**Official 2022 Iowa Football Season Thread**

[CamelTones]

The running game was awesome in 2020.

 

[BBK]

Who was more sad?

bohannon in his final press conference?

Campbell being forced to score against Illinois?

 

[douglasbader]

The running game was awesome in 2020.

I'm throwing everything from the 2020 season out. Too much noise in every area to make any judgement.

With that said, I think our running game also sucked last year because Tyler Goodson had decided before the season he was not going to get injured and ran like it. All so he could leave early and get a few weeks of pre-season pay and maybe make a practice squad.

 

[douglasbader]

The funny thing is that if Tyler Goodson had stayed this year, he likely would be making more money playing at Iowa that what he will get from any professional organization paying him to play football.

I like the kid and his family, but glad he didn't come back. His running style was great when he hit a home run, but so terrible most of the other time.

 

[RazHawk]

This, of all things, is the most maddening thing about the Iowa football offense. You have an incredible defense that is built on the principle that nearly all college QB's and offenses aren't good enough to put together 10+ play drives without making a mistake. Keep them in front of you, force them to march down the field and tighten up when you get inside the red zone. They know that modern college football relies on explosive plays and sets out to never give them up. It works. Phil Parker is (mostly) a genius. This is why Iowa usually leads or is near the top of the country in interceptions.

Yet knowing all of this and practicing against it every single fucking day, the Iowa offense chooses to run a system that thinks it will be smart enough to run 10+ play drives without making any mistakes. They don't realize the entire nature of the game is explosive plays and scoring easily by stretching the field and taking shots. 95% of defenses aren't built like Iowa's defense and most will give up big plays if you just dare to take the required amount of shots down the field.

Nope. Brian would rather run 17 mother fucking zone stretch runs to the short side and pass plays that still stink of Greg Davis. Oh, and speaking of zone running scheme, it's been nearly impossible to run effectively for like 5+ years now due to rule changes. It also doesn't help that the other teams have figured out how to blow it up by immediately shooting into those gaps and Iowa (Brian) refuses to run enough counters or plays that punish the defense for doing this.

Yep, all of this.

Explosive plays are all that matter, building your passing game around "taking what the defense gives you" with short passes from QBs that struggle with accuracy is dumb af. Iowa needs to run the ball consistently and get explosive passing plays down field to protect the run game from defenses stacking the box. A consistent running game is what Iowa needs, but it won't get it without a consistent pass game with some degree of a deep threat.

The worst part is when your indecisive QBs don't take the short pass that are supposed to be there and take a sack because they don't know where to go next, then take a sack, setting a flaccid offense even further back. An incompletion 20+ yards down field is much more productive than that.

 

[RazHawk]

The running game was awesome in 2020.

They ranked 59th nationally in average YPG rushing in 2020. Your bar for "awesome" has been set very low. That is awesome by Iowa standards, which is sad.

 

[douglasbader]

Zone running in college was awesome when you could cut block. Ferentz has said in frustration many times that this has changed everything with zone running, but for whatever reason Iowa is still bashing their head into that wall.

Iowa running game has been at its best recently when the line blocks straight up the field, not when they snap the ball and all take a step in unison that signals to the defense to spaz jump it and blow it up immediately.

 

[The Dad]

And there have been some super abysmal quarterbacks in the league the last couple years. People we've all clowned.

Spencer was worse than them

 

[CamelTones]

I'm throwing everything from the 2020 season out. Too much noise in every area to make any judgement.

With that said, I think our running game also sucked last year because Tyler Goodson had decided before the season he was not going to get injured and ran like it. All so he could leave early and get a few weeks of pre-season pay and maybe make a practice squad.

I’m going to disagree about just throwing 2020 out. That offensive line was very good which is the #1 precursor to Iowa having a good offense by Iowa standards.

I have no expectations for the Iowa passing game but think it could look a lot better if they can figure out right tackle. I’m really hoping Colby earns that spot and Richman gets the left tackle spot back from Plumb when he gets healthy. And maybe get a receiver or 2 healthy.

