UNI Q&A -- Jay Jordan

[JJIII]

How bland are going to be as to not show Iowa or the Big 12 much of what is coming?

That is common football group think to which many coaches adhere, and perhaps Campbell does as well. It is my preference to play the game you plan to play and give upcoming opponents additional preparation points to consider. Make their job harder. But, only if you have pivots planned based on anticipated adjustments to what was shown.

I see no validity in withholding plays or players that will be vital in the future or that need to be seen in game action. Frankly, I do not want to roll out new looks and schemes against an opponent like Iowa without having them game tested. I may change the formation that the scheme is derived from, change the players targeted, or use it to set up a pivot that has been installed in fall camp or during the bye week. Tendencies should be fluid and challenged week to week.

My philosophy only. Coach Campbell is conservative by nature and I expect him to be so here, but that does not mean that Iowa State is in a lesser position to excel or obtain a decisive victory. If they set a base package only, I expect the execution and talent level to allow that package to seem dynamic.

 

[JJIII]

Is it going to rain all day, Jay?

Need to know.

My phone app says 60% with the highest likelihood in the morning. All of my assumptions are based on a solid weather day, soooo, I guess they are only delivered with 60% certainty.

 

[JJIII]

Hope I responded to all of the questions. Thanks for firing them at me. I will check back in if anything else pops up.

 

[usedcarguy]

Jay, I enjoyed this as much or more than your articles. Thanks!

 

[hoosman]

If we have better depth, would using a hurry up offense improve our standing in the second half?

 

[clonedude]

My phone app says 60% with the highest likelihood in the morning. All of my assumptions are based on a solid weather day, soooo, I guess they are only delivered with 60% certainty.

If it's a 60% chance of rain, and your assumptions are based on a solid weather day, doesn't that mean your assumptions are delivered with only a 40% certainty, not 60%?

 

[JJIII]

If it's a 60% chance of rain, and your assumptions are based on a solid weather day, doesn't that mean your assumptions are delivered with only a 40% certainty, not 60%?

Tip of the cap, math idiot.

 

[Aclone]

Tip of the cap, math idiot.

Quite fortuitously, I see a 40% chance of rain right now for Saturday on weather.com.

You were simply prescient.

 

[CtownCyclone]

Tip of the cap, math idiot.

This is probably the kindest insult you could have delivered.

Bravo.

 

[LarryISU]

Hmm, UNI, KST, and TCU come to mind. ECU and Northwestern are the only others that come to mind.

So, yes, yes we do.

Washington Huskies wear purple.

 

[JJIII]

This is probably the kindest insult you could have delivered.

Bravo.

I meant that I am a math idiot. Not that he was a an idiot. Foot in mouth.

 

[convoluteme]

Hi Jay. No question, I just want to thank you for the analysis you bring to CF. I'm not an x's and o's person, best I can usually do is notice how many WRs there are and how many linemen the defense is using. Your expertise enriches my experience of the game and I thank you for that.

 

[CyCloned]

Who do you see as Purdy's security blanket/go to guy in the passing game this year? Is he going to target Milton, or is he going to check down to TEs?

 

[HardcoreClone]

With the type of dominant defense we hope and expect to have again this year, would you prefer CMC/Manning call a more conservative, or more aggressive, offensive gameplan?

At times the past couple seasons, I got the impression CMC was willing to play conservative and even concede an offensive 3 & out or a stalled drive, knowing he had a great defense to support that decision. I kind of prefer the opposite; play more aggressive and look for more big plays on offense, knowing your defense has a good shot of bailing you out. I guess my only concern is we don't have a proven big play threat (yet) like we had with Lazard, Butler (and even Montgomery).

 

[HardcoreClone]

Who do you see as Purdy's security blanket/go to guy in the passing game this year? Is he going to target Milton, or is he going to check down to TEs?

Not Jay, but I expect Jones to be the clutch receiver on 3rd downs. Milton and Allen/Kolar should also get plenty of targets on those key plays, depending on matchups.

 

[cyclones500]

Washington Huskies wear purple.

Also, LSU and Clemson.

 

[cyclones500]

Do we play more games against purple teams than any other power 5 team?

Within the BIg 12 alone, 5 schools play 3 purple teams (KSU, TCU and a non-league opponent).

• Iowa State (UNI)
• Baylor (SF Austin)
• Oklahoma State (McNeese)
• Texas (LSU)
• West Virginia (James Madison)

 

[JJIII]

Hi Jay. No question, I just want to thank you for the analysis you bring to CF. I'm not an x's and o's person, best I can usually do is notice how many WRs there are and how many linemen the defense is using. Your expertise enriches my experience of the game and I thank you for that.

So, this is a significant reason for the work I do for this site. Cyclone fans are polite and just good folks at heart. It was a reason I chose to go to Iowa State a million years ago and it persists today. There is a lot of time and effort that goes in to the analysis. There is a lot of time and effort that goes in to the coverage and creative things that the other authors on this site use. The fact that you will take the time to write a note of appreciation means a great deal, it manifests in the stadiums, and it is present on the streets. I am proud to be a Cyclone and to contribute the little bit that I can to the enjoyment of game days.

 

[waldclonz]

I know I have heard Campbell talk about pin and pull blocking, are we trying to use this blocking scheme prominently? The question on what to look for on offensive linemen got me thinking about trying to pay closer attention to how good we seem to be at blocking depending on what blocking scheme we are trying to run.

 

[JJIII]

Who do you see as Purdy's security blanket/go to guy in the passing game this year? Is he going to target Milton, or is he going to check down to TEs?

I hope the security blanket is the receiver that is open and that the ball is distributed through proper reads through the progression.

The TE's are not check down receivers in this offense. They are primary and are field stretchers. Which is a match-up based motif. ISU feels that the TE's have a greater advantage when they push 2nd level defenders out of their ordinary coverage zones and when they get matched-up with 3rd level defenders who are undersized relative to the target.

ISU likes to use the slot receivers as check downs, when they use a check down. Often, there is no check down option, but I am hoping we see that more. I would like to see Milton or Pettway as a check down option and perhaps Soehner as a backside bail out option. But, both Lang and Hall provide an interesting check down option in space akin to what Akrum Wadley used to be for Iowa.