Al Schallau Weighs In On Iowa's Football Season

Al Schallau, a longtime observer of University of Iowa athletic teams, sounds off on the Hawkeyes' disappointing 2010 football season:

"Ron,

"Iowa's football offense consists of about seven plays, which the Hawkeyes run over and over and over again. Ken O'Keefe's play-calling is completely predictable. So the opposing teams' defensive coordinators have pretty easy jobs when they go against the Hawkeyes.

"Iowa has no deception, misdirection or trickery in its offensive arsenal. In 2002 and for several years thereafter, the Hawkeyes made some big yardage gains with the 'jailbreak screen pass' play to a wide receiver. C. J. Jones ran that play for some big yardage. The Hawkeyes never use that play anymore. And Iowa does not even have a flea-flicker pass play in their playbook.

"The three brain bruises that stand out most in my mind for the 2010 Iowa Hawkeye football season are:

"1. The last two minutes of the game at Arizona, when Iowa made Brooks Reed, No. 42 for Arizona, into an all-American candidate. He is the kid with very long blonde hair sticking out his helmet, who sacked Ricky Stanzi on four straight plays when the ball game was on the line.

"2. That fake punt by Wisconsin in the late fourth quarter never should have happened. But the punter went down at Wisconsin's own 43 yard-line. The Badgers were still 57 yards from a touchdown. A field goal would not help them. Iowa could not stop Wisconsin from shoving the ball down their throats for those last 57 yards.

"3. Ohio State's final touchdown drive is still painful. The Buckeyes did everything but hand the game to the Hawkeyes (dropped pass in the end zone, intercepted passes, etc.). But Iowa still could not win.

"Iowa's defense is even more predictable than the offense. Hawkeye linebackers and strong safeties never blitz the quarterback on obvious passing downs. Everyone just lays back in coverage and gives the quarterback all the time he wants to throw the ball. Hawkeye opponents convert third down and eight, and third down and twelve with terrible regularity -- particularly in the fourth quarters when the game is on the line.

"Iowa's defense gave up very long fourth quarter game winning touchdown drives to Arizona, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Ohio State, and Minnesota. Those account for all five losses that the Hawkeyes suffered. Clutch plays by the Hawkeye defense were non-existent. I kept yelling 'Come on defense. Make a play. Make a play.' But Iowa's defense never did.

"If I lived in Iowa and had to pay big bucks for season tickets for the 2011 Hawkeye football season, I would probably buy tickets to Coe or Cornell games instead."

"Best, AL SCHALLAU"

[Al Schallau has been a frequent contributor to Ron Maly's columns. In his writings, he can be brutally frank at times, and he usually calls 'em as he sees 'em. He is extremely popular with many of Maly's readers. Indeed, when his commentaries didn't appear for several weeks in Maly's columns this season, a number of readers asked why he wasn't making his thoughts known. I contacted Schallau to tell him some folks missed reading what was on his mind. For those who enjoy his commentaries, this column is for you. Schallau is a native Iowan, a 1964 graduate of the University of Iowa and a 1968 graduate of the University of Southern California Law School. He was admitted to the State Bar of California on Jan. 9, 1969. He also was admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts, and the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Schallau graduated from Iowa City High School in 1960. He is the fourth of seven children, all of whom graduated from college. He is married to Carol Schallau and they are the parents of three sons and five daughters, who range in age from 26 years to 41 years. Schallau can be contacted at P.O. Box 2220, Palos Verdes, CA 90274. His telephone and fax numbers are (310) 541-0375 and (310) 541-7323. His e-mail address is alschallau@earthlink.net.]