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Will this Hawk OLine solve Wisky's 3-4-4 defense?

uihawk82

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Nov 17, 2021
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This always seems to be the question and a main deciding factor when Iowa plays Wisconsin. Over the last 12 years including the 2010 game, Wisconsin's defense has really kept Iowa's offense under control and even stifled them in many games. As you know Wisky has odd blitz and pass rush packages, somewhat like ISU, where our Oline is never sure where the 4th rusher is coming from.

And the blocks the hawks need to make at the second level in the run game are much different. Iowa's run game is usually blunted by Wisky which leaves it to the passing game, which many times just doesnt do it.

Now this year's Oline has been very underwhelming so will they be able to get the run game going, which is a must.

In the last 10 years when Wisky has a 8-2 record against Iowa, the hawks havent scored much.

So the defense will have to play great shutting down Allen while the Iowa OLine will need to play at least an average game to get some points, use up some clock to give the defense rest, and to make Wisky go a long field to even kick a FG.

I think the hawks have momentum, feel confident, and will win.
 
Keys to the 3-4 are hitting a couple of deep shots and your OL being able to get to the second level and sustain those blocks. Iowa has gotten killed by not recognizing the front and blitzers against this style of D. Need to be good on the hot routes as well as change your snap count.
 
This always seems to be the question and a main deciding factor when Iowa plays Wisconsin. Over the last 12 years including the 2010 game, Wisconsin's defense has really kept Iowa's offense under control and even stifled them in many games. As you know Wisky has odd blitz and pass rush packages, somewhat like ISU, where our Oline is never sure where the 4th rusher is coming from.

And the blocks the hawks need to make at the second level in the run game are much different. Iowa's run game is usually blunted by Wisky which leaves it to the passing game, which many times just doesnt do it.

Now this year's Oline has been very underwhelming so will they be able to get the run game going, which is a must.

In the last 10 years when Wisky has a 8-2 record against Iowa, the hawks havent scored much.

So the defense will have to play great shutting down Allen while the Iowa OLine will need to play at least an average game to get some points, use up some clock to give the defense rest, and to make Wisky go a long field to even kick a FG.

I think the hawks have momentum, feel confident, and will win.
I feel confident, but I've been confident before. And it turned out badly. Thought Iowa really outplayed Badgers in 2018, when Wisconsin had a very good team. Two turnovers on punts changed the entire game.

If the offense just does SOMETHING and Iowa doesn't commit gaffes on special teams/big turnovers (2+), they will be right in the game. The Badgers are playing much better since Leohnard took over, so I see the path to victory being the Iowa defense has a game-turning play or two, the offense does at least something and special teams at least holds its own.
 
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Doesn't seem like this is the line to "solve" anything. If they can fight the front seven to come out about even, that would be a huge win for Iowa.

But they're improving and growing. I'm pretty optimistic about this game.

See you all there, its gonna be cold.
 
I’ll believe it when I see it. Not being negative - just knowing how much they’ve given us fits over the last number of years, I’m reserved in my optimism that this is the offensive unit that will solve it. Their defense isn’t their typical D this year either, tho, so it’s not unthinkable especially with our O playing better recently. I am definitely excited to find out!
 
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This always seems to be the question and a main deciding factor when Iowa plays Wisconsin. Over the last 12 years including the 2010 game, Wisconsin's defense has really kept Iowa's offense under control and even stifled them in many games. As you know Wisky has odd blitz and pass rush packages, somewhat like ISU, where our Oline is never sure where the 4th rusher is coming from.

And the blocks the hawks need to make at the second level in the run game are much different. Iowa's run game is usually blunted by Wisky which leaves it to the passing game, which many times just doesnt do it.

Now this year's Oline has been very underwhelming so will they be able to get the run game going, which is a must.

In the last 10 years when Wisky has a 8-2 record against Iowa, the hawks havent scored much.

So the defense will have to play great shutting down Allen while the Iowa OLine will need to play at least an average game to get some points, use up some clock to give the defense rest, and to make Wisky go a long field to even kick a FG.

I think the hawks have momentum, feel confident, and will win.
I’ve never felt it was the 3-4 being the issue. They perfected the ability to hold our tight ends without it being called thus taking away our primary passing threat.
 
I don't think they have a 1st round type running back any more like they used to. I think that matters more.
 
I’ve never felt it was the 3-4 being the issue. They perfected the ability to hold our tight ends without it being called thus taking away our primary passing threat.
Well our TEnds just need to be tougher, hammer back on the guy holding them, try to make a cut and throw up your arms to get a call.

It is just like jNW which has been holding on offensive line since Barnett was there but they do not get called that often. I always thought there was a somewhat subconscious aspect with the refs because jNW had been bad for decades but then they started winning enough that that aspect should go away.
 
What has BF offense averaged (i.e. without defensive scores) the last 3 or 4 years since that disastrous trip to Wisconsin after the OSU win?

This is not a vintage Wisconsin defense and iowa run game has shown a pulse thanks to KJ...so my guess is 13pts from the offense...if the defense scores a TD then maybe Iowa pulls out a close win at Kinnick.
 
