Howe: Who Does the Brian Ferentz "Salary-Reduction" Move Satisfy?

Short of firing BF, which none of us were expecting, this was conceptually the right thing to do, but the execution was bungled as usual. If there had been a more substantial base cut, coupled with more robust metrics I might have viewed this differently. Show you are serious about this issue.

Recall Nebbie did something similar with Frost and Hoiberg and then tried to keep the metrics from the press. They eventually got Frosts and he only needed to win 6 games. That contract amendment was viewed as a vehicle to fire Frost unless he showed real improvement. I want to believe that is what this is, but I just don't see BF ever being fired.
 
Alex Hickey from Saturday Tradition:

“But hidden in plain sight is the most important detail of Ferentz’s contract. If he doesn’t reach those goals, he gets fired. His contract expires effective June 30, 2024.”
 
If BF doesn't meet those meager standards, it would mean that Iowa went 6-6 and its offense was averaging below 20 in points in conference. The pressure might be too much even for Barta. He would be hard pressed to modify the contract and renew. Maybe that is the solution. He was not fired, his contract was not renewed.

KF is a wealthy man. He could just pay BF and keep him on as a GA. LOL.

Again, I think BF hits the low marks and lives to fight another year....
 
If BF doesn't meet those meager standards, it would mean that Iowa went 6-6 and its offense was averaging below 20 in points in conference. The pressure might be too much even for Barta. He would be hard pressed to modify the contract and renew. Maybe that is the solution. He was not fired, his contract was not renewed.

KF is a wealthy man. He could just pay BF and keep him on as a GA. LOL.

Again, I think BF hits the low marks and lives to fight another year....
At a minimum, hopefully we see more attempts to score in the 2nd half of games mostly out of reach for the opponent (ie Purdue last year). It will make them funner to watch anyways.
 
True. But they would have to either offer a new contract or simply do nothing, which would end his employment.

Agreed. I was pointing out the line "If he doesn’t reach those goals, he gets fired."

I don't think that statement is true. That portion of the deal is open for interpretation with multiple potential outcomes.
 
I think what this contract does is guarantee that BF makes all the goals.

7 victories, that is below avg for the program thanks to Phil Parker

25 points, below avg of all schools and easily done as we'll all of a sudden see scores getting ran up against the lighter competition if needed to ensure that the son gets the reward for achieving the loser (lower than average) goals
 
Agreed. I was pointing out the line "If he doesn’t reach those goals, he gets fired."

I don't think that statement is true. That portion of the deal is open for interpretation with multiple potential outcomes.
Yup. The contract would be 'terminated' I believe is the word they used for it. But that doesn't mean they can't scribble up a new one for him. If they think this whole thing is a terrible PR play now. Wait till if they come to that fork in the road and they try bringing him back... I almost want to see Iowa win 10 games yet avg 21 pts a game to see how that plays out. Almost..
 
If the offense continues to struggle and KFz uses some nuance or loophole in this to keep BFz on board... the pitchforks and torches are going to come out.
 
I think it would be better for everyone involved if the discrimination lawsuit were somehow put behind BF. Who knows, that could have prevented him from moving to the NFL this year. It seems like a cloud hanging over his head.
 
Remember: I was quoting a media guy. I am not in favor of this low bar set of requirements. I am looking for any and all windows that may move BF out of the OC.
 
Agreed. I was pointing out the line "If he doesn’t reach those goals, he gets fired."

I don't think that statement is true. That portion of the deal is open for interpretation with multiple potential outcomes.

I swear I am in some sort of fantasy world where I cannot tell what is real. I thought there was no way BF would be brought back after the back-to-back stinkfests the last 2 years. We were objectively in a "it can't be any worse" scenario, and it looked like a perfect opportunity for KF to pull off one last resurgence before riding into the sunset. Lo and behold, BF is brought back.

Now you are trying to say that there is a chance BF doesn't meet those absurdly low criteria, and they somehow still bring him back? I get the semantic difference between "fired" and "contract expires", but would they do that? I say not in a million years, but I thought the same about bringing BF back for this year.

There is part of me that wants to see Iowa this scenario play out: BF misses the criteria, they restructure the contract and bring him back. What a social experiment! Psychologists will be studying this board for generations to come.
 
Yup. The contract would be 'terminated' I believe is the word they used for it. But that doesn't mean they can't scribble up a new one for him. If they think this whole thing is a terrible PR play now. Wait till if they come to that fork in the road and they try bringing him back... I almost want to see Iowa win 10 games yet avg 21 pts a game to see how that plays out. Almost..

You beat me to it (I didn't read down far enough), but that would be a fascinating scenario. I'm not saying I am rooting for it...but if that was how things were unfolding down the stretch, I just might root for it a bit.
 
You beat me to it (I didn't read down far enough), but that would be a fascinating scenario. I'm not saying I am rooting for it...but if that was how things were unfolding down the stretch, I just might root for it a bit.
It'd be wild just wild as hell. Stuff like that is what gives message boards, talk radio and pod casters stuff to talk about. Anyone think with Cade having one more yr to play after this one that in that sort of scenario that KF would actually fire BF? I sure don't and I bet most don't either. Because if he would be he shoulda already replaced him based off of where we are. It's just that simple.

I get the feeling this is a Gary Barta move. Obviously BF wouldn't have wanted anything to do with it. KF may have been just tone deaf enough to think this sort of thing would pacify those that are done with Brian to go along with this but it feels like a Barta idea. Because it's just the worst of the worst PR moves. If something like this (an incentive laden contract) is deemed needed then how is he qualified for the gig now anyway?

I think another reason for this incentive deal is that so if they do have to terminate the deal and let him go that technically Brian wouldn't have been fired. They might be desperately looking for a reason to keep being fired off of Brians resume for his future. Which is odd because all coaches get fired it's a right of passage almost. To me his actual resume and stats are way worse then just being fired. But that's just me I guess.
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Top