Iowa Hawkeyes Football

At the Iowa Hawkeyes' spring practice kickoff, head coach Kirk Ferentz unveiled the first depth chart of the season, the biggest surprise of which was the absence of a fullback and the inclusion of a "Y" back.

The question is what exactly is a "Y" back, and what does it mean for the Hawks and their offense?

The "Y" back finds its origins in former San Diego Chargers' coach Don Coryell's offense, better known as Air Coryell, which Bleacher Report featured columnist Alen Dumonjic detailed in a recent article.

However, the more Ferentz- and offensive coordinator (OC) Greg Davis-related origins go back to former Washington Redskins' head coach and Coryell disciple, Joe Gibbs.

As Danny Knitzer detailed on Redskins' site TheHogs.net, Gibbs came to prominence at a time when the I-formation dominated both pro and college football. The I-formation utilized a fullback, but unlike the pre-1980s fullback, this fullback mostly served as a blocker.

Gibbs' great innovation was to ask why the offense should have an eligible ball carrier do nothing but block. Knitzer further notes:

What Joe Gibbs did was substitute that blocking fullback and put in a third wide receiver, a play maker. And when that third receiver lined up wide, the defense had to respect that and take a defender out of the box to line up on the wide receiver. Not only did this help the passing game but the more spread out formation stretched the defense horizontally and the passing threat stretched them vertically. The formation decreases the defense in the box by 18% which opens up a lot of natural space for the running back.

The block-first fullback has generally served as Kirk Ferentz's 11th offensive starter throughout much of his tenure. Consider Tom Busch, a three-year starter at fullback for the Hawks between 2005-2007. Busch had only 44 touches during his entire career.

Brett Morse was the three-year starter at fullback between 2008-2010, and he only had 20 touches.

The most recent starter—Brad Rogers, who retired due to health issues—missed a number of games due to injury, but he touched the ball only seven times during his two abbreviated years as starting fullback (he also received a number of touches in 2010 as a tailback).

It appears that Ferentz, perhaps prodded by Davis, has realized the sense of utilizing an extra offensive weapon. 

Davis described his "Y" and "B" backs to Marc Morehouse of the Cedar Rapids Gazette. He referred to the "B" back as "the ‘move’ guy. He has to be able to be a back, tight end and wide receiver."***

In other words, the "B" back, which can also be called a second tight end or an H-back, gives the offense versatility that the fullback rarely provides. The B or H back is also relevant in the run game, as FootballOutsiders.com detailed.

If one looks at Joe Gibbs' 1986, 1992 or 1993 playbooks, one will notice most of the plays are single-back formations with the first tight end marked "Y" and the second tight end marked "H." Iowa will likely have a similar—though scaled down—playbook with similar terminology and, like Gibbs, unpredictability with its tight ends.

Historically, as HawkeyeNation.com detailed, Iowa under Ferentz had the habit of telegraphing its plays based on its personnel.

A run was likely if the Hawks were in an I-formation. If the Hawks brought out a third receiver, then it was going to be a pass. And if the fullback was on the field, then there was little threat of him touching the football. Consequently, the defense didn't have to account for the fullback as a scoring threat.

This predictability allowed opposing teams to stack the box, blitz and drop into a pass prevent accordingly with minimal risk that they were going to get burned.

However, putting two tight ends and one running back on the field is less predictable than the other formations in that it offers any number of variations regarding how those tight ends will be used. Either of the tight ends could begin on the line, in the slot, in the backfield or even out wide, and he would be able to motion elsewhere on the field.

Furthermore, two tight ends fits in seamlessly with what Ferentz has always done. In fact, two tight ends are not a new feature in Iowa's offense.

For instance, in 2009, starting tight end Tony Moeaki caught 30 passes for 387 yards, while No. 2 tight end Allen Reisner added in 14 receptions for 143 yards. In 2008, Moeaki, Reisner and Brandon Myers were the Nos. 3, 4 and 5 pass-catchers on the team.

In 2006, top tight end Scott Chandler had 46 receptions for 591 yards, and Moeaki, in an injury-shortened year, chipped in 11 catches for 140 yards.

