3 games in; how good is the offense?

[CascadeClone]

Im way more worried about special teams and the kicking game than the offense.

Defense is top 20 good. Offense is top 40 good (maybe better, tbd). Special teams... well, def not top 40 at present.

 

[cyclone1209]

He is 12 for 77 on the season. 6.4 ypc is not very good. Whether that's him or the scheme is open for debate, but those are not good numbers for a guy who is (probably supposed to be) your #2 WR. He has always passed the eye test, so not sure if it's just the coaching and scheming holding him back at this point.

I'd like to see more plays of running Jaylin Noel on a deep post, or some kind of deep route.

I don't think some corners in the big 12 can cover his speed. He at many points looks like the fastest guy on the field. Need to get more creative with him.

 

[madguy30]

In 2018, Purdy and ISU attacked deep pretty often. Likely in large part because of Hakeem Butler (he had over 1,300 yards averaging 22 yards per catch that year). And when Butler wasn't open Deshante Jones and a better Tarique Milton were zipping around. Anything from line of scrimmage to 40+ yards was a threat that defenses had to cover.

Other than losing Bulter, which was huge, I’m not sure what diminished the deep ball attack for us after 2018. Was pass protection worse? Wideouts not getting open? Purdy taking step backwards? Play calling more conservative? Tight ends developing and taking targets away from deep threats?

Whatever the reasons, we are still not attacking downfield very often. A new quarterback, different receivers and offensive line, but mostly same coaches…maybe 2018 was just a perfect combination of all those factors.

If Xavier wasn’t so great at getting open from around 5-12 yards out, we’d be forced to look elsewhere, but not smart to swing for the fences every at bat when you know you can get on base with a grounder.

Go watch Butler's longer catches. They were often in traffic and he had to wait for it.

Purdy threw plenty of 40+ attempts in his career that didn't have the distance but alao didn't have someone to physically take over the space like Butler.

 

[twincyties]

In 2018, Purdy and ISU attacked deep pretty often. Likely in large part because of Hakeem Butler (he had over 1,300 yards averaging 22 yards per catch that year). And when Butler wasn't open Deshante Jones and a better Tarique Milton were zipping around. Anything from line of scrimmage to 40+ yards was a threat that defenses had to cover.

Other than losing Bulter, which was huge, I’m not sure what diminished the deep ball attack for us after 2018. Was pass protection worse? Wideouts not getting open? Purdy taking step backwards? Play calling more conservative? Tight ends developing and taking targets away from deep threats?

Whatever the reasons, we are still not attacking downfield very often. A new quarterback, different receivers and offensive line, but mostly same coaches…maybe 2018 was just a perfect combination of all those factors.

If Xavier wasn’t so great at getting open from around 5-12 yards out, we’d be forced to look elsewhere, but not smart to swing for the fences every at bat when you know you can get on base with a grounder.

Purdy’s throwing shoulder is what happened

 

[twincyties]

Im way more worried about special teams and the kicking game than the offense.

Defense is top 20 good. Offense is top 40 good (maybe better, tbd). Special teams... well, def not top 40 at present.

By any statistical measure, our offense is not anywhere near top 40 after three wins. Two against cupcakes and one at Iowa.

Could we be? I sure hope so. But I think it’s early to say this based on resume this far.

 

[t-noah]

In general, I like that philosophy of long grinding drives. You don't need to play that way v.s SEMO or Ohio though. I'd have like to see more explosive plays in those games. Against Iowa and Big 12 opponents, absolutely play death by a hundred paper cuts.

Like!

You are of course referring to the legendary vs. Iowa 2022, drive, The Drive!!!

 

[NWICY]

In general, I like that philosophy of long grinding drives. You don't need to play that way v.s SEMO or Ohio though. I'd have like to see more explosive plays in those games. Against Iowa and Big 12 opponents, absolutely play death by a hundred paper cuts.

But why expose those deep play capabilities against Semo etc... , it just gives your conference opponents more time to study your tendencies.

 

[Die4Cy]

Greatest Show on Grass

Metallica, Minneapolis Metrodome, 1992.

The smoke was thick in the upper levels. And then the roof started leaking.

 

[NWICY]

X has more receiving yards than next 5 Cyclones combined.

Campbell mentioned on the coaches show that X and Deckers were in the practice facilities together just about every night during the off season. The connection is deep between them.

 

[Frak]

I really like our offense, though it'll be interesting to see how we do against Baylor. I've stated it before, Iowa is by far the best defense we'll play all year so I'm glad that's out of the way, and woo we finally won.

I am cautiously optimistic. Even if we happen to lose on Saturday, I feel confident we'll win at least 4 to 5 conference games this year. But imagine winning Baylor and at Kansas...we start 5-0, then we're having a way different conversation regarding the race to Arlington.

