Offensive Woes

[Land Grant]

Why?
1. I seem to remember that Rhoads himself intimated that replacing Herman with Messingham would bring changes to the O (you could argue that it has, but for not for the better).
2. We're in year 4. It's time for things to be better.
3. If all personnel are the same then you're de facto saying that the staff cannot improve players. Is that the case?

Same QB as last year Check
Same RBs as last year Check
Same oline as last year ( minus 2 NFL guys) Check
Same WRs as last year (Minus our only playmaker from last year) Check

Not sure why things were expected to be drsatically different.

 

[aeroclone]

Same QB as last year Check
Same RBs as last year Check
Same oline as last year ( minus 2 NFL guys) Check
Same WRs as last year (Minus our only playmaker from last year) Check

Not sure why things were expected to be drsatically different.

Offense was poor last year as well... Check.

 

[scyclonekid]

My sentiments exactly! JB averaged 8 YPC with 6 carries. The 2-back read option was beautiful.....the 2 times we ran it! That's my beef with the play-calling. We're not sticking with the stuff that's working.

Well does that mean the OC is not that good then? Not sticking to what works? This is what frustrates me the most with him and the reason I am not confident in him.

 

[CykoAGR]

Re: New Ideas

Would there be anything to gain by demoting Messingham and giving someone else operational control of the offense? Sturdy, for example? Could Rhoads take over the play calling himself (seems unlikely)?

It sure can't get any worse.

Holy bat **** this is a bad idea. Lets just calm the ship a bit here.

I didnt spend any time on here this weekend because I was ticked and I knew everyone else would be too and I didnt need to fuel their fire or vice versa.

Everyone knows that the Offense has been horrid, its not rocket science. CPR/Mess have tried to give this team a spark by switching QB's, running a few trick plays etc. It worked in the TCU game but the fact that TCU had 5 TO's sure didnt hurt either.

The reality of the situation is that whatever the problem(s) on offense are constantly interchanging players, coaches, power vs spread philosophy isnt going to help!! Consistency is really what this team lacks on offense and constant change is no way to acheive consistency.

I dont have the answer but let me tell you something- it wont be found reading this board full of suggestions from wanna be coaches who think they know more than CPR/Mess etc.

I want this team to win as bad as anyone on here but good gracious the suggestions that some people come up with are just dense.

Edit: Land Grant this isnt directed at you personally just keep hearing all of this negativity and how everyone sucks and it boiled over.

 

[dafarmer]

I liked the play with both Woody and Shontrelle in the backfield together. It gave us another option on the run, or even to pass. It might even be better with White when he is healthy. Just something else for a defense to plan for besides the quarterback or lone back to defend.

 

[Cycsk]

Same QB as last year Check.
Same RBs as last year Check. Minus Shontrelle Johnson last year.
Same oline as last year ( minus 2 NFL guys) Check. Minus Burris last year.
Same WRs as last year (Minus our only playmaker from last year) Check. Minus Lenz for the end of the season last year.

Not sure why things were expected to be drsatically different.

 

[Land Grant]

Re: New Ideas

No offense taken. These boards are places to fling things around. I don't reign myself in any more than I would in a water cooler conversation. For me (as I suspect is the case for many) this is a form of entertainment and a way to continue the fun beyond game day.

That said, I'll stick to my guns that Messingham is not up to the task and that Rhoads is a good (potentially great) head coach that is limited only by his offensive (forgive the pun) choices. As an armchair quarterback, its my right and responsibility to say this!!

Holy bat **** this is a bad idea. Lets just calm the ship a bit here.

I didnt spend any time on here this weekend because I was ticked and I knew everyone else would be too and I didnt need to fuel their fire or vice versa.

Everyone knows that the Offense has been horrid, its not rocket science. CPR/Mess have tried to give this team a spark by switching QB's, running a few trick plays etc. It worked in the TCU game but the fact that TCU had 5 TO's sure didnt hurt either.

The reality of the situation is that whatever the problem(s) on offense are constantly interchanging players, coaches, power vs spread philosophy isnt going to help!! Consistency is really what this team lacks on offense and constant change is no way to acheive consistency.

I dont have the answer but let me tell you something- it wont be found reading this board full of suggestions from wanna be coaches who think they know more than CPR/Mess etc.

