** 2024 Opponent Preview : Iowa (Game 12) **

Red Five said:
Looking at the Iowa/Maryland box score, Iowa's new QB went 10/14 for 76 yards (5.4 ypa, not good) and 0 TDs/INTs.  Looks like he had 1 rush for 2 yards and was sacked once for -10 yards.

Iowa also ran 71 plays, which is the most they ran this year.  57 runs vs 14 passes, basically a 80/20 split.  They averaged 4.78 ypp vs Maryland, which was their 3rd worst output of the year.

Johnson had 164 yards on the ground, but with 35 carries!  His longest run was 13 yards and he averaged 4.7 ypc.  The backup Moulton went 12 for 114, including a 68 yarder.
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As others have said, we have got to stop the run and make Stratton try to beat us with the pass.  In doing so, we have to cover short passes well and make him try to beat us down field. That will give our pass rush more time to get to him.

I'm very nervous about this game.  Is the team going to be amped up, focused and playing loose now that they have the monkey off their backs being bowl eligible?  Or, is this going to be a let down game that we have seen before?

Our FG kicking better still be on point.  We might really need them in this game.

 
Red Five said:
Looking at the Iowa/Maryland box score, Iowa's new QB went 10/14 for 76 yards (5.4 ypa, not good) and 0 TDs/INTs.  Looks like he had 1 rush for 2 yards and was sacked once for -10 yards.

Iowa also ran 71 plays, which is the most they ran this year.  57 runs vs 14 passes, basically a 80/20 split.  They averaged 4.78 ypp vs Maryland, which was their 3rd worst output of the year.

Johnson had 164 yards on the ground, but with 35 carries!  His longest run was 13 yards and he averaged 4.7 ypc.  The backup Moulton went 12 for 114, including a 68 yarder.
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This is what scares me a little bit - they actually did a pretty decent job against Johnson, if you get 35 carries your yardage is going to be decent. But it wasn't enough to get Iowa off the field before they were in FG range. If you let a team run the ball 57 times, a few of them are going to pop like that 68 yarder. I think it is unlikely that we hold Johnson to a long of 13 yards, we just can't let the long runs turn into TDs and need to a few 3rd and short stops to just get them off the field. 

 
I know Illinois hurt us with the stretch plays out wide and misdirection runs, but what was the MO for Indiana or tOSU? We haven't really had anyone just line up and run it down our throats, have we? I think that is the one big piece of White's defense that does well is stopping traditional run games on obvious running down and distances. It was Indiana's RPO and the play action passes from UCLA that got us on the back foot and made us look like a below average defense. Rutgers kept slipping past two defenders in good position to eek out 1st down after 1st down on their opening drive(s), but quit trying by the second quarter (not sure why).

The 3rd & 1-3 and 4th & 1-2 runs have been locked down for most of the year by the blackshirts. Our passing d is a whole other story. If Iowa doesn't at least try to do some misdirection off play action, I don't see them having too much success. But I also don't know how much zone run schemes the rest of our schedule ran as well.

 
After the Colorado game, all the conversation around our team was about the offense.

This game is going to be about our defense. We have guys that are built to stop the run, but we've been shaky on run defense at times this year for sure.

If we sell out to stop the run, can our corners play man? I think that's the question.

 
Undone said:
After the Colorado game, all the conversation around our team was about the offense.

This game is going to be about our defense. We have guys that are built to stop the run, but we've been shaky on run defense at times this year for sure.

If we sell out to stop the run, can our corners play man? I think that's the question.
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Better question - if you sell out to stop the run can our 5th string walk on QB make a pass in the freezing weather.  This is going to be the first REALLY cold game of the season.

 
Caven said:
Better question - if you sell out to stop the run can our 5th string walk on QB make a pass in the freezing weather.  This is going to be the first REALLY cold game of the season.
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Best question.  As history has shown, what will the Iowa QB wear to New York as a Heisman finalist?

*I hate how good we make mediocre QBs look

 
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