirk's. We'll see the first signs of it, one way or the other, in less than 3 weeks.
I agree with this sentiment 100%. Lester had NFL opportunities that he turned down to come here. That wouldn't happen unless he was 100% sure that KF would let him run his offense and his plays. Obviously KF has final veto if it's, say, 3rd and long deep in our own end and Lester wants to dial up a deep post, and KF says, "Run it and let's get them on the next possession." But from everything that folks have seen in open practices and kids day, this offense is Lester's.
The facts don't fit your "Narrative"....
2001 - 400 ypg and 32 ppg
2002 - 425 ypg and 37 ppg
2005 - 430 ypg and 30 ppg
2008 - 370 ygp and 30 ppg
2010 - 380 ypg and 29 ppg
2011 - 370 ypg and 28 ppg
2014 - 400 ypg and 28 ppg
2015 - 390 ypg and 31 ppg
2017 - 375 ypg and 31 ppg
2020 - 370 ypg and 32 ppg
I know we've sucked ass on O for the last 2.5 years (first half of 2021 was good), but to say "Iowa will not have a good offense as long as Kirk is here" just isn't true.
Add do that Banks wasn't even a QB initially in juco either. I think he started out as a WR. He was still pretty raw when he got to Iowa and he needed that year to get acclamated.
Four times in the top 50. Sixteen times below 75th. Hasn't been in the top half since 2010.
| 2000 | 104th | 116 | 305.8 |
| 2001 | 45th | 117 | 398.5 |
| 2002 | 13th | 117 | 424.5 |
| 2003 | 92nd | 117 | 334.1 |
| 2004 | 104th | 120 | 312.7 |
| 2005 | 22nd | 119 | 432.4 |
| 2006 | 27th | 119 | 383.3 |
| 2007 | 109th | 119 | 316.3 |
| 2008 | 53rd | 119 | 370.4 |
| 2009 | 89th | 120 | 336.3 |
| 2010 | 57th | 120 | 382.9 |
| 2011 | 76th | 120 | 372.5 |
| 2012 | 117th | 124 | 310.4 |
| 2013 | 84th | 125 | 377.0 |
| 2014 | 63rd | 123 | 400.1 |
| 2015 | 72nd | 128 | 386.1 |
| 2016 | 121st | 128 | 325.0 |
| 2017 | 117th | 130 | 329.1 |
| 2018 | 92nd | 130 | 375.0 |
| 2019 | 99th | 130 | 366.5 |
| 2020 | 88th | 128 | 368.6 |
| 2021 | 121st | 130 | 303.9 |
| 2022 | 130th | 131 | 251.5 |
| 2023 | 133rd | 133 | 246.3 |
In which we lost by far our 2 best players from.
We are never gonna be top half in yards due to our desire to play ball control on O and “bend don’t break” on D. But each of those years I quoted we avg’d over 28ppg and had great efficiency numbers (ie PPP, etc). If your measure of a great offense is simply ypg, then yes, you’re gonna be disappointed more often than not.
We play a game of field position, Tory Taylor and Cooper Dejean were masters at flipping the field for extra yards that our offense could not get on its own. Count me as skeptical as to where those special teams yards are going to come from this year.
That's 10/25 seasons. What about the others?
Now this here is a more complete picture. You're right, HawkRule, we aren't ever going to be a statistical giant. We don't need to be, and I personally don't care to be. But bottom half in the nation is not acceptable for a Big Ten team in my book. And we're nine years running in the bottom half.
Nine. Years. And if Circa or whoever posted a wager on whether Iowa would make it ten this season, you can bet the farm.
I'd probably go with a truly dominant pitcher in baseball. A QB still needs good blocking and someone to catch those passes, run the ball etc... While a great pitcher still needs a defense behind, if he's a HOF level pitcher he can dominate games where very few players even put the ball in play.
Maybe in softball, but a QB is more important than a dominant starting pitcher. That pitcher only affects 20% of the games.
In a 162 game schedule, a starting pitcher only gets in maybe 33 or so games a year - IF he stays healthy. A starting QB influences every single game the team plays. Now if a baseball team only played 1 or 2 times a week, I would probably agree with you.
"Suck less", we improved in OC and have a very viable backup QB now with BIG experience.
We are still 2 yrs away from TL having "his" guys. I'll get through this year with a 1op 100 offense, then it needs to start making jumps to be in the top 50 to compliemnt PP's Defense.
"Bend don't break" gives more chances for longer drives(yards), so it illustrates a less than stellar ability to sustain long drives and convert 3rd downs. I trust my eyes. I seem to remember many times KOK failing to convert a potential game sealing 3rd down and having to trust the defense yet again. How many of those points did the defense and special teams score or set up?