What makes the initial 2013 depth chart different is that the two-tight end package seems to be the base offense with the fullback serving as a role player rather than an every-down player.

Hopes are that the Hawks will not only field this more versatile package, but also use those versatile tight ends to create mismatches as so many of the best offenses in the country do with their tight ends.

For example, Stanford has gone 35-5 over the last three seasons, and two of its top three pass-catchers in 2012 were tight ends. In 2011, three of the top six were tight ends.

Penn State, which rejuvenated its offense in 2012 thanks to new coach Bill O'Brien's innovative offensive schemes, saw tight ends as three of its top five pass catchers last year.

Oregon has led the Pac-12 in plays over thirty yards for each of the past three years, and its top tight end—Cole Lyerla—had the highest yards-per-catch (YPC) average of the Ducks' top nine pass-catchers in 2012. In 2010 and 2011, tight end David Paulson had the top YPC of any Duck who caught more than 10 passes.

Meanwhile, one of Iowa's current co-starting Y-backs—Jake Duzey—boasted an Oregon offer out of high school. Moreover, two of Iowa's tight ends—starter C.J. Fiedorowicz and backup Ray Hamilton—were listed by Rivals as top 10 at their positions coming out of high school.

Also, Iowa's offensive line coach, Brian Ferentz, was the New England Patriots tight ends coach under then-Pats' OC Bill O'Brien.

In 2011, while Ferentz was still the Patriots tight ends coach, ESPN's Matt Williamson described New England's use of its tight ends "like no other team in the league." Generally speaking, Hawkeyes fans were excited about Ferentz getting hired as the offensive line coach, and this was much of the reason why.

Unfortunately, Brian Ferentz didn't appear to have much input in his first year on the staff.

As Iowa blog BlackHeartGoldPants.com detailed regarding the no-huddle offense, ultra-conservative Kirk Ferentz is known for talking up different ideas and schemes only to go back to what he is familiar with.

Hopefully, the new depth chart and dual tight ends are a sign that Kirk Ferentz is listening to Greg Davis and Brian Ferentz. Iowa needs to implement and commit to serious changes following 2012's pathetic (and boring) offensive outing which saw the Hawks finish 113th in the country in scoring offense.

Putting in a Y, B, H or whichever letter gives the Hawks an extra threat to make a play every time the offense takes the field, and, according to Ferentz (via Morehouse), that is exactly what the 2013 Iowa Hawkeyes are trying to do.

***The Y-back is the extra tight end on the depth chart, but Davis describes the B-back as the second tight end. It's difficult to say which is which, but it is evident that the new starter is a second tight end and he will be used like an H-back.

Recently, Iowa Hawkeyes' special teams coaches Darrell Wilson and Lester Erb left the program (per Rick Brown of HawkCentral.com) and head coach Kirk Ferentz hired Chris White to coach running backs and to coordinate special teams.

According to Hawkeyesports.com, White comes to Iowa via the Minnesota Vikings, where he spent the past four years working with the Minnesota special teams.

Despite all the recent hirings and departures—six changes over the last two years including both coordinators—White and a reinvigorated special teams will be the difference makers in the Hawkeyes' fortunes—fortunes that have gone decidedly southward over the last three years.

Iowa's record over those last three years has been an unimpressive 19-19, which is tied for 67th in the country over that span. That record is also only minimally better than that of intra-state rival Iowa State—at 17-21—though the Hawks have historically dominated the Cyclones.

This despite Iowa putting 12 men into the NFL Draft between 2011-2012. Compare this with ISU, which put one player into the draft during that time, or Big Ten-competitor Northwestern, which has gone 23-16 and put two players into the draft.

In short, Iowa has had as much talent as almost any program in the Big Ten and the country, yet has underperformed on the field.  The biggest issue has been special teams.

In fact, at least one loss over each of the past three seasons can be closely tied to special teams play.

In 2012, 106 yards in penalties and a defense that took the first half off played a part in a loss to Central Michigan. However, possibly the most passive onside kick recovery attempt in Iowa's history sealed the Hawkeyes' fate.

