We've Played 3 Strong Defenses

[jerbob36]

Yeah, our passing is 127th out of 133rd. Not the jump we were hoping for. At the risk of ducking tomatoes, I will offer up a few thoughts:

• OSU (1st), ISU (9th), and Minnesota (11th) are currently in the top 11 for yards given up per game. Those are great defenses. OSU game sucked all around, but we had 334 yards vs Minnesota and 303 vs ISU. The bottom line is we are breaking in a new offense against stout defenses.
• We are seeing slants/posts. These routes were hardly used at all last year. It's nice to see some vertical routes. We need to throw downfield more, but that may be on Cade's arm as much as the OL.

I feel really good about 10-2 still being a possibility. But Sullivan needs to get a few series going forward.

 

[icwesthawk]

We actually almost looked like a football team against OSU. The fumbles killed us, not like we were going to beat OSU but I thought we actually looked a lot better. UW, along with almost every other game this season, will be a make or break for the Hawks.

 

[HawksRule73]

The passing game was always going to be the laggard this season.....Lester himself even said so. His first order of business was getting a run game installed and he's done that. The passing game will come along with time, but it'll never be what we hoped/wanted it to be this season. Just not realistic when your OC doesn't get here until late Jan/early Feb and the Top 2 QBs didn't take a snap in spring ball. Let's see what happens over the course of the next 7 games.

 

[bradaf]

Yeah, our passing is 127th out of 133rd. Not the jump we were hoping for. At the risk of ducking tomatoes, I will offer up a few thoughts:

• OSU (1st), ISU (9th), and Minnesota (11th) are currently in the top 11 for yards given up per game. Those are great defenses. OSU game sucked all around, but we had 334 yards vs Minnesota and 303 vs ISU. The bottom line is we are breaking in a new offense against stout defenses.
• We are seeing slants/posts. These routes were hardly used at all last year. It's nice to see some vertical routes. We need to throw downfield more, but that may be on Cade's arm as much as the OL.

I feel really good about 10-2 still being a possibility. But Sullivan needs to get a few series going forward.

Thanks, we have so many fans that want to talk about offense without discussing the opponents defense as if they are all the same. I looked at scoring defense and Washington is #10, Nebraska #7 so we still have excellent defenses left on our schedule. Iowa is # 25 in scoring defense currently.

During the USC Minnesota game an announcer said USC was going to have to adjust to playing games in the 20s as the Big has strong defenses.

 

[IowaHawk1994]

We actually almost looked like a football team against OSU. The fumbles killed us, not like we were going to beat OSU but I thought we actually looked a lot better. UW, along with almost every other game this season, will be a make or break for the Hawks.

and lost by 4 TDs ... does this say 'we play a weak schedule without saying we play a really weak schedule'

 

[IowaHawk1994]

Thanks, we have so many fans that want to talk about offense without discussing the opponents defense as if they are all the same. I looked at scoring defense and Washington is #10, Nebraska #7 so we still have excellent defenses left on our schedule. Iowa is # 25 in scoring defense currently.

During the USC Minnesota game an announcer said USC was going to have to adjust to playing games in the 20s as the Big has strong defenses.

Big 10 teams run clock which limits possessions and play prevent D from get go limiting big plays even when way behind.
Stats are for losers.

 

[OutbackBowl2017]

Need a QB that can get the ball to a wide open Wetjen early in the tOSU game and it’s a much better looking pass game. Cade under threw him by 10 yards. Add in the ISU underthrows and you’ve got your answer regarding the passing game. Need a new qb.

 

[coorsoriginal02]

The passing game was always going to be the laggard this season.....Lester himself even said so. His first order of business was getting a run game installed and he's done that. The passing game will come along with time, but it'll never be what we hoped/wanted it to be this season. Just not realistic when your OC doesn't get here until late Jan/early Feb and the Top 2 QBs didn't take a snap in spring ball. Let's see what happens over the course of the next 7 games.

What I don’t get is…How fu*king hard is it to pass the ball?

All you idiots with “It’s his first year” or “the QBs didn’t have spring ball” yada yada bullshit.

We are going through this every. Single. Year. And we’re so bad it almost seems to be on purpose.

Kirk doesn’t have a clue about offense. Kirk needs to retire. And take that worthless George Barnett along with him.

