Excited for the rest of the season!

[jctisu]

We got the ball back with plenty of time to score. But, IMHO, the plays were too predictable. It looked like Iowa knew the last play before we did and crashed it from the snap.

Why no play action, why didn't Rocco every keep on the zone read, why no routes down the middle of the field?

I keep seeing folks talk about why no throwing down the middle of the field. That is EXACTLY what Iowa wants you to do and where Purdy got in trouble every time against Iowa. Teams that do that against Iowa usually see at least a pair of interceptions. You have to take your time with Iowa, but do it with tempo. Teams that can be patient with their play calls while playing fast give them fits.

 

[t-noah]

I guess I had two positives to take from this game:

1. Special teams continued to be "not game breakingly bad". Not great, just not "oh my god no team can overcome this" kinda bad. I would have said actually good, but we just had to have a blocked kick.

2. No red zone false starts. The line still can't block, but at least they aren't losing yards *before* the snap.

We actually had very few penalties. That was good. I had to look it up, and we only had 2.

Can't believe Iowa had 0 penalties. I wnat say anything more on that. I remember seeing a couple on Iowa that should have been called, but a couple on ISU also.

 

[Taz4President]

I’m excited for the rest of the season too but Iowa doesn’t consider this game their Super Bowl any more than ISU does. That’s just the cold honest truth.

Iowa has won the game so many times recently b/c they’ve consistently been the better team by being prepared and limiting mistakes. Folks that can’t handle that concept create the narrative that it’s Iowa’s SB. I guess it’s comforting to them, It’s comical.

 

[t-noah]

And thus the reason for some rational encouragement. Our special teams were great (2nd week in a row), punt, punt coverage, kick off-touchbacks, FG’s. Even the miss FG had some funky-ness to it per CMC. No false starts, sans a holding penalty and PI, we were clean in that aspect. No fumbles, but the costly pick. Our D gave up 13 points against and revamped Iowa offense with portal additions at key spots.

Not to mention we lost our most experienced playmakers at QB, RB, TE and our starting Tackle….all at a time we couldn’t go portalling for replacements, thus we go and are young and played decent in a tough spot, but growth is there and the floor feels high with growth to gain higher as the season progresses. Ohio is a huge one to keep a young team locked in.

Thanks for pointing out some of the positives. Yes, those are good to see.

I just feel those positives could be accentuated if we had just a little more creativity, just a little more lack of predictability, just a little bit better play calling. Similar feeling over the past 2 years. We could have done/been better.

I will try to stay positive. It is becoming more difficult.

 

[larrysarmy]

Thanks for pointing out some of the positives. Yes, those are good to see.

I just feel those positives could be accentuated if we had just a little more creativity, just a little more lack of predictability, just a little bit better play calling. Similar feeling over the past 2 years. We could have done/been better.

I will try to stay positive. It is becoming more difficult.

Agree, which is if we remain solid in special teams, penalties and D. Our young offense will have more liberties to get creative and I think we will, but very encouraged in the other phases of the games so far and those have cost us mightily the last 2 years.

 

[isucy86]

A lot of his runs are designed to go to the outside. Sama is the guy at RB, just needs more carries. Norton doesn't run sideways, he just doesn't run anywhere, and then the defense is on him. I think we saw Sama's potential later in the game when he was running inside the tackles. He's more subtle than Norton.

Some runs are designed to go wide, but with more experience Sama will understand when to drop his shoulders to take no gain at the hash vs. taking a 4 yard loss at the sideline.

Sama has more upside and it would not surprise me if he isn't our #1 back at some point this season. But it's about being a complete back and constant improvement.

No matter what, I think both backs are solid and the carries split will be 60/40ish over the season. Just a matter who's #1.

I feel we also need to ID a pass catching back. Doesn't look to be Norton's strength. I don't recall a ball thrown to Sama and Hanson dropped his chance. Could be a role for Sanders?

 

[MJ271]

Why on earth are we playing an away game at Ohio?

