After getting back from the game Saturday I reviewed the play by play on ESPN's web site and it confirmed evrything that most of us already know. In the first half there were 15 first down plays. Iowa passed on first down 6 times completing 5 for 82 yards. Coker was involved in 9 first down plays, 7 rushing and two passes for a combined total of 20 yards. You would think someone on the coaching staff would keep track of what is working and what isn't, evidently not. The first 4 first down plays of the second half were Coker runs for total yards of 4. The next 4 first down plays were to recievers completing 3 for 70 yards. The execution on passing on first down was phenomal 8-10 for 152 yards and first down plays involving Coker 13 times for 24 total yards. These statistics have nothing to do with Cokers individual abilities, I think he is great asset to the program. It was obvious from the first offensive series MSU was not going to let us run. The frustration that has been building is the refusal of the coaches to adjust to game day situations and the lack of creativity and limited formations.
MSU-IOWA first down play calling
- Thread starter Craig60
- Start date
HawkeyeMHA
Well-Known Member
YES! I totally agree. We do very well passing on first down. And it only helps our run game as well. Totally right, good post
Johnnyhawkeye
Well-Known Member
Did you by chance look at play calling by quarter, I am convinced we passed more in the 1st quarter on 1st down against the wind then we did the entire 2nd and 3rd quarter with the wind. I thought the play calling was far past questionable in the middle quarters with the way the wind was affecting the ball in the 4th quarter.
You know it Brotha! Had McNutt not dropped that out pattern on the first drive we score and it is a different game. Sh## happens though. MSU simply did not have a way to cover McNutt and we never really forced them to double meaning they would have to take a man out of the box so we then could run. Somtimes it is as simple as that and Iowa has to be so balanced they seem to run right into major tendancies at times and the MSU game was no exception. Iowa did very little of anyhing new on the day on either side of the ball, so yeah MSU knew exactly what was coming when. They just waited for us to make the mistakes this time instead of being overly agressive. Good game plan ont their part. Pretty much how NW figured out how to beat us.
Excellent post with great stats that prove that offensively the coaches do not 'scratch where it itches'. KOK never put 5 wideouts (which could include rb in the slot) in the game to see what msu would do. But msu scored their second td with 5 receivers one of which was the rb split way out to right who caught the td pass. The hawks could have run 3 wides all day with JVB in shotgun and put CJF way wide to get in on a corner or safety. Try something different. Run out of the shotgun, run some screens, run a shovel pass to beat their pass rush. How about 5 more long bombs. I dont think they could have stopped mcnutt deep.
Do this to Purdue.
Do this to Purdue.
HawkinGoferLand
Well-Known Member
Good post. I'm not much of an X's and O's guy. MSU has a pretty dang good defense and we are built to establish the run to set-up the pass then vice versa. So even though our running plays don't net many yards against a team like MSU, you still gotta keep running to keep from being one dimensional. Some teams schemes are designed to be fairly one dimensional such as Houston. Although when you get behind 31-7, you know and I know you have to lean heavily on the pass to get back in it.
HawkinGoferLand
Well-Known Member
Oh, and I think the 4th and 1 false start was the ball game. We get that and score and it's a 6 pt game with a lot of time remaining.
GoHawks24
Well-Known Member
You mean consistently running the ball when the opposition has 8 or 9 men in the box isn't a good idea!?!
The Iowa coaching staff has to be one of the top-10 worst at in-game management and adjustments. When it's not working, keep doing it!
Also, when you're going to play everything as conservatively as Kirk does, then you need to know how to manage a freaking game clock! That's my biggest pet peeve right there about him.
The Iowa coaching staff has to be one of the top-10 worst at in-game management and adjustments. When it's not working, keep doing it!
Also, when you're going to play everything as conservatively as Kirk does, then you need to know how to manage a freaking game clock! That's my biggest pet peeve right there about him.