 

[desihawk]

Need a QB that can get the ball to a wide open Wetjen early in the tOSU game and it’s a much better looking pass game. Cade under threw him by 10 yards. Add in the ISU underthrows and you’ve got your answer regarding the passing game. Need a new qb.

cade showed some pocket elusiveness to get to that point so he did something good but yes 90% of qbs probably would’ve thrown for a TD there leave alone make a better throw

 

[Hawk-A-Doodle-Doo]

Need a QB that can get the ball to a wide open Wetjen early in the tOSU game and it’s a much better looking pass game. Cade under threw him by 10 yards. Add in the ISU underthrows and you’ve got your answer regarding the passing game. Need a new qb.

Chin up, old pal. Cade's improving. Just ask Kirk.

Heck, by the time we roll into Nashville for the Music City Bowl, our 6th year senior quarterback should be a good, solid 50% of the way to being 50% of the player any competitive P4 program needs at that position. Get him three or four medical waiver years and he might get all the way to serviceable.

Before the end of this year, mark Doodle's words, he'll be slingin' the ol' pigskin 25 whole entire yards downfield with ease, and maybe even running a sub-9-second 40!

#upside

 

[HawkBall23]

Yeah, our passing is 127th out of 133rd. Not the jump we were hoping for. At the risk of ducking tomatoes, I will offer up a few thoughts:

• OSU (1st), ISU (9th), and Minnesota (11th) are currently in the top 11 for yards given up per game. Those are great defenses. OSU game sucked all around, but we had 334 yards vs Minnesota and 303 vs ISU. The bottom line is we are breaking in a new offense against stout defenses.
• We are seeing slants/posts. These routes were hardly used at all last year. It's nice to see some vertical routes. We need to throw downfield more, but that may be on Cade's arm as much as the OL.

I feel really good about 10-2 still being a possibility. But Sullivan needs to get a few series going forward.

Great defense isn't making McNamara short-arm his throws and taking TDs off the board because he couldn't hit the open guy with room to maneuver with a catchable pass or leading the open receiver into the catch & run for the score.

He's missed huge opportunities like that on at least one, most likely at least 2, in both losses this year.


The problem isn't how UNBELIEVABLY GREAT the opposing defenses are. The problem is playing a QB who can't make the throws when an easy TD is waiting and a coach who treats risk evaluation like its the plague that must be avoided at all cost.

 

[the24fan]

What I don’t get is…How fu*king hard is it to pass the ball?

All you idiots with “It’s his first year” or “the QBs didn’t have spring ball” yada yada bullshit.

We are going through this every. Single. Year. And we’re so bad it almost seems to be on purpose.

Kirk doesn’t have a clue about offense. Kirk needs to retire. And take that worthless George Barnett along with him.

 

[Zooropa_NCR]

What I don’t get is…How fu*king hard is it to pass the ball?

All you idiots with “It’s his first year” or “the QBs didn’t have spring ball” yada yada bullshit.

We are going through this every. Single. Year. And we’re so bad it almost seems to be on purpose.

Kirk doesn’t have a clue about offense. Kirk needs to retire. And take that worthless George Barnett along with him.

It’s always excuses. Other programs bring in new coaches and players, and while there can be some drop off or a learning curve it’s no where as extreme as Iowa

Next year it’ll be Sullivan is still learning the system cause it’s so complex, or he needs more game reps. Practicing really well tho !!

Rinse and repeat

 

[pistachio1999]

It’s always excuses. Other programs bring in new coaches and players, and while there can be some drop off or a learning curve it’s no where as extreme as Iowa

Next year it’ll be Sullivan is still learning the system cause it’s so complex, or he needs more game reps. Practicing really well tho !!

Rinse and repeat

Michigan cast off Cade. Northwestern cast off Sullivan. Maybe we shouldn't go after cast offs. Basically fired by their coaches.

 

[coorsoriginal02]

It’s always excuses. Other programs bring in new coaches and players, and while there can be some drop off or a learning curve it’s no where as extreme as Iowa

Next year it’ll be Sullivan is still learning the system cause it’s so complex, or he needs more game reps. Practicing really well tho !!

Rinse and repeat

It’s every single year with this stuff. At some point we should expect some of these players to actually be good.

