Iowa at Minnesota - It's going to be fun!

Donate To GopherHole
Stan The Caddy said:
Not sure where you get that? Elmore's team played 13 games last year. Stelter's squad played in the 2012 Prep Bowl (13 or 14 games) and Richardson was on a State Championship team in Illinois.
Click to expand...

Guess I stand corrected on the number of games but I don't think anyone can honestly say that playing 13 high school games is the same as playing a full season at the Big Ten level. I am not inventing the concept of the freshman wall that gets talked about all the time with young players.
 


MNVCGUY said:
Guess I stand corrected on the number of games but I don't think anyone can honestly say that playing 13 high school games is the same as playing a full season at the Big Ten level. I am not inventing the concept of the freshman wall that gets talked about all the time with young players.
Click to expand...

I do not disagree with you there. Playing in the Big Ten is a different animal. As I stated on another thread, the run defense is my #1 concern heading into November.
 

I think line play will be key on Saturday. Iowa looked really good on both sides of the line of scrimmage against Northwestern. At the same time we've had injury and depth problems. Whether we can compete will likely turn on whether the bye week helps us get healthy.
 

For the Iowa fans on this thread, Greg Davis better not out think himself on Saturday. No need to throw it 40 times. I know Davis has caught your ire during the season, any thoughts on the game plan heading into Saturday?
 


Stan The Caddy said:
For the Iowa fans on this thread, Greg Davis better not out think himself on Saturday. No need to throw it 40 times. I know Davis has caught your ire during the season, any thoughts on the game plan heading into Saturday?
Click to expand...

1. Don't let the bad team personality be in charge.
2. Hope the Gophers bad personality is in charge.

Man, if both teams are on their A game, this is going to be a slug fest and no game plan will be safe

W.H.I.?
 

lexicalNinja said:
1. Don't let the bad team personality be in charge.
2. Hope the Gophers bad personality is in charge.

Man, if both teams are on their A game, this is going to be a slug fest and no game plan will be safe

W.H.I.?
Click to expand...

Totally agree on both bringing their A games.

W H I !!!
 

Stan The Caddy said:
For the Iowa fans on this thread, Greg Davis better not out think himself on Saturday. No need to throw it 40 times. I know Davis has caught your ire during the season, any thoughts on the game plan heading into Saturday?
Click to expand...

There is general consensus among quite a few media and fans that there was a "come to Jesus" meeting with Davis following the Maryland debacle, and that it was basically Ferentz telling him that Iowa football starts with a power run game, and mixes in play action pass. That was much more of the gameplan against NW, and with NW unable to generate any pressure at all, the running game really opened up the intermediate and longer passing game.

I expect Iowa will try to pound the ball against Minnesota. If they aren't successful, and the conditions are cold and blustery, GD may turn back to his beloved horizontal passing attack, and the Gophers should be in great position to win.
 

The young lineman especially defensive tackle and ends and the nickle defense concern

MNVCGUY said:
Guess I stand corrected on the number of games but I don't think anyone can honestly say that playing 13 high school games is the same as playing a full season at the Big Ten level. I am not inventing the concept of the freshman wall that gets talked about all the time with young players.
Click to expand...

I have for some time been concerened that Richardson, Elmore, Stetler and Moore some of the freshman defensive lineman are really going to wear down in this stretch of football and that their inexperience is going to catch up with the Gophers.
The Hawkeyes always use mis-direction cut-back runs with Weisman that seem to blow the doors off the Gophers defensive front. In order for the Gophers to have a chance on Saturday the front seven is going to have to play disciplined, play your assignments, not someone else's, mistake free football. If it is your job to be in a Gap or pushing a lineman back in to he ball carrier you better be there. Gap control and defending the cutback play are going to be key.
Richardson in particular has been running himself out of plays or allowing pulling guards to push and pin him down the left side of the line allowing for a lot of cutback runs to fly wide open. I have a feelin even with the counter action that Iowa loves to runs, that we will be seeing a lot of the Wide receiver screens and quick passes that Purdue and Illinois pulled off. Gophers were really vulnerable to the wide receiver screen the last three games and they really have not improved much at defending that play. The Gopher defense has been vulnerable to the wide receiver screens and the middle inside trap action runs, and those longer developing stretch plays.