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You are right in regards to first and second quarter. The first play of the second quarter was a touchdown to CJ the tight end and no pass attempts on first down to any recievers in the second quarter. The most important series of the game in my mind was when we scored to make it 14-7 and the defense held the next series and we go 3 and out. Incomplete pass to Coker, Coker 2 yd run, and completed pass to Coker short of the first down. What a terrible series of play calling. By the way have you ever noticed these two high percentage (80-90%) tendencies when the clock is not an issue. When they do pass on first down and our successful (first down) the next first down will be a running play. When they throw an incomplete pass on first down the next play is a running play.
"When it's not working, keep doing it!"
I've been a Ferentz supporter, apologist, homer, all of that, since the beginning. After this last game, I'm tired. Really tired. Exhausted. Tired of watching this over and over. And over. And over. KOK/Ferentz can be impressively on their game at times, but the inconstancy definitely warrants open criticism and explanation by them. And if they don't offer explanation, ask again. And again. And again. Put the pressure on them, (Jon).
If the sad reality is that an Iowa football team will never win a national championship under the current system, then I can accept that and just enjoy the games as best I can. However, as a Hawkeye fan, I can't accept that Iowa will never win a national championship under the current system, especially with the preseason soft schedules. So, all I can do is dream. Forever. And not drink before I post...
I've been a Ferentz supporter, apologist, homer, all of that, since the beginning. After this last game, I'm tired. Really tired. Exhausted. Tired of watching this over and over. And over. And over. KOK/Ferentz can be impressively on their game at times, but the inconstancy definitely warrants open criticism and explanation by them. And if they don't offer explanation, ask again. And again. And again. Put the pressure on them, (Jon).
If the sad reality is that an Iowa football team will never win a national championship under the current system, then I can accept that and just enjoy the games as best I can. However, as a Hawkeye fan, I can't accept that Iowa will never win a national championship under the current system, especially with the preseason soft schedules. So, all I can do is dream. Forever. And not drink before I post...
KnightHawk9
Well-Known Member
I don't think I can get behind this thinking. I mean, plays aren't called in a vacuum. If we throw it every time on first down, I think the defense will probably figure that out. Every time we run it on first down (even if we don't get much out of it) it helps open up those passes.
Your thought process is identical to KF and KOF. So what you are saying is to have a successful passing game you have to set it up by running all the time. The Pitt game was a perfect example of that fallacy. Specifically with MSU game and you had to be at the game to see MSU defense was set up to stop the run. The statistics bare that out. My point was we should passed twice as much and run 1/2 as much and force them to adjust.
Craig, what you fail to realize is that by running for 3 quarters into 8 and 9 man fronts, Pittsburgh was completely baffled by us trying to pass late in that game. We lulled them to sleep if-you-will. Pure genius. Hats off to Ken O'keefe. I predict we show similar genius this week against Purdue. You know, take the ball first, into the wind. 4 yard out on first play. Power Coker for another 2 and then ground and pound for 3 quarters. Use McNutt as a decoy while we go 3 and out for 3 quarters and then... and then when they think they've got us, we spring like a cheetah and lose by only 10. 34-24.
And for the haters, if you don't think taking a knee and sitting on the ball before halftime is a good idea, maybe you should go coach the team. snap!
Peace, I'm out. (dropping the mic)
And for the haters, if you don't think taking a knee and sitting on the ball before halftime is a good idea, maybe you should go coach the team. snap!
Peace, I'm out. (dropping the mic)
BALDIES7980
Well-Known Member
Its really pretty simple. If they don't adjust to stop what is working why stop doing it?
If they make an adjustment then counter.
Think of it like tennis where the idea is to counter what they do to gain an advantage. You'll never see a tennis player keep hitting the same shot that the opponent has figured out how to handle and keep hoping they will screw up!
GoHawks24
Well-Known Member
Of course you're supposed to establish the run to set up the pass, but when they're stacking 8-9 guys in the box and you keep trying to run it for 3 quarters, that's just being stubborn and quite frankly, stupid. It's like this staff ***** their pants and has no clue how to adapt in-game on Saturdays. This isn't the '80's anymore, Kirk! It's just sad.
Don't diss the '80's Hawkeye offense dude. I'll throw some caps lock on your a**. Those '80's hawk teams were like watching lightning flash. One of the most prolific offenses in the country year in and year out. QB U is what they called us. Bill freakin Snyder.
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