All of the other mistakes would have been erased if anybody in black and gold had attempted to recover that kick. The end result was that Iowa lost 32-31 on a last second field goal that was set up by CMU's onside-kick recovery.

In 2011, Iowa had a similarly miserable special teams showing against Minnesota.

The Hawks missed field goals of 24 and 43 yards, had one shanked punt and again, a failed onside-kick recovery.

There were other (non-special teams related) contributing factors, but the end result was a 22-21 loss, in which any of the above special-teams disasters could have and probably would have changed the Hawks' fortunes.

2010 featured the worst Iowa special teams ever seen under Kirk Ferentz prompting Cedar Rapids Gazette's Scott Dochterman to write, "Iowa's special teams need special treatment".

The breakdowns began during the third game of the season when the Hawks traveled to meet the Arizona Wildcats. In the contest Iowa allowed one blocked punt, one 100-yard kickoff return and missed an extra point.

The Hawks left Tucson on the losing end of a 34-27 score.

Later in the year—a year that began with Big Ten and even national title hopes—5-1 Iowa faced off against 6-1 Wisconsin in Kinnick Stadium.

As Ryan Suchomel of HawkCentral.com documented, the Hawks missed one extra point, one field goal, took an offsides penalty on a kickoff and allowed a 37-yard kick return that left an elite Wisconsin offense at midfield.

However, the backbreaking play occurred with 6:24 left to go in the fourth quarter and the Hawks holding on to a 30-24 lead.

Facing 4th-and-4 at its own 26-yard-line, Wisconsin brought out the punt squad. Everybody not named Kirk Ferentz or working on the Iowa staff knew there was no way Badgers coach Bret Bielema was punting.

Nonetheless, the people who mattered were caught off guard, Wisconsin punter Brad Nortman faked the punt and ran the ball for 17 uncontested yards. The Hawks went on to lose 31-30.

Iowa was a beaten team by the time it made it to Minnesota for the last regular season game of the year.

The Hawkeyes braintrust opted to concede field position and squib kick all of the kickoffs, thereby admitting it had no faith in its special teams to stop Gophers return man Troy Stoudermire.

However, in the fourth quarter, with Iowa holding on to a 24-20 lead despite almost the entire team failing to show up, the Hawks were once again unprepared for a predictable trick onside kick that they failed to recover.

Iowa wound up losing 27-24.

Five losses that were directly attributable to special teams failures or in which special teams failures played a key role.

Take back those five losses—not to mention the intangible element of momentum that those losses had on Iowa—and the Hawks would be 24-14 over the past three years, or tied for approximately 38th in the country.

That might not be an elite figure, but it's worlds better than 19-19.

Furthermore, compare this with 2002-2004, during which Iowa went 31-7 or eighth in the country.

The Hawks had elite special teams for those three seasons, and those elite special teams directly caused or played a key role in many Hawkeyes wins.

Iowa wouldn't have beaten Purdue in 2002 if not for special teams. A punt block, a 43-yard punt return and a 3-for-3 Nate Kaeding were keys to the 2003 win over Michigan.

Finally, Tate-to-Holloway is the enduring image of the 2005 Capital One Bowl victory, but two blocked punts and a fake-field goal stoppage were the true differences between a win and a loss.

When Kirk Ferentz has won, he has won the close games, and he has won the close games when he has won the special teams battles.

The cause and effect is evident.

This leads to the hiring of Chris White.

As previously mentioned, White's most recent assignment was as one of the Vikings' special teams coordinators.

According to Rick Gosselin of the Dallas News, Minnesota had the best special teams in the country in 2012, and it wasn't even close.

It's impossible to say exactly how much White had to do with the Vikes' success. He wasn't the head special teams coach, he can't take credit for return man Percy Harvin's natural skills and he wasn't on the field when rookie kicker Blair Walsh hit 35-of-38 field goal attempts.

On the other hand, it is apparent that Ferentz (finally) recognized something was not working with his special teams squads. He also recognized that the special teams needed swift attention, and he recognized that White's resume as a special teams coach is unimpeachable.

