Pregame: Illinois at Iowa, Saturday, November 23rd, 11:00am CT, BTN

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#176      
The games I have seen would say Stanley has strong arm but not great accuracy. Is that correct?

Accuracy up to 20-25 yards. Very below average touch on deep balls. Also tends to overthrow the 5 yarders as well. Quite good 10-25, but does not like pressure at all and freezes up in the pocket. Fairly mobile for a big guy. Can shrug off pass rushers, but has trouble keeping his eyes downfield when off schedule.
 
#177      
Yeah, watched Minnesota just a bit ago. This team is definitely odd. Non-traditional by Iowa standards yet still overly conservative.

The Iowa teams we’re used to seeing all win the same way offensively. Establish the run game early, use it to set up the play action and some of the bootleg stuff they used a lot with Stanzi and Beathard, win down the seam and along the short hash then once they have a lead into the late third/fourth quarter, run the ball hard and let the big maulers grind you down. That’s how Iowa has always done it. They are unable to do that right now. They have really struggled in the phone booth. All of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa State got tremendous pressure along the interior and it’s forced them into a rushing offense that now relies almost solely upon misdirection and space to move the football. This is where they are non-traditional and it’s going to force us to be very, very disciplined outside if we want to try to contain them. Lining up heavy and crashing gaps the way we did against Wisconsin won’t help us.

As for their overly conservative nature, you still see a pass game that reeks of Kirk Ferentz. The Iowa guy, Brew, said they “wing it around” a lot now. But they don’t, at least not by the accepted definition of that term. It’s true they are throwing the football more than they ever have. During the Beathard days, the year they went to the Rose Bowl, the offense averaged around 25 pass attempts per game. This season they’re on pace for over 30 but when it comes to the routes they’re calling, this offense very closely resembles that time. A lot of short to intermediate seam, a lot of short hash and a lot of short to intermediate slant. That’s pretty much their tree in it’s entirety. A lover of the high octane passing offense would call it “boring”. For me, it’s simply conservative which goes back to their ability to prevent turning the football over. Nate Stanley himself is a big part of this as well. I obviously don’t know which is correct, I’ve never sat and broken down film with the kid but Stanley definitely, 100% shows a high propensity to either diagnose coverages well post-snap or simply understand when he doesn’t know the coverage and do the savvy, senior thing by making the safe throw. Jack Coan threw us the ball late in the 4th quarter because he misread the coverage. Jack Plummer threw us a pick 6 because he misread the coverage. Brian Lewerke threw us a pick 6 on a risky throw because he ignored an underneath route to try and play for the first down on 3rd and 10. Nate Stanley is unlikely to make these mistakes. He’ll either read our coverage and avoid it or he’ll admit to himself that he doesn’t understand what is happening and avoid it. Either way, the throws we BEG QBs to try against us likely won’t be thrown. If push comes to shove, they’ll settle for a FG (This team on tape seems to kick a lot of FGs) or punt the ball away and let their defense do the heavy lifting (And they’re pretty good at it). Very conservative.

Iowa is beatable (All dude respect, I don’t see a top 10 team. You need to consistently move the football to be a top 10 team) but not in the way we’ve been beating teams. Lovie claims Betiku is close to coming back but that worries me. His gap awareness is really low. We can’t lose contain against Iowa. I’d rather we played a lesser pass rusher who could hold the edge. We’re also going to have to consider going to heavy sets offensively. Minnesota had success chipping Epenesa...until they didn’t. They have a lot of kids who can get after the QB and they love to be aggressive with the backers. Heavy TE sets and a chip back on passing downs might limit us to an extent but it may be a necessary evil. Our OL won’t win these battles man on man.

"Winging it around" is a bit relative, for sure.

