SB Nation: Iowa finally has an offense

[Statalyzer]

Iowa’s too clutch on offense now, depriving Kirk Ferentz of punts

The Hawkeyes are really good at throwing on third downs

They’re 127th nationally in percentage of first downs coming on either first or second down, so when they move the chains, it’s on third down.

Yet the Hawkeyes are converting third downs at an exceptional 49 percent, 11th nationally, and it's largely thanks to the passing game.

Only 40 percent of Iowa’s third downs are third-and-longs (seven-plus yards), and that ranks 10th nationally. They’re also No. 3 in the country in converting in those situations, at a rate of 43.2 percent . . . . They’re particularly good at passing their way out of trouble, ranking No. 22 in throwing success on passing downs (second-and-long and third/fourth-and-medium).

I was greatly surprised at all this, until I checked Wikipedia and found out that Greg Davis isn't there any more, and then suddenly it all made sense. I actually found this on Reddit and posted that previous sentence there in response to the article. A chorus of Iowa fans replied in wholehearted agreement that he was the problem.

 

[Statalyzer]

I wonder if this would have gotten more replies if I had put GD in the title...

 

[MudHorn]

I wonder if this would have gotten more replies if I had put GD in the title...

I have a hard time taking a college program seriously when they dress like the Pittsburgh Steelers.

 

[Statalyzer]

Funny thing was, this last game, their offense sucked, putting up only 6 points (4 came from a pair of safeties, and 14 came on touchdowns scored by the punter and by a defender). Although I attribute that to Ferentz refusing to bench his starting QB, who had his throwing hand taped and wrapped up from an early injury and clearly wasn't able to throw accurately after that.

 

[El Sapo]

I was greatly surprised at all this, until I checked Wikipedia and found out that Greg Davis isn't there any more, and then suddenly it all made sense.

Yep, last year something popped up on the news indicating an uptick in the Iowa offense and I thought - nah, that can't be right. Then looked and saw they'd changed OC's and things added up

Ferentz crests about every 4-6 years only to revert to 8-5 type seasons and the administration seems very content with that. As much as I couldn't fathom the GDGD hire when it happened, I guess it made sense as a culture fit at Iowa.