Dear Old Gold
Fansided

Iowa football: Five observations from embarrassing loss to Michigan

By Andrew Wade

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 05: Head coach Jim Harbaugh waits to take the field to play the Iowa Hawkeyes at Michigan Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 10-3. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 05: Head coach Jim Harbaugh waits to take the field to play the Iowa Hawkeyes at Michigan Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 10-3. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 7: Offensive line coach Brian Ferentz of the Iowa Hawkeyes walks the sidelines in the third quarter against the Missouri State Bears on September 7, 2013 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 28-14. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 7: Offensive line coach Brian Ferentz of the Iowa Hawkeyes walks the sidelines in the third quarter against the Missouri State Bears on September 7, 2013 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 28-14. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /

Brian Ferentz got outcoached badly

I hate to blame it on playcalling because, to be honest, that’s not my forte. I don’t know what the thought was or every little intricacy that goes on within each play. I’m not a coach on the field, and I haven’t been in hours of practice with the Iowa football team, but I can’t help myself today.

Those eight sacks are, for the most part, because of the ineptitude of the offensive line today, but it was also a direct result of porous play calling by Ferentz.

To not expect a blitz coming after Michigan had been doing it nearly every single play is inexcusable. At what point do you start pulling more guys in to actually protect the quarterback instead of sending all five guys out on routes?

Also, explain to me why calling a fade route to our number five wide receiver, Oliver Martin or not, is a smart idea when we have one of the best jump-ball receivers in the country in Brandon Smith.

And finally, what the hell was going on on that last drive. Not once, but twice Stanley threw the ball where nobody was and it looked like Brandon Smith ran the exact same route both times. Communication issues or not, that needs to be fixed.

Prior to this game, I was brainstorming articles that I could write after the game, and I truly thought if the Iowa football team’s offense had a great day, I was going to be writing an article about Brian Ferentz being the coach in waiting.

I’m going to need to sit on that one now.

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