Iowa Breakdown

Since someone below requested an Orange Bowl summary here it is:

Not too much to say about that one. After all it's not hard to decipher why Iowa won the Orange Bowl and GT lost. Iowa simply loaded up the box, dared Nesbitt to beat them through the air and whipped GT at the point of attack. Not to say it was all bad-GT actually still had a chance to tie or win with about 3 minutes left in the game, even as poorly as they executed on offense most of the game. The first half was much like the VT game earlier this year. Paul Johnson made adjustments at halftime and we actually moved the ball well a few series in the second half. The defense played okay but this wasn't a great Iowa offense. Obviously, those issues are being addressed.

I sort of hinted this might happen in my post below about Navy vs. Missouri. Again, GT does not execute this offense near as well as Navy does. I told an Iowa fan after the game that if GT has Ricky Dobbs instead of Josh Nesbitt they probably win this game. If they have Ricky Dobbs and the Navy OL they almost certainly win the game.

Leading into next year I think you'll see a few things. You are certainly going to see the redshirting OL on the field and battling in the spring. I think CPJ likes Phil Smith (who didn't play in the Orange Bowl because of a broken leg). I think he likes Bedford, although he isn't the ideal center. Gilbert should be relegated to a backup role next year and Barrick. The rest-meh. But as much as we need to upgrade the OL, we perhaps need to upgrade another position even more-the QB. God Bless Nesbitt-he's a warrior and not many players in the country are tougher. But the option runs and develops slow with him. That will cut it against most teams but not against the very elite defenses. His passing is atrocious most of the time but he is what he is. For comparison sake, I posted a vintage video of some clips from throughout Paul Johnson's career. We're going to get there but it won't happen until the OL is fixed and the QB is running the offense at the level of a Kaipo, Dobbs or Tracy Hamm. I hope next year CPJ will start to get some of his younger QBs some game time. Jordan Luallen is up to about 220 right now and is supposedly an excellent passer. David Sims is also redshirting and it sounds like we still may take Ohio star Dominique Brown as he is deciding between Cincy and GT. Plus Synjyn Days is on his way in but I'm guessing he is headed for a RS year barring something unforseen. I also love Dwyer and his competitiveness but part of me wishes he'd move on because I am not sure he is the ideal. I mean at this point you have to ask who you would rather see in the backfield-Kyle Eckel or Dwyer? Part of me says lets see what else we have back there (i.e, Drummond).

Think we execute like this? Not yet.