David M@linsky
4* Pittsburgh / Iowa Over 50.5
This looks like an out-dated line, one that reflects the past Pittsburgh program rather than the current realities of the Panthers under Todd Graham, and also one that contains more of a reference to those strong Iowa defenses of the past, rather then a current edition that could go down as one of Kirk Ferentz’s weakest. So it is easy to get in play here.
While the Pittsburgh offensive execution will be a work in progress as the Panthers switch to the Graham schemes, we can already see that the pace is there – the first two games have averaged 160 offensive snaps, Contrast that with 2010, when the highest snap count all season was just 138. Look for that pace to get even quicker as they offense gets more comfortable, and while the passing game jells it is not bad to have ray Graham on board, the nation’s leading rusher with 322 yards. But while the focus on the new offense has made the headlines, it is the defensive transition that has been even more awkward. They allowed 45 points, 47 first downs and 774 yards at home vs. the likes of Buffalo and Maine, and are clearly not comfortable in their new 3-4 looks, especially with true FR Ejuan Price having to start at LB to replace the injured Dan Mason (Mason will be out again this week).
Iowa can exploit that defense, with James Vandenberg stepping up well at QB, throwing for 426 yards and four TD’s without an INT so far, and NFL-bound Marvin McNutt has already caught 10 passes for 201 yards. But the problems for the Hawkeyes come on the other side of the ball. A DL that had three players drafted by the NFL is in a major rebuilding mode, which showed in struggles to stop a mediocre Iowa State offense as the game went on last week, including the Cyclones getting TD’s on all three of their O.T. possessions.
We are not going to get many shut-down drives here, with both defenses vulnerable, and we will also have a game pace that is going to provide a lot of opportunities.
4* Pittsburgh / Iowa Over 50.5
This looks like an out-dated line, one that reflects the past Pittsburgh program rather than the current realities of the Panthers under Todd Graham, and also one that contains more of a reference to those strong Iowa defenses of the past, rather then a current edition that could go down as one of Kirk Ferentz’s weakest. So it is easy to get in play here.
While the Pittsburgh offensive execution will be a work in progress as the Panthers switch to the Graham schemes, we can already see that the pace is there – the first two games have averaged 160 offensive snaps, Contrast that with 2010, when the highest snap count all season was just 138. Look for that pace to get even quicker as they offense gets more comfortable, and while the passing game jells it is not bad to have ray Graham on board, the nation’s leading rusher with 322 yards. But while the focus on the new offense has made the headlines, it is the defensive transition that has been even more awkward. They allowed 45 points, 47 first downs and 774 yards at home vs. the likes of Buffalo and Maine, and are clearly not comfortable in their new 3-4 looks, especially with true FR Ejuan Price having to start at LB to replace the injured Dan Mason (Mason will be out again this week).
Iowa can exploit that defense, with James Vandenberg stepping up well at QB, throwing for 426 yards and four TD’s without an INT so far, and NFL-bound Marvin McNutt has already caught 10 passes for 201 yards. But the problems for the Hawkeyes come on the other side of the ball. A DL that had three players drafted by the NFL is in a major rebuilding mode, which showed in struggles to stop a mediocre Iowa State offense as the game went on last week, including the Cyclones getting TD’s on all three of their O.T. possessions.
We are not going to get many shut-down drives here, with both defenses vulnerable, and we will also have a game pace that is going to provide a lot of opportunities.

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