We really do have some playmakers at receiver (finally). Tracy (#3) has really come on in the past three games and Smith-Marsette (#6) is a legit deep threat. Smith (#12) had been playing very consistently until sustaining an injury that required surgery. Supposedly has been cleared to play, but the jury is still out just how effective he can be this Saturday. Ragaini (#89) is actually the team's leading receiver out of the slot and is your typical Patriot-mold slot receiver. Good hands, shifty and a knack for getting open. Not as big of a deep threat, but did have a nice 21 yard TD reception vs the Gophers.

Due to the lack of a power run game, the red zone has been an issue and we have settled for way too many FGs.

This is one of the better defenses of any of KF coached teams at Iowa and is by and large a big part of the reason I think we will finish the season very close to a top ten season, despite the three losses. The offense has improved by leaps and bounds and was hampered early by OL injuries (three different guys).

Power run is the way to beat Iowa, if you have the ability. We're lighter in the shorts than we used to be due to the popularity of spread offenses. Also have run a lot of 4-2-5 with a true frosh at what Iowa terms the "cash" position.

I have Iowa winning 30-13.
 
#178      
So the kid Smith is out? That’s tough, he’s got some talent.

That is the kid 4, right? He’s not bad. Kind of the typical Iowa DB. Lanky, long and physical. Not sure that set is best used this week, however.
 
#180      
So the kid Smith is out? That’s tough, he’s got some talent.

That is the kid 4, right? He’s not bad. Kind of the typical Iowa DB. Lanky, long and physical. Not sure that set is best used this week, however.

Yes, Belton. Doesn't mind getting his nose dirty. Also, still needs another year in the weight room. Agree that we will be in more of a traditional 4-3 most of the time.
 
#181      

ijustkrushalot

Iowa Corridor
Long time no-post... but I live up in Cedar Rapids so a couple notes:

can't say I'm an expert in the Iowa tailgate scene but:

- there's a free bus in from the finkbine commuter lot (google it) if you're looking to park and go. There's also a train that goes from near the Coral Ridge Mall and will drop you off at the doors to Kinnick. There will be food trucks out around the stadium.

- In General Iowa has been trying to fix the problem Illinois is trying to create (with a law-free Grange Grove). I don't know if they are really that strict about it but they post that liquor bottles are not permitted on University property and probably take a bit dimmer view to just walking down the street and up to the gate with a beer. a lot of tailgating is on private property though as the stadium runs right into the neighborhood

- Ped Mall downtown has several bar options, and is a not tooo terrible walk to the stadium. plenty of parking ramps in that area

- If you're looking for a place to camp out and drink before, after or the night before, Big
Grove is the most popular place in town. They have pretty solid beers and a gigantic patio. It's south of downtown about a 20 minute walk.

- Right off I-80 in Coralville is Iowa River Landing, which has several restaurants and Back Pocket Brewing.... I am not a fan of their beers, to be honest (go to Big Grove), but that's not a bad spot to hang out

- The team is staying downtown Cedar Rapids. So there will be parents and staff floating around there friday night. It's a 20 ,mile drive. For beer Iowa Brewing Company (downtown) and Lion Bridge (Czech Village on 16th Avenue SW) are both pretty good stops. Bricks near the convention center has good beer selection and Pub 217 has our Area Code (coincidence). There are a few other good bars and eating options (recommend Need Pizza, Quarterbarrel Brewcade or Local Pour)...
 
#182      
My Honest prediction is Idiots 37-17
My Orange Kool Aid prediction is Good guys 28-13
Hopefully the latter is correct.
 
#183      
Long time no-post... but I live up in Cedar Rapids so a couple notes:

can't say I'm an expert in the Iowa tailgate scene but:

- there's a free bus in from the finkbine commuter lot (google it) if you're looking to park and go. There's also a train that goes from near the Coral Ridge Mall and will drop you off at the doors to Kinnick. There will be food trucks out around the stadium.