 

[Shawneemicks]

In 2022 bad offense is a CHOICE.

 

[CamelTones]

They ranked 59th nationally in average YPG rushing in 2020. Your bar for "awesome" has been set very low. That is awesome by Iowa standards, which is sad.

Air Force, Navy and Army will lead the country in YPG almost every year. You cant use fucking YPG. YPC is a much better indicator for what Iowa does. They averaged 4.6 in 2020 vs 3.4 in 2021.

 

[RazHawk]

Air Force, Navy and Army will lead the country in YPG almost every year. You cant use fucking YPG. YPC is a much better indicator for what Iowa does. They averaged 4.6 in 2020 vs 3.4 in 2021.

That average is outside the top 50 in 2020, they came in at 51 by that metric.

Great point though.

 

[wondergrape]

I think Spencer Petras is an awesome dude and I can think of nothing more satisfying than him doing well this year.

 

[CamelTones]

That average is outside the top 50 in 2020, they came in at 51 by that metric.

Great point though.

Honestly, I looked and couldn’t find it so thank you for DYOFR.

I understand you want Iowa to launch the ball all over the field. But unfortunately for you, with this coaching staff they’re not going to do that. So you can either be realistic with what they will attempt to accomplish and what would be considered good, or you can yearn for more and be disappointed for the rest of Kirks tenure.

And for the record, I would love for Iowa to be 51st in the country in YPC with the defense they have.

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

A mistake that most fans make is in believing that a QB can or should survey all options before making a throw. There just isn't time for that.

For a certain combination of route and defense there will be primary options. If one of those primary options is open you go with it rather than assessing the other 2 - 3 options that are lower on the priority list.

This is why you will occasionally see a WR running absolutely free and the QB not seeing it. If their first or second look is there they are going to take it rather than looking at options 3, 4, and 5 before deciding.

I think that is what B. Ferentz means when he says that someone shouldn't have been open.

Of course that's what he means buuuut the only thing that BF quote tells me is that he's really dumb at game planning for the most part. If you're trying to "outsmart" the defense and you get the results that you're currently getting, regardless of who the qb is, then you may just not be very good at your job.

That being said, Petras and their decision to stick with him is the biggest issue.

 

[ivan_drago]

I hope he does great and Iowa wins all its games. By 2 touchdowns, even.

 

[MikeyJoe]

Of course that's what he means buuuut the only thing that BF quote tells me is that he's really dumb at game planning for the most part. If you're trying to "outsmart" the defense and you get the results that you're currently getting, regardless of who the qb is, then you may just not be very good at your job.

That being said, Petras and their decision to stick with him is the biggest issue.

Right. It's the whole "the fans don't get it" vibe they keep putting out. And you know what, they're right, we don't get it.

But the main problem for Iowa is that opposing defensive coordinators really do seem to get it.

 

[Herky823]

I hope he does great and Iowa wins all its games. By 2 touchdowns, even.

Imagine the elation Kirk would feel having a 5 possession lead on all of their opponents.

 

[ivan_drago]

Right. It's the whole "the fans don't get it" vibe they keep putting out. And you know what, they're right, we don't get it.

But the main problem for Iowa is that opposing defensive coordinators really do seem to get it.

I don't think I'll ever get over the game where Penn State screamed out, audibly, that they knew exactly where the audible was going.

I can't remember a single fucking time an audible has been called to a pass. Ever.

 

[Monster]

A mistake that most fans make is in believing that a QB can or should survey all options before making a throw. There just isn't time for that.

For a certain combination of route and defense there will be primary options. If one of those primary options is open you go with it rather than assessing the other 2 - 3 options that are lower on the priority list.

This is why you will occasionally see a WR running absolutely free and the QB not seeing it. If their first or second look is there they are going to take it rather than looking at options 3, 4, and 5 before deciding.

