Iowa - What Did We Learn

I cringed at you throwing out credentials at the end there.

Our running back rushed for 217 yards. Their entire team rushed for 213. So your argument then is that if our offensive line was significantly better, we'd what? That Emmet would have rushed for like 325 and made up for the 38 points that our defense gave up?

It's just a bad argument.

Just wait until the before contact/after contact yards come out. Then people will really have to stretch for excuses.
 
I cringed at you throwing out credentials at the end there.

Our running back rushed for 217 yards. Their entire team rushed for 213. So your argument then is that if our offensive line was significantly better, we'd what? That Emmet would have rushed for like 325 and made up for the 38 points that our defense gave up?

It's just a bad argument.
And I cringe typing it(having been called just another arm chair guy many times), but it's the truth of the whole point.

Oline is the number one priority at all winning programs.

As to your point, again you control the ball, does the defense run out there time and time again after three minutes resting on the sidelines and get worked over down the field??? Does an OC continue calling pass plays in run situations based on positions they trust one over the other(seen multiple times this year)??? No. How does Iowa continue packing NU's stuff, by throwing it all over the place??? No. They run and wear them down. PSU??? Run and wear you down. Minnesota for years. NW. Wisconsin. Does one need to go on and on. Games may stay close for a while, but things got ugly fast when the defense is running back on the field after just sitting down. And it only gets exposed so much more when you have an undersized group trying to stop a team. Getting first downs and eating clock sometimes in games is as good as a score.
 
And I cringe typing it(having been called just another arm chair guy many times), but it's the truth of the whole point.

Oline is the number one priority at all winning programs.

As to your point, again you control the ball, does the defense run out there time and time again after three minutes resting on the sidelines and get worked over down the field??? Does an OC continue calling pass plays in run situations based on positions they trust one over the other(seen multiple times this year)??? No. How does Iowa continue packing NU's stuff, by throwing it all over the place??? No. They run and wear them down. PSU??? Run and wear you down. Minnesota for years. NW. Wisconsin. Does one need to go on and on. Games may stay close for a while, but things got ugly fast when the defense is running back on the field after just sitting down. And it only gets exposed so much more when you have an undersized group trying to stop a team. Getting first downs and eating clock sometimes in games is as good as a score.

You think you're putting out some kind of major revelation that nobody else would have come up with about how a football team's offensive line is arguably the primary focal point for top-tier success? Everybody agrees that having a great offensive line sets up the entire team for success.

But I'm telling you that your original argument that our offensive line is this team's biggest problem is just a bad take. And if you'd like, I can throw stats at you all night to drive the point home to you.

Our 'yards before contact' stats are really good this year. That alone flies in the face of your argument - but then when you add how good Emmett is on an individual level, the argument really falls apart. He averaged 7.5 yards per carry today.

Now if we want to change the conversation to how we should have called more run plays and fewer pass plays in this game today, that's a different conversation.

The number one problem that our team had this year was not containing the run to end our opponents' drives and/or holding them to field goals on defense.
 
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