 

[Rambler Hawk]

Michigan cast off Cade. Northwestern cast off Sullivan. Maybe we shouldn't go after cast offs. Basically fired by their coaches.

I actually love Gill, wish we had a couple more of him. But yeah, I see what you are saying…Lester was fired by a MAC program, yet the narrative is that he is an ‘NFL’ guy and we should thank our lucky stars that we were able to sign him….

 

[10kHawk]

When your QB can’t hit 100 and turn it over 3 times every game is a toss up

 

[hahkize]

Yeah, our passing is 127th out of 133rd. Not the jump we were hoping for. At the risk of ducking tomatoes, I will offer up a few thoughts:

• OSU (1st), ISU (9th), and Minnesota (11th) are currently in the top 11 for yards given up per game. Those are great defenses. OSU game sucked all around, but we had 334 yards vs Minnesota and 303 vs ISU. The bottom line is we are breaking in a new offense against stout defenses.

Yeah, ISU has a great def. They have wins over No Dak, Ark St, Houston who is 2-4 w/ wins over Rice and a 3-3 TCU squad, and Baylor who is also 2-4 w/ wins over Air Force and Tarleton St.

I feel really good about 10-2 still being a possibility. But Sullivan needs to get a few series going forward.

I've got some prime beach property along the Carolina coast I'd like to move. Interested?

 

[2D_]

Keep in mind that stats are still pretty skewed as half of the season teams have been playing against bad programs. ISU and Minnesota are definitely not top 15 defenses.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

I actually love Gill, wish we had a couple more of him. But yeah, I see what you are saying…Lester was fired by a MAC program, yet the narrative is that he is an ‘NFL’ guy and we should thank our lucky stars that we were able to sign him….

Gill is ok. But on a good passing team he's the third or fourth wr. Because it's Iowa and the passing O is bad (again) he's the best they put on the field.

 

[hawkandroll]

Dochterman often talks about "making the makeables", which this team struggles to do against legitimate competition. Year after year, no matter who the OC is, we watch the offense look like a difficult engineering project where every route takes an hour to develop and every block must be executed to perfection or the play will be a bust.

 

[Zooropa_NCR]

That’s the oddest thing to me. Every offensive series is a chore. It’s like these guys are moving in mud and the defense is flying all over the field. It’s not that way with the Iowa defense. They do seem to move with more fluidity, even with some weaknesses. Higgins is literally in on every tackle

But the offense……slow motion. How does it take our TE/WR so long to run a 5 yard out ? It’s like they’re running in place for the first 3-5 seconds and then they move forward. And we still rarely use the middle of the field. More than Brian, but it was a staple of KOK days and every other offense in the country.

It goes back to there being a seriously broken culture and system and it will not change until Kirk is gone.

 

[obfuscating]

Yeah, our passing is 127th out of 133rd. Not the jump we were hoping for. At the risk of ducking tomatoes, I will offer up a few thoughts:

• OSU (1st), ISU (9th), and Minnesota (11th) are currently in the top 11 for yards given up per game. Those are great defenses. OSU game sucked all around, but we had 334 yards vs Minnesota and 303 vs ISU. The bottom line is we are breaking in a new offense against stout defenses.
• We are seeing slants/posts. These routes were hardly used at all last year. It's nice to see some vertical routes. We need to throw downfield more, but that may be on Cade's arm as much as the OL.

I feel really good about 10-2 still being a possibility. But Sullivan needs to get a few series going forward.

What happened against the other non p4 teams?

 

[obfuscating]

Chin up, old pal. Cade's improving. Just ask Kirk.

Heck, by the time we roll into Nashville for the Music City Bowl, our 6th year senior quarterback should be a good, solid 50% of the way to being 50% of the player any competitive P4 program needs at that position. Get him three or four medical waiver years and he might get all the way to serviceable.

Before the end of this year, mark Doodle's words, he'll be slingin' the ol' pigskin 25 whole entire yards downfield with ease, and maybe even running a sub-9-second 40!

#upside

So, Cade is the Bon Jovi of college QBs...

 

[TXHCHawk]

So, Cade is the Bon Jovi of college QBs...

Checks out. My wife (no pics), thinks he’s handsome and has good hair. Too bad that doesn’t get us a functioning passing game.

Livin’ on a prayer.

 

[Hawk-A-Doodle-Doo]

So, Cade is the Bon Jovi of college QBs...

