Iowa football #MusterOneUp Mailbag: We're committed

Hey, it's week 2 already.

The Hawkeyes travel to Iowa State and Jack Trice Stadium this week.

I've seen a picture of the 'Countdown Clock.' I don't know if Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell did the not-saying-Iowa thing. The Hawkeyes moved the Cy-Hawk Trophy to their weightroom. The Iowa State fight song was played on repeat in Iowa's Hansen Center this week.

If Campbell could sprinkle a victory over Iowa on the culture change he's got going at Iowa State, of course, it would be a giant step forward.

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz has a chance to go a game above .500 against the Cyclones (9-9 right now).

That should qualify for him for a National League wildcard spot.

Here's 'Muster One Up' mailbag No. 2. We're committed, no matter how many emails that one guys sends. I'm always looking for contributions on Twitter, Facebook or email. Feel free to join the spectacle.

September 6, 2017

#MusterOneUp Call me crazy, but a few formations in BF off looked to lend to option runs, do you think we see that in future with mobile QB?

— Jay Haskovec (@jayhutch40)

You're not crazy, Jay. I might be one or two off on this, but I saw two read-option looks.

On Iowa's second-to-last drive of the first half, running back Akrum Wadley and fullback Drake Kulick lined up on QB Nate Stanley's right and left. Out of a shotgun snap, Stanley rode a handoff to Wadley for a few steps. It ended up being a 10-yard gain for Wadley.

On a second-and-3 during the same drive and again out of shotgun, Stanley showed a read-option look on a handoff to Wadley for a 5-yard gain.

The split backs was totally new. The read-option look is something Iowa hasn't shown consistently since 2014. Jake Rudock used to show it quite a bit in 2013-14. He never kept that ball. And that's OK. It's one thing to have a read-option play with a QB who can really hurt a defense with his feet. It's another to show a read-option look. It wins you a step during the play. It's another thing for the defensive coordinator to sweat.

September 5, 2017

#Musteroneup Seems like our RT had a bad day on film, especially for a senior, Do you see both Jackson and Wirfs starting by end of year?

— Dustin Feldman (@feldy53)

I'm going to sound a little like Kirk Ferentz on this one, but let's hold off on rash judgments.

Senior right tackle Ike Boettger gave up two pressures, one resulted in a blindside sack on a one-step drop. You could argue on a one-stepper that Stanley should be making a quick read and getting rid of the ball, but the right side of Iowa's O-line caved in and Wyoming defensive end Carl Granderson beat Boettger with an inside move. Earlier in the game, Granderson beat Boettger on the outside for a pressure on a third-and-4.

Boettger is a three-year starter. Two bad plays aren't going to get him benched. He'll study the tape and improve.

The better question is does Alaric Jackson hold left tackle? Again, no rash statements. Senior Boone Myers had nursed an ankle injury for a month. When he's healthy, he probably gets that job back. As for Tristan Wirfs, he hasn't played a down. I'm not making him a starter. Not yet, anyway.

The good news? Suddenly, Iowa has fantastic depth on the OL and a few pieces in motion for the future.

September 5, 2017

#musteroneup After one game, the biggest difference in Iowa's offense scheme from Greg Davis and Brian Ferentz is...

— Josh Sandin (@RealJoshSandin)

I'm going to go with this (with an assist from @HawkeyeGameFilm). Stanley's 45-yard TD pass to WR Nick Easley was an X-deep route combo. Tight end Noah Fant ran what looked like a skinny post. Easley ran a crosser underneath him. Wyoming was in Cover 1 (one safety) and the play opened like a book.

On Fant's 27-yard TD, Wyoming got caught too shallow. All of its defenders were within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage. Fant knew a linebacker would cover him and the play wasn't close.

It was an aggressive playcall against a loaded front. It was a TE seam, too, not a go-to in the Greg Davis playbook.

What kind of tailgate doesn't have hash browns for an 11am game? September 5, 2017

What kind of tailgate doesn't have hash browns for an 11am game? #MusterOneUp

— MetsFanVI (@MetsFanVI)

Russian tailgates.

If you don't love it, leave it. USA No. 1.

September 5, 2017

#MusterOneUp So it appeared that AJ was very effective when he was in for those few snaps. Does he just get more and more each game?

— Rod Martin (@hawkrod)

Epenesa, a true freshman, played 10 snaps in his first game. He had a sack, tackle for loss and at least two pressures. As Ferentz said in August, he belongs on the varsity.

He was used exclusively in third-down passing situations. How much his playing time grows depends on him. What's his knowledge of the defense? Is he weight room strong enough to play the two-gap technique Iowa has its defensive ends play?

