 Marc MorehouseHi, I'm Marc Morehouse. I've covered sports for more than 15 years, mostly in Eastern Iowa. I've had Hayden Fry [...] |
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In the end, Iowa will be its defense
Iowa's Marvin McNutt poses for a photo with his five-year-old god sister Kennedy Byrd of St. Louis, Mo., after the Hawkeyes' win over Indiana at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011, in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won, 45-24. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
IOWA CITY — There really is no more debate on what the Iowa football team is in 2011.
The Hawkeyes (5-2, 2-1 Big Ten) are an offense guided by a first-year starter at quarterback whose quality moments outweigh lapses. James Vandenberg isn’t perfect, but he’s the No. 2 passer in the Big Ten with 16 touchdown passes and just four interceptions.
The Hawkeyes are a terrific wide receiver corps, led by senior Marvin McNutt and junior Keenan Davis.
Yes, Davis left Saturday’s 45-24 win over Indiana with a sprained right ankle late in the fourth quarter. Here’s what coach Kirk Ferentz said about that, “We’ll know tomorrow. Nobody is really alarmed right now. I don’t think we came out of it, at least at this point, with anything bad.”
The Hawkeyes are a pretty good running game and offensive line. Sophomore Marcus Coker continues to grow at the position. And against Indiana, some depth popped up in freshmen De’Andre Johnson and Jordan Canzeri. Also, freshman Mika’il McCall likely will be back at some point this season, Ferentz said.
And finally, the Hawkeyes are a suspect defense. Whether it’s injuries or roster turnover, the Hawkeyes are literally taping it together on defense.
From tackle Mike Daniels’ ankle to linebacker James Morris’ ankle to linebacker Tyler Nielsen’s left hand, the whole thing is being held together by athletic tape.
“I don’t know what it is about yardage, but psychologically, it’s yards on the ground that really . . .,” Ferentz said, “they seem to give you Pepto-Bismol moments. That part, we’ve got to tighten down. It’s just not a good feeling when people run the ball successfully.”
Through seven games, Iowa allows 161.6 rush yards a game. That would be the most for an Iowa defense since 194.3 in 2000. The 23.3 points allowed per game is the highest since 2000 (27.5). The 406.7 yards Iowa has allowed through seven games is the most since, you guessed it, 2000 (440.9).
Since 1933, Iowa defenses have allowed 400-plus yards a game just three times. You can probably throw in the 1998 defense, which allowed 398.9 yards.
The collective records of those teams is (1971, ’98, ’99 and 2000) is 8-37.
This isn’t time to panic. Iowa is 5-2 and likely will be favorites Saturday at Minnesota (1-6, 0-3) and thus should head into the November grinder of its schedule at 6-2. Iowa will have a chance to stand up for itself and claim the course of its destiny.
But historically, that 400 number is foreboding.
“It’s not so much that the numbers bug me, it’s that I know we can play better as a whole unit,” defensive end Broderick Binns said. “The linemen, linebackers and defensive backs, we just have to play better.”
Iowa will play better and more experienced quarterbacks than it faced Saturday. Indiana’s Tre Roberson, a true freshman, did pretty much whatever he wanted, gaining 278 yards of offense with a TD pass. Iowa lived to tell, as it did the previous week against Northwestern’s Dan Persa and Kain Colter, who helped NU roll up 495 yards.
This week, Minnesota’s MarQueis Gray is capable of directing the Gophers’ in the spread. Then, it’s Michigan’s Denard Robinson (No. 2 in the conference in rushing), Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins (drop-back style senior leader), Purdue’s Caleb TerBush (two TD passes in quality win over Illinois last week) and Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez (third in total offense in the Big Ten).
It’s red alert from this minute on for Iowa defense.
“It’s just not typical of Iowa defenses to give up that many yards,” said Binns, who’s played on three top 25 defenses as a Hawkeye, “especially back-to-back, back-to-back-to-back or whatever it was.”
It’s OK. It’s getting all too easy to lose track.
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The 400-Yard Club
(The Iowa teams that have allowed 400-plus yards of offense since 1933 and their final records)
1971 — 452.0 yards offense; 1-10 record
1998 — 398.9; 3-8
1999 — 463.4; 1-10
2000 — 440.9; 3-9
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It’s certainly pretty ominous. We’re being pushed back as though the front seven are often on roller skates. We have freshmen DBs playing linebacker. We’re last in the conference in 3rd down conversion defense.
OTOH … somehow, we are second in the conference in red zone defense. But here again, before we get too hepped up, only Indiana has allowed more red zone opportunities — and they have only permitted one additional (32 v. 31).
I put this elsewhere but it fits here better probably…..