I don't think they have a 1st round type running back any more like they used to. I think that matters more.
What? They have two good running backs. Allen is a stud, Guerendo is good as well. Mertz isn’t quite as bad as Petras is, so if they can run the ball they will win.
 
I’ve never felt it was the 3-4 being the issue. They perfected the ability to hold our tight ends without it being called thus taking away our primary passing threat.
Hello. How do you think Hawks slow down Purdue and OhioSt for awhile. It's how it is done.
 
We can likely score on the Badger defense,.. not so sure they can score on ours.
Iowa's offense A) has provided 11.2 points / game over the last 5 years against Wisconsin and B) currently holds the 129th spot for total offense.

Wisconsin has the 23rd ranked defense.

In other words, you're probably spot on with your assessment.............
 
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Iowa's offense A) has provided 11.2 points / game over the last 5 years against Wisconsin and B) currently holds the 129th spot for total offense.

Wisconsin has the 23rd ranked defense.

In other words, you're probably spot on with your assessment...
Could this game be 0-0 going into the first overtime ?
 
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What? They have two good running backs. Allen is a stud, Guerendo is good as well. Mertz isn’t quite as bad as Petras is, so if they can run the ball they will win.
Wisconsin's offense will struggle mightily. Iowa's offense will struggle mightily. With that said, this is not the usual Wisconsin D that we have seen over the last decade. They are good but probably only the 6th best B1G defense after Iowa, Michigan, OSU, Illinois, and Penn State. Purdue has a better offense than Wisconsin and we saw what happened there. I like Iowa's defense better than Wiscy so maybe a 13-10 style slobberknocker for the good guys.
 
This always seems to be the question and a main deciding factor when Iowa plays Wisconsin. Over the last 12 years including the 2010 game, Wisconsin's defense has really kept Iowa's offense under control and even stifled them in many games. As you know Wisky has odd blitz and pass rush packages, somewhat like ISU, where our Oline is never sure where the 4th rusher is coming from.

And the blocks the hawks need to make at the second level in the run game are much different. Iowa's run game is usually blunted by Wisky which leaves it to the passing game, which many times just doesnt do it.

Now this year's Oline has been very underwhelming so will they be able to get the run game going, which is a must.

In the last 10 years when Wisky has a 8-2 record against Iowa, the hawks havent scored much.

So the defense will have to play great shutting down Allen while the Iowa OLine will need to play at least an average game to get some points, use up some clock to give the defense rest, and to make Wisky go a long field to even kick a FG.

I think the hawks have momentum, feel confident, and will win.
Yes, because f*** Wisconsin, that's why.....
 
For some reason I am cautiously optimistic. Beating Purdue on the road in that fashion is a really good win, and the offense more or less looked like it knew what it was doing. I hadn’t found that facet of the Hawks to be entertaining since last year’s game at Maryland.
 
At this point, the strength of the Wisconsin defense lies in the secondary. The front 7 has some playmakers in Herbig and Benton, but the rest of the unit is young and/or JAGs

Leonhard has done a better job generating pressure these last few weeks, but they haven’t finished as well as you would like
 
Seems like they’ve handled our stretch plays very well with faster LBs able to slice through and attack our RBs behind the line of scrimmage. I hope we run right at them more this weekend because I’m not sure our OL will execute stretch runs well against an attacking defense like that.
 
Wisconsin's offense will struggle mightily. Iowa's offense will struggle mightily. With that said, this is not the usual Wisconsin D that we have seen over the last decade. They are good but probably only the 6th best B1G defense after Iowa, Michigan, OSU, Illinois, and Penn State. Purdue has a better offense than Wisconsin and we saw what happened there. I like Iowa's defense better than Wiscy so maybe a 13-10 style slobberknocker for the good guys.

My issue with this is that the Purdue offense had limited chances because the Iowa offense stayed on the field. Can the Iowa offense do that against a much better defense?
 
My issue with this is that the Purdue offense had limited chances because the Iowa offense stayed on the field. Can the Iowa offense do that against a much better defense?
This is incorrect. The Purdue offense had plenty of chances. Iowa held them to 3.4 yards per play vs 5.7 which is what they averaged vs everyone else. They also turned them over twice which is what Iowa does. I don't ever bet on the Iowa offense but I am very confident that the D holds them under 14 points which is what they have done in every game except OSU and Michigan. I don't know that the O gets it done.
 
It seems to me the biggest difference is offensive consistency. The heart of their games is a couple of 60 yard drives (one often being in the 4th quarter against our tired defense). Those drives require about 12 plays of 3-7 yards, with no penalties , big losses, or sacks. They do that well. We can't do that. We throw in enough lost yardage plays, penalties, errant passes, to destroy nearly all our drives. So we end up trading TDs for FGs.

I don't see that scenario changing this year. IMO, the only way we win is with a couple big scoring strikes (scoring, not just into the red zone, because that will still result in just a FG). Those would need to take the form of either a 30-40 yard pass after gaining good field position, or a long run. The long run is less likely against WI, and the pass would be one KF would consider to be too risky, without realizing that the real risk is not trying the only path to a win.

We shall see.
 
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