Going back to 2010, Iowa has played 12 games in which the margin of victory has been three points or fewer. The Hawks have gone 3-9 in those games, and, as often as not, special teams were the difference.

Between 2002-2004, the Hawks went 5-0 in games decided by a field goal or less. Again, special teams were often the difference.

Time will tell if White is successful and if the Iowa special teams—and by extension, Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa football program—enter a new era of winning.

What is certain is that there is a commitment to improved special teams, and that is a genuine and necessary commitment to improving a downtrodden program.

It seems pretty cut-and-dried that in a highly competitive field like college football, the one overriding impetus for all coaches is to win by any means necessary. Sure, there are rules handed down by the NCAA to corral some of that behavior, which gives us a nice framework within which the coaches can operate, but their motivation remains the same: win, win, win.

That philosophy informs every move these coaches make, including—one would think—the hiring of their assistants. You hire what you believe to be the best, most qualified staff possible and go from there. On the flip side, then, to eschew qualifications for other personal concerns seems almost antithetical to the win-at-all-costs mentality, and that doesn't seem like a great way to keep a good record.

All of which is to say, Kirk Ferentz should probably chill out on this whole "hiring the family" business.

Ferentz named his son (and former Hawkeye center) Brian Ferentz the offensive line coach prior to the 2012 season, and while Brian had the qualification of having been a member of the New England Patriots coaching staff, it still raised some eyebrows in Iowa City. Eventually, Iowa athletic director Gary Barta issued a less-than-plausible statement saying that he, not Kirk, had pursued and hired Brian. The credulity, it is strained.

Iowa's offensive line struggled in 2012, but largely due to injury (which you can't really lay at a coach's feet), so it's way too soon to start drawing conclusions about that hire. Plus, Kirk Ferentz won't be firing his son anytime soon. Did we say Kirk Ferentz? We meant Gary Barta. What a typo that was.

Fresh off that hiring, Ferentz decided to go "future family" up in here, and hired an administrative assistant who just so happens to be engaged to his daughter. He saw no problem with this. Here's more from The Gazette:

Tyler J. Barnes, 27, was hired in January 2012 as a temporary administrative assistant with a one-year appointment and an annual salary of $32,000, according to documents The Gazette obtained through an Open Records request.

About six months into the job, Barnes got engaged to Joanne Ferentz, a 25-year-old Iowa City elementary school teacher. The couple is expected to marry July 6, according to an online wedding registry.

No conflict-of-interest review was done for Barnes, even after his engagement. Ferentz said he didn’t think he needed to tell Athletics Director Gary Barta about the change in Barnes’s personal status.

“I didn’t see any reason to,” Ferentz told The Gazette.

Wait for it... waaaaait for it...

“If he’s reporting within football operations and the reporting line goes to the head coach and he’s becoming the son-in-law of the head coach, that becomes a conflict,” said Sue Buckley, UI vice president for human resources.

Barta said he didn’t know Barnes and Joanne Ferentz were engaged until The Gazette asked about it.

Yep. Now, Barta and Ferentz both agree that this is a case of Ferentz not thinking it was a big deal more than some covert type of thing, and that is completely plausible. Does Ferentz seem like the kind of guy who would let the guy who's marrying his daughter stick around and get some ho-hum job in the program if he wanted it? Sure. Would it cross his mind that could potentially be inappropriate? Probably not.

But there's more to inappropriate hiring practices than just intent. Saying "it hadn't occurred to me" isn't a get-out-of-university-review-free card. The school still needs to figure out whether Barnes should be in that role.

The one thing working in Barnes' favor is that he's been involved with the program in various low-level assistant jobs for a while now. This will be his fifth year at Iowa, according to the Iowa staff page (his official bio says fourth, but that's as of the 2012 season). And sure enough, he's now going to report to a member of the sports information department to avoid any conflict of interest. So his job's probably safe.

But look. That's two very recent hiring decisions by Ferentz that have prompted the university's attention and forced extraordinary supervising decisions to avoid a conflict of interest. The school can't keep doing this just to keep its head coach happy—especially when the football team's trotting out there and losing to the likes of Central Michigan and Indiana.