Is our spread offense a problem against Iowa

ahaselhu

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Sep 10, 2007
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If I'm not mistaken, we switched to our "spread" offense 4 years ago when Chizik took over. Since then, we've managed only 1 touchdown against Iowa.

In the 5 years prior to the switch we scored 17, 23, 10, 21, and 36.

What do you think? Are our offensive woes against Iowa due to the wrong offensive system against them, being out-coached, inferior players, or something else?
 

RotatingColumn

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Oct 21, 2008
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If I'm not mistaken, we switched to our "spread" offense 4 years ago when Chizik took over. Since then, we've managed only 1 touchdown against Iowa.

In the 5 years prior to the switch we scored 17, 23, 10, 21, and 36.

What do you think? Are our offensive woes against Iowa due to the wrong offensive system against them, being out-coached, inferior players, or something else?

Yes.
 

SenorCy

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Aug 29, 2010
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Turnovers and having a bad D-Line don't help. It doesn't matter what your offense is if it's never on the field.
 

ahaselhu

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Sep 10, 2007
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Turnovers and having a bad D-Line don't help. It doesn't matter what your offense is if it's never on the field.

That's really only been a problem the last 2 years. The 2 years before that we just couldn't get in the end zone.

I suppose it could be a case of two different problems. With Chizik, McFarland's system had a history of being good between the 20s but poor at scoring touchdowns. The last two years it could just be a D-Line insufficient to get Iowa off the field.
 

mustangcy

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Apr 11, 2006
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I think it's mainly that we've had ****** offenses for 4 years and Iowa has had good defenses for, well, like forever.
 

benjay

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Mar 23, 2006
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They have a much better team across the board. It might be a few years before we beat them again. We really don't have many players that would start on their team.
 

RotatingColumn

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Oct 21, 2008
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Zone running doesn't work well against the hocks.. or any running really. And when your QB can't hit open receivers and is turning receivers around during receptions this is what you get on offense. The D is really just about being outmatched in size and strength... oh, and tackling. We can't tackle. Either way I think we have a good shot next week.
 

twojman

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Jun 1, 2006
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An inaccurate QB, WR's that continually drop passes and a lack of creativity on offense contributes as well. 2 of these 3 items occurred against Iowa last season. I thought the creativity was there last year.
 

MadCy

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Apr 9, 2006
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I don't like us running the spread/spread option really at all. I'm not a coach but it seems like to have real consistent success with it you need very consistent talent at the skilled positions to make it work. Nothing against us, but it seems like we're not as likely to always have the right guys for it.

I wish we ran a pro style like Iowa. I think it's "easier" to groom lineman for a more smash mouth than it is to groom the talent it takes to execute the timing needed for a spread type. And I think Iowa State is more likely to bring in the linemen type guys who we could coach to be great at that style. Then we could throw almost any RB or QB back there and things wouldn't miss too much of a beat.

It just seems like everything has to go just right for the passing, and especially running, to work well consistently.
 

ahaselhu

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Sep 10, 2007
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I don't like us running the spread/spread option really at all. I'm not a coach but it seems like to have real consistent success with it you need very consistent talent at the skilled positions to make it work. Nothing against us, but it seems like we're not as likely to always have the right guys for it.

I wish we ran a pro style like Iowa. I think it's "easier" to groom lineman for a more smash mouth than it is to groom the talent it takes to execute the timing needed for a spread type. And I think Iowa State is more likely to bring in the linemen type guys who we could coach to be great at that style. Then we could throw almost any RB or QB back there and things wouldn't miss too much of a beat.

It just seems like everything has to go just right for the passing, and especially running, to work well consistently.


I agree, but I think in order to switch back to a pro style we'd have to change offensive coordinators. I'm not sure that's a great idea right now.
 

kingcy

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Sep 16, 2006
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I don't like us running the spread/spread option really at all. I'm not a coach but it seems like to have real consistent success with it you need very consistent talent at the skilled positions to make it work. Nothing against us, but it seems like we're not as likely to always have the right guys for it.

I wish we ran a pro style like Iowa. I think it's "easier" to groom lineman for a more smash mouth than it is to groom the talent it takes to execute the timing needed for a spread type. And I think Iowa State is more likely to bring in the linemen type guys who we could coach to be great at that style. Then we could throw almost any RB or QB back there and things wouldn't miss too much of a beat.

It just seems like everything has to go just right for the passing, and especially running, to work well consistently.

5 years ago people wanted ISU to run the spread.
 

Rural

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Feb 3, 2010
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Let's see, we've got an inaccurate QB trying to take us the length of the field, throwing 6 yard passes. Sounds like a recipe for making defenses look like the steel curtain.
 

homerHAWKeye777

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May 27, 2009
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If I'm not mistaken, we switched to our "spread" offense 4 years ago when Chizik took over. Since then, we've managed only 1 touchdown against Iowa.

In the 5 years prior to the switch we scored 17, 23, 10, 21, and 36.

What do you think? Are our offensive woes against Iowa due to the wrong offensive system against them, being out-coached, inferior players, or something else?

Wasn't ISU using Meyer from shotgun most of the time before anyhow? For all intents and purposes, ISU was already executing the spread prior to "the Chiz."

Anyhow, my guess is that ISU opted for the formation for a few reasons, two of the primary ones likely being ....

1. Lack of RB personnel fitting Danny Mac's prior more run-first (and often) philosophy

2. Changing landscape of recruiting in Big 12 country. In order to be able to draw kids from Texas, it probably was viewed as important to be able to sell "the spread" to the recruits down there.
 

IcSyU

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Nov 27, 2007
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Until we match Iowa in the trenches, it doesn't matter what offense we run.
 

Covenant Clone

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Aug 30, 2006
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Until we match Iowa in the trenches, it doesn't matter what offense we run.

This...and the spread offense is predicated on having a QB that makes good decisions, gets the ball out quick, and it deadly accurate to give the WR's a chance to make a play after the catch. We don't have that.