I'm not going to be able to find them, but there have been a few good posts on here pointing out that it's not as rare for a Power 5 to play a group of 5 school on the road as it seems like it would be. Just looking at the first 3 weeks for Big 12 teams, Tech played at Wyoming, Oklahoma will play at Tulsa, and Kansas will play at Nevada, along with our game at Ohio. Oklahoma State and Baylor have also played multiple road games against G5 schools in the last 5 seasons or so. And there are many more I don't remember.

 

[isucy86]

I keep seeing folks talk about why no throwing down the middle of the field. That is EXACTLY what Iowa wants you to do and where Purdy got in trouble every time against Iowa. Teams that do that against Iowa usually see at least a pair of interceptions. You have to take your time with Iowa, but do it with tempo. Teams that can be patient with their play calls while playing fast give them fits.

But there are counter moves. Sure Iowa likes to control the middle, but there are play calls to attack Iowa deep. Deep sideline routes to draw safety out, overload the middle at different levels. Iowa will win if an offense can't make big plays. That's why the Gophers and Huskers struggle to beat them.

And going deep is relative. It doesn't have to be 30 yards down field. It's an offense that runs the same routes as ISU, just the short routes deeper at times.

• Instead of 0-5 yard crossing routes, run them 7+ yards.
• Instead of 5-10 yard outs, run them 10-15 yards.
• Instead of 5-10 yard slants, go 15-20 yards.

Sure it takes a QB who can make the throws. An On-line that can block. A coach who keeps the defense off-balance.

It's near impossible to beat Iowa at their game, especially when talent level is comparable.

 

[khardbored]

That might be a presser I do not wish to listen to.

Sounds like an excuse and more lack of accountability.

Exactly. "Doing it right?" - there are high school teams with a better hurry-up offense. It's like they never practiced it.

 

[khardbored]

It will be great recruiting exposure for us on the local access cable channels for all the players in the Ohio Hotbed of football that aren't being recruited because they are too slow, short, or dumb by Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Akron, Toledo, Cinncinnati, West Virginia, Ohio, Dayton, Mount Union, Marshall, Purdue, Northwestern, and Kent State. Future's so bright we got wear thoroughly formed baseball hat brims.

I get that reference.

 

[dirtyninety]

I get that reference.

Yeah....my grammar was incorrect too.....but it was a long, run-on sentence stream of thought.....
We might be the target of the revenge of Solich on this one.....I still think Iowa State beating him in 2002 was VERY unacceptable to the best fans in the world. sarc. He lasted another year I guess....but how things have come around to be the same.....losing to us is football coach termination time.......can any of us argue that?

 

[CycloneErik]

History indicates that most P5 coaches don't get it back this late in their tenure at a particular school.

Or any, really.

 

[rochclone]

How many times do I have to explain Campbellball?

He thinks if it is close, his superior coaching will win it.

Our opponents know this, and adjust, by taking timely and appropriate risk, which if/when they hit, are the difference in the game.

Campbellball means are opponents have all adjusted, and while our defense make keep games close, they will still be losses.

The only thing I'm excited about for the rest of the season is to have more evidence of being proven right so finally more fans will hopefully realize it's over.

If it’s time to move on from Campbell then give me a name. Who are you hiring and can I expect the same results (5 bowls in the first 7 years) that MC has given Iowa State?

 

[State2015]

After sitting on it for a day, I’m more optimistic about the season than I was last night. If we didn’t have a blocked FG and a pick 6 we win that game. D played lights out, offense moved the chains. I know Iowa’s not a great team but the Big 12 has some holes this year.

It’s a young team, they’ll continue to grow and get better. This year we had far less bonehead mistakes in the cyhawk game so I’ll take it

 

[MyNameEhJeff]

Why on earth are we playing an away game at Ohio?

Why is Alabama playing an away game at South Florida?

 

[Jer]

Why is Alabama playing an away game at South Florida?

If you had the chance to get out of Alabama, even for a weekend, wouldn't you?