ISU had two weeks off before the Iowa game to watch film and learn Iowa's strengths and weaknesses. They win the coin toss and choose to take the ball. Iowa's strength on defense is its linebackers and defensive line. The weakest part of ISU's offense the first game was its rushing offense. ISU lines up for their first play, Iowa drops a safety to the box and they have 8 defenders close to the line of scrimmage. So ISU runs its halfback up the middle for no gain. Second down, Iowa returns its safety to coverage, and again ISU runs a halfback up the middle again for no gain. With two weeks to plan, the plan the coaches came up with was to attack Iowa's defensive strength with ISU's offensive weakness. I do not understand why ISU called and ran its first two plays. It set the tone for the first half.
I do not understand.
- Thread starter cyborg
- Start date
This has been discussed ad nauseam. I agree with you though and it makes me wonder if Messingham even bothered to watch any tape of Iowa while "gameplanning."
At this point I'm positive that Messingham has the entire game plan scripted and he doesn't go away from the ******. No good offensive coordinator, excuse me, any football coach with a brain would say "our run game sucks, their D-line/Linebackers are great, lets just see what happens. Oh okay, we can't run it on them, lets keep trying though"
I understand that you need to switch up runs and passes to keep the defense guessing but we are so predictable that I'm sure a high school coach could game plan a defense against us. Go to the things that work for gods sake.
I understand that you need to switch up runs and passes to keep the defense guessing but we are so predictable that I'm sure a high school coach could game plan a defense against us. Go to the things that work for gods sake.
IMO the offense should pass the ball, and pass the ball, and pass the ball, and pass the ball, and pass the ball and only after we have gone through all the pass plays in the play book should we think about running it. We have had the most lack luster running game for the last 3-4 games and it doesnt look to get better. Might as well take some shots down field and at least give us a shot to break a few for long gains/ TDs rather than trying to establish a running game we dont have.
This would at least give the D some rest and appease the fans....
This would at least give the D some rest and appease the fans....
Mess is a horrible OC. ISU has have a young, inexperienced, and banged up O-line. Iowa's d-line and linebackers are talented enough that now ISU doesn't not have an advantage here. You shouldn't expect the line with respect to opening up holes for the run game or get great pass protection. Therefore, get the ball out of the QB's hand and into the WR's / TE's hands by any means possible, and as fast a possible, because that is where the most favorable matchups are. Mess didn't do this until it was TOO late.
My gosh Mess is a ******* *******.
My gosh Mess is a ******* *******.
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If it makes you feel any better, Dan McCarney would have ran it up the middle on 1st, 2nd and 3rd down.
I don't get why we didn't defer and put Iowa on the field first. Ruddock was probably nervous as it was playing his first away game in a sold out stadium and with the crowd being fired up he really would have crapped his pants. Instead we take the field first, go 3 and out, and give Iowa the ball immediately which probably gave Iowa confidence when taking the field. Our crowd would have been way more fired up giving Iowa the ball first than going 3 and out then giving Iowa the ball and then have to kick at halftime.
If he did watch tape then he is blind as ****, because it is pretty obvious to anyone what Iowa's weaknesses are.
You know Iowa is going to run a 4-3 set. They have 3 senior linebackers. So use that against them. Spread them out. Put Sam in the shotgun. Split Wimberly out wide. Throw quick, short routes so the pressure doesn't have time to get to Sam. Force them to sub into a nickel set. Then go no huddle so they can't sub back. Shift Wimberly to tailback and THEN try to run.
I know, easier said than done. But to think we can line up man-on-man with Iowa's front seven and pound the ball against their base set is ignorance, stubbornness, or incompetence. Take your pick.
I know, easier said than done. But to think we can line up man-on-man with Iowa's front seven and pound the ball against their base set is ignorance, stubbornness, or incompetence. Take your pick.
This is a video from bobby lagesse at the Ames Tribune with OC MESS. He sounds desperate to me throwing Richardson under the bus multiple times.
Video: Messingham on getting more out of the ISU offense | Ames Tribune
Video: Messingham on getting more out of the ISU offense | Ames Tribune
That video screamed desperation and finger-pointing. We get it: you think the players are not making plays. I thought Sam running 21+ times just to stay alive in the UNI game was making a play, but by all means call out his poor playmaking skills. Lord knows it couldn't be on you at all as a LEADER!
While Sam did plan miss a lot of throws in the first half, he did not call the moronic plays that caused the 3 and out to start the game. This is all on Mess, and although I have complained about it before on several threads, it does still make me mad that we too the opening kickoff to do that. Took the crowd right out of the game in record time. Plus only two weeks to figure that out too. He must need a raise....
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
That video wasn't his worst. He's just pointing out that guys didn't make plays.
I'm assuming that's what he was asked about rather than play-calling.
I still don't like his work, but that video isn't really that bad.
I'm assuming that's what he was asked about rather than play-calling.
I still don't like his work, but that video isn't really that bad.
I agree. Deferring, and taking the wind at the outset of the game might have been a better way to seize the early momentum. 3 and out, with an early punt directly into the wind, was basically playing up hill. No doubt they believed the best way to seize momentum was to go up 7-0 before Iowa's first possession, but that was very optimistic.
F*uck Messingham
Stop talking about making plays on sportscenter
ADJUST TO DEFENSES
Leave Ames you worthless OC
Lastly, dont throw your players under the bus. Rhoads hasn't throw you under, Wally hasn't, the players haven't. Alot of this is on you not settting our players up to be successful. Really, you expect your RB's to make sportscenter but your playing 5 of them at 3-4 carries a piece? What do you expect, for them to bust out a 75 yard TD run with their 3 snaps?
Good god I hate Messingham
Stop talking about making plays on sportscenter
ADJUST TO DEFENSES
Leave Ames you worthless OC
Lastly, dont throw your players under the bus. Rhoads hasn't throw you under, Wally hasn't, the players haven't. Alot of this is on you not settting our players up to be successful. Really, you expect your RB's to make sportscenter but your playing 5 of them at 3-4 carries a piece? What do you expect, for them to bust out a 75 yard TD run with their 3 snaps?
Good god I hate Messingham
You know, if I am Wally, I would be ****** about our anemic offense. It leaves his D on the field WAY too much.
