Concerns heading into Iowa Game

[cuphues]

My two concerns are kick coverage and play calling. I usually don't say anything about play calling as I know that I don't know nearly as much as our coaching staff, but a counter in the end zone just seemed like a bad idea. You know they are going to send everybody and lining up in the I with Woody running up the middle has been fairly successful before. I also felt that the bubble screen was used a lot, was this just because it was working and Tulsa wasn't properly defending it, is this our new game plan, or were they purposefully trying to pad Steele's stats?

Really? In multiple pre and post game interviews the coaching staff (Mess in particular) talked about taking what the defense gives you. That is what they did and why the bubble screen was run multiple times. As for padding Steele's stats.........come on......the guy only won the starting job last week. Its not like the coaching staff is trying to push him for the Davey Obrien award. Padding stats.......ridiculous.

[Cydkar]

I think the biggest concern is much more obvious than those things that have been listed. I'm most concerned with how Jantz will play. While he didn't make the glaring mistakes on Saturday (which may be an indicator of progress), I was a little concerned with his tentativeness. And, strangely enough, I thought he seemed more tentative in the 2nd half. There were some plays where he just kind of locked up and couldn't pull the trigger.

While Jantz has proven to be a play-maker, he hasn't yet proven that he can effectively lead the offense in an environment like Kinnick. I think this is the biggest unknown heading into Saturday. Combine this with a past tendency to make ill-advised throws, and this is my biggest concern.

Given that I think ISU is a better overall team, I'd prefer that we take a conservative approach with our QB play at the outset. Really work hard to establish the run, and don't ask SJ to make too many plays through the air early. Let the offense get settled in, then work from there.

I'm concerned about Jantz and nothing else. If he plays a clean game I think we win. Assuming others don't give away the ball to make up for it.

[CychoCyclone]

My two concerns are kick coverage and play calling. I usually don't say anything about play calling as I know that I don't know nearly as much as our coaching staff, but a counter in the end zone just seemed like a bad idea. You know they are going to send everybody and lining up in the I with Woody running up the middle has been fairly successful before. I also felt that the bubble screen was used a lot, was this just because it was working and Tulsa wasn't properly defending it, is this our new game plan, or were they purposefully trying to pad Steele's stats?

to sorta add to your pont about playcalling, i felt like we got overly conservative in the 3rd quarter cuz we were up 15. not that thats exactly a flaw in playcalling i'd just rather not see us let teams crawl back in on us the way tulsa did. i hope that mess is just getting his feet wet though, i trust him and think hes gonna put together a great game plan for saturday. just in the future dont wanna see us take our foot off the gas so early.

[Bret44]

I am a little concerned with the # of Rebel Scum within the vicinity of Darth Rhoads.

[candg4ever]

I think the biggest concern is much more obvious than those things that have been listed. I'm most concerned with how Jantz will play. While he didn't make the glaring mistakes on Saturday (which may be an indicator of progress), I was a little concerned with his tentativeness. And, strangely enough, I thought he seemed more tentative in the 2nd half. There were some plays where he just kind of locked up and couldn't pull the trigger.

While Jantz has proven to be a play-maker, he hasn't yet proven that he can effectively lead the offense in an environment like Kinnick. I think this is the biggest unknown heading into Saturday. Combine this with a past tendency to make ill-advised throws, and this is my biggest concern.

Given that I think ISU is a better overall team, I'd prefer that we take a conservative approach with our QB play at the outset. Really work hard to establish the run, and don't ask SJ to make too many plays through the air early. Let the offense get settled in, then work from there.

The poor guy accounts for 3 tds, and completes 70% of his passes, and you have to pick out the few negatives. Perhaps his "tentativeness" is reading defenses better and avoiding those ill-advised throws.

Steele needs to use the entire package for us to be successful. That includes eating the ball or throwing it out-of-bounds when there just isn't anything there. I wasn't sure he was the right choice at first, but if he keeps playing like he did against Tulsa, I think we'll be more than ok.

WE HAVE TO GET PRESSURE ON THE QB!!!!! No matter how good the pass coverage is, nobody can guard a receiver forever.

[Jambalaya]

After watching the Tulsa game a few times, two areas for concern are:

1. Special Teams play - Both returning and defending.
   
   1. Most if not all returns were fair catches = zero return yards.
   2. Defending returns had two or three runs that were almost touchdown returns for Tulsa.
   3. Messingham was Special Teams coach last year. Whoever it is this year has a long ways to go.
   