- In General Iowa has been trying to fix the problem Illinois is trying to create (with a law-free Grange Grove). I don't know if they are really that strict about it but they post that liquor bottles are not permitted on University property and probably take a bit dimmer view to just walking down the street and up to the gate with a beer. a lot of tailgating is on private property though as the stadium runs right into the neighborhood

- Ped Mall downtown has several bar options, and is a not tooo terrible walk to the stadium. plenty of parking ramps in that area

- If you're looking for a place to camp out and drink before, after or the night before, Big
Grove is the most popular place in town. They have pretty solid beers and a gigantic patio. It's south of downtown about a 20 minute walk.

- Right off I-80 in Coralville is Iowa River Landing, which has several restaurants and Back Pocket Brewing.... I am not a fan of their beers, to be honest (go to Big Grove), but that's not a bad spot to hang out

- The team is staying downtown Cedar Rapids. So there will be parents and staff floating around there friday night. It's a 20 ,mile drive. For beer Iowa Brewing Company (downtown) and Lion Bridge (Czech Village on 16th Avenue SW) are both pretty good stops. Bricks near the convention center has good beer selection and Pub 217 has our Area Code (coincidence). There are a few other good bars and eating options (recommend Need Pizza, Quarterbarrel Brewcade or Local Pour)...

Welcome back IJKAL! I thought it had been a long time since I saw your name. Hope the Illini can give you some bragging rights for next week!
 
#184      
You nod off here Rucks - Ray Eliot was coaching in this period.
Zup, you are correct. Ray took over during the war until he turned the program over to Pete Elliott in '60. I stand by my opinion of the Squawks, though.
 
#188      
Is Milo out 1st Quarter because of his ejection? That could be rough.
Isn't it based on halves? You have to miss two halves for an ejection, but missing even a part of a half (even 1 second) counts as an entire half. So, he missed his two halves already.

At least, I think that's right. Isn't it?
 
#190      

Deleted member 654622

D
Guest
Sounds like Jake Hansen didn't practice today.
Interested to see who gets the game reps in his place if he remains out. Shammond, I assume is over that virus and still has one more game to play with before he loses his redshirt. But KT got all that experience vs Mich St.... Anyone know who is getting first string reps during practice?
 
#191      
Do you think they try to keep some of the guys who only have one game left on their redshirt out of this game and next? This way they can play in the bowl game (like, as a sort of reward)? Or is that not important?
 
#192      

Deleted member 645583

D
Guest
I have no idea what's gonna happen Saturday. I'm not football savvy enough to say (I like Jarts! With helmets!) Gladiatorial combat is more my speed.

But I say this: "Once more unto the breach, dear friends ..." Or something like that. Want more? "There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood ..."

O. Leo Leahy, former high school graduate. Crossword-puzzle-educated, too.

GO ILLINI!
 
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#193      

Deleted member 645583

D
Guest
More Shakespeare: .... "imitate the action of a tiger ..." The Illinois Fighing Tigers! I prefer Illini. But Tigers sounds pretty good, too.
That's redundant: tigers always fight; ILLINI - keep on fighting!
 
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#194      
“Once more into the fray, into the last good fight I’ll ever know. Live and die on this day, live and die on this day” Go ILLINI!!!
 
#195      

pruman91

Paducah, Ky
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" Music hath sounds that soothe the savage breast "
 
#197      

RedRocksIllini

Morrison, CO
More Shakespeare: .... "imitate the action of a tiger ..." The Illinois Fighing Tigers! I prefer Illini. But Tigers sounds pretty good, too.
That's redundant: tigers always fight; ILLINI - keep on fighting!
Tigers die many times before their deaths; Illini never taste of death but once.
 
#200      

kiwanegarris22

South Carolina
Tough game for me to predict. This has been such a fun season through ten games (other than the Eastern Michigan and Nebraska games).

However, I've now watched the Illini basketball team in person twice --- with both being underwhelming performances. As such, those two games have brought me back down to earth, and are bringing out the pessimist in me. I'll have to go with the perennial Top 20 powerhouse Hawkeyes at home.

IOWA 31
ILL 17

Prove me wrong Illini!
 
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