**Official Iowa vs Vanderbilt BOWL Thread - 11:08 - ESPN**

[The Dad]

End of year Gron playing a full game vs Indiana likely has us in the playoff as well. The slow start, likely due to the surgery recovery, was the only bad mark on his legacy. I will remember him very fondly.

I sure hope Tim is right about Hecklinski.

In Tim We Trust.

However, if you have one mobile QB you better have two mobile QBs.

 

[gable_guy]

Fun stuff

 

[CamelTones]

Outside the Iowa State game, Gronowski put Iowa in position to win every close game at the end. Even USC he made the throw on 4th down but Wetjen was a pubic hair out of bounds.

For all of his flaws, he played his best in the 4th quarter. Similar to Stanzi in that regard.

 

[nolookpass]

other than the red zone pass that got picked off, Lester called a perfect game. Bad throw, bad attempt at a catch. it's good to see Iowa remember you can throw the ball down the middle of the field.

Their offense looks like the 49ers.

 

[The Dad]

other than the red zone pass that got picked off, Lester called a perfect game. Bad throw, bad attempt at a catch. it's good to see Iowa remember you can throw the ball down the middle of the field.

Their offense looks like the 49ers.

Other than the fact they haven’t had a 300 yard passer since Stonehenge.

 

[cloudhawk]

Other than the fact they haven’t had a 300 yard passer since Stonehenge.

Moving on to the next record?

 

[The Dad]

Not sure how many of us owe our souls for this but damn does it feel amazing.

 

[The Dad]

Moving on to the next record?

I really don’t give a shit about that one. Just trying to maintain sanity around here, as always.

 

[Kamala]

other than the red zone pass that got picked off, Lester called a perfect game. Bad throw, bad attempt at a catch. it's good to see Iowa remember you can throw the ball down the middle of the field.

Their offense looks like the 49ers.

I don’t think it was a bad call. I don’t think it was a bad throw either. The receiver was open and hit him in the hands. It should’ve been caught. Perhaps a bad use of personnel, but not a bad play call and not a bad throw.

 

[Kerky]

We're preparing for our quarterfinal playoff game today if we had Beatherd or Tate under center, maybe Banks or Stanzi too

 

[The Dad]

Is it the edgy thing to pretend Banks wasn’t fucking amazing now?

 

[claykenny]

Is it the edgy thing to pretend Banks wasn’t fucking amazing now?

Bob Sanders was pretty good, but Pagel was the real stud in that secondary.

 

[Gushawk]

Not sure how many of us owe our souls for this but damn does it feel amazing.

Big Dick Beth saved Kirk’s legacy. He owes her.

 

[Gushawk]

The fact that Bridawg was happily willing to ruin his father’s legacy and threw a passive aggressive attire temper tantrum when Beth put an end to it doesn’t say much good about him.

 

[Hawkstrat]

Is it the edgy thing to pretend Banks wasn’t fucking amazing now?

Pretending Banks' success was a result of having a great OL or weapons around him has been a way for stupid people to feign expertise for awhile now.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

I'd be excited if we had him back another year, especially given a few of the media guys are talking as if Hecklinski and Brown are now even and they don't know who will win the job next year.

If that is the case, that isn't great. We saw the pants shitting in a limited sample size and know that Brown can't run. Hecklinski is tiny and really have zero clue if he is any good yet.

I get they don't want to go into the portal every year, but it's a big risk rolling into 2026 with those guys as your #1 and #2.

I think it’s wayyyyyyyyyy too early to make any sort of determination about Brown or Hecklinski. We’ll see what they do in the portal but we really only saw Brown once and Hecklinski a couple times in mop up action.

 

[nolookpass]

I don’t think it was a bad call. I don’t think it was a bad throw either. The receiver was open and hit him in the hands. It should’ve been caught. Perhaps a bad use of personnel, but not a bad play call and not a bad throw.

the throw was high. He was wide open, so I agree, it wasn't a bad call.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

other than the red zone pass that got picked off, Lester called a perfect game. Bad throw, bad attempt at a catch. it's good to see Iowa remember you can throw the ball down the middle of the field.

Their offense looks like the 49ers.

I wouldn’t say it was a bad throw. It wasn’t perfect but it hit him in the hands. Catch the fucking ball.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

I don’t think it was a bad call. I don’t think it was a bad throw either. The receiver was open and hit him in the hands. It should’ve been caught. Perhaps a bad use of personnel, but not a bad play call and not a bad throw.

100%

 

[CamelTones]

They would be going into the portal for a QB if they didn’t feel comfortable with Brown or Hecklinski.

Another way to look at it though is if either one is solid, they can build the rest of the roster with a QB on a rookie contract.

Vanderbilts defense was pretty bad all season, but Lester still called a great second half. He also seems to adjust his play calling to his personnel, so I’m confident he can make it work with either one.

 

[Uff Da]

I wouldn’t say it was a bad throw. It wasn’t perfect but it hit him in the hands. Catch the fucking ball.

Maybe don't have a back up RB playing WR in the slot running a slant at the goal line.
Just run the ball at that point. Lester is doing a good job, but, that was a bad design and play call at that moment.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

Maybe don't have a back up RB playing WR in the slot running a slant at the goal line.
Just run the ball at that point. Lester is doing a good job, but, that was a bad design and play call at that moment.

Bad design? He was fucking open. He’s a D1 football player. That’s a basic slant. Catch the fucking ball.

 

[6deuce]

Maybe don't have a back up RB playing WR in the slot running a slant at the goal line.
Just run the ball at that point. Lester is doing a good job, but, that was a bad design and play call at that moment.

Lol, nope

 

[claykenny]

Maybe don't have a back up RB playing WR in the slot running a slant at the goal line.
Just run the ball at that point. Lester is doing a good job, but, that was a bad design and play call at that moment.