Howdy Marc,
Good stuff…..great point on the “all over college football” comment. I’ll say this….I’m a D guy and although it is nice to have “this” O and honestly its the real deal…..I’d like to be more stout at the point of contact. With that said your comment is spot on and my coworkers (” work enough, those are my friends…lol) have lamented the lost art of tackling and porous D at all levels, high school & NFL included….When LSU can give up 500 plus even in a win vs West Va…..and OU can give up 500 plus to TT then yeah…its not just Iowa. They do keep the play in front of them and they do make you work at it, and then they are a threat to pick you….that’s the D right now….good or bad!
Chad
I saw the same thing I saw watching Iowa as I did watching Oklahoma.
Don’t get beat deep, keep everything in front of you.
Tech found some cracks.
It takes so much for a defense to have a front four that coordinators rely on to stop run and provide pressure. Iowa isn’t there now. When will it be? I don’t know.
Marc, I really appreciate fans that have some perspectives or more to the point, have watched enuff games that they understand what they are seeing and where we are at in comparison…..
It’s why I sometimes get rammy and then I come off as condescending or pompous and I know I shouldn’t be that way, regardless of others. The frustration comes from people just not “seeing” what is really going on. It’s like if no one in the coffee shop saw the changes and told them, they just blindly assume nothing new is happening out there?!?!??!
So far this season they have blitzed more (I know a few who think THAT is what lost us the ISU game) we have played 3-4 while we could (injuries are making it impossible right now, I hope people know that) and lots of nickel and dime coverages now that Lowery is back….!??!?! Viola….changes….!!!
In fact is years past we have chanced plenty as the year progresses and the neat, most effective thing about those changes are….people don’t notice them much i/e: they are more successful, because they aren’t wildly publicized…..honestly its okay to trust your coaches to be doing what they can to fix these problems…..having difficulties doesn’t meant that aren’t trying…..
It’s a brave new football world out there……I did a quick research project and found that in
2007 there were only 70 teams that held opponents under 400 yards of total offense…
In 2008 that jumped to 93 and then slowly started cycling down again…
2009 it was 88…
2010….it was 81…and so far this year its 75!
I personally feel like holding teams under 300 per game is what great D’s do, but scant few are doing that (14) and honestly as you watch nationwide some teams that have historically played great D (Iowa being one of them) are getting gouged….
Something else of note……PSU plays very good D, and they are seasoned. Couple Sr’s and juniors on D-line….They beat IU 16-10 and NW 34-24 (406 yards) and the game was mostly in doubt until Persa got hurt.
We gave up 24 to IU and crushed them, although giving 414 yards. We gave up 495 yards to NW and held two 17 point leads and although it was very nerve racking we handled that game well. Unfortunately on the road (that’s where we need to improve) against said PSU we couldn’t’ do much of anything in a loss.
The point of this being…..we do stop teams on occasion, but we all feel nervous because teams can seemingly move on us at will at certain times throughout the game. It makes for a disconcerted feeling for sure…..we have some players and we have made some defensive plays….just not as many as we are accustomed to.
All in all it has been a very strange season period…..How about Nebbie’s D, they are heinous as well. They have given up even more Tds than us and 162 yards rushing per game.
Chad
I don’t see us getting much better on defense the rest of the way. Our W/L fate is going to be hanging on turnover margin and special teams. The only way to overcome this kind of defense is to be very, very good on offense (duh) and get tons of turnovers and play great on special teams. It’s asking a lot and may be asking too much.
Excellent points.
Turnover margin has been good enough to keep it going. That’s a big stat for this team.
Special teams kind of go hand-in-hand with the defense. The roster isn’t what it needs to be, so both suffer. But ST has been making improvements. It will have November to show it can compete against elite competition.
I was just hoping for an 8-4 season. That looks like a realistic possibility the more I watch this season wear on. Too bad their D is really down this year because this might be the 2nd best offense in the Kirk era.
Interesting, as always, Marc, and there’s no doubt it is about the defense. But not the yards allowed. It’s still about points. Winning 41-38 counts and giving up 500 yards counts the same as winning 10-7 and giving up 150 yards. Some of Iowa’s worst teams in the 60s and 70s outgained its opponents, had more first downs, etc., but usually lost something like 55-7. It’s true that statistics, generally, are for losers.
At the same time, it’s also true that the game has changed. Even in the Big 10 you have all these QB’s running around and tossing the 5-yard dinks. These offenses cannot be prevented from picking up a lot of yards. The dink allows undermanned teams to move the ball without having a massive O-line or talented RBs. It has leveled the competition in many respects, and it has skewed the value of statistics and statistical comparisons.
