Lookin’ and Learnin’: What I am looking for and hope to learn Saturday

[ChrisMWilliams]

From our newest CF contributor, Jay Jordan .... He'll be our X's and O's guru for the 2017 season. Smart guy. This IMO is the most comprehensive preview I've seen of the Cyclones so far during the offseason.

https://cyclonefanatic.com/2017/08/...-i-am-looking-for-and-hope-to-learn-saturday/

 

[Fitzy]

A+. Nicely done, Jay.

 

[CyBlitz]

From our newest CF contributor, Jay Jordan .... He'll be our X's and O's guru for the 2017 season. Smart guy. This IMO is the most comprehensive preview I've seen of the Cyclones so far during the offseason.

https://cyclonefanatic.com/2017/08/...-i-am-looking-for-and-hope-to-learn-saturday/

One of the best articles I have ever read about iowa state!

 

[ISUMojoMan]

Thank you, liked it. Also hoping our kicking teams look strong especially field goals and pat!

 

[CycloneWarning]

Very thorough and well done. Kudos!

 

[no2cyclones]

Maybe I missed this somewhere, and someone can point me in the right direction: what is Jay's history in the coaching or analysis world? Looking forward to more contributions from him!

 

[Beyerball]

On offense i'm looking for some creativity for godsakes..We have some big, strong and tough Fbacks...USE THEM ON 3rd and short!! I want to see just once before i die our QB under center on 3rd and short with a mean a s s FB blocking for Montgomery and QB under center...Just once. Arent fooling a single player or coach by lining up in shotgun on 3rd and short. That is one..

Otherwise pretty spot on article on ISU deficiencies in the past. UNI has legit FBS lineman IMO on the OL at least who are very exprienced. They dont have a running QB so enough of this sitting back and waiting for the QB to scramble like last year..Come after Dunne..

It is critical we come out and punch UNI in the face early.

 

[amishclone]

Maybe I missed this somewhere, and someone can point me in the right direction: what is Jay's history in the coaching or analysis world? Looking forward to more contributions from him!

Wasn't that him that wrote that article ranking Park #1 in the Big 12 in arm strength?

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

I really like this guy so far. He watches the game like a student of the game, and that is the kind of analysis I want to continue my own understanding of the game.

Great to have you contributing Jay.

 

[BryceC]

Is jay 52 trap? If so smart guy and great on some WRNL pods last year too. Love to hear him on some podcasts or with a segment on KXNO.

 

[cydline2cydline]

One thing that wasn't mentioned, which I will be looking for is at the beginning of last year it seemed ISU relied heavily on the read-option. Maybe this was due to personnel but it seemed like toward the end of the year they started employing more of a spread-power running attack. It seemed ISU finally realized that if the opponent knows you are going to run read option, the defense can just scrape a linebacker and eliminate the numbers advantage.

Hopefully they will continue relying less on the read option.

 

[Tre4ISU]

One thing that wasn't mentioned, which I will be looking for is at the beginning of last year it seemed ISU relied heavily on the read-option. Maybe this was due to personnel but it seemed like toward the end of the year they started employing more of a spread-power running attack. It seemed ISU finally realized that if the opponent knows you are going to run read option, the defense can just scrape a linebacker and eliminate the numbers advantage.

Hopefully they will continue relying less on the read option.

No, they had Park at QB more and his strength isn't running like Lanning's is.

Also, if a team is scraping the option, you better be able to take advantage of that in today's game.

 

[BryceC]

I love the read option, but it is a slow developing play. IMO we just never had the o-line to justify having a slow developing running play.

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

Is jay 52 trap? If so smart guy and great on some WRNL pods last year too. Love to hear him on some podcasts or with a segment on KXNO.

Yes. Same guy.

 

[tazclone]

On offense i'm looking for some creativity for godsakes..We have some big, strong and tough Fbacks...USE THEM ON 3rd and short!! I want to see just once before i die our QB under center on 3rd and short with a mean a s s FB blocking for Montgomery and QB under center...Just once. Arent fooling a single player or coach by lining up in shotgun on 3rd and short. That is one..

Otherwise pretty spot on article on ISU deficiencies in the past. UNI has legit FBS lineman IMO on the OL at least who are very exprienced. They dont have a running QB so enough of this sitting back and waiting for the QB to scramble like last year..Come after Dunne..

It is critical we come out and punch UNI in the face early.

Iowa State is and has been pretty damn good in short yardage situations. Not sure why people want to change that up

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

No, they had Park at QB more and his strength isn't running like Lanning's is.

Also, if a team is scraping the option, you better be able to take advantage of that in today's game.

Correct. It was still the same play but Park treated it more like a straight hand off compared to Lanning. Joel held the ball in the mesh point longer, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, we just didn't have the o-line to hold the blocks that long. When the zone read is executed correctly, it's pretty dang tough to contain.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Iowa State is and has been pretty damn good in short yardage situations. Not sure why people want to change that up

When? We've had a really tough time running the football on predictable run play downs the last several years.

I'm a big fan of the QB going under center for the short yardage situations. Snapping the ball back 5 yards just induces a ton of unnecessary risk. With that being said, when QB's and centers are used to operating out of the shotgun the traditional under center exchange actually takes a lot of practice so that it's a "natural exchange."

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Iowa State is and has been pretty damn good in short yardage situations. Not sure why people want to change that up

Taz normally you hold a ton of weight when it comes to the grid iron but I gotta ask is this a joke? If you have stats to support it, then by all means, but my memory definitely tells a different story.

 

[tazclone]

Taz normally you hold a ton of weight when it comes to the grid iron but I gotta ask is this a joke? If you have stats to support it, then by all means, but my memory definitely tells a different story.

I did have stats last year. Situational stats like that are tough to come by so I will have to look for them again. Or compile them. Can't remember if I did it myself or not. Our success on short yardage is better than average to over all pretty good compared to competition and college football as a whole. It shouldn't be surprising since we have had Lanning and before that Woody and before Woody, Arnaud was very good in short yardage. Montgomery is very good at falling forward so I don't see that changing much. 2014 was the only year we really didn't have a Lanning/Woody type.

If I remember correctly, iSU has a lot more attempts in short yardage situations. So while iSu fans may remember failed attempts,they forget the successful ones.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

I did have stats last year. Situational stats like that are tough to come by so I will have to look for them again. Or compile them. Can't remember if I did it myself or not. Our success on short yardage is better than average to over all pretty good compared to competition and college football as a whole. It shouldn't be surprising since we have had Lanning and before that Woody and before Woody, Arnaud was very good in short yardage. Montgomery is very good at falling forward so I don't see that changing much. 2014 was the only year we really didn't have a Lanning/Woody type.

If I remember correctly, iSU has a lot more attempts in short yardage situations. So while iSu fans may remember failed attempts,they forget the successful ones.

I imagine the ones we missed were the ones we needed most. Kind of our calling card.(KSU two years ago) Either that or we have some stupid procedural penalty and screw ourselves.