Or, alternatively, it was a good call because nobody was expecting a throw to the running back out of the slot.

He was open. It hit him in the hands. He didn’t make the play. That doesn’t make it a bad call.

 

[6deuce]

If he catches it everyone would’ve been jerking off over the playcall.

 

[Hawkstrat]

Anyone who thinks that's a bad call, deserves to watch Kirk’s son, Brian Ferentz call plays.

 

[FrodoTBaggin]

Gronowski steadily got better as the season went on. He was a good qb. Threw the ball much better in the second half of the season.

That throw to Williams was damn near perfect, imo. The ball was going to hit him in the damn facemask. Catch the fucking ball.

 

[cloudhawk]

Not sure how many of us owe our souls for this but damn does it feel amazing.

I kinda want to sue IOWA and Moon Head coach Kirk Ferentz for wasting approx 5 years of high level success by wasting those defenses.

 

[cloudhawk]

Pretending Banks' success was a result of having a great OL or weapons around him has been a way for stupid people to feign expertise for awhile now.

Well that's dumb....real dumb

 

[douglasbader]

If Kirk had just fired Brian when he should have or gotten a single QB worth a shit, Iowa would be on a Wisconsin 2010's run. As we all thought, if you just put an offense in the mid 50's on the field you win 9-12 games every single year.

 

[gohawkeyes811]

If Kirk had just fired Brian when he should have or gotten a single QB worth a shit, Iowa would be on a Wisconsin 2010's run. As we all thought, if you just put an offense in the mid 50's on the field you win 9-12 games every single year.

The way the schedule worked out in 21 and 23, while fun to win 10 games, really fucked us for that span.

 

[The Dad]

If he catches it everyone would’ve been jerking off over the playcall.

Yes, but both can be true.

It was too cute for what the moment demanded.

 

[douglasbader]

The 21 and 23 teams were ridiculous on defense, but so bad on offense it should have been a crime for what they did to Phil Parker's boys.

 

[gohawkeyes811]

It was a 4 yard slant. How is that "too cute"?

 

[The Incredible Hawk]

If he catches it everyone would’ve been jerking off over the playcall.

Still am.

 

[The Dad]

It was a 4 yard slant. How is that "too cute"?

You’ve proven to be a retard unworthy of engagement.

 

[douglasbader]

It was a 4 yard slant. How is that "too cute"?

I'll chime in. You are up 7--0, all the momentum is on your side and you are 1st and goal from the 4 yard line and can go up 14-0. Just run the fucking ball in the end zone and establish yourself. Don't throw a quick slant to the stone hands backup RB.

Lester has had issues 1st and goal from the 5 or less more times than he should. That's just a fact. We have PTSD on this.

 

[gohawkeyes811]

You’ve proven to be a retard unworthy of engagement.

Are we good to be ok with Iowa football now that they beat a ranked team?

 

[gohawkeyes811]

I'll chime in. You are up 7--0, all the momentum is on your side and you are 1st and goal from the 4 yard line and can go up 14-0. Just run the fucking ball in the end zone and establish yourself. Don't throw a quick slant to the stone hands backup RB.

Lester has had issues 1st and goal from the 5 or less more times than he should. That's just a fact. We have PTSD on this.

I'm kind of playing devil's advocate, because I get it, and would have been my preference as well. But it was a simple play, a good throw, and just shitty luck on the deflection. I'm sure we would've all said the reverse pass was dumb also, until it worked.

 

[The Dad]

Are we good to be ok with Iowa football now that they beat a ranked team?

 

[Uff Da]

I'll chime in. You are up 7--0, all the momentum is on your side and you are 1st and goal from the 4 yard line and can go up 14-0. Just run the fucking ball in the end zone and establish yourself. Don't throw a quick slant to the stone hands backup RB.

Lester has had issues 1st and goal from the 5 or less more times than he should. That's just a fact. We have PTSD on this.

Yep, it isn't more complicated than what you described. Lester had a great game other than that play design

 

[YugoslavianMountainHound]

Gronk’s running won multiple games for us this year that none of those guys , except perhaps Beathard could have done.

 

[douglasbader]

Gronk’s running won multiple games for us this year that none of those guys , except perhaps Beathard could have done.

Yeah, but you could argue he had to run like that to win those games because he couldn't hit a pass to save his life in a few of them.

 

[The Dad]

Gronk’s running won multiple games for us this year that none of those guys , except perhaps Beathard could have done.

Right. Banks was super limited from a running standpoint.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

Right. Banks was super limited from a running standpoint.

Dude, no he wasn’t.

 

[gable_guy]

I really like how not every pass has to be thrown within 3 yards of the LOS and within 6 inches of the sideline.

3rd and 8? Go ahead and run a 9 yard route. And if at the end of your 9 yard route you find yourselves between the hash marks you can still get the ball. Wild stuff.

So much this. The constant tight sideline windows like we’re trying to preserve the clock at the end of game. Also, the WR bubble screens for little to no gain would get them behind schedule so much.

I’d like to see them try some of the Kittle TE screens with DJV

 

[The Dad]

Dude, no he wasn’t.

Looks like you’re right. My bad!

 

[YugoslavianMountainHound]

Right. Banks was super limited from a running standpoint.

I wasn’t including banks . Obviously he would work too. Runner up for Heisman. Not sure we. Could install the whole offense with him though.

 

[The Dad]

I wasn’t including banks . Obviously he would work too. Runner up for Heisman. Not sure we. Could install the whole offense with him though.

Sleep it off, boss.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

I wasn’t including banks . Obviously he would work too. Runner up for Heisman. Not sure we. Could install the whole offense with him though.

Racist.