Right now, it feels like Epenesa is on a Matt Roth track for his freshman year. Get in, get after it. Same can probably be said for redshirt freshmen D-ends Chauncey Golston and Brandon Simon. I think you saw a lot of Sam Brincks this week because he's bigger (6-5, 275) and has had four years in the weight room. He knows where he's going and can play strong technique.

September 5, 2017

#musteroneup When is the next time we see ISM take an offensive snap?

— Travis Reichter (@IOWActuary)

Ihmir Smith-Marsette is a true freshman wide receiver. He's 6-2, 175 and wide receiver Devonte Young told me last week Smith-Marsette is one of the fastest Hawkeyes.

It was third-and-7 and he ran a jet sweep on his first-ever play and fumbled. I think he saw an opening and his feet started moving faster than his mind.

When stuff like this happens, I always hope the player gets his next shot sooner rather than later.

'Shake it off,' said senior running back Akrum Wadley, who shares a hometown (Newark, N.J.) and a high school (Weequahic) with Smith-Marsette. 'I've been there before. Ihmir responded. He's mentally strong. He understands that he's a playmaker. You should see some of the things he does in practice. The coaches are going to keep coming back to him. He's got to hold on to it.'

Focus on the 'you should see some of the things he does in practice' part. I'm voting his next touch comes sooner.

Did any backup LBs see playing time? Which backup on O and D played the most snaps? Which freshman played the most? September 5, 2017

Did any backup LBs see playing time? Which backup on O and D played the most snaps? Which freshman played the most? #MusterOneUp

— Paul McMorris (@paulmcmorris411)

For the first time ever, I tracked snaps. I'll just say, man, I miss Pro Football Focus.

In order — No backup linebackers played scrimmage snaps. Sophomore Amani Jones and junior Aaron Mends were active special teamers. Depending how you look at it, either guard Ross Reynolds (33) or guard Boone Myers (23) played the most offensive snaps as backups. On defense, tackle Matt Nelson played 38 snaps.

On offense, Jackson played 56 snaps. He counts, he's a redshirt freshman. On defense, Epenesa led with 10. Freshman cornerback Matt Hankins played three.

September 5, 2017

#musteroneup 2 x 1000 rushers require better up front blocking than we saw saturday. What do you think BF has up his sleeve for the Cycs?

— JDubs (@CLTHawk27)

Play-action passes are Iowa's best way around nine-man fronts. Other teams have flashier moves for loaded fronts, but we're talking about Iowa. It felt like last week was a re-establishment of the play-action pass. Stanley was comfortable running it and it worked.

Give credit to Brian Ferentz for taking shots. I'm not great at calling out coverages, but it looked like Fant's 27-yarder was against a Cover 0 (no safety) and Easley's 45-yarder was against Cover 1 (one deep safety).

Iowa picked its spots and executed. I wouldn't have had Stanley with three TD passes in his first game.

Iowa is in position to kick a game winning 30 yard FG vs isu. Who kicks it? September 5, 2017

Iowa is in position to kick a game winning 30 yard FG vs isu. Who kicks it? #MusterOneUp

— Gregg Harder (@GreggHarder)

This is Miguel Recinos' time. I'd love to see how close it was during camp between him and Keith Duncan. Had to have been a close call.

All systems go with Recinos.

September 5, 2017

#MusterOneUp some iowa players expressed difficulty facing new DC (Wyoming) not seeing things on film. Can Iowa OC have same advantage?

— Clint Harms (@8adf173d5d8643d)

I think the answer is yes, but don't go wild here. Don't go thinking that the wildcat QB is happening.

Iowa has Iowa personnel to run Iowa's offense under a coach who's been at Iowa for 19 seasons. What might catch defenses is how Brian Ferentz attacks.

September 5, 2017

#MusterOneUp Stanley's ball security w minimal contact was scary. I get red jersey 4 QBs, should they do drills so they can hang on better?

— Jay (@ueshawk)

I actually asked this question. It's either genius or pretty dumb. I'll let the world be the judge.

Q. How does your quarterback practice getting tackled?

'I don't know if there is an answer other than game experience,' Kirk Ferentz said. 'It starts with an awareness, like anything else. You have to realize, things close down quickly, and those guys in the other-colored jerseys are always going to be reaching for the ball and trying to knock it out. I think it's just more of a mental thing, a mental awareness thing than anything else.'

Thanks for the questions, everyone. I love doing these. You guys know your football and that pushes me to pretend I know mine.

See you next week.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com