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College Football: Fans Blast Iowa Hawkeyes Offense For Abysmal First Half

Alec MusaBy 1 Comment3 Mins Read
Iowa Kirk feretnz college football
Nov 18, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz looks on during the fourth quarter against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

With college football’s first full slate of games underway on Saturday, the Iowa Hawkeyes hosted the Illinois State Redbirds to open their 2024 season. Following an uneventful first two quarters, Iowa heads into the locker room nursing a 6-0 lead. The 25th-ranked team in the country, the Hawkeyes, posted just 147 total yards in the first half, explicitly struggling in the passing game.

This offseason, the Iowa Hawkeyes hired former Green Bay Packers assistant coach Tim Lester as their new offensive coordinator following a disastrous 2023 season. However, Iowa has done little to improve its offense this summer, with college football fans clowning the program for their poor performance in the season opener.

College Football Fans Chrip Iowa Hawkeyes Offense For Brutal First Half

The Iowa Hawkeyes football team held a press conference on Tuesday to introduce new offensive coordinator Tim Lester.(University of Iowa)
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team held a press conference introducing new offensive coordinator Tim Lester. (University of Iowa)

According to Ross Dellenger:

Iowa’s new-look offense so far:

3 plays, 4 yards – punt

3 plays, 5 yards – punt

4 plays, 6 yards – field goal

6 plays, 16 yards – punt

7 plays, 30 yards – turnover  

6 plays, 17 yards – punt

In Iowa’s final drive of the first half, the Hawkeyes went 49 yards in 11 plays, resulting in a 28-yard field goal. Last season, Iowa scored a disastrous 15.4 points per game, the second-lowest average in the FBS. The year prior, the Hawkeyes scored 17.7 points per game, the 123rd-best mark in the country. Brian Ferentz, the son of head coach Kirk Ferentz, operated as the offensive coordinator during that span, but the program did not retain his services heading into this fall.

Despite the change at play-caller, the Iowa Hawkeyes offensive struggles have leaked into this season, with quarterback Cade McNamara struggling mightily against Illinois State. After two quarters, the signal-caller is 8-of-17 for 74 yards. Illinois State last played an FBS school in 2022, allowing 38 points to the Wisconsin Badgers. College football fans were quick to jump on the “new look” Iowa offense following a brutal showing in the first half:

Iowa Hawkeyes, College Football
Sep 30, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Cade McNamara (12) scrambles from the endzone as offensive lineman Rusty Feth (60) and offensive lineman Logan Jones (65) block Michigan State Spartans defensive lineman Tunmise Adeleye (52) and Michigan State Spartans defensive lineman Derrick Harmon (41) during the first quarter at Kinnick Stadium. McNamara would incur an injury on the play and leave the game. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports (College Football Odds) (College Football)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Alec is a sports writer from Phoenix, Arizona, who specializes in football. Before taking on his current role at Gridiron Heroics, Alec worked for Sportskeeda in the same role. He covers the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Florida State Seminoles, and Michigan Wolverines.

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