Quarterback Analysis

[besserheimerphat]

Just doesn't bode well imo that a last minute JUCO transfer is challenging Becht. This whole thing is exhausting. Still excited for the season though. I really want to see fresh blood on the field even if there's growing pains.

Hughes is a Jr and Becht is a R-Fr. Those couple of years make a huge difference in recognition, mental processing and decision making that can equalize raw athleticism. Depending on what the coaching staff is asking the QB to do, it may make sense to choose the less talented but more experienced player.

At the end of the day, everyone is going to complain no matter who is getting sacked or throwing INTs.

 

[SolarGarlic]

Hot Take: Log me in as off the Dekkers bandwagon. Dudes got all the physical gifts a QB could ever need to be successful and the mind of a potato that has been sitting at the back of your cupboard forgotten for 8 months.

Cant read a defense. Zeros in on 1 target and doesn't often progress beyond that 1 target. sure he has a 60 something odd percent completion rate, but 4/6 passes he throws are behind the LOS or within 2 yards of it. Not impressed. Hopefully his mental game has taken a huge leap forward coming into this season. I don't know that I am sold on any of the QB's... really hope the O-line play takes a huge step forward and the run game gets established because I am not convinced that QB play can carry our offense as it stands this year.

A little harsh, but I mostly agree. His body language and decision making were not that of a stud QB.

 

[SolarGarlic]

That is an awfully talented room to take over...

Based on what? Brock is really the only guy who has proven anything. I wasn't as impressed with Norton as many.

 

[SolarGarlic]

Dekker’s performance last year was actually pretty good overall. Led the Big 12 in Completion percentage and was the 3rd highest ranked overall. If our special teams and injuries weren’t so bad we would have easily won 2-4 more games and then everyone wouldn’t be dumping on him so much. Yes he made some dumb mistakes but what first year starter doesn’t. That being said, with the gambling issue, he might not ever start another game if Rocco or one of the other guys step up and shine.

That completion percentage is bloated. How many swing passes for no gain and 4 yard crossing patterns on 3rd and 8 did that include?

 

[FancyRex]

A little harsh, but I mostly agree. His body language and decision making were not that of a stud QB.

I'm happy to be proven wrong this season.

My biggest issue: I remember several times a game he threw passes to guys with 3 defenders between them and the first down marker (On 3rd and long) and SHOCKER! they didn't make it to the first down. He also missed WR's/TE's open in the 10-15 yard range fairly routinely and of course drops in that range were also a problem.

I don't expect the scheme to drastically change coming into this year, so if the decision making on the field and execution in clutch moments doesn't improve. I don't believe we will improve drastically. I hear the complaints about O-line play, they are valid. But blaming last season on ST play is laughable IMO. Lets just be frank, if you expect ISU to win, when scoring 2 or less TD's, its just not gonna happen with any level of consistency. We scored zero TD's 1 time last year, 1 or less 5 times, 2 or less 8 times. Thats a failure on offense and it cost several coaches their jobs.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Hughes is a Jr and Becht is a R-Fr. Those couple of years make a huge difference in recognition, mental processing and decision making that can equalize raw athleticism. Depending on what the coaching staff is asking the QB to do, it may make sense to choose the less talented but more experienced player.

At the end of the day, everyone is going to complain no matter who is getting sacked or throwing INTs.

Yes but this is big boy football. Big step up from JUCO. Not saying he can't be good but I'm skeptical if he's jumping a near 4 star recruit with time in Ames when the JUCO has one August of playing in the system.

 

[besserheimerphat]

There were a ton of times last year when Dekkers simply had no time to even get to the quick route, let alone have a play develop. When he did have time, it was largely because it was an obvious passing down and the defense could slack off expecting a short crossing route.

We've been blitzed into oblivion the last few years, which is a big part of the problem. When it's 5-on-5, our OL does fine in pass protection. But we haven't had a reliable answer for blitzes for ages. A lot of that falls on a combination of QB, WR and playcalling.

Brock was able to escape when he had a lane. But when rushers stayed disciplined and collapsed the pocket without opening holes, he'd get swallowed up too.

 

[madguy30]

That's kind of people's point when they are being labeled pessimistic.

According to FPI our offensive efficiency was 82nd and the ST efficiency was 124th. They were truly, truly bad last year in every phase and Dekkers wasn't great either.

I'm excited for the season, I've got my season tickets again as I have every year for 20+ years. But when it comes to QB, OL, and ST, I've got to see it before I believe it.

The questions imo that need to be answered is if there was growth last year that was harder to see for the common fan and is that going to carry over.

If so, 4-8 with the 4th youngest team in the country, a bunch of close losses isn't that bad especially compared to other real down years at ISU. But the corner needs to be turned and even with the projected tough schedule, 6-7 wins is doable.