Iowa is NOT the best defense we’ll play. Maybe the most sound, but we’ll play way better DLs (starting Saturday), and teams with better speed and ability at LB and DB. Iowa gave our OL very few problems and we drove all over them.

 

[BCClone]

Campbell mentioned on the coaches show that X and Deckers were in the practice facilities together just about every night during the off season. The connection is deep between them.

If you look at successful passing teams, they quite often have one receiver that towers over the others. GB was ARod to Adams mostly the last couple years. Look at the vikings this year, Jefferson has way more than the next receiver. QBs have a guy they feel comfortable with and will look there when their reads aren't what they want, besides them probably being the first read on the majority of passes.

 

[CyCloned]

I don't think a Matt Campbell offense is ever going to light up the scoreboard when compared to other teams, as I think he prefers long balanced drives that eat up the clock and rest the defense. With that said, with this team, it looks like they recognize that Dekkers can make the defense defend the entire field, so they're opening it up a bit more.

Campbell is using these blowout games to work on things instead of running up the score. Sure Dekkers could have thrown for 500 yards and ISU could have won by 50, but how does your team grow from that? I agree with the original poster, that it would be nice to see a few more shots down field, but on the other hand ISU really didn't need that in the first and third game. Iowa is really hard to go deep on, as they have 2 safeties back all the time.

 

[CyLyte2]

Iowa specifically plays to not allow the deep ball. It’s integral to their scheme.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

But why expose those deep play capabilities against Semo etc... , it just gives your conference opponents more time to study your tendencies.

Why does anyone do it then? My assumption, given some of the scores you see in these early season games, is that some teams are capable of doing it. Some (like possibly ISU) are not.

 

[BCClone]

Iowa specifically plays to not allow the deep ball. It’s integral to their scheme.

But somehow Purdue seems to throw over the top of it.

Iowa is used to the 50% completions of the big ten qbs. Basically half the time, the other team will not extend the drive with the pass. Purdue is somewhat similar to us in that they pass to set up the run(what we do this season) and those dinking and dunking does draw safeties either up or pushes them to the sidelines more. Purdue does this and then either strikes on a fly or a deep post depending on what Iowa is doing.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Iowa is NOT the best defense we’ll play. Maybe the most sound, but we’ll play way better DLs (starting Saturday), and teams with better speed and ability at LB and DB. Iowa gave our OL very few problems and we drove all over them.

People look at scoring defense when they say Iowa is the best defense we'll play. They are currently #2 behind only Georgia. It's gaudy and what not, but they haven't played any juggernaut offenses yet. If they hold Ohio State or Michigan under 24, then maybe the case could be made that they're the best we'll play. Agree though, they didn't seem to be getting a lot of pressure up front. Their LB unit might be the best we'll see, but other than that I'm not convinced yet.

 

[BCClone]

Why does anyone do it then? My assumption, given some of the scores you see in these early season games, is that some teams are capable of doing it. Some (like possibly ISU) are not.

Some want to do it to keep the safeties honest. ISU is not known for the ability to go deep and we truly do try to grind it out to wear down their defense and rest ours. It also works into Campbell's plan to slow the game down and have less drives, which keeps the scores close. We may have the deep capabilities now and just wanted to get HD confidence by having high completions.

 

[madguy30]

Iowa is NOT the best defense we’ll play. Maybe the most sound, but we’ll play way better DLs (starting Saturday), and teams with better speed and ability at LB and DB. Iowa gave our OL very few problems and we drove all over them.

Teams like Baylor and Okie State have tended to pin their ears back on ISU over the last few years. OSU is down on defense and was kind of a disaster in their first game but have at least held things in check the last two weeks.

Add in UT and OU and it could mean really erratic days for the offense.

 

[bozclone]

People look at scoring defense when they say Iowa is the best defense we'll play. They are currently #2 behind only Georgia. It's gaudy and what not, but they haven't played any juggernaut offenses yet. If they hold Ohio State or Michigan under 24, then maybe the case could be made that they're the best we'll play. Agree though, they didn't seem to be getting a lot of pressure up front. Their LB unit might be the best we'll see, but other than that I'm not convinced yet.

Iowa's defense is solid, but they are going to suffer because the offense is so bad. Good teams will wear them down.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Too early to form a conclusion. With only one conference game played so far, and ISU having played none obviously, ISU is currently 9th in scoring offense, 8th in total offense, 9th in rushing offense, and 6th in passing offense in the Big 12. Of course, none of these other Big 12 teams have had to play Iowa's D yet.

Iowa's defense really skews things a lot. Plus we really took our foot of the gas against SEMO and Ohio. None of the other Big 12 teams seem to do that.