Close games...

S

SWIHawk

Well-Known Member
I still get frustrated with this staff and their clock management skills. We have seen this too many times. Before half Iowa plays it conservative before halftime (which I agree with) until Coker pops one out to midfield. They then go to the gun and look to get in field goal range (again I agree). With this QB and WR corp there is no reason not to if you are at midfield.

Vandy hits a couple and they are at the opponent 45. With 18 seconds left they don't stop the clock but instead let it run to 7 seconds and get one play - clock runs out. I just don't get this. KF takes two timeouts to the locker room? Why?! You don't get them back. Another poor example of clock management.

I think this is clearly the achilles heel of this staff, and why Iowa loses so many close games. Championship teams (conference or national) generally play in a lot of close games. If you don't win close games, you don't win championships.

This simply needs to get better. It seems as though this team will probably be in their share of close games. Clock management could be the different between 7 wins and 9-10 wins with this team.

Just my rant. Obviously the coaching staff does a number of things very, very well. Today's adjustments, and the many in the past, certainly indicate this is a good staff. However, the inability to win close games and manage the clock will keep them from ever getting to the next level.
 
SWIHawk said:
I still get frustrated with this staff and their clock management skills. We have seen this too many times. Before half Iowa plays it conservative before halftime (which I agree with) until Coker pops one out to midfield. They then go to the gun and look to get in field goal range (again I agree). With this QB and WR corp there is no reason not to if you are at midfield.

Vandy hits a couple and they are at the opponent 45. With 18 seconds left they don't stop the clock but instead let it run to 7 seconds and get one play - clock runs out. I just don't get this. KF takes two timeouts to the locker room? Why?! You don't get them back. Another poor example of clock management.

I think this is clearly the achilles heel of this staff, and why Iowa loses so many close games. Championship teams (conference or national) generally play in a lot of close games. If you don't win close games, you don't win championships.

This simply needs to get better. It seems as though this team will probably be in their share of close games. Clock management could be the different between 7 wins and 9-10 wins with this team.

Just my rant. Obviously the coaching staff does a number of things very, very well. Today's adjustments, and the many in the past, certainly indicate this is a good staff. However, the inability to win close games and manage the clock will keep them from ever getting to the next level.
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:eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
Read the last part of the post - this was not a bash on the coaches. But, if you know the game at all you understand that games like this are when you work on things that will be the difference in winning games or not. If you have watched Iowa the past couple years you also know that clock management has cost them a chance to win a handful of games.

If you want to sit back and just be satisfied with winning against ULM, fine. Don't respond to my post. If you want to win games against good teams later in the schedule, then have a conversation.
 
SWIHawk said:
Read the last part of the post - this was not a bash on the coaches. But, if you know the game at all you understand that games like this are when you work on things that will be the difference in winning games or not. If you have watched Iowa the past couple years you also know that clock management has cost them a chance to win a handful of games.

If you want to sit back and just be satisfied with winning against ULM, fine. Don't respond to my post. If you want to win games against good teams later in the schedule, then have a conversation.
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How is us having a conversation going to win games later in the year?

Does the Iowa staff read this board since we have so many coaches on here?
 
You would think a rant about losing close games would occur after we know....lost a close game.
 
You are right. Clearly, a conversation with you will not win a football game at any time or any level. I didn't realize there was a rule on the board that all conversation had to be pro staff. I didn't realize citing a weakness was against the hawkeyestumps rules.

Thank you for your time and consideration. WOW! Football genius.
 
The OP raises a good question..... in the big picture he is spot on. He is just looking to have a great conversation about what may be a weak spot in this teams future. Don't reply if you're not interested.
 
Let's agree on this scotty - Iowa loses a game this year similar to Wisky and Northwestern last year the issue will come up in a thread. You agree to stay off the thread, because you will not have the ability to add anything to the conversation.
 
twinlaker said:
The OP raises a good question..... in the big picture he is spot on. He is just looking to have a great conversation about what may be a weak spot in this teams future. Don't reply if you're not interested.
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+1. It's not that the OP doesn't have a point. Today just isn't the day for that point. A couple weeks ago? Definitely. Now? After today? Notsomuch.
 
You may be right Seattle, but two days after the game it could be lost on most people too. This is a big issue in my mind - worth discussion whether the Hawks win or lose. There were obviously some great things that came from today's game, and people aren't afraid to put the Hawkeye glasses on and blow the board up.

You have a point though - if the majority of posters come from a very limited knowledge of the game as scotty the timing is not good.
 
First of all, I get what you're saying, but for many people, this will seem like a pointless rant following a big win. Not saying it is, but you see how people are reacting.

Second, it isn't just the issue of clock management, but the whole Ferentz mentality when it comes to scoring points/running up the score. He just isn't the type of coach to pour it on when you're already up 28-3 and have scored a TD on 4 of 6 drives so far (1 punt, 1 fumble). But sadly, he appears to also be the person who would rather take a tie into halftime or overtime, than push the team into FG range. Or settle for the FG instead of pushing for the TD. People point to the clock management on offense during the Wisconsin game, or the defense/special teams not making key stops...but I feel one thing that gets overlooked is the FG we kicked after Greenwood picked off Tolzien at the Wisconsin 30-40 or something like that. Most people would take the points, but perhaps if we had more aggressive coaches, we would have tried to put the game out of reach then and there (so that even a single miracle TD couldn't win the game for Wisconsin). /shrugs

Anyway, if today's game was any sort of indicator, perhaps we will be a bit more aggressive moving forward, which may also help with the issue of game/clock management.
 
baby steps. This is historically a known issue with ferentz. But I felt like we at least took baby steps today in actually trying to go for the score.

If your significant other shows willingness in trying to go downtown, you are well advised to not complain about their technique. Just be glad they are trying.
 
I'm totally on board with the OP. The staff is solid, and they've built a very consistent program, but clock management has been a problem for all 12 years they've been here. No better time to work on it than when you have a 25-point cushion. Burn the timeout at :19 if for no other reason than you normally don't. Afterwards, you realize it's good to use them when there's only enough time for 2 or 3 more plays. Later in the year, when you're in the same situation only trailing by three, then you know what to do.
 
SWIHawk said:
Let's agree on this scotty - Iowa loses a game this year similar to Wisky and Northwestern last year the issue will come up in a thread. You agree to stay off the thread, because you will not have the ability to add anything to the conversation.
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If you are involved in it sure, I just can't stand people that have to pick everything apart and find something to b!tch about in a 28 point win.
 
The OP raises a good point. If you don't want to discuss it, DON'T REPLY TO THE POST. Move on to something else that you find interesting and that will make you feel better. I think everyone would agree that there were A LOT of good things to take out of today's game. I'm not going to look at the OP's posts but I would guess the majority of them are positive toward the team and staff.

This has been an issue with this staff and does need to be discussed. I would recommend that they have someone on the staff specifically in charge of time management. It's doesn't seem like it would be hard but it's also not the only thing the KOK and KF have to focus on. Some coaches are great at time management and some aren't. KF and staff aren't. They need to realize this and do something about it. I can't believe NO ONE on the staff is saying "Time out...time out!" at some points in games in the past. I know the people I watch games with are. There are very few issues I have with KF and his staff. Time management, though, has been an issue for his entire stint at Iowa and does need to be discussed whenever it comes up. Big win or not...
 
The text message I sent to my father right as the game went to halftime:

"Somebody should let Kirk know the time outs don't roll over to the 2nd half... Poor clock management cost us 3 points. It won't matter today but still"
 
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