 

[Iafootballfan]

Some of you don’t have enough awareness to realize when you note strength of schedule to bring down ISU or Minnesota’s defense you are simultaneously acknowledging that our defense has been overrated for years by playing bad offenses in the B10 West.

 

[chuck285]

Yeah, our passing is 127th out of 133rd. Not the jump we were hoping for. At the risk of ducking tomatoes, I will offer up a few thoughts:

• OSU (1st), ISU (9th), and Minnesota (11th) are currently in the top 11 for yards given up per game. Those are great defenses. OSU game sucked all around, but we had 334 yards vs Minnesota and 303 vs ISU. The bottom line is we are breaking in a new offense against stout defenses.
• We are seeing slants/posts. These routes were hardly used at all last year. It's nice to see some vertical routes. We need to throw downfield more, but that may be on Cade's arm as much as the OL.

I feel really good about 10-2 still being a possibility. But Sullivan needs to get a few series going forward.

After losing to Washington this next weekend how are you going to feel/talk? We need a mobile QB. My thoughts is he's paying Cade to much money to sit on the bench or he promised him the job no matter what!!!! Time for him to go if he can't see/make the right decisions!

 

[obfuscating]

Half way there....ohhh living on a prayer...

 

[obfuscating]

Some of you don’t have enough awareness to realize when you note strength of schedule to bring down ISU or Minnesota’s defense you are simultaneously acknowledging that our defense has been overrated for years by playing bad offenses in the B10 West.

Which has shown when we play the big boys...127-7 in those games.

 

[Rambler Hawk]

Gill is ok. But on a good passing team he's the third or fourth wr. Because it's Iowa and the passing O is bad (again) he's the best they put on the field.

Don’t disagree at all….I have been saying that for years. There was one season not long ago where Indiana’s second string WRs could run circles around our starters…How could a program known for TEs be so clueless when it comes to recruiting WRs? And yes, I realize that crappy QBs and OLs are all interconnected…😎

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

It's also worth noting that Washington has a top defense statistically, particularly in scoring defense.

First to 21 this weekend is the winner, albeit the Huskies are actually trending upward on offense compared to Iowa.......

 

[83Hawk]

That’s the oddest thing to me. Every offensive series is a chore. It’s like these guys are moving in mud and the defense is flying all over the field. It’s not that way with the Iowa defense. They do seem to move with more fluidity, even with some weaknesses. Higgins is literally in on every tackle

But the offense……slow motion. How does it take our TE/WR so long to run a 5 yard out ? It’s like they’re running in place for the first 3-5 seconds and then they move forward. And we still rarely use the middle of the field. More than Brian, but it was a staple of KOK days and every other offense in the country.

It goes back to there being a seriously broken culture and system and it will not change until Kirk is gone.

Iowa just hasn’t had many playmakers at QB/WR in several years, either because of recruiting or coaching (or a combination of both).

It seems like most programs…even mid majors…have better talent at those positions than the Hawks. I find it difficult to believe that Iowa can’t recruit them, which leads me to believe Kirk doesn’t WANT those types of players. The Hawks have had talented QB’s and WR’s in the past, but Kirk has grown so conservative the past several years it gives the APPEARANCE of being so scared of making a mistake that he has shut the offense down. That would explain why the offense has been so consistently bad.

I don’t know what the real issue is, but it *is* an issue. A serious one. This year is shaping up to be underachieving and disappointing (in relation to preseason expectations). Next year the schedule becomes more difficult and the team loses a LOT of starters. Fan displeasure will grow as the losses increase, especially if the offense continues to struggle.

Kirk is at risk of tarnishing his legacy. If this (and the next few seasons) show continued decline, that is what fans will remember due to recency bias. 2002-2010 will be mostly forgotten. Fans will remember the horrible offense and being blown out by ranked teams.

Kirk won’t be fired, but I hope he has the sense to step away before he loses the goodwill he has left.

 

[thunderstruck1]

What I don’t get is…How fu*king hard is it to pass the ball?

All you idiots with “It’s his first year” or “the QBs didn’t have spring ball” yada yada bullshit.

We are going through this every. Single. Year. And we’re so bad it almost seems to be on purpose.

Kirk doesn’t have a clue about offense. Kirk needs to retire. And take that worthless George Barnett along with him.