 

[madguy30]

We've been blitzed into oblivion the last few years, which is a big part of the problem. When it's 5-on-5, our OL does fine in pass protection. But we haven't had a reliable answer for blitzes for ages. A lot of that falls on a combination of QB, WR and playcalling.

Brock was able to escape when he had a lane. But when rushers stayed disciplined and collapsed the pocket without opening holes, he'd get swallowed up too.

No real deep threat either so teams haven't felt a need to back off.

 

[ScottyP]

I'm happy to be proven wrong this season.

My biggest issue: I remember several times a game he threw passes to guys with 3 defenders between them and the first down marker (On 3rd and long) and SHOCKER! they didn't make it to the first down. He also missed WR's/TE's open in the 10-15 yard range fairly routinely and of course drops in that range were also a problem.

I don't expect the scheme to drastically change coming into this year, so if the decision making on the field and execution in clutch moments doesn't improve. I don't believe we will improve drastically. I hear the complaints about O-line play, they are valid. But blaming last season on ST play is laughable IMO. Lets just be frank, if you expect ISU to win, when scoring 2 or less TD's, its just not gonna happen with any level of consistency. We scored zero TD's 1 time last year, 1 or less 5 times, 2 or less 8 times. Thats a failure on offense and it cost several coaches their jobs.

Once Jirehl Brock got hurt against KU, our offense collapsed. We had almost no running game and we were constantly in 3rd and long. Teams would blitz us on 3rd and long and force us to throw a shallow cross that was stopped short of the chains.

 

[FancyRex]

No real deep threat either so teams haven't felt a need to back off.

Which is an extra bad shame... Finally have a QB with the arm to stretch a defense and don't have the receivers to do it.

I don't see Rocco as that kind of guy, but Kohl should be able to and I hope we adjust talent wise to have that consistent deep threat in the WR room moving forward. Rookie interviews were interesting with Beni Ngoyi claiming he ran a 4.38 40.

 

[mitchforcy]

That completion percentage is bloated. How many swing passes for no gain and 4 yard crossing patterns on 3rd and 8 did that include?

This. The passing game was basically our running game last year. Dekkers was close to dead least in the big 12 in yards per attempt at only 6.7.

 

[madguy30]

Once Jirehl Brock got hurt against KU, our offense collapsed. We had almost no running game and we were constantly in 3rd and long. Teams would blitz us on 3rd and long and force us to throw a shallow cross that was stopped short of the chains.

Aside from maybe the worst field goal attempt ever, wasn't there also some late plays on offense that were just terrible execution? Like guys being in the wrong spot or the ball sailing.

 

[MyNameEhJeff]

If Dekkers has to sit, how does our offense change based upon the strengths of the other QBs? I have read on this board about Dekkers arm with sufficient athleticism but I don‘t have a feel for the rest of the room.

Do we do more RPO with one guy over another? (Presuming Nate adjusts the offense slightly to match the talent on the field).

Dekkers may not just have to sit, there’s rumblings he may be completely booted from the team. His immaturity is on full blast with how he’s handling the gambling scandal

 

[ScottyP]

Aside from maybe the worst field goal attempt ever, wasn't there also some late plays on offense that were just terrible execution? Like guys being in the wrong spot or the ball sailing.

I think you are right. I tried to block most of that game out of my memory though.

 

[FancyRex]

I think you are right. I tried to block most of that game out of my memory though.

KU game was really bad all around. No way we should have lost that game. Between the ST and the complete offensive meltdown you could have justified firing every coach they did immediately after that game alone.

 

[FancyRex]

KU and KSU games were absolutely brutal to watch. Defense played out of its mind and stonewalled 2 offenses and we just couldn't get out of our own way to be even mediocre.

 

[ScottyP]

KU game was really bad all around. No way we should have lost that game. Between the ST and the complete offensive meltdown you could have justified firing every coach they did immediately after that game alone.

Didn't our defense hold KU to almost nothing yards-wise in the second half?

 

[werdnamanhill]

Dekkers may not just have to sit, there’s rumblings he may be completely booted from the team. His immaturity is on full blast with how he’s handling the gambling scandal

Campbell said at media days that he was very impressed with Dekkers work and approach to getting better in the off-season. I'll take his word over a message board rumor.

 

[FancyRex]

Didn't our defense hold KU to almost nothing yards-wise in the second half?

Yeah, our Defense completely shut them down in the 2nd half. Hell we did that to KSU too. Defense played gang busters pretty much all season (minus TCU). Even mediocre offense would have gotten our team a bowl game last year.

So here's to hoping we move from abysmal to mediocre this year and Defense maintains? Throw in the same on special teams and that probably 6 wins right?