Gophers offensive and defensive lines or going to have to be up to the challenge because the last couple years Iowa's fronts have flat out kicked the Gophers butts all over the football field. I hope the Gophers can come out and play physical football, they talk about it all of the time but so far they have not been able to meet the Iowa standard for tough physical football. We shall see Saturday which Gopher team shows up and if the extra week off helped heal up some guys. If anything the Gophers should be able to use the jet sweep and end arounds effectively on Saturday, mis-direction and edge rushes are the one advantage I see available as a weakness you can attack as well as the tight end dig plays.
 



AuEGO4 said:
Will this be Berkley's breakout game? I sure hope so.
Click to expand...

Needs to see the field first.

Expect it to be same of... cobb in the middle-cobb in the middle-long throw. Punt.
 


Speaking of Richardson, I have noticed Amufalea lining up at DT more the past few weeks. Even though he is undersized he is explosive and experienced.
I really hope Iowa tries the short passing game that some teams have had success against the Gophers on because I think that will be easier for the Gophers to defend compared to heavy runs and play action passes.
What's the chance that we'll see that damned flea flicker again this year from Iowa?
 

WorkingMyTailOff said:
Speaking of Richardson, I have noticed Amufalea lining up at DT more the past few weeks. Even though he is undersized he is explosive and experienced.
I really hope Iowa tries the short passing game that some teams have had success against the Gophers on because I think that will be easier for the Gophers to defend compared to heavy runs and play action passes.
What's the chance that we'll see that damned flea flicker again this year from Iowa?
Click to expand...

Ferentz used that play last week. It's common knowledge that anymore than one trick play a year is way too sexy for Kirk.
 



I think he pulled that Flea Flicker against the Gophers the past two years though :)

Iowa fans, which players will be drafted this year? Davis on the DL for sure and Scherff on the OL. Anyone else?
 

WorkingMyTailOff said:
I think he pulled that Flea Flicker against the Gophers the past two years though :)

Iowa fans, which players will be drafted this year? Davis on the DL for sure and Scherff on the OL. Anyone else?
Click to expand...

Those are the 2 guys who are sure-fire draft picks. Scherff seems a consensus first-rounder (some have him in Top 10) while the highest I have seen Davis is late first/early 2nd. Other possibilities for drafted this year:

  • Hamilton (TE). Not big stats, but Ferentz has a crazy record of starting TE's getting drafted.
  • Donnal (RT). Senior has quietly had a good season. Starting senior tackles for Ferentz generally get drafted.
  • Trinca-Passat (DT). Has 5.5 sacks, 9.5 TFL this year. Not as big as Davis (only 6-2) but good motor and does a lot of things well without being dominant in one phase.


That's all I would anticipate this year. Weisman will likely be in a camp as a FB, but those don't usually get drafted. Lowdermilk (safety) or Alston (LB) may be in a camp but unlikely they get selected..
 

DodgerHawki said:
Those are the 2 guys who are sure-fire draft picks. Scherff seems a consensus first-rounder (some have him in Top 10) while the highest I have seen Davis is late first/early 2nd. Other possibilities for drafted this year:

  • Hamilton (TE). Not big stats, but Ferentz has a crazy record of starting TE's getting drafted.
  • Donnal (RT). Senior has quietly had a good season. Starting senior tackles for Ferentz generally get drafted.
  • Trinca-Passat (DT). Has 5.5 sacks, 9.5 TFL this year. Not as big as Davis (only 6-2) but good motor and does a lot of things well without being dominant in one phase.


That's all I would anticipate this year. Weisman will likely be in a camp as a FB, but those don't usually get drafted. Lowdermilk (safety) or Alston (LB) may be in a camp but unlikely they get selected..
Click to expand...

Trinca-Passat is very similar to Karl Klug. I think some team will take him in the 6th or 7th round.
 

Good stuff, thanks.

The Gophers have shown a new found ability to hit on the deep pass during the second half of their past two games. Will Iowa be susceptible to this? I'm asking for a friend.
 

WorkingMyTailOff said:
Good stuff, thanks.

The Gophers have shown a new found ability to hit on the deep pass during the second half of their past two games. Will Iowa be susceptible to this? I'm asking for a friend.
Click to expand...

Depends on how successful the run game is. If Minnesota is doing work on the ground, this is highly likely to work against them. If Minny is struggling, though, Iowa's safeties will stay deep to not get burned. I know this sounds like Football 101, but this is the first year in as long as I can remember when teams are really gashing Iowa with long runs. It's atypical, and of course, opens up the playaction passing game.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom