Iowa: A Philosophy Leading to an Identity

Since his arrival at Iowa, Kirk Ferentz has installed a philosophy that permeates everything the Iowa Hawkeyes do.  Ferentz and his coaches believe in playing fundamentally sound football where advantage is gained not through strategic specialization but through being more fundamentally sound than the opposing team.  This is achieved through establishing an offensive and defensive identity.  By sticking to that identity and keeping things simple, Ferentz and Co. believe their players can play fast and focus on their keys rather than trying to remember a myriad of plays.  As such Iowa emphasizes "schematic minimalism and disciplined fundamentals."  The key for Iowa is not merely what they do, but how sound they are in execution.  Iowa is the epitome of a 'system' team where they are going to recruit and teach kids the same thing year after year--4-3 cover 2 on defense, and the zone and play-action game on offense.

Defense:  You Know Where We'll Be, But We'll Out-Execute You

Iowa runs perhaps the most simplistic scheme in the Big Ten.  Here is famed Defensive Coordinator Norm Parker's kicker quote:

This is a simple game for simple people.
How could a game invented by a bunch of Phys Ed majors be that hard?

Iowa is a standard 4-3 team.  They will often play an under front on run downs, and an on passing downs.  The quirkiness in the Iowa scheme is in pass coverage.  First, they play almost exclusively cover-2 with two deep safeties (with the occasional sprinkle of cover-1). 

Cover-2 allows Iowa to 'match' the formation so that Iowa can execute their gap-control scheme.

Iowa will nearly always have those two safeties splitting the field.  Second, they never remove their three linebackers and go nickel.  Instead, Iowa's Will and Sam backers will simply widen into the alleys against spread formations.

The schematic simplicity allows Parker to focus on his primary concern--gap control, leverage, and playing fast.  Iowa drills their one-gap scheme so that they can control each gap and then spill plays outside into the cover-2 force corners.  Those corners play an aggressive, physical style, and are taught how to fill down to control the edge.  OSU's wide receivers last year had difficulties getting releases against Iowa's corners.  Iowa's cover-2 thus effectively becomes a 9-man front.

Here is a cut-up of Iowa against Georgia Tech last year. The cover-2 allows Iowa to have their linebackers mirror the Tech option.  Watch how well Iowa's linebackers are able to play their gaps and spill out the option.

Iowa's idiosyncrasies provide two opportunities for attack.  The first is to run the ball inside since Iowa wants to maintain 2-deep safeties.  This is what OSU was able to successfully do last year after having initial difficulty passing against Iowa's cover-2.  The second is take advantage of Iowa's refusal to remove linebackers for defensive backs and by formation dictate that Iowa's linebackers must extend into space.  Look for OSU to attempt some of both Saturday.  OSU will likely try to use spread formations to put Iowa's linebackers in space to create opportunities in both the pass game and run game.  To run the ball, look for OSU to--similar to last year--go with an 'open' I formation with 3 wide receivers and no tight end.  This will force Iowa to take a linebacker outside the tackle box, but still allow OSU to run their preferred Isolation and lead zone runs with Zach Boren and Boom Herron.  Finally, expect some shotgun looks to continue to give Terrelle Pryor opportunities in the spread option game.

Offense:  Stretch, Stretch, Stretch

Iowa's preferred run play is stretch (aka outside zone).  Like Wisconsin, Iowa is going to feature 12 or 21 personnel and continue to execute the zone cut-back run game.  Iowa's line is continually schooled in the nuances of zone blocking:

The first step of the Olineman is a tight reach to the defenders' playside number. It doesn’t really matter if it is 3" or 6", it all is relative to the athlete’s ability. The second step should be placed to put the lineman’s knee in the crotch (center of balance) and get vertical by driving his feet. From there, leverage is something they fight for with every step, looking to overtake the defender with movement.

Then, Iowa always looks for a tailback that can execute the stretch play--mainly a guy that can make one cut and go.  Stretch is an outside to cut-up play, so a tailback need not be fast, but merely have adept vision, make a cut and go north and south.  Adam Robinson fits that bill.  Iowa will run outside zone repeatedly against the opposition, looking for a defense to break down and over pursue or not maintain gap responsibility.

Once established, Iowa will play-action and bootleg off stretch, looking for big plays in the passing game.

This is the area I believe is of primary importance to OSU's chances of success Saturday.  Can they contain the Iowa run and bootleg game?  Wisconsin, and to a lesser extent Penn State, have had some success running stretch this year against the Buckeyes, and the secondary has been vulnerable at times to play action.  I believe the OSU offense has the mutli-faceted weapons that can stretch out the Iowa linebackers and put them in poor positions in the run and pass game.  But OSU must be able to contain the Iowa zone run game to be successful.  If they do so, look for OSU to have a good game Saturday.

(H/T:  To Brophy for the videos and excellent insight)