The Tim Lester Effect. More Scoring (15.4 PPG in 2023; 29.4 PPG in 2024). 3rd Down Conversions: 29% in 2023 (129th); 45% in 2024 (37th)
- Thread starter Franisdaman
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What a beautiful drive - I'm on the TL train
That motion on the Moulton run was truly impressive. Split second timing on the fake end around and hand off. Truly a thing of beauty.
This is what (finally) a real OC is supposed to do. Figure out ways to not have to block all 11 guys on defense on every play. Fool some of them and block the rest. The timing was perfect.
For the first time in years there aren't 6 guys waiting for the RB when he gets to the LOS.
To be honest--and you could look it up--that's what some of us have been asking for these many long years. MISDIRECTION!
Because, yes, you don't have to block everyone perfectly on every play to move the damn ball. Most people know that. KF and BF, unfortunately, do not. Now imagine--it's not so hard to do--that a mobile, running QB was in charge. You know, somebody like Brendan Sullivan. Then the defense ALSO would have to account for the QB, and then things would REALLY open up, for the passing game as well as the running game.
But at least this is an offense with a plan, and that plan is getting better despite the one-dimensional nature of the QB operating it. Misdirection is a beautiful thing.
Now Lester has to figure out how to score from the ONE every . . . damn . . . time.
Lester is no dummy. He has all but abandoned the pass with his dead armed QB and no receivers. I’d like to see a game without a pass attempt to be honest.
Even the ref was confused, didn't know who had the ball, and then suddenly was in the way
Michigan went an entire half last year against a very good Penn St team w/out throwing a pass. At Happy Valley.
Timing has improved no doubt. The pass to #7 was a dagger and was right in stride right over a DL's hand.
Not only from the ONE YARD LINE; also from the THREE.
Losing at home 20-19 to now #9 ranked Clown U was embarrassing & is gonna haunt this Iowa team
These two FIRST AND GOAL situations in the 1st half where Iowa settled for a FG were killers.
Instead of being up 21-0 at halftime, Iowa was up just 13-0.
(1) At the start of the 2nd Qtr, with Iowa up 7-0, Iowa had 1st & Goal at the Clown ONE-yd line. On 1st down, Moulton lost 3 yds. Cade, on 2nd and 3rd down, threw incomplete and on 4th and goal from the 4, Iowa settled for a 23 yd FG and a 10-0 lead.
(2) With 1:30 left in the 2nd Qtr, Iowa had 1st & Goal at the Clown THREE-yd line. On 1st down, Cade threw incomplete. On 2nd down, Leshon ran for no gain. On 3rd down, Cade threw incomplete. On 4th and goal from the 3, Iowa settled for a 21 yd FG and a 13-0 lead.
Iowa State 20-19 Iowa (Sep 7, 2024) Play-by-Play - ESPN
Play-by-play action for the Iowa State Cyclones vs. Iowa Hawkeyes NCAAF game from September 7, 2024 on ESPN.
Imagine we win out and that damn last second field is what keeps us out of CFP.Not only from the ONE YARD LINE; also from the THREE.
Losing at home 20-19 to now #9 ranked Clown U was embarrassing & is gonna haunt this Iowa team
These two FIRST AND GOAL situations in the 1st half where Iowa settled for a FG were killers.
Instead of being up 21-0 at halftime, Iowa was up just 13-0.
(1) At the start of the 2nd Qtr, with Iowa up 7-0, Iowa had 1st & Goal at the Clown ONE-yd line. On 1st down, Moulton lost 3 yds. Cade, on 2nd and 3rd down, threw incomplete and on 4th and goal from the 4, Iowa settled for a 23 yd FG and a 10-0 lead.
(2) With 1:30 left in the 2nd Qtr, Iowa had 1st & Goal at the Clown THREE-yd line. On 1st down, Cade threw incomplete. On 2nd down, Leshon ran for no gain. On 3rd down, Cade threw incomplete. On 4th and goal from the 3, Iowa settled for a 21 yd FG and a 13-0 lead.
Iowa State 20-19 Iowa (Sep 7, 2024) Play-by-Play - ESPN
Play-by-play action for the Iowa State Cyclones vs. Iowa Hawkeyes NCAAF game from September 7, 2024 on ESPN.www.espn.com
With the chaos each week in college football I'd say 10-2 iowa would still be in the mix. But yes good point and that would be gut wrenching. Iowa state will drop like a rock after their first loss.
I think they would have to be taking 4 Big Ten teams then we probably would get in as the 4th. Assume only 3 go though.
I don't think that Iowa deserves to be in the CFP this year (at least, not yet) ... the D hasn't been up to that level yet. Furthermore, our passing game hasn't either. This teams has a WAYS to go before they deserve to be in that convo.
Agree. We will have zero top 25 wins even if we win out with the possible exception being Nebby if they keep winning.
I think it would be glorious to kick the shit out of sconnie without attempting a pass. Nothing else short of the playoffs would be a more satisfying moment the rest of this season.
I would agree,... Win out and perhaps be a mention, but certainly not a selection.
Yes, I have been yelling for more counter play/misdirection since maybe 2006-7 when KOK was here. KOK had his waggle and his bootlegs and the outside zone can be a bend it back blocking scheme. But some really good hard misdirection is great.
That's why misdirection is so effective, and why NOT using it for lo these many seasons has been SO frustrating. Some of those plays yesterday were similar to what Knute Rockne ran a century ago. Check out the videos. And not unlike what Nile Kinnick himself used to run. It's not new, but it still works. And man is it fun to play like that and to watch the results. Iowa is only scratching the surface, and look what's happening.
Agreed, PSU as of now would be the 3rd, unless it drops at least two games and/or OSU gets upset late in year.
Yes, which is really a testament to our defense and their Top Ten rankings in points allowed.
Nebby won't keep winning. They'll be lucky to end up .500 in conference.
It’s because Lester’s playcalling on first and second down is head and shoulders above Brian’s. And it’s not even close. Third down is never about third down… It’s always about what happened on first and second down…
That was sexy af!
Beautiful play, that's like a trick play or something compared to what we were used too. 🤣
And a BIG F U to you too, Mr. Real CFB fan!!!
Signed, Brian Ferentz
Genuinely impressive stat. Going from the bottom 5 teams to top 40 could be considered a miracle. And I think the offense will only continue to get better. More reps, more time practicing and learning Lester's scheme, etc. will only make the offense better. I still think Sully works way better with this scheme, but we can only hope Cade can become more accurate as time goes on. But being in top 50% of converting on third downs is huge for this offense.
Imagine what it could look like if Cade could actually throw the ball
on a related not have we forgiven kf for hiring lester over kevin johns (setting aside chip kelly for now)
To be fair, it was more like 2. Thru the first 6 games in 2021, we were 6-0, ranked #2, and were avg’ing 31 ppg. Then the bottom fell out the back half of that year, then 2022 and 2023 happened (nearly DFL in all offensive stats). He should have been relieved after the 2022 season.
Go back and look at those scores again. Iowas defense forced 20 turnovers and scored 3TD in those 6 games. The only game where Iowas offense looked good was against Maryland, which is much easier when the defense forces 7 TOs and tees up TD drives of 10, 26, and 45 yards. It was the only time that entire season Iowas offense scored 30+ points. This list includes Kent state and Colorado state in the first half of the season, during that 31ppg run.
The offense has largely been a turd since 2020. And now at least we have a guy committed to being exceptional in at least one phase.
Forgiven. Lester is who I hoped he would be. The offense is getting better each game, minus the OSU game.
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