   
2. Offensive Line Play
   
   1. Left Tackle on pass plays was lit up by Tulsa's DE all night long. Many sacks, QB hurries from this side alone. On the long bomb TD to Lenz, Brun was pushed right into Jantz' grill as he released the ball and not sure if the LT also got blown up.
   2. On the safety, the left side Tackle/Guard let the defensive player right through without a block and RG Lichtenberg didn't have a chance of getting there before Woody was sacked in the end zone.
   
   

To me, the biggest area of concern of these is special teams KO and punt coverage. Iowa historically is very sound on special teams and those almost TD's by Tulsa will be TD's by Iowa if the same mistakes are made.

i'm concerned too. Greg Davis is the greatest coordinator in college football

[swarthmoreCY]

On 2. 2., the left guard/tackle is supposed to let him free so that he can go up field and block...the right pulling lineman needs to get there faster to blow up the guy left untouched

Usian Bolt would have not got there in time. It was a bad play call.

[4Cyclones]

[/B]Really? In multiple pre and post game interviews the coaching staff (Mess in particular) talked about taking what the defense gives you. That is what they did and why the bubble screen was run multiple times. As for padding Steele's stats.........come on......the guy only won the starting job last week. Its not like the coaching staff is trying to push him for the Davey Obrien award. Padding stats.......ridiculous.

This!. C'mon guys. How long did you watch us get burned on this same play until we defended it. Take what the defense gives you, until they can stop it. IMO, we can march down the field all day with 7 yd gains. Also, it was an awesome way to be succesful and keep our cards close to our chest. I'm looking at you Kirk.

Kick coverage was an issue, but on returns, I almost feel that the coaching staff didn't feel like the risk was worth the reward, and again not showing all of our cards untill need be. I think there were a couple punts that could have been returned, but accepting it at the 35 or so was adequate with no risk. This weekend, I bet we see a little more agrressiveness, both play calling and returns.

[cyman1189]

Simple solution...kick it in the end zone and let our defense do their job.

WHen wind was on our side Ed seemed to be shucking it through the endzone... on neutral wind days im not worried about him being able to kick it in the paydirt

[rholtgraves]

I am concerned about the defensive line. The didnt show me anything in the Tulsa game. Who cares if they played 4 guys or 20 guys. They are playing that many guys because none of them are good enough to play a majority of downs. Teams can still run on ISU and the only sacks ISU got were when all they had to do was pin their ears back and go after the quarterback because they were up two scores with under two minutes left. Tulsa also passed the ball nearly 50 times and the only sacks that happened were on the last few plays.

Also concerned about Jantz playing in that kind of atmosphere. He hasn't played in that kind of hostile atmosphere before. Playing at Missouri, Baylor,or UCONN is not even close to playing at Kinnick.

[Doc]

I don't think it was a bad play call. I think it was a risky play call. Some old-school guys may say that risky at the 2 yard line is a bad play call, but the game has changed. I don't think we had much reason to believe their end would wander up the field like that.

My main concern Saturday is whether we can get the ball in the Endzone when we get close. Big plays and touchdowns never come easy against Iowa.

[pyrocyz]

On your punt return point, there punter had some great hang time. He didn't really have a bad kick and Horne never really had a chance to return one. That will change with each team. Their punter was just on his game.

Completely disagree that he didn't have a chance to return one. There was one in the second half where Horne could've caught it in stride and had the entire right side of the field open for the taking. Instead he let the ball hit the ground and bounce away. That one frustrated me.

[cyclonepower]

My concerns:

1) Steele unproven in a hostile environment

2) JVB playing @ home

[isufbcurt]

to sorta add to your pont about playcalling, i felt like we got overly conservative in the 3rd quarter cuz we were up 15. not that thats exactly a flaw in playcalling i'd just rather not see us let teams crawl back in on us the way tulsa did. i hope that mess is just getting his feet wet though, i trust him and think hes gonna put together a great game plan for saturday. just in the future dont wanna see us take our foot off the gas so early.

It wasn't getting overly conservative, they came out in the 3rd quarter with a mission to get the running game going (only had 60 yards rushing at halftime).

[Naughtius]

Also concerned about Jantz playing in that kind of atmosphere. He hasn't played in that kind of hostile atmosphere before. Playing at Missouri, Baylor,or UCONN is not even close to playing at Kinnick.

Maybe not, but he has beaten Iowa before. That's a huge plus. I like our guy.