But with all that being said, Iowa’s defense still has to be more effective. And part of that equation is still this: Since offenses have changed, will Iowa’s defense adjust to those changes? It has been hashed and rehashed, but when the mobile QBs and the dink passes and the spread offenses combined with Iowa’s problems with the D-line, it would be interesting to see what would happen if Iowa committed to a 3-4 or 3-5 defense with D-backs instead of LBs covering the receivers. Iowa is thinnest at LB and D-line. I understand and appreciate a sound base defense and fundamentals, BUT it doesn’t make much sense to keep driving a Model-T when others are driving a hybrid.
It has seemed to me that they have gone nickel and dime a good amount more this year than I recall from the last few years, so it’s not exactly like the defense isn’t adjusting at all.
Points per play isn’t bad right now for this defense. That’s something.
The thinking, IMO, is stop run, make teams pass, which opens up the possibility for turnover.
But teams are rushing well against Iowa and that throws the strategy out of whack.
Part of the running problem is due to poor tackling technique. This was an issue last year and has only gotten worse this year, and I’m at a loss to explain it. For a team that emphasizes fundamentals, and already has issues on D, you would think that sound, solid tackling would be paramount.
Iowa will just not be a dominant defensive team this season, between the talent it has lost to the NFL and injuries, especially at LB.
A.J. Derby has a shot at redeeming himself, and showing the impact pure athletic ability can have on the defensive side of the ball. Hey Norm, ever contemplate running the 3-3-5!?
It’ll be interesting to see if Derby can work his way into contributing on defense in the next five weeks.
My guess is no, but they might not have a choice.
I’m remembering how James Morris emerged as Iowa’s “mike.” Morris certainly made an impression on Persa last year!
I’m assuming by that you mean Morris caused the injury because Morris got used in the NW game last year. Much like this year. James struggles in pass coverage.
How’d the 3-3-5 work out for Michigan?
I do like what Derby could bring to the table as LB, and he would seem to be a natural heir to the Edds/Nielsen spot next season with his size and speed. And I hate to say it, but Morris needs to step up his play some. The injury certainly limits him, but even before then, he was getting by more on hype than actual results. Not saying he’s a bad player, and he is young, just that his actual performance hasn’t measured up to the press/praise he’s received. Put another way, if he were simply a scholarship LB from Illinois and NOT someone with his background with the program, I don’t think he’d be getting all the attention he has from fans/media.
Thank god there are some level head’s out there on James Morris. I really do hope the kid pans out and do see some ability but you talk to most Iowa fans and they act like he is already pretty good.
I quite simply haven’t seen it. He’s had a fair amount of tackles per game sure. But the system dictates if you can stay on the field you’re going to have a lot of tackles. Bend but don’t break plus a heavy zone with d-linemen asorbing blocks allows for this.
Two biggest complaints with him is way too many of his tackles don’t have initial contact until the back is 2 to 3 yards past the LOS allowing for 5 and 6 yard runs where if he disected the play quicker or was just quicker in general he’d be able to meet the back in the hole limiting some of these runs to 2 or 3 yard gains.
His pass coverage awareness is also suspect, IMO. I wouldn’t be surprised if Alston beat him out next year in the middle. Its a critical position in this defense that calls for you to stop the run and get depth in coverage.
Honestly we have been very spoiled on Lbers and coverage. Edds and Angerer were two of the best ever….Humpal was very good and Greenwood was as of course terrific. Hunter was underrated andf honestly Klink wasn’t as bad as the fans suggested.
Morris will be a very good Lber, but it should have been a bit of a red flag when Norm or someone said he just needs to quit thinking so much and trying to be perfect. Ironically something similar has been said about Coker and of all the spots on the field….the two most predicated on instincts are Rb and Lb…..Coker is figuring that out…so will Morris, but you are right, his coverage is very spotty and oddly enuff, his intangibles (speed, quickness & overall athleticism) is some of the best we have ever had at that position….. yet as has been said ad nauseam, there is much more to being a football player than speed…..
Instinct, play diagnosis and technique trump it pretty much always…..
I honestly think we will steadily improve as the season progresses…..we aren’t going to be what we are used to, but these young guys are talented and we have played a lot of them. They really can’t help but improve. The continuity has been what’s lacking imo.
Chad
Norm Parker did James Morris (and Iowa coaches and fans) no favor by declaring James an All-American kid who deserved his face on a Wheaties box. I am not doubting Morris’ character. I simply think I have been expecting far more from James than he can deliver, and it’s based on Norm’s memorable rubber chicken circuit comments.
That is all.
Something Norm’s been guilty of a bit. I remember him declaring that Klinkenbourg and Humpal were so good that they would make people forget Greenway-Hodge. That didn’t exactly pan out. And he was always really high on Tarpinian over Hunter, something that never translated to the field.
To be fair, however, Norm was the one really pushing Angerer over Coleman, and I thought Coleman was the far better player. So that shows you what (little) I know and that Norm is right often as well.
I agree, though, that he did Morris no favors hyping him up as much as he did so soon.