Iowa Football: Offensive problems and how to fix them

Set up the run with quick pass offense

Iowa has been a run-first offense under Ferentz, and it has been moderately successful, historically.

With the issues on the interior line and the running game struggling, that probably won’t work as well this year. That doesn’t mean Iowa football needs to stray from being Iowa football.

In fact, all Iowa needs to do is reverse their game plan. Throw the ball to set up the run.

I want to emphasize that Iowa cannot just call empty backfield passes in the first half, which seems to be the default for the Hawkeye’s passing game. In fact, there needs to be an element of mystery.

If you look back to Goodson’s fumble, there are seven defenders in the box and two cornerbacks playing press coverage. In essence, this means that Penn State has nine guys capable of defending the run.

Even if the handoff and the blocking were both better, this play was doomed from the start.

If Iowa were to call a quick slant out of that same formation, the Hawkeyes probably get at least six yards. Penn State called a run blitz and Ihmir Smith-Marsette was basically left uncovered.

The key here is to punish over-aggressive opponents like Penn State (and Michigan). When Iowa forces the opponent to question whether the next play is a pass or a run, it forces the other team to move their secondary back giving more room for the running back and the offensive line to work.

It also makes opponents pay for selling out for the run.