I want this team to win as bad as anyone on here but good gracious the suggestions that some people come up with are just dense.

Edit: Land Grant this isnt directed at you personally just keep hearing all of this negativity and how everyone sucks and it boiled over.

 

[docholihawk]

Re: New Ideas

Trying to get skill position players to the state of Iowa is a hard sell. We can get them but likely not to get them in bunches like the southern schools do. The ones we do get have to be the real deal and they have to be deveoped but there are definite disadvantages built in to recruit them here.

 

[khardbored]

"There's no different play call you make to catch a ball..." - Rhodes after the game.

 

[tee1up]

I don't put the blame on Mess.

Like Woody said in the post game, it isn't one big thing. Go back and watch the game, you will see that the plays called for the most part were there, it's just one person not doing their job and the whole thing gets blown up. A missed block here, a holding penalty/false start there and a dropped pass there. One of these little things really screws up a play that was properly designed/called.

This is exactly my problem with the scheme. If one guy screws up, the play is a disaster. There is no middle ground. 10 guys execute perfectly, one guy messes up, and we lose 5 yards. It is so hard to create long drives. I don't have all the answers, but what we do just doesn't work.

 

[scyclonekid]

Execute this week and hopefully this offense can turn around and gain some confidence.

 

[Erik4Cy]

I don't really have that much to say, as it is a problem with the offense in general, but, I do have a couple thoughts:

1. Why are we not seeing more of Jeff Woody? We are not having success throwing the ball, we might as well let him pound on opposing defenses a little.

2. Barnett is a good runner, but not a good scrambler. In that I mean, he can run with the ball, but seems to be a terrible thrower while on the run.

3. I might scream if I see us backed up to our goal line while still in the shotgun one more time.

I agree with all of these. #2 is a problem though as well because he gets A LOT of balls batted down throwing flat footed in the pocket. Whether it be not finding throwing lanes/not as tall. I don't know, but I don't have a lot of patience for balls batted at the LOS.

#3 frustrates me on our own 5 and in and on the other teams 5 and in...I know we're a spread team, shotgun, zone-read...yada yada yada...BUT you still need to have some plays designed from under center to pick up 2-3 yards of breathing room or to punch it in from 1 yard out. That safety we had earlier in the year with Woody get tackled was just a horrible draw up and execution of a play. Yeah we didn't block it right, but that is a case of OC not putting the players in a position to succeed.

And I know I am jumping around on your points I agree with but #1: Jeff Woody 152 carries for 614 yards. thats a 4.03 yard avg with 8 TDs. Those are his career #'s. WHY...OH WHY...Can we NOT find a way to get a guy that averages 4 yards a touch the ball on offense more? He also does this avg getting a lot of carries in short yardage situation and we all know he doesn't really have the ability to break an 80 yarder, but even when a healthy White and Shontrelle have been in there we aren't getting those breakaway plays anyway. Why not create some PA pass situations off of some bowling ball runs from Woody on the D? We are putting way too much pressure on our QBs right now.

 

[Bader]

What makes me scratch my head a lot is that the two phases of the game are polar opposites of each other and the offense seems to contradict the mentality Rhoad's wants to instill in his players. The defense is mean, they will fight a team tooth and nail for every damn yard. If they get beat over the top on a blown coverage or a well designed route, the very next possession they're back out there ready to "swarm and punish".

The offense is finesse, it wants to out think and out scheme an opposing defense. I'm not saying the O needs to turn into 3 yards and a cloud of dust but at least run run run, punt wears down the d-line as opposed to incomplete, incomplete, qb scramble, punt. How Woody only has 14 carries on the year is beyond me, and for the sake of everything holy why will they not attempt crossing patterns in attempts to set a pick for Horne/West and get them in space

 

[ThatllDoCy]

I really think it is as simple as finding an above average QB.

 

[ChiefCy]

Re: New Ideas

Trying to get skill position players to the state of Iowa is a hard sell. We can get them but likely not to get them in bunches like the southern schools do. The ones we do get have to be the real deal and they have to be deveoped but there are definite disadvantages built in to recruit them here.

I hear this kind off talk over and over. I like Ames better than Manhatten, KS or Lincoln, NE or Iowa City and I have not been to Wisc but it is North of here. All of these had pretty down years but also many good years so they must be able to recruit.