You don't hunt or shoot clays, do you? How about this, pay your kids or the neighbors kids to ride mopeds past your house while you try and hit them with nerf footballs. Just kidding do not try that at home! (all thou that is only one on axis of a straight line in front of you) . Hitting moving targets is not as easy as some think. Remember those games they used to have at walmart? The one where the lights light up going around in the same direction at the same exact speed and yet very few can get it to stop at the exact right light?? That's called timing, because if you are not hitting the button early, you will never get it to stop at the right time. So obviously timing is not easier either. So I don't know how hard it is to pass the ball at the D1 level, I have never tried it, but I bet it is harder then most think, when most people can not perform a task with only one axis of movement with a constant speed.

 

[Zooropa_NCR]

You don't hunt do you? How about this, pay your kids or the neighbors kids to ride mopeds past your house while you try and hit them with nerf footballs. (all thou that is only one on axis of a straight line in front of you) . Hitting moving targets is not as easy as some think. Remember those games they used to have at walmart? The one where the lights light up going around in the same direction at the same exact speed and yet very few can get it to stop at the exact right light?? That's called timing, because if you are not hitting the button early, you will never get it to stop at the right time. So obviously timing is not easier either. So I don't know how hard it is to pass the ball at the D1 level, I have never tried it, but I bet it is harder then most think.

everyone at this level has been playing football since they were little kids.

We aren’t pulling frat boys out of the stands and saying go complete a pass

The question is why is it SO hard for Iowa to play offense when every other team (maybe outside of Northwestern) can complete a forward pass and score points ?

its the coaching and scheme. Kirk has beaten the fun and imagination out of the program and this is what we get. 15 play drives for 35 yards and punt

 

[jerbob36]

What happened against the other non p4 teams?

462 yards vs Illinois St
492 vs Troy

 

[thunderstruck1]

everyone at this level has been playing football since they were little kids.

We aren’t pulling frat boys out of the stands and saying go complete a pass

The question is why is it SO hard for Iowa to play offense when every other team (maybe outside of Northwestern) can complete a forward pass and score points ?

its the coaching and scheme. Kirk has beaten the fun and imagination out of the program and this is what we get. 15 play drives for 35 yards and punt

Same reason why true freshman do not start at any program very often I suppose, even if they have been playing all their lives. It takes time to develop into the next level. By your standards and knowing how much time we have had the entire team working on this together it takes less then 10 weeks, well you are entitled to that opinion I guess. But by that logic we or anyone should be able to take an entire class of true freshman and practice them together for 10 weeks and go compete with a finished product in a power 4 conference, just because they have been doing it all their lives and had 10 weeks together to perform.
What you should be asking yourself is not why our passing game is not up to snuff after 10 weeks, but rather why our lines have had years together and are not dominating. Oh they are improved and they are not bad, but how can teams with lines with half the experience even compete with our lines??? Only two possible answers to all these questions you and I propose. It's either lack of talent and recruiting misses or it's coaching. Since we have proven before with basically the same coaches, except on OL that we can have dominate lines, I am going to say it is recruiting misses. We simply do not have 1 or 2 standouts on the OL and in the years we had dominate OL's we had that. Think about our passing game over the years, when we had a DJK or Mc Nutt. We either need to recruit some that are ready to come in and play or we have to develop them, but either way a stand our or 2 in every room has historically decided how that room was going to perform.

 

[Beattheohiostate]

"We've played three strong defenses."

That should be illegal. Iowa should only have to play terrible, poor, middle school defenses . . . you know, to match the Iowa offense. LOL

 

[intrepodor]

Chin up, old pal. Cade's improving. Just ask Kirk.

Heck, by the time we roll into Nashville for the Music City Bowl, our 6th year senior quarterback should be a good, solid 50% of the way to being 50% of the player any competitive P4 program needs at that position. Get him three or four medical waiver years and he might get all the way to serviceable.

Before the end of this year, mark Doodle's words, he'll be slingin' the ol' pigskin 25 whole entire yards downfield with ease, and maybe even running a sub-9-second 40!

#upside

I like the way you think.

 

[thunderstruck1]

Let me finish the thread title for you, we have played 3 strong and ranked pretty highly defenses with new OC, a new system and with only having the entire team together for 10 weeks. If that does not give perspective, idk what will.