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Iowa Football: 3 reasons to be frustrated with loss in Ann Arbor

By Matt Opad

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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ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – OCTOBER 05: Cameron McGrone #44 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates a fourth quarter sack against 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: Cameron McGrone #44 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates a fourth quarter sack against 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) /

The Sacks did not stop

I am not the first person to acknowledge the eight-sack day that Michigan had against Iowa football on Saturday. I am sure I won’t be the last either.

I will apologize ahead of time to Iowa offensive linemen, Nate Stanley, or any Hawkeye fan that cringes to see the embedded Twitter post below. It is not kind to Iowa football, for sure.

However, notice that each of the eight sacks came from 3 or 5-step drop back passes. These were slower developing plays that allowed the pass rush to get to Stanley.

Also notice that of the eight sacks, three were on plays with an empty backfield and another two were on plays in which the blocking RB simply missed the block. Add another two sacks that were tallied on play fakes.

I mention these seven cumulative sacks because a) typically you want more blockers when you aren’t protecting well b) you not only want blockers but good blockers when your offensive line is leaking and c) no one falls for the play fake when you aren’t running the ball effectively.

In fact, when no one is buying play action, all the offense is doing is reducing the amount of time the QB has to make a decision.

I hate myself for doing this, but think about what Iowa State did against Iowa a few weeks ago. Purdy was incredibly effective because Campbell was calling quick passes that essentially eliminated Iowa’s pass rush.

When Iowa plays an aggressive defense, they need to call a game that neutralizes that aggressiveness.

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