The offense, out of the gate

[ChrisShivers]

I don't know what to make of the offense this year. I feel optimistic about Stanley, but worry about how the o-line will protect him, especially being short handed in the opener against a solid NIU defense. Second, I worry about the WRs being able to get separation and make big plays. NIU is going to challenge Iowa WRs to beat them deep.

Guess we'll find out soon enough, but anyone else worry the opener could be a low scoring punt fest?

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

We're going to crush NIU. Take it to the bank and cash it.

 

[Roy-munson]

Outside of one player, is the rest of niu defense solid???

 

[ChrisShivers]

I think on the whole, NIU's defense is very solid, and I am worried that Iowa's o-line holds up.

 

[HawkDude1978]

Sutton Smith will be a problem, but I think we'll just shut him down by chipping him with a TE/RB all game. Should be fine, but then again we don't exactly light the world on fire out of the gate very often....

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I don't know what to make of the offense this year. I feel optimistic about Stanley, but worry about how the o-line will protect him, especially being short handed in the opener against a solid NIU defense. Second, I worry about the WRs being able to get separation and make big plays. NIU is going to challenge Iowa WRs to beat them deep.

Guess we'll find out soon enough, but anyone else worry the opener could be a low scoring punt fest?

From what I've been able to gather about NIU, their D is much like our own. Their biggest returning strength is arguably on the DL and at S. However, they DID lose some fire-power at CB and LB. Their DL is also built a little differently than ours - they rely more upon speed and quickness to be disruptive rather than size and strength (although their DTs have pretty decent size).

I anticipate that Stanley will make good decisions with the ball - and be efficient for the Hawks. Yes ... I believe that NIU will try to get pressure on him ... thus, Stanley likely won't have a lot of time for longer pass-routes to develop. However, I expect that the Stanley will try to test the NIU DBs ... especially to keep their safeties back. Furthermore, I expect the Hawks will mix in plenty of pass-looks to the TEs, RBs, and possibly even to the FBs. Those considerations will make it a lot harder for NIU's LBs and Ss to come downhill against the run.

And that then leads to bottom line ... the Hawks WILL try to pound the rock ... and they'll likely try to go right at the DEs too. It's important to not that Iowa's TEs are bigger than NIU's DEs. Thus, while they'll certainly try to work the inside zone some ... my expectation is that the outside zone might have a real chance to be successful against NIU's D. As Iowa fans ... we all know how our outside zone plays really makes the opposing D pursue heavily to the side where the play is heading. This ought to lead to significant opportunities - both for backside screen passes (most likely to TEs) and counter-runs.

Nebraska nearly passed for 300 yards against the Huskies ... but also had 3 INTs to show for it (2 of which were pick-sixes). If Stanley passes for 300 yards ... he'll have TDs to show for it.

I won't be so bold as to claim that Iowa rolls NIU ... however, even with the suspensions, I like Iowa's chances to win this one.

 

[David1979]

Outside of one player, is the rest of niu defense solid???

Solid but they lost a lot from last year's defense and they are now down a starting DE. So I don't their D will be as good as they were last year.

 

[HawkIDrummer]

Sutton Smith will be a problem, but I think we'll just shut him down by chipping him with a TE/RB all game. Should be fine, but then again we don't exactly light the world on fire out of the gate very often....

So, a lot of 2 TE sets?

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

Solid but they lost a lot from last year's defense and they are now down a starting DE. So I don't their D will be as good as they were last year.

Who is the injured DE? I haven't read anything about Corcoran getting injured.

 

[Hawktimism]

There is a thread on their message boards that he has a busted foot. He's out at least until their conference games.

https://csnbbs.com/thread-854926.html

 

[David1979]

Who is the injured DE? I haven't read anything about Corcoran getting injured.

Yeah, Corcoran has a broken foot. https://csnbbs.com/thread-854926.htmlhttps://csnbbs.com/thread-854926.html

 

[DodgerHawki]

Outside of one player, is the rest of niu defense solid???

Good defense. Watched most of their game with Nebraska last year and part of a couple of others. They will likely give Iowa some fits at times. Better defense than Iowa will see out of half the Big Ten teams on the schedule. They are good at forcing turnovers and creating tackles for loss.

Good news is that Iowa likely won't need many points to win the game, NIU's offense will have trouble scoring on Iowa.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

There is a thread on their message boards that he has a busted foot. He's out at least until their conference games.

https://csnbbs.com/thread-854926.html

Thanks for the info ... given the info supplied by their "insider" ... it seems like good info. They're saying that a kid name Lorbeck is likely to be their next man in.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

Good defense. Watched most of their game with Nebraska last year and part of a couple of others. They will likely give Iowa some fits at times. Better defense than Iowa will see out of half the Big Ten teams on the schedule. They are good at forcing turnovers and creating tackles for loss.

Good news is that Iowa likely won't need many points to win the game, NIU's offense will have trouble scoring on Iowa.

I think that we have to be careful about assumptions drawn from their play last year. I expect that their O will be much improved from last year - especially given that their QB situation is settled and they return a QB who is an unquestioned #1. They return some good WRs. Also, their QB is mobile ... so that dual threat could give us fits.

As for on D ... they rotate a lot of guys ... so they have a lot of guys with experience. However, I also expect that their D will be taking a slight step backward from last season. But, just as you said ... their D will still be very good.

 

[David1979]

I don't expect their offense to be much better. Their QB sucks. They lost 2 of their 3 top receivers, their top RB and their #1 TE. They do have really good OTs. But not worried about their offense.
You also have to look at their defense last year in the context of who they played. They had the advantage of playing some of the worst teams in college football to pad their stats. Good offenses didn't have a problem moving the ball against them even half-way decent ones didn't have that much of a problem.

Bowling Green, Kent State, Buffalo, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Michigan. Those teams are pretty bad and then you factor in that Northern did not beat a team with a winning record and I think this team is being overrated.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I don't expect their offense to be much better. Their QB sucks. They lost 2 of their 3 top receivers, their top RB and their #1 TE. They do have really good OTs. But not worried about their offense.
You also have to look at their defense last year in the context of who they played. They had the advantage of playing some of the worst teams in college football to pad their stats. Good offenses didn't have a problem moving the ball against them even half-way decent ones didn't have that much of a problem.

Bowling Green, Kent State, Buffalo, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Michigan. Those teams are pretty bad and then you factor in that Northern did not beat a team with a winning record and I think this team is being overrated.

As my broken-record is about to re-play ....

.. the thing about young players is that they can develop and improve. We, as fans, have a bad habit of statically casting our view of players. However, except in the context of college players who are capable of making such improvements ...

 

[David1979]

As my broken-record is about to re-play ....

.. the thing about young players is that they can develop and improve. We, as fans, have a bad habit of statically casting our view of players. However, except in the context of college players who are capable of making such improvements ...

Oh of course they can improve. I never said they can't.

 

[Harbinger273]

NIU does have an OL rated fairly well in pass blocking, but one man does not make a unit.

 

[David1979]

Another note on NIU. They have a new DC this year. Their DC left for SMU and they promoted their LB coach to DC.

 

[David1979]

Sutton Smith seems to be a rather confident young man “If I won the Heisman, that would be a perfect year,”

 

[blhawk]

I worry about low scoring punt fests any time a ferentz-led offense takes the field.