I think that is what B. Ferentz means when he says that someone shouldn't have been open.

Right. A quarterback just doesn't have the time to survey the entire field on most pass plays. Sure, the great ones like Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers can do it. But but 99% of the quarterbacks just don't have time to look everywhere on the field in the 1.5 seconds they have to make a decision to throw.

 

[The Full Monte]

Of course that's what he means buuuut the only thing that BF quote tells me is that he's really dumb at game planning for the most part. If you're trying to "outsmart" the defense and you get the results that you're currently getting, regardless of who the qb is, then you may just not be very good at your job.

That being said, Petras and their decision to stick with him is the biggest issue.

I was listening to a couple analysts there other day talking about the great offensive minds in the game; how they simply understand how to attack a defense at a totally different level.

If we accept this premise, then we can also conclude that some people don’t; that they have a much lower level of understanding in how to do this.

I think we have ample evidence to suggest Brian’s level of understanding is well below average. That it isn’t simply some binary choice of “knows how to be an offensive coordinator or doesn’t know how.”

 

[Hawk24]

 

[Shawneemicks]

 

[Hawkmi]

Petras has got some BDE going into this season.

 

[Hawkstrat]

He's going to be a great youth pastor.

 

[The Dad]

Petras has got some BDE going into this season.

DBE….Dad Bod Energy.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Right. A quarterback just doesn't have the time to survey the entire field on most pass plays. Sure, the great ones like Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers can do it. But but 99% of the quarterbacks just don't have time to look everywhere on the field in the 1.5 seconds they have to make a decision to throw.

the best qb’s can tell pre snap if the primary target is going to work.

 

[Monster]

the best qb’s can tell pre snap if the primary target is going to work.

Lol.

 

[RazHawk]

Honestly, I looked and couldn’t find it so thank you for DYOFR.

I understand you want Iowa to launch the ball all over the field. But unfortunately for you, with this coaching staff they’re not going to do that. So you can either be realistic with what they will attempt to accomplish and what would be considered good, or you can yearn for more and be disappointed for the rest of Kirks tenure.

And for the record, I would love for Iowa to be 51st in the country in YPC with the defense they have.

I'm not asking them to go to air raid, I want them to have a good/consistent running game that compliments their defense, and a play action based passing game that compliments their run game. They can't run the ball, so the defense is on the field longer than it should be (Iowa ranked 59th in time of possession in 2021), and they can't throw the ball competently, which is part of the reason they can't run the ball.

Their run game has been a complete dumpster fire by any metric for the last half decade, here is your national team average YPC rank for the last five seasons:

2021: 111th
2020: 51st
2019: 93rd
2018: 93rd
2017: 104th

You've been conditioned to believe 51st is "awesome" by a coaching staff who made their offense look so horrible, that when they get to "middle of the pack" it looks awesome. The "they just need to get to 50th and we'll be fine" mentality is complete horse shit when you consider how much talent this program has had on the offensive line the last five years and they put out those numbers.

I don't even need to use Wisconsin as a comp, here are the national team ranks for Illinois each of the last five seasons on average YPC:

2021: 58th
2020: 41st
2019: 100th
2018: 6th
2017: 120th

Bert publicly shit on the OL he had in 2021 and still had significantly better rushing game than Iowa:


In 3 out of the last 5 years Illinois has had a significantly better YPC than Iowa (4.46 YPC vs. 3.94) - they might have had a mobile QB a few years ago though? I don't remember, but that's an entirely different discussion that goes back to recruiting philosophy.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

In college, and to a much greater extent the NFL, receivers are not “open” very often. They are “going to be open”. If you are a qb that waits for someone to break loose you are going to be on your back a lot.

 

[YugoslavianMountainHound]

BTN here today. SPence promptly threw a pick

 

[YugoslavianMountainHound]

Get ready for a good deep Wicking

 

[Hawkstrat]

BTN here today. SPence promptly threw a pick

Tremendous throw

 

[Brownzy]

BTN here today. SPence promptly threw a pick

I didn't see the QB that entire play. Sure it was Petras?

