Defense is much better under this year's coaching staff...

[daytonpanther]

Should be able to win two more this year on that improvement alone. Special teams wasn't bad getting the block and TD. Their ST was just a bit better today. Love that our QB appears to be settled and Peterman did a great job on the final drive (all second half). Reminds me a bit like Pistol Pete who had a breakout season under another first year head coach, Wlat.

HTP

 

[JD1976]

The team is the most well prepared and the schemes are the best we have seen among this revolving door of coaches the last 20 years. Narduzzi will get better with his game day coaching decisions.

 

[The Loaded Italian]

true, mostly the same players, but they look far different. Except Pitts... but we played with tenacity

 

[Black_Man_Panther]

Defense folded when the game was on the line. Twice.

 

[Pittx9]

We scored one offensive TD before our last drive. And it was with good field position after an interception. A TD instead of an interception to go up 7-3 and maybe it's a different story. I think our defense was more the reason we almost won and not the reason we lost.

 

[Black Panther]

Should be able to win two more this year on that improvement alone. Special teams wasn't bad getting the block and TD. Their ST was just a bit better today. Love that our QB appears to be settled and Peterman did a great job on the final drive (all second half). Reminds me a bit like Pistol Pete who had a breakout season under another first year head coach, Wlat.

HTP

I agree...It is better...One more big hit and I think their QB would have finished the game on the sidelines...

 

[torbee]

Should be able to win two more this year on that improvement alone. Special teams wasn't bad getting the block and TD. Their ST was just a bit better today. Love that our QB appears to be settled and Peterman did a great job on the final drive (all second half). Reminds me a bit like Pistol Pete who had a breakout season under another first year head coach, Wlat.

HTP

That might be the hardest hitting defense Iowa plays all year.

I was there in person and there were audible oooohs from the crowd on about four Pitt hits.

I think you guys have the right coach finally.

 

[daytonpanther]

Agreed the defense came up big on some third down stops to keep Pitt in the game. Several key plays hurt us but the final Iowa kick-off return (special teams) ended getting thirty and then containment on final drive wasn't great. Their QB was a competitor. I expected he would be rattled but not so.

I think Pitt picked up some confidence after today and hopefully it fuels our season the rest of the way. Coaches missed a few opportunities to come away with points.

First INT of season too.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

The team is the most well prepared and the schemes are the best we have seen among this revolving door of coaches the last 20 years. Narduzzi will get better with his game day coaching decisions.

On defense, yes.
Disagree about the offense.

 

[Panther Al]

Nothing is ever perfect, but the defense looks significantly better under Pat and more prepared. Narduzzi said we're going to get to the QB and we certainly did. Hopefully, we can stop spread offenses in the future which is something we haven't done since the spread was developed in CF. VT should be a VERY telling game H2P.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

We did give up 27 points, though... For all the praise of the defense.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

And for all the times we got to the quarterback we had exactly one sack, the one by Galambos where they (correctly) overturned the fumble call on the field.

 

[ncyajleel]

Narduzzi plays an aggressive defense. We have been used to bend, but don't break reaction defenses, which I don't understand. I like aggressive defenses. Make the offense rush their decisions, don't give them all day to think. Rushed decisions cause opponents to make mistakes.