 

[MisterFalcon]

I didn't see the QB that entire play. Sure it was Petras?

Yes. You can tell by the interception.

 

[B19Rob]

This, of all things, is the most maddening thing about the Iowa football offense. You have an incredible defense that is built on the principle that nearly all college QB's and offenses aren't good enough to put together 10+ play drives without making a mistake. Keep them in front of you, force them to march down the field and tighten up when you get inside the red zone. They know that modern college football relies on explosive plays and sets out to never give them up. It works. Phil Parker is (mostly) a genius. This is why Iowa usually leads or is near the top of the country in interceptions.

Yet knowing all of this and practicing against it every single fucking day, the Iowa offense chooses to run a system that thinks it will be smart enough to run 10+ play drives without making any mistakes. They don't realize the entire nature of the game is explosive plays and scoring easily by stretching the field and taking shots. 95% of defenses aren't built like Iowa's defense and most will give up big plays if you just dare to take the required amount of shots down the field.

Nope. Brian would rather run 17 mother fucking zone stretch runs to the short side and pass plays that still stink of Greg Davis. Oh, and speaking of zone running scheme, it's been nearly impossible to run effectively for like 5+ years now due to rule changes. It also doesn't help that the other teams have figured out how to blow it up by immediately shooting into those gaps and Iowa (Brian) refuses to run enough counters or plays that punish the defense for doing this.

I agree with all of this and want to add the lack of "counters" in the passing game is maddening too. For instance, in the Colorado St game, it took Iowa getting intercepted on the wr screen to realize that Colorado St was selling out hard to stop it. They made a great adjustment in the second half running a similar looking play but having Laporta fake a block and leak upfield. He caught the ball in the middle of the field without a defender within ten yards of him and walked in. Lowest risk, easiest throw and catch of the season and it was worth six points. Did we see that play again all year? It pisses me off that they hold on to plays like that for once a season instead of using it more often. If you see that safety cheating up, try to fake him out and torch him deep. If he doesn't bite on the fake, throw the ball out the back of the end zone. Stop making the game harder than it needs to be.

 

[The Full Monte]

That stat is maddening

I feel like Iowa had an abnormally high number of 1st and Goal's last year from like the 6/7/8 yard line that they couldn't score a TD on

 

[Hawkstrat]

I didn't see the QB that entire play. Sure it was Petras?

You can see him after the pick

 

[Hawk24]

That stat is maddening

I feel like Iowa had an abnormally high number of 1st and Goal's last year from like the 6/7/8 yard line that they couldn't score a TD on

Seems like they run on 1st and goal 90% of the time, no matter the distance. I would LOVE to see more PA on 1st and goal from outside the 5 or so...I think they'd catch a lot of teams selling out to stop run first.

 

[YugoslavianMountainHound]

Jesus Johnny

 

[BVHawk95]

Jesus Johnny

Gaping hole, but definitely not the 1 DTs if Louie Stec is in there.

 

[StinkyMcFadden]

That appears to be ELITE vision by Johnson.

 

[kmurp]

Gaping hole, but definitely not the 1 DTs if Louie Stec is in there.

Black knocked on his ass. Haven’t heard much about him lately.

 

[fossilhawk]

Jesus Johnny

That burst off the cut might as well be a money shot, it's so pornographic.

 

[Shawneemicks]

Kaleb Johnson is going to be the real deal boyz

 

[AZmessDAWG]

Offense is gonna roll this year, boyz

 

[The Full Monte]

Jesus Johnny

Seeing Colby there at RT makes me really happy

 

[The Full Monte]

FM

 

[The Full Monte]

That looks like Plumb at LT, Dunker LG and Elsbury at RG?

 

[RazHawk]

Gerry must not have liked what he saw from Spence today.